Photo of a large traditional fully buried basement in New York with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and white floor.

Today’s basements are much more than dark, dingy spaces or rec rooms of years ago. Because homeowners are spending more time in them, basements have evolved into lower-levels with distinctive spaces, complete with stone and marble fireplaces, sitting areas, coffee and wine bars, home theaters, over sized guest suites and bathrooms that rival some of the most luxurious resort accommodations. Gracing the lakeshore of Lake Beulah, this homes lower-level presents a beautiful opening to the deck and offers dynamic lake views. To take advantage of the home’s placement, the homeowner wanted to enhance the lower-level and provide a more rustic feel to match the home’s main level, while making the space more functional for boating equipment and easy access to the pier and lakefront. Jeff Auberger designed a seating area to transform into a theater room with a touch of a button. A hidden screen descends from the ceiling, offering a perfect place to relax after a day on the lake. Our team worked with a local company that supplies reclaimed barn board to add to the decor and finish off the new space. Using salvaged wood from a corn crib located in nearby Delavan, Jeff designed a charming area near the patio door that features two closets behind sliding barn doors and a bench nestled between the closets, providing an ideal spot to hang wet towels and store flip flops after a day of boating. The reclaimed barn board was also incorporated into built-in shelving alongside the fireplace and an accent wall in the updated kitchenette. Lastly the children in this home are fans of the Harry Potter book series, so naturally, there was a Harry Potter themed cupboard under the stairs created. This cozy reading nook features Hogwartz banners and wizarding wands that would amaze any fan of the book series.

We used: Old World Flagstone in Appalachian Gray for fireplace surround. Paint colors: Walls: Glidden Meeting House White 50YY 74/069 Ceilings/Trims/Doors: Glidden Swan White GLC23 Robert B. Narod Photography

Ray Mata
Large country walk-out basement in Other with grey walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

This is an example of a traditional look-out basement in Minneapolis with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Beautiful modern basement finish with wet bar and home gym. Open concept. Glass enclosure wine storage
Inspiration for a large modern look-out basement in Denver with grey walls, laminate floors, a ribbon fireplace and grey floor.

Large country walk-out basement in Atlanta with a game room, grey walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, multi-coloured floor and decorative wall panelling.

David Frechette
Design ideas for a transitional fully buried basement in Detroit with grey walls, vinyl floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Location: Bethesda, MD, USA Finecraft built this new kitchen and breakfast area expansion project which also included the basement renovation and laundry/mudroom area. Finecraft Contractors, Inc. James N Gerrety, AIA Susie Soleimani Photography

Hightail Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional look-out basement in Minneapolis with beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and beige floor.

Full basement renovation with LED lighting, new framing, insulation and sub-floor. Huge rec-room with fireplace, big kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, bedroom and big cold room converted to a storage room.

©Finished Basement Company
Mid-sized transitional look-out basement in Minneapolis with beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Mike Chajecki www.mikechajecki.com
This is an example of a large transitional fully buried basement in Toronto with grey walls, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and brown floor.

New finished basement. Includes large family room with expansive wet bar, spare bedroom/workout room, 3/4 bath, linear gas fireplace.
This is an example of a large contemporary walk-out basement in Minneapolis with a home bar, grey walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, grey floor, recessed and wallpaper.

After an insurance claim due to water damage, it was time to give this family a functional basement space to match the rest of their beautiful home! Tackling both the general contracting + design work, this space features an asymmetrical fireplace/ TV unit, custom bar area and a new bedroom space for their daughter!

This is an example of a large contemporary fully buried basement in Salt Lake City with a home bar, white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and beige floor.

The best of the past and present meet in this distinguished design. Custom craftsmanship and distinctive detailing give this lakefront residence its vintage flavor while an open and light-filled floor plan clearly mark it as contemporary. With its interesting shingled roof lines, abundant windows with decorative brackets and welcoming porch, the exterior takes in surrounding views while the interior meets and exceeds contemporary expectations of ease and comfort. The main level features almost 3,000 square feet of open living, from the charming entry with multiple window seats and built-in benches to the central 15 by 22-foot kitchen, 22 by 18-foot living room with fireplace and adjacent dining and a relaxing, almost 300-square-foot screened-in porch. Nearby is a private sitting room and a 14 by 15-foot master bedroom with built-ins and a spa-style double-sink bath with a beautiful barrel-vaulted ceiling. The main level also includes a work room and first floor laundry, while the 2,165-square-foot second level includes three bedroom suites, a loft and a separate 966-square-foot guest quarters with private living area, kitchen and bedroom. Rounding out the offerings is the 1,960-square-foot lower level, where you can rest and recuperate in the sauna after a workout in your nearby exercise room. Also featured is a 21 by 18-family room, a 14 by 17-square-foot home theater, and an 11 by 12-foot guest bedroom suite. Photography: Ashley Avila Photography & Fulview Builder: J. Peterson Homes Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional fully buried basement in Edmonton with green walls, a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Design ideas for a modern fully buried basement in Detroit with a home bar, multi-coloured walls, vinyl floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown floor and brick walls.