Our basements are a wonderland of possibilities, with all that space waiting to take care of our basic needs – like storage! – or our fondest dreams . . . an arts and crafts studio, media room, home theatre or man cave. It can do both, and this is why finished basements are one of the most popular remodeling projects.

Expanding your living space is what finishing a basement is all about. For instance, a one-story home can become a 2-story home by turning your basement into a lower level used by the entire family. The deep bench of professionals at Mosby Building Arts work with homeowners to create the new spaces they’ve always wanted within the square footage they already have.

One of our favorite basement remodeling projects was the transformation of a typical unfinished basement into a multi-faceted entertainment destination created for the whole family to use.

A game room provides plenty of space for a poker table, pool table, fooz ball and a shuffle board.

Adding a full service wet bar with mini-refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and sink is an added benefit to the pleasure and convenience of fun and entertainment. The main public area of the finished basement is combined with more private realms that can be used simultaneously.

A fully-equipped exercise room has a complete wall of windows to allow those working out to see the action outside the room while privately pursuing fitness. The rubber tile floor in the gym is padded to protect against high impact. This workout room leads into a full bathroom with a walk-in steam shower.

A hallway doubles as an art gallery which leads to two more specialty areas…

The theater features luxurious, reclining leather seats on two levels, a marble-faced fireplace and a wrap-around sound system. The room is soundproofed so that one group can take in a movie on the big screen while other activities continue around them.

Next door to the home theater is the family’s wine cellar. Red wood wine racks, cabinets and ceiling are accented by slate tile flooring and natural stone walls. Also included in this finished basement project is a large guest bedroom, which usually gets used by one of the sons who spends most of his time in this entertainment wonderland.

See more photos of this remodeled lower level.

Think about the possibilities for your basement. Is there a Man Cave that is in your future? A special domain for the man of the house, or the place to display special collections?

The Mosby Team guided this Chesterfield family in turning their basement into a St. Louis Cardinals playground, with the drapes, furniture and pool table felt all decked out in Cardinal red.

We even found a way to incorporate the old Busch stadium chairs the owner purchased when the stadium was replaced (above left) as well as a special built-in cabinet for his chess collection (above right, background).

See more photos of this project.

Create the spaces you always dreamed about and enhance the living space and beauty by remodeling your basement.

Keep in mind there are several reasons for a professional to finish your basement. Moisture can be trapped behind walls in finished spaces and can create serious health issues as well as deteriorate the existing structure. The first step we take is to evaluate the basement and find the root cause of any moisture issues. Common mistakes too often can be made, like using plastic or kraft paper to create a vapor barrier along the wall. Air circulation is important for keeping a space underground dry and proper installation is key to years of enjoyment.

To get the finished basement you’ve always dreamed of, and to make it one that’s healthy and built to last a lifetime, call on Mosby Building Arts. See examples of other finished basements we’ve done and then work with our team of designers and skilled craftsmen to create your perfect lower level. Call us at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

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1. The Return of the Murphy Bed

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Tags: arts and crafts studio, basement finishing ideas, basement remodel, exercise room, finished basement, game room, home theater, man cave, st. louis cardinals, wet bar, wine cellars

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 8:03 am and is filed under finished basements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.