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With a little imagination, a dingy, musty basement has been transformed into everyone's favorite space

butterfly on sofa arthropod, bombycidae, butterfly, fauna, insect, invertebrate, moth, moths and butterflies, organism, pollinator, red — butterfly on sofa

butterfly on sofa - butterfly on sofa - arthropod, bombycidae, butterfly, fauna, insect, invertebrate, moth, moths and butterflies, organism, pollinator, red

View of the renovated basement which is now ceiling, estate, home, interior design, living room, property, real estate, room, suite, wall, brown, red

View of bathroom at in the basement entertainment bathroom, bathroom accessory, floor, flooring, hardwood, home, interior design, plumbing fixture, room, tile, toilet, wall, wood flooring, brown, orange

View of the bay window in the basement cabinetry, furniture, interior design, window, window blind, window covering, window treatment, orange, brown

View of the renovated basement which is now ceiling, home, interior design, living room, real estate, room, wall, brown, orange

View of basement entertainment area featuring pool table billiard room, billiard table, cue sports, english billiards, estate, furniture, home, interior design, pool, real estate, recreation room, room, table, brown

View of basement entertainment area featuring pool table billiard room, floor, flooring, interior design, recreation room, room, table, brown, orange

View of the basement prior to renovations. - black

Many of us look at the accumulation of stuff in our basements with horror and quickly close the door. However, this often untapped source of additional space has the potential to be incorporated into a home for a lower cost than remodeling projects that involve adding a level or extending the ground floor.

After 20 years, much of that time spent intending to finish the basement, the owners of this home decided the time was right to act.

"We love to entertain and we wanted our basement to be comfortable and inviting. We wanted to watch sports, shoot pool and spend time with our friends," they say.

Contractor Walter Lewis of Neighbors Home Remodeling used a computer software package to show them what could be achieved. Even on a relatively tight budget, it was more than they had previously imagined would be possible.

Years before, the space had been set up for a bathroom, so plumbing was available for this and a wet bar. There was also a bay window with an opportunity for a view.

By working with these advantages, Lewis created a large living space with sufficient room for a bar, pool table, large-screen television and sitting area. The bathroom was enlarged to include a full tub and shower unit, a vanity and toilet, and a linen closet. In the hallway a cedar-lined cupboard was added to provide storage for off-season clothing.

To keep costs down, materials were selected to suit the owners' budget; granite for the wet bar was found at a local granite supplier and the custom bar and window seat were built from plywood and poplar.

Hiding the services can be a problem in a basement remodel, so a multi-layer tray ceiling, fitted with recessed lighting, was installed.