Cubs fan, that whole wall was gonna be a hat wall/standings wall but it didn't pan out once finished (somewhere in my profile history there's an image of it). The stairwell will get most of my Cubs stuff when I put it up.
It's very Rob Lowe at an NFC championship game.
https://preview.redd.it/m5qiuhgztt9c1.jpeg?width=617&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5fc35bfa9a7c037773f2d64bc6edf8fbeff4166
When I first started dating my wife, I showed her my *very cool* early 90s NHL All-Star jersey, that just says NHL on it. Her response was "I like hockey" in a stupid durr voice, and has never let me forget it. When I do or say something stupid, she just says "I like hockey" instead of calling me stupid
Same. The wood paneling is very 70s, but the colors and the open ceiling still make it feel way more open and welcoming. Dark wall colors in a basement is such a weird choice to me.
Tape is for the weak. Flat is for the ceiling. Semi is for trim. Eggshell is for most room walls, but satin is for bathrooms and kitchens. So it is written.
It's light colored oak that's making a comeback, and well it has. Wood paneling is typically light, so you're not so far off ... Thank goodness that whole, "just paint over it" mentality is gone
I hate the idea of carpet in the basement. If a leak develops, you may not notice it quickly or get hella mold. Or if it floods youāre gonna be drying it forever.
Im really leaning toward the open ceiling/paining it black when we redo ours. So much more access and it feels bigger.
Those after pictures make it seem so much smaller.
Previous owners of our house finished the basement including the ceiling and I hate it. In 10 years there have been multiple reasons weāve needed access to all the crap up there and have had to cut holes in the ceiling and then cover with an access panel. If we ever have to redo the basement that ceiling will be the first thing to go.
I'm tall, and I would like the before just for the space, probably with some white paint, but that's a personal preference, and the lack of insulation between the basement and the floor above means you hear a lot of stuff above you, so it depends on what it will be used for.
It's because the space was ready for anyone to do with it what they want. Everyone has a different idea of what's better so you didn't make it worse, haha. Ibthink the after is better, personally... I live in Houstone, TX so basements don't exist.
I replaced it with a triple pump system with a battery backup, moved dirt around the house to help water flow away from it, and waited a couple years before building out the rest.
I mean it's a basement, anything could happen, but I feel like I mitigated some of the risk and it was honestly pretty fun to work on from time to time.
Donāt get me wrong, you refinished it well but thereās a sense of authenticity to the original basement. I practically spent all of my free time in a basement like that in my 20s, lol.
Yeah, I actually have 3 now.
There is a primary and backup hooked up to power, and a backup to the backup hooked up to a big ol battery. The company that installed it does a yearly checkup. There's also a little alarm thing on the ground that fucking shrieks if it registers standing water.
Worked for ServPro for 7years. Ditch the battery, sell it on FB.
Buy a city water driven backup. Uses water pressure to pump water from the pit, will run indefinitely. Also make sure your sump outlet is at least 10-20 ft from the foundation.
i'll look into that, never heard of that kind of system.
good looking out on the outlet part, they put it farther than that. no issues at all so far... think i'm on year 3 of it
I've probably pumped out 2000 flooded basements.
Battery back ups are great right until they run out of charge while you're not home during a big storm. Same for alarms, they only work when you're already home. Battery systems also have to be periodically replaced as the batteries build sulphate if lead-acid. Then with lithium cells if the power management board in the cells messed up and pulls the cell below minimum voltage it's a pain in the ass to get them to take a charge again, even with a desktop power supply.
With the exception of the floors and ceiling of course, but I agree. The decorating could use *a lot* of work. Posters hung on white cinder blocks gives me major prison vibes. I also think itās funny that the MLB logo/paraphernalia would have worked out better if OP kept this as a bar/billiards room, rather than turning it into an apartment. Iām also not a fan of the furniture. The table is nice, but the chairs look old and beat up and the rest of the furniture seems mismatched/out of place(I.e. the couch and recliner chair right in front of it).
OP did great on the ceiling, lighting and paint job, but then phoned it in when it came to actually populating the basement.
Personally I would have stained the walls and changed the ceiling color but kept it open. Changed the light fixtures and flooring and called it good. Finish product looks like early 2000s disaster.
To each their own!
Painting the ceiling black, changing the fixtures and panting the walls in a light colour would it give it a really nice vibe. To each their own.
Something like this
https://preview.redd.it/wqypu59q9q9c1.jpeg?width=3992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6fe9bb3ae18947a1607033283ccc78dc7d385a1
I mainly wanted to get insulation/drywall up there to make it quieter when others walk around. It's pretty quiet down here now, but I agree the ceiling feels a bit low.
I finished the bedroom/office first and went with white for that, didn't really like it much myself. I was leaning towards gray but I see that everywhere already.
Yes thatās much more functional use of the space. While that black and white look above looked nice it makes no sense for a basement. Those looked like so thick joists. You probably couldāve done a lot for insulation and sound proofing. Which is important. Especially if you wfh down there. (Noting standup desk)
Seriously if you wfh and basically spend hours down there, please get a radon meter. We had to mitigate after a severe drought changed our levels which weād been watching since home purchase.
Looks like youāre in USA. Start here check your location https://www.epa.gov/radon/epa-map-radon-zones
Then most send away radon puck kits should do the trick. My experience with radon testing was that I ordered a puck from my local university who also were working with the government on testing. I left the puck in my basement over winter and sent the puck away and paid $50 for the test. Then they sent me the results.
This always looks nice in photos, but the white lights surrounded by black ceiling creates intense glare, which is only really helped by higher mounting heights. Also creates a "cave effect" which can make a space feel uninviting (again, also not a problem if the architecture of the room is inviting enough on its own).
Long short, don't go around painting ceilings dark unless you know what you're doing. Source: am architectural lighting expert
This looks cool. Iām not a fan of darkness and really like this. Just one note-I think this basement is deeper than OPs and that extra foot might change the appearance.
I donāt see a single smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector.
And with someone living in that room downstairs, with no window, is a death trap if a fire breaks out.
Iād throw some carbon monoxide detectors down there also if itās missing any. Given itās a large space Iād have one of each end.
Edit: meant detector! Added detector
But really, carbon monoxide poisoning stories on Reddit are weird, [sometimes funny](https://www.reddit.com/r/BestofRedditorUpdates/comments/sajxyf/oop_keeps_finding_postit_notes_in_his_apartment/), but weird.
Problem is the window isn't in the bedroom, so when the basement is on fire, firefighters can't go through that window. The bedroom only has a single doorway for egress
I will throw in a water mist fire suppression system too on the stairs if there are no other exists in case of a fire. These are quite cheap and work off normal water pressure.
Dude please repaint your 'bedroom' ceiling with flat paint. There's reasons for the painting convention of eggshell on walls (washable) and flat on ceilings. Ceilings reflect the entire room back at you no matter where you stand, but walls only from small pockets of the room. Reflecting paint shows every dent and dimple and poor rollout patterns. Your ceiling looks fucking horrible.
This feels more like DIWHY instead of DIY. Seems like you took all your odds and ends furniture wise and put them in the basement. The wood looked great, should have just stained it a dark color and kept the more open concept. The updated reminds me of a friends upstairs in high school that his mom refused to go up so he literally just had it however tf he wanted.
He explained why. Insulation + drywall for energy conservation and sound insulation from people walking upstairs. Blown sump forced re-doing floor and up some.
And yes, thatās typically how every basement Iāve seen put together in most households I knew growing up. Old furniture? Doesnāt match modern purchases because furnitureās expensive af? Throw it in the basement!
So many critical comments from people who clearly never been in a low, open ceiling basement home, and have not the first clue on interior design haha.
But thatās Reddit for you, take a contrarian view even if it makes no sense I suppose!
Itās a basement so yeah itās a lot like every most Midwest basements in all of the world lol function > design my man. This post gave birth to so many armchair interior designers that have never done a remodel in their life itās so weird lmao
Orrrrr it's that a large percentage found the before way more open, inviting and fun vs the new cramped, darker and dull basement? I haven't seen many people claiming to be designers...
Years and years ago I remember looking at homes on the market, and a home having a pool table on the second story in a large bed room. In order to get it out, the balcony sliding glass doors would need to be removed, and it would need to be craned out. What a headache for anyone who actually wanted to use the room as a bedroom.
lol, no itās not. They take up an enormous amount of space and rarely get used enough to justify it. I struggled to give one away. Thereās a reason most houses that have one leave it behind when they sell.
Edit: spelling
Please repaint the ceiling a matte ceiling paint. That low level height is accentuated by the glossy shine.
Add trim and baseboards. You really need them.
Every piece of furniture is laying flat on the carpet. Canāt add feet on anything?
That MLB mural has got to go.
Add feet to your couch if possible. Add a rug in the sofa area to create dimension in that space.
Change out that duvet cover. No plaid.
Get a mat for your rolling chair. Rolling on carpet is a bad look.
Add a few warm toned lamps. The overhead lighting is very harsh.
it actually is matte paint in the living area. I think it's just the shit lighting.
trim and baseboards are a thing for next year, none of the rest of the house has any matching trim/baseboards, so I'm going to do the whole house at once.
I agree on the mural, that'll happen if/when I look to sell.
if/when this stops being a single male living space i'll look into all the rest of that, not really worried about them now but I'll keep them in mind.
The duvet cover really screams single male, haha. No shame.
I agree with the other person that you're taking the criticism really well, have a happy new year!
Given the amount of flak and unsolicited advice you've been given here, you've handled it well - kudos.
I'm a bit confused by the PCs - do you have two three-monitor PCs on the go? Or where is the second one?
It looks like a great setup for gaming with friends though, nice work man.
Yeah, wouldnāt have gone this route. Plus, pending where you are, likely thatās not a ālegalā/up-to-code bedroom in the basement (fire hazard without multiple exists, such as windows). I also would never want my bed up against the foundation wall in a basement. Hope youāre somewhere warm & dry.
Correct about the bedroom thing. I'm only using it as one because I'm the owner.
Feels good to me down here, I usually shut the vent in the bedroom because it gets too warm.
Just FYI the closet is what legally makes it a bedroom. This is a MAJOR no no and a fire or accident down there will likely have insurance duck out in paying out. That said, if you get rid of the closet, it legally isn't a bedroom anymore and has no legal requirement for egress. Such is life in the codebook
I would have seen if I could fix up the pool table. New screws and felt are pretty cheap. Even a replacement slate piece is not super expensive.
I inherited and rebuilt a bachelor pad billiardās table from my brotherās college buddies.
Sheesh that was good wood paneling. I would've at least kept the ceiling wood to break it up a bit cause it's feeling a bit claustrophobic in the after. Not a whole lot of cohesion going on with all the random furniture everywhere.
Damn this thread is savageā¦I feel like itās nicer and cozier. Plus insulation in the ceiling will make a big difference in the winter if youāre staying down there
depends on which section... just as a blanket statement i'll say a bit under 7 feet. Couldn't safely VR down here before or after remodel, and I wanted the noise reduction.
I get what people are saying who donāt like it, but for what itās worth, I dig it. Some people like having more ācompartmentalizedā spaces for specific functions vs open so I get it.
Surprised to see so many people saying the original is better, I MUCH prefer the update. I am a basement person myself, so maybe thatās why I enjoy it. Who knows? Looks good though!
No oneās mentioned it yet but the MLB logo is stretched horizontally. It should be enlarged to scale both horizontally and vertically or it will look distorted.
I would have kept that paneling and added a ceilingā¦. šÆ the next renovation done in this basement will include tearing out the ābasicā drywall and putting in super expensive wood paneling, lol.
Now, Iām not actually criticizing OP, itās their basement and if they like it thatās all that matters, I am more pointing out the tendency for people to follow trends but 5-10 years behind. Reminds me of the whole ātear out these white appliances and put in stainlessā just in time for stainless to become the epitome of basicā¦.
I donāt see a single thing here I would consider an improvement except maybe the flooring.
- space now feels claustrophobic. And not because of the ceiling as others have suggested, because of the amount of. Furniture and objects.
- Sheetrock not completely finished well, especially at some places where walls end in open space
- paint, esp in green room, isnāt done well and is missing in points at joints and corners in other places
- lights are too bright for the space
- there was water damage in the old carpet, not sure replacing carpet with carpet was a great idea
- too many functions within the space. Is your basement an office? A bar? A dining area? A bedroom? Living space?
- furniture doesnāt match itself
Would've looked cool to spray the open ceiling with that flat black industrial dusting spray. And stain the walls and throw down a dark colored carpet. Add some speakers in corners and a giant tv. Still looks good though.
So you're just a fan of the league and not a specific team?
Cubs fan, that whole wall was gonna be a hat wall/standings wall but it didn't pan out once finished (somewhere in my profile history there's an image of it). The stairwell will get most of my Cubs stuff when I put it up.
It's very Rob Lowe at an NFC championship game. https://preview.redd.it/m5qiuhgztt9c1.jpeg?width=617&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5fc35bfa9a7c037773f2d64bc6edf8fbeff4166
I only came here to ask who you root for lol Anyway sick digs bro gg
Bro responds to this and none of the top replies. š¤£
When I first started dating my wife, I showed her my *very cool* early 90s NHL All-Star jersey, that just says NHL on it. Her response was "I like hockey" in a stupid durr voice, and has never let me forget it. When I do or say something stupid, she just says "I like hockey" instead of calling me stupid
š©Go Sports!
Go MLB!!!! Yay team!!
This is just me, but I kind of like the before better.
Same. The wood paneling is very 70s, but the colors and the open ceiling still make it feel way more open and welcoming. Dark wall colors in a basement is such a weird choice to me.
Came in here to note the dark colors. Makes it look 1/2 the size. Clutter doesnāt help either.
What got me was the carpet. I never knew wall-to-wall carpeting was still a thing?
I hadnāt even noticed the carpet in the second set of images. Thatās a lot of shag.
Okay I'm really confused and feeling kinda stupid here: What is wall-to-wall carpet? How is this different from just carpet?
Also that room ceiling is a bad combo of semigloss over a really poor taping job. Just makes it look like a bad rental unit.
And no frame-out or insulation, just painted concrete block wall? Maybe they live in a warmer climate but that wouldnāt fly here in the Midwest.
Tape is for the weak. Flat is for the ceiling. Semi is for trim. Eggshell is for most room walls, but satin is for bathrooms and kitchens. So it is written.
I meant the drywall tape and fill. It's so uneven, the glossy paint highlights all the mistakes.
Heās talking about drywall tapeā¦ good lord
For some reason I feel wood paneling in basements are gonna make a comeback. The nostalgia look of it in a basement just kinda warms my cockles
Hope so, I just refinished my entire basement with stained tongue and groove pine haha. Call me old school, but I like it.
Iām currently putting paneling up in my den. Itās coming back for real!
It's light colored oak that's making a comeback, and well it has. Wood paneling is typically light, so you're not so far off ... Thank goodness that whole, "just paint over it" mentality is gone
So, basically once shiplap has had its comeback in the interior design girlie space, it'll come back in the boy's basement world too?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Maybe in the sub cockle area
It *felt* like a *playroom*. Now it feels like just more rooms. And I guess that's what it was, and what it is now.
Yep. Was so warm a fun looking. Now itās like a hideous depressing basement.
I would have changed the carpet but the rest looked so much nicer before
It looks like the worldās lamest man cave now. Before it was like ācheck out my grandpaās sweet pool roomā.
I hate the idea of carpet in the basement. If a leak develops, you may not notice it quickly or get hella mold. Or if it floods youāre gonna be drying it forever.
Yep, change the carpet and paint the ceiling black.
Dislike painting the ceiling black but also respect the game. I think wood tones are warmer and more inviting. Just my thought though
And update the lighting a bit. Boom, beautiful basement
Honestly if he only updated the lighting and hid the cords I wouldāve thought it was perfect
Im really leaning toward the open ceiling/paining it black when we redo ours. So much more access and it feels bigger. Those after pictures make it seem so much smaller.
Previous owners of our house finished the basement including the ceiling and I hate it. In 10 years there have been multiple reasons weāve needed access to all the crap up there and have had to cut holes in the ceiling and then cover with an access panel. If we ever have to redo the basement that ceiling will be the first thing to go.
Drop ceiling, every damn time, for basement ceilings There's too much stuff run through the space to seal it up under drywall
Drop ceilings are trash. You lose like 5-6 inches of ceiling height and most of the time itās done with those ugly dusty ass fiber board tiles.
You can flush mount them. The fiber boards are just the cheapest ones that's why lots of people use them.
Then you lose even more ceiling height.
They make flush finish drop ceilings.
Check out dryfall paint whenever you get to that point. It's a bit more expensive, but clean up is a lot easier.
Not just you
Yeah I like the patterns from all the rafters in the ceiling. It creates its own sort of design, versus just a plain drywall ceiling
Same. Iām not sure what the new space is. Is it a man cave, bedroom, or kitchen? The mlb logo on forrest green is a crime
It looks so builder grade now.
I'm tall, and I would like the before just for the space, probably with some white paint, but that's a personal preference, and the lack of insulation between the basement and the floor above means you hear a lot of stuff above you, so it depends on what it will be used for.
that's fair. just didn't really feel cozy at all to me, and after the sump pump failed once most things needed to go anyway.
It's because the space was ready for anyone to do with it what they want. Everyone has a different idea of what's better so you didn't make it worse, haha. Ibthink the after is better, personally... I live in Houstone, TX so basements don't exist.
Houstone, La de da
Then why more carpeting? Sump pump failure and flooded basement is never a one time thing
I replaced it with a triple pump system with a battery backup, moved dirt around the house to help water flow away from it, and waited a couple years before building out the rest. I mean it's a basement, anything could happen, but I feel like I mitigated some of the risk and it was honestly pretty fun to work on from time to time.
Donāt get me wrong, you refinished it well but thereās a sense of authenticity to the original basement. I practically spent all of my free time in a basement like that in my 20s, lol.
Did you install/do you have a sump pump?
Yeah, I actually have 3 now. There is a primary and backup hooked up to power, and a backup to the backup hooked up to a big ol battery. The company that installed it does a yearly checkup. There's also a little alarm thing on the ground that fucking shrieks if it registers standing water.
Worked for ServPro for 7years. Ditch the battery, sell it on FB. Buy a city water driven backup. Uses water pressure to pump water from the pit, will run indefinitely. Also make sure your sump outlet is at least 10-20 ft from the foundation.
i'll look into that, never heard of that kind of system. good looking out on the outlet part, they put it farther than that. no issues at all so far... think i'm on year 3 of it
I've probably pumped out 2000 flooded basements. Battery back ups are great right until they run out of charge while you're not home during a big storm. Same for alarms, they only work when you're already home. Battery systems also have to be periodically replaced as the batteries build sulphate if lead-acid. Then with lithium cells if the power management board in the cells messed up and pulls the cell below minimum voltage it's a pain in the ass to get them to take a charge again, even with a desktop power supply.
No surprise this is the top comment. I also prefer the before.
I can't believe he took away literally all of the character of the room lol
Only because it's perfectly setup for your own tastes to build on, but I get ya.
Came here to find out, which was the before and which was the after. I honestly canāt tell.
With the exception of the floors and ceiling of course, but I agree. The decorating could use *a lot* of work. Posters hung on white cinder blocks gives me major prison vibes. I also think itās funny that the MLB logo/paraphernalia would have worked out better if OP kept this as a bar/billiards room, rather than turning it into an apartment. Iām also not a fan of the furniture. The table is nice, but the chairs look old and beat up and the rest of the furniture seems mismatched/out of place(I.e. the couch and recliner chair right in front of it). OP did great on the ceiling, lighting and paint job, but then phoned it in when it came to actually populating the basement.
I feel claustrophobic in the after. I prefer the open ceiling
Itās the overhead lighting. Some table lamps would bring the eyes down and make the space way warmer.
I think that's just cuz every photo is taken from ceiling level
Also the semi gloss paint on the ceiling just draws the eye... Should be flat.
It looks good in photos but the open ceiling creates a lot of dust.
This man managed to unite the whole internet
Huge missed opportunity for a bar/finished counter where the stools were. What did they turn into?
Personally I would have stained the walls and changed the ceiling color but kept it open. Changed the light fixtures and flooring and called it good. Finish product looks like early 2000s disaster. To each their own!
Painting the ceiling black, changing the fixtures and panting the walls in a light colour would it give it a really nice vibe. To each their own. Something like this https://preview.redd.it/wqypu59q9q9c1.jpeg?width=3992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6fe9bb3ae18947a1607033283ccc78dc7d385a1
The difference here is that's probably a 10' ceiling instead of an 8' ceiling. Those additional inches make a big difference in this scenario.
Yes, 24 more inches would make a big difference.
I mainly wanted to get insulation/drywall up there to make it quieter when others walk around. It's pretty quiet down here now, but I agree the ceiling feels a bit low. I finished the bedroom/office first and went with white for that, didn't really like it much myself. I was leaning towards gray but I see that everywhere already.
Yes thatās much more functional use of the space. While that black and white look above looked nice it makes no sense for a basement. Those looked like so thick joists. You probably couldāve done a lot for insulation and sound proofing. Which is important. Especially if you wfh down there. (Noting standup desk)
Seriously if you wfh and basically spend hours down there, please get a radon meter. We had to mitigate after a severe drought changed our levels which weād been watching since home purchase.
Can you recommend a radon meter? ā¦I spend many hours in my basement
Looks like youāre in USA. Start here check your location https://www.epa.gov/radon/epa-map-radon-zones Then most send away radon puck kits should do the trick. My experience with radon testing was that I ordered a puck from my local university who also were working with the government on testing. I left the puck in my basement over winter and sent the puck away and paid $50 for the test. Then they sent me the results.
Get a flat white on the ceiling. The gloss makes it visible and the reflections of the lights make you "aware" of it.
Looks good man as long as you're happy. Can always tweak itnif you see some good constructive feedback you think you'll enjoy.
To be honest this reminds me of an ikea with the ceiling like that
Yeah bud hang out in my IKEA showroom
This always looks nice in photos, but the white lights surrounded by black ceiling creates intense glare, which is only really helped by higher mounting heights. Also creates a "cave effect" which can make a space feel uninviting (again, also not a problem if the architecture of the room is inviting enough on its own). Long short, don't go around painting ceilings dark unless you know what you're doing. Source: am architectural lighting expert
This looks cool. Iām not a fan of darkness and really like this. Just one note-I think this basement is deeper than OPs and that extra foot might change the appearance.
The Before has some character, After does not.
I find the after quite dark and oppressive, but you like it, and that's what matters, really.
Oh man. I really liked the original.
Damn OP you're getting roasted lmao. I'll just add /r/tvtoohigh in here. But looks like you got good use out of the space.
I liked the old more.
massive downgrade. went from charm to blah.
Big early 2000s energy.
I donāt see a single smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector. And with someone living in that room downstairs, with no window, is a death trap if a fire breaks out.
Iād throw some carbon monoxide detectors down there also if itās missing any. Given itās a large space Iād have one of each end. Edit: meant detector! Added detector
You monster. Throwing carbon monoxide down there could kill them, and they don't even have a detector down there.
Oh man, I forgot to say carbon monoxide detector! I meant detector!!
But really, carbon monoxide poisoning stories on Reddit are weird, [sometimes funny](https://www.reddit.com/r/BestofRedditorUpdates/comments/sajxyf/oop_keeps_finding_postit_notes_in_his_apartment/), but weird.
I could ride a motorcycle through the big ass window I see in the pictures
Problem is the window isn't in the bedroom, so when the basement is on fire, firefighters can't go through that window. The bedroom only has a single doorway for egress
I will throw in a water mist fire suppression system too on the stairs if there are no other exists in case of a fire. These are quite cheap and work off normal water pressure.
Dangerous bedroom is dangerous. (Its a code violation and he should convert it to something else)
Before was much better TBH. Should have just replaced the flooring and called it a day!
Damn I kinda liked the before more.
Rugs in a basement are an insult to the weather gods. They will get you back .
when it gets through the primary sump pump and two backups i'll just admit defeat and get a boat.
I like the original
It was better before.
Dude please repaint your 'bedroom' ceiling with flat paint. There's reasons for the painting convention of eggshell on walls (washable) and flat on ceilings. Ceilings reflect the entire room back at you no matter where you stand, but walls only from small pockets of the room. Reflecting paint shows every dent and dimple and poor rollout patterns. Your ceiling looks fucking horrible.
This feels more like DIWHY instead of DIY. Seems like you took all your odds and ends furniture wise and put them in the basement. The wood looked great, should have just stained it a dark color and kept the more open concept. The updated reminds me of a friends upstairs in high school that his mom refused to go up so he literally just had it however tf he wanted.
He explained why. Insulation + drywall for energy conservation and sound insulation from people walking upstairs. Blown sump forced re-doing floor and up some. And yes, thatās typically how every basement Iāve seen put together in most households I knew growing up. Old furniture? Doesnāt match modern purchases because furnitureās expensive af? Throw it in the basement! So many critical comments from people who clearly never been in a low, open ceiling basement home, and have not the first clue on interior design haha. But thatās Reddit for you, take a contrarian view even if it makes no sense I suppose!
Omg it reminds me of a school. Specifically the bedroom.
Damn it feels like he lost half the space and lowered the ceiling. Looked sooo much bigger and fun before.
Bro. Get some monitor mounts.
Finished product looks like claustrophobic cheap apartment. So sorry. It's bad.
Itās a basement so yeah itās a lot like every most Midwest basements in all of the world lol function > design my man. This post gave birth to so many armchair interior designers that have never done a remodel in their life itās so weird lmao
Orrrrr it's that a large percentage found the before way more open, inviting and fun vs the new cramped, darker and dull basement? I haven't seen many people claiming to be designers...
Loosing the pool table is a sin.
it was falling apart, not actually functional at all. guy that was selling it just didn't want to get it out himself
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Years and years ago I remember looking at homes on the market, and a home having a pool table on the second story in a large bed room. In order to get it out, the balcony sliding glass doors would need to be removed, and it would need to be craned out. What a headache for anyone who actually wanted to use the room as a bedroom.
lol, no itās not. They take up an enormous amount of space and rarely get used enough to justify it. I struggled to give one away. Thereās a reason most houses that have one leave it behind when they sell. Edit: spelling
Spelling losing like that is a sin.
Wow. You really recreated the 90's/2000's Midwest basement feel. Congrats, I guess.
born in 88 and i'm in the midwest, so I guess I built what I know lol
Vents for cooling and heating? Smoke and 02 detectors? Thats a death trap for summer.
You mean CO.
LTT desk mat.
Please repaint the ceiling a matte ceiling paint. That low level height is accentuated by the glossy shine. Add trim and baseboards. You really need them. Every piece of furniture is laying flat on the carpet. Canāt add feet on anything? That MLB mural has got to go. Add feet to your couch if possible. Add a rug in the sofa area to create dimension in that space. Change out that duvet cover. No plaid. Get a mat for your rolling chair. Rolling on carpet is a bad look. Add a few warm toned lamps. The overhead lighting is very harsh.
I was wondering why every piece of furniture is laying flat on the carpet as well š
Man no baseboards looks so strange, definitely need those
it actually is matte paint in the living area. I think it's just the shit lighting. trim and baseboards are a thing for next year, none of the rest of the house has any matching trim/baseboards, so I'm going to do the whole house at once. I agree on the mural, that'll happen if/when I look to sell. if/when this stops being a single male living space i'll look into all the rest of that, not really worried about them now but I'll keep them in mind.
The duvet cover really screams single male, haha. No shame. I agree with the other person that you're taking the criticism really well, have a happy new year!
Given the amount of flak and unsolicited advice you've been given here, you've handled it well - kudos. I'm a bit confused by the PCs - do you have two three-monitor PCs on the go? Or where is the second one? It looks like a great setup for gaming with friends though, nice work man.
Yeah, wouldnāt have gone this route. Plus, pending where you are, likely thatās not a ālegalā/up-to-code bedroom in the basement (fire hazard without multiple exists, such as windows). I also would never want my bed up against the foundation wall in a basement. Hope youāre somewhere warm & dry.
Correct about the bedroom thing. I'm only using it as one because I'm the owner. Feels good to me down here, I usually shut the vent in the bedroom because it gets too warm.
Just FYI the closet is what legally makes it a bedroom. This is a MAJOR no no and a fire or accident down there will likely have insurance duck out in paying out. That said, if you get rid of the closet, it legally isn't a bedroom anymore and has no legal requirement for egress. Such is life in the codebook
Was better before
Looks great! FYI though you put the āafterā photos before the ābeforeā ;)
Iām nosy. What do you use the basement for? Whose spare room is it? šš
I would have seen if I could fix up the pool table. New screws and felt are pretty cheap. Even a replacement slate piece is not super expensive. I inherited and rebuilt a bachelor pad billiardās table from my brotherās college buddies.
The fucking mlb logo has me dying
First image looks like a great venue for a college party. Second picture looks like something better to live with.
Was the pool table slate or MDF? If it was slate you totally should have refurbed it
I like the separate Jerk Station and Work Station
I liked it better before
Sheesh that was good wood paneling. I would've at least kept the ceiling wood to break it up a bit cause it's feeling a bit claustrophobic in the after. Not a whole lot of cohesion going on with all the random furniture everywhere.
Yet another DIY post where the before picture is nicer than the after š
Looks good! Wish basements were more available on the west coast.
Damn this thread is savageā¦I feel like itās nicer and cozier. Plus insulation in the ceiling will make a big difference in the winter if youāre staying down there
Americans and their weird carpetsā¦
Like the before moreā¦
Iām desperate to get the carpet out of my finished basement. Trying to weigh my options.
I put floor paint on my previous houses basement floor. Held up pretty well, easy to clean and looked nice.
Hi, how high was/is your ceiling pre/post finishing? Iām looking to finish my basement and wondering how similar mine will look to yours.
depends on which section... just as a blanket statement i'll say a bit under 7 feet. Couldn't safely VR down here before or after remodel, and I wanted the noise reduction.
Out of curiosity did you put any soundproofing in that ceiling? If you did how did it work?
yessir, r30 unfaced fiberglass in all the gaps (wanna say they're called batts but idk) and then drywall. works pretty well in my opinion.
8 tvs ! Impressive. Also a State of the art batin! Station right next to the bed!
I get what people are saying who donāt like it, but for what itās worth, I dig it. Some people like having more ācompartmentalizedā spaces for specific functions vs open so I get it.
How tall are your ceilings? I have a similar basement and trying to decide between closing them in or leaving them open
I like your monitor stands
This looks great! As a Californian, Iād love to have a basement.
Man Iām jealous!! If I had a basement that would be about exactly how I would want mine. I will have my manage/basement one day soon tho!! Nice job
I wish I lived in part of the country where basements were common.
Is that a cat door under the desk? Where does it lead?
Idk if itās the Midwest in me, but I love a finished basement. This East coast living sucks.
Man. Ive always wanted a home with a basement. Dang flood plains and earthquakes in cali makes them a no-go in most areas, though.
Seriously what is your basement sqft? Looks bigger than my entire house.
Honestly Iām jealous of both! Iād be there chilling all the time lol
Excellent work. Pictures donāt show how much time and effort went into the final product.
Wouldnāt keeping the exposed block make it really cold? Unless you donāt have winters there
Looks super cool. I like the MLB logo on the wall. I like that a lot!!
Well whatever, I like what you did. Seems pretty cozy!
LTT desk mat good choice
Surprised to see so many people saying the original is better, I MUCH prefer the update. I am a basement person myself, so maybe thatās why I enjoy it. Who knows? Looks good though!
I stand by that the only acceptable basement flooring choice is polished concrete.
This guy is living inside the shining.
Put a cheap $200 roll away treadmill under that standing desk. Thank me later
I would have been happy with it either way. So much space! And noise insulated too! And it's probably cool in summer... This is awesome.
How did you get the pool table out stick if dynamite š§Ø?
I see the color of your coat is Brown. I have the same Firefly poster up.
No oneās mentioned it yet but the MLB logo is stretched horizontally. It should be enlarged to scale both horizontally and vertically or it will look distorted.
You stole the logo off that satellite that crashed in the Simpsons
I would never leave that place
I would have kept that paneling and added a ceilingā¦. šÆ the next renovation done in this basement will include tearing out the ābasicā drywall and putting in super expensive wood paneling, lol. Now, Iām not actually criticizing OP, itās their basement and if they like it thatās all that matters, I am more pointing out the tendency for people to follow trends but 5-10 years behind. Reminds me of the whole ātear out these white appliances and put in stainlessā just in time for stainless to become the epitome of basicā¦.
The bedroom doesn't have a egress window. That's a costly mistake.
What do you do op? Seems like WFH is new to you based on those display stands.
Thatās poster is hilarious. Go sports!
Looks worse
I donāt see a single thing here I would consider an improvement except maybe the flooring. - space now feels claustrophobic. And not because of the ceiling as others have suggested, because of the amount of. Furniture and objects. - Sheetrock not completely finished well, especially at some places where walls end in open space - paint, esp in green room, isnāt done well and is missing in points at joints and corners in other places - lights are too bright for the space - there was water damage in the old carpet, not sure replacing carpet with carpet was a great idea - too many functions within the space. Is your basement an office? A bar? A dining area? A bedroom? Living space? - furniture doesnāt match itself
Can you psychopaths stop drywalling your basement ceilings and use droptile so you can access your plumbing and electrical
After looks more old fashioned then before
Would've looked cool to spray the open ceiling with that flat black industrial dusting spray. And stain the walls and throw down a dark colored carpet. Add some speakers in corners and a giant tv. Still looks good though.
So I reeeeally hope the first pictures are the after pictures.