Gallery

5 basic tips
1. Embrace clean, white walls. It will keep your below-grade space feeling airy and light.
2. Choose one or two areas to splurge on, like the backsplash, to elevate the overall look of the space. Just because it’s a basement doesn’t mean everything has to be budget.
3. Replace solid exterior doors with windowed ones to increase the amount of natural light in the space.
4. Use a combination of under-cabinet and pot lights to illuminate the kitchen. You’ll get the light you need without taking up precious ceiling height.
5. Go custom when you need to. Cumbersome bulkheads are a factor in most basements. Instead of relocating them, which can be costly, think about working them into your design. Here a hood vent — essentially a five-inch stainless steel box — was custom-made to cover an exhaust fan.