How to Make a Room in the Basement Into a Bedroom

Turning an unused basement room into a bedroom is easy.

All of a sudden, you find yourself in need of another bedroom. Perhaps an older family member is coming to live with you, or two siblings sharing a room want their own space, or a friend needs a place to stay for a few weeks while apartment hunting. However, you don't have any spare bedrooms, just an empty room in the basement. No problem. With a few creative techniques, you can turn any space into a bedroom.

Things You'll Need

• Furniture
• Wardrobe
• Stackable shoe racks
• Space-saving hangers
• Shelves
• Wall art
• Curtains
• Fabrics: bedding, accent pillows, rugs, throws, lampshades

Instructions

1. 

   Use appropriately sized furniture to keep from overcrowding the room.

   Bring in the furniture. A bed, nightstands, and a bureau are the basics. Then, depending on how large the room is, you can add a desk and chair to make an office area, a TV and entertainment center, and/or an armchair or chaise and accent table to make a reading nook. But consider size carefully to keep from overcrowding the bedroom. A queen- or full-size bed may work better than a king. A compact corner desk may work better than a large one.

2. 

   If there's no closet, bring in a wardrobe.

   Add plenty of storage. Since this basement room is not an actual bedroom, there may be no closet. Bring in a wardrobe and stock it with stackable shoe racks and space-saving hangers; these items will almost double the wardrobe's storage capacity. Purchase a bed with storage compartments in the headboard and under the bed. At the foot of the bed, place a trunk or bench with built-in storage. And put several shelves on the walls.

3. 

   Bedding, accent pillows and throws make a bedroom cozy.

   Make it homey. Add the finishing touches that will take the space from just a converted room to a cozy, comfortable bedroom. Place framed photographs or posters on the walls. If there are no windows, hang a faux window or other visually interesting piece of art to create a focal point. If there are only small basement windows high off the floor, hang floor-to-ceiling curtains over them to give the illusion of full-sized windows. And don't forget other fabrics: the right bedding, accent pillows, rugs, throws, and even lampshades can really pull a bedroom together.

References

• RemodelingCenter.com: Basement Bedroom Ideas
• FinishedBasementIdeas.com: Basement Bedroom Ideas to Fit Any Budget

Resources

• BetchaLikeIt.com: How To Make A Faux Window