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that you are in the basement. If you home does not naturally have the grade, retaining walls can be installed on either side of the doors so that you can walk out and get to grade. Six, if you have the green to build a new home and want to have a family room in your basement, plan on a deeper basement than normal. This takes care of the ductwork issue right away. Rochelle has quite a portfolio of basement makeovers. Her clients have requested custom home theaters with theater seating and giant screens, wine cellars with cozy tasting areas, and man caves. “We put a beautiful bar in one space with a wood stove. The homeowner was a hunter and had all of his trophies displayed on the walls. Another part of the space included a game room where we had a pool table, darts, and ping pong. He could walk outside and enjoy a cigar.” One client requested a complete basement overhaul complete with a wine cellar/tasting area, exercise room, home office, and billiards room. There was a wet bar where guests could fill a glass of wine or get a drink as opposed to having a bartender setup. Another homeowner wanted a finished basement for the ladies. The client installed a built-in swimming pool with retaining walls adjacent to sliding glass doors. From the pool, you go into the basement to find a very upscale locker room. The basement includes two changing rooms, a shower, and an exercise room with painted wood. Rochelle’s most memorable basement makeover was a truly livable space. The design list included bedrooms with fireplaces, a sitting area, a bathroom, a sleeping room, a full bar, a movie theater, a gorgeous wine cellar, and a card room. There even was a large room with a fireplace where the homeowner often entertained. It had enough room to accommodate a guest band. When it comes to decor in your new basement space, Better Homes and Gardens offers some creative additions. Add some windows to your space. They will bring in natural light and add charm. Window treatments can be added to frame the windows. For your standard concrete walls, add some thought provoking art. To create functional spaces, you can add built-in dividers. Some ideas include bookshelves, unique shelving, storage cabinets, or a custom cabinet. Add some wainscoting to your basement. This could be a ledge for accent pieces or texture on walls. Last but not least, you can dress up the load bearing poles in the basement to match the style of your new room. So forget the horrid paneling, Styrofoam looking suspended ceilings, and orange shag carpeting—that is ancient history. Today’s basements should flow with the home’s design. Whether you want a family room area, cozy reading nook, or a modern guest suite with a deep fireplace, there are so many possibilities for your new basement space. For more information from Justin Simonet of Justin’s Carpentry & Home Improvements LLC, you can visit Facebook and Houzz. For Susan M. Rochelle, AIA, Architect, log onto www.susanrochellearchitect.com. MARY BETH SCHWARTZ IS A FREELANCE WRITER WHO FREQUENTLY CON- TRIBUTES TO REGIONAL PUBLICATIONS. W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 51