# Help design my basement! Unfinished level!



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

Hey guys I have attached the blueprint/floorplan to my basement or whatever you may call it. Ive been browsing houzz alot to get ideas on how to finish te room and what furniture and mood I'd like to set.

To describe myself.

Me and two lifetime friends, are moving in together for the next few years.
We recently joined a big management company and are all going to be living together for the next few years as we have been assigned to work in another state. 

We decided there would be one master suite on each floor and 1/2 the floor space of each floor will be dedicated to common living space (kitchen, living room, etc)

I have chosen the basement, as I figured that would attract and give off the least amount of nice (regardless of if my thinking what accurate this is the decision I have made, I cant go back and wouldnt want to hassle my friends)

I have attached the floor plan to give you guys an idea of the lay out

The bathroom will have to be above the hvac area where you can see where the sump pump is. Whether it is attached to my room or not is not a big deal to me, but I do not want the hvac etc to have to be maintained through going into my room (I'm big on privacy) 

I do not require I tub for the bathroom standing shower is just fine. I have also been toying with the idea of a open bathroom to bedroom using a glass wall or no wall. 

In the entirety of my bedroom (600-1000 sq ft) Id like to incorporate my bed, a sitting room, a office space, a walk in closet, optional bathroom, and also always wanted to have a "secret room" in my house. After a few years of work I finally have the income of customizing my home, so I finally want to build it!

Id like the secret room to be about about 25sq ft. It can be shaped in anyway - just somewhere I can get away and read a book, newspaper, smoke a cigar, possibly even a small tv. (I am a over grown kid I realize this) 

My asking for help is more of a call on spacing, and where to ask to put up walls so I can coordinate with my architect and contractor. 

The reason I have not asked them for ideas is I dont want them to take short cuts or the easy way out of things/finding ways to charge me more without my knowledge by manipulating me with their knowledge.

So I am asking the ppl of houserepairtalk for the ideas and creativity!

I am 23yr young successful "bachelor" if you will.
I enjoy nightlife
I go out often at night
I date alot so have company over often 

You do not have to worry about the rest of the basement as that is going to be agreed upon.


Side notes :
1) bedrooms/walls should be out of the way of the stair way as well as the walkout door to the basement.
2) the upper part of the stair case (which is not illustrated with steps), has a space under it that can be utilized. I was thinking of putting a bookshelf that swings open for secret storage! (not to be considered my secret room)

Thanks in advance everyone! 

P.S. I have been using a free room planner and will be uploading that shortly


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

Oh and the ceilings are 9 ft high! Thought that might help.

Also if you guys can suggest built-in features of or ideas to save space/be useful for storage that would be awesome!

I am moving my life from a 2000 sq ft townhome, into a 700-1000 sq ft room in a house! Thanks alot!


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

And this is my bedroom/office/ sitting area idea.

The huge piece diving the room will be a big divider for both rooms in the middle will be a tv that is rotatable to be viewed from both sides of the room (bedroom and sitting room) and will have some usable shelves/drawers on each side.


----------



## nealtw (Oct 16, 2012)

Hey welcome and good for you, moving ahead with a house.
There are a few questions as some of the answers will change what you can and can't do.
How deep in the gound will this be?
Will you have an exit door and where and do you want it in the common area or your room or both?
If you are having this built you can have the bathroom almost anywhere. but best is below the bathroom upstairs so the same vent to the roof can be used.

Your plan dosn't show barring walls and beams and posts, that will interfere with your open look.
When finnishing a basement you should try to think of kitchen,even if you don't intend on one, you just want to make it easy for the future buyer.
Bedroom windows have to be big enough for eagress.
Keep in mind that you will have drops in the ceiling for hvac and plumbing.
Just a few things to think about.


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

nealtw said:


> Hey welcome and good for you, moving ahead with a house.
> There are a few questions as some of the answers will change what you can and can't do.
> How deep in the gound will this be?
> Will you have an exit door and where and do you want it in the common area or your room or both?
> ...



I thank you for your time! I should have mentioned, the windows are shown on the walls in the diagram (more windows will not be able to be added as we took a stencil from a cookie cutter home builder to make things easier, going fully custom was x amount more of $ we were not looking to spend)

The exit will be in the top left corner of the basement 
As far as the kitchen in the basement, that would be discussed at the sit down, if they are up for it I would not mind. 

I believe all the hvac and plumbing for the basement are ready. (If by this you mean the "piping/vents" for hte AC and the plumbing for the bathroom - they are in place) 

I believe thats why the home builder suggested we put the bathroom in that area above the hvac area, because the pump will be prebuilt there and ready to intall. (as that is how they do their cookie cutter homes in unfinished basements) I could dig up the concrete to relocate it but Id rather leave things where they are after the cement settles.

Also, wouldnt I just be able to incorporate the posts as pillars into my room? Moving around furniture a few feet here and there or even rearranging certain areas do not bother me, I just want to get a general idea of the living space I will be able to have to myself so I can start planning furniture, and then eventually my bulit-ins/ secret get away!


----------



## nealtw (Oct 16, 2012)

Is the washer and dryer up stairs?


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

nealtw said:


> Is the washer and dryer up stairs?



Yessir upper level.


----------



## nealtw (Oct 16, 2012)

If you really want to have the bathrooms close the hvac closet, puting a onsuite on one side and a powder room on the other might work. The powder room would have to also have access to the hvac closet. Depending on which way the hvac is facing. I would think the area 21x14 would fit your funiture arrangement. With a bathroom tucked in behind the stairs a hallway and a walk-in closet against the outside wall.


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

nealtw said:


> If you really want to have the bathrooms close the hvac closet, puting a onsuite on one side and a powder room on the other might work. The powder room would have to also have access to the hvac closet. Depending on which way the hvac is facing. I would think the area 21x14 would fit your funiture arrangement. With a bathroom tucked in behind the stairs a hallway and a walk-in closet against the outside wall.



Thank you neal again! Really appreciate you checking back! Yes I figured the 21x14 would accomodate my room, but I feel the need to bump it our further for a walk in closet and my secret space!

I have alot of suits which take up alot of hanging space, alot of shoes, shirts etc. (I basically need what your wife or gf would need/desire 
Need a drawer for my valuables/cuff links etc....biggest concern is where the walkin in closet and secret room will go, secret room blending in a way that people would not be able to tell there is empty space for no reason in my room


----------



## nealtw (Oct 16, 2012)

I was thinking of drawing a line from the left side of the staircase straight up to the outside wall giving you plenty of room for a closet and maybe your extra room. For a smoking room in a non-smoking house, you will want fresh air vent and exhaust fan and independent heat source. 
Hopefully the designers will be along shortly with their ideas.


----------



## slayousss (Oct 16, 2012)

nealtw said:


> I was thinking of drawing a line from the left side of the staircase straight up to the outside wall giving you plenty of room for a closet and maybe your extra room. For a smoking room in a non-smoking house, you will want fresh air vent and exhaust fan and independent heat source.
> Hopefully the designers will be along shortly with their ideas.




Nice that was my same idea! So it seems I was on the right track! :


----------



## nealtw (Oct 16, 2012)

http://hiddenpassageway.com/


----------

