Top Basement Designs On A Budget

Bathroom Vanity Makeover-Give a big-box shop locate a high-end appearance with a coat of paint.

Interior's director Meg Crossley altered her dingy basement toilet with an inexpensive washstand she discovered at Canadian Tire. She painted it the exact same powdery light blue shade as the panel molding, which was set up to brighten up the small space by covering up the first dark tile. A painted faade for the side of the ugly old bathtub, in precisely the exact same color of blue, spared Meg the cost of installing a new tub. A black framed mirror, flanked with simple black metal and milk glass sconces, adds comparison to each of the blue.

Repurpose old furniture instead of buying new.

Gardener and designer Barbara Purdy converted a wood-burning fireplace to gas to create a cosy focus within this room. I couldn't see myself hauling logs down the staircase, she says. Radiant heating installed under the wood-look porcelain-tile flooring adds much more warmth. The couch, a hand-me-down from her parents, was recovered and layered with cushions. Tour this cellar on Online TV, and find more inspiration from our photo galleries of Barbara Purdy Designs, Budget Basement Decorating Tips and Suzanne Dimma's Favourite Dreamy Retreats.

Sleek Basement-Paint walls a dark and dramatic colour for a cozy effect.

Stylist Arren Williams' cellar was made to be both practical and beautiful. A contemporary sectional couch in a charcoal fabric can sit many people while two cane ottomans may be used as side tables or extra chairs. To create the perfect setting for film night, Williams picked a thick, full-height velvet curtain to block out any unwanted light.

Work with plumbing.

Putting this shower beside the pipes shaft made room for a freestanding sink at the small bathroom. New plumbing was inserted from the laundry area, and the HVAC ducts were raised into the ceiling joists to allow for as much headroom as possible.

Refreshed Laundry Room

If you can't manage to move pipes, maintain the sink and dress it up with a cloth skirt attached with double-sided Velcro. H&H style editor Sarah Hartill gave her basement laundry room a quick and effortless makeover by covering a classic sink stand with a fairly floral skirt and adding a graphic print rug to heat up the chilly floor tile. A countertop built to match over the laundry machines provides a folding surface, while easy stainless steel shelves store various materials.

Bright Laundry Room-Pinch pennies with MDF cabinets and add your own trim.

H&H senior editor Meg Crossley turned into this unfinished basement laundry room into a laundry room oasis. Improper venting meant the washer and dryer needed to be transferred into the opposite wall, where they're now hidden by bi-fold doors. Meg also added a convenient sink using a kitchen-worthy faucet, an upper shelf and lower closets for additional storage. A contractor cut door fronts from MDF, and then Meg added Shaker trim for a personalized look. To give the cellar an airy feeling, the area had been painted white. Sico's Light Sugar (4150-11), an aged white, makes the ceilings look higher without feeling sterile or cold. The cupboards were painted robin's egg blue for a country-inspired look.