The top 5 small basement remodeling ideas are:

1. a bar or entertainment room
2. a children’s playroom
3. a home office
4. a suite with small bedroom, a bathroom and kitchenette to rent out
5. a large laundry area with lots of storage space that is well organized

How to make the most of a basement when pillars are in awkward places?

Work with them not against them. Paint them fun colors, convert them into places to hand art, or hide them with narrow shelves and cover them with doors or curtains, or make them features and place halogen lights on them. Use a pillar as place to attach a console table, or accent the pillar by placing an armchair near it, or convert it into an island by building a circular table all around it and using it as a bar with stools or a desk for writing or a drawing area for the kids.

How to make the most of a basement with almost no natural light?

First, if there’s even one small window don’t cover it with a blind or drape. Use mirrors and add lights in the walls and above or inside shelves. Do not divide the basement into rooms. Keep it open. Use light and bright colors. Avoid textures on the walls. Keep surfaces smooth. Do not look at magazines with small basement remodeling ideas that only work with basements that have windows or are partly above ground. If you have little or no natural light you have no choice but to use electricity and optical illusions to make it feel brighter. Paint a feature wall yellow or a sunny Aztec orange. Stay away from dark wood furniture and choose glass or mirrored tables. Use bright accent cushions and accent rugs and do not lay down wall to carpet. Add tall thin lamps and lots of halogen lights in small dark corner, over bookshelves or above pictures.

Books with Small Basement Remodeling Ideas

For more small basement remodeling ideas buy one of the many Black and Decker basement remodeling guides that offer practical advice and lots of pictures for inspiration. They’re about $12 or $13 and are sold through Amazon. These books are good not just for the handyman who will do the work on his/her own but also as reference guides for those who plan to contract the work to professionals. The nest book that has come out in 2010 is written by a general contractor, Roger German, who has been remodeling homes for more than 30 years. His book is called Remodeling A Basement (Revised Edition) from “Build Like A Pro” series, and it has lots of small basement remodeling ideas, zillions of photos of finished basements, and many tips on how to make the most of a basement by creating a family room, adding a bathroom, making a better laundry room, designing a functional workshop, and planning a hobby room that will be well organized.