The help of a general contractor

The holidays are coming and for many families that means its time to get the family home ready for overnight guests. If, like many families, your home is already feeling cramped, the extra space needed to make grandparents, siblings, adult children and family friends feel comfortable and welcome can be hard to find. However, if your home has an unfinished basement you may be able to create the space you need quickly and economically with these faux finish tips.

Choosing and Clearing a Space

The first step in creating temporary guest accommodations in your unfinished basement is to choose an appropriate space. If possible, choose an area that has good lighting or is near a window for natural light. The space should be conveniently located near the stairs, but if possible, try to avoid areas with floor drains or near laundry, heating or water heating appliances that might be noisy or emit unpleasant smells. The space you choose should be comparable in size to a comfortable bedroom space, usually at least 10' by 12'.

Create Faux Walls and Flooring

Now you are ready to give the space the appeal of an actual room by adding faux walls and flooring. First, create the illusion of wall-to-wall carpeting by placing an attractive area rug on the floor, making sure that it is large enough to fill the space you have chosen. If you do not have a suitable rug available, see if you can borrow one from a friend or family member or consider purchasing an inexpensive carpet remnant from a local home improvement or carpeting store.

To make walls, you will need a length of clothesline equal to the perimeter measurement of all sides of your room and a container of threaded cup hooks. Screw the cup hooks into the exposed beams in the unfinished basement ceiling and then string the clothesline through them, around the entire perimeter. Use clothespins to hang curtains, flat sheets or lengths of fabric on the clothesline to simulate walls. Make sure to clip the vertical seams between the fabric panels with clothespins to enhance the feeling of privacy for your guests.

Finishing Touches Give Faux Rooms a Finished Look

Now that you have created and defined a room for your guests, furnish it with an extra bed, inflatable mattress, futon or sleeper sofa and lots of comfortable blankets, quilts and pillows. Add a comfortable chair, bedside tables with lamps and an extra dresser or chest of drawers to help your guests feel more at home.

Once you see how convenient it is to have extra room in your home, it may be time to consider having your basement professionally finished so that your family can enjoy the space all year long. If you think you cannot afford to do this, consider discussing your feelings with a reputable general contractor. You may find that the value a finished basement will add to your home will more than offset the cost of completing the project.

To learn more about basement finishing, contact a company like Hopley Builders Inc.