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We recently moved to a new home and, while we have more room for the kids to roam on the main level, we no longer have a nice, warm playroom-style basement set up for the kids. Instead, we have a big, cold, dark basement in which the kids are not so inclined to go (but that's where most of their toys "live").
With the cold weather quickly approaching I realize we'll be spending more time indoors and I'd like to "warm" up the basement and make it more kid friendly. We do plan to finish the basment in the future but I was wondering what other families have done to "warm up the basement" and make it more attractive to the kids (i.e. paint the concrete walls, floors, epoxy??) I'm looking for a quick fix... not a major renovation (hopefully, that will come in a few years).
Unless you have a damp basement, I would suggest some carpet remnants. They won't match but it will be cheaper then purchasing a whole rug. Plus if you plan to renovate in a few years it makes more sense then laying carpet twice. You could paint the walls in a bright cheerful color, maybe do one wall in that special paint that turns the wall into a blackboard. Buy some of those inexpensive body pillows and make a nest for the children to lay down in and read/look at books. It also depends on the size/condition and use of your basement. Mine contains the furnace and assorted gadgets so one idea would be buying inexpensive screens to remind children to stay away from those things.
Bright paint to the floor and walls. If the ceiling is "scary," staple up some white plastic you can get on rolls at Home Depot. Throw a cheap, happy rug down, some bean bag chairs, and I love mainerwoman's idea of painting one wall as a blackboard...or whiteboard. Dark corners are
" 'specially scary' " to kids, so I'd pay careful attention there.
If you've got "littles," get some 2x4's and nails, plus some cage screen wire (a roll of it), a hasp, and a couple of hinges (for a door for parents to get through -- and frame off the furnace and any other hazardous stuff, padlocking the door closed.
I would use some carpet reminets in one area, close off any hazards, and add some lighting! Lighting is key. When I was a kid we would roller skate on the concrete floor, and had little "Big Wheels" down in the basement. We had a blast. We had good lighting, so it wasn't scary. We had our kitchen set down there and could even use water in it because there was no carpet to ruin. Add a craft table, too. Let them use finger paints and glitter - you can easily sweep it up. A basement can be fun because the "messy" crafts and play can be easily cleaned up!
I like those cheap paper lamps you can get at ikea. (the hanging ones) Less chance of breaking , getting a couple is cheap, and they look pretty cute.
Bean bags - Love these
I would ask the kids too whats the scary parts...I was afriad of the "coal room" in our old house because I could see in the coal chute..It just looked scary to me. LOL
We recently moved to a new home and, while we have more room for the kids to roam on the main level, we no longer have a nice, warm playroom-style basement set up for the kids. Instead, we have a big, cold, dark basement in which the kids are not so inclined to go (but that's where most of their toys "live").
With the cold weather quickly approaching I realize we'll be spending more time indoors and I'd like to "warm" up the basement and make it more kid friendly. We do plan to finish the basment in the future but I was wondering what other families have done to "warm up the basement" and make it more attractive to the kids (i.e. paint the concrete walls, floors, epoxy??) I'm looking for a quick fix... not a major renovation (hopefully, that will come in a few years).
Epoxy is a great and cheap idea. You can have a water table; paint table; skating; big wheels, etc.
Carpet remnants as many have suggested as well as paint.
Maybe chalkboard paint on one wall & they use colored chalk on it.
You could outline their bodies on the wall & they can paint on the clothes, hair or whatever represents them (not sure how old or young your children are).
My dad sectioned off one part of our basement in one of our houses with a BIG square of cushy carpeting (kinda like shag but not QUITE that long) and we had all of our toys down there. Make sure there's lots of lighting and no sharp areas in the basement. I got cut on one of the poles that hadn't been sanded down properly (I was rollerskating around the pole, holding on with one hand and my hand hit a jagged part and cut it).
You can even try hanging some cheap sheets to form a wall or two so the carpeted area seems sort of blocked off from the rest of the basement.
When you're down there with your children you may want to consider a space heater of some sort (and I say "when you're with your children" because you should be monitoring them when it's running since space heaters can be forgotten about and left on. Or children may try playing with them)....... that'll at least give the basment a warm feeling, literally.
Thanks for all the great ideas. One question about lighting, though. There is only one outlet that can be used in the whole basement (the other two are designated for the sump pumps in the far corners. I have two floor lamps plugged in to that one outlet (each floor lamp has 5 bulbs with different color shades... makes it look fun).
But.....we still need more light. In addition to the floor lamps there are 3 plain old light bulbs that are screwed into the various parts of the ceiling.... and that's the extent of the lighting. How can we make it brighter? Maybe put flood light bulbs in the sockets where the regular bulbs are (if the voltage can be supported??)
Put a multi-plug adapter into the plugs that are already down there (like one that has 6 plugs you can use.) and then use extension cords if say you want to hang lights (like those ikea paper lights) or if you just want to bring a few floor lamps closer to the play area. Just try and keep the amount of cords to a minimum so people arent tripping on them and they aren't a fire hazard :P
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