Basement Playroom Inspiration – Closetful of Clothes

I have been trying to let our basement just lie, knowing that one day we have larger plans for it. Basically, it needs a big overhaul. It has old carpet that needs to be ripped up, walls that need painting, a ceiling that needs to be replaced, and that’s just the finished half. There’s an unfinished side that we are hoping to convert to a bedroom and bathroom to use as an au pair/in-law suite/extra guest room. It’s a huge project needless to say, and it’s just not top on our list yet. We’re still exhausted from moving and just learning the house tbh (we are on well water and oil heating, for example, which are totally new systems that require knowledge and upkeep — of which I do nothing, that’s all Andrew because he gets the boring tasks like garbage and wells lol). And there are a lot of other projects on the main floors we want to do first — new countertops for the kitchen, powder room refresh, living room, kids rooms wallpaper and bath refresh, etc. But we use the basement a lot. It’s become the kids playroom and they hang out there all the time. We also put a couch and huge TV down there, so it’s a good hang out spot. So basically I’m forced to go down there, and if I’m forced to look at a space a lot, it makes me want to redo it. I just can’t deal with ugly spaces, or help myself when I see a space with potential. So I’ve decided to do a small refresh to it while we wait to do something bigger. Since we’re not ready to add in the gym, bar/kitchenette, art area and bedroom yet, I’m starting by transforming it into a playroom focused space. So I’m busy looking for basement playroom ideas.

During my search for basement playroom ideas, I actually found a lot of cute spaces and ideas that I thought I’d share. It’s making me actually rethink our current layout, and debate how I’m going to rework the space. My mind is cranking, I’m sketching out spaces and thinking of furniture we need. But before I invest money and time in anything from paint to furniture to toy storage, I thought I’d gather some basement playroom inspiration and settle on what I want the space to look like. That’s my top tip when designing a space on your own: gather inspiration from spaces you like and use it as your jumping off point. I do that both to help me with spacial layouts and with design. And then I just tweak to fit my taste, budget, and space.

Here’s the basement playroom ideas I’m loving and hoping to adopt for our space. What’s your favorite? Any suggestions?