PROJECT STORY · BASEMENT FINISHING

How We Turned an 800 Sq. Ft. Basement Into a Complete Living Space

Careful planning turned approximately 800 square feet of unfinished basement into an open living area with a custom kitchen, bedroom, bathroom with walk-in shower, separate laundry and useful storage.

Complete basement finishing and space planning

Size: Approximately 800 sq. ft.
Project: Complete basement finishing and space planning
Main challenge: Fitting a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, storage and a comfortable living area into a limited footprint without making the basement feel crowded.
Work completed: Layout planning, floor levelling, custom kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, laundry room, bedroom storage and built-in work surface, oak staircase, vinyl flooring, pot lights, colonial baseboards and painting.
PLANNING AN INTERIOR RENOVATION?

BEFORE

Why planning mattered

The unfinished basement had exposed concrete walls and services, an uneven slab and approximately 800 square feet to work with. The plan needed to fit a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom with walk-in shower, separate laundry and storage while leaving space for a living room.

The windows and walkout were worth keeping open to that living area. We explored the layout before framing so the enclosed rooms would not cut it off from daylight.

Unfinished basement utility area with exposed concrete walls and services before construction. — Exposed concrete, services and an unfinished slab before construction.

Wide view across the open unfinished basement before rooms and circulation were planned. — The open shell offered flexibility, but every new wall would reduce the shared living area.

PLANNING

Testing the layout before construction

We compared layouts for the rooms, door swings, furniture and kitchen cabinets. A 3D model let us look through the proposed basement and check the proportions before building the walls.

The kitchen could be viewed from the living area in the model, making it easier to judge how much space the cabinets would occupy.

Dimensioned basement floor plan showing the proposed bedroom, living area, kitchen, bathroom and circulation. — The floor plan tested how every room could fit within approximately 800 square feet.

3D planning visualization of the proposed compact white basement kitchen. — A room-level 3D view helped us check the kitchen proportions and surrounding open space.

3D planning visualization showing the proposed L-shaped kitchen cabinet and work-surface arrangement. — The kitchen study helped us plan work surfaces, storage and circulation before installation.

PROCESS

Levelling the slab before flooring

We applied self-levelling concrete to the uneven slab before installing the vinyl floor.

Self-levelling concrete installed over the basement slab before vinyl flooring. — Self-levelling concrete created a consistent base for the new vinyl floor.

Space planning

Keeping the basement open

We placed the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, laundry and storage around the perimeter. That left the centre open for the living area, with access to the stairs and walkout.

Basement framing laid out with laser reference lines during construction. — Laser reference lines and early framing established the planned rooms on the slab.

Basement wall framing with measured layout lines during construction. — Measured openings and wall positions kept the compact layout on plan.

Future basement living area during drywall finishing around the windows and ceiling details. — Drywall and ceiling work defined the living area while keeping the window wall open.

Custom cabinetry

A custom kitchen fitted to the room

Custom cabinets fit the kitchen into its allotted wall space. The arrangement provides a worktop and storage while keeping the kitchen open to the living room.

Basement kitchen area during construction with drywall completed and service locations prepared for cabinetry. — The kitchen wall was prepared for the cabinet layout developed during planning.

Bedroom

A desk tucked beside the closet

A built-in worktop occupies the recess beside the bedroom closet, with an outlet above it. Mirrored sliding doors open onto the storage without swinging into the room.

Those built-ins leave the rest of the floor available for a bed and chair.

Finished basement bedroom with built-in white work surface and mirrored sliding closet doors. — A built-in work surface and mirrored closet doors reduce the need for extra bedroom furniture.

Finished bedroom showing the built-in work surface and open storage behind one mirrored closet door. — The large closet puts organized storage within the bedroom wall.

Finished basement bedroom with vinyl flooring, colonial baseboards, pot lights and a high window. — The remaining floor area stays open for a bed and chair.

Service rooms

Room for a bathroom and separate laundry

The bathroom contains a walk-in shower, toilet and vanity. The laundry has its own room, keeping those uses separate within the compact floor plan.

Finished basement bathroom with vanity, toilet and walk-in shower enclosure. — The walk-in shower and vanity fit beside a separate laundry room without taking over the living area.

Natural light

Keeping the walkout and windows open

The walkout and two windows open onto the main living area. A stone feature wall sits between the windows.

Oak stairs

Connecting the basement to the main floor

An oak staircase connects the finished basement to the main floor. Its wood treads meet the vinyl flooring at the bottom.

Finished oak staircase leading from the main floor into the completed basement. — Oak treads create a finished transition from the main floor into the basement.

Finish package

Flooring, trim and light

Vinyl flooring continues through the finished rooms, edged with colonial baseboards. Pot lights and Benjamin Moore paint complete the walls and ceilings.

PLANNING → FINISHED

From the 3D plan to the finished kitchen

The finished white kitchen follows the cabinet arrangement developed in the 3D model. Its work surfaces and storage fit beside the living area without enclosing it behind another wall.

3D planning visualization of the compact basement kitchen before construction. — The 3D kitchen study established the cabinet proportions before construction.

Finished custom white basement kitchen with coordinated cabinetry and work surfaces. — The finished kitchen follows the compact arrangement established during planning.

Homeowner takeaways

Lessons from this 800 sq. ft. basement

In a basement this size, room positions and door swings affect how much living space remains. Comparing layouts before framing gave us the chance to resolve those details on the plan.

Compare room layouts and furniture positions before framing.
Check the slab before choosing and installing flooring.
Use recesses for storage or a worktop.
Keep windows and the walkout open to the main living area where the layout allows.

CONTINUE EXPLORING

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