How to Turn a Basement into an Office

Your finished basement has the potential to be more than a dark and creepy laundry room. With the right furnishings, decor, and office supplies, you can turn the space often relegated to “holiday decor storage room” to “mission control” for all of your work-from-home needs! Here are five basement home office tips to get your transformation underway.

1. Make your downstairs “commute” safe and enjoyable

While your commute from bedroom to office may be short, the stairs leading to your basement home office can sometimes wreak havoc. Here are a few ways to make sure your walk to work downstairs remains hazard-free:

• Keep the path clear of anything that could cause an unnecessary fall, such as shoes, books, your laptop, etc.
• Use a basket to collect and transport items up and down the stairs, rather than piling things up — like old coffee cups — on the steps
• Add stairway lighting for safety and aesthetics
• Make sure the handrail is well-affixed to the wall
• Decorate the stairway with wall art that brightens your mood every time you walk by

2. Carve out a workspace

If you’re like most people, the basement serves many needs. Whether you’re sharing your new home office space with your kids’ homework station, the washer and dryer, or tons of storage boxes, there are ways to create dedicated space for your multi-functional basement office.

If you share the space with the family and would like to keep an eye on the kiddos while you work and they play, consider a room divider to create separation between your office and the kids’ play area. If you need a barrier that provides stronger soundproofing against everyday noises — like the washing machine — you can create a wall of bookcases or wire shelving with storage baskets. And even if you don’t need a physical barrier, you can use area rugs to designate different “rooms” within the basement.

3. Invest in furniture that makes sense for your workstyle

When strategizing about how to turn a basement into an office, consider how YOU like to work. Do you prefer to sit or stand at your desk? Do you move around throughout the day and end up working from a comfy loveseat or accent chair instead? Take some time to configure a workspace arrangement that matches your habits and routines. If you have enough room, you could even create a small lounge area for breaks!

4. Add strategic lighting

Basements aren’t known for having wall-to-ceiling windows. If your basement has any windows at all, they’re small and barely let in any light. To create an optimal work environment, you’ll need a lighting strategy to combat your basement’s cave-like tendencies. Some suggestions:

• Paint the walls a semi-gloss shade of white to open up and reflect what light there is; matte and similar finishes will absorb the existing light
• Utilize task lighting, such as desk and shelf lamps, as well as floor lamps
• Hang a small, decorative mirror or two to help bounce light around

5. Add DIY soundproofing to reduce unwanted noise

Whether you’re concerned about maintaining privacy during work calls, preventing unwanted noises — like echoing or upstairs footsteps — from interrupting your work, or both, proper noise reduction for your basement office remains crucial.

Creating a basement home office that’s completely soundproof may not be realistic, but there are tricks to quiet things down a bit, including:

• Laying a comfortable rug on the floor to reduce echo
• Using a well-stocked bookcase or two to help absorb sound
• Adding canvas wall art or soundproofing panels to the walls

Transform Your Basement into Your Dream Workspace with CORT Furniture Outlet

Ready to convert your dark and dreary basement into a peppy and productive workspace? Visit your local CORT Furniture Outlet and explore our ever-changing inventory of new and gently-used desks, office storage, ergonomic chairs, and more. Unlike other furniture retailers, you can shop online and pick up in-store the same day! Start filling your shopping cart today and get your basement makeover underway!