You probably don’t want to spend a ton of time down in your unfinished basement. But finishing a basement costs a lot of money, and a lot of people don’t have it in the budget right now. Use these shortcuts, like installing window shades in your Raleigh, NC home, to make your basement great and save you some money.

1. Finish the Windows – Basement windows are often forgotten when it comes to window treatments. Adding window treatments, like shades, can go a long way towards making your basement look and feel like a completed space. Plus, shades can help keep the room warm in the winter and cool in the summer and can help you customize the natural light.
2. Add Carpet Tiles – A full carpet floor can get pricey, but carpet tiles or squares are pretty cheap. Plus, they’re easy to install and can help warm up your basement. Peel and stick carpet tiles on select areas.
3. Refresh the Floors – Unfinished basements usually have unfinished concrete floors. Instead of shelling out for brand new floors, apply a few coats of an epoxy paint to the concrete to add a colorful, refreshed look. Bonus: epoxy paints are waterproof and help stop leaks.
4. Paint the Pipes – Exposed pipes and beams might be trendy in industrial lofts and high rises, but they don’t look great in your unfinished basement. Unless you paint them! Paint exposed pipes and beams with a color that matches or complements your walls.
5. Cover the Bulbs – Bare lightbulbs aren’t stylish or welcoming. Buy clip on shades to cover up any bare lightbulbs in your basement. You can take it one step further and add some string bistro lights for an even more stylish and welcoming vibe.
6. Refresh the Stairs – Creepy basements aren’t complete without creepy basement stairs. Make your basement stairs fresh and new to match your basement by applying a fresh coat of paint, installing treads, and tightening rickety banisters.
7. Bring in Plants – The natural green color of plants instantly makes a basement feel more fresh, inviting, and bright. You can even place oversize plants or several smaller planters in groups to conceal unsightly spots or brighten dark corners.
8. Brighten with Mirrors – Many basements are dark or dim. Brighten up your space by investing in mirrors to help bounce the light around. Hang them up on opposite sides of the room to make the space feel both lighter and larger.
9. Buy a Dehumidifier – Basements are damp. But yours doesn’t have to be. A few hundred bucks will buy you a high-quality dehumidifier that can banish the damp from your basement.
10. Install Bookshelves – Long bare walls can make unfinished basements look that much darker and drearier. Cover up your bare basement walls and brighten up the space with bookcases. You can buy nice one for pretty cheap or even install floating shelves for an even more DIY look.

Kiwi Designs, Fine Blinds & Shutters is here to help if you want more DIY tips or information on Raleigh, NC window shades. After all, these are just a few ways you can refresh your basement without spending a ton of cash.