DIY Basement Furniture Ideas

Need ideas for how to furnish your basement to match your needs? Looking for a comfy couch? Or is a daybed more your style? Check out our top, best, and newest projects or have a look at our slideshows and videos on basement furniture. Join the discussion on our popular discussions page or ask a question. We're sure to have an answer.

An Almost Free Cinder Block Porch Bench

Tips for Furnishing a Basement

Use mirrors: Mirrors can create the illusion of more space, especially when hung on walls. Don’t overdo it, as too many can become overwhelming.
Create storage space: Select storage units that run from floor to ceiling. Choose items that have extra storage space, such as hidden compartments and drawers.
Choose light colors: A way to brighten up your basement is by using lightly colored furniture. Go for neutral, white, or pale tones.
Avoid clutter: You want to be practical with the space you have in your basement. Don’t be tempted to buy unnecessary furniture.
Create a guest room: Use furniture such as beds and closets to turn your basement into a guest room or additional bedroom.

More Basement Ideas

Top Projects for Basement Furniture

We've collected the top DIY basement furniture projects for your enjoyment!

An Almost Free Cinder Block Porch Bench

I copied the idea you had posted on Home talk with a twist. This cost me $26.00 to make

Jodi

Free DIY Train Table

Mercedes Madrie

How to Make an Old Couch New Again for $10

I may have mentioned a few - or a million - times how much I love my living room couch. Well, after two years of lovin', my beloved couch was starting to show some wear. The notorious mystery spots were starting to appear and some wrinkles and sags were forming in the cushions. Time to start Mission: Couch Rejuvenation ...

Living Rich on Less - Susan

DIY Epoxy Bar Top Using Reclaimed Wood That GLOWS

In this HT post, I show you how to make a glow in the dark epoxy bar top using reclaimed wood with embedded blue fire glass.

Jeremy Hoffpauir

How to Paint a Couch

My kids are at the age where they fight over furniture. One small love seat and two chairs just doesn't cut it for this family of 5 anymore. 2 weeks ago I spied a beautiful French provincial couch on Craig's list. It was clean and structurally sound but man, it was yellow! I knew as soon as I saw it that I needed it... and I needed to paint it. Yes. Paint the couch.

Providence Hill

Steamer Trunk Handle Repair

I love a good vintage steamer trunk. I love restoring them imagining where they may have traveled in their time. This one was rough to start with, but I knew with a little TLC I could make it shine all over again. In most cases the handles on old trunks have disintegrated and broken away. Replacing the handles make the trunks so much more functional. Wait until you see how this one turns out!

Jenni Ingram

An Almost Free Cinder Block Porch Bench

I copied the idea you had posted on Home talk with a twist. This cost me $26.00 to make

Jodi

Free DIY Train Table

Mercedes Madrie

How to Make an Old Couch New Again for $10

Living Rich on Less - Susan

DIY Epoxy Bar Top Using Reclaimed Wood That GLOWS

In this HT post, I show you how to make a glow in the dark epoxy bar top using reclaimed wood with embedded blue fire glass.

Jeremy Hoffpauir

How to Paint a Couch

Providence Hill

Steamer Trunk Handle Repair

Jenni Ingram

Browse our basement furniture slideshows and find inspiration for your next project.

Basement Furniture Videos

Check out our DIY video tutorials to get ideas for your basement furniture.

How to Paint Upholstery, and Keep the Fabric Soft, Even Velvet!

I didn't think it was possible to paint upholstery, especially velvet with out changing the fabric texture. Find out how I transformed a $20 thrift store sofa into an Anthropologie like knock-off with one quart of paint and water! For best results use a soft chalk based paint. Paints that don't contain latex or acrylic work best... but this will work with almost any brand of paint.

Debi Beard

Kitchen Island Made From Old Dresser

I’m sure by now everyone has seen a dresser turned into a kitchen island—I’ve been seeing them online for a while and have been wanting to do one myself, but just haven’t found the perfect old dresser. Until now. I went into my local thrift store recently and found the perfect little diamond in the rough—I’m so happy with how it came out! We want to help you DIY, so some of the materials in this post are linked to sellers. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. BEFORE: Here is a shot of the dresser when I first brought it home. I love the etched detail in the drawers, which is a big reason I decided to keep at least one of them for my finished island.

Rob & Coco, Hometalk Team

How to Easily Turn a Bookshelf Into a Bar Cart

My husband has wanted a bar cart for quite some time, so I decided to repurpose some on-hand furniture for the job. A bookshelf is a pretty common household item and has perfect shelf space for holding bar cart items! With an old bookshelf, some copper pipes, a set of wheels, and some lumber you will be set with a bar cart for any swanky house party. This piece can also be customized in size and color to fit the space you have!

Amanda C, Hometalk Team

How to Build a Bench Out of an Old Door

I use one old door and a 2x4 to create an adorable bench! It's simple and quick and I absolutely love it!! Perfect for your front porch or entryway. This bench takes no time at all!

JHR

Hometalkers' Favorite DIY Basement Furniture Projects

We've collected the best basement furniture projects on Hometalk for you right here.

Repurposing Vintage Milk Can to a Side Table

Taking a vintage milk can off the farm and giving it a new purpose as a side table to use in your living room, bedroom, guest room, entryway or on your porch.Love this project? You can buy your own by clicking the link below. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.

Upfinished Furniture

DIY Crate Stools for Toy Storage

I am excited to share with you my most recent DIY project that turned milk crates into some of the most functional little things in my house. I found these old black crates off Craigslist for $6. There are six of them, they are all identical. I brought them outside and pressure washed the grime, stickiness, and everything else off of them.

Welcome to the Woods

Old Oak TV Stand, Turned Nightstand!

Geez, I don't know what it is about January, but every year I have a hard time getting back into the swing of things. I am sure the cold weather doesn't help and my kids all seem to be passing around colds and coughs. It felt good to get out in the garage and finish up this Oak TV Stand. I am sure many of you remember these, and would agree they are a bit dated.

Brooke @ Start at Home

How To Turn A Curbside Dresser Into A Bar

I love curbside makeovers!!! I picked up this dresser that was missing one drawer because the hardware on the remaining drawers was so great. I was planning on just scrapping the dresser and keeping the hardware for another project.

Lindsay Eidahl

An Almost Free Cinder Block Porch Bench

I copied the idea you had posted on Home talk with a twist. This cost me $26.00 to make

Jodi

How To Turn A Curbside Dresser Into A Bar

Lindsay Eidahl

An Almost Free Cinder Block Porch Bench

I copied the idea you had posted on Home talk with a twist. This cost me $26.00 to make

Jodi

Popular Basement Furniture Discussions

Come see what's trending on the basement furniture discussion board. Join us.

Re-purposing a metal trunk

Margaret Senn

I have an old metal trunk that I want to upcycle to a coffee table. I plan to add small wheels, but was not sure how to paint the outside or re-do the inside. It has leather handles that are in poor shape too.

Answer

1970s waterbed headboard to hallway table?

Toshiba

I found this 1970s waterbed headboard at a flea market and want to repurpose it as a hallway entry table. The height and width are perfect, and it is heavy solid wood. The back is plankwood and can be removed, along with the mirror. I am painting it off-white and staining the top a dark expresso. Should I remove the doors? The shelves? Add any other hardware? Any ideas welcome!

1970s waterbed headboard to hallway table?

Answer

Basement ceiling cover-up

Stephanie

We live in a rented duplex, so we can't really do permanent upgrades. However, we would like to do something with the basement "ceiling". Actually there is no ceiling---just bare wood, ductwork and wires. We have some furniture (you know--the old stuff!) down there, and we would like to make it our crafting area (sewing, scrapbooking, floral, etc). Does anyone have an idea of how to make it look more "homey"? It's just basic like in this picture.

Answer

Any ideas on how I can turn my dining chairs into bar stools?

Brown

Answer

New Basement Furniture Projects

In search of new DIY basement furniture projects to inspire you? We have them here.

Free DIY Train Table

Mercedes Madrie

Bar Top Replacement With a 1950's Red Formica Table Top.

I have a homemade bar that I made out of extra cabinet bases and an old laminate counter top. There was no overhang on the top so it wasn't comfortable to sit at. I replaced the old top with a mid century Formica table top that gives me a 10.5" overhang to put your legs under.

Kim Oliver

How To Install a Crawl Space Access Door

I recently moved into a new house and realized that it had a huge crawl space underneath it. After inspecting it I realized that I would need to hire a company to help me to complete a crawl space encapsulation so that I didn't face any issues with damp and mold. However, the crawl space under the house was really difficult to access, so I needed to think of a plan for how the workmen were going to get in and out of the crawl space. I tried to think of some ways to create an access point and, in the end, I decided to install a crawlspace access door in the corner of my home office.I documented the process, in case anyone finds themselves needing to do the same. Here's how to do it, in 4 steps.Step One - Mark Out the DoorThe first thing you’ll need to do is select where your door will be located and mark it out. Make sure that the door is located between two joists, and then mark the area to be cut as you see in this picture.

Jake Husan

DIY Epoxy Bar Top Using Reclaimed Wood That GLOWS

In this HT post, I show you how to make a glow in the dark epoxy bar top using reclaimed wood with embedded blue fire glass.

Jeremy Hoffpauir

A Quick and Easy Change - White Melamine to and 'Antique Finish'

Over the past few weeks I have been doing quite a lot of painting and decorating and painting furniture for a friend - this is one of the pieces I have been working on and no doubt in a few days or weeks I will post some of the other pieces of furniture I have completed.I have started with this one because it is soooo quick and easy I thought I would share it and give you some inspiration for you to perhaps get started on creating something for yourselves?I think many of us may have a piece of melamine furniture in our houses that we would like to just give it a little facelift? This is what this piece of furniture is - quite boring - and needs a facelift.