• Reform a dark basement into a welcoming, comfortable living space.Luxury club room image by Maro...? Markovi?? from Fotolia.com
  
  Basements can be scary. The furnace room gurgling in the shadows, the sounds of heavy footsteps on the ceiling and the unlit corners beneath the stairs don't exactly invite family bonding. Renovate the basement by first getting rid of the chill. Insulate the walls if they're not already insulated, and seal all doors and windows from potential water leaks and cool air drafts. Then add color and communal home furnishings, such as overstuffed couches and armchairs, to tie the room together and welcome your family to the new space.
  
  

Finish the Walls & Ceiling

• Finish off the walls and ceiling if you haven't done so.Hotel lobby with a couch and two armchairs at night image by Alexey Stiop from Fotolia.com
  
  If any of the walls or the ceiling is still open, make that your first renovation project. Close off openings to the furnace room and any exposed paneling. Create smooth walls by making repairs, setting the drywall and choosing an appealing paint color. Creams and off-whites are good color choices for the ceiling and the walls. Also consider calming colors such as periwinkle or deeper blues, or a refreshing cranberry.
  
  

Uniform Flooring

• Whether you choose tile, wood or carpet, keep the flooring uniform.two colorful armchairs image by Julia Britvich from Fotolia.com
  
  Choose a flooring style you like and keep it consistent throughout the family room. For instance, if you want a light, rustic feel while keeping the room stylish, consider Spanish tiling. Ideal for warmer climates such as in the southwestern U.S., the smooth red tiles will keep the family room cool and simple to sweep after having guests. For seasonal climates, go with wood-grain flooring. Exposed in the summer, it's cool on the feet and accents the furniture. In the winter, lay a colored carpet over the wood to add warmth.
  
  

Colorful Rugs

• A coloful rug pulls the room together.Dublin Castle image by Sammy from Fotolia.com
  
  A colorful antique or modern rug brings a whole room together. After you've finished the flooring and you've chosen a few pieces of family room furniture, visit a rug store to get some samples. Bring them home and check with the family to see which colors and fabric styles you all agree upon. A Southwest-style rug, bright with colored zigzag angles, adds vigor to the room. A Persian Tabriz rug--one of the most ancient types of woven rug in the world--will add an antique, historically conscious effect. Either way, choose a rug that brings energy and centrality to the room.
  
  

Library Wall

• A wall of books invites your family to read and visitors to explore.bibliotheque image by Zeno from Fotolia.com
  
  Consider building a bookshelf into one whole wall of the room. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves offer a handsome elegance to a room, not to mention hours of reading and browsing. Think about building bookshelves with portions covered in a glass case for delicate or more valuable books. Keep the others open to searching and opening up. Organize the books by color if you want to add a color-block design. Set two or three armchairs or a couch near the books, along with a few lamps, to invite readers to the library.