When planning out your dream home, you may be wondering what to do with the basement area. Instead of simply having your home builders finish it with flooring, walls, and connections to your HVAC system, consider the following custom basement ideas. With the right plan in place ahead of time, you an maximize your home's potential.

Master Guest Suite

Whether you have a lot of friends who visit from out of town or you want to create a place for family to stay when visiting, adding a master guest suite is one unique option for your basement. The suite should contain a large bedroom and master bath, and it can also include a small living room area and kitchenette. Have your builder create a grand entrance to the room, such as double French doors, to create a luxurious finishing touch to this space.

Pub-Style Bar

Instead of adding a wet bar and counter to create an entertainment area in the basement, consider using a corner of the space to create your own little pub. Add a few booths complete with upholstered seats and large tables for groups of guests to sit at, and create a large bar area with plenty of room for bar stools. If you plan on doing a lot of entertainment in this area of your home, you can ask your home builders to put a small kitchen on place. Leave room for a stove and oven for preparing burgers and bar snacks, and add a small dishwasher so you don't have to cart plates and glasses upstairs to the main kitchen for cleaning.

Home Theater/Gaming Room

A windowless basement offers the perfect setting for a home theater. Work with your contractor to install platforms on the floor so you can have different levels of seating in the space, and have the area wired to accommodate multiple electronic devices. This will make it easy to set up several different gaming consoles in addition to DVD players and projectors. Your builders can also install a built-in surround sound system so you don't have large speakers attached to the walls. Look for other small details you can include, such as exit lighting and an installed curtain for the projector screen.

There are countless ways you can customize the basement in your new construction home, from creating a home gym to a large wine seller. Think about which types of spaces will get the most use in your home, and work with your home builder to include several of these options in your basement.