Whereas other rooms in the house are burdened with the responsibility of a single function - the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedroom, etc. - the wonderful thing about a basement is that it be anything. Limited only by your imagination and budget, you can turn the basement into whatever you want. It can be an extension of your personality, and an expression of your interests. 

All you need to do is decide what kind of basement suits you best, find a basement contractor and you're off to the races. To help get started, here's a list of five creative basement ideas, each tailored to a distinct personality. 

For the Relaxer: A Chalet-Style Living Room

For those lucky enough to have a fireplace in their basement, it makes sense to lean into the chalet aesthetic. In fact, even if you don't have a fireplace, you can hire a contractor to install one. In either case, for a little R&R you can't go wrong with the chalet-style. 

Meant to mimic the ski cottages of the Swiss Alps, the chalet-style is designed to maximize cozy comfort, with wood paneling and flooring, beams, architectural lighting, and a warmly coloured paint job. Accessorize with rugs, leather sofas, and reclaimed wood tables, and hang items that evoke a ski lodge - a stag head (real or fake) or, to really complete the look, a pair of vintage skis. 

For the Hard Worker: A Home Office

Given its position in the house, the basement can be a haven for peace and quiet. For those who work at home, or those who like to take their work home with them, turning your basement into a home office can afford you the privacy you need to concentrate. 

To achieve this, enlist the help of a contractor to soundproof your ceilings and walls. Model the space after a professional office, with new wood flooring and an expert paint job. And for those times you don't want to dash upstairs, consider installing a bathroom. 

For the Movie Buff: A Home Theatre

If the upper floors are for business and familial life, the basement should be all about entertainment. It's the reason you see so many basements converted into rec rooms or games rooms. But to take it a step further, bring the bright lights of the cinema into your own home. 

You'll likely need an electrician's help wiring your new toys, but the effort and expense will be worth it, when you're saving $13 on a movie ticket by kicking back in your very own theatre. 

For the Tinkerer: A Fully Stocked Workshop 

Not the leisure type? If your idle hands are better suited to hobbies than relaxing, turn your basement into your very own workshop. It could be for woodworking, mechanical work, painting, sewing, weaving, taxidermy, soap making... you get the idea. The list is limitless. 

As with the home office, consider soundproofing the space, as much for your own tranquility as the rest of the house. No one wants to hear you banging and crashing. Hire a home contractor to install the requisite cabinetry to store your tools and instruments, and make sure there's proper ventilation. Those dust and dirt particles, a by-product of most hobbies, can be hazardous when accumulated. 

Whoever you are, and whatever interests you, there's a perfect basement renovation for you. All you need is imagination, and the right contractor.