Sometimes we like to look at the mega-luxury home listings. It’s fun to imagine what your house would look like if you had practically unlimited funds to spend on it. One feature recently caught our eye: the basement renovation on a Michigan mansion included a full kitchen, one and a half bedrooms and a second laundry room. That is a serious finished basement, with lots of high end features and amenities.

While most people who are contemplating a Boston basement renovation aren’t in a position to pour that type of cash into the endeavor, there’s no doubt that finished basements are becoming more and more luxurious spaces. Whether you’re creating a home office, private theater, a library/study, or even a mini-apartment in your basement, you know have increasingly upscale options for flooring, lighting, and other basement finishing essentials.  Basements are no longer places where homeowners are willing to make do; instead, the projects we’ve been working on are spaces anyone would be proud to show off.

What makes a basement renovation impressive? There are several key elements common to high end finished basements. Smart lighting is a big one; enhancing any available natural light with carefully chosen fixtures is a critical component of your renovation. Your Boston basement finishing company will work closely with you to design a basement layout that meets your family’s needs in the most beautiful way possible.

Some features of a luxury finished basement aren’t immediately apparent to the eye, but they make enjoying the renovated space much nicer. Sound proofing, wi fi connectivity and other tech features all have a role in making your basement truly impressive.

If you’re thinking about having the basement in your Boston home converted into a home gym, family theater, home business, additional living space, or a multi-purpose storage space, you’re not alone. This type of home renovation has become increasingly popular. People love being able to get the full value out of their home by making smart use of every square inch.

Finding someone to do your basement transformation for you, however, is easier said than done. While most general contractors will say they can do basement renovations, in the majority of cases, this type of renovation is not their specialty. And honestly? No one wants to be a surgeon’s first patient. Nobody really wants their basement remodel to be someone’s learning curve.

When you’re looking for a Boston basement refinishing contractor, focus on finding a company that’s experienced. Ideally, you’ll find a contractor who specializes in this kind of work. Ask any prospective contractor to show you pictures or videos of the jobs they’ve worked on: you want to see the size, scale and type of projects they’ve done before.

It’s also a really good idea to ask for – and check! – references. Having a homeowner to homeowner conversation about what it was like to work with the basement refinishing contractor, and how pleased they are with the renovation long term, is incredibly valuable. In some instances, homeowners may be willing to show you their refinished basement, either in person or through pictures. It doesn’t hurt to ask!

After looking at a Boston basement finishing contractor’s work and talking to their references, you’ll have valuable information that can help you make smart choices.

In the Boston area, a tragic number of basements spend their entire lives as dark, underutilized spaces. These basements could easily be refinished, transforming them into welcoming, enjoyable spaces that enhance the family’s enjoyment of their home. If you know this could be true for your home, but have no idea how you’d use the extra space a finished basement would provide, consider these three popular basement finishing ideas:

The Storage Spectacular: Holiday decorations, sports gear, out of season clothing, tax records and all sorts of other stuff are important enough to us that we want to hold onto them, but not so important that we’re willing to sacrifice living space in our homes to store it. Having your basement finished to provide a safe, convenient storage facility is smart: you never have to shell out for monthly storage unit fees, you can access your stuff any time you want it, and your basement finishing company can work with you to create the ideal storage conditions for your possessions as needed.

The Home Gym: We all know we should work out. But sometimes going to the gym is not so much fun. If you’re not already fit, it can be intimidating to work out in the company of people who spend every free minute in spin class. Plus gym memberships are extremely expensive! Having your basement transformed into a convenient, private home gym means you’ll have a space where you can meet your fitness goals in the comfort of your own home.

The “Third Space”: Grown ups need a place to hang out and have fun that isn’t necessarily the bar or nightclub. Increasing numbers of Boston homeowners are using basement remodels to create a third space for themselves: a fun gathering area for them and their friends. Think the ultimate man cave, with a large screen TV and convenient fridge for watching the game, or a great place for book club to meet.