How Would You Use a Bonus Room?

We didn't set out to have a finished room in the basement, when we first started the house.  But as we looked at the space and heard from the previous owner that it was his favorite room in the house, we thought it needed a second look.

I wasn't excited about it at first.  Dark brown paneling, ceramic tile floor and a wood stove vented through an unlined chimney.  But once we gutted the space, it revealed its advantages.  It's a dry basement (even with all our recent rain - so rare in this area)!, it has lots of windows (4!) that let in bright, natural light, and there is already plumbing for a half bath.

So, we got to work!  First, we installed new insulation and drywall.  

And then Mainely Ceilings installed a new suspended ceiling, magically hiding most of the pipes and wires that criss cross the space.  An amazing feat!

This week the guys are adding some trim and leveling the old floor.  Then we'll spruce up the bathroom and do a little painting.  But that's the extent of our plans.  Because in reality, how the space is used will depend on the future homeowners.  They can decide what other improvements they want to make.

So, I'm curious.  How would you use this space?  Man cave?  Craft room?  Kid playroom?  What would work best for you?

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