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Palm Springs meets Hollywood Regency: That was the creative starting point when interior designer Meredith Heron revamped the interior of a midtown Toronto home recently. Among the elements she introduced were a zebra-pattern rug, some Eero Saarinen-style tables, a few embroidered throw pillows. But it wasn't a glamorous great room that Heron was redoing. Rather, it was a space-challenged basement in a postwar bungalow.

Whether they're creating new rec or media rooms, installing granny flats or welcoming back grown children returning to the nest, more and more homeowners are reconsidering their basements as the precious real estate they can be, integrating them with the rest of the house with a new attention to style.

A fireplace can heat up a chilly basement, as can a warm tone like purple.

Out, in other words, are the ancient Ping Pong tables and mouldy sofas. In come the sexy sectionals, vibrant wallpaper and funky modular floor tiles.

“One of the clients is from the Caribbean and loves a tropical feel,” Heron, a frequent guest expert on the popular TV show Restaurant Makeover , says of the bungalow job. “Her partner is from the East Coast and very practical and wanted the basement to feel airy but still cozy and warm.”

To achieve that balance, Heron enlivened a classic black and white palette with such breezy touches as yellow floor-length drapes and giant palm-frond wall stencils. The revamp was successful for many reasons, including the fact that it effectively doubled the living space of the home.

“These days, more families are watching their dollars and saving their shekels, so maximizing every room of the house has become preferable to moving up to a larger home,” says Lisa Stevens of Spraggett Stevens Inc., a Toronto-based design firm.

The secret to achieving a bang-up basement, she adds, is to treat the space as an integral part of the home, regardless of its function. For starters, think about layout and consider storage needs: Analyze how you want to use the square footage and incorporate the requisite closets, cabinets or credenzas.

“Before you decorate, have a specific use in mind. If you plan carefully, the basement can be multipurpose – a kid's playroom, a teen hangout, a theatre room, a fitness area, a spa bath, a yoga sanctuary, a games room, a wine cellar. You'll have various reasons to be drawn downstairs.”

Shifting at least part of your life to the basement often means embracing its subterranean coziness, combatting dampness by investing in a good dehumidifier and either brightening it up or adding warmth through colour.

Jennifer Jones, marketing communications manager for CIL Paints, suggests a three-component paint palette for basements, starting, for example, with a strong yet cheery purple (she likes the company's Fashion Passion, a warm violet), pairing it with a neutral such as off-white, beige or stone (such as Mansard Stone) and jazzing both up with hits of a complementary hue (like Angel Fern, a chartreuse).

Virginie Martocq, the decor editor at Chatelaine magazine, says that even that most clichéd of basement elements – 1970s wall panelling – can be addressed with a coat of paint. “Go dark brown, add a big flokati rug and bring in lots of lights and floor lamps. And paint out any built-ins the same colour as the walls.”

For true warmth, think about adding a fireplace – or at least an electric hearth. “As much as I hate everything fake, I kind of like them,” Martocq admits. “Even if it's just a picture of a fire, you feel cozier.”

Finally, keep the tchotchkes to a minimum. Less is definitely more in a confined, low-ceilinged space. As for those kitschy signs, sports trophies and wall pennants, “no, no, no,” Martocq says. “If you don't want to look at them upstairs, why would you want them in your basement?”

Special to The Globe and Mail

Quick tips for a better basement

Think durable underfoot

“Expensive or laminate flooring is not a good choice unless your house is brand new and you've got a sump pump,” decor editor Virginie Martocq says. “Linoleum is good, as is stone, marble or tile if you've got the budget. You can top these off with an inexpensive bound rug and then an area rug on top of that. Modular carpet tiles are also a great option. In case of water damage, they can be lifted off and replaced individually.”

Don't be dim

Lighten and brighten your subterranean space using a variety of light sources, from overhead fixtures to floor and table lamps. “Keep it bright, but on dimmers,” designer Lisa Stevens says.

Mimic natural light

“Maximize natural light and access to the outdoors, even if you have to fake it,” Stevens says. Her tip: Lengthen the appearance of a high casement window by covering it with longer shutters and opening only the upper sections to let light in.

Use colour effectively

Create the illusion of a higher ceiling by painting it white or a lighter shade of your wall colour, says Jennifer Jones, marketing manager for CIL. White crown moulding can also be added to give the illusion of height. “Another fun way to make the space appear visually bigger is to paint tone-on-tone vertical stripes – beige and taupes work well.”Don't scrimp on storage

Make sure you install generous shelving and cabinetry, including some that is deep enough to store bulky items such as suitcases or storage bins. Hide clutter behind big double doors for a streamlined look.

Deborah Fulsang