Long gone are the dark corners and storage-filled basements of yesteryear.
Today's top remodeling trends include basements that serve as escapes, whether for visiting guests, work-at-home parents, even devoted hobbyists (think man-cave).
Basements (and attics) offer homeowners a way to remodel without doing an addition.
And, according to the annual Cost vs. Value report, they're moving up in home return, too.
Look for ways to lighten and brighten your own to lessen the underground feeling -- white-painted ceilings, light trim, and whitewashed walls and wood floors.
