5 Once-Trendy Basement Features That Will Soon Be Extinct

It's not too difficult to close your eyes and envision a basement from a few decades ago. The image likely involves shag rugs or carpet, fluorescent lighting, a floral couch or two, and other strong hints of 70s nostalgia. While it's true that some vintage design trends are making a comeback, there are still a few once-trendy basement features that will be on their way out for good. For example, while fluorescent lighting and drop ceilings were once all cornerstones of basement design, they're now heading towards extinction.

Style isn't the only reason some of these once popular basement elements are disappearing. While it's certainly part of it, another reason is that some of these basement trends were popular because they were easy and cheap — not because they were the best option out there. Today, there are cheaper, more practical, and more efficient options available for certain basement features, which is part of the reason for these changes. Plus, some home buyers are looking for more modern designs in the basement, and having outdated ones like drop ceilings can lower overall home value, which is another reason these five features are on their way out — or at the very least undergoing drastic modernization.

Shag carpet reigned supreme in basements during the 1960s and 1970s. It's not too difficult to see why either — the loose, colorful look of the shag embodied the lifestyle of that generation. Plus, thick, fluffy shag carpet worked wonders for keeping basements — an often cold, dingy, and damp room of the house – warm. Despite its popularity of the past, carpet in the basement is definitely falling out of style, if it hasn't already.

Not only is carpet in the basement out of style, it's also not the most functional. Sure, it can keep the space warm, and help with sound insulation. However, basements are notorious for being damp, and moisture and carpets do not mix well. A burst pipe, water seeping through the cracks in the floor, and overall humidity are all issues common in basements. Mixing those issues with your soft, fuzzy flooring can result in mold, and your carpet getting ruined. 

For a more stylish basement floor that's also more functional than that beloved 70s shag, consider installing vinyl flooring. Not only is vinyl by far the most popular flooring choice, it's also easy to maintain, and not too tricky to replace, if needed. You can't go wrong with either luxury vinyl sheet or plank, and there are many different color options available for each. However, since dark and dull basements are out of style, it's probably best to opt for a lighter color. And if you find yourself really missing the comfort of your old shag carpet, you can always purchase a cozy rug to put in the basement.

Whether it's putrid yellow furniture or orange carpet, gaudy statement colors were quite popular in the basements of decades past. Today, softer tones like light blue and cool white are a more stylish and modern choice. However, that's not to say that you can't choose to paint or decorate your basement with bold colors — just be sure to choose the right hues for your design.

In addition to soft, light, and airy basements, moody spaces are also coming into style. If that's more appealing to you than the lighter colors, consider painting a wall or two a rich red or a deep shade of navy blue. Accent walls add to the mood without making the space too dark. And, you can always pair your accent walls with lighter furniture for contrast. Soft accent lights will also help keep the room warm, cozy, and inviting, rather than dark and dreary.

The drop ceiling is another basement feature that was once trendy, but is now on its way out. Popularity for dropped ceilings stemmed in large part from convenience. A drop ceiling makes it easy to work on and access pipes, wires, and any other utilities in your ceiling. Plus, a drop ceiling can provide great sound insulation, and can also lower your utility bill by keeping the room warmer.

Despite their popularity in the past, drop ceilings are no longer the best option for your basement. In fact, installing a drop ceiling in your basement may even lower your home's value, as it is not as desirable as drywall in the eyes of buyers. On top of being less appealing, drop ceilings can make the room feel smaller by reducing vertical space, and they're just not as homey. Not to mention, they're not as durable as other ceiling types.

A better alternative to a basement drop ceiling is drywall, especially if the rest of your home has drywall ceilings. Beadboard and wood planks are also popular and trendy basement ceiling choices. However, if you'd like to maintain accessibility to pipes or anything mechanical, consider installing a shiplap ceiling. Not only is shiplap stylish and affordable, but it's also easy to incorporate a hidden panel for easy access to what's above.

Nothing causes a resurgence of memories from your childhood basement like muted floor to ceiling wood panels on all four walls of the basement. From the 1960s to the 1970s, wood paneling on basement walls was all the rage. In addition to being affordable, wood panels are also extremely easy to install, which likely contributed to their popularity. Today, covering the entirety of your basement walls in wood paneling is no longer the epitome of a stylish basement. Not to mention, that wood paneling that's been around since the 60s very well may be concealing mold. However, that's not to say that you can't still incorporate some wood paneling on your basement walls and still be on-trend.

Just because wood paneling may be coming back in style, doesn't mean it looks the same as it did in the 70s. The basement wood paneling of today is more subtle, and often used as an accent wall rather than installed across all four walls. In addition to being used only on smaller spaces, new wood paneling features vastly different shades and tones. Rather than the uniform, pale, and earth toned wall panels of the past, basement wall paneling today is all about making the wood look unique. Modernizing dated wood paneling may mean whitewashing it, or even painting it a moody and bold accent color, like charcoal. It also means you can mix them up with a funky geometric pattern or even install an accent wall of horizontal wood panels.

Due to their location in the home and lack of natural light, basements are notoriously dark rooms. This is possibly part of why fluorescent lighting was so popular in the basement, or perhaps it's because it was so cheap and energy efficient. Whatever the reason for their popularity in basements, fluorescent lights are definitely well on their way to extinction. On top of creating intense and unpleasant lighting, fluorescents are also bad for the environment. This is because their bulbs contain mercury, a highly toxic element that is not just bad for the planet, but also for our own health. And if that's not bad enough, fluorescent lighting can also hurt your eyes and give you headaches, which is definitely not something you want to happen in your own home.

To replace the outdated fluorescents and enhance the look of your basement with lighting, consider installing LEDs. Not only are they just as bright as fluorescents, but they are also more efficient. Additionally, they last much longer and don't flicker like fluorescents. If you want to control the brightness levels in your basement so it's not overly bright when you're trying to relax and watch a movie, you can even install options with dimmers, like these NEWKAZ LED Dimmable Ceiling Lights.