Basements, foyers, and laundry rooms can be renovation goldmines. Local realtors and designers help us gauge each space’s potential and guide us into balancing everyday joy with future resale value. Is your next project worth the work? Read on for some expert perspectives.
Is the Work Worth It to Renovate Overlooked Spaces?
The most transformative home renovation projects often happen in the most overlooked spaces: basements, foyers, and laundry rooms. These workhorse areas quietly shape how a home feels and functions day-to-day, yet they’re easy to ignore. They’re also easy to overdo. Is it more important to elevate your own daily life or to appeal to future buyers? Can you do both? We asked four experienced realtors and several local designers how to read a space’s true potential, avoid common renovation missteps, and strike that sweet spot between personal delight and smart resale value.
Basements Matter!
Veteran Pittsburgh Howard Hanna realtor Roz Neiman says that basements are the most important home renovation: “I hear over and over before a showing: Is the basement finished? Is the basement finished? I would add that basement game rooms take first place. They provide flexibility for the next homeowners to make the space their own, as it’s more of a blank slate and can become multipurpose.”
Donna Tidwell, a Berkshire Hathaway broker with followings in Western Pennsylvania and Florida, agrees that flexibility in a basement renovation is key. “Buyers respond best to spaces that feel multi-purpose rather than overly specialized. Comfortable family rooms, casual entertaining areas…or a lounge area with a full bathroom tend to work extremely well.”
Interior Designer Seashal Belldina notes, “Our clients are business owners with four young children who truly love to entertain, so their basement needed to perform on every level.” “We designed a full-scale bar along with a pool table, poker table, and a custom lounge tailored for movie nights. A separate kids’ playroom allows the adults to host friends, family, and clients without compromise. I color-washed the space in a rich, deep green, layered with jewel-tone accents and a gold ceiling. The result is a sophisticated, immersive retreat that feels both elevated and livable.”
Allison Pochapin of Compass Realty recommends that you assess your basement honestly before deciding it’s eligible for a renovation. “Trying to fully finish a basement that doesn’t lend itself to extended use—because of low ceilings, moisture issues, or limited light—can be a poor investment. Walk-out basements are especially appealing, offering natural light and usable space at or near ground level,” she counsels. If you decide your basement is a worthy target for a refresh, she sounds a note of sanity: “Buyers respond best to basements that feel like a natural extension of the home rather than a novelty.”
Do Bars, Wine Cellars, and Pantries Add Value?
As an amenity for parties and cocktail hours, built-in bars get high marks. Tidwell says that “wet bars and small kitchenette areas are popular.” Interior designer Kristina Conway of Bespoke Kitchens and Baths agrees. “I’ve seen a remarkable surge in demand for beautifully designed basement bars, driven by the desire to stay in and gather at home. People need meaningful spaces for connection.”
Neiman advises caution, however, before spending hard-earned dough on a pricy, climate-controlled wine cellar. “They’re at the bottom of my list. Some people are wine aficionados, and some people just can’t relate to it. It’s very personal,” she says. “It may not pay off in a resale context.” Broker Heather Edmondson, who works with Keller Williams, is even less optimistic about wine cellars, unless your home is in the multi-million dollar luxury category: “Some buyers might see it as a waste of space.”
A pantry replete with shelves and drawers designed for efficient and pleasing-to-the-eye storage, however, is a home run. Pochapin waxes enthusiastic here: “A well-designed pantry—or butler’s pantry—reads as both practical and aspirational. While butler’s pantries may feel like a trend, their function is timeless: better organization, improved flow, and easier entertaining.” Conway agrees. “Generous concealed storage allows everything to stay organized and within reach–exactly the kind of upgrade that real estate professionals recognize as lifestyle-enhancing and adding value to the property.”
Interior designer Colleen Simonds is in accord here. “A well-designed butler’s pantry holds quantities of household essentials, and doubles as part of the entertaining area. It’s not ‘back of the house’ anymore – it’s functional and beautiful and needs the same amount of style as other kitchen and kitchen-adjacent spaces.”
What about Mud Rooms and Laundry Rooms?
Because mud rooms and laundry rooms address the daily functional needs of families, paying attention to them can pay off in both quality of life and resale value.
“Clients want spaces that simplify daily routines, reduce clutter, and blend with the rest of the home’s aesthetic. They love mudrooms and laundry areas because these high traffic spaces can be transformed into beautifully organized command centers. With the right mix of cabinetry, seating, and work surfaces, a chaotic drop zone becomes a calm, efficient flow between outdoor activities and daily home life. Current favorite features for us include ergonomic folding counters for sorting and folding laundry, as well as hooks and valet rods that help families maintain order even on the busiest days,” comments Alexa Fries, Marketing Manager of California Closets’ Pittsburgh team.
“Well-designed laundry rooms and mudrooms carry significant weight, particularly when they are treated as intentional spaces that are beautifully adorned rather than utilitarian afterthoughts,” adds Liza Barry Christ, a Sewickley-based broker with Piatt Sotheby’s.
Should Colors and Materials be Classic or Personal?
Should you design your renovation to suit yourself or the tastes of an eventual buyer? Pochapin suggests a cautious approach: “The most successful homes strike a balance between timeless structure and personal expression. Homeowners should enjoy their homes while also making informed decisions that will age well.”
Because neutrals are very much in fashion right now, the choice between trendy and enduring may not be complicated. “Clean lines, warm whites, natural stone, and quality wood tones provide longevity and broad appeal,” says Tidwell.
Echoing Oscar Wilde’s aphorism to maintain moderation in all things, including moderation, Liza Christ counsels a “middle path” when it comes to neutrals. “From a resale perspective, the goal is not to strip a home of personality, but to make thoughtful, enduring choices. The strongest resale results come from getting the permanent finishes right — the elements that define the home and are costly to change, including flooring, millwork, cabinetry, stone, tile, and high-quality windows and doors. When executed well, these elements should feel timeless, but timeless does not mean static. Great design balances longevity with a sense of relevance and style.”
Roz Neiman’s decades of perspective give rise to a somewhat freer vision. “I think it’s 50/50 in what I see in the marketplace these days. Half will choose to go for what’s better for resale, and the others go the other way, saying “this is my space and want it to feel like that.”
Story by Keith Recker
Principal Photography by Dave Bryce and Erin Kelly
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