The basement is quite possibly the most overlooked, if not openly disregarded, part of one’s home.

After all, the basement tends to encompass everything most people eschew: little to no lighting, accessible only by a descent underground, and often a last resort for storage and social gatherings.

In recent years, however, the idea of a basement has taken on a new significance, and trendsetting designers are looking up to the basement’s potential, rather than downstairs in dismay.

With transformations including personal wine cellars, lounge decor, cocktail bars, studio effects, and entertainment centers, a whole new era is making the move one flight down. Everything pertaining to the basement is getting a second look, including the ceiling itself. Once thought of as purely functional, or else given minimal consideration in terms of eye appeal, the basement was specifically designed to receive minimal natural light.

Thus, the updated and well-appointed basement depends on an attractive ceiling to cast the gaze upward in admiration. Art Deco detail work, 3D drop tiles, exposed metal, and stripped wood are just some of the ways to transform your basement space into an editorial-worthy spread. Particularly clever additions include built-in ceiling bookshelves and lighting implements, as well as hand-painted fresco and geometric accents.

A basement can be a dreary and/or purely functional subterranean latitude, or a vibrant and welcoming domestic destination. The right ceiling design will not only brighten and open up a basement space, but lend a truly unique finishing touch to an otherwise underappreciated locale.