Cheap-but-Clever: Brilliant DIY Basement Renovation

Consider this: you too could redesign your basement living space with a little creativity and ten dollars worth of permanent marker. Lawyer by day, Charlie Kratzer got tired of looking at the same dull cream-colored walls of his underground recreation-and-relaxing room and decided a (very big) change was in order.

Appearing on this amazing mural (that wraps the entire space as shown above) are all kinds of curious fictional figures and decorative elements pulled from different styles and time periods, enhancing both the walls and the built-in furniture elements that decorate this otherwise drab underground living room.

Existing structural elements (like a disused fireplace) were given new life by a creative representation of their old function. Larger blank-slate areas became covered with scenes adding depth in all directions. All in all, this seems like a fairly ingenious (and incredibly inexpensive) redesign idea for those bold enough to attempt it.