Anyone with a basement knows that having a lower level is a design dream. But, while you might be fixated on how to make the most of your space—be it a home office, play area, or private theater—there ...

Editor’s note: In light of recent rains, we are reprinting a timely column originally published June 6, 2009. We have a 1973 two-story house with a basement that we’ve owned for about two years. The ...