1-3. Create a lounge area for watching TV.

4. Sew lumbar pillows with Express Fabrics

5. Make a convenient spot for relaxing in front of the TV

6-8. The dining space includes an elegant table and chairs.

9-10. Brighten the dining area with a chandelier and sconces.

11. Elongate walls by hanging striped fabric on them.

Tell us about your design challenge: Find out how

"I desperately need help with my ... basement," Shavers writes in an e-mail. She and her 6-year-old daughter want to use the 29-by-14-foot room to watch TV, eat and play. The room needs to be tidy and organized, Shavers says, especially when her daughter is having sleepovers and playing with friends. Shavers would like to keep her honey-colored laminate floors, open up the space and make it feel warmer.

Use custom-made art deco room dividers that won't block light to separate the TV-watching and dining spaces. Pick a sofa that will be comfortable for sleepovers, acting as extra sleeping space. Curtains with vertical stripes hung on walls, not windows, will soften the space and make the ceiling feel taller. Beiges help warm up a basement.