House Plans with Basements Made for More Low-Key Family Time

Hemlock Springs House Plan
Photo: Southern Living House Plans

Basements use to be the stuff of our childhood nightmares: a dark, cold, cob-webbed cave at the bottom of a rickety wooden staircase, no habitat more conducive to the monsters that filled our imaginations. Thankfully, basements today are bit different than the dwellings we once knew. Each of these house plans comes with light-filled lower-level rooms that are perfect for a second family room, workout room, or game room. Oh and storage? We've got it in spades. We have ranch house plans with a basement, one-story house plans with a basement, and large and small house plans with a basement. We have walkout basements and storage basements and even basements that can transform into a bar hangout. You'll soon find the possibilities are endless.

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Honeycomb Farmhouse

Honeycomb Farmhouse
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-2064

This multigenerational house plan is made for accommodating families with adult children or older parents. It features an unfinished walkout basement that can be built out to fit the needs of you and your family.

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Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1554

A high-gabled roof, cedar, and natural stone set this home off in pure mountain-retreat style. The house plan is outfitted with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths with an open layout, walk-in primary bedroom closet, and large screened-in porch.

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Wind River

Wind River House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1551

Laidback warmth, that's what you'll find with the Wind River house plan. It features three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, and a walkout basement with terrace. It comes equipped with an open layout, gorgeous covered front and back porches, and unfinished storage area on the lowest level.

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Foxglove Cottage

Foxglove Cottage
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-943

This plan includes three bedrooms with a possible fourth, two-and-a-half baths, and a walkout basement, all wrapped up in a tidy 1,718-square-foot footprint. It has all the European charm of a country vacation house, but with Southern details like gable roofing and an open floor plan meant for entertaining.

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Woodland Cove

Woodland Cove
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-603

If you're looking for a rustic cottage with plenty of space for friends and family to comfortably stay a while, you'll find it in Woodland Cove. Five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths along with a full basement all clocks in around 3,500 square feet. The log-cabin style is what our mountain dreams are made of.

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Bayview

Bayview House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1918

A coastal cottage with walkout basement? We made it happen with the Bayview house plan. Additional features include a covered patio, rec room, and outside storage space.

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Stoneybrook

Stoneybrook House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1764

No dreary, below-ground basements here, this one basks in natural daylight, making it a space you won't mind spending considerable time in. You'll find a total of 4,411 square feet, four bedrooms, three full and two half baths, and a trifecta of fireplaces in the charming Stoneybrook plan.

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Le Moulin Neuf B

Le Moulin Neuf House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1723

No one will be wanting for space in this plan with a whopping six (seven possible) bedrooms and five and a half baths all within 3,475 square feet. A walkout basement features bedrooms five and six, plus a media room and dedicated storage space for all of your Christmas decorations.

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Chateau de Valensole

Chateau de Valensole House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1694

You'll find plenty of outdoor space in this French country cottage. An open layout, charming gable roofing details on the exterior, and the perfect 2,438 square-foot footprint make this house plan a functional beauty.

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Hemlock Springs

Hemlock Springs House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1590

What's not to love about an open layout Craftsman? It's the perfect marriage between classic Southern style and modern amenities bound to meet the demands of today's modern family lifestyle. Outside you'll find a summer kitchen and porch fireplace, an inspiring location for enjoying the outdoors all year long.

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Tarpon Run

Tarpon Run House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1589

Take a step inside our 2009 Idea House located on Mustang Island, close to Corpus Christi, Texas. You'll find a laundry room in the basement and a guest house over the garage. It's ideal, whether you're looking for a well-equipped vacation home or a year-round residence where relaxation and respite are central.

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Appalachian Stream

Appalachian Run House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1578

Tucked just off the kitchen is a vaulted keeping room, a Southern detail if we ever saw one. A walkout basement, three bedrooms, and three-and-a-half baths in just over 2,700 square feet create a comfortable space for the whole family.

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Elkhorn

Elkhorn House Plan
Southern Living House Plans

Plan SL-1573

With a walkout basement, three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, and over 2,000-square feet of total heated space, this craftsman cottage is a cozy dwelling with lots of charm. A large kitchen island, open floor plan, and vaulted primary bedroom check all the boxes for dream-house criteria.

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