My sewing room is in the basement. If I leave the door open, I can see out the back door (walk out basement), but my feeling is "who cares?" I turn on my music and rarely look up. I have a door to the main part of the basement, french doors to a bedroom, door to the bathroom and two bi-fold closet doors and still have room for a design board. I also have a tv, phone, BIG cutting table, two ironing boards and my sewing machine and small desk.
The walls are light grey so as not to show fabric colors wrongly and I have eight lights in the ceiling and one ott lamp. The basement is dry but yes, my feet are a little cold in winter. I don't feel isolated, I feel great that I now have my own space!