My 2 sewing rooms (2 small bedrooms turned into a sewing and fabric room, and a cutting and ironing room) and family room are in the basement. In WI, the summers can get hot and humid so the AC runs fairly often. Even with the central air on, I use a dehumidifier in the family room as the system is older and not as efficient. Anytime there is dampness, a dehumidifier should be running. Anyone with asthma, arthritis and/or chronic conditions may attest. And us sewers know to treat our quilting stashes and investments like we would ourselves, right?

If dampness is a problem you may have to run a dehumidifer all year long. I don't have a basement or I would use. I share my sewing room with four cats. I have to keep it neat or the cats would lay all over everything.

I sew in an extra bedroom that I made into a sewing room. Make sure the basement doesn't leak. I store fabric in my basement and run a dehumidifier during the spring, summer & fall. I live in northern MN and it does get humid. In the winter I am lucky as I also burn wood so the basement stays warm. I do cutting and pinning and layout quilts in my basement. I guess the most important thing is a DRY BASEMENT!!

I have my sewing space in the basement. I got rid of the pool table which was not used very often and
I am sharing my sewing space with the family room. Just make sure you have a de-humidifier running
at all times to take care of the musky smell that all basements seems to have. I have attached
a few pictures of my basement sewing room. Hope this helps in your decisions

I live in Illinois-a raised ranch that has a finished basement.....except the area around the "guts"
of the house.........that is where I live.........one half is "my sewing spot" and across the room is the longarm home.......there are two large windows so sunlight is not lacking.......the fact that the furnace/a/c are in the space with me make it cozy warm in winter and cool in summer......and when I want a break I walk into the finished area and watch tv or go into the office and check computer, but let me mention that before we bought this house we had it tested for radon, since I had planned to use the basement, and yes it had high levels so the previous owner had to have that corrected...there is some kind of gizmo in the garage that does whatever it is supposed to to keep level in safe area.......I don't know if radon is a problem in other parts of country/world.........Oh, and by the way, I did paint the concrete outside walls a soft butter yellow and I love my world........

I am so happy I asked you all my question and even happier with your responses! My DH and I have been empty nesters for a few years now and I currently have a combination quilting room and office, with a corner for my elliptical. We never thought we would consider moving, however a one-story house is what we have been looking for and what we were able to find. We will be downsizing is so many ways. If all works out we will be moving from our 3,400 square foot home to one that is just over 1,900. The excitement of cleaning a smaller home is just positively overwhelming to me! None of my friends sew (unbelievable, right?) so asking them sewing room questions would have been fruitless. Your ideas make me look forward to whatever comes my way with my future sewing space(s). Thank you.:)

I love going to "my" basement. Our daughter left for Grad school a couple of months ago and now my Husband and I each have our own space. I don't have to worry about my projects being in somebody's way or having to put them away when somebody comes over. Our basement is very dry and I have my TV and computer down there too. I know we will have to downsize the house at some point but I know he will always make sure I have my sewing world as a separate space.

Our house in the Turtle Mtn's on the farm, I was in a walk out basement, lot's of light, and when I went to do laundry, I did my sewing/quilting. Then we moved to SW North Dakota, and the first place was small and I had the 2 largest bedroom - no way could I get everything in, course after 2 weeks, I quit un-packing and my DH agreed, we sold that, we moved into a larger home and I am more than happy to be in the basement, course like before, I do laundry, I stay and do my sewing/quilting. Loads of light and I have half of it with a door to close off to unwanted visitors. Just moved in over New Years, and yes, I am still unpacking and re-arranging as I go. I plan on purchasing some cedar chips and other things to help with any dampness that might occur.
And my childhood friends and I have dub it "the Henhouse" and my DH has is extra large "Mancave" with Tv on wall, and I wouldn't be surprized if doesn't get carpet in his TV area this fall.

When I read your post and then noticed where you live, of course the first thing that popped into my mind was of course earthquakes. I'm weird that way. lol

I have my space in the basement and I love it. LOVE IT! It is never too hot or too cold. My laundry is in the basement as well so we will finally have laundry done on time since I am in the basement all the time. THe only thing that worries me is that my other hoby is also in the basemet - pottery. I better be careful not to spray muddy water on my UFOs. All the fabrics are in plastic shoe boxes, just in case. My husband's hobby area is also in the basement so we are pretty content to escape to our sanctuary when kids drive us crazy.