Decorating a Basement Support Post

Column Covers

• Purchase a kit that will transform the support post into an architectural column. Designed to install quickly and easily, the kit includes a thin, flexible cover that you wrap around the post and glue into place. If necessary, you can trim the cover so it fits your post exactly. The kits also include pieces that snap into place at the bottom of the post to simulate the column foundation. These column covers are usually made of material that you can paint to match your other decor.

Shelves

• Purchase a kit the enables you to create a drink shelf around the support post. Similar to the column cover kits, this kit includes supports that you attach to the post that hold up a shelf that encircles the post. With this drink shelf in place on the post, any seating that you position within close proximity of the post will be able to use the drink shelf.

Boxes

• Construct a wood box around the support post using sheets of wood or plywood. After building the four-sided box from floor to ceiling around the post, stain it or paint it to match the walls in your basement. If you have two posts within close proximity of each other, you could construct boxes around both posts and then build a shelving unit between the posts.

Paint

• Paint support posts to match the walls of the basement. Another option is to cover support posts with decorative paint effects. Use acrylic paint to apply horizontal or vertical stripes to the posts in colors that coordinate with the other decor in the basement. Create free-form painting designs with bright or bold colors or apply paint with faux painting techniques such as sponge or rag painting to decorate the support posts.