Do you have a spare room without a plan? Lucky you! Whether you’ve recently purchased a home with a bonus room, or the last chick just flew the coop, an extra room can feel like a gold mine – but only if you know what to do with it.
Make the Most of a Spare Room With These Design Ideas
Here are some of my favorite ways KWD clients have made use of their spare room(s). If you’ll use it enough for a single purpose, that’s fine. Otherwise, blend two or three of these ideas together in a tasteful way. The key is to utilize the extra space so it doesn’t sit there empty and unused between guests.
Make it into a quiet zone
This is a noisy world we live in. In addition to the automated world outside our windows, we now have a whole host of electronic sounds to contend with, courtesy of our gadgets and digital devices. Even so, humans need a little quiet from time to time and you might find this is the best use for an extra space.
Decorate your Quiet Room using soothing colors and comfortable furniture and textiles. Then, make it a gadget-, screen- and noise-free zone where anyone can come to relax, sit in contemplation, stretch, unwind or simply Be.
Is it time to build your own library?
Are books stacked, piled and tumbling from the shelves in your living room or family room? Are you clearing out a child’s room and can’t bear to box up their childhood books? Do you have more time to read these days? Maybe it’s time to create a personal library.
The home library theme can combine with the aforementioned Quiet Zone idea to create a quiet reading room. Floor to ceiling shelving provides a way to move books out of the main living areas (or out of the boxes in the attic or closets) and into an organized space where they can be used and loved.
Any shelves not consumed by books can be used to display your collections or curios. Some comfortable reading chairs, an ottoman for your feet, a chaise lounge for napping and an coffee and/or end table will make the room complete.
Give it up for play
Do you find yourself in the miraculous position of having little ones AND a spare room? In this case, I say give it up for toys and playtime. When I was a child, our toys were isolated to our bedrooms. Period. If we did bring toys in the living areas, our parents made us put them away as soon as we were done. Today, I see parents allowing huge sections of a family room or sacrificing the formal dining room for the children’s toys – and that doesn’t seem quite right either.
Using an extra room for a play room seems like the ideal, happy medium – keeping toys and things out of the common living areas (parents deserve sanity too!) but giving children a place to have free reign with their imagination and creativity.
Design a home office that’s just right for you
Tired of working on your laptop in the common areas? A dedicated home office is just what you need to focus, be productive and get your work done in record time. Another bonus? Freelancers and contract employees can write the office space off on taxes, including a proportional amount of household utilities, office supplies, etc. Even the smallest of rooms or nooks can transform into a very organized and attractive office spaces.
Read, 10 Tips for Creating a Stylish Yet Functional Home Office for more specifics on designing an office that suits your tastes and the household’s needs.
The household art studio
Have a scrapbooker in the house? A painter? A knitter or crocheter? It doesn’t take long for arts and crafts supplies to take over the hallway closet no matter how organized you are. Once a spare room becomes available, it’s a wonderful opportunity to designate space to all those artistic endeavors.
Built-in and customizable storage spaces will ensure all of the supplies are neatly stored away in between project. Then, expansive countertops and/or portable tables can be used to provide adequate workspace. Depending on your hobbies of choice, we’ll make sure lighting and electrical outlets (and plumbing, if necessary) are all in convenient and accessible locations.