interior

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.

Bathroom renovations – they can be relatively painless, like when the bathroom is a rarely used powder room. OR, they can be a bit more involved, like when the bathroom in question is attached to your bedroom sanctuary or sends the entire family into your bathroom while their’s is torn apart.

The good news: you WILL survive your upcoming bathroom renovation. The better news: You’ll survive it with only a modicum of inconvenience if you’re prepared.

5 Ways To Prepare For a Bathroom Renovation

Consider the following as your “Bathroom Renovation Preparedness Guide”. Between this, and some deep breaths from time-to-time, you’ll come through the process swimmingly.

1. Hire the right design/build team. Not all design and build teams are created equal. Your job is to find one that’s experienced, professional and has excellent communication skills. One of the reasons I advocate hiring a interior designer when performing a remodel or full-scale renovation is to keep things as stress-free as possible. Even the best construction companies can err on the side of less-is-more when it comes to client communication. This can mean you don’t always know exactly what is happening, when, which is a bit stressful when it’s your own home you’re talking about. By hiring an interior designer who has professional relationships with high-quality contractors, you gain the best of both worlds: clear communication and a solid design plan, combined with top-notch work.
2. Create a communication plan. Even the most solid plans can be thrown off a bit depending on product availability or unanticipated discoveries in internal wall spaces. Make sure you and your contractor have a set plan for how communication re: scheduling or design changes will take place so you’re on the same page.
3. Prepare for dust. No matter how careful you are, things are going to get dusty. From saw dust to drywall dust, it can be talcum powder-fine and will seep into the most unlikely of places. You can minimize its infiltration by using sheet plastic and tape to seal off adjacent hallways, doors, rooms, closets and so one. Your design/build team will typically secure the most obvious spots, but you’ll want to take care of any closets or dressers that may be affected to minimize the clean-up later. Also, buy an extra HVAC filter or two from your local hardware store. Once your bathroom remodel is complete, you’ll want to change the filter – and then change it again a month later – to keep all that particulate matter from circulating around your home.
4. Set up another bathroom space. Depending on the scale of your bathroom remodeling project, you may be without a fully functional bathroom for up to three or four weeks. It’s time to set up a new bathroom space. If you have another full bath in the house, lucky you. Your biggest challenge may be setting a few new parameters for availability and use now that the whole family is sharing. If you are remodeling your only full-bath, you may need to be a little more creative. Most construction companies can rig a temporary toilet and shower area in another area of the house – garage, laundry room or basement.
5. Expect the unexpected. We hinted at this in #2, but the reality is that it’s a rare remodeling project that moves forward without a hitch. There is usually at least one snafu – sometimes small and often not-so-small. Just be prepared and keep an open mind so you can work more cooperatively with the design/build team to problem solve.

Are you first-time homeowners who would love to never move again? Are you baby-boomers interested in aging-in-place, rather than moving into a retirement or assisted living community? Are you a homeowner interested in selling your home as quickly as possible and for top-dollar? Do you plan to have a parent, grandparent or in-law living with you for some time?

If you answered, yes, to any of these questions – I recommend turning your attention to what we call accessible design principles.

Senior Friendly, Accessible, Universal or Livable – Good Design Matters

The terms accessible, universal and senior friendly frequent design publications these days. This is partly due to baby boomers, but it’s also about something bigger and larger than that.

It’s the post-2008 perspective shift that makes people want to buy a home they can make home, without worrying about flipping or investing. It’s about the mobile worker population who can live where they want and work without having to transfer companies or uproot their families. It’s about families who are choosing to care for one another in the comfort of their own home, rather than relocating in senior-only communities.

Finally, it’s about people realizing that accessibility improves life for everyone, not just those in acute need. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the ways you can make your home more accessible.

Lighting and electrical plans

It starts with something as simple as a lighting and electrical plans. By building these things in now, you won’t have to cut into walls and amend things later.

As with any good lighting plan, you need to accommodate for safety and task lighting. Make sure that all exterior walkways, stairs, and doorways are well-illuminated. Lighting inside the home should be bright enough on a dark night to illuminate the full room, with fixture placement such that shadows are minimized. Safety lighting can also take place via toe-kick or undercabinet lighting that provides an ambient glow when desired and also serve as wee-hour night-lights for the kitchen and bathrooms. Putting all of your fixtures on a dimmer switch is the best way to keep lighting under your desired control.

In terms of electrical plans, I recommend installing some well-placed floor outlets in the living and family rooms. This minimizes exposed cords from floor lamps, which are common, senior trip hazards.

Have a master suite downstairs

If you have a two-story home, I highly recommend placing a master suite or a comfortable guestroom with an attached bathroom on the downstairs, or most accessible, level. Even if you choose to sleep upstairs, for now, it means you and/or your partner will be able to have an accessible bedroom/bathroom, that doesn’t require navigating stairs, when you’re older, are recovering from a surgery or illness, etc.

Ample room for maneuvering

Accessible designs are always focused on seniors, but what about when a family member has an unexpected accident that renders them in a wheelchair, with a walker or on crutches at one point or another? What about family gatherings or parties, when guests may have mobility aids that need to be accommodated?

Accessible designs leave at least 36-inches between and around furnishings and walls, down hallways, around tables and chairs, between your perimeter cabinets/countertops and the kitchen island, etc., so people can maneuver easily. You’ll never regret building that access into the design now, and it makes for a gracious and flexible home.

No grip faucets, cabinet handles, and door pulls

Things that seem easy to grip take on a whole new personality the minute hands are out of commission as the result of injury or arthritis. This is why accessible designs incorporate faucets, handles and pulls that don’t require strong gripping action. Plumbing fixtures can be touch-free these days, and larger bars or levers are preferred for doors and drawers.

If you’re a young family, you’ll appreciate that more accessible kitchen and bathroom fixtures mean more autonomous kids, not to mention less wasted water.

Plenty of daylight

We know now that electrical light is not nearly as beneficial as light from the sun when it comes to our circadian rhythm (sleep and wake cycles) as well as mental and emotional well-being. This is true for everyone, and it becomes especially important for those who work from home or are more housebound – spending more time indoors than out. Adequate daylighting also makes colors look brighter and fresher, it makes rooms appear more spacious and inviting and it helps indoor plants to thrive.

Make sure you have adequate windows and add skylights and solar tubes for extra benefit. A solar tube placed over a home workstation is superior to fluorescent or LED lighting any day!

Think about grab bars and handles

Shower and toilet area grab bars and handles are like a quintessential senior design feature. But, let me tell you if they’re available – you’ll use them. They also make bathrooms safer for people of all ages. If you plan on aging in place, having seniors or physically challenged house guests, these bars are worth well more than their weight in gold.

Your bathrooms will look infinitely more stylish if you incorporate these features into the design now than if you have to install them later.

Implement slip-free surfaces

Finally, slip, trip, and fall hazards are the leading cause of injury for adults over the age of 65, and this includes serious traumatic brain injuries or the need for surgical procedures that can lead to further complications. Since most falls occur in or around the home, it makes sense to minimize slip, trip and fall hazards when designing any space.

Select slip-resistant flooring in kitchens and bathrooms. Invest in high-quality area rugs that don’t curl at the edges and corners, and reinforce them with full-coverage, non-slip mats underneath. Be thoughtful about the transitions or thresholds between hard surface and carpeted flooring. Minimize stairs wherever possible and design a ramp if you’re able to for exterior stairways.