Suddenly find yourself with a spare room? Maybe you’ve moved to a new, bigger house and just don’t know what to do with all of your new rooms, or perhaps your youngest child has just moved out and you now have an extra bedroom.
You don’t have to be an interior design expert to make the most of your extra room. We’re here to help you make the most of your extra space and give you some great room ideas for the ultimate home design.
1. Home office
Nowadays, working from home is becoming the norm. Why not make deck out your extra space into a full-blown office space, optimizing for productivity and concentration? The nice thing about a home office is that all you really need is a desk. You can improve it little by little by adding things like art, a sofa, or even a television for breaks.
2. Guest room/spare bedroom
If you’re the type of person to always have friends or family visiting in town, it might be a good idea to turn that spare room into a guest bedroom. This way, your loved ones can enjoy their own space when they come to visit and not have to spend a ton of money on booking a hotel. Designing a bedroom can be a little intimidating so it’s always great to base your room off of an example. Check out these bedroom design ideas for inspiration.
3. Home gym
Are you a health nut? Is starting your day with a workout a necessity for you? Try turning your spare room into a home gym, focused on whatever your athletic interests are. You could deck it out with weights and machines, or even make it a peaceful yoga studio. We’ve even seen some people build full on rock climbing walls in their spare room! Whatever you choose, you’ll end up saving money and time on commuting to a gym and paying for a membership or classes.
4. Kids Playroom
If you have kids, a playroom or game room might be a good idea to keep them entertained. You can add a sofa bed so that it doubles as a spare bedroom when they want to have sleepovers. Depending on your family’s feelings on screen time, you could also include a big screen tv for movie nights, or you could give it more of a living room vibe with sofas and board games. Just make sure it’s ready for spills and messes!
5. Laundry Room
If your spare room is on the small side, consider turning it into a laundry room. The nice thing about having a laundry room is that it helps you to separate household chores with relaxation. It also separates the noise of washing and drying machines so that it doesn’t disturb the peace of your home. Even if it’s a small spare room, don’t let it go to waste!
6. Dressing Room
Have someone in your household who’s particularly into fashion, makeup, or dressing up? Perhaps an actor or aspiring musician? You could create an ideal dressing room for them – somewhere where they can get ready in peace, complete with big mirrors and dressing tables. You could even treat it as a huge walk-in closet. We love dressing rooms because there’s so much great inspiration out there to create very stylish rooms. Check out pinterest dressing room ideas here for some major inspiration.
7. Art Studio
If someone in your household is an artist, you probably know that their work isn’t always ideal for keeping a clean, organized house. It’s nice to separate out a studio for them to work in so they can keep all of their art supplies in one place. Not to mention, many artists love to have a special space where they can go into the creative zone. What are the must-haves for an art studio? An easel (preferably by a nice window view!), drawers to store paint and art tools, and great lighting. Down the line, you can add a sofa for guests and collaboration.
8. Library
Have you ever dreamed of being Belle from Beauty and the Beast, surrounded by a beautiful collection of books? There’s nothing like a home library for the ultimate warm, cozy vibes. The good news about turning your spare room into a library is that all you really need to start are bookshelves and your own book collection. Down the line, you can add couches, comfy reading chairs, and tables to hold your preferred reading drink, whether that’s a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
9. Rent your space on Airbnb or Couchsurfing
Do you love meeting travelers and being a host? Hosting your space on Airbnb or Couchsurfing might be a great option for you if you have empty rooms to rent. Meeting people from all over the world and helping them get to know your city is without a doubt a fulfilling experience. If you’re looking to monetize your space, go with Airbnb, but if you’re in it just for some good traveling karma and don’t mind hosting others for free, Couchsurfing is a great option to help out fellow travelers.
10. Rent your space out on Stache for storage
It’s always a great time to make a little extra cash, maybe to pay off that big mortgage or your kids’ college tuition. Renting your extra space out for storage is pretty much the easiest income you’ll ever make. Stache does all the work of finding renters for you – all you have to do is accept a booking request and organize a time for the renter to drop off the stuff they want to store. You’ll receive monthly payments each month just for having boxes sitting in your spare room. Become a host on Stache in 10 minutes and start monetizing your space.
Conclusion
When you have a spare room on your hands, the last thing you want to do is let it go to waste. The good news is that there are plenty of options depending on your personality, your family interests, and whether or not you are looking to monetize it.