Do you have a guest room that is vacant and unused most of the time? Stop wasting that space or filling it with junk. Repurpose the room. Transform it into a space that you can utilise and enjoy. Or maybe you want an extra room added to your home so it can be a flex room.
A flex room is a designated area in the home that serves different functions. It can also be called a bonus room, spare room, extra room or multi-purpose room.
A flex room doesn’t have to be a spare bedroom. It could be the small room designated as an optional room, the unused space above the garage, the attic, the basement or even unused space under the stairs!
Having a flex room lets you change your home for different stages of your life, new hobbies or crafts, studying or working from home, a growing family, teenage space or having a space for elderly parents to call their own. A flex room can increase the value of your home.
Before making the decision on what to use the flex room for, consider the space. Is it in the attic or basement? It is near a bathroom? Is is quiet enough to work or study? Is is easy access for guests? Get creative. Use colour and space saving furniture to turn this unused space into a functional room you will love.
You don’t need to pick just one use for the flex room. Make it a combination room – a multi-purpose room that could be used for 2-3 different uses. A guest room, playroom, nursery, office/study, library, music room, gaming, entertainment, yoga or library.
Clever furniture ideas will help the transition of the flex room between multiple uses. Storage containers and furniture with hidden storage compartments can hide away the office clutter, toys and games when you have visitors stay the night. An ottoman is a great place to store linen, towels, pillows and blankets for guest use. A fold out couch, futon or drop down bed will save floor space during the day and fold out to a bed when you have guests use the flex room.
Airbnb
Bring in extra income by renting out the spare guest room through Airbnb. Add the essential items to the room like toiletries, towels and toilet paper. Share the home wi-fi password clearly so guests can connect.
Nursery
A small room is perfect for a baby’s nursery room. The nursery can be easily transformed into a toddler’s room as the child grows. A bassinet or cot does not take a lot of space. Just add the essentials – a comfy chair for breast feeding or reading stories, a change table, some drawers or shelves for storage and some hanging mobiles and you have a beautiful nursery for your baby.
Playroom
Sick of picking up toys from every room in the home? Give the toys their own home by creating a flex playroom. Kids of any age will love having a room that has been created just for them. Decorate in beautiful, bright colours. Add child size tables and chairs, easels, bean bags and book shelves. Cube storage with baskets are awesome to hide away the toys and keep the room looking clean. Having a dedicated playroom helps to declutter the rest of the home, as toys have a designated area. The room can easily be adjusted as children grow into different phases and interests.
Home Office
Work from home in your home office. One thing to come from Covid-19 is many people are now able to work from home, either full time or part time. Having a home office set up gives you a dedicated workspace to maximise your time in the office. Add an ergonomic desk and chair, bookshelves, computer, printer and whiteboard and you are all set. The quiet zone in the home where you can get your work done.
With the addition on a futon or fold out couch the home office can easily double as a spare bedroom when required.
Homework/Study Zone
Create an awesome study zone where your teens and kids can concentrate on home work, assignments and projects with all necessary supplies on hand.
This space can also double as a library or place for family board game battles. Just add some comfortable chairs to lounge back and read or table and chairs for board games and bookshelves for storage.
Living/Lounge Room
Why not use the spare room as a second living room. You can have a formal living room and also an informal family living room with bean bags, fluffy cushions and blankets.
This is also a perfect room for multiple uses – reading, television, movies, gaming.
Media/Home Theatre Room
Why not a dedicated home theatre room? Add some floating shelves or bookshelves on the walls to store the DVD/Blu Ray collection. Add some good speakers. If the room is large enough swap the television for a projector for the big-screen feel at home. Comfortable furniture to create your own gold class at home, or lounge on bean bags and crash matts. Just add popcorn and you are good to go for a wonderful night in.
Bar/Entertainment Room
For the fancier nights in or poker nights with the boys, use that spare room as your personal bar.
Maybe an island bar with stools and shelving to show off the spirits and glassware. Add a television for watching the game. If the room is large enough you might consider adding a pool table or foosball table for some extra fun. A dart board mounted on the wall to complete the room. Or style it up and use the room to mingle with cocktails at your next dinner party.
Gaming Room
Keep the Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo out of the living room by using the flex room as a gaming room. It can be a great space for gaming PCs, video game consoles and the old style arcade games. Comfortable chairs, beanbags or floor cushions make the ideal seats in a gaming room.
Teenage Retreat
As the kids get older they want some independence and space of their own. Turn that spare room into a cool teenage retreat where your kids can take their friends to hang out, watch television or a movie, play games and have some privacy.
Spare Bedroom
A spare bedroom is the main use for any unused rooms in a home. It doesn’t need to be the sole use for that room though. Yes you need a spare room when family and friends sleep over, but how often does that actually happen? Utilise this room for other purposes. Use a futon, day bed, fold out couch or drop down bed in this room to save space when it is not being used as a bedroom. These can also be used for seating in the room the rest of the time.
Think of using this room to store household items. Pick furniture that offers the best storage possibilities. A captain’s bed can store winter clothing in the drawers below, a dresser can be used to store tableware and vases that are used infrequently, bedding and linen can be stored in armoire.
Hobby/Craft/Sewing Room
Having a designated area for your crafts and hobbies will give you the chance to enjoy it more often. This might be an art studio for painting, building models, writing, scrap booking, crafts, sewing, knitting, and more! Add bookshelves to give yourself plenty of storage space, desks or tables, easels, and good lighting.
As this is your creative zone, style it and use colours to match your passion.
Music Room
If playing music is your passion, then use that spare room as your music room. Whether it’s drums, piano, guitar or something else a music room is a great place to practice and store all your instruments and musical memorabilia. It’s also a great place to jam with friends and if the space is big enough you could set up your own recording studio! Thick carpet will help soak up sound and add some comfy cushions for your audience to listen to you play.
Gym/Workout/Yoga Room
Create your perfect gym at home. Add some free weights, cardio equipment and a yoga mat you can have your gym at home 24/7. Add some fans for air circulation, some inspirational posters, some mirrors and some music through blue tooth speakers and you are good to go. The use of rubber mats under heavy equipment will help to protect the floors.
Home Library
If you are an avid reader and love a good book then turn your flex room into a library and reading nook. DIsplay that collection of books. Add shelving to house your books, magazines and comic books. A nice cosy chair, cushions and blanket in the corner with a decent floor lamp and you are all set.
Walk-in Closet
If you are short on space for your clothes and accessories then use that flex room to create the ultimate walk-in closet. Install hooks to hang those scarves, hats and belts. Add cabinets and floating shelves to show off those hand bags and purses. Cube storage is perfect for the show collection. Wooden rods for your dresses, blouses, skirts, coats, suits, etc. Declutter and create a luxurious space to show off your clothes.
Gardening
If you lack the budget or space for a greenhouse setup then use the flex room to cultivate seedlings from the the start of winter to spring. Add shelving and add the appropriate light fixtures to nurture your baby plants.
Pet Room
Your furbaby may be a little spoiled and deserves their own room. Include their favourite toys and decorate with cat or dog themed art pieces. Or you might be an animal lover and fostering a cat and kittens or a dog and pups. It is sometimes a good idea to have them in their own room to keep track on where the furbabies are! Baby gates are good to keep dogs in, magnetic fly screens are good for cats.
Expand the Bathroom
If you have a small bathroom and your spare room is right next door, then maybe think of knocking down the wall and making a bigger bathroom! You could have that spa or freestanding bathtub or even a sauna.
Formal Dining Room
Dreaming of a formal dining room, but stuck with blah. Look at transforming that spare room into your formal dining room. Open the entrance space and add the fancy table and chairs and decor to transform the space.
There is no time like the present. Contact DeKing Decks to discuss how we can help create more space in your home. We can help with home modifications and room extensions.
**DeKing Decks service Brisbane, Redlands, Bayside, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast, and Sunshine Coast **
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