Cool ways to effectively use your spare room

Dola RC Dola RC
Heimkino Berlin, raumdeuter GbR Berlin raumdeuter GbR Berlin Classic style media room
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A spare room in your home may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. One of my neighbours, Mrs D, learned about this in a roundabout way. Her daughter was studying and then apprenticing in a major fashion house in Paris for last five years. Finally, last December she managed to save enough and open a shop of her own with the assistance of one of her mentors. Mrs D’s enjoyment at learning this was understandable. She was the most proud mother, even though, this has now permanently separated the two by a few thousand miles. 

She got used to living this way for sometime. Moreover, being a very enterprising woman herself, she was already busy planning for a redecoration of her daughter’s now vacant room. She wanted to put it to good use. She now has time and space to hone some of her own hidden talents. She hopes this will keep her sufficiently busy to not feel the pangs of loneliness too much.

If you are having an empty room in your home which you are considering to utilise for some months, then this post is really for you. Any of these ideas, when applied properly, will make this a most rewarding renovation experience for you to have in the recent years.

1. Turn it into a guest bedroom

For years you have refrained from inviting any of your friends or close relatives at home for an overnight stay because you simply lacked sufficient space to accommodate them. Or, perhaps the guest room you had is too small for a comfortable stay. Now you are in a position to change that. Turn your spare room into a haven of peace. Study some of the secrets of creating a calm and relaxing bedroom from here and apply them to redecorate the space. Give the en suite bathroom the same careful attention if this room has one. Invest in a quality wardrobe, side tables, lighting fixtures and, most importantly, a cot with appropriate furnishings to make it a most inviting space. Your guests are bound to notice and appreciate your care for them.

2. Create a craft room

If you are a talented musician, artist, designer or photographer and for years have pined for a quiet corner to practice your craft then grab this chance. Create a hobby area in your spare room. This is how Mrs D planned to use her spare room. Decorate the place according to the hobby you are willing to practice. For example, a budding writer will require a study table, comfortable chair to sit for long hours and a bookcase to organise all his books and manuscripts. An artist, on the other hand, will require an easel, a comfortable chair or stool, a cabinet to organise all the paint brushes, paint tubes and other accessories and a few decorative objects to use as models. Make sure you have large windows or skylights for proper ventilation. Brighten up the area with appropriate lighting.

3. Get busy at a library-cum-home office

You can turn this space into a library. To borrow the words of Henry Ward Beecher, “a library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life.” Except for a bookcase in the size suited for your collection of books, a comfortable study table and chair a library requires hardly any other furniture. Use suitable lighting to ensure the room is sufficiently bright for reading. It is good to have large windows to flood this area with natural light in the daytime. Sunlight helps in the preservation of the books and manuscripts as well. 

Also, do you frequently or exclusively work from home? Then you can turn this space into a library cum home office. Arrange a table that is a little more elaborate than a basic study table. Keep the stationery organised in the drawers. Install cabinets to secure your important files.

4. Arrange for some entertainment

Build a home theatre or simple media room. For a proper theatre like experience remember to insulate the entire room including the interior walls. Make use of the additional sound barriers. Pre wire and install video and sound systems. Furnish your media room with cosy sofas and loveseats. When space is not a constraint elevate the back row for a better viewing experience. This beautiful cinema room with a bar is designed by Raumdeuter. For a simple tv room you may not need such extensive insulation. The décor aspects can be reduced to a comfortable sofa with snug cushions.

5. Gym and yoga space

The fitness freaks among you will adore a space to sweat out in the privacy of your home. Except for the equipments necessary for your exercising routine, you will hardly require any other items to deck up this area. Place a yoga mat or organic rug to practice your yoga poses. Select a soothing colour palette and minimal lighting fixtures. Open up the windows to let fresh air in. If that is not possible for some reason, arrange for proper ventilation by installing exhaust and ceiling mounted fans.

6. Play room

A designated play area will be another delightful way of making good use of this room. Have those facilities of indoor games that are suitable for a residential house. A pool table, table football, facilities for card games, dart board etc are some of the options you may like to have. If you decide to put up a table tennis like gaming facility, you will have to insulate the room properly to prevent the sound reaching to other parts of the building.

7. Spa-style bathroom

Enjoy a relaxing time right under your own roof. Turn this spare room in a spa style retreat. You will have to make suitable arrangements for plumbing. Treat your walls too to make sure there is no scope of moisture build up inside the room or in the surrounding areas. Select a restful colour scheme to give it a relaxing finish. Right flooring will instantly increase the charm of this area. Ceramic tiles with a beautiful area rug is the preferred choice for many. Granite or marble looks elegant and is the choicest option for warmer parts of the world. Bamboo, engineered wood, glass and porcelain tiles offer some budget friendly choices.

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