What To Do With Three Spare Rooms

7 years ago

Hey all,

I have a huge verandah and behind it are currently three unused rooms which are accessed only from the verandah.

They are about 3.5 meters by 4 meters in size with high ceilings, wooden floors, and a good sized single window in each (overlooking the back entrance of the property).

My first thought was to convert one in to a large laundry (the laundry inside the house is tiny) and one into a Butler's pantry (the verandah is accessed through the dining room so this makes some sense).

Any ideas? The inside of the house has everything else needed (four bedrooms, two living rooms, large library, large kitchen, etc).

Featured Answer

minnie101

7 years ago

I've just had a peek in one of your ideabooks and I think Jonathan's idea of music and collection rooms could work really well (with a secret door from the library!). If it was mine I would have a room (knock 2 into 1) for before and after dinner drinks with card/games table, humidor, wine, bar/cocktail trolley etc with French doors onto the veranda. That may not work so well though if you don't entertain a lot. I think I'd have the 3rd room as a kitchen/butlers pantry of sorts though to cater for outdoor dining with fridges for drinks to avoid traipsing into the house. I would probably move in first though and see how you use the house before deciding. I'm also looking forward to seeing the finished house!

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Comments (17)

Brid Farnan
7 years ago
A room to store your crown?
Carolina
7 years ago
Start a bed and breakfast...
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Carolina
7 years ago
Bar with billiard/pool table?
Carolina
7 years ago
Maybe knock two together and make it into a fun games room for when you're entertaining...
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Carolina
7 years ago
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Jamie Frater
Original Author
7 years ago
Carolina: there's already a billiard/bar room next to those three rooms.
minnie101
7 years ago
Without seeing the floor plan it's hard to say whether a laundry would be practical there. What about a gym if you knocked 2 rooms together? Or a cinema room? Is there not a way to incorporate the rooms into the house as access via the verandah doesn't sound ideal depending on what you use them for though?
S L
7 years ago
gym? indoor pool?
Jamie Frater
Original Author
7 years ago
minnie: access could be added through the library which makes sense as the first room could be the Butler's pantry. The three rooms are interconnected by standard doors - that can, of course be changed. So access from the library would be giving access to all three rooms.

These rooms are as they were originally created in the 1900s - designed as two guest bedrooms and a guest bathroom. We seldom have guests and because there is also a two bedroom cottage on the property the existing bedrooms can sleep 12 which is the total we want for the dining room too.

Incidentally - the verandah access is not as terrible as it seems - it is a very large fully covered verandah and we will be adding windows and converting it to a garden room cum veranda (if you open out all the windows). It will have polished floors to match the inside of the house and the door from the dining room is a large set of French doors. The dining room is very central to the downstairs living areas.
Carolina
7 years ago
It does sound like a fantastic property, Jamie.
Jamie Frater thanked Carolina
Jonathan
7 years ago
Looking forward to seeing pictures of the finished house..... it sounds great.
As far as those three rooms- I think I would want a recreation or accommodation use rather than utility use.
Consider somewhere to display wine, outdoor bar for garden parties, hot tub/ sauna room, hobbies room, games room, music room, reading room off the library or garden room.
Alternatively could you replace windows with shutters to create an indoors/outdoors room?- somewhere to keep comfortable furniture out of the elements in the style of a colonial verandah.
Claire Herrington
7 years ago
I would so love this dilemma!
Claire Herrington
7 years ago
Without knowing the finer details my first thought would be a reading room, but that's mainly because I love reading. Although I've just spotted that you have a library (so envious) so perhaps you've already incorporated a seating area into that. Or perhaps a music room if you play/listen to music, a cinema room if you love watching films (big squishy sofas are a must)!
Claire Herrington
7 years ago
I'd love to see pics when you're done, it sounds like a beautiful property.
Victoria
7 years ago
I'd love to have these dilemmas at home. Your property sounds wonderful, enjoy it.
PRO
AVA Projects
7 years ago
How about turning one of the rooms into a home cinema room? Or knock all 3 rooms into 1 and convert into a games/media/cinema room. Take a look at our website and contact us for more information http://www.ava-projects.com/home

What To Do With Three Spare Rooms

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What To Do With Three Spare Rooms

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