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Unsure What to Do With Your Spare Room?
Don't leave a spare room empty and redundant – put it to good use with these fabulous ideas
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Are you lucky enough to have a spare room, but unsure how to take it from cluttered dumping ground to multifunctional space? Then read on and take some inspiration from these valuable ideas that will make your room work extra hard, so you can enjoy the benefits.
The first step, say the designers at Barker and Stonehouse, is to identify your family’s needs and the best purpose for the room. The next step is planning the layout and choosing practical furniture that will make the space more useable. Finally, it’s the fun part, when you choose accessories and finishing touches that bring the room together and help it flow with the rest of your house. Follow these steps and you’ll combat your spare room gloom in no time.
Tell us in the Comments: What’s your idea of a dream spare room?
The first step, say the designers at Barker and Stonehouse, is to identify your family’s needs and the best purpose for the room. The next step is planning the layout and choosing practical furniture that will make the space more useable. Finally, it’s the fun part, when you choose accessories and finishing touches that bring the room together and help it flow with the rest of your house. Follow these steps and you’ll combat your spare room gloom in no time.
Tell us in the Comments: What’s your idea of a dream spare room?
Make It a Guest Bedroom
The most common use for a spare room is to turn it into a guest bedroom for visiting friends and family, ensuring they have a comfortable space to retreat to when they stay. If you have enough room for a double bed, then make your guests feel pampered and dress it with luxurious touches, like smart linen, cushions and throws, to give it hotel-style appeal.
However, if you don’t have the space for a permanently dressed bed, then a sofa bed makes a great alternative. This versatile solution means you can utilise your spare room as a second living space, while easily transforming it into a comfy guest retreat when it’s needed.
Make your spare bedroom work even harder. A wardrobe and chest of drawers will not only offer hanging and drawer space for guests, they will also provide you with extra storage areas for things likes seasonal clothes or coats. You could also pop an ottoman at the end of the bed, or in front of a sofa bed, to provide seating, as well as a hidden spot for extra bedding. The key is to put every centimetre of your spare room to work, without it feeling cluttered.
The most common use for a spare room is to turn it into a guest bedroom for visiting friends and family, ensuring they have a comfortable space to retreat to when they stay. If you have enough room for a double bed, then make your guests feel pampered and dress it with luxurious touches, like smart linen, cushions and throws, to give it hotel-style appeal.
However, if you don’t have the space for a permanently dressed bed, then a sofa bed makes a great alternative. This versatile solution means you can utilise your spare room as a second living space, while easily transforming it into a comfy guest retreat when it’s needed.
Make your spare bedroom work even harder. A wardrobe and chest of drawers will not only offer hanging and drawer space for guests, they will also provide you with extra storage areas for things likes seasonal clothes or coats. You could also pop an ottoman at the end of the bed, or in front of a sofa bed, to provide seating, as well as a hidden spot for extra bedding. The key is to put every centimetre of your spare room to work, without it feeling cluttered.
Create a Study or Hobby Space
Another clever use for a spare room is to transform it into a hard-working office space for either you, your children, or both. Provide plenty of storage for files or homework books, and add a desk with drawers that will encourage each user to tidy away their things from the worktop, ready for the next person.
Keep the decor light, bright and appealing to boost productivity levels, while a comfortable desk chair is also essential for sustaining concentration.
Create a relaxed reading space. So, you may not have the space for an elegant library, but the next best thing is a cosy reading room with a snug chair and sufficient lighting. This can then be used by adults for a restful escape, or by children for study time.
Another clever use for a spare room is to transform it into a hard-working office space for either you, your children, or both. Provide plenty of storage for files or homework books, and add a desk with drawers that will encourage each user to tidy away their things from the worktop, ready for the next person.
Keep the decor light, bright and appealing to boost productivity levels, while a comfortable desk chair is also essential for sustaining concentration.
Create a relaxed reading space. So, you may not have the space for an elegant library, but the next best thing is a cosy reading room with a snug chair and sufficient lighting. This can then be used by adults for a restful escape, or by children for study time.
Want a Walk-in Wardrobe and Dressing Area?
Have you swooned over images of walk-in wardrobes in glamorous homes? Or experienced a to-die-for make-up station in a boutique hotel? Well, why not recreate this sense of elegance in your spare room by transforming it into a stylish dressing space? Pick versatile, good-looking wardrobes that answer all your storage needs, and you’ll be able to free up space in your main bedroom so it becomes a calming retreat.
Get ready in style every morning at a beautiful dressing table, and don’t forget to add a wall hung or freestanding mirror to peruse your final look.
Have fun with chic accents. Let’s face it, having a dressing room is a decadent extra, so go to town on the glamour by popping in chic touches, like a shapely armchair, soft rug and stand-out ornaments.
Have you swooned over images of walk-in wardrobes in glamorous homes? Or experienced a to-die-for make-up station in a boutique hotel? Well, why not recreate this sense of elegance in your spare room by transforming it into a stylish dressing space? Pick versatile, good-looking wardrobes that answer all your storage needs, and you’ll be able to free up space in your main bedroom so it becomes a calming retreat.
Get ready in style every morning at a beautiful dressing table, and don’t forget to add a wall hung or freestanding mirror to peruse your final look.
Have fun with chic accents. Let’s face it, having a dressing room is a decadent extra, so go to town on the glamour by popping in chic touches, like a shapely armchair, soft rug and stand-out ornaments.
Go for a Playroom
However big or small your children are, giving them their own room in which to play or hang out with friends will make everyone happy – we guarantee it! You get to reclaim your living room back from the strewn toys and computer games, while your children get a sense of independence.
The key to keeping a playroom in check, and not having it become a cluttered mess, is to provide plenty of easy-to-use storage so the kids can get involved with the tidy up, too. This can be anything from wicker baskets for them to place their toys in after play or slide-out cubbies in their desk for them to stash their colouring pens and craft supplies.
Provide plenty of playful touches. If a playroom is lively and appealing, then children will be more inclined to use it. Display lots of fun and vibrant prints or wall stickers for a cheerful feel, while for older kids…
However big or small your children are, giving them their own room in which to play or hang out with friends will make everyone happy – we guarantee it! You get to reclaim your living room back from the strewn toys and computer games, while your children get a sense of independence.
The key to keeping a playroom in check, and not having it become a cluttered mess, is to provide plenty of easy-to-use storage so the kids can get involved with the tidy up, too. This can be anything from wicker baskets for them to place their toys in after play or slide-out cubbies in their desk for them to stash their colouring pens and craft supplies.
Provide plenty of playful touches. If a playroom is lively and appealing, then children will be more inclined to use it. Display lots of fun and vibrant prints or wall stickers for a cheerful feel, while for older kids…
…provide grown-up additions, such as beanbag seating, football tables and stylish wall art. You’ll find it hard to drag them out of it!
Indulge in a Home Cinema
Another option for your spare room that will be loved by adults and kids alike, is a home cinema space. No more fighting for the remote when you have an additional media room set up, with comfy, laid-back seating and a huge screen.
To give the room smart cinema appeal, mount the TV in a sophisticated media unit that will hide away cables and clutter – then you can enjoy your movies without any unsightly distractions.
More: For more decorating tips and furniture ideas, visit Barker and Stonehouse.
Your turn: What’s your idea of a dream spare room?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Another option for your spare room that will be loved by adults and kids alike, is a home cinema space. No more fighting for the remote when you have an additional media room set up, with comfy, laid-back seating and a huge screen.
To give the room smart cinema appeal, mount the TV in a sophisticated media unit that will hide away cables and clutter – then you can enjoy your movies without any unsightly distractions.
More: For more decorating tips and furniture ideas, visit Barker and Stonehouse.
Your turn: What’s your idea of a dream spare room?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
We're the UK’s largest independent, family-run furniture retailer, with ten stores across the north of England,... Read More
We're the UK’s largest independent, family-run furniture retailer, with ten stores across the north of England,... Read More
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We have managed to incorporate a few of these ideas into our spare room and use it as a guest bedroom, playroom and office. We added bookcases on two walls - which are open at the top with doors at the bottom to hide the kid's craft stuff, paints, board games etc and office essentials. A desk and chair provide work space and there is a double sofa bed for guests, plus an ottoman for storage, which doubles up as a window seat. A wire storage basket from Ikea holds a double duvet and two pillows and gives an extra surface for Lego building. It took a while to plan and we started by thinking about everything we wanted to use the room for and took it from there. We have pretty much managed to incorporate everything we need and it works really well. The walls, woodwork and furniture are white, with bright green and pink as accent colours to brighten things up. White photo frames on the wall house family photos, kid's artwork and anything interesting that we find, so there's a bit of everyone in there. It is one of the most used rooms in the house and would be my dream spare room if I could fit in a chaise longue with reading lamp!
Home cinema photo - love the wooden panelling. Where did it come from?