Advertisement
There is always one spare room in most houses which is devoid of anyone’s attention and care.
It often is left out and ends up becoming a storeroom, despite having enough storage spaces and attics in the house. There are many bonus room ideas which can be used to utilize that empty space to its full potential.
Ideally, there would be a few rooms with common functions in every house. The treasure of health and delicacies: your kitchen, the relaxing and napping spot: your bedroom/s, the room filled with laughter and stories: your living room, a dining hall which either sits in one corner of the room or usually fitted amidst the living room.
After assigning all the rooms with their designated purpose, if there is still some space left with absolutely no merit, then don’t worry, we have some great bonus room ideas which can transform this room and add value to the house. With these spare room ideas and a little bit of creative effort, you can have this place give that extra edge to the house.
Let’s find out the some of the means we can get this auxiliary space to be utilized in the best possible way.
Some great Bonus Room Ideas
A Guest Room
Image source: Rebecca Driggs Interiors
Whether you have frequent guests coming over or if you need a room for a stay-over for friends after a late night party, this could be the go-to place for them. Just add a few essentials in the room, for example, if you already have a bed, then all you need to do is throw in some pillows and sheets and keep it ready for a sleepover and it’s good to go.
If you don’t have a spare bed, no need to be upset about it. You can get some foldable couch or bed or just keep a few mattresses and quilts, and it is all set for the guests.
It can also be a great asset during those overnight family functions when your house is full of relatives and accommodating them becomes a challenge. The guest room would definitely come in handy for such occasions and will save you from the last moment headache.
The Rejuvenating Spot
Image source: John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods
The small corner of the room with some comfy cushions of bright colours blended with a tiny coffee table with fragrant potpourri on top is just the place you need on those weekends. Relax with a cup of tea/coffee, read a book, listen to some music in peace or just have a cosy chat with your loved ones.
You can also add some string lights of natural colour which would give a soothing colourful ambience at night with contemporary or classical music in the background. If the room has a window attached, it would be just the perfect reposeful evening.
This is the best place to sit peacefully and plan anything. A happy corner in the house where you can come and relax after a tiresome day and have some me time and contemplate your thoughts.
The Home Library
Image source: Pierre Paul Design
Are you an avid reader? Already have piles of books but don’t want to throw them away? Well, you have got just the place to hoard them. Love for books can be just as crazy. Make your own mini library at home by adding a few decorative shelves in the room.
You can either keep it simple with a traditional bookshelf and couch to sit back and read. You can have those open bookshelves or transparent glass closet as well depending on the number of books you have.
If you have the budget, you can also go a bit more fancy than usual.
There are many different styles of shelves in the market which would also make your room more decorative and appealing to read. Wall shelves like the hexagonal wooden shelve which gives a fresh honeycomb look is a great storage unit for your books and few more décor items. There are modern intersecting wall shelves to add a bit more visual interest.
Study Room for Kids
Image source: Azman Architects
Make a study room for your kids so they can concentrate on their homework with undivided attention. A quiet place for educational activities which would not be impacted with others in the room or sudden uninvited guests.
If the above options does not really work for you, then keep reading. We have few more list of extra room ideas which you can choose from.
Work Room
Image source: Powell Homes & Renovations
The extra room can also be transformed into a workplace if you are working from home and need the same office ambience to focus on your work. There could be many distractions while working from home, playing children around, noises from the kitchen or the delicious aroma to distract you.
So this place could be very well managed with a dedicated room, few workplace items viz., a computer or laptop, a work desk, books, study lamp etc. and you are all set to work. You can also sort out that unfinished paperwork which usually gets delayed until the last day like those unpaid bills or taxes.
Fun Games Room
Image source: Jones Clayton Construction
Still thinking of more spare room ideas? Nothing to worry, we have a few more in store. Convert the extra room into an entertainment spot with some cool indoor games. Plan out the area and place some game accessories accordingly to make it a multi-games space. Get a foosball table or carom or combine a pool table with a cosy lounge area. This could be very well used by family and friends who come over. A good way to keep all the noises contained in one room.
For video gamers, this could be their heaven. If you love playing video games and often clash with others for programmes on TV, then your worry just ended. Set up your gaming systems and add some bean bags or recliners and there you have a perfect spot of entertainment.
Bonus Room Ideas for Fitness Space
Image source: Seattle Staged to Sell and Design LLC
It takes some self-motivation to make your way to the gym every day and distance can just add on to every reason one is looking to avoid going there. Best way to deal with this is to set up an in-house gym and save time commuting. Just with a few things, it can be transformed just like a regular gym. All you would need is a yoga mat, a mirror, few barbell and plate set, a bench, dumbbells and you are good to go.
If you are liberal in using your wallet, then you can also throw in a treadmill, punchbag, stereo system etc to make it more exciting. You can also create a small juice spot for quick hydration with a juicer blender and a few healthy post-workout snacks.
Art & Crafts Room
Image source: Mosby Building Arts
One of the bonus room ideas would be to create an art & crafts room. If you are a creative person and love to play around with the crafts materials and experiment with new things, you can use the spare room for this purpose. Working with art & crafts supplies can really leave the place very messy, and it becomes difficult if you are using your living room or bedroom for this purpose.
So convert the place into a creative hub, add some shelves and storage cabinets to hold all the craft accessories. Make a place for all the groundwork, use an easy lightweight carpet or mat which can be cleaned or dusted. Must keep a dustbin because there are going to be piles of leftover garbage materials in the work process.
You can give the room some nice colours and a good décor to give an artistic feel to it.
Music Room
Image source: Emily Winters
If you are an aspiring musician or have a music band, you know that musical instruments would pile up quickly and require a good amount of space. They also have to kept carefully to avoid any damage.
Your spare room would be a good place to record, play or practice music without any outside disturbance and will help you keep your focus. Whether you are a vocalist or playing an instrument, music stands, mics, amplifiers, speakers and other instruments are a common thing to get accumulated over a period of time.
To build this room, you need to set a hard floor such as tile or hardwood which is ideal. It is very important to soundproof your room which can be done adding textiles which would absorb noise-you can use upholsteries. Make sure you add thick curtains over windows or seal any gaps with acoustic sealant. If you have brick walls, it would be great.
You can also add some décor in the room by adding plants which are also great sound absorbent.
Set up all the musical instruments, treat the windows with thick sheets for noise cancellation and containing the echo.
Home Theatre
Image source: Seattle Staged to Sell and Design LLC
If you are still pondering upon what to do with an extra room, this might be your option. Everyone enjoys a home theatre to spend some great time together with family and enjoy a movie. Throw in some cosy mattresses and sheets with fluffy pillows and a small corner snack pantry and you are good to go.
You can either buy a home theatre set or use a projector on a clean wall with some good speakers and your home theatre is ready. Stuck on what projector to choose from? Check out the PIQO hd portable projector and their handy review/comparison!
These were some of the bonus room ideas which you can apply if you have a spare room. Depending on your taste and need, you can transform it and enjoy your fun time in the newly found space.
If you enjoyed reading this article about Bonus Room Ideas, you should read these as well:
- Decorating Your Small Guest Room
- Powder Room Ideas To Impress Your Guests (71 Pictures)
- How much does it cost to add a bedroom to a house