Almost everyone of us, at some point in our lives end up with a spare room at home. Whether it’s because we have moved to a new home, or because one of the family members recently moved out, or that we just happen to have an extra room! More often that not, the spare room is sort of wasted, being turned into the miscellaneous room to store all items that don’t belong anywhere else in the house. Some of us call it the store room, which just sounds better for our ego *sinister laugh*, but hey, there are better ways to utilize the spare room and here are 5 great ideas to try:
- Eat, Play, Love
My personal favorite, a game room! Depending on the size of the room, you can add stuff to your game room. Start with games that require more space to station like pool, foosball, or table tennis. Next, set up the games that require less space like a gaming console with a television, or a table and shelf for board games. Finally, add some game coziness to the room by decorating with a comfortable sofa set, themed posters, and perhaps a mini fridge with bar stools and a table. It is a game room afterall, so the only decor concept needed is “fun”.
- Show Me the Movie
Another great alternative is a cinema room. This is an especially great idea if you or your family are movie buffs and really enjoy movies or shows. Traditionally, every house has a living room with a decent-sized television set and a basic sound system or home theatre set up. With a cinema room, you can take it up a notch by setting up a big (read huge) projector screen which will cost a fraction of a television set, and spend more on a higher-end home theatre system. Enhance your movie experience by adding comfortable sofa sets, and just to flex, have cup-holders too! Remember (PSA) to get a device that will allow you to stream movies legally online.
- Home Sweet Office
If you are not much of an office goer, or run your own business, home is a really good place to have an office set up. Even if you do have an office elsewhere, a home office works as a space for you to store and work on anything that requires..you know..professional focus, like bills, or anything with documentation. It can also double as a study room for kids, and a home library. You can read more about the advantages of having a home office here. An added advantage is that you can decorate the office to your liking, and redecorate at any time so that things don’t get boring and don’t remind you of work so much.
- An Idea that will Workout Well
A home gym; in case you were wondering. You no longer need a lot of space to set up a home gym. Working out has been revolutionized and there are so many space-saving equipment and machines these days to choose from, that lack of space around the house is no longer a valid excuse. Having a room dedicated to gymming makes it all the more easier to manage and have a variety of equipment. Here is a whole list of equipment to choose from.
- Hospitality is the Guest Policy
Last but not least, the most classic and popular way to utilize a spare room at home is by turning it into a guest bedroom. Having a room dedicated to visiting family or guests adds brownie points to you and your home. To set up a guest bedroom is fairly easy. Think of a hotel room, but more homely. Think of a really cozy bedroom that you would enjoy as a guest in someone else's home. All you need to achieve such snugness is a bed with a comfy mattress, a few fluffy pillows, and linens and blankets that are soft and warm enough to ensure your guests fall asleep. Lighting is also important, so warm lights and table lamps will add character to the room, and are great for creating the desired ambience.