If you’ve downsized to a new home with more bedrooms than you intend to use, think carefully about how to make the most of your spare bedroom.
Of course, the obvious answer is to use it as a guest room – but if you’ve moved to a development with a luxurious guest suite on site, it means being able to accommodate visitors outside your home.
We’ve put together a few spare bedroom ideas that you might like to consider. If you don’t have a few ideas for your spare room, it may easily become a ‘repository’ for all boxes and suitcases and items that don’t have a ‘home.’
Just think of your spare bedroom as a blank canvas waiting for you to come up with creative guest room ideas and we’ll suggest some clever storage solutions that will ensure you make the most of the space.
One of our favourite guest bedroom ideas is using the space as a hobby room.
If you’re a musician or a music fan, you’ll need space for your instruments, vinyl or CDs and any sound equipment – you might even want to put your entire collection of guitars on show.
If you collect anything from coins and stamps to old model aircraft or ancient artefacts, you could put together some displays and perhaps use an appropriate theme to decorate the room.
Jane Reynard, a Beechcroft homeowner, found the perfect spot for her piano in her new home. She said "I chose a very spacious, two-bedroom apartment at Cotswold Gate, nicely tucked away and overlooking open fields. It is very well designed with masses of storage space – a vital and massive plus, and a perfect spot to place my non-negotiable piano – which also has a silent function so as not to annoy others at inappropriate times." You can read her full testimonial here.
You can create a library in any room but dedicating the spare room to your book collection will please you if you’re an avid reader or book collector.
If you decide to do this you’ll need some sturdy shelving, a peaceful colour palette and some really comfortable furniture where you can curl up and read for hours.
Of course, organising your books will take some time initially. If you’re having shelving made, think about how you will arrange your books. Will you have taller shelves for the larger books or will you ensure that all the shelves will be able to accommodate both large and small books?
This is perhaps one of the most common spare bedroom ideas, particularly since the pandemic when so many people were forced to work at home.
A Home Office doesn’t have to be a boring space, however. You can theme your office to add interest and make you want to spend more time there.
Use light blues and sea greens to create a sense of the coast and add some sea view photography or pictures and add starfish accessories as a wall decoration.
An alternative idea is to bring the outside in by focusing on countryside colours – the warm, buttery colour of wheat, the fresh green of young leaves and enhance the theme with landscape photography or artworks. If you need a lot of storage, built in shelves can be useful storage solutions.
Depending on the size of your spare room, you could use it for a home gym or fitness or wellness room.
As a fitness room, it will need the correct flooring – something that will cushion your movements.
To prepare your fitness centre, removing all unnecessary items and plan the layout. Whatever equipment you intend on using – a multifunction workout machine could be ideal, or a bench press, indoor cycle or rowing machine – position it carefully.
Add mirrors so you can check on your technique and make sure you allow space for a music centre to help motivate your exercise sessions. It would be ideal to wall mount a screen so that you could do online fitness classes at home.
Looking for tips on starting your fitness journey? Read our blog for our 30 day fitness routine for retirees.
If you live with a friend or partner, you’ll doubtless have discussions about what to watch on television and when – there will be times when you can’t agree what to watch.
Having a separate television room with the capability of creating a cinema if you really enjoy films can solve disputes before they even begin.
You’ll need a couple of really comfy chairs to relax in, strategically places so you can see the television screen or pop-up film screen.
You’ll also need light blocking curtains or blinds to reduce the light in the room and create the feeling that you’re in the cinema.
Creating a playroom for the younger members of your family will ensure that they will be keen to come and visit and all the mess will be contained in one room when they leave!
It doesn’t have to be a playroom for young children – even older children will appreciate having their own space in your home where they can do the things they enjoy – playing music, creating shows or board games.
If you have a budding theatrical star in your house, you can add a small stage to the room and make sure you have a sound system for them to play the background music. To make it a multi-purpose space you could install a bunk bed or a desk with a bed overhead – that way, younger children can rest during the day or the children can stay in the room overnight.
Organising the playroom will take time – you may want a craft area, a reading area, a games area with lots of bright, fun, storage solutions to encourage them to put things away.
Opt for open storage because its easier for them to see what’s available and avoid overstocking with toys and games because research has shown that having too much choice can disrupt children’s creative play.
If you love plants, then an alternative use for your spare room would be to create a ‘plant room.’
You’ll want to consider the light levels and choose plants that suit the conditions in your room. Consider the room’s layout and where to arrange the shelving you’ll need to display your plants in terms of the plants that you will be placing on them.
Popular indoor plants include snake plants, monstera and peace lilies – but there are a whole variety, and you may find a selection of our suggested house plants in our blog.
If the conditions are right, you might consider orchids. Whatever plants you choose, add some pretty pots to go with your colour theme to make the room more attractive. A plant room isn’t just about being creative with your plants, it’s a relaxing space so make sure you add a comfortable chair so you can really enjoy the space.
If you love clothes, you may want to transform your spare bedroom into a dressing room.
You could get your clothes storage solutions for the dressing room from a specialist company who will create wardrobes and fitted shelves to suit the space available or you could do this yourself by adding shelving, hanging rails and storage racks along the wall.
You’ll need a dressing table and chair, a full-length mirror and good lighting. If you don’t want your clothes to fade, a window blind is a good idea.
Whatever you decide to do, your spare room may be transformed into your personal space, somewhere you enjoy spending time rather than leaving it empty for most of the year in case guests arrive.
Beechcroft creates homes that provide an abundance of generously proportioned living space regardless of the number of bedrooms.
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