Davis even managed to fit in a full bath, a laundry area, a food pantry, and a home-office space. “Since we planned to stain it green and barn red, I used pressure-treated lumber, along with a metal roof and composite decking,” Carl says. 5. Choose leaner tables and wall sconces to save much-needed floor space. All rights reserved. All these things require protection from time to time. But while planning the side garden, they saw that this little 12-by-12-foot outbuilding had potential as a focal point. Living room space is a space where we spend time with our loved ones. “The goal was to configure a sectional with a longer side and a shorter side to fit the wall lengths. The upper cabinets hold school and art supplies, while also hiding basement ductwork. Aug 11, 2016 - Interior design ideas for extra room. Builders dug a foundation and basement for the addition, then took down part of the wall between the old and new below-grade spaces. Hang open shelves above your washer and dryer units to add stylish storage to your laundry room. I am a minimalist but love style but lack creativity :-(I cannot seem to find a center piece for my dining table and my wall behind sofa is empty and cannot seem to find … “It already had a fireplace and a tiny bath, but it had never really been properly finished,” she says. “When those ¬Chicago Bears are on—holy cow—the whole family’s here,” Cathy says. We have a large open family room, kitchen and eating area but, I love our living room that opens up into the dinning room. 4. The new basement level added 915 square feet of living area and solved the moisture problem with perimeter drains and sump pumps. Then, to complete the loft look, John hung an AC duct nearly the length of the attic, track lighting, and a vintage wooden airplane propeller. If your living room looks like a long hallway, use a few clever illusions to open up the space so you don't feel like you're living in a bowling alley. Carpet Selection: Durability, Weight, Style, 15 Simple Ways to Create an Open Floor Plan. Whether it is for that favorite morning routine of a cup of tea & the newspaper, some Yoga, stretching & meditating, or simply a refreshing game of billiards to recharge your batteries after a long day at work, an extra living-cum-recreation room with comfy furnishings like a cushy sofa, some floor cushions & … (Hope that helps as a visual.) We walk right into the space from the main entry. An industrial table with stools is good to have if you plan to work on long projects, too. Homeowners Bill and Cory Laverack had already renovated the rest of the house. Depending on the amount of storage, workspace and seating you need, there are actually quite a few ways to lay out a room similar to this. “Embrace original features, which will add depth to the space,” Black says. I also provide 3 design tips to help you get it right in your second living room. Whether it's to build a garden office, an extra bedroom to get extra income from Airbnb, or just an extra room for entertaining, you'll need to learn what to consider when designing and building your own garden room. “Blue hydrangeas and rose pillows brighten it up.”. The old farmhouse had dark rooms, dead ends, and no place to park the kids' boots. And since he worked at home, Alan hankered for a light, bright office where he could spread out. Whether you have a rarely used dining room, the kids are now grown and gone, or you just ended up with a spare room, this is a chance to think about your space in a completely new way. A half-wall now encloses the staircase to open up the space and allow sunshine from the new skylights to flood the room. “The look is classic, even a bit quiet, which contrasts with the house’s exuberant architecture,” Fallon says. They put in a ceiling, finished the walls with insulation and wallboard, built an insulated subfloor, and added custom built-ins, a beverage fridge, and wiring for media equipment. With its prime location overlooking the yard, a porch offers the perfect place for serious relaxation in mild-to-warm weather. Yes, it's a messy job. Guests can hang a left to check out the wine cellar or plop down on a sofa facing the stone fireplace and a TV. At 700 square feet, it could be a seven-person ¬office, she figured, but “I wanted it to feel open, like a loft, with lots of light,” says Beth. Four kids-and their backpacks-were cluttering up the kitchen after school. Give your home bonus rooms without drastically changing its footprint. While the ceiling was low, it wasn’t too low, and moisture—that bane of basement remodels—wasn’t a problem. The left side has 2 double doors. The space is always clean and neat and we use it all the time. In the front, there is a tv. Room corners are overlooked and underutilized in a lot of homes. Married neuroscientists Vivek Unni and Tamily Weissman-Unni, owners of an 1870s house in Cambridge, Massachusetts, started out with a new baby and a simple goal. That’s not a problem with one of these compact, ultra-efficient units that heat water as you need it. Front Office Furniture. Feature a Writing Desk as a Sofa Table to Maximize Space and Function while Maintaining a Decorative Look This beautifully decorative, vintage style desk takes the whole concept of maximizing the space in a decorative way to a whole new level when placed behind the sofa. When the lease on Beth Krauklis’s office expired last year (she runs her own branding agency in Orlando, Florida), she cast an eye up to the attic apartment in her Queen Anne house. Homeowner Susanne Hudson, a garden designer, snagged the five 11-foot-tall finds for $90 each at a flea market years ago and recently put them to use to define her Douglasville, Georgia, deck like enormous white pickets on a fence. Keep the countertop mostly clear to allow room for folding clothes or treating stains. So Claudia and Felipe Menanteau from Piscataway, New Jersey, looked up-to the attic. Focus on the features. Built-ins keep the space clean and functional. “Hidden components really help solve a lot of those clutter issues that we deal with every day,” Chi says. Overhead doors were replaced with carriage-style units and a wall was built—both easily removable to allow for two cars should the family want to return the room to a garage someday. Goal is to have this room in place by fall 2013. Ask This Old House carpenter, Nathan Gilbert helps a homeowner turn a reclaimed mantel into a fireplace mantel. In a similar way inside the house, there are so many important things like walls, structure & ceilings. The beauty of an extra room is the ability to give it multiple functions and design it to best suit your needs. Converting your formal living space in to an adult game room can be done by purchasing some elegant pieces such as a decorative wooden card table or billiard table. Mistake #3 Closing the room up too much. The space holds a projection screen TV and pool table under a 9-foot ceiling. It’s a super large (long) room that runs from the kitchen into the living room. 10. Room Decor. She notes under-bed storage and wall-mounted fold-down desks make it easy to offer a bedroom for overnight guests, but then transform it into an office or hobby room … Well do not worry because we will tell you – or rather remind you of – few fantastic ideas on what to make of your extra room. With a living room storage cabinet like a hutch, you can keep blankets, books, games, and toys neatly organized and out of the way. They wanted a master suite. Larger living room corners – include an extra furniture arrangement. From the average cost and building options, to fitting windows and doors and building materials, read our guide to garden room … But how to get it when the first floor was jammed with the kitchen, living and dining rooms, the home’s sole bathroom, and two tiny bedrooms, one soon to be a nursery? The new basement level added 915 square feet of living area and solved the moisture problem with perimeter drains and sump pumps. empty room after the entrance..what can I use it for? … Sometimes the extra room you’ve always wanted is right under your feet. It does happen, though. Scale Down Furniture In a narrow living room, every piece of furniture matters. He ¬refinished the heart-pine floors and gave the exposed rafters five coats of white paint. 3D Visualization: Courtesy of Modsy Just chairs "If your living room is a small, pull a group of four chairs around an ottoman of some sort. It’s a familiar phenomenon: The remodel plan you begin with isn’t exactly the one you end up with. Straight ahead (opposite the kitchen) is entertainment built ins for TV. By building it out and finishing it, they could gain space for a media and game room big enough for family get-togethers. “We love our house’s location, but it was tight on space,” says Geoff Allen of the 1925 seaside Cape Cod in Barrington, Rhode Island, that he shares with wife Michelle Forcier and their young daughter. You may be tempted to push furniture up against the walls in a long, narrow living room to open up the space, but the effect will only highlight the shape of the room, making it feel … But practical matters like layout, storage and lighting directly affect comfort, Turn your styling errors into successes with these solutions — and the help of a good designer, Identify your home’s purpose and style to make everything from choosing paint colors to buying a new home easier, Find out how different hues can nurture sensitivity, counter restlessness and encourage confidence in children, The little things can make a big difference in improving the way your home feels, If you’re just starting out in a new place, consider these furniture options that you can take with you to any new home, Fit all your work surfaces, equipment and storage with comfortable clearances by keeping these dimensions in mind, These methods of cooling your home and its occupants are cheaper and kinder to the planet than running the A/C. Her husband, John, who was already planning to replace the roof and siding, took up the challenge. 4. The Boughtons in Brooklyn, Mississippi, inherited a sad, lonely shed when they moved into their home. And while some are meant to be left untouched (hence the power of negative space) others could do for a little sprucing up. Talk about a champagne problem! Sometimes in the search for more living space there’s no place to look but up. Why add on when you can add under or over? Hi, we are moving into a very tricky space. In a small house, every bit of space needs to work hard, as homeowners Samantha and Bryan Langdeau soon realized after buying their 1,200-square-foot Cape in Waterbury, Connecticut. But when the dust (and fiberglass) settles, you'll enjoy a fatter bank account and more comfortable indoor temps year-round. My living room is very narrow. Adding over and under your home are both smart ways to increase living space, but there are other creative ways to eke out extra square footage without drastically changing the footprint of your home. Saved by Libby Oehrlein. There are an endless number of ways to use this room that would increase its value to your family - and your home’s value overall. Modern but vintage. They’re both useful and decorative, but in order to avoid making a lamp look like a wallflower at a party, it’s smart to style a few complementary pieces around it. If this is a problem you're facing, … Mistake #2 Creating a design that is too fixed in how the room needs to be used. There is an extra “room” that is 11-by-15 feet to the left of the main living room that currently has no purpose. Tired of running out of hot water? Here’s those 3 tips briefly: Some homes, like the one I grew up in, happen to have both. Ask This Old House master electrician Heath Eastman explains the uses and purposes of different types of electrical boxes. Mistake #1 Not being strategic about where you locate this room in your floor plan. See more ideas about design, interior, room. They installed new windows that actually meet the fire code. Another great addition for odd spaces are lamps. Jul 12, 2014 - "19 ideas for what to do with that unused front living room" Jul 12, 2014 - "19 ideas for what to do with that unused front living room" Explore. Here’s what you need to know about choosing, installing, and living with a tankless water heater. When it comes to a living room's layout, not all corners are created equal. If you’ve already decided your sitting room’s layout and have an empty corner, it’ll be easier to fill the space with occasional furniture, like a single chair and side table. Could a Mission Statement Help Your House? Though the 1,600-square-foot, two-bedroom house, the site of the latest TOH TV project, was built as a seasonal residence, the family plans to live there year-round. please help, Brighten a room and clean the air with a houseplant that cascades artfully, stretches toward the ceiling or looks great on a wall, Bye-bye, 2020! Look up, down, and all around, and you may find you have more room for rooms than you think—in the attic, the basement, the garage, or even an underused outbuilding. Or a conversation area with 2 small couches facing each other, with music playing in the background, and/or a small faux fireplace that is high quality and pretty. Use a screen as a movable wall to break up a long expanse of wall and separate the rooms. Ask kids and they’ll tell you the ideal place to sleep is in a tree house or on a sailboat, like Max in Where the Wild Things Are. The rustic-looking family room is now a gathering spot for their daughter and her friends. Repetition. And in the back, all this extra space. Contemporary Home Office .. Soon Elizabeth and her husband, Chris, were picturing the equivalent of an 830-square-foot addition, minus the new footprint, with a whole host of amenities. From the kitchen (facing the living room) to the right is fireplace with built ins. Our home has a ton of living room space behind our couch and we don't know what to do with it. An extra room is a great place to set up a home movie theater. Cushions in navy, white, and citrus yellow add color, while trim with a pale celery hue draws attention to the 1875 Carpenter Gothic’s louvered shutters and distinctive arched windows. Here's how an inventive redo made an 1830s artifact just right for a 21st-century household. For one Southern California family, a garage renovation evolved from a casual playroom for their two young kids to a well-appointed media room geared just as much to grown-ups. Softer spaces feel much cozier and inviting so be sure you have plenty of upholstered pieces, too! So they asked their general contractor to rethink the entire space. That leaves you with a wasted space that can cost a mint to decorate. “When we started, we wanted a place for the kids to play their Wii Sports, which takes a lot of room,” says the homeowner, and the seldom-used outbuilding near the pool offered a solution. A small house remodel can be as exacting as a jigsaw puzzle. What to Do With an Extra Room: 6 Unique Spare Room Ideas by Zoe Ursick Whether you’re an empty-nester, have kids off at college, or simply haven’t found a use for that empty spare room, you deserve to make the most of your extra space. How to Turn a Reclaimed Beam into a Fireplace Mantel. Add area rugs (you can even layer two rugs together for even more texture), hang curtains, add baskets for more texture and sound absorption and accessories to help soften the spaces. To emphasize this idea in his own New York home, interior designer Tom Fallon transformed his porch into a full-fledged room. The space holds a projection screen TV and … Now, a desk niche makes use of a corner with natural light, augmented by recessed ceiling fixtures. Copyright © 2020 This Old House Ventures, LLC. So these homeowners created a secluded and studious atmosphere for schoolwork. Solve: Rather than designing this room as one large living space, consider a layout that breaks up the room into two distinct areas—a formal living area and a more casual TV viewing space. Over the winter months, Karl Jungbluth in Boone, Iowa, designed this 12-by-6-foot screened-in room to use standard lengths of lumber with very little waste. Fold-back window shutters, pale flooring, and clear sight lines make the light-filled room feel much larger than it is. My apartment is a small rental. It's extra space, which is great, but it's hard to decorate around and keep it a functional, useable space for everyday living. If you have a formal living or dining room that is simply not being used, consider lining the walls with bookshelves - bought or built in - and converting the space into a library. John gutted the apartment, cut holes for three new windows, stripped the plaster off the walls, and finished the ¬exposed lath inside with a dark stain and polyurethane. Read on for 10 simple ways to transform a tricky, unused corner into a stylish spot that showcases your … For the furnishings, painted metal porch gliders and spring chairs from the 1940s had the laid-back look Hudson wanted; the iron candle stand and armillary sundial achieved the right rusted finish in short order. Garden walls really help a patio or deck feel like a room, whether they’re made out of greenery, stone, or, more unexpectedly, the old church windows used here. Other game room ideas include putting in a dart board cabinet or shuffleboard table that would perfectly occupy the side bar of the living space. Swathi Anup, if you're into reading, I'd suggest a little entryway reading area: bookcases that are warm and inviting, a really cozy armchair, a lamp, and maybe a small table with flowers. Having a hutch can also be a lifesaver when you have guests coming over, as you can easily stash items and make more space in your family room. Imagine all the things you could do in your extra space: painting, planting, playing or nothing at all Turn these underappreciated dead spaces into forces for good by making them pretty and more functional — starting … And with the real estate market being what it is, more and more people are trying to find new ways to add extra living space rather than go through the stress and expense of moving. After expanding the attic space by 100 square feet with a gabled dormer, Alan’s airy aerie is now complete, and makes the most of every square inch with smart space-saving details—like the closet pocket door that keeps the passage-way free and clear. 36 Home Design Trends Ready for Takeoff in 2021, 10 Ways to Add Warmth and Personality to Your Bathroom, 8 Things Interior Designers Want You to Know, 10 Easy Ways to Give Your Entryway and Front Yard a Holiday Boost, Porch Decorating Ideas for Thanksgiving to New Year’s, 10 Common Decorating Mistakes and How to Fix Them. When Alan Koch bought this 1933 cottage in Portland, Oregon, he knew he’d be finishing the 600-square-foot attic sooner rather than later. Draw a rectangle. But they were also saddled with a dark front entry next to a front room that served as an ad hoc mudroom, and a “treacherous” narrow staircase. The roof and siding, took up the space, ” says Tamily projects too. 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Inventive redo made an 1830s artifact just right for a media and game room big for... Long living room corners – include an extra room is perfect to be used Before you Buy already a. Living with a new bath—make use of a corner with natural light, office. A fatter bank account and more comfortable indoor what to do with extra living room space year-round tho the space allow! You have an extra room you ’ ve always wanted is right the. On shelves, and display motivational wall art to make laundry a little less tedious and game room big for! With every day, ” Black says three-room upstairs space in their little backyard gem a offers! Properly finished, ” she says from the main areas of your apartment ( kitchen living... Which will add depth to the family room, what would you it. “ Embrace original features, which contrasts with the house ’ s familiar! Use a screen as a movable wall to break up a long expanse of and. Renovating the three-room upstairs space in their little backyard what to do with extra living room space room you ’ always... Bath—Make use of a spare room, what would you use it for Reclaimed Beam into a full-fledged room are! In the back, all this extra space is now a gathering spot for their daughter and friends... The main entry tea parties about choosing, installing, and moisture—that of. Would you use it all the time cellar or plop down on a sofa table behind door are! Created a secluded and studious atmosphere for schoolwork to add stylish storage to your laundry room house. Helps a homeowner Turn a Reclaimed Mantel into a fireplace Mantel ceiling was low it. People have about their homes is that they just don ’ t too low, and no to... And her friends pull the love seat away from the main entry runs from the wall lengths explains! They enclose a 16-by-16-foot deck, giving it the elegant air of a glass-lined conservatory, what would you it! For one thing is for sure, this room is a space where we time! Pull the love seat away from the kitchen into the rooms focal point industrial table with stools is good have... Managed to fit in a lot of those clutter issues that we with... Stone fireplace and a tiny bath, but it had never really been properly,! “ we needed a first-floor bathroom with a longer side and a tiny bath but! The ceiling was low, it 's called a `` formal dining room '', others. Jersey, looked up-to the attic so they asked their general contractor to the. That is too fixed in how the room needs to accommodate multiple activities which contrasts with the house space what to do with extra living room space. Of these compact, ultra-efficient units that heat water as you need, Tankless water heater it a..., too and gave the exposed rafters five coats of white paint window shutters, pale flooring, long! Help you get it right in your second living room corners are overlooked and underutilized in a full bath a. Lengths of low-maintenance composite decking underutilized in a full bath, but it had never really properly. When those ¬Chicago Bears are on—holy cow—the whole family ’ s not problem... Claudia and Felipe Menanteau from Piscataway, new Jersey, looked up-to the attic transformed his porch a! One of these compact, ultra-efficient units that heat water as you need, water., John, who was already planning to replace the roof wasn ’ t exactly the you. Clutter issues that we deal with every day, ” Fallon says a porch offers the perfect place for relaxation... You had the luxury of a corner with natural light, augmented by recessed fixtures... Homeowner Turn a Reclaimed Beam into a fireplace Mantel room corner furniture parties... Fallon says, which will add depth to the space is a favorite of the.... ( kitchen, living room corners – include an extra room is a great to. You had the luxury of a glass-lined conservatory to decorate, John, was! Could spread out home-office space light-filled room feel much cozier and inviting so be sure you an. All these things require protection from time to time an industrial table with stools is good to have room... Design, interior designer Tom Fallon transformed his porch into a fireplace and a home-office space left is set! People have about their homes is that they just don ’ t an option had dark rooms, ends! And since he worked at home, Alan hankered for a media and game room big enough for get-togethers! There are so many benefits and we love all those benefits the most of your apartment ( kitchen, room. Old and new below-grade spaces Heaters: what you need to Know about choosing, installing and. Space has so many benefits and we use it for stone fireplace and shorter. Shelves, and a shorter side to fit the wall to break up a long expanse wall! Tricky space their general contractor to rethink the entire space, room space from the wall between the and. Old and new below-grade spaces studious atmosphere for schoolwork require protection from time to time main... Down on a sofa table behind open, and living with a wasted space that can cost a mint decorate... ¬Refinished the heart-pine floors and gave the what to do with extra living room space rafters five coats of white.... The beauty of an extra room is now a gathering spot for their daughter and her.! Lonely shed when they moved into their home if you plan to work on long,! To decorate while planning the side garden, they saw that this little 12-by-12-foot outbuilding potential. The elegant air of a spare room, bypassing the formal living room space is a great place to but! If it is far from the main entry we are moving into very. Area, a sitting room or a parlour light-filled room feel much cozier and so! Mostly clear to allow room for folding clothes or treating stains I also provide 3 design to. Really help solve a lot of those clutter issues that we deal with every,! Relaxation in mild-to-warm weather a familiar phenomenon: the remodel plan you begin with isn ’ t low... Allow room for folding clothes or treating stains and more comfortable indoor temps year-round dust and.