Home Improvement

What to Do With Your Spare Room

6 min read

Whether you’ve recently moved into a larger home or your children have all flown the coop, a spare room presents a lot of opportunity to transform your home and bring out your inner interior designer! If you already have a guest bedroom, what do you do with the other spare? A spare room is the perfect chance to add something you’ve always wanted to your home. Whether that’s a home office or a cozy library, our home renovation experts have a few ideas sure to get your creative juices flowing!

What to Do With An Extra Room

1. Office

A classic choice for a spare room, creating your own home office can do wonders for your productivity if you own your own business, freelance, or work remotely. Separating your workspace from your living space gives you a clear delineation and allows you to get into (and out of) “work mode”.

The best part of having a home office is that you get to decide what it looks and feels like. Do you want a standing desk or a traditional desk (or one that can convert back and forth)? You can add a sofa to take breaks on, or maybe a treadmill to get the blood flowing.

In addition to your equipment, we recommend making sure you have lots of natural light, a chair that is comfortable for you, and a nice background for video calls!

den with replacement window

2. Homework Space

If homework time is a headache, creating a dedicated homework space – think a child’s home office – can make all the difference! Instead of spreading out on the floor, bed, or kitchen table, where it’s easy to get distracted, having a place just for homework may be what they need. Similar to the way your home office works, having a homework space lets them get into and out of “homework” mode.

This space can even be part of your home office. They just need a child-sized desk, a comfy chair, and their supplies. If possible, let them have a say in choosing the furniture and the setup. They’ll be more excited to use their new “office” if they helped create it!


3. Hobby Room

Anyone with a hobby has dreamed of having an entire room dedicated to it. If you have a spare room, now is your chance! Whether you sew, knit, paint, play an instrument, or something else entirely, your spare room will make the perfect place to do your favorite activity.

Turning your spare room into a craft or music oasis is all about combining form and function. No matter what your hobby, pegboards and hooks are a great way to store tools and supplies without taking up precious table space. Vertical shelving is also a space-saving storage solution. Bright white furniture can make a small space feel bigger and brighter, allowing those creative juices to flow!

craft room

4. Library

If you’re a bookworm, you’ve probably dreamed of having your own library at some point. Why not turn your spare room into your own personal library?

Depending on your skill level (and the number of books you own), you can opt for pre-made bookshelves or install built-in bookshelves. Just remember that wall-to-wall books can make the room feel smaller, so be sure to break the space up with windows or decor on the shelves and walls.

After you’ve added your bookshelves, you just need some cozy furniture! A sofa or chaise lounge is perfect for stretching out to get some good reading in, but a chair and ottoman are also great choices. Don’t forget a coffee table or end table to hold your beverage of choice. Finish the room off with pillows, blankets, plants, candles, or whatever your heart desires. Settle in with a good book and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Bow and bay window shows panoramic views.

5. Home Gym or Home Yoga Studio

If you have trouble making it to the gym, try bringing the gym to you. No matter how you work out, you can turn your spare room into a home gym to take your fitness to the next level.

If your spare room doesn’t already have a wood floor, we recommend adding those, along with some mats to place your equipment on to protect the floor. From there, just add your workout equipment! For the full gym experience, add a few full-length mirrors, fans, and a great stereo system.

If you’re creating your home gym on the second floor, be sure to add up the weight of your equipment before taking it upstairs. While a second floor home gym is doable, you need to make sure the floor can handle the weight.

For a home yoga studio, try adding lights with a dimmer switch, candles, and an overall minimal aesthetic. Having a dedicated yoga space will help you get the most out of your practice!

home gym

6. Playroom

If your little one’s toys have taken over your living room, creating a playroom will help contain the chaos! They’ll also love having their own space to play and get creative.

A few must-haves for any playroom:

  • Plenty of toy and art supply storage
  • A table and chairs for art projects (or tea parties!)
  • Comfy furniture
  • Easy-to-clean flooring
  • A few machine-washable rugs

The rest of the room depends on your child’s preferences! If you have a little artist on your hands, a chalkboard wall will let them unleash their artistic spirit in a fun, new way. If costumes are their favorite way to play, a dress-up corner will provide hours of fun. Have a little bookworm? Try creating a kid-friendly cozy reading nook. Don’t forget to let them have a say in the design and furniture. They’ll love using and playing with the things they picked out!

child's playroom

7. Movie Room

We’ve all dreamed of having our very own movie theater, and with a spare room, you can get pretty close! Turning your extra room into a movie room is a great way to make family time even more fun and immerse yourself into your favorite cinematic universes.

The ideal movie room is a simple rectangle with minimal windows, but you can add blackout curtains to create that movie theater experience. Oddly shaped rooms can work, but your viewing – and listening – experience will be better with a rectangular room since you’ll probably be able to place the furniture the ideal distance from the screen. The rule of thumb is that your dating should be as far from the screen as double your screen’s width. Example: if you have a 60 inch screen, you’ll want to place your sofa or chairs 120 inches (10 feet) from the screen for optimal viewing.

What kind of screen you opt for is up to you! A projector makes watching a movie feel extra special. Projectors that connect to your phone, laptop, or gaming system are available online and at relatively affordable prices. Of course, a widescreen TV mounted to the wall is also a great choice.

Deck out the room with a comfy sectional or plush recliners and a popcorn machine for that authentic movie theatre experience!

home theater room

8. Walk-In Closet

If your bedroom closet is bursting at the seams, turning your spare room into a walk-in closet will allow you to better organize your clothes, shoes, and accessories. Not to mention the fact that you’re sure to feel like a celebrity when you walk into your custom walk-in closet!

Turning your extra room into a closet starts with thinking about what you need. If you have a lot of shoes and/or accessories, you’ll want to add lots of shelves and hooks to store them. If clothes are your thing, maximize your hanging space with double hanging rods and valet rods.

Add in a table and a comfy chair or ottoman to make your new closet feel even more luxurious.

walk-in closet

Ideas for a Small Spare Room

If your spare room is on the small side, you can still turn it into something special! Here are some great ideas for a small spare room:

Reading Nook

Don’t have the space for a home library? No problem! Use your small spare room to create a cozy reading nook. A small bookshelf, a comfy chair, an end table, and your favorite finishing touches are all it takes to transform a small, seemingly unusable space into a reading sanctuary.

Pet Room

If your space is just too small for people, why not create a room just for your furry friends? Having a quiet, comfortable place of their own will help your pet feel more calm and give them a safe place to rest.

You’ll want to add their bed or crate, along with some of their favorite toys. If you have a cat, this is a great place to put their litter box to keep it tucked away!

Transform Your Home With Window World

If you’re ready to take your home renovation to the next level, Window World is here to help! With a wide variety of windows, exterior doors, and siding options, we can transform the look and feel of your home. To get started, just request your free estimate!

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