(BPT) – The evolution of American families and their changing lifestyles is a popular topic these days. As family dynamics and lifestyles morph, they drive a change in home design. Aside from the enduring presence of a TV and seating, today’s living ro…
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(BPT) – Party balloons, elastic waistbands and the universe – for some things, expansion is easy. When your home is too small, however, it’s not always possible to expand it.
Whether you live in a suburban townhouse, an urban condo or a big, modern single-family home on a tiny lot, chances are good expanding just isn’t in the cards for your home. Many Americans are in the same situation, and they’re seeking creative ways to maximize the utility of the space they have.
Here are some ideas for improving the functionality and appearance of your space without adding a single (and costly) square foot to your home’s footprint:
Make it look and feel bigger
A space that’s crowded with stuff, filled with large furniture and decorated in dark hues will feel tight and oppressive no matter how big the room is. Decluttering, lightening up your decor and right-sizing furniture are three of the easiest ways to make your home feel bigger and work better. Replace dark drapes and carpets with lighter colors, paint the walls in pale neutral hues, and ditch the sectional that dominates three walls of your small living room.
Next, look up. Natural light can help a space feel bigger and brighter, and modern skylights, like those from Velux America, make it easy to bring natural light into virtually any room.
A before/after video of a Charlotte, North Carolina home illustrates the dramatic difference simply adding skylights can make. Visit https://vimeo.com/176301240 to view the video.
There are also a number of traditional skylight solutions, including light wells from attics to ceilings below, for spaces without direct roof access.
Skylights are also great sources of natural light in rooms where privacy is important, such as the master bathroom. What’s more, Energy Star-qualified, solar-powered, fresh-air skylights provide natural light and passive ventilation without requiring you to give up any precious wall space.
Add solar-powered blinds in designer colors and patterns to solar skylights, and you can control the amount of light entering a room with the programmable touchpad remote control. Even more – homeowners can receive a 30 percent federal tax credit on solar skylights, blinds and installation costs.
For rooms without direct roof access, another option could be Sun Tunnel tubular skylights that funnel natural light from the roofline into spaces below. These models also have optional light kits that make them functional 24/7. Visit www.whyskylights.com to learn more.
Finally, it may be possible to remove a non-load-bearing wall between rooms to create a more open space. For example, if your kitchen is partitioned off from the family room, removing the wall between the spaces – or even half of it – can make both feel bigger. Have an unused bedroom adjacent to your master bedroom? Removing the wall between the rooms can give you an impressive master suite.
Reclaim unused space
Virtually every home has some space in it that’s not being used. Finishing a basement or attic can be a cost-effective way to increase your home’s living space without adding to its footprint. Basement finishing systems make it easier and faster than ever to create a comfortable and attractive space below ground, while finishing an attic may be as simple as adding insulation, sheet rock and skylights or roof windows.
Another option might be to increase your entertainment space by converting a patio or deck into a sun room. Gaining that space as living area can allow you to reconfigure other areas inside your home for greater utility. For example, a finished, enclosed patio can function as your family room, allowing you to use all or part of the old family room to expand your kitchen and add a powder room.
Use existing space wisely
Finally, use the space you do have more efficiently by designing rooms that multi-task – such as a home office/guest bedroom combination or guest room with the closet converted into a work space. If you’re like most Americans, you store stuff in the garage. Adding organized storage such as shelves and cabinets can help optimize the space and maximize the amount you can store there.
Achieving a more expansive feeling in your home doesn’t have to require an expansion. Instead of building an addition, add some smart decorating and design ideas. You’ll end up with a home that looks bigger, feels more open and works better for your lifestyle.
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(BPT) – Many Americans feel working from home would be a dream job, and more than one-third are already living that dream; 37 percent of U.S. workers telecommute, according to Gallup. However, unless you’re a full-time telecommuter or an entrepreneur running a business from your home, it may be hard to justify dedicating an entire room in your house for home office space.
Today’s home offices must be able to multi-task as efficiently and effectively as the people who work in them – and that’s something you should keep in mind when making renovation plans.
‘We see fewer and fewer buyers requiring a dedicated home office when setting their search criteria for buying a new home,’ writes Gwen Daubenmeyer, a real estate professional who recently blogged about home offices on the Integrity Real Estate Team blog. Daubenmeyer notes that laptops, cloud storage and online filing services have made it possible to work from virtually any room in the house, so it’s no longer necessary to have a room dedicated solely as office space.
Instead of turning that spare bedroom into a space strictly used for work, why not consider improvements that will help the room multi-task? With a few smart upgrades, spaces such as attics, basements, spare bedrooms and other smaller areas can serve as multi-functional spaces for work, play, working out and socializing.
Tips for multi-tasking offices
* Good lighting is essential for any home office, but if you want to avoid the institutional look of traditional office lights, consider increasing the amount of natural light that enters your multi-purpose office space. Adding Energy Star-qualified, solar-powered, fresh-air skylights, like those from Velux America, is a cost-effective way to bring natural light, as well as passive ventilation, into any home office space. Solar-powered blinds in designer colors and patterns enhance the blended decor of a multi-use room, while allowing you to control the amount of light entering the room with a programmable touchpad remote control. Plus, a 30 percent federal tax credit is available to homeowners on solar-powered skylights, blinds and installation costs. Roof windows, which are very similar to skylights but are in-reach and operated by hand, are another popular option, especially in attics. For home offices without direct roof access, a Sun Tunnel tubular skylight with an optional light kit can provide light 24/7. Visit www.whyskylights.com to learn more.
* Divide the room visually to define functional areas. You can do this in several ways, including using a folding screen to partition off the room’s work area, or hanging curtains to conceal lesser-used sections of the room when they’re not in use. You can also use the room’s layout to create a natural flow. For example, tuck a desk and shelving into an attic dormer area as office space.
* Many home offices need to double as a guest bedroom. If working beside an inviting bed all day makes it difficult to resist the temptation of a nap, consider alternative bed styles. A daybed can be dressed up with pillows to serve as a sofa where you can comfortably read reports. Or, completely hide the sleeping area by adding a Murphy bed to available wall space.
* Make it easy to rearrange furnishings in the room by putting your desk on coasters just like your office chair. Whenever you need the room to function as a workout space, home theater or social center, just roll the office furniture out of the way.
* If you’re turning a bedroom into a multi-purpose office, no one should need the closet for hanging clothes. Instead, convert the closet into a cozy spot for a workspace. You can place a small desk inside, or hang wide shelving that can function as a workspace for your laptop, printer and files. When you’re not working, simply close the closet doors!
* Whenever a room has to serve more than one purpose, organization is critical. If you don’t have the space for filing cabinets, or simply don’t like the way they look, bookcases and shelving can be a great alternative. Don’t overlook the possibilities presented by extra wall space; you can layer shelves to maximize storage space above your desk/work area.
Daubenmeyer says that following the housing bubble, homeowners are smarter and want more functional space. The multi-function home office is one solution that is gaining popularity.
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