Making the Most of Your Home With Flexible Designing
Utilizing every square inch of space when unlocking the potential of your home involves reimagining traditional spaces to meet your unique lifestyle in every room of your home. The desire for a dining room, for example, shouldn’t result in it sitting unused most of the year. Instead, envision it as a versatile room that adapts to your daily needs.
Transforming a room into a multifunctional space requires knowing what your family needs. Is it storage, more seating, a place to visit with friends or to entertain? Once you have this information, you can begin the transformation.
The Multifaceted Dining Room
In our dining room we incorporated a library, study, lounge, an apothecary, it has a small pantry, additional storage, an entertaining space, an extension of the kitchen and a reading nook.
When we opened our dining room to the kitchen, Dudley built a wraparound bookcase with storage in the benches. The bookcase is filled with interesting “coffee table” books that visitors enjoy while they are having a drink or a cup of coffee.
On the right of the shelves, there was a space leftover after centering the bookcase with the window, that we use as a pantry with wine storage. The left side of the bookcase is my apothecary for the herbs grown in my garden.
And, if we need a dining room, we can put in 3 leaves and seat 10 people comfortably around the table by just pulling up 3 chairs.
We then added a small vintage sofa to create a place to relax, read the paper or entertain, that felt more like a lounge or coffee shop than a formal dining room.
It could also be used as a study for homework while you are cooking dinner.
This was a totally unused room. It was very small and dark because it only has one window which gets light in the evening. We just walked through it. Now we spend much of our day here.
For those hesitant to build a large bookcase, modular bookcases offer an excellent alternative. Fill them with treasures from your travels or family. Add some books from your local library sales, creating a personal touch. Add a couple of comfortable chairs for unexpected guests, turning your dining room into a flexible sanctuary. Bonus if those chairs can be used at the table when needed. If you have a window, put the bookcases on either side and a bench under the window for more seating.
If your floorplan allows, open up the space so that you can visit with your friends and family while you are in the kitchen. If the wall is bearing, you can still remove it, but you will need to put in supports, so check with a contractor or engineer before starting.
Unused Living Room or Spare Bedroom
Many people now have family rooms and spend very little time in their living room unless they luckily have to walk through it.
Others have a spare bedroom that is rarely, if ever, used. The sky is the limit when it comes to uses for these spaces. Many people have now made them into an office, but there are other options to consider.
Similar to the dining room ideas, you could build in bookcases and make it into a library and it can be used for a quiet homework place.
Add a comfy chair, a small table, some candles and use if for a meditation/yoga room… or an exercise room. Create a fun, organized playroom for your children. Include storage, and a comfy chair!
Crafting a Versatile Living Room: Making Every Inch Count
In our city home, we had to use every room for multiple uses. It was 1600 square feet but some of that space was potentially reusable. It had 3 bedrooms and 1 ½ bath, with a beautiful, but awkward and narrow, sunporch.
My living room was a place to watch TV, the entrance foyer, an entertaining space, an office, additional storage, a bar and a place to do yoga.
So, I created a small foyer by furniture placement. In that area, I also had a small vintage bar, an antique desk, and enough room for yoga and meditation every morning.
This piece of furniture is so versatile. When we had a party, we moved the chairs and the top opened from the center to provide 8 feet of space for the bar.
Sometimes finding just the right piece of furniture makes all the difference.
View as you come in the door.
This part of our living room is the first thing you see when you walk in the door, so it had to look nice, be comfortable yet offer space for entertaining.
Below each bookcase are benches for additional seating and storage. The backs of the benches also opened for hiding wires and other tv mess.
We found that building in the TV made it disappear. Often people would be standing in the room and ask where we put the TV.
Unlocking the Potential of Spare Bedrooms, Beyond Just Sleeping
Unused bedrooms provide endless opportunities. I turned mine into an all-purpose workroom. I have incorporated a small, old, wooden ladder that hangs from the ceiling to dry my flowers and herbs, a large table at the window where I write, sew and package my herbs. I have a secondhand bookcase filled with memories, a comfy chair where I can read, and a daybed with trundle for guests.
I also have a rowing machine tucked in beside the bookcase, a small table for incense and a candle where I do my yoga and meditation.
Filled with all my favorite mementos, pictures, plants, textiles, string lights and books, it soothes my soul.
In another bedroom, we added more storage, added a reading nook with a window seat and a closet for more versatility and storage. We chose an old buffet that we found at a salvage warehouse that was missing a leg. We cut them all off and built it in.
Again, just the right piece can make all the difference!
An Irregular Shaped Room
Irregularly shaped rooms can pose a challenge. They are often turned into storage and ignored.
Our awkward tiny sunporch had me stumped for a while. It was only 5’ deep but 15’ long and it had 2 sets of French doors leading to it from our dining room.
I tried setting it up as a sunroom with plants and wicker furniture, but we never used it, and it wasn’t practical.
One day I had a flash of inspiration and decided to put my table with 2 booths at the opening of one set of doors. My dad and I made this together and it brings me joy to be able to use it everyday.
Want to separate a space without it feeling cramped? Hang a window or two to define the space.
This turned out to be our favorite spot, overlooking the courtyard!
And we added a cat climbing wall. Notice the shelves on the left side and the one
above the table, behind the chandelier? See Cat Climbing Wall post for more info
This is our beloved cat, Graycie.
The other side of the porch became my office through the other set of French doors.
Adding a Mudroom
Utilizing a Small Space Near an Entrance.
Don’t be afraid to dream big. Anything goes. Even a space that is only 5′ x 9’ can be a foyer, mudroom, (See more about creating this mudroom) breakfast room, a sunroom and more. With strategic planning, this limited space can accommodate various functions, proving that size is not a constraint when you become creative.
When you are thinking how to maximize your spaces, first sit down and think of everything you need and want to do in your home and what your storage needs are. How much do you entertain, do you have a large family, need more space in your kitchen? (see post on maximizing space in a small kitchen) or, need an office?
Maximizing space is not just about square footage; it’s about unlocking the latent potential in every corner of your home. By embracing flexibility and purposeful design you can transform your living spaces into dynamic, multifunctional havens that cater to your every need.
Look for inspiration from various sources, using platforms like Pinterest to gather ideas that speak to your vision. Ultimately the goal is to create a home that not only meets your practical needs, but also inspires, and brings you joy.
So, go ahead reimagine your home!
I hope that you have gotten inspiration for a room in your home. Let me know what you did to maximize your space.
