Now that the Chicks have Flown the Nest what will you do with the space?

Now that the Chicks have Flown the Nest what will you do with the space?

Almost all parents will reach a point in their life where the children fly the nest. This might be temporarily while they are at university or they might be getting married and move into their own home. Whatever the reason, this will leave you with spare rooms in your home. Deciding what can be done with the now surplus rooms can be a lot of fun. Will you keep their room just in case they return, or will you turn it into a hobby room, a home office or a home theatre? We look at the top 6 uses for spare rooms.

Guest Bedroom

Converting the spare room into a guest bedroom makes a lot of sense if you have regular visitors as it saves the inconvenience of arranging sofa beds or moving furniture around to accommodate air beds. If you do decide to create a guest room, consider decorating it in a warm and comforting manner to make your guests feel at home. If the flock returns for regular visits with their own family in tow you may need to make the space versatile to adapt for younger guests.

Home Office

This is a popular choice with the modern work evolution which means more and more people are working from home. There are a few things you need to consider. Ensure you have good lighting in the room and try to have as much natural light as possible. Storage is important but you may want to consider more aesthetically pleasing options rather than your standard battered office filing cabinet. Hunt Office have several colourful filing cabinets on their website that should provide some inspiration. Shelving or cupboards may also be a consideration, if you have the space. Make sure you have enough electrical sockets and that your WiFi signal is strong enough in the new office. Top tip: you can use wi-fi extenders to increase your wi-fi signal range. You’ll also need a desk and a comfortable chair if you are planning on spending your workdays in the office.  Finally think about adding some personalisation into the office to make it more than just a clinical workspace. Ideally you want a space where you can feel comfortable, motivated and it is a joy to work in.

Reading Room

If you love reading why not treat yourself to a reading room come library? Just imagine having a quiet space dedicated to indulge in your favourite reading material. With a comfy chair, a radio and some shelving to store all your favourite books and perhaps most importantly good lighting you can quickly and easily convert your spare room to a luxurious space to relax and read. One thing to remember is that you will need the room to be nice and warm to keep you cosy during those cold winter days. Make the decor soothing and tranquil to allow you to be swept away in your book and you’ll have the perfect reading room.

Home Cinema

Which film buff doesn’t dream of a dedicated space to retreat to and watch all their favourite films?  There are a few considerations that you will need to take into account to make sure your cinematic experience is perfect. Rectangular rooms achieve the best acoustics. You’ll need to have comfortable seating and you may need to work out how many you want to cater for to plan the ideal seating positions. Of course the feature of the room will be a good sized, high definition TV or projector screen and a great surround sound system. Buy systems to suit your budget but remember that the quality of your experience will be governed by the quality of the picture and the sound. If you want that real cinema experience opt for blackout curtains and lights that can be dimmed. For those opulent extras why not indulge in a popcorn maker or a drinks machine? 

Dressing Room

A practical solution for storing clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery and make-up, the dressing room is becoming more and more popular. All you need to achieve this is a large, stylish wardrobe and a dressing table and you are ready to pamper yourself. If you want to go that extra mile there are many other design ideas which you can use such as; open plan, extra height or fitted wardrobes from floor to ceiling, mirrors, creative lighting effects or even murals. With a touch of imagination, you can have a dressing room to rival the Hollywood stars and create a space to indulge yourself whilst you get dressed for that special evening in peace and luxury.

Games Room

If you’re an avid gamer or just a kid at heart, why not convert that spare room into a games room?  There are so many options for what you can do from converting the room into a high-tech get-away with sound systems, all the latest consoles and gaming chairs to creating a mini Sports Bar with a pool table, dartboard and even a mini bar. Depending on the size of the space you could add a ping-pong table or a foosball table. Why not add a regular table in there so you can play family board games? Add a little music and you have an ideal space for lots of fun with family and friends.

There are many more options that you can consider for your spare room but, with a little imagination and planning, you can create the perfect personal space in your home.