If you’re looking around your home and realizing that the empty-nest syndrome has taken full effect then maybe it’s time to repurpose those rooms.
Whether the kids are at college or they’ve moved out to start their own lives, the empty bedrooms can make you feel quite lonely. So, perhaps it’s time to renovate them and put them to use again.
Start by taking inventory of your life. What have you been cramming into one area that could now be better suited by having its own room?
Maybe you’ve been sharing a home office and really could use two separate home offices. Or, how about an entertainment room so that you have a place to relax, read, and watch TV when the other televisions in the house are being used.
Repurposing a room can be the perfect solution to a specific need, but remember that if you intend to sell your home in the near future, the more specialized the room, the less likely it will appeal to the masses.
However, if you stick with common rooms like gyms, home offices, dens, entertainment/media spaces, or guest bedrooms, then you’ll likely have no trouble gaining favor with future buyers.
Those types of rooms can actually add value to your home. But a very specialized room like a photography or hot yoga studio can limit interest especially if it will require a lot to convert the room back to a bedroom or its original state.
When selling a home, more bedrooms are a plus.
But, it’s not just bedrooms that can be repurposed. Sometimes homeowners find that they’re not using a formal dining room or living room after the kids leave home.
Those spaces can be remodeled or opened up to make a more flowing floor plan for entertaining and better use of the space.
Even though the kids have left home, it’s a good idea to keep some of that extra space for when they do come back, even if it’s just for a short visit or, after they’ve married, had children and are returning with the children.
In that case, making a little extra room by remodeling a space into a guest suite that could open to the outdoors can be an ideal weekend getaway spot that allows them to be at home but still have privacy.
A granny flat can have its own kitchenette, a private entrance, and intercom system to connect the primary house to the grandparents’ space.
A “man cave” is another option for repurposing extra rooms. Turning a basement, attic, or even a bedroom into that special space just for him, can make hubby happy.
There are many options for extra rooms in a home, so get creative, and dream big. You might find that one of your passions needs its own space. From yoga to weight lifting to hobbies to necessary work areas, repurposing space is the opportunity to reinvent your home to suit your lifestyle in a space you love.