What if we told you you could turn that occasionally-slept-in guestroom into a practical space you can’t wait to come home to?
You pay the mortgage, so why not make the most of every room in your house and transform the space to suit your lifestyle?
These spare room ideas are so cool your guests won’t mind sleeping on the couch.
Gym
Why get up early to go to the gym when you could roll out of bed and be working out within minutes?
Bring your #fitspo dreams to life with your very own at-home gym. All it takes is a treadmill and some kettlebells and you’ve got yourself a personal workout space. You can even go all out and add a big mirror to watch your form while you’re doing those squats.
This is a great way to get back on track if commuting to the gym is a barrier for your fitness goals.
Gym Tip: If you’re short on floor space, try multipurpose equipment like multi-gyms and adjustable dumbbells.
Media Room
Popcorn, anyone?
If we’re being honest with ourselves, we probably spend more time in front of the TV each day than sleeping. And what better way to make our unhealthy hobby socially acceptable than to do it in a show-stopping media room, complete with starry ceiling?
The best part about home theatre rooms is anything goes – the only rules being you must have a big screen and some comfy seating. The rest is up to you.
Love the idea of displaying framed posters of your favourite movies? Go for it. Feel like setting up your own candy bar and popcorn machine? How delightfully fitting. Want to enforce a rule that your guests can’t enter unless they’re in Harry Potter themed costumes? We applaud your audacity.
You’ll never want to watch movies in a common living room ever again.
Media Room Tip: Consider the acoustics of your space and invest in carpet flooring or rugs to absorb sound – hard floors can bounce sound around the room.
Meditation Space
If “extra” was the buzzword of 2018, “mindfulness” is where it’s at for 2019.
More and more people are turning to mindfulness and meditation to escape the endless inner monologue of stress and doom and busyness. If this sounds like you, it might be time to give the guest bed the boot in favour of a quiet space to reflect and relax.
If incense and crystals and exotic textiles aren’t your jam, don’t worry. Decorate the space in a way that suits you and makes you feel comfortable. If that means an empty room with a couple of simple floor cushions and a single houseplant, so be it.
And if you’re not into meditation, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy some alone time in this quiet space – whether it’s doing your morning stretching, journaling, colouring in, or listening to your new favourite song with a cup of tea or glass of wine.
Meditation Space Tip: Keep distractions to a minimum. This space should be free from any clutter, dirt, and dust – and if the sight of the neighbour’s dog through the window keeps catching your eye, close the curtains.
Library
If you’re a sucker for a good book, why not dedicate an entire room to getting lost in captivating prose?
Home libraries were a thing before the measly old internet came long. But if you’ve managed to maintain a healthy collection of titles, a home library is the perfect way to display it – and shut the door on any outside noise (i.e. the kids).
Library Tip: Who says you have to organise your books by author like the boring old town library? Turn your shelves into a work of art by creating a rainbow with their spine colours. (We won’t judge if you buy some colourful second-hand books just for the #aesthetics.)
Games Room
Guess who? It’s you – enjoying your favourite childhood board game in your brand new games room.
Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned games night with friends?
We’re picturing shelves stacked with games for guests to peruse, snacks aplenty, and a big round table taking centre stage for all to join in.
And if you really want to get your nerd on, you’ll need a closet of costumes for Cluedo, of course.
Games Room Tip: Encourage some friendly competition by keeping score of your games results on a large chalkboard wall. This way you can brag remember the standings for next games night.
And if you want to go a little more mainstream with a home office, we won’t judge you – especially if you style it with these 10 home office décor ideas. Otherwise, consider a secure self-storage solution with National Storage to free up some space at home.
