If your children have flown the nest and your home is feeling quieter and emptier than it’s been in what may feel like a lifetime, it’s time to think about transforming those empty rooms into usable space. This available square footage is your opportunity to be creative with reinventing this newly acquired space. Read on to find out how you can take your children’s former bedrooms, playrooms, lofts or homework space, and how you can dedicate it to your hobbies and passion projects.
Health and Wellness Oasis
Transform an empty bedroom or former play area into a health and wellness room. This space can become a home gym by equipping it with the latest workout equipment, rubber flooring to absorb both sounds and shock, a full-length mirror and a beverage refrigerator to stock with cold drinks and crisp, refreshing towels for post-workout.
Or, the room can become a zen mind and body space that you can escape to for yoga, stretching and meditation. Fill the room with calming colors, soothing sounds, automated blackout curtains and plenty of soft mats to create a relaxing oasis to retreat to at home.
Grandchildren Hideaway
If your children are grown, live in their own homes and have grandchildren begging to visit, create a special space dedicated to them. Whether the room is a space for them to have sleepovers or a room to play make-believe, this can become a space devoted to them.
Multiple sets of bunk beds can accommodate growing families, and bookshelves stacked with family favorites can be waiting for a new generation.
Hobby Hub
If you’ve found yourself rediscovering previous pastimes or you’re pursuing new interests, having a space that is solely dedicated to your hobbies will reinvigorate your excitement for your favorite creative outlets. Clear out the bedroom sets and make room for work tables, seating and plenty of storage.
Elevated Guest Room
Upgrade a basic guest room by creating a luxury hotel-inspired experience for your guests who are coming to stay overnight. Upgraded bedding, automated shades, fresh flowers, a coffee station and a basket of essentials will create an elevated escape for anyone who comes to visit.
Reading Retreat
If you’ve amassed an extensive collection of books over the years, carve out a dedicated space to store and enjoy them. If you’ve spent the last several decades raising children, reading books was probably pushed aside. Reinvent a bedroom or homework room into a reading retreat, with wall-to-wall shelving and comfortable seating.
Cocktail Corner
Now that you’re not cooking for a whole household, your ample pantry space may be a little empty or your previously overworked kitchen desk may feel a bit quiet. Transform these previous workhorses into cocktail corners, where you can install a wine refrigerator, your drink of choice on tap and cabinetry for your barware. Most importantly, take the opportunity to toast this new chapter—you’ve earned it!
Some thoughtfully executed upgrades can transform a house previously dedicated to your family into a home that reflects your current interests and new lifestyle.
