With a new class of incoming college freshmen comes a new group of empty nesters. Once the feelings of separation anxiety are conquered and parents realize they no longer need to stock their pantrywith copious amounts of junk food and their function as an on demand ATM has ended, the real fun can begin. This includes reclaiming rooms in the home whose primary purpose may have been for entertaining their children and their friends. Hobby rooms are a popular choice for those who wish to transform newly freed space. Here are some examples of ways to transform your new found space:
Guest Bedroom: Visitors to your home will appreciate having a space of their own to catch some zzz’s. Be sure to clear clutter so guests have a peaceful environment. Excess items should be stored
out of sight in closets or dressers. Luggage racks are affordable and can give guests a place to hang their clothing for their stay. Be sure to have extra towels and blankets available. For a personalized touch, fresh flowers can be added.
Home Library: A home library can provide a good place to curl up with a cup of coffee and a favorite read. Make the most of the room by adding some book shelves, some trendy track lights or contemporary floor lamps. Be sure to select comfy furniture. Bear in mind that while a room with a bay window, which allows lots of sunlight in, might sound like a good idea the abundance of natural light can damage books. We also caution you to stay away from humid areas such as basements and attics, as their conditions are not ideal for book storage.
Home Office: Even small areas such as closets can be transformed into a home office. For the most part, closets are underutilized and highly disorganized. Because an office is supposed to be a place of inspiration, have fun with the décor by picking a brightly colored paint or wallpaper pattern. Closet walls can be used for storage. You can opt for a curtain instead of a door if you’d like. The most important thing is to personalize it.
Trophy Room: Are you an avid hunter or fisherman? A trophy room can be a great place to showcase your achievements. An ideal trophy room has high ceilings (10 foot minimum). This will allow you to place mounts above each other. Make sure the room has ample space so that you have room to display future mounts. Be sure to select lighting that highlights your displays. Minimal windows are better because they can damage your mounts and also take away from the space that you could dedicate to displaying your trophy game.
Sports Room: Pay tribute to your favorite team with a sports room. A sports room allows you to personalize rugs, clocks, mats, etc. with your favorite team’s logo. Take it step further and use
Glidden Paint’s Team Spirit Line collection which has exact matches for colors of most professional team’s colors. Memorabilia can also be framed and displayed in this room. Take your dedication up a notch with an oversized beanbag chair & ceiling fan with your favorite team’s logo. Be sure to include a TV, fridge or mini fridge and a serving area so your new room can be a spot to watch the big game.
Game Room: Transform an empty space into a game room where you can entertain. Some ideas of accessories for the room include a pool table, shuffleboard, dart board, Ping-Pong table, air hockey table, foosball table and poker table. If the space is small, pick one or two areas of focus and select paint, lighting, flooring and accessories that make sense. For example, ping pong can be a little difficult to play on carpet.
Craft Room: Craft rooms allow you one central place to work on your hobby. Whether it is basket weaving, ceramics or knitting, use color to inspire and organize. Select stylish storage bins that compliment your wall color to decorate in a functional way.
While it can be tough to have a child leave for college, breathing new life into old spaces can prove to be a welcome distraction and enhancement to your home.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out Lindus Construction’s top picks for the above mentioned rooms on Pinterest.
Tune into AM 830 WCCO on Saturdays from 9:00-10:00am hosted by Denny Long and Andy Lindus to ask questions regarding your home improvement projects. Call us now at 1-800-873-1451 or check us out on the web at www.lindusconstruction.com to schedule a free in-home estimate regarding your home improvement needs!
