Multi-generational living and homes that multitask are in style as never before. College students have been sent home across the US and older Americans are choosing to live with their families in accessory buildings that are being promoted as housing solutions in many parts of the country.
Whether you want a reading room or nook with ample shelves and comfortable seating, a home office or a designated place for remote learning, having a home with a flexible and creative floor plan is ideal for sheltering at home. Find some inspiration for what to do with your “extra” rooms below!
Special Spaces with Specific Functions
Over time, people have moved away from the one-size-fits-all notion of the spare room, expanding into spaces that serve specific functions. Tailoring a room for a particular use is easier than ever since there are specialized products and vendors for everything from yoga studios to classrooms.
Craftmark Homes’ floor plan designs include multiple options for “flex” spaces that can be customized for your specific needs. In truth, with so many families and extended families living together, what used to be considered extra space is actually a necessity! Being able to modify it as an extra bedroom, workspace or workout area can transform your home and make it more appealing for your entire family.
Inventive floor plans that include customizable loft spaces adjacent to bedrooms can make a home much more functional. If you have a space like that, the sky’s the limit! Here are a few ideas on how to transform that area:
- Turn it into a TV room where your family can play games and have movie nights. Go all out and decorate it with movie posters, and store all your games up there for easy access.
- Make it your private getaway. Transform it into a small library or meditation space where you can reflect, rewind and relax.
- Dedicate the area as a workspace. With many people working remotely, it’s important to dedicate a separate area for “going to work.” A loft is a perfect space to detach from your home life and transition into work mode, allowing you to keep a work-life balance.
- Make it an extra bedroom. Most Craftmark floor plans include a loft level with full baths and walk-in closets, making it the ideal room for your guests to feel as if they have their own space while staying with you.
Utility and Flexible Living From A Floor Plan
In contrast to the inviting options for an upstairs loft area, having a foyer or flex space near a garage or kitchen at the lower level of your home is ideal for high traffic or heavy-duty uses like classrooms and home gyms.
In more temperate climates, even a garage itself can be transformed by putting in an epoxy resin floor. The elegance and durability of these floors stand up to years of hard use and look beautiful with virtually no maintenance required. Even an outdoor garage can be turned into a modern home office through new doors, flooring and lighting.
If you do have a detached structure like a shed or garage and have your kids at home, then an offsite classroom is a perfect alternative use. However, with most classes requiring a computer and internet connection, check to make sure that your project will be able to accommodate a high-speed router and any cabling infrastructure like ethernet before starting.
Craftmark Homes builds intelligent homes with flexible space that homeowners can tailor to their unique needs. We look forward to working with you to find or build the home of your dreams.