Imagine if, somehow, your home had an extra 1,000 square feet. What would you do with it?
It’s this lofty question that we grapple with in this post. We look at some of the ways you could use that extra space to boost your lifestyle and start living the life that you want to lead (at least, if you’re a homebody).
Add A Wellness Retreat
Given the current state of stress and mental health, you may want to set up a wellness retreat in your home. These are handy if you’re the sort of person who likes to pamper yourself.
Your retreat doesn’t have to be anything grand or dramatic. And you don’t even have to use it for the latest treatments–just somewhere to go when you want to recover.
For example, you could use your wellness retreat as a reading space to catch up on the literature you love.
Alternatively, you could use it as a place to keep your home sauna. Again, you could use it as a place for recovering after the gym.
There are all sorts of ways you could use a wellness space. And in today’s fast-paced environment, it’s just the sort of thing many people want to add to their homes.
Craft A New Master Bedroom Suite
Another way to add square footage to your home with room additions is to craft a new master bedroom suite. Expanding the space available gives you more room to spread out and enjoy yourself.
Many people put up with homes with small bedrooms and no ensuite bathrooms, just a larger room for the family. But you don’t have to follow in their footsteps. You could create a new bedroom suite that suits your needs while also helping you feel more refreshed at the weekend, especially when you have more time available.
The best suites have cozy sitting areas and private balconies. You can also equip them with walk-in closets or ensuites with spa features.
Essentially, it’s up to you how you do them up. But ultimately, the goal should be to turn them into beautiful spaces that jive with your lifestyle.
Design A Library
Forget about bookcases: another way to add square footage to your home is to design a library. Adding such a space could help you indulge your love of books.
For example, you could set up floor-to-ceiling shelving and start populating it with all your hardbacks. You could also include more books elsewhere, including in desks or glass-fronted cabinets.
Libraries are expensive, yes, but they can also make wonderful reading rooms. And if you have a lot of space at your disposal, then why not?
Set Up A Hobby Room
Another idea is to set up a hobby room. This is essentially an enclosed space where you can indulge yourself in whatever you like to do in your spare time.
For example, you could set up a games room. Having a space where you can frit away the hours with your favorite titles is ideal and makes it feel less like an office.
You could also use the space for creative pursuits, like writing or painting. A separate area puts your mind in a different space, allowing you to think more clearly and get more done.
Expand Your Kitchen
Another option is to expand your kitchen. You could set aside space that’s much larger than your side return (or whatever you have right now), freeing you up to entertain guests and cook meals.
Expanding your kitchen will usually take quite a bit of work. But once you’re finished with the building, you might have room for highly desirable features, like a walk-in pantry and a central island.
Owning a breakfast nook is also a cool addition to a kitchen. These give your kids a space where they can grab a bite to eat in the morning before they rush out of the house and get on with their day.
Create The Dream Home Office
If you are someone who works from home, you can also use the additional square footage to create the dream office space. With these, you have more room to do your work and get everything done that you need to do in the day without tripping over files or feeling like you’re being squashed like a sardine into a cupboard room.
For many people, the home office is an afterthought: something that they thought would be temporary. But later, they discovered that it became permanent.
However, you can avoid this situation by treating your home office purposefully. Instead of seeing it as just another room that happens to contain your computer, you can start viewing it as a separate space where productivity is the goal (so you can finish work early and do all the other things you want to do).
Add A Guest Suite
Another way to use an extra 1,000 square feet is to create a guest suite. Adding a new area like this could make it simpler to have people over to your home to stay when you entertain.
Guest suites should really feel like hotel rooms. Guests want to feel welcome and like you’re looking after them, but they might not get this sense if they feel cooped up in a box room.
When designing the guest suite, try to think beyond a basic room (after all, you have a lot of space to play with). You could include a dining area, kitchenette, shower room, and other facilities.
You could also have one eye on turning the guest room into a short-term Airbnb rental, something that could make you money.
Add A Gym
Finally, you could use the extra space in your home to design a gym. These are perfect if you’re the sort of person who really doesn’t like driving across town to go to the gym.
As you build your gym, start with the basic equipment and add to it. Think about the exercises you’ll do every day and then include other machines and weights as and when you need them.