Do you have a spare room in your house? Are you making the best use of it? Or is it simply a place to store all the seldom-used items that you have nowhere else to keep? Well, perhaps now is the time to do something about it.
If you’re considering taking on a home improvement project, you’re certainly not alone – recent research shows that the number of UK homeowners opting to renovate rather than move has increased fivefold.
And with good reason, too – studies have revealed that improving your property could add as much as £40,000 to its value. If you’re thinking about revamping your spare room, you’ll need to assess your financial situation carefully to make sure you can afford it, and then you can get stuck into the work itself. Here are a few ways to transform that glorified storage cupboard into something more worthwhile.
Office
If you’re someone who frequently works from home, it can be hugely beneficial to have a separate space where you can escape from the rest of the family and focus on the task at hand. Adequate lighting, a proper office chair with lumbar support and a desk at the right height are all essential. Slouching over the kitchen table or on the living room sofa is neither productive nor comfortable.
Gym
For all the exercise enthusiasts out there, installing a home gym can really help on those days when you don’t fancy leaving the house to visit the local health club. Yours might only include a bike and a treadmill, or you might stock up with a full rack of weights – just make sure your equipment is tailored to your needs.
Games room
Sometimes, we all need to escape from the reality of the world, and a games room can help us to do exactly that. Whether your prefer shooting down the bad guys on a video game, playing pool or throwing darts in search of that elusive 180, creating your own little enclave can help to stir the competitive juices and switch off from the daily grind.
Library
Perhaps you’re an avid reader and a period of quiet reflection is more your thing, in which case why not put up some shelves and fill them with all your favourite books? The addition of a cosy armchair and a footrest will allow you to recline in the utmost comfort while you go cover-to-cover on some of the classics.
Walk-in wardrobe
If you’re struggling for storage space in the master bedroom, why not invest in an extra wardrobe and chest of drawers to create a dressing room? Never again will you have to rummage through piles of clothes; you can hang everything perfectly neatly, while installing a full-length mirror will allow you to check out your get-up before you head off to work or hit the town.
