Room, Repurposed

Empty-nesters can transform children’s old bedrooms into new options

When a child leaves the nest, he or she leaves behind a space that can now be used in a different way.

So how does one best take advantage of that space?

Vintage Guest Bedroom

A transition to a guest bedroom will be “very cosmetic in nature,” says Bryce Jacob, vice president of Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers. A lot of people prefer an aged look. Carpet can be taken out to reveal a hardwood floor beneath, and a Berber or jute rug would go well over part of a hardwood floor.

Jacob says one should paint the room with “colors that are more relaxing or soothing.”

Custom Home Office

If a room will be used as a workspace, good lighting is essential.

“In some cases, we’ll see people enlarge their window openings to let in more natural light,” says Jacob.

A comfortable leather chair will make the room naturally inviting, and customized furniture will be the ultimate ideal, though it costs much more than standard furniture.

Spacious Exercise Room

A workout space can be a welcome addition, but equipment such as treadmills and barbells can take up a lot of space. A room’s closet can be removed to help make room for this, but doing so will technically take away a room’s definition as a bedroom and thus potentially decrease the value of the home.

Giant Closet

The opposite can be done with closet space, and the entire room can be turned into a walk-in closet.

“I’ve seen this happen on one occasion, but it makes sense,” Jacob says.

This can work well for someone who lives in a home with small closets, and poles or racks that are placed in the room will be simple to take down if there are more changes to the room.

Francis Pellicciaro is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.