Bonus Room Ideas for Transforming Extra Space

Have a bonus room but not sure how to decorate the space? Here are a few ideas that will transform your bonus room into a fun and functional area of your home.

Bonus rooms are a clean slate for your imagination. They often don’t count as a bedroom and can be smaller than most other rooms in the house. Some feel like an actual room while others are more like a tucked away nook. But being an undefined space means endless possibilities.

Not every home features a bonus or flex space depending on size, but if you’ve got it, it’s time to decide how to make it a useful part of your home. This is often dictated by the limitations of the room itself. Because a bonus room isn’t considered a bedroom, living room, or any other standard room in a home, it might not include a closet, door, windows, or even all four walls. The ceiling may be lower, and the room may be in an awkward location of the house, like the attic or above the garage.

Regardless of the features, it’s still available space that can be transformed into something functional and fabulous. Here are a few bonus room ideas.

1. Home office

As working from home and telecommuting become more of a norm, having a dedicated space for a home office moves higher up on homeowners’ priority lists. When you can’t sacrifice an extra bedroom, take over your bonus space. You might not get a door or a huge window to look out of, but you’ll get undisturbed space to increase your productivity. Set up a small desk, a file cabinet, whatever you need, with the knowledge you won’t have to put everything away at the end of each day.

See also: Turn a Small Space Into a Functional Home Office

2. Game room

If you have a gamer in the family, they come with a lot of electronic baggage. Game consoles, cartridges, controllers, and charging stations can clutter a room. Gaming is also noisy, even when they wear headphones, and it often takes over the television. By creating a dedicated game room in your bonus space, you’ve given your gamer their own getaway while reclaiming the living room for yourself. Add a comfy love seat or bean bag chairs to your game room for hours of gaming fun, and your gamer will feel right at home.

3. Meditation space

Many bonus spaces don’t have ideal lighting, making them a perfect location for low-light activities. Convert the space into a meditation room by setting up some diffusers or some candles in your favorite, soothing scents. Pre-program your most mellow playlist or hook up a speaker to play your favorite meditation app out loud. Add in some soft floor cushions and maybe a yoga mat, and you’ve got a great place to restore your zen.

4. Trophy room

Whether you have actual trophies or a set of collectibles, a bonus room could become the best place to put your treasures on display. Especially if your partner isn’t as big a fan of your stuff, having your own room means not having to store everything in boxes. With the blank space of a bonus room, you can set up display cases and shelving in any combination you want. You also have flexibility with lighting to make sure your precious items get shown off from their best angle.

5. Craft room

Converting your bonus space into a craft room immediately creates a catch-all for your favorite hobbies. You can set it up to wrap presents, do art projects, or sew. It can become your Lego sanctuary or the place where you do puzzles. Regardless what crafts you prefer, this is the space for you. Bring in furniture that suits your specific hobbies, but make sure to include plenty of storage options to keep things neat and tidy.

6. Studio

If your crafty hobby is a little more than something you do from time to time, you can dedicate your bonus room to it by transforming the space into a studio. Set it up with all the supplies for that one activity, whether it’s ceramics, painting, or even photography. With the right space, you may be one step away from your own Etsy shop or small business, showing off your goods.

7. Workout space

Bonus rooms are often the perfect size for a customized exercise space. Rather than trying to cram your workout equipment into your room or a common area, commandeer the bonus space. Set up some free weights, a stationary bike or treadmill, and a workout mat. Add in a mirror, if you want, a bluetooth speaker, and an oscillating fan to keep things cool, and you’ll complete the space perfectly. You won’t need a gym membership to get your sweat on.

8. Library

Being an avid reader, even today, usually means you like tangible books over digital downloads. If that’s the case, you’ll quickly realize how much space you need to devote to your habit. Contain all your bookshelves in a single room by transforming your bonus space into a library. Cover every last bit of wall space with books, trilogies, and even magazines. Set up a plush chair, or two, in the center with a nice reading lamp, and you will have the perfect place to enjoy your favorite books.

9. Music room

Most people think about how to use their bonus space, but not everyone considers how it will look when it’s not in use. Turning a bonus room into a music room not only gives you a place to play your favorite instruments, but somewhere to display them. Pianos, for example, make beautiful music, but also look great within a home as a statement piece. If you’re a guitar aficionado, set up hooks to hang them on the wall when you’re done practicing, and you’ve got a custom decorated space. Use your music room as both a refuge to make beautiful music and a place to keep your instruments safe and separate.

10. Playroom

Need a space for all your kids’ toys, books, and those tiny blind bag characters you’re always stepping on? Make your bonus room their playroom and never worry about toy overflow again. You’ll have plenty of space to put in a kid’s art table or painting easel, along with shelving and bins to keep things neat. It’s all about containing the chaos when it comes to all the stuff kids have today. Using your bonus room as an out-of-the-way space for toys allows you to maintain some rooms for adult use as well.

The value of a bonus room

Bonus rooms are a great feature to have in your home because the possibilities for what you use it for are endless. All it takes, according to SpaceWise, is some creativity and space-saving furniture to transform your bonus room into one of the most comfortable spots in your house.

The other benefit to your flex space is that it’s something that can evolve. As your lifestyle changes, so can your bonus room. A quick makeover and some furniture shuffling, and you can turn the kids’ playroom into your own library. A home office can become an at-home gym. Its versatility makes a bonus room a great part of any home.

A hot selling feature

The same reasons you love your bonus room so much also make it a great selling feature when you’re ready to find a new home. Potential homebuyers will see the value in the space as it pertains to their own needs, so make sure it looks its best when you’re getting ready to sell.

Even if you decide to work with an off-market buyer rather than list your home with an agent, having a bonus space can definitely impact value in a positive direction. To learn more about how it factors into an off-market offer, contact Sundae today.