One of the most common concerns we hear from clients is that they need extra space. We love that challenge, especially when it comes to maximizing the function and flow of new or existing rooms, either by finding hidden spaces or creating new purposes without adding to the square footage. You may find some answers here to make the most of your home.
A Little Addition
Framing and drywalling near a staircase or in a larger room can create a pleasing play of angles with more usable space in what could be a kind of dead corner. You can add a closet in an entry, a pantry in a kitchen, or a dedicated play space for the kids.
Above, you can see a play space we created in a basement remodel in Norton Commons. Our clients wanted some sort of play area for their child. By working with a triangular space, it adds a design dimension to the whole room. This two-level corner area takes an otherwise dead corner and turns it into a play loft with more room below, which also acts as toy storage to cut down on clutter in the rest of the basement.
Nooks & Crannies
The overwhelming popularity of the Harry Potter series of books and movies has sparked a renewed interest in using space under a staircase as a private play or reading space modeled on his cupboard under the stairs.
There are also open spaces between the joists used in framing. Most commonly, you see this in the insets in new showers in renovated baths. But there’s no reason to stop there. You can add shelving in a narrow wall that would otherwise be a flat painted surface. It’s useful for storage — with a door or without — in a closet space, or as open shelving to display family photos, framed art, or your favorite collectibles in a more public room.
Building in or taking advantage of an alcove in a family entry gives you enough room to add hooks, a bench, or cubbies to create a mudroom that can help organize the chaos of jackets, backpacks, and shoes and boots.
Look Up
As much as finishing a basement can add to your usable square footage, there’s plenty you can do with an attic. With high-performance insulation, a finished attic can give you the extra room you need in comfort. Consider it for new master bedroom suite, a spacious walk-in closet, or a convenient laundry room. You can also add a laundry space hidden in a closet, either side-by-side or stacked — keeping it closer to your family’s bedrooms, and avoiding two or three sets of stairs multiple times a day.
There’s always some way to make the most of your space, even without adding square footage. We’d love to help you find it in your own home!