Photo by Tina Witherspoon on Unsplash
If your current property is starting to feel a little too small for your needs, but you don’t have the budget to extend it or even move, that doesn’t mean that you have to just carry on as you are. Taking a look around your current space and working out if there is anything that can be adapted to increase the area that you’re working with could uncover a wealth of potential. With this in mind I thought I would share with you five places that don’t always occur to people to be used as a functional living space, but actually can offer a number of different options.
Flat roof
If you have a property which was built in the later part of the 20th century there’s a good chance that you will have a part of your house which has a flat roof on it. Garages, extensions and other secondary buildings are often built with a flat or ever so slightly sloping roof and with just a small amount of reinforcement to ensure that it is weight bearing, flat roofs can be turned into outdoor spaces, balconies and roof terraces or even be built on top of to increase the space inside your home. If you want to use the area as a balcony or roof terrace it’s advisable to have it looked at by a professional who will probably recommend Rooflock Roof Waterproofing and ensure that you have the adequate safety rails to make it viable.
Space Under Staircases
The vast majority of houses will only utilise the part of the staircase which has full standing height to place a cupboard or even occasionally a downstairs toilet. However, there is actually a huge amount of space beneath the full width of a staircase, and while we aren’t suggesting you pull an Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia and create a Harry Potter-style bedroom beneath the stairs, many people utilise the space with pull-out drawers and cupboards or even small office spaces to place a desk for a computer. At the very least, utilising all of the space beneath the staircase will massively increase your storage options and therefore cut down on clutter around the rest of the home, which in itself can make a space seem bigger.
Windows
If you’re lucky enough to have some windows in your house which are the gorgeous Victorian style bay windows then you should seriously think about utilising this space rather than just leaving it as an open bay. One of the best ways to adapt a bay window to become a more useful living space is to create a window seat with cupboard space beneath it. You will benefit from having another place to sit, which is especially delightful if you happen to have a nice view out of the window, and having another built in storage solution is always handy, especially in a family home where the clutter can really build up.
Furniture with Storage Space
Incorporating storage into the furniture you buy is another great way to increase yourliving space Coffee tables with storage compartments can hide back issues of magazines, and kids’ rooms gain the equivalent of an additional dresser when a captain’s bed with drawers underneath is substituted for the usual box spring and mattress. A front hallway bench can hold gloves, scarves, and hats. The possibilities are actually quite numerous and it can be fun to get as inventive as possible with your multifunctional pieces.
Garden Rooms
While you may not have the budget to add extra rooms onto your house, you may find that you CAN afford to add a room in the garden. Summerhouses are often significantly cheaper than building onto your property and can give you some much needed extra space. Home offices work particularly well in garden rooms as it gives you a place to work which is quiet, but that you can also walk away from at the end of your work day so you don’t feel like you’re constantly on shift.
