Downstairs room ideas
20 spare room ideas – from WFH spaces to home gyms
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By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.The best spare room ideas will make the most of an extra bedroom or reception space, turning your space into a home office with the best office chair, an arts and crafts area, or even a chill out zone for the kids to better zone your home.
So, to inspire your room's makeover, we've put our favorite spare room ideas together here to help you repurpose the space you have, in the most stylish and practical way. Keep scrolling for the most decorative bedroom ideas and functional looks for your spare room.
20 spare room ideas to inspire your space
1. Create a very country, cozy chill out zone
(Image credit: Ikea)
Woodburning stove. Check. Armchair you could get lost in. Check. Dark, moody, sophisticated color scheme. Check. This is a great look for a spare room and provides a perfect secluded spot for anyone who needs to have a breather, after a long day.
2. Choose a daybed that gives you options
(Image credit: Ikea)
Having a bed that can double up as a sofa, or that can actually be stacked is really useful. So you can buy one bed, but then stack a second (and third) on top, so that whenever you need extra sleep or seating space, it's right there, taking up no more space than a single bed.
In the above picture is a daybed, while below it's two Scandi-style singles, and then a sofa, and a day bed. So, whichever way you want to place them, a well selected bed can suit your bedroom design, or spare room design seamlessly.
(Image credit: Ikea )
Oh, and of course, it can become a double.
..
(Image credit: Ikea )
3. Revamp a guest bedroom with bright paint
(Image credit: Katie Lee)
While you may be reticent about going too bold with the bedroom color scheme in your own bedroom, having a spare room is a fantastic opportunity to be more daring with paint color and pattern. Paint a feature wall in a really out there color (something like Farrow and Ball's Vardo would do the trick) in a guest bedroom to make the space sing.
4. Turn a downstairs spare room into a bar lounge
SKY DOWN! I repeat, Sky down 😱 After watching the first episode of Shipwrecked last night, the Sky box decided it wasn’t going to connect to the Q Box any more (I have no idea what this means 🙄) and in the absence of Joe, we were stuffed. He’s not back until later tonight so we’re still an episode behind 😬 ANYWAY, who else is watching? Thoughts so far? We’re liking Liv and the seven foot blonde guy whose name we’ve already forgotten 😂🏝 .
. [This post includes product from previous partnerships with @britishceramictile and @westelmuk] . #interiorinspiration #rainbow #ginbar #interiorstyling #gin #tiles #cocktailbar #bar #homebar #green #artdeco #velvet #cocktail #cocktails #cocktailparty #interiores #interieur #interiorinspo #interiordetails #apartmenttherapy #sodomino #sorealhomes #interiorforinspo #inmydomaine #neon #makeyousmilestyle #myhomevibe #flashesofdelight #abmlifeiscolorful #interior_design LISA DAWSON
A photo posted by @_lisa_dawson_ on Jan 30, 2019 at 11:27am PST
Transform your spare room – particularly if it's downstairs, maybe in a garage conversion – and you could have an intimate cocktail bar in your own home! Pick characterful furniture, add a bar cart or wine rack, and you're ready to impress your guests.
If you can't be as extra as Lisa Dawson and actually build a full on bar in your spare room, check out our pick of the best bar carts and how to style them instead.
5.
Create a home office in your spare room (Image credit: Neptune)
Spare bedrooms tend to be on the smaller side, but most will fit a desk and a chair, especially if you opt for a space-saving day bed rather than a full-sized double bed. Add a stylish lamp and you have your own writer's nook, or mini home office.
6. Use it as a sewing room
(Image credit: Jody Stewart)
Good with the sewing machine? Those rolls of fabric, mannequins and sewing apparatus sure take up a lot of space. With the luxury of a spare room, you can create a craft studio. Mix and match storage units, storage boxes and baskets to create a tidy space.
7. Turn a spare space into a library
(Image credit: Neville Johnson)
If you don't need a dedicated guest bedroom, how about investing in a home library instead? Create a dedicated book storage area with bespoke shelving or freestanding bookcases.
Bespoke library shelving by Neville Johnson is used in this spare room to create a perfect reading space.
8. Repurpose your spare room into a home gym
(Image credit: Pottery Barn)
Whatever your workout of choice, your spare room is a good place to burn some calories if you build a home gym. Invest in the best home gym equipment, such as a treadmill or punch bag for relieving end of day stress. As Pottery Barn demonstrates here, a home gym needn’t lack style.
9. Turn your spare room into a playroom
(Image credit: Ikea)
If your children are young and the spare room is downstairs, making it into a playroom is a great idea. Swap out the bed for a cheaper sofa bed and put in plenty of toy storage to keep the space neat for your little ones to run wild, but in an organized fashion.
(Image credit: Brintons)
In busy households, a decent craft/homework station is one of the best spare room ideas around. Making it a dedicated spot to store gift wrap, cards and stationery, homework folders and pens. A gift wrapping station alone might sound extravagant, but it won't just come in useful at Christmas – think birthdays and other occasions too! If you aren't sold, then combine it with something more useful (like a homework desk) and it'll be very practical.
11. Reserve your spare bedroom for dressing
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies)
If you don’t have the square footage for a dressing table in your bedroom, reserve a space in your spare room to store your beauty essentials – and call it a dressing room. For more dressing room ideas, we have a whole feature to get you inspired.
Love this room? Go and take a tour of the rest of this gorgeous self-build log cabin for more inspiration.
12. Use the spare room for a walk-in wardrobe
(Image credit: Ikea)
What could be more indulgent than a bespoke walk-in wardrobe? If your own bedroom is severely lacking in storage space, you could create a walk-in wardrobe in the spare bedroom instead.
13. Go multi-purpose with a sofa bed
(Image credit: dfs)
When overnight guests are few and far between, a great sofa bed really comes into its own, allowing you to reserve the spare room for use as an office or relaxation area, instead of a dedicated bedroom.
14. Create a snug in a downstairs room
(Image credit: Contura)
On extra cold days, it has be best to heat one smaller downstairs bedroom than trying (and failing) to keep the whole house warm. Install a woodburning stove – perfect for small, snug room spaces – and curl up with a book or your favorite TV show.
15. Convert the spare room into a home cinema
(Image credit: Simon Whitmore)
Make staying in the new going out with a home cinema room.. All you really need is some good seating – think a sofa and some beanbags (see our pick of the best beanbags) – and a blank wall to project films onto. Plus an obligatory bar cart, or popcorn machine.
16. Create a comfortable retreat
(Image credit: The White Company)
Create the ultimate escape for your guests – or yourself – by giving your spare room a 5 star hotel-worthy makeover. Quality bedlinen is key. The White Company has everything you could possibly need in this department – their Brompton bed linen is a gorgeous choice.
17. Turn it into a laundry room
(Image credit: Schüller)
Even an upstairs spare room can be turned into a utility room. And while we might not advise storing food and drink up there, miles from the kitchen – impractical to say the least – it can be really useful as a laundry room. You'll need to look into plumbing costs for a cold water supply at the minimum, and for drainage, but it will mean that dirty washing stays upstairs and gets returned to bedrooms without ever cluttering up the downstairs of your home.
18. Or turn a spare room into a boot room
(Image credit: Neptune)
Having a boot room is one of the most practical spare room ideas, especially if you only have a small space to work with, and if it so happens to be located near your front (or back) door.
Much like the name implies, this will be a place to store shoes, wellies, dog beds, umbrellas, that sort of thing. If you have got the room you could always add a sink and double it up as a utility room.
19. Make your spare room a space for wellbeing
(Image credit: Getty)
Into yoga? Need a quiet space? Why not decorate your spare room in soothing tones (think creams, warm browns, honey, terracotta), and make it into a yoga studio? All you need is a yoga app on your phone, a yoga mat and a decent room temperature.
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20. Add an en suite
(Image credit: Katie Lee)
If you've a spare bedroom that's really got room to spare – excuse the pun – then you could actually consider adding an ensuite.
Functional, and likely to add value to your home also. It's a win win situation.
25 Clever Ideas to Put a Spare Bedroom to Better Use
Let Your Imagination Run Wild
1/26
If you're lucky enough to have an unused bedroom, you've got a blank canvas that's brimming with potential. Jazz up that spare space and make it more functional—or just more fun. For inspiration, check out these 25 creative and unexpected uses for a spare bedroom. One is sure to capture your imagination.
istockphoto.com
Airbnb Your Space
2/26
Rake in a few extra bucks during the year by renting out your guest room through Airbnb. Outfit the space with essentials like towels, toiletries, and toilet paper, and make sure your home's Wi-Fi password is prominently displayed.
abeautifulmess.com
Get Crafty
3/26
If crafting and creating is your jam, your maker space should reflect your imaginative personality.
With smart choices of furnishings, storage accessories, and lighting, even the tiniest of rooms can become a bright and airy space for transforming ideas into reality.
Related: 8 Things You Didn't Know a Clothes Iron Can Do
abeautifulmess.com
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Work It!
4/26
Guess what? No rule says that your spare room has to be able to accommodate guests. Let work be the focus of the space by turning it into a dedicated, ultra-organized, and beautiful home office.
polishedhabitat.com
Study Up
5/26
Doing homework at the kitchen table is so passé. Create a space where kids and teens can concentrate on their after-school projects with all the necessary tools and supplies at the ready.
Related: Too Cool for School: 9 Ways to Bring Home Classroom Style
refinedroomsllc.com
Space for Crafts and Guests
6/26
A craft room need not be cluttered and uninviting—and it can still double as a guest bedroom in a pinch.
The blogger at Home to Heather designed a space that's perfect for both crafts and guests by placing an eclectic creative nook next to a cozy vintage-style sleeping area.
hometoheather.com
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Home Office with a Cozy Vibe
7/26
This midcentury modern-inspired home office features bright pops of color and cleverly reimagined closet space. Roomy bookshelves and a filing cabinet provide plenty of storage, and the spacious desk offers enough room for two to work side by side.
danslelakehouse.com
Set Up a Studio
8/26
Even the smallest extra bedroom can give you space to express yourself artistically. Place an easel or a drafting table in a bright nook, hang shelves or bring in a cabinet for storage, and you're ready to create. If the room is big enough, you can even pull in a comfortable couch or sofa bed for overnight guests.
istockphoto.com
Bring On the Books!
9/26
Have you ever dreamed of twirling around in your own private library, surrounded by towering bookshelves, like Belle from "Beauty and the Beast"? If you don't have the square footage for a traditional living room library, your spare bedroom is the next best thing.
Line the walls with shelving and save a corner for the comfiest chair you can afford.
Related: Library Ladders: Reaching New Heights at Home
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Rock On
10/26
Practice guitar, jam with friends, or compose your first hit song in a room dedicated to music. Lay down thick carpeting to soak up sound, and add a few comfortable floor cushions for musically inclined visitors.
istockphoto.com
Start Your Garden
11/26
Gardening enthusiasts who lack the space or budget for a greenhouse can cultivate seedlings in their spare room from the waning days of winter through early spring. Buy ready-made shelving or DIY your own, and outfit them with light fixtures appropriate for nurturing baby plants.
Sweat It Out
12/26
Whether you practice yoga, run, or do strength training, you'll be more motivated, better disciplined, and more excited about your workouts if you establish a dedicated exercise space.
So, get moving! Drag that treadmill out of the basement or family room, and quit using it to hold dirty laundry.
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All About Play
13/26
Turning your spare room into your kids' playroom will let you declutter the rest of your house and keep toys under control. Have fun with the project by customizing the room to suit your children's interests and style.
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Spoil Your Pet
14/26
You may have to evict Fido from his bedroom lair when guests arrive, but all the other days of the year, your furry friend can enjoy a private pet sanctuary. Include your pet’s favorite toys, and don’t forget to adorn the walls with dog- or cat-themed art.
Related: 10 Over-the-Top Ways to Pamper Your Pet
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Play Games
15/26
Board game aficionados know that the kitchen table is often the worst place to settle in for a marathon dice-based battle—the table is cramped and often too small, and the seating is uncomfortable.
When you set up a dedicated game room, you can furnish it with cozy chairs and an expansive table that can accommodate large boards. If you're an enthusiastic gamer, set up a console corner with beanbag chairs. And for a luxe touch, add a mini-fridge filled with game-night beverages.
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Strike a Pose
16/26
Close your eyes. Inhale. Exhale. Sure, yoga can be done anywhere you can lay down a mat, but it’s infinitely more soothing to stretch your limbs in a room devoted to relaxation. Add a small console table for Zen-inspired decor, and use a diffuser to set the mood.
istockphoto.com
A Real Walk-In Closet
17/26
If your closet is cluttered and cramped, why not migrate your clothes to a spacious new space—that underused spare room? With careful organization and a few storage accessories, you can turn your spare room into a luxurious walk-in closet.
Related: 12 Ways You May Be Wasting Closet Space
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Brainstorm Away
18/26
Whether you’re a writer or an entrepreneur, having a safe space to work out your ideas is invaluable. Refashion your spare room into an office with whiteboards and plenty of empty wall space where you can map out your thoughts and get your creative juices flowing.
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Belly Up to the Bar
19/26
Do you love to entertain but lack the space to do it in style? Swap the traditional guest bedroom for a discreet bar and lounge space where guests can gather and mingle at your next dinner party.
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Maximize Utility
20/26
Make efficient use of an extra bedroom by combining a work space with a cozy sleep corner. For the greatest versatility, incorporate a hideaway bed and easy-to-move pieces.
Related: The 9 Best Lighting Picks for Your Bedroom
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Expand the Bathroom
21/26
Is your useless spare bedroom right next to a cramped bathroom? Think bigger! Create a spa-worthy retreat by tearing down a wall, expanding the space, and adding indulgent touches like a freestanding tub or sauna.
Related: 15 Ways to Make a Small Bathroom Big
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Sew Great
22/26
Don’t feel obliged to sacrifice a corner of your bedroom or a section of a dingy basement for your sewing needs. Equip your extra room with a sewing machine, storage for notions, and a generous worktable, and you'll have a cheerful space fit for an accomplished sewist.
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Store with Style
23/26
Is your home short on storage space? Outfit your spare bedroom with furniture pieces that offer a variety of storage possibilities. Store linens in an antique armoire, stash rarely used tableware in a dresser, or invest in a captain's bed and stow away bulky winter clothing in the drawers.
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Lights, Camera, Action!
24/26
Turn that extra bedroom into a home movie theater. With a big-screen TV, ultra-comfortable seating, and a few bags of popcorn, you'll be all set to enjoy your favorite flicks.
For a real cinema experience, spring for a video projector and a surround sound system.
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Bon Appétit!
25/26
If a formal dining room is on your wish list but you're stuck with something less grand, think about using your spare room for dining. All you need is a table and chairs, and some dining room-appropriate decor to transform the space.
istockphoto.com
Mix and Match
26/26
Nothing is stopping you from taking two or more of the ideas described above and creating a room that serves multiple purposes. Combine a yoga studio and library into a single space for meditation and reading. Set up a home office, but also use it for reading and creating. Add movie-style seating to a playroom to turn your spare bedroom into a fun-filled family theater.
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But if you want to hang on to your cash and exercise some self-sufficiency, check out these clever products that solve a million and one little problems around the house. Go now!
〚 ground floor 〛 ◾ Photos ◾ Ideas ◾ Design
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Elegant ground floor apartment in Stockholm
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Skillful work with decor is when the work itself is not visible, but the interior is so pleasant that evokes only the warmest emotions. This is exactly the case we see in the interior of this ground floor apartment in Gothenburg. The mood here is created primarily through textiles: pillows, carpets, furniture upholstery - these details are chosen in calm…
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It seems that the room in which this apartment is located in Stockholm used to be a garage or a warehouse the room - high ceilings, small windows under the ceiling and a separate entrance testify to this.
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Small but sophisticated two-bedroom apartment in beige tones in Stockholm (33 sqm)
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Designers decided to compensate for the lack of living space in this Swedish apartment with sophisticated decor and pleasant colors. The apartment is quite compact: two rooms and a kitchen occupy only 33 square meters. m, at the same time, all the necessary functional areas are provided. A sofa with thin legs has become a great solution for such a small space - albeit not so comfortable, ...
High ceilings and a terrace: a unique apartment in a former factory building in Stockholm
HomeAnna Pufik 0 2853
This apartment is located on the ground floor of an apartment building in Stockholm, but its owners are hardly upset by this fact.
The fact is that the housing comes with its own terrace, which can be accessed directly from the living room - you see, a great bonus. But the apartment itself is very far from ordinary or typical: it occupies the luxurious premises of a former factory, from here…
Arched windows, high ceilings and open-space: a delicate studio apartment in Stockholm (42 sqm)
HomeAnna Pufik zones are located within the same open space. The main feature of this housing is high ceilings and luxurious arched windows, which are the main wealth and feature of this interior. Thanks to these unique features, the space seems simply huge and very bright, although the entire apartment occupies only 42 square meters. m…. nine0003
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Today we have an interesting small apartment with an unusual layout and location on the ground floor of an apartment building in Gothenburg, Sweden .
The premises originally had a commercial purpose, hence the large display windows, high ceilings and open space. But the designers turned it into a comfortable modern accommodation for one, in which there is a rather large and bright lounge area for relaxing and receiving guests…. nine0003
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HomeAnna Pufik 1 2539
As you know, students are not picky people, they can be content with a tiny room in a hostel. But this small apartment in Swedish Malmö has so much more to offer than typical student housing. Firstly, it has a separate entrance directly from the street - there used to be a store in this room, and now from the threshold you find yourself in a spacious living room. Secondly, light ...
Small apartment with a wonderful courtyard in Sweden (38 sqm)
HomeAnna Pufik 0 3319
The architects did not spoil this Swedish apartment with comfortable space - with an area of only 38 sqm.
m, the rooms here are narrow and irregular in shape, and the kitchen is completely located in a tiny corner. But the design pleased: soft and pleasant pastel shades, a warm palette and fashionable furniture create a relaxing atmosphere in the interior. But what especially pleased me was the incredibly cozy…
Ground floor apartment design: useful tips
Modern ground floor apartment design is based on strict adherence to the basic requirements for design and style, as well as due to the design features of the premises.
Contents
- Cold floor solution
- Mold prevention
- Eye protection
- Security
- Perfect interior
Solving the problem of cold floors
According to the laws of physics, warm air masses naturally move upward and are quickly replaced by cold air. The problem is noticeably aggravated by the presence of cold basements and unheated utility rooms under the apartment.
The use of heat-insulating materials, as well as the "warm floor" system, will be optimal.
The second option goes well with almost any kind of floor surface finish, and is also suitable for use in both small and fairly spacious rooms. Insulation is carried out with synthetic materials, mineral wool and fiberglass, wood-fiber insulation, as well as liquid ceramic heat insulators. Less practical is the use of traditional carpets in the design. nine0003
Mold Prevention
Quite often, first-floor residents find mold in their apartments, which not only spoils the impression of even the most expensive repairs, but also has an extremely negative impact on the health of others.
Before developing the design of the room and proceeding with the finishing work, it is required to eliminate all mold colonies by chemical means or folk methods. It is also necessary to prevent its reappearance by applying special antifungal compounds. nine0108 Experts advise to give preference to safe and environmentally friendly finishes that will be a worthy replacement for expensive, but airtight materials.
When developing a design project, it is recommended to abandon the laminated chipboard, synthetic carpet, vinyl wallpaper and PVC stretch ceiling, which violate the microclimate of the room.
Protection from prying eyes
In new buildings, the first floors, as a rule, are specially located higher than in old houses, so the problem of protecting the premises from the eyes of passers-by is not always relevant. nine0107 However, in some cases, when planning the design of an apartment, care must be taken that the occupants do not feel "like in an aquarium."
The most affordable and easiest option is to use matte sun protection film, which is glued to the window and can be an additional element of decor in the room. A very good alternative would be to replace traditional glass with modern tinted, translucent or frosted double-glazed windows.
Security
Even on fairly high ground floors there is a risk of theft. According to statistics, these conditions are favorable for the penetration of robbers.
Therefore, great attention must be paid to ensuring the safety of the home.
There are several ways to protect - from traditional forged and rolled window grilles to the purchase and installation of modern roller shutters, as well as burglar-resistant double-glazed windows with an alarm. High-quality anti-vandal glass will not only help protect your home from theft, but is also not afraid of hitting balls or stones. nine0003
Ideal interior
Classic design is still very popular in ground floor apartments. If the room is heavily shaded, then the method of multi-level and multi-point artificial lighting is used, and pastel and neutral colors are used in the interior. You can also brighten up a dark room with effective contrast.
Sufficiently bright and spacious apartments allow you to use the most daring design solutions in the design. In this case, the design of a city apartment located in the very center of bustling life can be dynamic, modern and contrasting, or, on the contrary, calm and measured, in a popular ethnic style.
