6 ways to enlarge your living area without adding space

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Aanbouw en interieurplan woning , Jolanda Knook interieurvormgeving Jolanda Knook interieurvormgeving Jardins de Inverno modernos
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With real estate costs on the rise just about everywhere, it can be quite a challenge to accommodate the needs of a growing family on a budget. In fact, many of us are hard pressed nowadays to find a home or apartment with adequate space without breaking the bank. Yet we at homify believe that it’s important not to give up on your existing home or apartment too quickly. There are lots of amazing techniques for expanding the living space without any major renovations. We would even go as far to say that many unlikely spaces can become accommodating no matter their size. We’ve seen fullyfunctional 10 sqm. student dorm rooms and tiny flats with lots of style to boot. In fact, what dwellings like these have in common is that they brought out the creativity in their designers with the motive of making things work. With these 6 ideas for enlarging your existing living area, you will be able to embrace the space you already have.

Expand your attic

Attics may seem like an unappealing place to spend your spare time. They are often depicted as places of mystery and even horror. Well, we’re here to remind you not to let your imagination get the best of you. If you clear away extra clutter kept in the attack it can become full of potential. When finished, the attic makes a lovely private reading space or guest bedroom. What we’d like to focus on here, however, are the possibilities that lie in expanding your attic. Through consulting with a contractor you can determine if it is possible to expand the space within the attic. Another idea is to convert the attic into a loft. This will give you higher, cathedral ceilings and enhance space. Plus, you’ll be left with a cool space to use for whichever purposes you’d like.

Convert your garage

For starters, let’s assess those auxiliary spaces of your home that often get overlooked as being viable living areas. The, garage for instance, is full of potential. This is because many of us have a 2-car garage but only one car, and others choose to park the car outside often enough anyway. Whatever your situation is, the garage is a nice spot for keeping home gym equipment, and it makes a great private refuge for practicing instruments. This way the sound is insulated from those who are trying to study or get work done. We love this example because it shows us that a garage can still be used as living space without needing to be fully converted. If you have a teen that is looking for his or her own hangout, you could even add a weatherproof rug and unused furniture.

Clear out your cellar

Just like the attic, the cellar can become the site of clutter and chaos. Over the years, the basement becomes home to old holiday decorations, the clothes we meant to donate, and the gear from that hobby your child has long outgrown. It is never a bad time to dispose of this excess in order to become more receptive to the possibilities of empty space. Some older homes like the one featured above even have woodstoves installed in the cellar. Perhaps now that the clutter is gone, you can get yours up and running or learn how to use it in the first place. In doing so, you can find yourself curling up in your newfound cosy cellar. A wonderful option for finished basements is to turn them into a media room or playroom. Keeping the area where your children sleep and play separate will help them to get more restful sleep.

Make use of vertical space

A no brainer that can easily be applied to just about any room in any home is to make use of vertical space. This goes for bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, laundry rooms, and even corridors. It can be as simple as installing a tall shelf in a transitional space like we see in this hallway by Och-Ach Concept. Suddenly an underutilised area neatly houses books, papers, and mementos. This technique works well in the kitchen as well because we tend to accumulate so many different gadgets and gizmos without necessarily harbouring space to house them. In the bathroom, try hanging your towel rack up high to free up some room. Adhering some knobs or hooks in a closet, laundry room, or entryway will make hanging clothes possible without a coat tree or clothing rail, which take up more space.

Use space under your stairs

Another clever spot to consider when looking to enlarge your living area is the space beneath the stairs. Although this area gets a little bit of a bad rap as Harry Potter’s bedroom at his awful aunt and uncle’s home. Of course we aren’t suggesting that you put up one of your adopted nephews in this small area, but there are lots of perfectly functional options to consider. You could install some shelves here, set up a small home bar, or even add a half bathroom. One of our favourite ideas for using the space underneath the stairs is as a small study like the one featured here. It is a convenient spot to work if you need to stay within earshot of the children or are otherwise prone to multitasking. Alternatively, this works wonderfully as a homework station for your youngsters because they can be supervised in this central location.

Convert your veranda

Finally, let’s look to your home’s exterior. Lots of us have a porch or a veranda. Of course, this space can be absolutely lovely in and of itself, but these areas often go underutilised. If you don’t particularly fancy sitting under your veranda, perhaps it’s time to think about converting it. One way to do this is by adding walls and turning it into a conservatory or sun porch. These areas are just as enchanting and definitely cosier. There are more possibilities for using an enclosed conservatory as a truly functional space than the veranda because it is shielded from the elements and the interior climate can be better controlled. Add a dining table like the one shown above or put some sofas out there to add a sunny sitting room to your home.

If you found these ideas useful, check out this guide on how to use the empty corners of your apartment. Happy decorating! 

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