10 Clever Ways to Use Your Spare Room
Words by Michaela Quinn
June 06, 2024
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7m
Whether you've upgraded to a bigger home with more space or your teen has recently flown the nest, you may have found yourself with a spare bedroom and no idea what to do with it.
Spare rooms often become an empty, unused area or a dumping ground for items that have no other home. Usually the smallest room in the house, they can be difficult to utilise as a practical space. However, with a bit of planning and clever design, you can make the most of your extra room and create a space that works for everyone.
Here are ten great ways to use your spare room.
1. Guest Bedroom
Perhaps the most obvious thing to do with your spare room is turn it into a beautiful guest bedroom. Having a dedicated room for guests is perfect if you have friends and family staying with you regularly and means you don't have the stress of switching rooms and pulling out sofa beds at the last minute. Your spare room will be ready and waiting!
The perfect guest room combines comfort and luxurious style to create a hotel-like space where friends and family can relax. It should also be versatile enough to suit guests of all ages.
An ottoman bed is the ideal choice for a guest room. Featuring a great deal of hidden storage space inside, it helps you keep the space tidy and clutter free so guests can make themselves at home. Add layers of soft bedding and plump pillows to create a perfect welcome.
2. Home Office
An office space is a useful addition to any home, and is an especially fitting spare room idea for those who've found themselves working from home recently. A dedicated home office gives you somewhere to store things like your computer, printer, paperwork and bills that often take over the house.
It's also a great idea if you have teenagers in the house, providing them with a peaceful place to study.
For a cohesive look with plenty of storage, create an elegant home office with a matching office range such as the Villiers. Or for smaller spaces, a slim desk and a comfy swivel chair will do nicely.
3. Dressing Room
Have you always dreamed of having your own walk-in wardrobe and dressing room? Then that's how to use your spare room! Not just a luxury, a dressing room provides a practical space where you can store all of your clothes, accessories, makeup and beauty products that would otherwise take up space in your bedroom.
To turn your spare room into a dressing room, all you need is a chic dressing table and lots of stylish storage.
Sliding door wardrobes are a great choice for smaller rooms; they'll provide lots of space to hide away your clothes, shoes and bags and many also feature mirrored panels so you can check your outfit.
4. Reading Room
For those who love to read, we have the perfect spare room idea. Create yourself a relaxing reading area where you can get lost in a good book on an evening. All you need to make a reading room is a comfy armchair, a good lamp and a bookcase filled with your favourite novels.
For the ultimate in comfort, look no further than Stressless. Featuring all of the latest technology to help you find the perfect position, a recliner chair is the most luxurious place to put your feet up and sink into a new story.
5. Home Cinema
If you're a film buff who's always hogging the TV, turn your unused room into a dedicated cinema room. Add a comfy corner sofa for lounging on, then set the scene with a big screen TV or projector screen. Set up a popcorn machine and a mini fridge and you've got the perfect place for watching the latest releases.
A wall mounted media unit with integrated lighting makes the perfect place to display your TV, often complete with a multitude of drawers where you can store your remotes and cinema snacks. Whatever size of spare room you're working with, you'll find a suitable piece in our full range of TV stands and cabinets.
6. Games Room
Whether you're a child at heart or you need a way to keep the kids entertained, why not turn your spare room into a games room? From pool and ping pong to darts and dominoes, imagine having your very own entertainment space to invite your friends to.
A stylish cocktail cabinet would make a fun addition to an adult-only entertainment space, with plenty of room for bottles, glasses and cocktail equipment inside. Or how about a trendy bar cart that doubles up as a decorative piece? We've got drinks trolleys in a wide range of sizes, which are perfect if you don't have the space for a home bar.
7. Playroom
If you can’t decide what to do with your spare room, why not ask the kids for help? They’re sure to like the sound of a playroom, and you’ll be glad to have somewhere to keep their toys out of sight. The Ercol Bosco storage bench is topped with a cushioned seat, giving you somewhere to supervise your little ones in comfort, then hide away the mess with ease.
Even better, this spare room idea can double up as an educational room, which is perfect for keeping homework and home-schooling separate from the rest of the house. The simply designed Pippin children’s desk contains shelf space underneath, ideal for tidying away books and stationery. While the striking Lou Lou chair from Kartell is a colourful and lightweight seat that can be wiped clean.
8. Home Studio
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or are considering a new creative hobby, having a home studio on your hands will make it much easier to set aside time and focus.
We’ve got plenty of stylish display cabinets for showing off your creations or storing away art supplies and tools.
When tackling long tasks, a comfortable work chair is essential. Add in one of our angled desk lamps and you’re all set.
9. Man Cave
Despite its outdated moniker, a man cave remains one of the most popular guises for a spare room; essentially a chilled-out space to relax in, or somewhere to share with friends when the living room is occupied.
Create the quintessential man cave look with Timothy Oulton. From equestrian-inspired leather chairs to industrial style storage and Union Jack motifs, this luxury brand will give any spare room an edge. Opt for a trunk coffee table for quirky charm, the perfect place to store away glasses, game controllers or DVDs. And for a final fun touch, the Rex bar cabinet will keep cool drinks on hand, so you don’t have to venture downstairs.
10. Multipurpose Room
If you don’t want to commit to one idea, the best thing to do with your empty room is to make it a multipurpose room instead. Combine a couple of our spare room ideas, or simply prioritise what your home needs.
The Lutyen dresser is a cleverly designed chest of drawers, with a vanity extension which can be pulled out to offer extra surface area. Perfect as a dressing table or for using as a work-from-home desk, it’ll really help you make the most of your spare room and manage the overflow from your wardrobe.
If you still want somewhere for guests to sleep, why not introduce a sofa bed? Great for those who don’t often have visitors staying over, a sofa bed will make your spare room comfortable while still leaving space to dry your washing if needed.