Whether you have a spare room that you’re keen to let out or a spare room you’re looking to spruce up for friends and guests, there are plenty of ways to maximise a spare room’s storage potential and turn it into a multi-functional space.
When you’re living in shared accommodation, you can also make the most of your small space by personalising a small room with bursts of print and colour, making savvy, space-saving furniture choices and using the walls as storage spaces.
We chatted to interiors experts Diana Greenhalgh and Laura Simpson, founders of My Bespoke Room, which helps you design your dream room or home to your specific needs and budget, to get their top five tips on how to make the most of your spare room below…
“Very often instead of acting as a room for your guests and friends to stay in when they visit, the spare room can easily start to become an overflow for storing pieces you just can’t quite squeeze into your wardrobe or linen closet,” explain Laura and Diana.
“The spare room – as well as offering a bed for your guests to sleep in – is also often needed to double up as a multi-functional room, where space tends to be quite limited. Here are our top 5 simple tips so you can make your spare room a true integration of your home and make the most of the space you have with some clever storage solutions.”
1. Make the room multi-functional
Invest in a day bed which can act as a comfy couch by day and a double bed by night, which leaves all important space for an office desk or a snug TV space.
2. Choose an ottoman bed
These are great for giving you additional deep storage for bulky items like spare bedding or winter clothes in summer. They also give you extra floor space to make the room feel bigger. Just keep the ends open to make the room feel larger and give your guests a place to perch when getting dressed.
3. No room for side tables? Mount a small ledge on the wall
If space is tight, a great space-saving solution is to create a decorative ledge mounted on the wall to act as a replacement for the traditional side table, meaning weekend bags and shoes can be stored underneath!
4. Short of working space? Create a closet office
Why not turn the spare room into a working space with your desk and office items? The desk can also act as a dressing table and place to store some smaller items like books, jewellery, wash bags, etc. By using this room as your home office this will also allow you to move all your work items from the living area and make more of your communal space…
5. Have fun with colour
Use colour to brighten up the space and add some personality to a room that is often neglected when it comes to styling and decorating. Not brave enough to do up your master bedroom in Indian yellow? Give guests a pleasant and welcoming surprise by being bold with colour. Always remember to stick to different shades of the same colour to make the space feel bigger and lighter, which should in turn uplift their spirits and make it a room to remember!
