Having kids home for the summer or as frequent guests may cause homeowners to look at that empty or poorly designed bonus room a little differently right now.
Scattered toys, unorganized books, movies and games, and a mishmash of seating and shelving could drive you to a new plan for the extra space that may have sold you on the home. The spot might be overwhelming because of its sheer size, odd angles due to the roof pitch and placement of windows.
However, bonus rooms can be the ultimate playroom, craft room, theater or game room for kids, grandkids or young family members who visit often. Here are five do’s and don’ts for turning a blank bonus room into a space for playing, crafting, gaming and movie watching.
1. Do plan out the space.
A flat-screen TV, pool table or old furniture may be destined for the bonus room, but it’s important to plan out the design before placing those items into the room. Having a plan can maximize the abundant space a bonus room can offer.
First, consider how you want the room to function. A lot of times home buyers desire a bonus room to have an additional living area for their kids, said Ginny Bryant, director of sales for Lennar Atlanta. But you have to decide: Will it be an all-out playroom, or a media room, or a craft room, or an office, or a blending of them? Since bonus rooms are often above a family or living room, or in the basement, they can be spacious enough to handle multiple functions if the laid out appropriately.
Even with a wall-mounted TV, homeowners should determine what media items need to be hidden and what other items – such as games, puzzles and toys – need to be stored and accessible to kids. Also consider whether you need tables or desks for crafts, computer use and homework projects when the kids go back to school. Those answers could determine the size of a bookcase or shelving system.
Sometimes a bookcase can take up the main wall of the room, serving as the focal point, said Angi Sago, design center director for Traton Homes. For example, when MOSAIC Group [Architects and Remodelers] turned a second-floor bonus room above the kitchen into entertainment space for the north Atlanta homeowners’ children, a built-in bookcase fit into one part of the room as the ceiling sloped on each side.
Also plan additional amenities. Installing a small bar sink can be helpful after kids have painted and done other crafts or eaten a snack, said Judy Mozen, president of Roswell-based Handcrafted Homes and president-elect of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.
2. Don’t design solely for today.
Kids grow up fast, and their needs could change while you live in the home. If you choose a theme with Disney characters, be prepared to redo the walls and furnishings in a couple of years. Instead, consider doing a bright color such as orange or blue on an accent wall, which can be kid-friendly regardless of the ages. Also consider turning one or a couple of walls into chalkboard or magnetic walls to display art projects, Mozen said.
Using texture with special wall panels and wallpaper can give toddlers something to touch or add a hip factor for teens. One product, called Wall Flats, by Inhabit, is embossed with a raised pattern that creates a 3-D effect.
As kids move into their preteen and teen years, there may be a greater need for more sofas and seating areas, compared to the constant motion of kids when they are younger, when beanbags and rocking chairs may be used. Consider the height of tables, which can range from toddler-sized chairs and tables to high-top tables for older kids.
3. Do design with clean-up in mind.
To keep from stepping on Legos, toy cars or other tiny toys, incorporate specific storage areas into the design of the room.
Mozen, who creates playrooms often for clients, recommends open shelving in neutral or primary colors, in addition to cabinets with doors. “It’s not such a good idea for everything to do behind doors,” she said. “If you want the kids to get things up before they come to dinner or when they’re through playing on a Saturday afternoon have open shelving. You can see everything easily. The toys are by themselves the art, the accents.”
A model home by Traton Homes, for example, has a bonus room with bench seating with a lid. Providing that type of storage helps in the cleanup, Sago said.
4. Don’t forget about the floors.
Part of making a bonus room comfortable is the flooring. Carpet is the preferred flooring option among Traton buyers, followed by hardwood floors, Sago said. Hardwood floors can withstand wear and tear, but rugs can soften up the space.
Homeowners and buyers also need to look at how practical their flooring choices are, based on the activities happening in the room, Mozen said. Consider what’s going to happen to the floor when the kids are using paint, magic markers and chalk, as well as drinking and eating in the room, with the potential for spills. In bonus rooms that are on a basement level in particular, Mozen often uses tile flooring.
“Easy cleanup is a big thing to be considering,” she said.
For a current client, Mozen is working with MODA Floors & Interiors to create a colorful checkered pattern on the floor using carpet tile squares. The client plans to purchase extra tiles in the different colors to replace the carpet tiles when needed.
5. Do focus on lighting.
The placement of cable cords may be less of a concern due to wireless technology and more portable devices. There’s not as great of a need to anchor equipment in one spot.
But electrical outlets lighting can’t be ignored, due to factors such as lighting. If you’re using the space for a media room, consider using plantation shutters to cover the windows but sconces or soft lighting on the walls and ceiling, Sago said. If it’s a playroom, consider using can lights, which won’t get in the way of a ball being thrown or toys that sail through the air. Pendants can provide direct lighting above tables for crafts and board games and the shades can add character and color to the room.
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