One common reason people want to remodel their homes is to gain extra space. Whether your family has grown in number or is growing up, whether you have loved ones living at home or want space to entertain, feeling the pinch might lead you to seek a remodel on your home. But you don’t always need to add an addition. Sometimes rethinking, repurposing, and reimagining your space actually works better to help you meet your goals. Read on for more.

Using Your Home Well

A 2017 study out of UCLA determined that most people only use about 40% of their homes regularly. Most of this activity is centered around the kitchen, breakfast nook, and family room, with other rooms often remaining empty. If this statistic rings true for you, you might feel like you need more space in those high-traffic rooms. What if you could repurpose unused space to expand the places you love the most?

Being creative and making this wasted space into something that serves you and your loved ones is better for the planet (because it reduces your carbon footprint and the materials used in your home remodel) and better for your wallet (because remodeling an existing space is usually less money than building a whole addition). It’s a great option when it works for you.

The Repurposed Dining Room: A Case Study

Formal dining rooms are one of the most unused or underused spaces in many homes. How often do you pull out the formal china and gather around that huge table? Most families are more likely to enjoy an eat-in kitchen or a large island. The casual vibe fits school nights for families and nights in for busy professionals.

We did a large-scale remodel for a client in Palisades that included the repurposing of the dining room. For our client, the formal dining room was wasted space that they wanted to use for something that really suited their family. Together, we came up with a creative solution for their home’s needs.

We divided the formal dining room into three new rooms: a large mud room with seating and storage space, a walk-in pantry with counter space and shelving, and a wet bar complete with multiple small drink coolers, counter space, storage, and more. This provided the family with more practical storage as well as a place to entertain. And it freed up the old pantry to be repurposed as more cabinet space, making the kitchen look bigger and more cohesive, as well as allowing for more storage in that area.

The result was a more functional home that was much better suited to the needs and wants of the homeowner, without any wasted space.

Other Formal Dining Room Ideas

Depending on the layout of your home, the exact remodel we described above may or may not be perfect for you. But there are so many options for repurposing your unused formal dining room. Consider the following:

• Take out walls to make the dining room part of the kitchen, and build a huge custom island as a place to gather.

• Add kitchen cabinets for more storage, right where you need it.

• Create the perfect breakfast nook.

• Create a wet bar or coffee station and add comfy furniture for a lounge feel.

• Make it into a library, home office, or playroom.

• Add a bathroom and repurpose the space into a second primary suite or a master on main, which will be useful for an older family member or to support aging in place.

Repurposing a Formal Living Room

Formal living rooms are another example of spaces that aren’t generally used to their fullest potential. People tend to gravitate toward more casual and comfortable areas like kitchens and family rooms. So an unused formal living room is prime real estate to be repurposed into something useful. 

Open floor plans are popular, and for good reason. They offer a sense of togetherness, they make entertaining easy, and they give a feeling of spaciousness to the home. Consider removing walls and reconfiguring your formal living room into part of an open floor plan. You’ll be amazed at how the feeling and flow of your home changes. 

Modifying the space into a guest bedroom, a second primary suite, or a master on main is another popular idea, giving you more bedroom space without the hassle of an addition. You could also transform it into an office, playroom, home gym, or home theater. Again, think through how your family would most use the space and design it accordingly. Your house is there to support your family and life together, and you can feel free to modify it in whatever way suits your needs best.

Repurposing the Basement

Basements offer a wealth of untapped potential in most homes. Remodeling your basement allows you to make the most of all the square footage your home offers. You gain space without changing your home’s footprint. Basement remodels are as varied as the homeowners who dream them up. Some possibilities include

• An in-law suite or teen suite

• A complete basement apartment including a kitchen

• A workout room

• A wet bar or lounge area

• A home office

• A play space for kids

• A hangout for teens

• A hobby room

• A home theater

Thinking Outside the Box

You don’t always have to add an addition to your home to create more space. Sometimes, the answer to your house woes is right there under your nose–you just need to think about it a little differently. When we remodel a house, we want to make every inch count. If there’s wasted space in your home, we want to find it and make it work for you. 

Our team of designers is great at thinking outside the box, coming up with creative ideas and solutions that make your home the best it can be for your specific needs and wants. We love designing and constructing homes that are tailored to the people who live in them. If you live in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area, we want to help you, too. Contact us today and let’s brainstorm how we can take unused spaces in your home and repurpose them to make your home better for you and the ones you love