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Attics are often overlooked despite having the greatest potential in most homes (garages are a close second). Instead of using the attic as storage space for strings of broken holiday lights, boxes of unsorted family photos and clothes you’ll never wear again, transform your attic from the set a spider-webbed horror into a beautiful and usable space. Here are five attic room ideas to consider when you decide to reclaim this space:
1. Home office/crafting space/reading room
The sloping ceilings of most attics make these rooms ideal for sitting or lounging. The effort required to get up to the attic guarantees it will be a low-traffic area, so you can count on fewer interruptions.
Exposed beams in many attics offer all kinds of opportunities to customize seating and work areas with built-in shelves. Take advantage of nooks and crannies, in addition to harnessing whatever natural light the attic gets. Think window seats with storage in a dormer window, long tables with benches under one of the sloping walls, or even a hammock suspended from the center beam.
2. Spa bathroom/home gym
Continuing the “get away from it all” theme, installing a luxurious spa bathroom with a deep tub is a wonderful idea. Naturally, if you take this approach, installing plumbing where there’s never been any before might mean incurring some major expenses. If your idea of exercise is lifting weights or practicing yoga, the large open space can be transformed into a home gym or yoga studio. Whether you choose the spa or gym option (or a combination of both), adequate insulation and ventilation will be a huge factor in your renovation.
3. Master bedroom
The attic can be the ultimate retreat if your children are old enough to sleep on another floor or if your home has a small footprint. Relocating the master bedroom with an en suite in the attic can be a brilliant use of otherwise wasted space. Depending on how you choose to decorate, an attic can be the room to showcase your individuality or break the decorating mold of the rest of the house.
The renovating and decorating options for a large, raw space without an assigned purpose are almost infinite. Center the bed at the room’s high point or put it in an attic nook. Create a reading, morning coffee or daydreaming space in front of a window. Use screens to create privacy around the bed or choose a four-poster with curtains.
4. Children’s clubhouse or playroom
Once kids discover attics, they’re fascinated by them in the same way that they love treehouses. With their sloping ceilings, attics may be the perfect indoor spot for children old enough to play without much supervision. Rather than install a full bathroom, add a powder room with a high partial wall. With any luck and enough toy boxes, this could be a major step in decluttering the more public areas of your home.
If you choose a rustic decor theme, add some insulation to the attic walls and cover them with barn boards that serve as instant art galleries for your children’s masterpieces, increasing both comfort and energy efficiency. If you're prepared to supervise restocking it, a mini fridge would let kids camp indoors while enjoying snacks and beverages. This area could also provide the perfect spot for a sleepover if you furnish it with camp cots or daybeds. In a pinch, use it as an overflow guest room.
Regardless of the option you pick, remodeling the attic to incorporate the space into your everyday life is a good thing. Any attic renovation ideas increase the number of bedrooms and your home’s resale value. You could also rent an extra attic bedroom with powder room and bar fridge on a temporary basis.
Attic renovation can be as extensive as you like. Reclaiming the space can only enhance your home and its comforts.
Article courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate
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