Adding More Living Space to Your Home
Just because a room has been designated the living room does not mean it is the only space in your home you can use as a living area. If you look at your home with new eyes you may be able to see that there are several places that could be used as additional living space.
1. Open up Your Room
If the room which is next to your living area is little used you may be able to knock down the dividing wall and make one large space. (Be sure to check with a professional building surveyor first before you pick up a sledgehammer!)
2. Check Upstairs and Downstairs
Although we are used to living rooms at ground level there may be room for extra living space if you take over a basement, bedroom or attic. If your basement has access to the garden or a terrace so much the better.
3. Add Activity Areas
If your living room is too small or crowded and you don’t have room to expand see if you have space to add a comfortable chair within another room. A sofa in the kitchen where you can watch TV, or a comfortable chair in a corner of the hall where you can read your book in peace can make all the difference. Make the areas special with a small table and lamp and a soft floor rug too. You could even create a little office area under the stairs to relieve pressure on everything having to be in the living room.
4. Look for Unusual Places
If you have a walk in closet or box room you may be able to kit it out as a cozy retreat for reading or listening to music. You may also be able to create a refuge for yourself in a garage or outbuilding if you line the walls and fit your outside building nicely with flooring and even extra windows.