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.