A small home can still be aesthetically luxurious and even spacious, believe it or not. Some homeowners achieve this by adding an extra room, which is possible by building an addition. As a small home is often on a small lot, you may not have a significant amount of real estate to play with.
Even so, there are a lot of ways to expand your house with various room additions. Here are eleven room addition ideas for small homes to maximize the available square footage.
Room Addition Idea #1: Bedrooms
Some complaint about small homes that aren’t built for larger families or have limited bedrooms. With a room addition, you can take the opportunity to craft it into a guest bedroom or a regular everyday bedroom. A bedroom room addition is ideal for a child, roommate, parent, grandparent, or any friend or family member who may be living with you for a time.
Room Addition Idea #2: Bathroom
Some homes don’t have bathrooms installed in the proper places related to multiple levels and where the master bedroom is. In some cases, a room addition can be used to create a bathroom for an accompanying bedroom. You can effectively create a master suite that can be purposed for yourself, a family member, or a friend.
Room Addition Idea #3: Home Office
There are more remote workers and work-from-home offices than ever before. A room addition might be considered if you live in a small home where you need a dedicated work area. The benefit of this is that you can customize what’s being built to accommodate the WFH room you want. Consult with your home builders to customize this office space.
Room Addition Idea #4: Dining Room
Your kitchen may not have a discernible divide between ‘kitchen’ and ‘dining room.’ If that’s true, a room addition might be helpful. Even if it is small, adding a proper dining room can add value to the property and create a larger kitchen. A total redesign of your kitchen-dining room area can add more cabinetry and counter-space and may be a feasible path towards having the kitchen of your dreams.
Room Addition Idea #5: Laundry Room
A laundry room is an amenity that a lot of homebuyers ask about. A chic laundry room doesn’t have to be large. A room addition will need to have plumbing for the washer and such, but beyond that, the rest is up to you. Depending on your home style, you can add noise dampening materials, storage cabinets, and different aesthetics.
Room Addition Idea #6: Try A Bump-Out
A bump-out is another style of room addition that doesn’t involve building a whole new room. You’re adding extra space to an existing room with a bump-out, from a few square feet to 10-15 additional square feet. This is often done for bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, and the like, where this extra space can add value and function.
Room Addition Idea #7: Sun Room
A sunroom is a way to bring lots of natural light into your home while having a comfortable place to sit and observe the environment outside. It’s also a place you may want to put some plants and another home décor to bind the outside to the inside, creating a type of transitional space.
Room Addition Idea #8: Play Room
If you have children, you may enjoy having a casual space towards the back of the house where they and their friends can play. A playroom is a common request for new parents. It’s perfect for maintaining the child’s bedroom as a place of rest. Converting it into a more general entertainment room for all to enjoy can be a delight in the evenings.
Room Addition Idea #9: Reading Nook
The larger the addition, the more it costs. If you want to have a room addition at minimal cost, a way to bump out some space would be to add a reading nook or breakfast nook somewhere that makes sense. These are generally small single-room additions tucked away into specific areas that can be tailored to your interests or lifestyle.
Room Addition Idea #10: Second Story Addition
Another type of room addition, ideal for a small home that doesn’t have much space, is to add a second story somewhere in the home, i.e. above the garage. This is typically done to add a bedroom or create a separate unit. Depending on your budget and space, a bachelor’s style unit may be possible in a small home, adding a small kitchenette and a small bathroom.
Room Addition Idea #11: Add A Rental Space
We’ve hinted at it earlier, but a rental space can be crafted from a room addition. A simple bedroom en-suite with some privacy may be optimum for an Airbnb or monthly rental. This can help provide income to help cover your mortgage and expenses. It may be occasionally used as an in-law suite or to provide somewhere for a friend or family member to crash, such as when/if you have a child returning home come summer while attending post-secondary.
