If you just bought a home with more bedrooms than you had before, or if you’re a recent empty-nester, it can be tough to decide what to do with the extra space. Redfin real estate agents have seen thousands of homes while out on tours with clients, so we decided to ask them what they’ve witnessed when it comes to extra bedrooms. While we expected to hear about home offices and gyms, some of the responses were, well, creative, to say the least.
Here are our favorite responses from the Redfin Agent Survey regarding extra bedroom uses:
- “I had one client who used his extra bedroom for his Pez dispenser collection. That was one of their requirements for buying a home.”
- “I saw a bedroom in a basement that was literally wall-to-wall carpet. It had carpet on the walls all the way up to the ceiling. It felt like a corduroy leisure suit.”
- “I have actually seen an art room where the seller painted a larger-than-life sized portrait of Stevie Ray Vaughan on the wall. They also had Jimi Hendrix in another bedroom and Eric Clapton on the formal living room wall!”
- “They created a putting green in the attic with holes in the floor, green turf and a simulator!”
- “Art skull storage”
- “Cat room”
- “Hammock room”
- “A doll room; just a room full of dolls”
- “Stamp collecting room (literally thousands of stamps)”
- “Puppy breeding room”
- “Motorcycle display”
- “Ski tuning area”
- “Personal dry cleaning room”
- “Sports figures collection”
- “Gun and sword collection display room”
If you’re looking for extra bedroom ideas, here are some of the more practical responses we received:
- Ballet studio
- Billiards room
- Craft/art/sewing/hobby/gift wrapping room
- Extra bedroom
- Hair salon
- Home office
- Homeschooling room
- Kids’ play room
- Man cave
- Massage room
- Metal shop
- Photography dark room
- Reading room/library
- Recording studio
- Storage
- Train set room
- TV/movie/game room
- Walk-in closet
- Wine room
- Yoga/meditation/prayer room
Warning: if you use an extra bedroom for anything other than a bedroom, be prepared to change it when it’s time to sell your home. According to Redfin real estate agent Bree Al-Rashid, “To get the full market potential on your home, a bedroom should be staged as a bedroom. Clear out any extra items beyond a bed, nightstand or dresser. That enables the potential buyer to easily visualize what it will look like as a bedroom, which is the most common use of an extra room.”
For more home design inspiration, check out Redfin Collections, where you can browse, collect, and share beautiful photos of homes for sale on Redfin.
How do you use an extra bedroom in your home? Let us know via Facebook, Twitter, G+ or in the comments below.