Having an extra room is like the design equivalent of Pandora’s box. What seems like a blessing, unleashes countless questions: Do you turn your spare room into a guest bedroom? Do you use your spare room for yourself? Do you turn it into a home office (and actually put it to use)? What about a designated craft corner? Without a clear purpose in mind, a spare room can easily become a cluttered space and unintended storage room.
Don’t worry, though. Whether you’re experiencing empty nest syndrome because your kid moved out, or are living alone (and aren’t looking to fill that extra room with a roommate), we’ve compiled a list of ideas for transforming your spare room into a dream space you won’t want to hide. Just watch out: you might end up spending all your time in your new favorite room!
Call us biased, but we think bookshelves make the best walls. A wall of books never fails to bring a sense of distinguished luxury to any space. For the bookworms out there, we think transforming your spare room into a reading room is the perfect opportunity to create a tranquil refuge for learning and personal growth. We can’t think of a better way of flaunting your book (and magazine) collection than with a personal reading room.
To start, invest in built-in shelves or a large bookcase, and mount your library on a large wall. There are a number of ways to create a cozy reading nook. Try a wingback armchair with a petite end table topped with a fashionable table lamp for task lighting, or match a love seat with a low-profile coffee table and floor lamp. Our personal favorite, though? Well, it doesn’t get any better than kicking back with your favorite book on a luxe chaise lounge.
Whether you’re an actual musician in need of a practice space, or a music aficionado with a collection of records that could rival Rob Gordon (John Cusack’s music-obsessed character from High Fidelity), a spare room can be just the ticket to your music sanctuary.
Modular bookcases or cabinets will help organize your vinyl collection, and also provides a place for your record player and speakers. You’ll need a cozy seating area to sit back and listen to your favorite tunes, so pull up a seat and enjoy. We recommend a casual sofa and shag rug, which also has the benefit of absorbing sound.
If paying for gym memberships or travelling back and forth to the gym proves too much of a hassle, building a home gym can be just your ticket to push you to achieve your fitness goals. Whether you’re looking for a zen place for meditation, or have more sweat-stimulating ambitions, building a home gym is easier than you think.
It all comes down to essential equipment and smart storage. While a treadmill or elliptical are great, you don’tnecessarily need bulky machines for a full-body workout. Instead, think space-saving equipment that will target all your muscles. A yoga mat provides safe cushioning for floor exercises, free weights and foam blocks are great for strength building and toning, and a jump rope and resistant bands provide you with a cardio burst. If you want to get a little more ambitious, go with a bar. A pull-up bar or ballet barre, that is. A pull-up bar secured above your doorway strengthens your upper body, and a ballet barre can help stabilize you while stretching.
A home theater is a great way to utilize your extra space, and surprisingly very easy to execute. No longer considered an extravagance, a home theater is an achievable luxury perfect for family movie night, or the true cinephiles out there. The bare minimum requires only a blank wall and a projector. We suggest mounting your personal projector up high on a floating shelf opposite your blank wall for a professional touch. Ample comfortable seating like a recliner lounger turns your extra room into a true movie going experience. 
Who says you need to be a kid to have your own playroom? Instead of going out to a bar for a night of fun, bring the party home and convert your spare room into a game room. Place the focus on your favorite games. You can go classic with a game of pool, host a ping pong tournament, play a round on your foosball table or air hockey table, or unleash your inner pinball wizard with a pinball machine. The possibilities are endless. Classic recreation equipment and arcade games are large enough to center your entire room around, which means minimal design effort to decorate the rest of your space.
Be sure to check out more of our favorite looks at LuxeDecor's Style Studio.
