Meadowlark Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 We are adding on In the Spring. My husband asked me to design what I want. Problem is, I'm clueless! The room will be about 16x16 and off of our kitchen. We have an open floor plan ranch home with a living room also off the other side do the kitchen. The obvious response here might be homeschool room, but I don't want that. I want it to be comfy, but useful in some way. Dh is thinking just another living area, maybe with a TV. (We don't currently have a TV upstairs). I feel like it should be more than that, but I can't think of what. What would you do with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Definitely a family room/media room/library. We live in a teeny tiny house. LR/DR/Kitchen and 3 BR for 5 people. I'd love a 1/2 bath, family room and one more bedroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Definitely a family room/media room/library. We live in a teeny tiny house. LR/DR/Kitchen and 3 BR for 5 people. I'd love a 1/2 bath, family room and one more bedroom. :iagree: I'd make it a family room and a half bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I'd like an additional space where the family can gather, but not necessarily to all do the same things at the same time. My dream room would have an area to leave the sewing machine and various craft projects out, a place for puzzles and board games to be stored and used, without having to put them away immediately, and probably one of the house's computers. If it had a futon or sofa that could be used for a guest, that would be a bonus. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 We're currently very small. If I could build on a 16x16 room that room would become a bedroom for dh and I, and our current 7 x 7 bedroom (barely fits our bed) would become a library/school room/play room. Or a bedroom until oldest dd moves out for good, then a library/school room We could also use a half-bath. One bathroom for 4/5 people is sometimes not workable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 In your case, I agree with family room and half bath. In my case, I'd like another bedroom w/ bath, a laundry room, and a coat closet/mud room. My dh thinks I'm nuts, but I hate eating in the kitchen at the table..... I'd love an area off the kitchen with couches and a coffee table for eating meals and hanging out - instead of a dining table. It's okay if you think that's crazy, so does everyone else, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 off the kitchen? a family room type room. I assume it will get more use than your living room, and be more casual. a tv, bookcases, a writing desk (with hardwire internet) for me. if you have a 'family room' type area in your basement, this could free that up to be your school room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soufflegirl Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Laundry room/mud room like the ones on Pinterest. Lots of cabinet/closet space and baskets and hooks for coats and a washer/dryer that isn't stacked. One day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 ..... I'd love an area off the kitchen with couches and a coffee table for eating meals and hanging out I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 It'd be another living space at our house. We have a basic 1960s rancher with one regular sized (small) living space for nine of us, so I'd love to have a larger hang-out space. It'd have a dining table, the vast majority of the bookshelves, the television and the piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Library! A family-room type library, with bookshelves out the wazoo and a globe and comfortable reading chairs and nice lamps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Adult/teen retreat. We have the kids toys and kid accessible things in the lounge room where we spend much of our day, but we also have an adult lounge room where we host friends, the craft stuff is up there, as is the bar. The piano is there and my husbands hobby work. It nice to just leave the mess, the chaos, and have one room off limits to little fingers where we can be comfortable, relax, bring people if they arrive at the house unexpectedly (always company ready) etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Elle Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 In your case, I vote for a library. We are adding on right now. My oldest son is getting his own room and my husband is getting a man cave. He is a musician and I can't tell you how happy I am that he will have someplace else to practice the same phrase for hours and put his ever growing supply of music stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I vote for the extra living space, someplace where you can hang out, eat, watch TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I would do a library and add a piano and a sectional for lounging while reading. Or maybe daybeds because I'd want to sleep in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Χά�ων Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Depending on the sun/shade a greenhouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 Library! A family-room type library, with bookshelves out the wazoo and a globe and comfortable reading chairs and nice lamps. I love the idea of getting my books out of storage...all 10 bins of them! The only problem may be little hands constantly taking them off the shelves. We all so have a clavinova downstairs so it would be nice to have that up here as well. I'm kind of enjoying not having a TV because then there is no temptation to turn it on. But there ARE times (like now with the Olympics) that I I wish we had one. Mmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I would love a mud room, with shelves and hooks and spaces for all the shoes/coats/bags/you name it. That's what I would choose to have. I could also see building a family room geared toward a bit of privacy for teens, as we don't really have that. And a dedicated craft room would be awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinsomeCreek Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 off the kitchen? a family room type room. I assume it will get more use than your living room, and be more casual. a tv, bookcases, a writing desk (with hardwire internet) for me. if you have a 'family room' type area in your basement, this could free that up to be your school room.Yes, the family room next to the kitchen! We have friends with this set-up: kitchen-eating-family space. It is so family friendly and I envy it every time we are over. I would do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I would (and did) include a coffee/beverage station: a small under-counter fridge for drinks and a spot for my husband's Keurig. It keeps the family nearby but out of my way while I am cooking, since that is always when they want to drink and snack. Eta: I would have included a sink if I had had a source of water and drainage nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Bathroom! Bathroom! Bathroom! Bathroom! Bathroom! Bathroom! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I know some people who dream of adding on in order to have an indoor (all-season) jacuzzi, with lots of windows to enjoy the view. Personally I wouldn't want that, but it's an idea. :) I plan on doing an add-on some time in the next several years, so that each of my kids can have her own private dormer or bedroom. Right now they share a small room which just barely fits their bunkbed, dresser, bookcase and desk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 We already have a library and a playroom ... those would have been my first choices also and our family room is nice. We work from home and are currently using the largest non-master bedroom for our office. We would love to actually have an office so we could give this room to DD and make her bedroom a guest bedroom. We frequently have guests that can stay for 5 days to a month and right now DS and the guest bed are in one room. It's a small room too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabella Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 For me, because I have enough living space, I would make it a walk in pantry/butler's kitchen/storage room. Bliss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 if we added any room we would have to knock off the back porch area soooo I would have a large portion for a library/school room and another part walled off for a better craft room than what I have now....and have them put a nicer screened in back porch area with fans and lights...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Another vote for a family friendly library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 It depends what you already have in your house - dining area, mud and utility room, entertainment area? If I had an extra room I'd put in a library with custom wall to wall bookshelves with larger shelves at the bottom for books, games, crafts, etc. I'd include a sewing station with doors that can close off the unfinished projects. If you're a crafter, I'd make space for that. Basically a study / teenage pad / craft room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Just popping back in to say BATHROOM! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Apparently, bathrooms are lacking! :-) We are actually good there, and God knows the 4 I have are hard enough to keep clean! This will be a living space of some sort for sure. I've gotten some good ideas here for what to out in it though. Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 You say you are lacking a child bedroom and needing a bigger Then why aren't you turning the new space into the family office? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I don't really need another room but about 2 feet added to each side of all the rooms I already have would be just perfect! Maybe I would add on a mudroom/utility room...someplace to come in from outside and store shoes...I never seem to know where to put those in this house and I love those cubby things for putting stuff into like bookbags and shoes and hanging coats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Well, what made you decide you should add on? It seems like that would give you your answer. For example, when our family of six was living in 900 square feet, I knew exactly why I wanted to add on--a fourth bedroom, a second bathroom, a living space that was not in the same room as our business office, and someplace to store all the boots, mittens, hats, snowpants, that four kids need during the winter in Vermont. Our house right now is plenty big, but the entry way is cramped and does not work well for a family. (See the previous comment about the amount of winter gear.) So, if I were to add on, it would be to bump out the entry way and put in better storage, a place to sit to put on boots, etc. In my opinion, if you don't have a need that you can clearly articulate, it's not worth the expense and hassle of adding on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Well, what made you decide you should add on? It seems like that would give you your answer. For example, when our family of six was living in 900 square feet, I knew exactly why I wanted to add on--a fourth bedroom, a second bathroom, a living space that was not in the same room as our business office, and someplace to store all the boots, mittens, hats, snowpants, that four kids need during the winter in Vermont. Our house right now is plenty big, but the entry way is cramped and does not work well for a family. (See the previous comment about the amount of winter gear.) So, if I were to add on, it would be to bump out the entry way and put in better storage, a place to sit to put on boots, etc. In my opinion, if you don't have a need that you can clearly articulate, it's not worth the expense and hassle of adding on. I agree. I'm baffled by deciding to add on to one's home without an idea of *what* to add. As to what I would add, another bedroom and half bath, a homeschool room/library, and a garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 We are looking at adding on. Right now we are strongly considering a 2.5 car garage with a 2nd story plumbed and ready to be finished when we can/want to. In the meantime it will be storage. The 2.5 car garage downstairs would house 1 car, a workshop, and the 1/2 would be for our riding mower and lawn tools. Where it will be added is off the current 1.5 car garage, so we want that 1.5 car garage area turned into an actual room in our house (family room/game room/ sewing area), so really, the immediate add on would be the garage conversion. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadowlark Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 I agree. I'm baffled by deciding to add on to one's home without an idea of *what* to add. As to what I would add, another bedroom and half bath, a homeschool room/library, and a garage. Ha ha, so true! This decision has been back and forth so many times. When we first moved in, we immediately saw the potential for a sunroom of sorts. We had one in our last house and LOVED it. Wee really don't need it though, but we are getting a new roof in the spring and it's kind of like now or never...we don't want to regret not doing it, I left it up to my DH, and he says "we're doing it!" Oh, and the other reason is that our upstairs is an open floor plan. So, I can never get away from the kids or the messy kitchen. I would kind of like a "retreat" so to speak to escape to. I'd much rather be curled up by a fireplace in a small, cozy room by myself, than out in the open. I'm hoping to create something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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