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Posted on: July 23, 2007

Small Wonders

By following these tips, you can turn that “odd room out” into one of your favorite spots in the house.

By CTW Features

Trendy kitchen/dining/living areas create one big living space for small homes, but can require homeowners to downsize or invest in storage solutions

Rhonda Geller Seibel, an architect who lives in Santa Monica, Calif., has become an authority on finding creative uses for these small rooms, even though they’re not her primary focus.

“Most of my projects are larger – 3,000 to 14,000 square feet,” says Seibel. “But often, it’s the smaller spaces that get the most use.”

Seibel recommends that homeowners evaluate the room first. Is it really too small to be a bedroom? Seibel says a room as small as 8 feet by 10 feet could be set up as a bedroom, perhaps for a nanny.

If you’ve determined that the room is too small to be a bedroom, or that you’d prefer to put it to another use, there are a few factors to consider. Your hobbies, your budget, the location of the room and whether electricity or plumbing is available will be among the considerations.

Nick Dellos of Nick Dellos Creations, Los Angeles, says that no matter what you decide to do with the space, you should consider adding a -window.

“Since you’re already faced with a small physical area, you don’t want a double negative,” Dellos says. “There’s nothing like a window to improve the quality of life in a room like that.”

Seibel agrees. “The benefit that you gain with natural light is worth the investment,” she says.

Here are some of the possibilities for undersized rooms:

Get down to business

For a simple home office, all you need is a desk, a chair and a computer. Add a phone and a fax machine, and you’re really in business. If your budget allows for it, you can also install custom shelving to accommodate books and files. Even the kids can take advantage of a workspace. Try setting up a children’s study to give the kids a spot where they can do their homework without interruption.

That’s entertainment

If you have large music and/or movie collections, perhaps a media library would be a good way to use that small room.

Dellos knows an audiophile who set up a room with all his equipment and recordings, then had sound piped through the entire house. That way, the entertainment center didn’t have to be the center of attention in his living room. “It tucks it away,” Dellos says.

Perhaps you’d like to reclaim your living room by banishing your children’s video games to a mini-arcade. Set up the video-game system in a room of its own, complete with storage for game cartridges and other equipment. Then the kids can turn up the volume, and you can watch television in peace.

Hobby heaven

Consider your interests when decorating a small space. “It’s a good opportunity to have a hobby room,” Dellos says.

Is someone in the family an artist? Why not create a studio? A photographer could have a home darkroom. Perhaps setting up a sewing room would inspire you to finish that quilt you started years ago.

Collector’s corner

A small room can also serve as a gallery for collectibles. Put your baseball cards, rock ’n’ roll memorabilia, dolls or needlepoint on display for all to see.

Get a workout

Do you wish you could get to the gym more often? Why not set up a gym at home?

“We often incorporate something like a refrigerator, a built-in TV and storage for towels,” Seibel says. “We try to mirror one wall, which makes the room look a lot larger.”

Put in a treadmill and a weight bench for a basic workout area. A boom box or small stereo can provide music to keep you going.

Storage solutions

A small room can serve a variety of storage needs. Perhaps the family’s sports gear could be accommodated with custom-built shelves, hooks and drawers. Maybe a pantry would free up space in the kitchen. Seibel even put in a wine room for one California client. Then, of course, there are closets.

“We find now that a lot of families even want their kids to have a walk-in closet,” Seibel says. “Even a space as small as 5 feet by 6 feet can work for a kid’s closet.”

She suggests putting a dresser and a toy chest inside. And grown-ups always appreciate having more room for their clothing. “Is any room too big for a master closet?” Seibel says with a laugh.