Many of us have spare rooms or spaces in our houses that sit empty. So why not look for ways to create functional spaces in your home?

Whether you have a sitting room that no one uses, a guest bedroom that sees visitors once a year, or something else, you can use these unused spaces to your advantage. If you’re looking for ways to create functional areas in your home, continue reading for a few of my best tips and tricks.

Guest Bedroom as a Playroom

Spare rooms tend to be guest bedrooms, but most people don’t entertain guests all of the time! A lot of the time, it’s sitting there empty. That’s why it’s such a great space to utilize, and if you have kids, I highly recommend making it into a playroom! Having one room in the home where your kids can be themselves and make a bit of a mess is better than them wreaking havoc all over the house. If you’re short on space, I suggest pushing the bed to one wall to free up as much space as possible on the side. You can set up a little play table for the kids to draw, read, have tea parties, and more! You can even set up acrylic shelving on the walls for books and baskets on the floor for toys.

Unused Nook as a Bar

Another area in homes that tend to get overlooked is unused nooks and corners. If there’s a spare nook in your home that requires some TLC, I love the idea of turning it into a makeshift bar area. It doesn’t need to be immense or overwhelming—a simple bar cart will even do! For our Earthly Eclectic home project we worked on, we turned one of the nooks into a bar area, and the result was perfection. Here, we installed a sink, some cabinets, and shelves. It’s an unexpected space that our clients love.

Stair Landing as Lounge Area

If you’re in a more than one-story home, I’m willing to bet the area at the top of your stairs is devoid of home furnishings. But this is a great place to transform into a lounge area! Whether it’s big enough for a couch or a smaller size and can fit a chair or two, I think every home can use more lounging areas. We did just this with our Nestled in Nashville home project. We included two ottomans, two chairs, and a side table. It’s a fantastic area to read, browse on your phone, or enjoy a glass of wine.

Entryway With Storage

The home’s entryway can either be sparse with a simple runner or used as a space for additional storage. And if you need the latter, I suggest using up this unused space! You can do this in a classy and chic way that doesn’t look messy. The best way to do this is by placing something like a cabinet or credenza. For our Newport Nordic home project we worked on, we included a vintage credenza with tons of drawers. Whether you store things like keys, pens, papers, mail, or more, here is entirely up to you.

Creative Corner as Office Space

Last but not least, another place in your home that you can use is an unused corner turned into an office space! Whether you’re working from home or just want a room to check emails, a simple desk and chair will do the job. You can keep things clean and straightforward by placing a desk, chair, and maybe even a lamp. We used this technique for our Coastal Scandinavian home project, and it turned out rather spectacularly!

Thanks for stopping by! If you end up using any of these tips and tricks for creating functional spaces in your home, make sure to tag me on Instagram @LindyeGalloway so I can see the results!

I also think you’ll love learning all about my tips on organizing your home.