Home extensions in London have provided relief for those that continue to grow their households or cannot afford to purchase a house in the current climate. At Home Tales, we offer an amazing service for homeowners looking to improve their homes. As a ground floor extension company in London, we understand the limitations of a city property and we continuously provide our clients with beautifully finished home renovations.

We have observed that some Londoners own properties with rooms that go unused, and we’d hate to see your space go to waste. That’s why we wanted to talk about what homeowners can do with that small box room that they don’t quite know how to utilise. In our images below, we have used a 2 metre by 2 metre room, with a average ceiling height of 2.4 metres. That being said, these plans are not 100% to scale.

Shower room

Converting your box room into an extra shower room can add great value to your property. It is always desirable to have multiple bathrooms, as it offers many benefits to the homeowner. This extra room will allow you to avoid the issue of the morning race to the bathroom, ensuring that you aren’t late for work or school. It also offers privacy, as a bathroom can be designated to guests while the family bathroom remain untouched. This is particularly helpful for people who are hyper-aware of germs post-covid. If this box room is on the ground floor, it would be even better, as it would be highly accessible for those with mobility issues. They are able to avoid travelling up a flight of stairs.

Home office

Plenty of londoners have chosen to install a home office in response to the pandemic, creating the perfect purpose for a box room. It offers the privacy you need to work, allowing for better productivity and less distraction. You can maintain a work/life balance that will contribute to a less stressful home life, as you can close your door (and your work) behind you. Having this dedicated space also adds value to your property by 5%-10%, depending on the size. As it requires minimal alterations to the internal structure, decorating this space is affordable. A study would be a great addition to your home as everyone within your household can use it, and you can even create a schedule to delegate when others can use the space.

Nursery

If you have a baby on the way, you’ll understand the chaos that goes on in your house in preparation for the birth. Converting your box room into a nursery can truly make life easier, as it will assure less clutter will be present throughout your home. Your baby’s toys and essentials can be stored here, and in the future, the room can be converted to a small child’s room. It is also a safer alternative to co-sleeping, as keeping your new born with you in bed is not recommended. Mum can get a bit more privacy when breastfeeding, especially when there are visitors. Overall, parents can reap the benefits of this room, as they can maintain their own space to relax and unwind (when baby allows them to).

Knock it down

In contrast, if you are not in need of the extra room, consider knocking back a wall to reveal an open space. This may create a larger landing space, cosy snug, or dressing area, further contributing to a home that has an open plan layout. If your landing space does not get any natural light, open up a room like this to introduce daylight to the dark areas. Have fun with decorating this space by changing up the wall paint or going all out on your décor, as it is an incredibly versatile space that will be viewed by visitors.

Home gym

Some of us have fallen victim to the lockdown-15, meaning we have gained weight and lost muscle from sitting around at home all day. This is detrimental to your physical and mental wellbeing, so introducing a home gym would be the perfect solution. You could install a Peloton, weightlifting bench, treadmill, the list goes on. If you do not want any machines, you can make this into a matted exercise/yoga space. When working from home, take a break by letting off some steam from your stressful workday. Having this space can further aid you in maintaining a regular routine or exercise, work, play.

TV room

Lastly, you may want to consider converting this room into an entertainment room. Although it is small, we prefer to see it as cosy and intimate. Add some comfortable furniture and a TV on the opposite wall, and adorn the floor with a plush, soft rug to truly get the most of this room. You can even swap the sofa out for a sofa bed, making it a temporary guest room in emergency situations. Even better, you can have a cinema night-in by rolling down some black out blinds and turning the lights out. Amazing for any movie buffs! Whip the popcorn out too as a smaller room means easier clean up.

It’s amazing how versatile one small room can be, there seems to be endless possibilities! We love sharing our design ideas with you, and if you would like to discuss any of your home improvement projects with us further, please do not hesitate to call us on 02070432378. Alternatively, you can email us at hello@hometales.co.uk or book a free telephone consultation online with us here.