School’s out for summer! Although, this one may be slightly different if it’s your child’s last summer before going off to college. You’re probably feeling wistful and sad in preparation for the pending empty nest. But if you’re feeling a little bit of “woohoo!” along with your “waaaaahhhh,” don’t feel bad. This rite of passage for your child is also a rite of passage for you. And while some choose to keep their child’s room intact for their occasional visits and/or as some kind of shrine to their formative years, others have that measuring tape all ready to go the minute their kid walks out the door.
Yes, it’s time to reclaim that space and make it your own! Channel that sorrow into productivity while turning your kid’s room into your own private haven. Sure, he or she will be returning home on holidays and summers, but who cares? You’ve earned it, right?
Home office
If you’ve been working from the kitchen table or the couch, perhaps it’s time you had a space of your own. You could bring your laptop into your kid’s room and use their desk…but is that really going to inspire your productivity and creativity? Perhaps this type of thing would give you the motivation you need to succeed.
stylemotivation.com
Game room
Celebrate getting your kid through high school and off to college with a game of pool or foosball or air hockey. Or all three! Maybe think about adding a dart board with a picture of your child’s least favorite teacher from high school in the middle, just to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Art studio/craft space
Now that you don’t have to supervise homework and spend the equivalent of at least a significant part-time job driving to and from and attending kid-related meetings, practices, games, activities, and events, you may actually have some time to take up a hobby. Where better to explore your newfound freedom?!
Man cave
Your child won’t be upset AT ALL when he comes home for Thanksgiving only to find your poker table and home brewery where the bed and dresser used to be. If you’re going to splurge on a space like this, make sure you do it right. Obscenely large TV, check. Comfortable seating, check. Man cave sign, check. That last one is part of Buzzfeed’s 32 Things You Need In Your Man Cave list. Read, digest, go forth.
dudeliving.com
Home theater
Nothing says, “We’re so proud of you!” like stripping away your child’s memories and furnishing and replacing them with a ridiculously huge screen and a sound system that makes the walls shake. And the bonus: Home theaters are a coveted space for buyers should you decide to list your home down the line.
Guest room
If you’re lacking a proper guest space, now’s the time to create one. Sure, you could leave your kid’s walls full of cheerleading pictures and pom-poms and banners, but perhaps some décor that’s a little more guest-friendly is in order. If you are transforming the room into something a tad more neutral and you don’t want to get rid of or store your child’s memorabilia, you can always turn the closet into their own personal sanctuary.
Wine room
Keep in mind that 55 degrees is the sweet spot when it comes to the perfect temperature for storing wine, so you may need to invest in a separate air conditioning system if you’re serious about this wine room thing. Here are a few more climate control tips from Sebring Design Build:
- You’ll need “full room insulation to keep temperatures at a steady range. Make sure the insulation is also a good vapor barrier.”
- For large wine cellars, “a wine cooling system may be necessary. This will also require an adequately sized exhaust room to absorb expelled heat.”
- Does the room stay really dry? “A humidifier will be required.”
Master bath
Most of the other spaces mentioned keep the walls in place so the space could conceivably be turned back into your grown child’s room. This one is a little more indulgent. And permanent. If your home has a shared wall with your college-bound child’s room, it’s practically begging to be turned into a spa bath. You know that soaker tub and walk-in shower are calling your name.
Master closet
Does your child’s bedroom share a wall with your master? Painful! Now is time for a little payback for all those late nights with the TV blaring next door. Knock down those walls and create the master closet of your dreams. She can always camp out on the floor next to your dresses when she’s home on break.
