When it comes to city life, finding the space in your home to do all things you love can be challenging. And these days, we’re home more than ever. As we adjust to our new normal, we need to adapt the way we live and the way we work. Many of us are using our kitchen counters as offices and our coffee tables as desks for remote learning. Therefore, our homes need to be more versatile than ever. So, here are some clever interior design tips to make your home a masterpiece of multifunction.
Where do you start in Designing a Multifunctional Home?
The first thing to remember when designing a multifunctional home is to consider your personal needs. Do you need a quiet place to work? Are you comfortable working where you sleep? Are your kids comfortable virtual learning in their bedroom? Those things matter because your productivity matters. Here are 5 interior design tips for a multifunctional home that will make your space more workable for you as well as more desirable for prospective buyers.
1. Elevate Beds to Create More Space
Especially when it comes to kid’s rooms, space to play and space to sleep is crucial. Many city homes don’t have space for a dedicated play area. Bunk beds and loft beds elevate the sleeping space, making more room for play or study. Beneath loft beds, you can place a desk, book nook, or a pretend play area. These spaces grow with your child too. This extra space can be whatever it needs to be as your child ages. Bunk beds are ideal for children sharing a room and gives them communal space to play.
Adults benefit from loft beds too. These days, there are many small space solutions for sleeping. The space beneath the loft bed may be used for work or even as a petite wardrobe. Again, this bonus space is the key to creating a multifunctional room.
2. Eat-in Kitchens Can Be Formal, Too
In small homes, eat-in kitchens are often your only dining option, and that’s okay! These days, everyone congregates in the kitchen, and that’s because it’s where all the action is happening: drinks are being poured and appetizers being prepared! You can capitalize on all that magnetic energy to which your guests are called. While you might not be hosting much these days, that doesn’t mean you can’t make a space that’s attractive for prospective buyers. Help them envision dinner parties and get-togethers around your kitchen island. Even a two-seater eat-in kitchen can be made more exciting by adding cloth napkins and place settings. Mood lighting may be added with small lamps or a set of lovely candles, and fresh flowers are always a welcome sight.
3. Bring Back the Murphy Bed
The Murphy Bed was born of necessity – the inventor had a driving desire to hide his bed, so he could entertain his friends. Murphy beds have come a long way from their beginnings in small New York apartments. These days, there are murphy beds set into wardrobes, secret wall compartments, or can be mounted horizontally! Murphy beds are a unique way to hide away a sleeping area to reclaim floor space. Now a room can be used for study, crafting, playtime, and so much more. The only limit is our imagination!
4. Integrate Your Home Office…Anywhere!
Most of us living in the city are not lucky enough to have a dedicated office space. Thankfully, there are so many ways to integrate your home office anywhere you want to work in your home. It’s really about your comfort and ability to focus while you work. So, if you are happy to stand at your kitchen counter sipping coffee while catching up on your emails, that’s totally an option. If you prefer a dedicated area to sit and work, take a look around your home. There are plenty of murphy desks or tiny desks available to help you get your work done. A lamp will add extra lighting to work by, and a small area rug under the desk will define the space. Just like that, your workplace vignette will be complete.
5. Clutter Has No Place in a Multifunctional Home
Multifunctional spaces don’t work well if they take too long to transition. A multifunctional home should have integrated spaces, like the home office we discussed above, or it should take one or two steps to transition to another space. You can limit the effort needed by keeping things simple. In small spaces, home decor needs to be minimalist. Everything should have its place and utilize baskets and bins where necessary. Baskets and bins are easy to pick up and move to another area to make room for the desired activity. A clutter-free home also makes your rooms feel larger, and that’s attractive to home buyers.
If all these ideas and interior design tips are not enough to help you reclaim some space in your home, up-sizing is always an option. Today, many buyers are taking advantage of the low-interest rates to buy larger homes. As always, I’m here to offer guidance on today’s real estate market and to guide you in selling your home. While the pandemic is a challenge for us all, we’re learning so much about how to cope in order to continue living our lives, working, and educating our children.
