But deciding just what to use the extra space for can be difficult, so often the “spare” area is underused and neglected unless its purpose is clear.

Aly Velji of Alykhan Velji Designs in Calgary says it’s imperative to think “multi-functional” when designing a spare room. “Whatever you want the room for, think about other uses. With the availability of wall beds (or Murphy beds as they’re sometimes called) the home office can double as a guest bedroom—combining the two roles easily. With more and more people working from home nowadays it’s a plan every homeowner should consider. Keep the furnishings and decorating from being too utilitarian, and you’ve got a lovely room.”

Kim Meiklejohn of Designer Studio in Edmonton agrees. “There’s no limit to the uses that a room can fill. You could have an office with a daybed or wall bed for overnight guests, and then also have a cupboard that flips open with a drop-down work space for doing crafts or sewing,” she says. She notes that it makes good budget sense to try to incorporate as many existing furnishings as possible, before homeowners purchase additional pieces. “We find we can often design a very nice room around what they already have, by looking at smaller ways of giving a room a purpose.” This includes quick fixes such as window coverings, lamp shades, recovering sofas or chairs, and so on, that are relatively inexpensive but give the room a whole new look.

The home office is perhaps the most popular use for a spare room. If the homeowner is self-employed full time, the entire room may need to be utilized as filing cabinets and desks often require a lot of space. Personal preferences, such as the desire to work near the window, and the need to place furnishings near adequate electrical outlets, can all be considered with some pre-planning. Lighting will need to bright, with both overhead and individual desk lamps.

Decorating with warm colours and using traditional paintings or those reflecting the passions of the worker can personalize the office and still make it feel part of a home. Instead of rigid filing trays, use wicker baskets and buy other accessories that are appropriate for an office that’s away from the conventional business setting.

One increasingly popular idea is to create a family reading room by adding comfortable furnishings and bookcases to an already-existing office space. These can blend in well with the office setting, and the bookcases offer much needed extra storage. Then just stock the room with magazines and books everyone enjoys and set aside a couple of evenings a week for family reading time. Your office/family reading room can be complemented by wall paper, pillows, and pictures which reflect a library or literary theme (such as John Tenniel’s classic drawings of Alice from Alice in Wonderland), a scholarly look that adds prestige to any home office. Soft but adequate lighting supplied by standing lamps will lend an inviting ambience and change your office into a reader’s heaven. Creating a meditation room is becoming a wish list item for busy folks who regularly need a calming few minutes of uninterrupted peace. Big, comfortable cushions on which to sit and a couple of small tables to hold incense burners or candles would be two indispensable items in the room and a trickling water fountain in the corner would lend a sense of nature. “Again, a multi-use focus can come into play by including a daybed that can be converted into a sleeping space for guests,” says Velji.

Pictures on the walls should reflect calming scenes or rainforests and waterfalls or painted walls need to be in blues, greens and lavender—which are known to produce a psychological feeling of peace. Textured wallpaper lends a nice ambience as well.

For the movie buff, a spare room can be turned into a media room, pulled together quickly with the addition of a 27-inch television and DVD player along with a couple of speakers. Or a more elaborate setting can be designed, such as incorporating a big screen that descends from the ceiling and a surround sound system. Installing some of the equipment in a decorative cabinet can allow the room to be used for other purposes, as the doors can be closed over the DVDs, videos, and screen itself.

If the spare room is large enough, it may accommodate a games room. Families will enjoy setting up an area where the adults and children can play board games. A poker table or small pool table can be added in another corner for adult pursuits if the room is large enough. A treadmill or exercise bike in the corner can make the room double as a home gym.

“Whatever its main purpose, make the room homey by accessorizing with all its uses in mind. Put some thought into using decorative pillows, textures, and wall coverings, so it fits in well with your home’s overall design,” adds Velji. “Let your imagination come up with many different things that you can do.”

Paint colours are important, Meiklejohn adds. “The personalities of the people using the room and living in the house need to be your first consideration but also the use of the room dictates colour as well. You can be funkier and bolder with a media or play room, whereas with an office it needs to be less distracting, such as seaside greens and blues,” she says.

Working with a decorating professional is always a good idea when there are so many possibilities, she says. “We’ve designed a whole room around a single pillow that a client loved, so with a little imagination you can come up with a room that’s just right for you.”