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bonus room design ideas for 2019 flex room design ideas

Flex Room Ideas 2019

I’m building a new custom home and there’s a room on the plans labeled “flex”. I find myself asking, what is a flex room and what are some great flex room ideas? What can a bonus room be used for? How should it be designed? How should a flex room be styled? I’ve looked at hundreds of home pics online and a bunch of magazines but I’m still not sure what I should do, can you help?

What Is A Flex Room?

Flex rooms are rooms without a pre-determined purpose like a kitchen or bathroom. Sometimes referred to as a “flex” room because they’re designed to be flexible. Labeled simply on a blueprint as ‘flex’ or ‘bonus’. Basically, a flex room is defined as a room you can do whatever you want with. This is your chance to create a personal space that’s completely unique. Flex room ideas are honestly pretty easy to come up with since a flex room can be turned into almost anything. But to truly do it right takes time and planning.

Our top Flex room ideas for 2019. At Gambrick, our design team spends months crafting each home to our clients individual needs. No matter how much time and planning goes into a home’s design the most important thing is that your home feels like your home. Each client has a different lifestyle that may change over time, so the best designed homes need to be flexible. That’s where a flex room comes into play. Here are some great flex room ideas we hope will inspire you to turn your bonus room into something special.

What To Do With Your Flex Room?

The possibilities are nearly endless. Think about the space itself. What rooms is it next to? What floor is it on? Will it be accessible for guests or something private? Would it be a quiet place to get work done or somewhere to gather with friends and family? With a little time and creativity you can turn this flexible living space into your favorite room in the house.

Think about what you wished you had or what feels missing. Maybe it’s a quiet room to sit and relax in. A home office or library. A room to do crafts or hobbies in. Or a playroom for the kids. Bonus rooms are great because they’re so easy to turn into whatever your family needs whenever they need it.  Today you may need a nursery for the new baby but in a couple years a home gym or home office may work better.

With a little thought and creativity a flex room can become just about anything.

Flex Room Decor Ideas

Flex rooms are just like any other room of the house and should be styled according to the rooms purpose. So we recommend starting there. Determine what you’ll be using the room for and then look for ideas that fit. The only tip we’d recommend is to keep in mind bonus rooms are meant to be flexible over time. They’re not designated like a kitchen or bath is. So try and select furniture and other decor that are multi purpose.

If your using the flex room as an office today, keep in mind that some day it could be a spare bedroom, home gym or nursery. 

Our Top Flex Room Ideas

flex room ideas - entertainment room - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

Entertainment Room

What is a flex room? How about turning your bonus room into a space designed to have fun in. The perfect place for entertaining or relaxing with a private movie theater, pool table or video game setup. By having a dedicated entertainment space. You won’t have to worry about disturbing the rest of the family while playing your favorite video games or watching football on Monday night with some friends. Bonus entertainment rooms quickly become the gathering point for friends and family whenever you have guests at the house.

Bonus room are super easy to turn into entertainment rooms too. All it really takes are some comfortable couches, a tv and some friends.

Flex rooms make the best all around entertainment rooms when they’re located on the main floor of the home near the kitchen and bathrooms because that’s where guests will primarily stay. But they can make a great entertainment room for your family and close friends on the 2nd floor too. A great place to relax and watch a movie together before bed.

flex room ideas - Home Office - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

Flex Room Office

Some clients can’t just leave all their work at the office. If your one of these people then a great bonus room idea is a home office or study. You’ll have the perfect spot to get some work done when you need a quiet place to concentrate. When your not working use it to relax and read a good book or surf the web.

A great flex room idea for any entrepreneur or professional wanting to spend more time working from home. Being at home can be distracting so having a dedicated work space is a huge plus.

Many of our clients also use their flex room home office to store small gym equipment so they can maximize their time by getting a workout in whenever they have spare time. It’s also a great place for kids to study or do their homework without the distractions of tv, phones or video games.

flex room doors white french glass doors with grills brushed nickel hardware home office

Flex Room Doors

Because a Flex Room is designed to be flexible, flex room doors can be anything you want. You have a lot more flexibility to be creative with a flex room than you do with other rooms. For example, you would never put french glass doors leading into a bathroom but they work great as flex room doors. Barn doors work great on a flex room too and some homeowners even choose no door at all.

A flex room might be defined as having several options within the same square footage. Because a flex room’s purpose is undefined you have more freedom to be creative with things like the door.

Homeowners typically have three or four ideas for what to do with a flex room, whether they want it to be a home office, nursery, a game room or another guest bedroom. The door you choose should be something that works for multiple purposes.

The chief benefit of a flex room is that the space is used in the way that best fits the buyer’s needs. Flex rooms provide additional flexibility in how homeowners want to use their home.

Above we see a flex room office with french glass doors, wood floors and area rug. When a home office isn’t needed anymore this room could easily be turned into another bedroom, a nursery, play room, game room, study, exercise room or whatever the homeowner needs. These flex room doors will suit multiple uses which is perfect for a room that can change over time.

flex room ideas - Hobby room - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

Hobby Room

What is a flex room? how about a space dedicated solely to your passion in life. Whether you’re an artist, collector, gamer or fitness nut. Flex rooms provide an area in your home that’s all about your favorite hobby.

A great room to relax in after work or on the weekends. Get together with friends and family. Or just just kick back and have fun with all your favorite stuff. The best flex room ideas are flexible. A cool hobby room can be used for just about anything you like whenever you like.

Flex rooms are also great at removing clutter from the rest of the house. Without a dedicated space for all your collectibles and hobby stuff things can end up scattered all over the place. And since the flex room is generally apart from the rest of the home, as in not a part of the main living space like a kitchen or living room is, you don’t have to worry if it gets a little messy.

flex room ideas - Reading room - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

A Reading Room

Flex rooms can become your sanctuary. What is a flex room? A place totally dedicated to your relaxation. Create a quiet personal space where you can unwind with a good book and finally just relax. A reading room is a great place to escape the noise and stress of a busy house. No TV, telephone or computer required. Just a great book and some much needed peace and quiet.

A flex room converted into a reading room is also a great place to write. The perfect space for any aspiring writer or blogger.

flex room - Home Gym - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

Home Gym

Fitness should be simple and practical. Everything about packing a gym bag and heading to a gym to workout just isn’t. Gym’s can be a pain to travel to and overcrowded. For some people it can be uncomfortable working out with a lot of people staring at them. How can you stay fit and healthy with obstacles like this in your way?

Owning a home gym solves a lot of these problems. Fit in a quick session any time during the day or night. With a home gum you have the flexibility to work out any time you like however you like without any issues getting in your way. It’s also nice getting into your own shower after a hard workout instead of the ones at your local gym.

what is a flex room? flex room office with a view white office decor

Flex Room Office With A View

While you may not have a dedicated home office in your home. A bonus room is the perfect place to make one.

Your kitchen table or a desk tucked into a corner of a bedroom is a good place to get started with a home based business, but as you grow, you’ll want to design an office that supports your work. The ideal home office should be free from work time distractions and has a door. Both of which make it easy to divide work time from personal time. Even though your working at home your still working so being able to shut the door and get some quite is a big advantage.

Along with being away from high traffic areas, you should think about other distractions, like whether or not to include a TV. Styling the room just as you would if you were at your actual office can be a benefit for work, but don’t forget that your still in your home so some amenities could be included in the design.

flex room ideas - Customize your home - Top New Home Builder Gambrick

Flex Room Ideas Made for Anyone

There are plenty of other uses for a flex room and lots of other great flex room ideas. Whether you want to use your bonus room as a guest bedroom, a nursery or playroom for the kids, what you do with your flex room is totally up to you. That’s the whole point after all. Bonus rooms are really multi purpose rooms. Designed to be flexible. They’re not dedicated rooms like a kitchen, bath or laundry room. Use your imagination and turn your bonus room into something special.

That’s why having a multi purpose room in your new Custom Home built by Gambrick is so great. You can change the room’s function as your lifestyle evolves over time. A flex room lets you maximize the square footage of your home and allows for change. That nursery you need today can become your home office, gym or game room tomorrow.

Bonus rooms provide the perfect opportunity to personalize your home. Create the home your life demands now with the flexibility to change over time. Here are a few more design options for you to consider when designing your flex room.

flex room bedroom modern bedroom with concrete floor and folding doors

Flex Room Bedroom

Flex rooms make great extra bedrooms. Although since the room isn’t actually designed to be a bedroom it may sometimes take some time finding the perfect layout.

There isn’t a magic trick to laying out a flex room bedroom. There’s usually an obvious main wall to put the bed. Don’t get too clever as far as placement like floating the bed frame in the middle of the room or at an angle in the corner. Keep it simple. Place the bed in the center of the main wall, rather than pushing one side up against the adjacent wall. Having room to walk on either side is key not only for room flow but also to give you space to make your bed.

Once you’ve placed the bed the rest of the rooms easy. If you have a huge door like the example above it’s the perfect spot for a small sitting area. Design major features first and secondary items next like the dresser, end tables or shelves.

flex room ideas. design ideas for a flex room. a combination room.

Make a Combination Room

Create a multi purpose room that can easily transform between a playroom, guest room, or entertainment center based on what you need and when you need it.

Use furniture with hidden storage to hide toys or office supplies when you need the bedroom. Include an ottoman, shelves or an armoire for additional storage. Or even an extra refrigerator or freezer for when you need it.

Combination rooms are great because they remain flexible even while your using them. Most flex rooms eventually get turning into something dedicated but a combination room is truly multi purpose.

flex room ideas. design ideas for your flex room. a new nursery.

A New Nursery

Turn your flex room into a cozy new nursery. Flex rooms make a perfect nursery since they can easily transform again as soon as the baby is grown enough to need a bedroom. With a crib, comfortable chair, and a multi function changing table a flex room becomes the ideal nursery.

A Family Room

A great bonus room idea is a 2nd family room dedicated to just relaxing with the family. This is a room generally with no TV. Sometimes called a sitting room, it’s a great place to hang out, read, surf the web, play board games or just sit and talk. It’s rare to have a room to just sit, talk and drink a cup of tea in.

These rooms are great if they’re enclosed so you can just shut the door and get some piece and quite whenever you feel the need. A glass single or french door works best and they’re easy to install if your flex room didn’t come with a door, inexpensive too.

flex room ideas top bonus room ideas for 2019 A home streaming room Gambrick Luxury Home Builders

Home Streaming Room

Ever think about becoming a professional streamer or just doing it as a hobby. Streaming from home has become a great way to have fun while earning extra money from home. In some cases, the most popular streamers even make millions of dollars per year.

If you’ve considered streaming and you want to do it in more than a casual way then you’ll need a dedicated room to do it in. All it takes is the right equipment, an internet connection and a single day to turn your flex room in to the ultimate streaming room.

flex room design ideas bonus room designs for 2019

Flex Rooms Are Easy To Change

A flex room is essentially an extra room or bonus room in your home that you’re not using as a bedroom. These spare rooms are extremely useful because you can customize them to fit you and your family’s lifestyle. They’re also very easy to change as your needs and lifestyle change over time. Some Gambrick flex rooms even give you the freedom to choose specific bonus room options such as built-in desks or built-in storage and shelving systems. The beauty of a flex room is that you can make it whatever you want it to be whenever you need it.

Exploring your flex room options

Picture a home, and the rooms within it, and chances are you’ll name things like the living room, the kitchen, the family room, the dining room, and bedrooms. Today, though, home builders like Wayne offer floor plans that are both custom and flexible, and many of them come with flex rooms designed to do exactly that: flex to your specific needs and desires.

Most of our new homes include a flex space, also sometimes labeled a den or office, that can be turned into a variety of rooms. Some floor plans also have loft spaces that double as a flex room, and several of our floor plans have an option to add a bonus room over the garage as a flex space. Bonus rooms can be built them with permanent features such as beautiful built-in bookshelves or a window seat to create a grand and especially stunning home office.

flex room vs bedroom pros vs cons | Gambrick

Flex Room Vs Bedroom

A flex room can become a bedroom and a bedroom can become a flex room. But what’s the difference.

One of the main difference of a flex room vs a bedroom is where the room is located in the home. Bedrooms are generally placed in designated areas which are just for people living in the home. These areas are usually understood to be off limits to guests. If you have a party, guests generally don’t wander upstairs and hang out in the bedrooms. But they’ll move around the first floor which is understood to be a common area. Flex rooms are sometimes placed in these common areas which makes it harder to use comfortably as a bedroom. The noise from the common areas can also be an issue.

Another difference of a flex room vs bedroom is the room itself. Bedrooms are designed with being a bedroom in mind. Windows and doors are positioned in a way to allow for a bed and larger furniture. Flex rooms don’t have this in mind by design.

Bedrooms are generally put somewhere near a bathroom or have a bathroom of their own. Flex rooms can be anywhere in the home with little thought on where the bathrooms are.

Flex rooms do make great bedrooms. But they aren’t generally as good as rooms dedicated to being a bedroom by design.

flex room office ideas white desk with white chair checkered area rug

Flex Room Office Ideas

Great flex room office ideas aren’t just about rearranging furniture, but involve completely redesigning the room to fit a specific purpose. The daily routine of commuting to a corporate office may stop for most of us on the weekends, but work responsibilities often spill over into home life from time to time.

Your home office exists somewhere between your work life and your home life. Despite being part of your home, your office space should be away from the rest of the home so you can actually get some work done. And of course, your at-home workstation should be comfortable and practical. After all, having a well-lit, well-organized space that meets your needs is key to producing your best work.

Flex rooms are perfect for a home office. The best flex room office ideas encourage hard work while being a comfortable, relaxing space. These rooms are a part of your home don’t forget, so they should be styled as such. Don’t design your home office as formally as you would an actual office where clients or your boss could pop in at any time.

Choose a flex room door that’s solid enough to block out some of the noise coming from the rest of the house.

bonus room design ideas for 2019 top flex room design ideas

Flex Room options really are endless

When choosing how to use a space, you should consider a few things. Location in the house, (craft rooms are great close to a kitchen or laundry area). Size, (maybe don’t aim to fit a pool table in a tiny flex room!). Layout, (are you working with a conventional square space or do you have nooks and corners to consider?). As well as, of course, what you’d LIKE to use it for!

  • Playroom – your kids will love it, and you’ll love the fact that the house isn’t cluttered with toys in every room!
  • Home Office – need a quiet place to get some work done? A home office would be the perfect spot.
  • Entertaining/Bar Room – love having guests and friends over? They’ll envy your perfectly appointed bar and entertainment space!
  • Additional Bedroom – love having overnight guests over? Make them feel welcome with their own room!
  • Home Theater – pop some popcorn and cozy in for a warm evening at home!
  • Music Room – put your favorite pieces, bands, and instruments on display, and enjoy a refuge to listen to or play your favorite tunes.

The options for how you use your flex room are as varied as you can probably imagine, and our homeowners often find unique, thoughtful ways to utilize their flex space based on their specific needs at the time.

It doesn’t matter how you use your flex space so long as it flexes to fit your life.

bonus room design ideas for 2019 top flex room designs

Flex Room Decor Ideas

The thing about flex room decor ideas is that they come second to figuring out what the flex room will be used for. Once you decide on a purpose for your flex room, design the decor accordingly.

Flex room decor ideas should match whatever the rooms current use is. If it’s a bedroom then design a fantastic bedroom, if it’s a nursery make a beautiful nursery, if it’s a study choose the best study decor you can.Flex rooms are meant to be flexible and easily changed over time so don’t do anything too permanent that you can’t easily change later.

They’re may be some slight issues with laying out the furniture since a flex room is designed to be an all purpose room and not a dedicated one.

This could be an issue for things like a bedroom or family room. Dedicated bedrooms are designed with having a bed in mind. The doors and windows are put in specific places to accommodate bedroom furniture. The same issue may arise with a family room. Dedicated family rooms are designed to have a couch and TV wall but a flex room doesn’t take any of this into account.

 

If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time. We’d love to hear from you.

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