Decorating Your Bonus Room: Our Top Design Ideas

Many of Broadview’s floor plans include a bonus room or flex space you can design to meet your needs. This might be a room on the first floor or a large, open loft space at the top of the stairs on the second floor. 

No matter what type of bonus room you have, it’s important to decorate it in a way that makes sense for your family. While you may already have a few ideas of your own, we've come up with a few extra fun ideas on how you can use this amazing additional space. 

Reading Nook 

Having a cozy area to read a book can be a great getaway for you or the perfect way to encourage your children to read. If creating this for adults, you might include a comfortable, oversized leather chair with a Tiffany lamp on a small table next to the chair. A reading nook for children might include bean bag chairs or a “hideout” area using a kid's reading tent. Have bookshelves for holding your own collection, but dedicate one shelf to library books so you always know where they are.  

Home Office 

If you work from home or just want a nice family command centre, you can set up the room as a home office. Get a desk with a comfortable chair for the computer. A solid wood desk could give the room a stately feel, while something with a glass top would feel more modern. Create ways to organize your paperwork as well, whether that’s a file organizer hung on the wall or boxes put on shelves.  

Craft Space 

Designing a craft room is a dream-come-true for many people. The key to making a room like this look great is to find attractive ways that you can easily organize supplies. For instance, in a sewing room, you might want cube storage shelves to separate fabrics by colour; in a scrapbooking room, it might be better to have files and small drawers to keep tiny pieces from getting away. Using brightly coloured containers will make the space feel lively. 

This could also work well as a children's “makerspace.'  Set up kid-sized tables and chairs and have a steady supply of things like paper, glue, stickers, popsicle sticks, tape, scissors, and other little things that could be used for art.  

Playroom 

A playroom works well if you have young kids and you want to keep the toys contained as much as possible. Many parents like to have this in a bonus room that’s on the main living floor because parents can easily monitor their children's activity while doing chores, but it also works well on the second floor because it allows you to keep the main living room clean for when guests drop by. To decorate this space, you'll want whimsical furniture that also offer practical storage solutions. If you're feeling artistic, this might be a good spot to put a wall mural.  

Movie Room 

If your family loves gathering around to watch the latest blockbusters, you could turn your bonus room into a movie room. Put a big L-shaped couch in the room that has plenty of space for everyone. You can use an oversized ottoman as a place to rest your feet or put your drinks. With a big TV and surround sound speakers, movie nights will be something that your kids will cherish for many years to come. 

Home Gym 

You don’t have to be a fitness buff to appreciate the benefits of creating a home gym. If all you have to do to get some exercise in is head to the other room, you are more likely to do it. Set this up with the types of things you’ll use the most. Some people will want equipment like a treadmill or elliptical machine. Others may just need a large space for doing some yoga. Be sure to decorate the area with some inspirational pieces!

Hangout Space 

Whether you have teenagers or just want to have a little space of your own, the bonus room could work well as a teen hangout space. For teens, you probably want some comfy seating and maybe a video game system. An adult hangout space could include a sturdy poker table or a small bar area. The key is to make the room suit your family’s needs.  

Thinking about all of the ways that you can use the bonus room in your new home is fun. Work hard to make the space as useful and inviting as possible, and you’re sure to have a space that you’ll use for years to come.

For more top design ideas, take a peek at our previous posts on decorating your great room and master bedroom!