By Felicia Feaster
For the AJC
Most of us perform multiple functions in our busy,
hectic lives. So why shouldn’t our living quarters do
the same?
With the downsizing trend and the desire to be
smarter about spending home improvement dollars, more
Atlanta homeowners are finding ways to create
double-duty rooms. Kitchens that also serve as home
offices, laundry rooms that double as homework stations,
dens that convert quickly into guest rooms, and formal
living rooms that also can work as playrooms all
illustrate a growing trend for multitasking spaces.
Virginia-Highland homeowner Eric Erickson, who works
for the government, used Atlanta-based contractor Home
ReBuilders to convert a raw attic space into a
second-story addition in his 3,600-square-foot 1929
Cotswold Cottage-style home.
The attic conversion now features two bedrooms, two
baths, a laundry room and one multitasking room he
describes as his “scrapbook lounge.” Since he was in
high school, Erickson has been creating scrapbooks of
the memorable events in his life, including his own home
renovation.
“I’m one of the few men who do it,” he said with a
laugh. “It’s usually me and a lot of soccer moms.”
Like other homeowners who get double duty out of a
room by incorporating a favorite hobby, the room is
dedicated to Erickson’s scrapbook hobby but also
functions as a casual space for guests.
“When I have friends over, I usually bring them up to
the lounge and we watch TV upstairs, and sit around and
chat,” Erickson said.
“On one side, I’ve got my big scrapbooking desk and
all of my scrapbooking supplies. And on the other side
is a daybed/couch, and then a nice chair and a little
ottoman in the middle,” Erickson said. “One time I had a
bunch of college friends at the house, and they were all
sitting around looking at my scrapbooks and part of me
wanted to cry, ‘This is exactly why we designed the
house this way.’”
Rooms that do more than one thing are especially
valuable when space is at a premium.
Interior designer Janie Hirsch, who owns J. Hirsch
Interior Design in Johns Creek, helped a homeowner who
works in finance get more mileage out of the dining room
in his 2,000-square-foot Cumming town house. By adding
built-in wall-to-wall bookshelves, Hirsch allowed the
homeowner to use the space as his home office as well as
a dining room without sacrificing either style or
functionality.
Hirsch has seen an uptick in recent years in the
number of clients looking for rooms to perform dual
functions. “People are going to smaller houses instead
of these huge ones we were building for a while,” Hirsch
said.
Leading the way in the drive to get more function out
of one space is the contemporary kitchen. Contractors
and designers observed that beginning six to eight years
ago, kitchens began to expand their multitasking, often
incorporating a work space and family room component.
“It’s about families spending more time together in a
common space rather than it being separated by walls,”
said Karen King, director of marketing with Atlanta’s
Home ReBuilders, whose company transformed Erickson’s
Virginia-Highland home. “I think the changes you see are
driven by lifestyle.”
Being smart about how you live is key to making
multitasking design work. Both contractors and interior
designers emphasize the importance of rethinking your
existing space rather than just reflexively adding on.
“I think you just have to be creative and think
through how you live and what your needs are. I don’t
think you have to necessarily enlarge a footprint,” King
said.
“People are trying to make the most of what they
have,” King said of the double-duty room trend. ”Right
now with the economy the way it is, people are not
trying to necessarily enlarge their homes, just make
them more efficient in terms of the way they live.”
WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE
Some ways to get more from each room in your home.
Hallway as gallery
Cluster your favorite artwork or family photographs
in a hallway and add a bench or chairs if the hallway is
large enough.
Incorporate a hobby
Instead of letting a formal living room or guest room
sit empty when not in use, consider making it a space to
indulge a favorite pastime, whether music, crafting or
art.
Rethink your dining room table
Rather than one very large table surrounded by chairs
that makes your dining room good for only one function,
consider a smaller table, or grouping of tables.
Incorporate a chaise, a comfortable chair or an ottoman
to make the room function as a game room, homework room
or overflow area when entertaining.
Foyers can be functional
Entrances can be more than just a transitional space.
Think about benches or cabinets, seating and other
elements that can make this room function as a place for
storage or for overflow guest seating.
Make closets count
Closets can add more function to small rooms when you
convert them into personal offices or even bars.
DESIGNERS' ADVICE
Interior designers offer their tips for thinking
beyond one-use spaces.
- Rather than big, bulky pieces of
furniture, use smaller pieces of furniture that can
be moved around easily, to allow rooms to change as
needed. -- Janie Hirsch, J. Hirsch Interior Design,
Johns Creek
- Purchase double-tasking furniture
like daybeds, sleeper sofas, small tables and other
items that can easily convert any room to a guest
room or work space. -- Margaret L. Norcott, Milieu
Design Group, Sandy Springs
- The laundry room is not just for
laundry. It’s a phenomenal place for storage, a
perfect spot for gift wrapping, even a small
homework station. -- Margaret L. Norcott
- Landings at the top of stairs can
be used as a homework/work station with a long
console station and an ottoman or two tucked
underneath to be easily pulled out for seating. --
Margaret L. Norcott
- A guest room or master bedroom can
make a great home office if you keep your technology
under control. A laptop, a remote printer and making
use of online storage services and going paperless
keep clutter at bay. -- Dayka Robinson, Dayka
Robinson Designs, Stone Mountain
- Vintage secretaries and armoires
are great multitasking furniture pieces. They make
great desks when drawers are used for storage and
papers and one of the shelves is used as a laptop
desk. -- Dayka Robinson
- Formal living rooms that aren’t
used very often can become great playrooms with
changeable pillows or bookshelves with baskets for
storing children’s toys. -- Dayka Robinson
