No matter how big (or small!) your home is or how it’s laid out, when life changes, your needs will change. Many Lancaster homeowners experienced this firsthand in 2020 when jobs and school became remote for a while—and for some people, the changes were permanent. Hybrid work and remote learning have become the norm for many families in our post-COVID world.
Other life changes require adjustments to how we use our homes as well: kids grow older and need more space, an aging family member moves in with us, or we take on a new job or hobby. No matter the reason for the change, there is one universal need felt by everyone who works or schools from home: dedicated space for productivity.
Sometimes this need leads to a complete home remodel. Other times, creatively repurposing rooms can lead to the realization that multi-use spaces may already be present in your home—you just need to think outside the box to find them.
Make Space for What Matters
Rethinking your home to help you find more space starts by identifying the problem. Where’s the pinch in your home? Try to be as specific as you can. Maybe you need a quiet zone where you can take video calls without fear of interruption. Or your child needs a distraction-free area to do his school work or homework. What is the issue with your current set-up, and what specifically would make it better?
One Lancaster homeowner needed both a home office and a homeschool room. She identified that the most pressing needs were quiet (including a door that could be closed for the office) and space (to spread out books or papers without having them be in the main living areas). She says that using every room for its intended purpose “...would have worked just fine if we weren't running a business out of our home while simultaneously homeschooling our children. To do both well, we needed a dedicated (and relatively sound-proofed) home office, and a designated spot for me to teach the kids and store school supplies.”
Once you’ve identified the specific problem or need you’re trying to meet, you can move on to the second step in rethinking your space: start exploring creative options.
Rethink Every Room's Job
It can be hard to think outside the box when it comes to finding space. Your formal dining room might not get a lot of use, but it’s still a dining room…right? It doesn’t have to be. Walk through every room in your home and look at it with fresh eyes. Consider obvious choices (the basement, a spare bedroom), but also think about spaces you may not have considered. This is your house, and it needs to serve your family. There’s no rule that every room has to do the job it was originally designed to do. You can modify the space and make it work for you and your needs—right now.
Returning to our Lancaster homeowner’s example, after walking through each room in her house and thinking creatively, she realized that the obvious choices in her home weren’t going to meet her family’s needs. It wasn’t until she thought outside the box that she realized the best option: “I knew exactly what to do. Overnight, the family room became the dining room, and the dining room (which had plenty of natural light and was easily closed off for privacy and quiet from the rest of the home) became our new classroom.”
Unexpected Solutions
Is it possible that the solution to your family’s challenges is also right there, waiting to be discovered? Consider these possibilities as you think creatively about the use of space in your home:
- Is there a large closet you can outfit with a desk for a homework nook?
- Can you finish or modify a basement to serve as a home office or school room? (Check out this post on multifunctional basements for ideas!)
- Would a kitchen command center help you stay organized and on top of all the things?
- What about changing a formal dining room into an office or homeschool space, as our Lancaster homeowner did?
- Consider other 2025 home office ideas like a nook in a large primary bedroom, or a spare room that is only used a few times a year.
You can also schedule a consult with one of our designers to help you reimagine your space. Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes and no preconceived notions of what each room should be used for to help you find a new solution.
Is Your Home Serving You Well?
Most remodeling projects happen because a homeowner's space is not functioning in a way that serves their family. Often, the only way to provide the needed functionality is to alter a layout or update fixtures. However, sometimes the problem isn't with the home's shortcomings, but with the way it's being used.
The blueprints might name your rooms, but you’re the one who lives in them. Is it possible that repurposing rooms could provide the functionality your home is missing?
Flexible home design is a key factor in making your home serve you through all your family’s seasons. And that may mean a remodel to really get the most out of your space. But sometimes, a little out-of-the-box thinking can be a small-scale solution that solves a big problem. It’s the best place to start.
5 Questions to Help You Repurpose Your Space
To help you get started thinking outside the box, here are a few questions to consider:
- What are my family's needs right now? What are they likely to be in 3-5 years?
- What activities does my family engage in most often at home?
- Why is this room the _______________?
- If I could add one room to my house, what would it be?
- What can I change right now that will provide a trial run without significant expense?
Needs Change...and So Should Your Home!
Whether you work remotely, school from home, or have other unique situations, you can rethink how you use your space to support your family’s changing needs. And we are here to help you do just that. Read through our blog posts for ideas and tips to help you get the most out of your home, whether you need a remodel or not. Check out our resources (planning guides, cost guides, etc) to help you think through potential projects. And if you determine that a home remodel is what your home needs to function at its best, reach out to us. Our teams of designers and builders are ready to help you reimagine your space in whatever way you need.
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