Markus Andrews

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Do you have a room in your home that you find you don’t use anymore or one that you no longer need because grown children are out on their own?

Or perhaps you no longer need the function a room provided for you in the past or the space no longer serves you best? If your spaces aren’t working for the way you live now, it might be time for a change. I just made such a change.

A few years ago I wrote a post about when you go about decorating your home to make sure you are using the room exactly for what you need and will inspire you to live your best life.

Many of us get hung up on the fact that in the builder’s blueprint layout of the house the room are marked, dining room, bedroom, or living room. Just because a builder thinks you need all these functional spaces, there is no reason to have to use them for those needs.

The only rooms that usually have to stay to the plan are kitchens and bathrooms as it would be too expensive to change these once a home is built.

But the other rooms, you should feel free to make and use them in whatever your lifestyle calls for.

Over the years I have changed the way we used a few rooms. When my daughters moved out of the house after college, one of their bedrooms became a fitness room.

When I started my blog and needed an office, I set up what the formal living room on the builder’s plans stated into my craft room/studioffice. When we moved to South Carolina, I made the dining room my office.

I found over the last few years that my studioffice was no longer serving my needs. I found I like to work out on the kitchen table where there is a great view of the lake.

Since I didn’t use the studioffice much anymore for the intended purpose I set it up for, I had to figure out what it could become instead of becoming a place for junk and postponed decisions about what to do with all that stuff that was starting to clutter-up the room.

The space I was really craving for in the house was a bigger kitchen, but specifically more storage for the kitchen and a larger pantry like the one we had in our Pennsylvania house.

So over the last year I have been thinking of budget-friendly ways to make the room become more of a pantry. Then after thinking it over for some time, I found that the room could be a little bit of everything we needed – a place for my craft/decor creating, a pantry, as well as an extension of the kitchen.

When thinking about what furnishings to use to set up this new use for the room, I knew we had to stay within a budget and I didn’t want to add built-ins that would would be hard to remove if we ever want to sell the house in the future. The function of the room should go back to a basic space like a dining room or family room.

Meet My Multi-Purpose Room

I truly enjoyed the room as my studioffice for years, but since it was no longer serving me, it was time to change it to fit my life now and going forward.

Here is what you see as you enter the newly created multi-purpose room.

I kept the desk as a surface to set up my sewing machine when I want to make something. I have two of the pom-pom slipcovered ottomans, one is in the living room. I keep the second one under the desk when it is not needed in the living room for more seating.

IKEA PAX Storage Units

The biggest change in the room was the removal of my creative tool wall and worktable. In its place are two tall IKEA PAX storage units in white. They are almost 8 feet tall and hold quite a bit.

After looking at many tall storage units, I found using IKEA PAX units would give me a more built-in look.

One of the great things about the PAX units is that they come in various widths and heights and they can be customized in many ways, both inside with closet rods, shelves and drawers.

If you want doors for the unit, IKEA makes quite a few different styles of PAX doors from modern, classic with recessed panels to glass. You can choose doors that swing out like we added, but you can also choose sliding doors. On the IKEA site, you can go to the IKEA PAZ planner and design the unit you want.

I am still adding what will be stored in each unit. One will hold small decor items and accessories that are now up in my attic.

The second PAX unit will be for food and pantry staples that I buy in bulk at Costco.

Creating Labels for the Shelves

If you have been reading my blog for years then you know I like to label what I store and organize. I find labels help keep a space organized as anyone putting things away or looking for something knows exactly where it should go.

When creating the small pantry closet in the kitchen a few years ago, I found these clear shelf label holders that snap right over the edge of a shelf.

The clear label holders come in especially handy on the drawers where I can’t see what is in each. With a label, I do. 🙂

The Craft Supply Armoire

The large antique armoire where I store craft supplies stayed. I plan on painting this to look like it is lightly stained wood. What did change on this back wall of the room is where I hung my gift wrap organizer and ribbon organizer that used to be on the wall where the IKEA cabinets now are.

On the shelves as soon as you enter the room, I store the small appliances I use the most often on the shelves as soon as you enter the room. That clears clutter from my small kitchen.

The wicker magazine holders are from IKEA.

This is the view of the room from the kitchen and foyer. I like that it is pretty and not cluttered looking.

And if you haven’t noticed in any of the previous photos in this post, the popcorn ceiling is GONE!!! Having a normal white ceiling makes the room so much brighter.

(Looking closer at the photo above I see when the drapes were hung back up, I forgot to clip the last drapery hook to the wall to hide the rod. Just did it. 🙂 To see what I am talking about, see this post: Tips for Hanging Drapes and Curtains.)

I still have more to add to the PAX units, but am very happy with how this new multi-purpose room has turned out.

If you have lived in your home for any amount of time, do a check to make sure your rooms and spaces are working for the way you live now, it might be time for a change.

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