But what should we do with this room??? There are a couple of options we're considering:
1) Everyone I know that has small children tells me it's critical to have a 'Lego Room'. Some place to keep toys and give their kids a place to play. Seems like that could be a good use of the room, although there is a nice built in desk that I would like to leave in place.
2) Another option is a Craft Room. My mom always had a sewing room, which is a luxury I've never had space for. So I suppose I'm a bit envious. It would be great to have a place to set up a sewing machine, store craft supplies, etc. It would utilize the built in desk and it might be an attractive feature for staging the house.
So what do you think? Lego Room? Or Craft Room? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Lego room is very small-kid specific. If the potential buyer has kids that age, they'll look at ANY extra room and be able to envision it, but it may not work in reverse. If a family with older (or no) kids sees something staged with Legos, they're going to wonder what to do with it. Office? Sunroom? Workout room?
ReplyDeleteMy impulse would be to say "craft room." Besides, you can always stage it to have a small area with a kid's craft table & throw a few Legos on there. They'll get the idea!
p.s. I'm coveting that wall-mounted pencil sharpener!
You gave us a big laugh - one of the first things Richard did after we bought the house was take down the pencil sharpener and put it in our house. He was SO EXCITED to have it!! It's the little things that mean a lot!
DeleteThanks for the input and the first vote!!!!
Laurel
I think that is should be a craft room that has a lego tray custom made to the desk top...Stage it as a kids craft/homework/lego room
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above. A craft room is easy to stage and easy for a potential buyer to see beyond for another purpose if crafting isn't their thing.
ReplyDeleteI think a Lego room might be to specific too, although, we need one desperately in our house! Like the comment above, a craft room with a small play table would work.
ReplyDeleteHow about a Home Office or computer/homework area (or is the front room with the basement stairs an office?)
Love the pencil sharpener and the "old-style" wall telephone.
A cozy reading nook.
ReplyDeleteI can picture myself sitting in a cozy chair by the window, reading a great novel and drinking coffee!
ReplyDeletedual purpose - home office and kids playroom
ReplyDeleteI would go for a craft room as well. When we bought our house, there was a pencil sharpener here too!
ReplyDeleteI would pick either craft room or home office!
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I think an office is the best idea. Both a craft room or playroom feel too specific and without being too sterotypical, might alienate a male buyer. An office can appeal to both genders with or without kids. A nice cozy chair with the built-in desk sounds great to me! And I have 2 small children!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the suggestions! So helpful! One quick comment - we are going to stage the first floor bedroom as a home office. So I didn't include that as an option, since there will already be an office. Although, with so many people working from home these days, I guess some households could use more than one home office!
ReplyDeleteCraft room. Definitely. Craft = gift wrapping. Are you going to paint the paneling?
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I used to stay at my cousin's old farm and their farmhouse had a room just like this. My aunt had her sewing machine in there and we had toys, so why not both? Most mom's who craft will do so with children playing on the floor so they can keep an eye on them, so why not feature that?
ReplyDeleteHi, I vote for 'bonus room'. Could be kids-toy room, mom's craft or sewing room, library/music room (we had an upright piano, clarinet, toys and books in a room like this, as kids), or chachki-collectibles room. 'Bonus room' gives you flex to suggest different uses to different kinds of prospective buyers who visit. Love the windows and light in there!
ReplyDeleteIf I was looking at that house as a potential buyer, I'd be very interested in more storage space (you can never have enough closet space). So I'd like to see clothes-hanging racks, wall shelves, bin storage on rollers....hooks on the wall for stuff that doesn't lend itself to other storage (like hiking and skiing equipment, sleeping bags, things you can't put in the garage or basement). I think it could be done inexpensively, and since there is a pocket door it could be kept shut off from the rest of the house. I would KILL for a storage room!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above poster regarding having more inside storage. If you are coming in from the garage this could be the go to space for hanging coats, etc. Since you will already have a home office I would get rid of the desk in this room. This isn't far from the kitchen and could also be used for kitchen storage of less used items as well. Most women would appreciate this space for storage/closet space which would be conveniently located. You will already have the office space which could double as a craft room and you have the family room and living room (which most people rarely use these days). There already is plenty of other spaces for the family that has kids to use for playing.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Craft room, also could stage one side with a small kids table.
ReplyDeleteHaving just storage in there might be off-putting for those who wouldn't want to use it as just storage. Maybe a mini-library room? It would work as a sitting room too. Otherwise I'd lean towards the craft room instead of the kids room. But maybe have a little kid's desk too, for 'helping' with crafts? XD
ReplyDeleteWhat would the poor souls do if they walked into an empty house and had to guess what to use each room for?! lol
ReplyDeleteWhat a great place to have a craft room/reading-coffee nook. Potential buyers might not be able to see beyond a lego room, but an office/craft/coffee room:) Yeah baby, we all get that one:) I love your blog, just wish you would come over and help decorate my house
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of a craft room with space to sew and such... or the idea of a reading/coffee nook. Although I like that other people have suggested storage, if the room has good heat, I would use it for something fun like crafts or a nice library!
ReplyDelete