If Your Room Is Too Small

You may be happy with your home but do you find one or more of your rooms simply too small? Often my clients have a request to expand their living space.  It could be a kitchen that needs to be larger or perhaps it’s a bathroom that is just too tight.  There are a number of reasons why you may want or need more space.  Here are some practical approaches to your dilemma of dealing with spaces that are just too small:

1.  Take space from an adjacent room.  Is there underutilized space that you can use on the other side(s) of the walls that enclose your small room?  Reconfiguring the spaces and removing a wall is usually necessary and be sure to verify whether or not the wall you want to remove is structurally bearing.  If so, a structural header and supporting posts will be needed to support the load. 

2. Add space by constructing a “bump out” if your room has at least one exterior wall. Enlarging your room by adding on square footage to your home’s existing footprint can solve the problem although you will want to verify the new construction complies with local building and zoning requirements.  Expanding your space with a bump out usually requires removing at least a portion of the exterior wall so you will have to address the structural bearing issue as I noted above. 

3. Explore replacing or removing furniture you currently have in your room.  Perhaps the furniture you have is just too big for the room.  Maybe you can do without some furniture, bookcases and just plain stuff we all seem to collect in our homes.  Check out having furniture in the room that is multi-functioning (i.e. a futon) which can result in less furniture in the room.  Also, think about securing your TV and speakers to the wall instead of taking up precious floor space. 

4.  Investigate repurposing the room.  Ask yourself if it’s possible that the room’s function can be changed to better suit the smaller space.  For example, the room may be too confining to function as a bedroom but could work well as a home office or study. 

Don’t despair, there are practical solutions to addressing your space dilemma.  Do you have a room that’s too small?   Did you have this challenge and address it?  If so, how?

Ira Henowitz AIA

Architect