Reclaiming lost space in your home , sometimes referred to as "repurposing", generally involves a bit of reorganizing, occasionally some simple construction and a lot of redesign. Good areas for reclaiming space are unfinished basements, garages, laundry or mud rooms, extra bedrooms, or "bonus" rooms that aren't quite living up to their potential. Reclaiming a space means that we take it from its current use and give it a new function that better suits your needs.

Unfinished Basements
 Maybe you'd like to turn your unfinished basement into a Rec Room, but at the same time need to maintain a certain amount of storage space. We can suggest where to place partitions or pieces of furniture that will define the usable recreational area and turn it into a space the family can enjoy together. We can also identify the optimal locations for storage and what type of cabinetry and shelving, if any, will give you the most use of the space. Making use of an older living room set is a great way to furnish your new Rec Room, or perhaps buying some durable and inexpensive pieces is the way for you to go. In either case, Inviting Interiors can define and design a space that you can truly enjoy and make good use of while at the same time addressing your storage needs in an orderly, organized manner.

Garages
 Most people use their garage for some type of storage, and unfortunately the "storage" tends to overwhelm the space itself. There is no reason why you shouldn't be able to use your garage for cars and storage . We can show you some simple and quick reclaiming techniques that will get the clutter off the floor and won't cost you a lot of money. The garage can also be converted into a summer Family or Game Room. With a good layout and a little bit of finish work, the garage can become an additional room to your home.

Laundry and Mud Rooms
 Laundry and Mud Rooms tend to have a lot of wasted vertical space. One of the nice things about utility rooms is that they make use of small spaces that segue between the garage or yard and the living quarters of the house. With a little bit of work, we can turn the blank walls or "odd" spaces into usable storage areas for items that don't get used every day but still need to be kept readily available. If you like to buy your supplies in bulk, then there is a good chance you've already realized that your kitchen cabinets are just too small to store these items. Using the wasted space in these rooms by putting up shelving or simple cabinets and bins is a good way to store those items close at hand but at the same time keep them out of sight. A little bit of organization can help you reclaim these "left over" spaces and turn them into a practical and functional storage solution.

Extra Bedrooms
 A spare bedroom can be used for many things including a home office, library or crafts room, while at the same time still serve as a convenient and private area to accommodate guests. By making use of a daybed or futon as opposed to a standard bed, you can create a comfortable sitting area that allows you to make maximum use of the floor space during the day and provide sleeping arrangements at night - and, when guests are not present, the sitting area will serve as a convenient place to relax and read a book or review paperwork. With the right plan and a good eye for spatial flow, extra bedrooms can serve multiple purposes and no longer feel like an unused space.

Bonus Rooms
 Bonus Rooms are a relatively modern concept which provides the homeowner with additional living space. One way to take advantage of this extra and sometimes awkward space is to convert it into a Home Theater or media room. By artfully arranging comfortable sofas and easy chairs, fun oversized pillows and cozy throw rugs in combination with your entertainment equipment, a bonus room can become a great home theater. Fabric upholstered panels hung on the walls can help bring real depth to the audio experience, and complete the theater feel that can be enjoyed by family and friends. And by having it all in one place and out of the main living area means that you don't have to worry about how neat and tidy it is when the door bell rings.

For the serious movie buff who wants to take their viewing to the next level, we can help you select the optimal components for your system and possibly infuse a bit of old fashion cinema glamour by adding theater style seating, special lighting, and maybe a popcorn cart or candy counter. By hanging marquee style posters and displaying various movie memorabilia through out the room, we can add to the Bijou Theater atmosphere.

Please visit our Reclaiming Gallery



Stewartsville, New Jersey 908-763-0406
West Orange, New Jersey 973-736-2455
Mahwah, New Jersey 201-264-4736

Designs@InvitingInterior.com