Converting a kid’s room
into an adult space
When a young adult leaves
the comforts of home to set
out on his or her own,
homeowners are left with a
bedroom that just calls out to
be made over. However, the
experience of a child leaving
the nest can be bittersweet,
and some parents struggle with
the decision to renovate or
leave the room intact.
Converting a room can be an
emotional process, but there
are several different ways to
put a newly vacated room to
good use.
What to do with a room
may hinge on who still lives in
the house. Another child, for
instance, may be interested in
“upgrading” to the room if it
is larger or has amenities that
the previous bedroom does not
offer, like a better view or a
bigger closet. Some have plans
for a craft space or a library.
Perhaps the room would be
perfect for a “man cave” or a
quiet sitting area.
Keep in mind that the room
may hold sentimental value for
the child, so converting the
space is not something that
should happen abruptly or
without prior notice given to
the former occupant.
Communication is key before
the room can be permanently
changed into a new room. To
get started, follow these
guidelines.
* Start slowly. Broach the
subject with the former
occupant of the room to gauge
his or her reaction to the idea.
If your child is supportive,
then the process may move
along more quickly. If not, you
may need to wait a little longer
before starting the renovation.
* Go through the room’s
contents together. Your child
may feel his or her private
8 n TODAY’S HOME – SPRING 2013
sanctum was violated if you
simply box up belongings and
ready them to be taken away.
Instead, go through the room
together and allow your son or
daughter to pack away items
of sentimental value. Other
items can be donated. Consider
which pieces of furniture might
be kept and repurposed.
* Keep some items of value.
Remember, you don’t want
your child to feel like his or
her identity has been erased
from the house. Find a way to
incorporate something from
the bedroom into the new
design to pay homage to the
person who lived and grew up
in the room. Keep a square of
removed wallpaper and frame
it. Put some well-read
childhood books on a shelf.
Have a place of honor for the
first soccer trophy. This way
when your child returns home
there will still be a piece of the
room’s former identity.
* Work through your new
design plan. Before removing
furniture and any items, draw
up a detailed renovation plan
and establish a budget. If the
room will become a guest
room, the basics may already
be there and you simply need
to introduce new linens and a
new paint color to transform
the space. Consider keeping
the room functional as a
sleeping space in some way —
whether moving in a sleeper
sofa or making a regular bed
into a daybed — so when your
son or daughter comes to visit,
he or she will have a
comfortable space.
* Make it sophisticated.
Adult spaces differ from
children’s spaces in their
sophistication. Starting fresh
with more streamlined
furniture and bolder colors in
the room will
give it a
grownup look.
Converting a
child’s former
bedroom into a
new and exciting
living space for
adults takes
some planning
and sensitivity. A
collaborative
effort between
parent and child
can make the
process can go
much more
smoothly.
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