Making Room

You don't have to embark on a monumental addition or drastically remodel your home to have a place for the activities your family enjoys and all the high-tech equipment and various belongings that modern life requires. Making Room shows that there is another option, one that is easier, faster, and much less expensive.

By making the most of every inch of unused or underused space you already have, you can make a dramatic difference in the function and livability of your home. Many of the ideas on these pages came from individuals, designers, and architects who devised clever ways to capture slivers of space and use them more efficiently.

With Making Room, you'll learn how to identify good spots for built-ins and space-conserving structures that add value and interest to a room. You'll discover innovative ideas for transforming niches, closets, and hitherto hidden spaces into functional, personality-filled places. And you'll pick up practical information to use in implementing these ideas.

Make your house more efficient, more convenient, more distinctive, and more enjoyable!

Introduction

Chapter 1: Found Space
Who Doesn't Want More Space?
Discovering Space
Planning the Project
Finding Inspiration

Chapter 2: Space Behind Walls
Reclaiming the Garage
Back-to-Back Built-Ins
Attic Attraction
Putting Away the Laundry Room
Front, Back, and Sideboard
Stored-Away Closet
More Great Ideas for Using Space Behind Walls

Chapter 3: Spare Inches That Count
A Place for Everything in the Kitchen
Accessory Departments
Indented Columns
Comfort Zone
Corralling Wall Space
Pipe Dream
More Great Ideas for Using Spare Inches

Chapter 4: Niches and Nooks
Hip Pocket Office
No-Mess Mudroom
Perfect Pitch
Salvage Chic
Scenic Overlook
Newfangled Angles
More Great Ideas for Niches and Nooks

Chapter 5: Hidden Gems
Instant Office
Fireside Stash
Case Closed
Tucked-Away Bed
Child' s Play
Keeping Secrets
More Great Ideas for Hidden Gems

Chapter 6: Reinvented Closets
Open Bar
Dream Bathroom
Seamless Sewing Center
Business Class
Dog Heaven
Closet Hangout
More Great Ideas for Transforming Closets

Chapter 7: Easy Enhancements
Folding Laundry
Hot Topic
Magazine Cutout
Setting the Table
Pet Project
More Great Ideas for Enhancing Your Space

Chapter 8: In and Around Stairs
Stair Mastery
Must-See TV
Pulling Out the Stops
Magical Hutch
Sounds Incredible
A+ Homework Center
More Great Ideas for Transforming Stairs

Chapter 9: Expandable Rooms
Bigger, Brighter Bathroom
Sharing Space With Baby
Playing Around
Winning Entry
A Built-In That Crosses Borders
Wall Power
More Great Ideas for Expanding Rooms

We ask a lot of our homes. We used to be content with houses that were bundles of boxy, single-purpose rooms, sprinkled here and there with a few closets. That won't cut it anymore. Today we want versatile living spaces that have a place for all our activities, all our high-tech equipment, and all our varied belongings.

Much has been written about the major remodeling projects and spectacular additions that all of us admire. But it's no surprise that, after reading about these impressive makeovers, many homeowners become discouraged. They assume that to get what they need, they have to build an expensive addition or perhaps move to a larger home.

Making Room shows that there is another option, one that is easier, faster, and much less expensive. That option is to make the most of every inch of unused or underused space you already have. Of course, in most homes, surplus space is limited. Nevertheless, smart use of even the slimmest of spaces can make a dramatic difference in the function and livability of a home.

I made two discoveries as I researched this book. First, just about every homeowner is hungry for ideas on how to "make room." Whether they live in old or new houses, small condos or three-story Victorians, and whether they've lived there for years or just moved in, people are eager for tips on finding and using all the available space in their homes.

Second, there is a wealth of truly wonderful ideas for use of such spaces. Architects, designers, and remodelers may not keep files on reclaimed space projects as they do for kitchens, baths, and other more established remodeling categories. But, boy, do they have such projects- all kinds. Homeowners can be marvelously inventive, too. Many of the ideas on these pages came from individuals who devised clever ways to capture slivers of space in their own homes.

As you go through this book, I encourage you to consider what it tells you about your house. With Making Room, you can learn where to look and how to identify good spots for built-ins and space-conserving structures that add value and interest to a room. You will discover innovative ideas for transforming niches, closets, and hitherto hidden spaces into functional, personality-filled places. And you will pick up practical information to use in implementing these ideas.

Making Room is about challenge and about opportunity. It challenges you to look, really look at the spaces around your house. I guarantee that the search will uncover pockets of space that have not yet been put to work. That in turn presents an exciting opportunity- the chance to make your house more efficient, more convenient, more distinctive, and more enjoyable.