A flex room is meant to be just that; flexible. Flex rooms are rooms that leverage certain design elements to quickly transform from one function to the next. Flex rooms serve multiple purposes and can act as a playroom, game room, or even a home office. Having a flex room in your home (or designed in a new home plan) is a great way to maximize your living space. You can create flex spaces with the existing rooms in your home without embarking on an expensive remodel or renovation.

Things To Consider

First, find furniture pieces that are transformable. Look for pieces of furniture that can transform from one function to the next without requiring a lot of time or effort.

Here are a few examples:

• A table that can expand or collapse.
• A bench that slides out.
• A chair that folds down.
• An ottoman with a fold-out table that allows you to transform your living room into a small eat-in area.

Second, make sure that the layout of your space gives you enough room for the transformation you need. If the table expands, make sure there is enough room for the full expansion as well as the chairs that will surround the table.

Creating a flex room requires figuring out the functions that need to happen in that space, proper space planning, and incorporating the right furniture pieces that can easily transition from one function to the next.

Flex Room Ideas

Guest Room

Change the layout of a guest bedroom so that it serves as a home office by day and a place for visiting family members to sleep by night. Add a small desk in your bedroom to give yourself a place to get work done during the day or for guests to answer emails while visiting. If you need extra storage space for your home office supplies, opt for a rolling filing cabinet that can be stored under your desk when it's not in use.

Dining Room

If you have a dining room that is only used once or twice a year for large family gatherings, use it as a on-the-go office space or use it as the daily location for kids homework or learning virtually. Add a bookshelf to the room to display your favorite decor as well as to store essential home office items, like notebooks and pens. Be sure that the room is brightly lit and the chairs are comfortable, ensuring that guests enjoy their dining experience and the kids can stay productive.

Playroom

The playroom makes a great flex room all while being the perfect space to store toys and to give your little ones a place to use their imagination. Your playroom can be flexible and be the place for all things creative, turning into a craft room or music room with a few additions. Place a small table and chairs in the corner for a place to get creative with drawing and painting. Add a cozy chair for reading or for practicing their favorite instrument.

Tip!

Room dividers are a great addition to any flex room, allowing you to create areas in your room for different activities. Room dividers can be taken down and stored at anytime, making it the ultimate addition to any flex room.

Award-winning, Baton Rouge-based interior designer and content creator Arianne Bellizaire has been named a High Point Market Authority Style Spotter (2015), Perlick Ambassador of Cool (2017), Villeroy & Boch Color Challenge Winner (2017), Modenus Blog Tour invitee (2016 & 2019), and Modenus DesignHound (Spain and London 2016, Surfaces 2018). She was also selected as an Ambassador for NYDC 2020 What's New What's Next. Her work and expertise have been featured in Forbes, Rue Daily, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Business Of Home, and USA Today.