Empty Nester House Plans: Rethink Your Unused Rooms

Jun 27, 2017

You never thought this day would come, but the kids have finally flown the nest. At least, they’ve headed off to college, must-have stuff in tow. You miss them already — your house seems so empty.

But hey! Wait just a minute! As much as you love your kids, their departure is your big chance to repurpose their rooms into something a little more, well, you. You can recapture the entire space, giving it a brand new life. Or you can modify the space for your own use but retain the bedroom functionality, too. After all, you do want your kids to return for visits. And you’ll have a space for guests as well.

Chances Are, You’ll Want a TV In That Room

Maybe your dream is to create a separate media den or small home theater. Or maybe you have something very different in mind. Either way, your kid took their TV, so you have a new opportunity here, too. You can buy the size and style TV that perfectly fits your new purpose.

There are lots of snazzy ways to decorate with (or around) a TV, including hiding it. If you’re converting the space for multiple purposes, you may want to do that. Think of all the ways you'd like to use your space before you begin the remodel. Take your time to pay attention to many possible uses; it's likely that the way you use your home will change significantly now that your kids are out of the house.

So How Can You Repurpose Your Empty Nest?

• Get into the best shape of your life by creating a home workout space. Having a TV on the wall will encourage you to spend more time on the treadmill or elliptical. You can exercise along with your favorite videos, or run a soothing DVD slideshow to accompany your yoga. Maybe even think about incorporating a streaming set-up into this room. That way you will be able to access all of the latest workout programs available online!

• Create that functional-yet-stylish home office you’ve been wishing for. If you’ve been sharing a home office, you can finally spread out and arrange things to perfection according to your type of work, work style, and personal style. You can become a powerhouse of productivity.

• Man or woman, you may want to create your own personal “cave.” You could use the garage for that, now that your kid’s car is out of the way. Or you could put those same concepts to work inside your home, transforming the now-empty space into a craft room, sewing room, or art studio.

• Create a library where you can kick back and read or watch a video while your “other half” watches their favorite program or movie in the living room.

Think About the Future

You'll want to go one step further with your empty nester house plans and think beyond the next few years or decades and consider if your current home is one you'd like to retire in. 

From there, you can create retirement house plans to gradually tackle projects and prioritize home updates to help you live comfortably well into your retirement years.