40 Home Experts Share Tips to Redesign and Repurpose Your Space

Transforming a house or flat into a home involves far more than renovation or the purchase of new furniture. It’s a process of personalising each space to reflect individual needs, taste, and budget. Over time, a sense of home often emerges from the familiar presence of personal objects such as books, paintings, china plates, and travel souvenirs, each piece adding warmth and character to any new setting.

While many dream of having a dedicated space for every purpose, whether a home office, gym or gaming room, limited budgets or square footage often call for creativity. In such cases, rethinking layouts and creating multi-purpose rooms becomes key. Though it’s easier to decorate an empty home than to adapt existing furniture for new functions, thoughtful design can make even small spaces feel both flexible and intentional.

To uncover the most inspiring ways to make every space work harder and feel more personal, ShopHomeStyles invited 40 industry voices — from interior designers and home stylists to decluttering specialists and wellness experts — to share their best ideas for redesigning and repurposing the home.

In my experience, built-in cabinetry can be a workhorse for a busy household, and it's often overlooked by homeowners.

Mudroom cubbies and a bench at the family entrance can be a lifesaver. By providing dedicated space, at the point of use, for coats, bookbags, and shoes, a busy family can keep a huge amount of clutter to a minimum. Some of our favourite customisations to this sort of space are bulletin boards, key hooks, and charging station outlets.

Built-in drawer, bedside, wardrobe, and hamper storage in the bedroom. Many older homes have closets that are too small for the homeowners' needs. While a major renovation to put on a closet addition or move interior walls could solve the storage problem, these would be expensive fixes. Tasteful built-in cabinetry adds storage, allows for custom sizing, and provides a custom luxury upgrade to these spaces. In guest rooms, Murphy beds, combined with wardrobe storage on either side, help a room do double duty.

Home offices and entertainment areas benefit from custom, built-in storage solutions as well. Family rooms with floating or floor-mounted media centers can hide cords and equipment, store remotes, and game controllers. And what parent of small children wouldn't love huge drawers to store their kids' favourite toys, and house things like extra pillows or lap throws?

Ever since childhood, I’ve been obsessed with creating spaces. From moving my furniture around as a young child to earning my degree in Architecture, beautiful and functional spaces have always been a passion of mine.

Spaces must be functional and practical for the one(s) using them. Early on in our marriage, we had a pool table room that was used 3-4 times a year. As a dancer and now yoga educator, this beautiful, large space with a wall of windows could now be utilised as a more open space, practical for a new season. We repurposed the room and now it’s used most hours of each day, whether it’s for personal activity and movement or filming yoga classes and lectures for my school, YogaFaith. This room has become my favourite room because it is very enjoyable to use.

It also allows the space to breathe and become anything it needs to be for anyone in the space. The fact that it is void of decorations and clutter means that there are fewer distractions for anyone who occupies the space. It’s a much more inviting environment when the focus is on space, neutral colours, and soft textures. This can mean space for yoga, space to read, journal, pray, or meditate, space to play games or simply converse with one another over a cup of tea. Imagine a blank space open to all.

It’s a much more inviting environment when the focus is on space, neutral colors, and soft textures. This can mean space for yoga, space to read, journal, pray, or meditate, space to play games or simply converse with one another over a cup of tea. Imagine a blank space open to all.

When it comes to improving your well-being, nothing is more important than the food you put into your body; therefore, no room in your house is more important than your kitchen. If the kitchen isn't inviting or it's closed off to the rest of your house and family, it can cause cooking to be a dreaded chore instead of something that's supposed to be enjoyable and nourishing. Investing your home improvement budget in updating your kitchen is money well spent. Here are things to plan for when getting the process started.

Openness: Consider removing walls or really high counters that separate the kitchen from the rest of the living space. This allows everyone to interact, and the person cooking not to feel isolated.

Adequate storage: Kitchen counters should be clutter-free so that there is adequate working space. Plan your remodel to have adequate storage for all your kitchen tools and small appliances.

Colours: Don't be afraid of colour when it comes to picking out backsplash tile. Pick a color that's inviting and that brings you joy. Blues and greens are timeless choices.

Let nature in: Consider adding a window box to your design so you can grow your own fresh herbs right in your kitchen. If this isn't possible, use some house plants to green up the space. House plants filter the air and create a feeling of calm.

When you actually enjoy being in your kitchen, cooking becomes fun and creative. This encourages you to nourish you and your family better, which in turn makes you and your family feel better.

The kitchen is the most important room in every foodie's home – not only because we foodies love to cook – but also because family and friends tend to hang out even in cozy kitchens while dinner is getting prepared.

My husband and I have a 2,000-square-foot house built in the 1970s with a relatively small kitchen, which seemed to have been designed by a man who had never cooked a meal! We moved our refrigerator, which was blocking a corner of the room, to free up space for a wide corner cabinet that holds several large pots. It's amazing what a difference that made! Now the refrigerator is on a formerly empty wall where we created a nook with a countertop to deposit mail, more cabinet space underneath, and shelving for cookbooks. A larger window over the sink and gorgeous Italian-style backsplash tiles in turquoise and yellow have made the kitchen the brightest room in the house!

There are many things to consider when repurposing a room! First, you should ask yourself what will bring you joy in the space. Is there a certain tone or theme you want to set? Creating a mood board or vision board from different aspirations can help hone in on said theme.

As a chef, I love to use kitchens as a great re-design example. There are so many options in color and texture today, from cabinetry to hardware and even appliances, making a colour splash. Think about what you love to cook, the type of appliances needed to cook them, and the amount of realistic counter space you will have to account for to prepare said meals.

For example, someone who loves to cook on the healthier side may want to consider adding a range with an air fryer and a wall oven with steam cooking capabilities. For the person who wants to save time and stay up to date with technologies, they will want to add an induction cooktop and or a GE Profile product that has many appliances enabled with WiFi.

When it comes to design, there are so many great European brands like Novacucina bringing their modern, simplistic styles to the US, where you can hide and disguise your entire kitchen with their unique pocket door system. In today's design world, customisable options to one’s liking are endless.

As a food enthusiast, I am passionate about creating a kitchen space that makes it joyful to prepare and cook food. It’s so easy to let kitchen surfaces get cluttered with gadgets and utensils, which take up valuable chopping and prepping space. It also makes the kitchen much harder to keep clean.

It can be hard to get rid of kitchen items that you think you might use one day. But if they are sitting on your worktops and haven’t been touched in a while, it’s time to rehome them. Gadgets are so tempting to buy, especially if you think they will make your life easier, yet they can quickly become a bind. Rice cookers, bread makers, ice-cream makers, and juicers are all examples of gadgets that seemed like a good idea at the time, but unless they are used frequently, they simply take up space.

It’s even harder if you’ve spent a lot of money on a piece of equipment to discard it. A good mindset to adopt is that the money has already been spent, and it’s better to focus on having the space back again rather than feeling duty-bound to hold onto something.

By clearing your workspaces, your kitchen will become a cleaner, brighter, and more functional space for you to enjoy cooking.

An unconventional way to transform your living space is to take a seldom-used area like a formal dining room and repurpose it into a home gym.

Convenience is crucial when it comes to exercising consistently, and what's more convenient than having your workout area right inside your home (no need to worry about temperature fluctuations, like if it's in a garage, or it feels dark and unwelcoming, like if it's in a basement).

With your equipment visible and easily accessible, you're much more likely to actually use it! Imagine using the "dining room" daily instead of only on important holidays?

Since it's not something you see done very often, it will definitely become a conversation starter with guests - who knows, maybe you'll even encourage them to make the most of their space, too!

We now live in a world where, if we do not choose a healthy lifestyle, we are choosing chronic disease. When it comes to our environment, repurposing a room or furniture is one of the best ways to keep health at the forefront, all the while making health a more easily accessible choice.

Look at your living room, most of us have it more like a sleeping or lounging room with couches, pillows, TV, blankets, etc. Instead, get rid of the chairs, sofas, and furniture that you don't use or need, and only keep the most frequently used items to make room for your fitness equipment, such as foam rollers, yoga mats, large stability balls, resistance bands, and even a vibration plate or self-propelled walking treadmill.

By hybridizing your most used room in your home into one that makes healthy options more accessible, you are more likely to engage with them.

When you tuck health and fitness equipment away in a room, unless you are incredibly disciplined, it's out of sight, out of mind. This way, you are making a statement to your family and to yourself that you can live a healthy lifestyle. And before you know it, your living room will become an interactive health hub for your entire family to enjoy.

Repurposing a room in your house doesn't have to be because you want to change the space; it can also be because you want to change your life.

One of the most creative solutions to making a home more useful is to reimagine underutilized rooms. Formal dining rooms, for example, are only used during the holidays. You can enhance your daily life by assigning it a new function.

I helped one family transform their dining room into a homework and craft area for their children. We constructed storage along one wall for supplies, but left space in the center for a large table that could still be dressed up for parties. Now it's one of the most utilized rooms in their house.

I also adore the concept of rearranging furniture rather than replacing it. A broken dresser in a bedroom can be refinished and repurposed as an entry console, or a nightstand can serve nicely as a side table in a living room. Repurposing them in such ways conserves money and provides your home with a fresh, more personal feel.

Repurposing is not about purchasing additional; it's about reframing what you currently have. That reframing alone can totally transform the way a room feels and operates.

As a professional organizer, there is nothing that irks me more than lots of unused belongings and untouched spaces in clients' homes. I firmly believe that a home is meant to be lived in, used, and enjoyed, and I always encourage people to make their home and things work for them and their current life.

Most of the time, it comes down to a simple shift in mindset. Life is too short to wait for special occasions to enjoy all the spaces in your home or to use your beloved belongings.

Go ahead and curl up with a book on the sofa in the formal living room, or use your special china for a casual coffee date with a friend, rather than keeping these things off limits. Similarly, you can absolutely store your kids' art supplies in the antique cabinet in your dining room, rather than leaving the piece untouched and just admiring it from afar. Own what you love and use what you own!

A fairly easy “trick” to make a messy room look less cluttered, or a messy cabinet or drawer

When a room or the inside of a cabinet or drawer looks messy, a fairly easy “trick” to transform it into something less cluttered and more organized is to categorize everything that’s in that room, cabinet, or drawer. Followed by putting each category in its own container, or using dividers so that categories don’t start mixing.

The first step is grouping all similar items together, putting like with like. If a drawer is stressing you out, empty it completely and divide all items into groups. You might end up with piles of batteries, paperclips, pens, medication, single-use cutlery, hand cream, and so on.

Once you’ve categorised the full content of your drawer, give each category a home. Perhaps you already have a place for medication, so put the medication you found with the other medication.

If a category of items doesn’t have a home yet, perhaps it could continue to live in that drawer. But differently! Because you don’t want that drawer to cause you stress again! Give each category of items its own container, or use dividers. It’s not always necessary to buy new containers.

Have a look around your home to see if you’ve got anything lying around that could serve as a storage container, such as plastic food containers without a matching lid, or empty tech packaging (boxes that mobile phones come in).

Categorising items will make any space look calmer and more organised, and it will be much easier to keep it tidy, and to find things.

The most economical and quickest way to refresh a room is to start by decluttering. Clearing away what no longer serves you and intentionally making room for what you do need creates a clean slate and makes a space easier to use. From there, you can focus on incorporating accessories that are functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Focus on making these accessories timeless elements with clean lines that can be multifunctional. The clean lines will give your selections longevity. What makes this approach so attainable and effective is that accessories can be found at every price point. So, if you are updating on a tight budget or looking for a more elevated price point, you can choose what works best for you.

My favorite items to transform a room include art, rugs, bowls, pillows, throws, candles, vases, and lighting (table and floor lamps). These elements create a big impact, and you can mix textures and colours to create the aesthetic you are looking for. They are easy to switch out if you get tired of them.

For example, a bowl can be used on its own, it can be a catch-all for keys, wallets, etc., or a planter for succulents. The icing on the cake is adding dimmers to your lighting to create mood and ambiance.

These updates also work well for rental situations. Nothing is permanent, and it's easy to add color, personal touches, and fresh style. These small introductions can create great results in any space or home.

Repurposing your laundry room into a true home cleaning hub can completely transform how you feel about one of the most dreaded chores. Instead of treating it like a hidden utility zone, think of it as a space that supports your home’s rhythm, where laundry, cleaning, and even a bit of calm coexist.

Start by organizing essentials in pretty, labeled containers so supplies are easy to see and reach. Add shelving or a small cart to store multipurpose cleaners, microfiber cloths, and extra paper towels.

Then, bring in touches that make the room a place you actually want to be: a cozy rug, a favorite candle, framed art, or cheerful wallpaper. If space allows, include a small folding counter or peg rail to hang tools and drying items, turning functionality into design.

This kind of intentional repurposing changes the tone of your cleaning routine. When your laundry space looks good and works efficiently, washing and folding feel less like chores and more like self-care. You’re creating a place that celebrates order, light, and progress; proof that even the most practical spaces deserve a little beauty.

With any space we organize, we start by removing everything. This allows us to space plan and adjust the furniture layout and shelving to best meet our clients' unique needs.

One major change we've discovered for making any space more functional and easy to enjoy is to repurpose furniture pieces in ways that make daily life simpler.

For example, you may have a special hutch you want to keep next to your dining room table, storing china that your family never uses; however, your children naturally use the space to do homework. Work with that instead of fighting against it.

Empty the china from the hutch cabinets, assess what you'd like to keep, then store it in protective bags in a closet or the attic. Then use drawer inserts and clear bins to reimagine the furniture piece as a solution for storing everyday needs like school supplies, homework caddies, etc.

Now the hutch becomes a beautiful and functional system for containing clutter that would otherwise live on your dining room table. Once we let go of the idea that we have to use furniture for its original intended purpose, we can creatively repurpose it for our actual needs.

I worked on a Wichita home with Gayle, an interior designer, where the kitchen, living areas, and stairwell felt spacious but "disconnected". The family rarely used the living room because it didn’t feel inviting, and the stairwell was dark and unwelcoming. We focused on defining zones and using color and finishes to guide how the home was used.

In the kitchen, two-tone cabinets helped the space read visually, making meal prep and traffic flow smoother. In the stairwell and adjacent rooms, we used lighter, reflective paint on walls and trim to open the space and brighten natural light, which immediately made the areas feel usable instead of just...transitional.

Sometimes it’s really just the little detail - little accents on trim, and clean lines, placement of each surface as you've thought about it - that can transform how a space feels and make it work even when you haven't ripped anything out.

The takeaway for anyone redesigning a home: look at what each room is actually doing for the family, and then design purpose and flow into it. Even small, thoughtful changes can turn overlooked spaces into ones people actually want to live in!

In 1982, my mom bought this sofa, a piece that has quietly anchored our family life for more than four decades. When the cushions began to show their age, I couldn’t let it go.

Instead, I had them reupholstered, keeping the original fabric, Ralph Lauren’s Lucas Tartan Ivy League, a plaid that has long since been discontinued. Holding onto that fabric felt important. It was my mom’s choice, her eye, her style, and I wanted to preserve that connection.

Reupholstery can give any piece of furniture a second life, allowing it to feel fresh again while retaining its original charm. The transformation demonstrates that you don’t need to throw away something beloved just because it’s worn. Reupholster it, refinish it, or paint it. It’s more economical, more sustainable, and it makes your space easier and more enjoyable to live in.

Sometimes the simplest change makes the biggest difference. By keeping the integrity of a well-made piece while refreshing its upholstery, I’ve found a way to blend memory with functionality, and to make this sofa not only part of my past but of my present.

As the host of the only decorating book podcast, Decorating by the Book, I always want to encourage people to see that you can make your home beautiful without breaking the bank. Interior design books often showcase homes that feel unattainable, but a beautiful home is always within reach.

“Your home should work for your lifestyle, not the other way around.”

Rethinking underused spaces like a breakfast nook or formal dining room is one strategy that I personally like to use. I transformed a small dining nook into a cozy reading corner in my apartment, and that is exactly what I recommend to my clients as well. The small, underused spaces, especially in urban homes, accumulate dust; therefore, transforming them into functional zones can be a real game-changer.

My reading corner is now complete with a built-in bench, wall shelves & layered seating, and it’s my favorite place to start the day with a hot coffee and a book.

Having worked with sellers who used this strategy and converted their dining rooms into home offices or creative studios, I can tell how it made their listings stand out. Buyers don't just measure square footage, but the possibility of doing what they want to the house to turn it into a home.

Intention is much more important than expensive renovations in this case. If swapping a table, adding storage, or installing dual-purpose furniture can help you create a space that supports your real life, then it is the right decision to make.

It's not important what you're planning to do with the house, as you can be staging to sell it or staying long-term, but having flexible spaces that you love makes a home more livable, ultimately adding more value to it.

We've recently repurposed the front "formal" living room into a large dining room to seat their family for weekly Sunday suppers.

The dining room was then repurposed into a "music" room where the family gathered to share their time and talents with each other.

I'm seeing this more - thinking of ways to use those underutilised rooms or ghost zones.

In another project, we repurposed the front living room into an office. The layout was such that the office could be closed off from the rest of the house and entered from the outside.

Repurposing a space can make it easier and more enjoyable to use. For the Montreal Residence, I worked with homeowners who both needed dedicated areas for remote work. By reimagining a former guest bedroom and small office—and simply rearranging existing furniture—we created a spacious, multi-functional office and lounge.

This design featured repurposed pieces that would otherwise be used in different areas of the home—such as a piano, lounge chair, and sectional—bringing character and warmth while making the most of what they already owned.

The result encouraged productivity, supported organization, and provided a comfortable space to unwind, all while maintaining a cohesive and intentional feel. Most importantly, the layout was planned with flexibility in mind, so it can easily transition back into a guest bedroom if their needs change.

One of the most impactful transformations I recommend is converting storage rooms or "dump spaces" into functional, inspiring areas. I'm currently living this change, turning a cluttered storage room into my new office—a necessity as I've been doing more hand-rendering work in my business.

The "before" was a familiar issue: a room piled with old furniture, stacks of paperwork, and an assortment of items we couldn't deal with while redesigning other rooms. It was a space that literally held all our creative blocks.

The most dramatic step was a total declutter. By removing almost everything and giving the room a thorough sweep, I cleared not just the physical space but the mental one, too. This, combined with a single large work table, invited a new chapter of creativity.

It's a simple space, but it pushed me to up-level my designs and keep working on my architectural illustration course, signaling that this space had a new purpose.

The final phase has been about tackling the aesthetics wall by wall. I can get pretty overwhelmed or tempted by perfectionism with my own spaces, but I'm focusing on one wall at a time, getting them visually balanced and storing just what I need, and nothing more.

Seeing the new office take shape—a place for Zoom calls and client design projects—is a powerful reminder that simple changes can create a foundation for profound new possibilities.

One of the simplest yet most impactful changes you can make in a space is rethinking how the furniture is arranged. Too often, furniture is pushed up against the walls, leaving a large empty space in the center of the room.

While this may feel like it creates openness, it actually does the opposite, and it distances people from one another and makes the room feel less inviting.

By pulling furniture inward and arranging it with connection in mind, you immediately create a space that is both more functional and more enjoyable to use.

For example, a coffee table should be close enough that every seat in the conversation area can easily reach it to set down a drink, snack, or book.

Sofas and chairs should be placed at a distance that allows people to speak in a normal conversation voice, not raised tones across a large void. This not only encourages interaction but also makes the room feel warmer and more complete.

The key to combining functionality and style is to find seamless solutions, and this is especially important for storage options. Hidden storage options provided by John Richard buffets or sideboards, for example, can add elevation that enhances the function of a dining room or entryway space. Custom built-in cabinetry offers another avenue for functionality and style, not only in finish and color selection but also in the small details like millwork and fixtures.

Decor that enhances the space with cohesive elements is essential, and it’s where your personal style can shine. Consider incorporating specific color schemes of artwork and accessories to create an atmosphere that promotes calm productivity in the office space or that provides warmth in a shared living space. Multifunction items include vases or pottery, candles, ottomans, or accent tables.

Functional decor that offers tailored solutions to your living space includes items like the flexibility found in adjustable shelving, as well as other design elements like window treatments, fabrics, and rugs. The customisation of pattern and colour only enhances the functionality and can extend to any room.

High-end smart home features like climate control, sound systems, and adjustable lighting provide convenience, function, and beauty through one system. Adjustable lighting is essential in blending function with timeless, sophisticated decor. Without the right type of lighting, furnishings and artwork often fall flat and the feel of the space is compromised.

A sure way to boost the enjoyment of a room is to design it so it accommodates more than one need. For example, if you have a guest room and need a crafting room, home office, game room, or even a gym, you can accommodate multiple and even all of these in the furnishing design.

Modular furniture allows for multiple functions within the same footprint and is easily adaptable to suit daily needs.

Fold a table or bed out of the way when it's not needed, and create discreet storage for games or exercise equipment behind cabinet doors while keeping them within easy reach.

A room can be a cozy guest room when mom visits one day and then transform into an activity space the next! And with so many attractive design options out there, you won’t have to compromise on the room’s look.

The easiest way to make your home more enjoyable is to repurpose a room that isn’t getting much use. Formal dining rooms are one of the most common examples - many families only step into them a few times a year, yet they take up valuable square footage.

In a recent remodel for my clients Jess and Pete, we decided to rethink their dining room, which mostly sat empty. By removing the wall between it and the kitchen, we created a huge island with plenty of seating and storage. The former dining space became a cozy nook with a custom bench that’s now used daily - for morning coffee, homework, or enjoying a cocktail while someone cooks.

That simple shift completely changed how they use their home. Instead of holding on to a room out of tradition, they gained a space that fits their lifestyle right now. The takeaway: when you design with your actual routines in mind, your home instantly becomes more functional and enjoyable.

The simplest way to make a room more enjoyable is by choosing the right colours for window treatments. At The Shutter Studio, we’ve found that brown and earthy tones for shutters and blinds can make a space feel instantly warmer, calmer, and generally more inviting to be in.

For example, if you’re repurposing a spare bedroom into a home office, choosing earthy tones like browns and greens helps the room feel cosy and focused rather than stark and possibly distracting.

Our research shows that Instagram posts featuring brown interiors/earthy tone type hashtags are nearly three times more likely to include wellbeing-related hashtags than posts relating to grey interiors (a colour that until recently was dominating the interior world). It’s a clear sign that colour isn’t just taste and preference, it directly affects mood and enjoyment too.

One of the most impactful ways to make a home more enjoyable is by rethinking how spaces are actually used day to day. So often, homes are laid out in ways that don’t reflect modern lifestyles, and a thoughtful swap can completely transform how a family lives.

For example, I worked with clients who had a large formal living room that felt more like a “bowling alley” than a cozy gathering space, and a small dining room that couldn’t accommodate their big dinner parties. They rarely used the living room, yet felt cramped when entertaining.

The solution was to swap functions: we transformed the oversized living room into a beautiful dining room with plenty of space to extend the table and host comfortably, and turned the former dining room into a cozy den right off the kitchen. It created better flow, added storage, and made their home feel instantly more functional and inviting.

In another project, a client downsized from a large apartment to a much smaller one, only to realize her beloved sectional no longer fit. Rather than replace it, we worked with an upholsterer to modify and resize the piece so it looked as though it was always designed for the new space. This simple change made the apartment feel tailored, personal, and just as comfortable as her previous home.

Changing or repurposing a room to look or feel different isn’t the same as changing it to function differently. The spaces that truly make life easier are designed around real-life routines.

Transform a hallway or entryway into a functional mudroom with benches, hooks, and cubbies. Add hidden storage to kitchen pantries and closets to keep everyday items accessible and organised.

Thoughtful storage doesn’t just hide the mess... it supports how families move through their day, making mornings less chaotic and helping create calm in the chaos.

Smart storage design turns ordinary rooms into spaces that work harder for you and your family.

From a Feng Shui perspective, repurposing unused spaces can refresh energy and make the home more supportive. For example, a formal dining room that is only used on holidays often holds stagnant chi.

Transforming it into a multi-functional space for dining, creativity, or socialising restores vibrancy and flow. A round or rounded-edge table encourages smooth energy, while mirrors can symbolically double abundance by reflecting food or gatherings. Warm lighting, plants, and inviting colours further uplift the space, making it both practical and nurturing.

Similarly, an underutilised guest room can be transformed into a calming meditation or wellness space. Most of the time, the room can serve as a sanctuary with a yoga mat, meditation cushion, or small altar, while still accommodating visitors with a futon or daybed.

Keeping the room clutter-free, adding soft lighting and natural elements, and positioning the meditation area to face the door fosters peace, renewal, and security. This turns stagnant energy into support for health and spiritual growth.

Even repurposing furniture can shift energy powerfully. An old, cluttered desk can be cleared and turned into an altar or intention table. Instead of holding unfinished tasks, it can display uplifting objects, such as candles, flowers, or meaningful symbols.

This transformation changes its energy from a source of stress into a reminder of inspiration and purpose, creating a small “power spot” that radiates positivity throughout the home.

The best change you can make is repurposing that underused space into a wellness room. Many people have an office or study that doesn't get used or a guest bedroom that sits empty most of the year. Turning it into a wellness space, yoga nook, or meditation space instantly makes it functional and enjoyable every day.

For example, I'm currently working with a family who had a guest room they rarely used. We reimagined it as a calming wellness oasis with a Pilates reformer, an oversized mirror, and floor area pillows and yoga mats. That once-forgotten room has now become their favourite where mornings begin with movement and evenings wind down with stretching.

The best part is that it doesn’t require a full renovation. Sometimes it’s as simple as removing bulky furniture, adding intentional storage, or swapping a bed, like we did, with a pilates reformer.

Yoga and Pilates, in particular, adapt beautifully to repurposed bedrooms because their “softer” design elements complement the calm, minimal aesthetic you’d already expect to have in a bedroom.

The result is a space that feels intentional and serene while supporting health, relaxation, and daily rituals — far more valuable than a room that rarely sees the light of day.

As designers, we often see homes with at least one room that never quite finds its purpose; like a guest bedroom used once a year, or a box room that slowly fills with things that don’t belong anywhere else. One of the most transformative changes you can make is to repurpose that forgotten space into something that genuinely supports your lifestyle.

For many of our clients, that means creating a private wellness or focus zone- a calm, functional room that serves as a gym, yoga studio, or compact home office. This can become a place where you can mentally compartmentalise your day. A space for movement or quiet concentration that can have a big effect on well-being.

When we design these areas, we focus on texture, light, and proportion- concealed storage for a sense of calm and natural light to assist biophilic rhythms. A storage area can become somewhere you genuinely want to spend time. This space can become highly utilised and make you happier!

Have you heard about the health benefits of aligning with your circadian rhythm, but you’re not sure how to do it? Here’s a simple way to start. Getting a good night’s sleep actually begins in the morning. Spending a few minutes in the early morning sun each day will help to reset your body clock.

If the weather’s warm enough, enjoy your morning coffee on a sunny balcony. Otherwise, sit inside close to a sunny window. Just 10-15 minutes is enough.

Wherever you choose to be, make the space a comfortable and inviting “sunrise nook”, with cushions or a cosy blanket.

As well as resetting your body clock, you’ll get an instant mood and energy boost.

The most effective way to make a home easier and more enjoyable to use is by repurposing a room that’s rarely used or a corner into a multifunctional space that reflects your daily needs.

For example, a spare bedroom that rarely accommodates guests can be transformed into a dual-purpose home office and relaxation space. By incorporating a fold-out sofa bed or a wall-mounted bed, you can keep the option for visitors while freeing up valuable space for a desk, shelving, and good task lighting. This change not only maximises the room’s functionality but also ensures it gets used every day instead of just sitting idle.

Furniture repurposing is another practical method. A large dining table that feels overwhelming in a smaller household can be swapped for an extendable model, creating a more comfortable day-to-day layout while still being suitable for gatherings when it’s needed.

Similarly, an old dresser can be adapted into a stylish storage unit for a hallway or even a compact home bar, giving it a new purpose while reducing clutter.

Often, the key to such chances lies in rethinking the circulation and flow of your home. For instance, opening up a kitchen-dining area by removing a non-structural wall immediately creates a sociable, light-filled space that can be used daily.

These changes don’t necessarily demand large budgets. They require careful planning and a willingness to look at existing rooms and furniture with fresh eyes.

One of the most impactful changes you can make is to repurpose an underused room into a space that truly supports your lifestyle. I see so many families with formal dining rooms or spare bedrooms that rarely get used. With a little creativity, these can become the most-loved areas in the house.

For example, I recently helped a client turn a forgotten dining room into a cosy library meets home office. By adding built-in cabinetry for storage, a comfortable armchair in the corner, and a large desk with plenty of natural light, it became a space where they now spend hours reading, working, or just relaxing with a cup of tea.

Even small changes to furniture can make a huge difference. Swapping a bulky sofa for two smaller occasional chairs can instantly open up a living room and create better flow for entertaining. The key is to think about how you actually live day to day, not just how the house was originally intended to be used.

Making use of vertical storage space can change a room at any given point when you use the right tools.

Vertical solutions free up floor space while keeping everyday items within reach. From door organisers to cube storage to wall track systems, these tools make any space functional. When spaces function, the entire flow of the house is easier, calmer, and more enjoyable.

Repurposing a room can involve as much or as little as you'd like, but the changes you make can have a lasting impact on the way you view your home and overall satisfaction.

We are big believers in the trifecta that any changes to your home should be beautiful, functional, and thoughtful.

To add beauty, we look to art, walls (paint or paper), or textures that evoke a sense of layers, allowing you to connect emotionally with a space before you even set foot into it. Then we look at function - as in what way is this room serving you.

So, overall, it isn't one specific thing to change in a room, but ensuring that it meets your needs for beauty, function, and thoughtfulness.

While most people assume they need drastic layout changes or new furniture to change a room, a new coat of paint can make just as big a difference, if not more.

Here’s a cheap and simple painting hack to repurpose your basement from storage space to an actual living space.

The problem with most basements is that they’re gloomy and cave-like, which is why they often end up as storage rather than usable living space.

But to remedy this, all you need to do is actually repaint your basement with lighter neutrals. Lighter colors bounce more light around, making a room feel bigger, brighter, and much more welcoming.

This is also especially helpful for boosting your home’s value when you’re looking to sell, as it essentially extends the functional and usable area of the home.

You might start by rearranging the furniture to create distinct zones for different functions.

Adding plants or indoor greenery can make the space feel more relaxing, while changing the lighting helps set the mood. Introducing new textiles, such as rugs and throws, can add texture and colour.

When it comes to furniture, you could either update pieces with new hardware or choose multi-purpose options, such as an ottoman that provides both storage and seating.

Another idea is to repurpose old furniture through sanding and repainting.

Of course, you can also make your décor more sustainable with simple changes. Repurposing old furniture is an excellent step: a quick reupholster or fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into tired chairs, helping them blend into a modern living room.

For something more creative, you might even convert an old bathtub into a beautiful garden fishpond. These small but thoughtful adjustments can refresh your home, making it both practical and enjoyable to use.

One inexpensive but effective design transformation is the reuse of outdoor furniture in your house.

I always cling to the flexibility of furniture since I have personally encountered how the redesign of a solid lounge chair or a sectional can change any room and make it feel homey and more functional.

As an example, an outdoor or covered patio can have a section that is weatherproof to be used as a relaxing, cozy place where you can read or watch TV. Outdoor furniture is made to be comfortable and strong, which is why it is capable of heavy indoor use. It also relaxes the hard lines of the traditional indoor furniture, making your place have a fresh and relaxing feel.

I would also like to add that space savings are another advantage because you do not need to have different pieces in different areas. Such furniture will slowly become part of family events and reunions because of its handy design, giving more style to your home.

When outdoor furniture is added to the interior decoration, it can make rooms more welcoming, functional, and stylish, and I vouch for this.

After 30+ years of building custom pools, the most transformative space change I see is converting neglected backyards into complete outdoor living environments.

Most homeowners think they need a huge yard, but we've created stunning pool and entertainment areas in spaces as small as 20x30 feet. The game-changer is vertical integration - instead of just dropping in a pool, we build up with retaining walls, lifted decks, and multi-level entertaining areas.

One client in Wilmington had a sloped, unusable backyard that became a three-tier outdoor paradise: pool level, lifted dining deck, and upper fire pit area. They went from never using their backyard to hosting family gatherings every weekend.

The key is thinking beyond the primary feature and creating zones. We combine the pool installation with outdoor kitchens, built-in seating walls, and strategic landscaping that defines different activity areas. This approach maximises every square foot while creating natural flow between spaces.

What surprises clients most is how the lighting transforms everything after dark. Properly placed LED systems in the pool, hardscape, and landscape features essentially give you two completely different spaces - day and night versions of the same backyard.

We hope this roundup has inspired you to look at your home with fresh eyes. Whether it’s rearranging a few pieces of furniture, repurposing a forgotten corner, or completely rethinking how a room is used, small changes can make a huge difference in how you feel in your space.

Thank you so much to all the experts who have contributed to this expert roundup! If you enjoyed reading this article, please share it on social media with your friends and followers!