Dressing Room
A dressing room is a real luxury, but ideal for a box room or a room that can only be accessed through another bedroom.
Dressing Room Basics
• A chair bed is more practical than a sofa bed.
• Layout is crucial if you want the room to have flexibility in the future.
Leave one wall free of cupboards so that future owners can fit in a bed (even if it’s a single) if they need to.
• Fitted cupboards will make the most of space and provide storage for everything from spare bed linen and clothes to makeup. Don't forget to factor in extra storage for bedding in the hard to reach areas at the top and bottom.
• Good lighting around a mirror is a bonus - and the bigger the mirror, the bigger the room will feel.
• Colours should be clean and soothing - nothing too bright or patterned that would detract from the art of dressing.
Reading Room
If your collection of books challenges that of the British Library, a dedicated reading room will free up space elsewhere, and it's perfect for those who don't need a home office, but love to read and want a bolt-hole away from the bustle of the house.
Reading Room Basics
• Assess exactly how many books you have, as getting a carpenter to build shelving is the best way to store them.
• Combine it with a music room or home office and make space for a sofa or chair bed so buyers can see how versatile the room is.
• Colours can be much more soothing and enveloping - think of a stately home palette of claret red, deep green or rich chocolate brown.
• Good lighting is crucial - decide on the layout that works with your space then factor in a wall light or standard lamp to illuminate the area.
Music Room
Whether your music room is a grown-up space for you to sit and listen to your stereo full blast, or a room for the kids to practise their recorder, transforming the room is incredibly simple.
Music Room Basics
• You'll obviously need housing for your music centre, and if this is to double as a guest room (complete with comfy sofa bed for you to relax on), it's best to shut it all away behind closed doors. Equally, good storage for CDs will help keep the room tidy.
• Make sure to include plenty of storage for musical instruments themselves, boxes for the associated paraphernalia and perhaps a filing cabinet for sheet music.
• Noise insulation may be a problem, so if the room is upstairs you should fit a carpet with a thick underlay.
• In a room with such a specific purpose, decor can be a little edgier - framed posters of inspirational musicians, for example. Red is a stimulating colour, according to Dulux, so use accents of it in the room, or go for soothing lilacs - great for chilling out.
Playroom
There's nothing like a day-glo scatter of plastic toys or lolling teenagers to ruin the muted chic of your sitting room, so why not give the kids their own den?
Playroom Must Basics
• If your children are young, you'll probably want them to be nearby - in most homes this means adjacent to the kitchen or living room, while upstairs rooms are better suited to older children.
• Incorporate lots of shelving. The highest shelves - too high for young kids to reach - are ideal for storing bed linen. For safety reasons, attach any floor-standing shelves to the wall.
• Add a sofa bed and a curtain across the shelving to hide the chaos, and you'll have a smart guest room.
• Use a pale blue or green to help keep the kids calm(ish), or if you want them to be stimulated, try a bright shade, such as red. Avoid cartoon character theming if you'll be using it as a guest room.
For more shopping advice and how to guides on designing your home visit Channel 4 / 4Homes
