A house is an oasis, a place to truly relax and be yourself. Unfortunately, with the advent of working from home, most of us find ourselves unable to completely tear ourselves from our work. Especially when the work desk we use is the same desk we use for gaming. It seems like an impossible feat at times to focus on our hobbies when we have access to our work 24/7. Working from home may be making the line between our work and personal lives more blurred than ever.
But there is a way we can go about it. With so much time spent at home, it might be ideal to transform some of your living spaces so that you can have a proper division between your work and personal life. After all, with so much time being spent at home, there is never a better time to truly explore your hobbies.
We know that everyone is different and each of us has our preferred hobby. So we’ve curated a list of different inspirational living spaces, both indoors and outdoors, for every hobbyist!
Transforming Your Indoor Living Spaces
When you think of indoor living spaces, what comes to your mind? Living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom are some of the typical living spaces that one would think of. These are essential rooms that every house requires. But if you want to add more personality to your home, you might want to consider some room inspirations we have for you.
Home Theater for The Binge-Watchers
You love watching movies and TV shows so much that you binge-watch all the time. You’ve binge-watched Game of Thrones in a week, and you’re always on the lookout for more exciting TV shows. You used to watch films in cinemas, but now you no longer have this option. So you’ve resorted to watching them online.
Your eyes are getting tired from your nightly marathons on your tiny cellphone screen. You miss the enormous screen, the plush seats, and the salty-sweet aroma of popcorn in cinemas. It’s been a particularly trying period for you, with all the cinemas closed and their future uncertain.
Maybe it’s time for you to start upgrading your movie and TV marathons by investing in a proper home theatre room. From soundproofing your room to building a proper audio-visual component rack, all these installments call for true dedication. And if you insist on a classic design, velvet walls, tiered seating, and wall sconces all rack up costs.
It isn’t an easy or cheap investment, but it would be utterly gratifying for any movie buff. One way to reduce your costs is by setting the theater room in your basement. This way, you won’t have to be bothered with buying blackout curtains to reduce the natural light.
Home Library for The Bookworms
When you read, you find yourself falling into another world. You become the leading character in the novel. You experience all their joy, angst, and fears. And you have hundreds of books that messily stuffed in boxes. Perhaps it’s time for you to make a home library!
Home libraries are a great way to arrange your books and display them for all to see. We know you would beam with pride to see your entire collection of Harry Potter novels neatly lined up on the shelves.
Most of us don’t have the luxury of carving out an entire room for our books, but there are still many creative ways you can make use of different living spaces to make your mini-library. You could either blend your home office or living room with your library corner. If not, you can still find an empty nook to place a bookshelf and a comfy lounge chair.
If you have severe space constraints, you could even install a window seat by your window. With the natural light shining down on you as you read, plus a few fluffy cushions and a soft throw, and you’ll find yourself never wanting to leave this reading corner.
Game Room for The Gamers
When we talk about game rooms, one usually conjures up the image of a pool table or a table tennis table. But you don’t have to stick to the traditional designs, for it is your house and your rules. Let your personality shine through! It doesn’t matter what you play. It could be video games, tabletop games, sports, or even music. If you’re deeply passionate about playing something, you are a gamer.
Go full techie with gaming chairs and moody ambient lighting if you are an avid video gamer. If you love golf, build a mini-golf course to master your putting skills. And don’t be hesitant to display your collection of ukuleles if you are into them! Go wild with your room decor for your game room — hang kitschy art or use your music or sports instruments as wall decor!
If you have kids, you can always double up your game room with your kids’ playroom as long as you are smart with storage. And if you add an indoor playground for your children, you’ll never have to bring them out to play in the freezing winter and suffer from frostbite ever again.
Home Gym for The Gym Bunnies
You breathe and live exercise, and have been conscientiously following Chris Hemsworth’s workout app to sculpt the dream body you’ve always wanted. As Chris Hemsworth has shown, you don’t necessarily need to build an expensive home gym to get drool-worthy abs. All you need are some laundry detergent and a laundry basket.
But still, there is something incredibly sexy about flexing your muscles while lifting actual weights. And unfortunately, most of us don’t look as good as the God of Thunder pumping with laundry detergent.
But more than that, you miss the feeling of curling your hands around the cool metal of the barbell. You even miss the scent of the disinfectant spray on the equipment in your local gym. If a plain workout at home isn’t sufficient for you, why not build a home gym? If you know how to manage your budget, it is still possible to build an affordable home gym. And it might turn out to be even cheaper than your gym membership in the long run!
Wine Cellar for The Wine Collectors
Wine aficionados who collect fine wine would find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation. You have simply too much wine to store in your wine fridge! And even if you can store all your wine in your fridge, its storage life still can’t be compared with those stored in a wine cellar.
This is especially true for red wine. Red wine is not only affected by temperature and humidity, even vibrations can cause the quality to deteriorate. Hence, the vibrations in a fridge will still affect the wine quality. A wine cellar can protect wine from vibration and also keeps your wine collection beautifully organized. Imagine wowing your visitors when you bring them to your wine cellar to pick the perfect wine for the occasion.
Moreover, if you’re an avid wine collector, it can also save you money as you can purchase your wine by the case! Besides, if you ever plan to sell your house, a fellow wine aficionado will definitely buy your house at a higher price just for your wine cellar!
Transforming Your Outdoor Living Spaces
It doesn’t matter whether you have a porch, a veranda, a balcony, a patio, or even a deck. All of these outdoor living spaces can be instantly transformed from prosaic to Pinterest-worthy by the mere addition of a few accent chairs and throw pillows. But these places are not only for decor. They can also be turned into creative spaces for your hobbies!
Kitchen Gardens for The Home Chefs
Lately, with the increased amount of time spent at home, many of us are unleashing our inner Gordon Ramsay and flourishing our newly discovered cooking skills. We pour all our love and creativity into our homemade dishes, churning out one delectable dish after another to share with all on social media.
But have you ever thought about being more sustainable with your ingredient preparation? Growing your own food can be beneficial in a multitude of ways. It is therapeutic, helps you save money, and keeps you healthy.
Planting your own greens is also particularly helpful during this time of pandemic when social distancing is encouraged. By growing your own herb or vegetable garden, you can avoid making a trip to the crowded supermarket, reduce stress, eat healthier, and save the environment! If you aren’t blessed with a large backyard space, don’t fret. You can always place wall planters and grow a vertical garden.
Party-Ready Backyards for The Party-Lovers
Warm glorious summers and cool crisp autumns are the two best seasons for bonfire evenings. When the night falls and the air gets a little chillier, there is no feeling as wondrous as chatting with your friends and family while relishing gooey S’mores in front of a bonfire. If you love this feeling of warming by the bonfire, you should consider making fire pit a permanent fixture in your backyard.
Installing a fire pit doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, you can even DIY your own fire pit using materials found in your own home! There is a plethora of fire pit types to suit your personal style.
If you love country rustic, go for the natural bonfire look, complete with logs and stones. If you are more of urban chic, get a sleek fire pit table to match your modern tastes. Regardless of your style, you should never forget to hang string lights to make your patio even more inviting.
And of course, what is a party without a bar? If you have the means, you can combine your outdoor bar with an outdoor kitchen for an instant polished feel. And for those lacking space, you can simply tuck a bar cart at the corner of your patio or deck for an inconspicuous look.
Chill Corner for The Laid-back Peeps
And there are some of us whose hobby is lazing. Yes, no matter what some people might say, we’re adamant that lazing is a hobby. Whether you spend your chilling time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or simply taking a nap, you should always create a haven for the ultimate indulgence.
If you enjoy baking under the sun while you dream, it’s time to upgrade your lounging days with a patio daybed! We recommend a canopy daybed so that you can still have some shade during the hottest time of the day. If you have limited space, simply place some lounge chairs and add plenty of throw pillows to create a cozy atmosphere.
If you like to insert some playful time into your relaxation, why not get a porch swing or a hammock? Before you nod off into a restful sleep, you can swing around for a bit! We guarantee that the swinging rhythm will soothe your senses and send you to sleep like a baby.
For those who love spending your nights under the stars, remember to place a heat lamp by your side to stay warm while you recline! You can also wind some twinkling fairy lights around your pergola or twist them around your balcony rails for a whimsical touch to your repose.
Sunroom for The Nature Lovers who love Life’s Comforts
Imagine, being able to bask under the sun’s rays all day long without the nuisance of flying insects buzzing at your ear or attempting to land on your food. Or simply staying dry even as you watch the raindrops hydrating the flowers and trees in your garden. You don’t have to tend to the fire or bring out the heat lamp when night falls. You can enjoy your teatime in peace while you admire the stunning scenery before you, all year long.
You’ll be able to experience all of nature’s wonders without sacrificing your comfort when you’re in a sunroom. A sunroom can protect you from the harsh elements of nature. Unbearable summer heat, freezing winter cold, thunderstorms, and even annoying bugs won’t be able to reach you in a sunroom.
Sunrooms are usually built on an existing space like a patio or a veranda, though it can also be built from scratch. There are several types of sunrooms, but some of the main styles are conservatory, gable, shed, and solarium. The cost of your sunroom will vary, depending on the type, location, and other factors. But the biggest difference would be based on whether you wish to use it for all four seasons, which would add to your utility expenses.
