What’s a flex space? It might be a bonus room, a loft, or the unused space above a garage—any area with multipurpose potential. That is a huge gift for a family or an individual journeying through the seasons of life. My hope is that this very moment might be the beginning of a season in which you can create a flex space that supports and encourages you. The best ones invite us to focus on a hobby, complete a project, or experiment with a new style. You might be able to use an entire room, or perhaps you can redeem one of your nooks or crannies. Maybe it’s an angled hideout beneath the stairs or a closet that you’ve purged and cleared and prepped for something even better than storage.
When I was young, I pored over floor plans and imagined uses for rooms and nooks. As an adult, I still can’t wait to look at a layout and envision how to decorate and design places that inspire daydreams and help people fulfill them. In my experience, flex spaces offer the most inventive interior design possibilities. What was once deemed the home office has now morphed into a more creative space that suits the needs of the entire family. One area can often be repurposed to serve the needs of several family members.
Not all homes have obvious flex spaces, but I believe that we can all create spaces that offer us places to dream. To create. To explore. To feed our imaginations and interests. These are spaces where we can write, sew, scrapbook, create, work out, or enjoy quiet moments of reflection. The uses are unique to your needs. Whether you work from home, are turning a hobby into a business, or are simply longing for a space to create, a flex space will give you the room to pursue your passions.
Having a flex space that serves our unique needs provides an opportunity to completely customize the way we style and enjoy it.
Two areas in our home serve as flex spaces. A small room off our dining room serves as our laundry room and doubles as a creative workspace and office for me. And we have a tiny room off our master bedroom that we walk through to get to the bathroom. Until I defined the purpose of the space, it couldn’t become functional. Eventually, I envisioned it as a sitting room with two upholstered chairs and a side table. Now it’s a quiet retreat for reading, journaling, and writing.
With a little imagination, we can breathe purpose into a space that’s waiting to come alive. I’ve chosen furniture, texture and layers, and textiles and fabrics as my focus design elements. I hope you’ll gather a few ideas to motivate and inspire your next steps.
Where to Start
Tour your home with the mindset of someone looking to buy it so they can have a couple of flex space opportunities. I promise that you'll notice a space that you had forgotten about.Perhaps it’s a closet that could be better utilized as a craft space. An empty corner in your living room that accommodates a small desk and chair could create an inviting writing station. An attic could be turned into a yoga space or sewing room. Or a three- or four-season porch could be transformed into an art studio.
Carving out flex space doesn’t mean you have to surrender an entire room. Think about utilizing a landing at the bottom of a stairwell or an empty corner or a window seat perhaps. Your space may be small, but that doesn’t have to limit your creativity. Sometimes even a small space can provide the refreshment and creativity your soul needs.
What spaces of untapped potential are in your home? Once you’ve identified your flex space, you can determine how to make it function best to suit your needs. Loving our homes well means using them well so they can serve us to their fullest potential—and help us reach ours.
Get Clever for Comfort and Order
Once you’ve identified the function of the flex space in your home, think of ways it could inspire your creativity and help bring your passions to life. Identify what your furniture needs are to help that space provide you with the most function. Do you need a desk to write on? Or an easel to paint with? New cushions for your window seat? Sometimes I just long for a window where I can pull up a comfy chair, rest my coffee on a small table, and sit and read, journal, or reflect.Try thinking outside the box when it comes to adding office furniture. If it’s a desk you need, look for antique tables or small kitchen tables for a uniquely sized and attractive option. They offer more work surface than a traditional desk and have a more relaxed feel. And such choices offer you more flexibility year by year should you want to shake things up every now and then.
When it comes to storage, consider an antique armoire or chest to hold all your painting or crafting supplies. Perhaps your room has space for a day bed that can offer comfortable seating and double as a space for overnight guests to sleep.
Tip: If your home doesn’t have a flex space, designate a favorite chair as your place to reflect, read, or dream.
Clutter and visual distractions squelch my creativity, so I’m intentional about keeping the clutter at bay. I like to incorporate pretty storage containers and baskets so everything has a home. Proper storage and an organized workspace help you to think more clearly and stay on task without unnecessary diversions getting the best of your attention and time. Just like the other rooms in our house, if my office isn’t clean and organized, it leaves me feeling anything but inspired to work.
Are piles of papers adding up around your home? Designate an area in your flex space that can help you organize bills and important paperwork so you can find anything easily when you need to. Perhaps lidded boxes or magazine files are the storage solution you need to organize your collection of craft books or cooking magazines.
I love to collect beautiful gift wrap paper and adornments. Nothing says “open me” like a beautifully wrapped gift, so I like a supply of pretty tissue paper and a variety of ribbons on hand. Keeping them in one place that’s easy to get to, but kept out of sight in lidded storage boxes, keeps my creative space from becoming cluttered. I also like to collect antique jars to use as vases. Instead of taking up cabinet space, I store them in baskets in my office so that when I bring in fresh flowers to arrange, I can choose just the right vessel.
Personal touches, unique and clever furniture, and creative storage options give me joy. Decide what added features and furniture will allow you to walk into the nook or room and breathe a sigh of relief and delight.
The best flex spaces are the ones that serve more than one function and can adapt as the needs arise or as your family grows. Assess your space often to make sure it’s serving your needs best, and don’t be surprised if those needs change with the seasons of life.
Layer in a Comfortable Invitation
We touched on some furniture ideas already, but let’s consider how your choices not only serve functions but also add interest and texture. Antiques are known for adding warmth with their weathered wood and worn or chippy paint finishes. That’s why they’re often my first choice.The decor and furnishings you bring into your home tell a story, and that can inspire the choices you make. Antique or unique pieces bring layers and interest, adding their own story to yours the moment they land in one of your rooms.
If I’m not comfortable in a space, I probably won’t want to spend much time in it. Choose your seating wisely. Chairs are one of my happy items to shop for and to add to a space. They add visual interest through their size, shape, and finish or upholstery. Wicker chairs can add loads of texture to any space. Sometimes a great accent chair is all you need for a focal point in your room or nook. Add throw pillows to create layers of comfort and a chunky knit throw blanket for even more texture. Imagine your flex space as a creative retreat that draws you in and refuels your passions and desires. Gather items around you that will awaken your soul and spark creativity.
What are some of your favorite textures? Think of ways you can add them. Wicker, chippy white wood, and weathered wood are among my favorites, so I always look for ways to incorporate those, especially in spaces that I want to inspire creativity in me. Do you love a smooth, shiny finish? Try hanging or leaning a mirror in the flex space. Or perhaps add an antique metal with an item such as mercury glass candle votives. From the furniture to the light fixtures to the accessories, we can add texture and layers with the finishes we choose.
A layered room is an inviting room. It asks someone to stay awhile, look a bit longer, and take in the details that can surprise, soothe, or simply delight. What’s more inviting than a space where we can be inspired and let our creative dreams run wild? Even if you’re working with just a corner of a room, think about how you can add layers to make it feel cozy and truly usable. A few accessories might do the trick, such as candles of various sizes or interesting bookends. A piece of artwork that welcomes your gaze could feed your daydream or showcase the colors that feed your spirit.
Sometimes our flex space is where we will display our favorite finds or keepsake items. It can become more intimate to us than other shared spaces, so why not give it visual texture and ambiance with your nearest and dearest items? This can be the perfect place for your antique collection, a treasured vintage find, some framed family photos, shelved teacups, or a beautiful linen memo board to pin all your current inspirations.
Layering our flex spaces with pieces that inspire us and awaken our souls puts us in the right frame of mind to be creative. You be the judge (and shopper and decorator) to determine which textures and layers you can incorporate to transform what may have been an overlooked area into the place you can’t wait to retreat to.
Showcase Personal Style
When I’m imagining a space to offer me the utmost in comfort, I envision nice-to-the-touch fabrics and plush throw pillows ... anything that will draw me in and encourage me to plop down and exhale. Adding in textiles, such as curtains, rugs, and throws, will reinforce the layers you’ve established and soften the space.You would be surprised how quickly adding a rug and window treatments can transform a space. Try bringing in a small area rug to ground your space. If you’re working in a corner of a room, a rug can define the area and distinguish it from the rest of the room.
What mood do you want for a flex area? Does it need to be streamlined to optimize productivity? Or do you want the mood to be contemplative? Creative? The style and fabric of the curtains you choose can become the backdrop for the mood you desire. Soft, flowing curtains that reach the floor offer a more casual vibe, while tailored, pleated curtains make a room seem more refined. If a romantic tone is what you’re after, think about sheer panels with lace trim or ruffle detail, and let them pool on the floor. Ready for some drama? Choose velvet panels in a deep, rich color. Playing around with different curtain styles can help you achieve the look and feeling you want.
When coordinating different fabrics, I like to stay within the same color palette for a cohesive look. If I have soft white linen window panels for curtains, I like to bring in a white chunky knit throw and some white velvet throw pillows—all in the same color but with different fabrics to add visual interest. This is also a fun way to add depth to a space. For instance, I love blue, so I'll bring in different shades of blue—some navy, some chambray, and some pale blue—for a monochromatic touch of color.
Go back to your design style favorites. Which fabrics and materials are essential to your look, your tastes? Think of ways you can incorporate them, from upholstered footstools to the fabric on pinboards or memo boards used to organize the space. If an area feels too stark or cold, identify one or two places where you can add textiles and fabrics in your favorite colors and patterns to highlight your personal style and make the corner cozier.
When I say warm and cozy, by the way, what I really mean is whatever feels like home to you. My version of cozy might not be yours. You might like a rather empty canvas with only a couple of layers. Your best friend, whose style you love, might like many vignettes of layered textiles, art, and furniture that just wouldn’t work in your home. Whatever you do, make sure the layers feel welcoming to you.
I can’t wait to hear what dreams come to life as you begin to carve out a creative space in your own home today!
Permission to Dream
Friend, can I be honest? Sometimes I struggle with the idea of wanting a flex space. It seems selfish. Is it even worth the effort to create a space for myself? If I pause to let the truth emerge, I realize that it’s easy to become so consumed by caring for others that we forget to care for ourselves. If we focus only on others’ needs for long periods of time, we end up putting our dreams and desires on the shelf. Or burying hobbies and hopes.Let’s allow ourselves the grace to pursue what sets our hearts on fire. I long for a space that reminds me of me. Where I can give myself the permission to dream again, to be OK with mishaps or imperfect moments and rooms, because all such things add to our story and meaning.
As a creative person, one of the ways I recharge is by working with my hands: painting a piece of furniture, crafting a seasonal wreath, doing an art activity with the kids, or simply sitting with my journal and pen. When I’m exercising my creativity, free from distractions and unplugged from social media, my mind is renewed and my spirit refreshed.
Instead of viewing these spaces as expressions of selfish desires, we can see them as gifts we give ourselves to fill up our tanks so we can pour back into our families from a place of excess instead of emptiness.
I believe that God placed passions in our hearts. Having a space to explore and express that creativity is one of the ways we can offer that gift back to him. Take a moment, grab a seat in a cozy spot, and think about what you loved to do as a child. You might be surprised by the dreams and passions that are still with you. Give them room to grow. Give yourself a room to grow in. The beauty that blooms will be a gift to your entire family. They may start hunting around the house for their own little flex space!
