Maybe you hesitated when your kids were in college because they would come home from time to time and needed a place to stay. We know it’s a tender time when your children are ready to leave the nest, but now that they are grown and flown, it’s time to reclaim some square footage for yourself. Whether you choose indulgent, useful, or practical, here’re a few ideas on how to transform those Empty bedrooms your children have left behind.

1. Guest Room

The first, and most obvious, choice for an empty bedroom is making it into a guest room. This serves several purposes. It gives your kids a place to stay, if they come to visit, where they’ll always feel welcome. However, you can transform it from your child’s personal space into a calming, welcoming room where your guests will feel at home. Remove old posters, photos, trophies, and other awards, and put them in storage. Give the room a fresh coat of paint, upgrade the bed to at least a double if it is smaller, with plenty of pillows, and a bedside table. If you have the space, a chair or end-of-the-bed bench is a nice touch.

2. Home Office

A home office is no longer a luxury, as more people telecommute or work as independent contractors, it has become a necessity. It’s easier to be motivated and productive when you have a space where you can shut the door and focus. You’ll need a desk and a comfortable chair, of course, and a place to store supplies and papers.

3. Walk-In Closet/Dressing Room

Why not create the closet of your dreams? If you’ve put up with a tiny closet for far too long, a spare bedroom makes a perfect walk-in closet. The luxury of spreading out as you get dressed and having a small sanctuary you can retreat to is a great way to use an empty room in your home. Add shelves, plenty of good lighting, a full-length mirror, and a dressing table with a chair.

4. Library

If you are a book lover, a home library will give you all the space you need to collect, display, and read. If you don’t want to dedicate a whole room to your reading habit, you can commandeer a corner in your new guest room. Adding shelves to a wall or two and stocking them with books is a good way to store your favorites and give your guests plenty of reading material. You can add some personal items such as vacation mementos, family photos, and other keepsakes to create a warm, welcoming vibe for your guests.

5. Man Cave

A man cave doesn’t have to be in the garage, it can just as easily be in a spare bedroom. Whether listening to loud music or watching sporting events, having a place to call his own is a good thing for him – and his significant other. When the nest is empty, there are plenty of opportunities to spend time together, so space for a little time apart can’t be bad. A man cave can also double as a dressing room for him, with closets, shelves, and storage.

6. Lady Lair

Create a meditation, exercise, or craft room where you can indulge in what you love best. If you have a bathroom adjacent to your extra room, you can turn it into the ultimate spa experience, complete with a steam shower, Jacuzzi bathtub, vanity, a TV, and whatever else you need for complete relaxation. Add a treadmill or stationary bike in one corner, along with an exercise ball and a yoga mat for stretching. Paint the walls a soothing neutral, add a plush area rug, and a comfy chair for meditating, reading, or napping. Or, if you prefer, choose a daybed or some big, comfy pillows for the floor. Put the lights on a dimmer so you can control the amount of ambient light in the room.

Whatever you decide, whether it be guest quarters, a yoga studio, or a personal retreat, an empty nest gives you the opportunity to create the home of your dreams, one empty room at a time.

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