Need more space without the additional square footage? It may sound counterintuitive, but it is possible with some imaginative design and a savvy contractor. Whether you need more space in the kitchen or want to make your master bedroom an en suite, here’s our guide to finding and utilizing all the extra space in your home, no addition required.

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• Identify your unused spaces, and make them compatible with your current lifestyle. Maybe it’s your home office that consistently remains empty since your best ideas always seem to strike when you’re working from the living room couch. Or, like many home-owners, your formal dining and living room spaces only see use once every few years. Reinvent these “dead zones” by removing (or adding) walls, opening up closets, and finding ways to connect these spaces to the more high-traffic areas of your home. That unused office off the living room might be a great common/entertainment space, and your formal living room might just become your new master bedroom.

• Finish what you (or someone else) started. Got an unused attic space in desperate need of a transformation? Love your patio or deck in theory, but find it’s too sunny/exposed to the elements too be enjoyed regularly? Don’t let unfinished space go to waste. Close off your patio or outdoor dining by adding sliding doors, glass paneling, or sun shades that allow the space to become multifunctional and compatible with a variety of weather conditions. Still not sure how to maximize the square footage in the attic? Good designers and contractors can help add proper air ventilation, windows for natural light, and modified ceilings to make this empty space functional and comfortable.
• Uncover hidden storage spaces. Open up spaces under the stairs, add closets to empty hallway spaces, raise cupboards up to ceiling height, and additional lazy-susan style cupboards to corner spaces in the kitchen. You’d be surprised how many hidden storage areas exist in your home, you just might need a second set of eyes to help find them.

• Find the “downsize” that just might be an upgrade. Most of the time, renovations focus on adding an extra bedroom, but sometimes the best way to maximize your square footage is to turn two small bedrooms into a larger master, especially if this allows you to incorporate a en suite bathroom into the design. While it’s important to consider the potential impact on resale, going from a four to three-bedroom home, (or even three to two,) might be worth it if you increase your home’s usability and value in other areas.

Many of Oahu’s residential lots offer limited space for expansion, and combined with strict building code requirements, increasing the square footage of your home may not be feasible. Instead, focus on working within your home’s original footprint and redesigning the space into something more functional long-term.It might seem like the ultimate renovation fantasy—finding more space without a costly addition— but with the right designers and contractors, a better-designed home can easily become your reality. Contact us today to get started!