For many, the holiday season often means hosting events, entertaining kids home from school, and having loved ones visit from out of town. In cases where square footage isn’t exactly on your side to accommodate all the above, you’ve got to get a little creative.
Thumbtack’s Fall Winter Trends Report, which polled 1,000 homeowners in early September, found that people are creating “flexing rooms”–AKA shape-shifting spaces that take on different purposes throughout the season or even on a given day.
Meet the Flexing Room
Flexing rooms turn a single room into a multitasking arena that can handle overflow at dinner parties, accommodate overnight guests, transform into a kids zone, and beyond. Best of all, flexing spaces do not require an expensive renovation. Instead, they rely on making an existing space work harder.
Beth Blacker, a member of the Thumbtack Pro Advisory Board, says the key is focusing on containment, organization, and lighting. Per the report, she recommends clever cubby systems, floating shelves, and adjustable storage solutions that conceal belongings while keeping them accessible.
In cases where you need to host a guest, she suggests adding a daybed with a trundle, or installing a Murphy bed. You could also try a futon, a chair that doubles as a bed, or a pull-out couch. These create a place to sleep without taking up floor space when the bed’s not in use.
Natalie Rebuck, principal designer at Re: Design Architects, says she’s seeing this trend with her clients, as well. “Clients are increasingly reluctant to dedicate valuable square footage to a room that serves only one purpose,” she says. “Instead, we’re designing spaces that can change throughout the day or over the life of the home.”
She recommends built-in or concealed storage, pocket or sliding doors, adaptable lighting, integrated technology, flexible furniture layouts, and carefully planned acoustics.
According to the survey, 52% said their living room was the space most likely to serve as a flexing room. From there, 39% said the dining room took on a different purpose when friends and family visit, with 25% saying it was a bedroom and 20% saying it was a home office.
Wendy Rose Gould is a lifestyle journalist who routinely contributes to Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Women’s Health, and House Beautiful, among others. She covers home and garden, wellness, and travel, focusing on thoughtful storytelling and detailed reporting. When not writing, you can catch her perusing thrift stores, singing, hitting the gym, and petting any cat or dog that'll allow it.
