If you’re buying or refurbishing your home, knowing the basic types of rooms you can have in it can be pretty useful. For one, it would be helpful to know what kind of furniture you could put in a certain room. However, this article will also help you determine which functions you can group to create hybrid rooms if you don’t have enough space in your home.
With that in mind, let’s just get to the matter at hand. Which types of rooms are a must in every household — and which ones are optional? Let’s find out!
1. Bedroom
As you should already know, bedrooms are one of the most important types of rooms that you will have in a house. They can be located just about anywhere in your home. Some homes have bedrooms on the first floor and others will have the bedrooms located on the second floor. There are large master bedrooms and there are smaller bedrooms that will be perfectly-sized for children.
You’ll want to put some thought into how you plan the layout for your bedroom. Depending on the type of furniture that you plan on using, you might want the bedroom to be larger than usual. The average bedroom size in America is somewhere around 11.5 x 11.5 feet (132 square feet). Keep this in mind and you should be able to plan things out properly.
2. Living Room
For most homes, the living room is going to be considered the heart of the house. This is where you’re going to be spending a lot of your time. Most people will have lots of seating set up in the living room area. This is also where most people watch television and unwind after work.
The living room of your home is likely going to turn into the central hub for your family. It’ll be the spot where you catch up and ask one another about how their day went. Living rooms should be comfortable and inviting. A living room is almost always going to be located on the first floor of the home and is usually the first room that you see when entering a home.
3. Family Room
A family room is basically just another living room. Some homes are designed in such a way that they will have two living rooms. This can be nice when you want to be able to have a separate area for certain members of the family. Many families use a family room set up to give their teenagers a place where they can hang out with their friends.
There might be some other names for this type of a room as well. Some people might refer to this room as a den. Others might wind up repurposing this space to use it as a different type of room. It really comes down to your personal preference.
4. Guest Room
Many homes are going to have a guest room for the sake of convenience. If you have family members or friends who come over to stay the night on occasion, then having a guest room for them to use is great. This gives guests a spot to sleep where they can enjoy some privacy.
A guest room is really just a spare bedroom, of course. Even so, it’s an important room for many families. If you have a large family or many friends, then keeping a guest room in your house makes a lot of sense.
5. Kitchen
A home without a kitchen wouldn’t be very convenient at all, would it? The kitchen is a room that you’ll be using all the time. This is the spot where you’ll be whipping up delectable dishes for the entire family to enjoy. Most kitchens are going to be located on the first floor of your home.
6. Dining Room
Your dining room should be located near your kitchen area. Most people have their dining room somewhere adjacent to their kitchen area. This depends on the home and the floor space that is available. Generally, a dining room is always going to be on the first floor in traditional American family homes.
Some dining rooms are going to be larger and more lavish than others, though. More ornate homes might have long and narrow dining rooms with long tables. A more traditional dining room that you’d see in a smaller home is likely going to be modestly sized.
7. Game Room
Game rooms are becoming more and more prevalent in modern times. This could actually mean multiple different things, too. Some people think of a game room as a place where you can play pool, darts, and other bar games. Others think of a room that is set up to play video games when they’re talking about a game room.
This is usually going to be a large room that houses many entertainment items. Some families will use this room as a spot for entertaining company. Others will have it as a place where one member of the family can keep their video game collection or other trinkets. It’s definitely one of the most fun rooms of a house and not everyone is going to have one of these.
8. Bathroom
Of course, a bathroom is also going to be a super important part of your house. The bathroom is a room where you will be able to freshen up and take a shower or bath. Some bathrooms are going to be bigger and more impressive than others. There are people who have large showers and bathtubs that can fit multiple people.
You’ll also find that many homes have more than one bathroom. There is usually going to be a bathroom on each level of a home. Some homes will have two bathrooms on the first floor as well. This is ideal when you’re living with a large family or if you simply like to have your own private space to take care of your business.
9. Basement
A basement is not a room that every home is going to have. In fact, some areas of the country do not have basements at all. Depending on where you live, a basement is either going to be a common feature or an oddity. Many people who have basements like to use them as an extra room for storage.
Basements are going to be located below ground level. This means that the basement is the lowest level of your home. Some areas of the country don’t make use of these, but they’re very useful. People even use basements as storm shelters during tornadoes and other types of inclement weather.
These basement rooms can also be used as laundry rooms. It’s very common to find hook ups for washers and dryers in basement areas. It’s just a convenient spot for the laundry to be done. Basements can be used for much more than just storage or laundry if you want to change things up, though.
There are people who finish their basements and turn them into game rooms or dens. Some people even use the basement area of their home as a guest room. It’s really up to you to decide what the best use of this space is. There are many possibilities and you can make the choice based on your needs.
10. Nursery
A nursery is a room where you’ll be taking care of your baby. Not every home has a dedicated nursery room, but many still do. This is a room where you can keep a changing table, a crib, and other necessities. This is also convenient for when you have friends over who have a baby.
It’s just a great spot to be able to change a baby and take care of their needs. You can set up chairs for rocking a baby to sleep and you’ll also be able to ensure that the changing station is stocked properly. If you have a baby, then it’s beneficial to have a nursery room. Some people may just use a bedroom for this purpose, though.
11. Home Office
Having a home office is going to be important for some people. Depending on the type of work that you do, you might need a quiet spot where you can take care of business. Many people work from home in the modern era. There are many jobs that allow people to work from home on their computers, so having a home office is really nice.
There are a lot of people who decide to repurpose a spare bedroom to turn it into a home office area. Some home office rooms are going to be larger and more impressive than others. The basics of a home office don’t require a lot of space, though. As long as you have room for a desk and your computer, you should be good to go.
12. Playroom
Kids have a lot of energy and they need a spot where they can let it all out. If you have enough room in your home, then creating a playroom for your children is a good idea. This is a great spot for kids to be able to congregate and play with their friends. Typically, a playroom is going to be a bit larger than a traditional bedroom.
Some people will turn dens or other larger rooms into playrooms. Sometimes, people even use old dining rooms as their designated playroom area. This is just a spot where your kids can play with their toys and have fun. For safety purposes, playrooms should usually be located on the first floor.
13. Library
Those who love to read will enjoy having a quiet spot where they can indulge in a good book. A library is a room where you can house your book collection. It also works as a spot where you can sit down and read without being interrupted. These rooms are typically going to be set up for comfort.
This type of room is usually going to take the place of a family room or a game room. There are still many people who prefer the look and feel of real books. The prevalence of eBooks has changed how many people need libraries in their homes. Even so, you’ll find many book enthusiasts who love having a dedicated room where they can show off their large book collections.
14. Home Gym Room
Being able to work out is also very important. So many people are trying to pursue their fitness goals. Being able to exercise at home is the most convenient thing for many professionals. It’s possible to turn a basement or spare bedroom into a home gym room.
Having your own home gym is going to make it easy to exercise whenever you have the time to do so. Most people with home gyms use the rooms to house various types of exercise equipment. It can also be a great place to lay down yoga mats and other exercise essentials. A good home gym room should be fairly spacious so that you won’t feel too restricted while you’re trying to move around.
15. Storage Room
You might also find that some people use one of their spare rooms as a makeshift storage room. This is more common than you may realize. Many people need to be able to store extra things, but simply don’t have enough closet space. If there is an extra bedroom in the home that isn’t being used properly, then it often winds up becoming a storage room.
People will usually store totes and other items that they don’t need regularly in a room such as this. A room such as this is a great place to keep tents, seasonal clothing, and other items that you’re only going to be using sometimes. There are even people who store tools in their storage rooms due to not having a proper barn or shed. To some people, this may feel like a waste of space.
Just keep in mind that this room could be used for other purposes. Storage rooms are fairly common among people who need to store things, but lack another plausible space to put stuff. You often see older couples use their children’s old bedrooms as storage rooms after they have left the nest to go live on their own. This might not be the most exciting room type, but it certainly does exist.