Without a doubt, the first question home buyers ask about a property is, “How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it have?” In recent years, the second question has changed a bit. These days, people have one particular question in mind: is there a flex room?

Inspire Custom Homes

Rising in popularity, a flex room is extra space in a home that can be customized to serve a number of different functions, depending on your family’s needs. The space is seamlessly built into the floor plan as an “extra” room and typically is found in a very strategic location on either the main floor or an upstairs floor depending on a home’s layout and the homebuilder’s offerings. “Flex areas provide homeowners with flexibility as their needs and lifestyles evolve,” says Lora Jenkins, who works with Builder Services at Inspire Custom Homes, one of the renowned builders found in the Traditions of Braselton community. Heidi Schneider, director of marketing for Lennar Atlanta, adds, “Flex spaces are fun and another way to make your home ‘work smarter’ with dual purposes. It’s a ‘safe’ space to take design risks and one that will help to transform your home into one that you can enjoy and relax in for many years to come.”

Here, KNOWAtlanta Magazine takes a look at the different ways you can use a flex room and the benefits it can bring to the overall function of your home’s interior space.

Work It Out

If the last year taught us anything, it’s that the kitchen or the dining room may not be the best place to be productive when it comes to working at home. A flex room can solve that problem when it is used as a home office—something many homeowners choose to do today.

Lennar Atlanta

“In today’s pandemic environment, flex rooms have become more important than ever and provide a much-needed additional space for virtual learning or video conferencing,” Schneider explains. Fortunately, all it takes to turn a flex space into an ideal office space is a great desk, a sturdy chair, ample lighting and some efficient storage options. Of course, you can put your own spin on the space with an array of decorative accents, from expressive paint colors to knick-knacks and more. And since flex rooms often range in size from 300 square feet to up to 1,000 square feet, according to Jenkins, there is plenty of space to settle in and get some solid work done.

Get Creative

A flex room can be turned into so many things outside of a standard home office. “A flex space can be used for an exercise room, a music room, a craft room or a game room,” Jenkins reveals. For homeowners who use the space as a home gym, it’s a great opportunity to save time and money while getting a full workout at home. And you actually can get really creative with where you put something like a home gym; as Schneider notes, one townhome owner in Atlanta turned a rooftop deck into a mini gym with a meditation area thanks to its large size.

That’s the beauty of this additional area in your home: whatever your interests may be, you can tweak the space to fit your personal needs. A craft or hobby room can hold a worktable, craft supply storage and much more. An entertainment room could feature comfy couches, a large television and even a pool table. Or you could use the space as a playroom to hold all of your children’s toys. You also might want to create a second family room to add to your home’s overall living space. Schneider has even seen someone turn their flex room into a cocktail room, allowing the homeowner to host happy hours safely from the comfort of home. And no matter what you do, you can always make a change down the line.

Inspire Custom Homes

“Home means different things to different people,” Schneider says. “The things you do at home and how you use your space is always changing, especially today. Flex space is just as it sounds: flexible. It’s the space in the home that can change too.” Jenkins agrees, concluding, “Most families would love to have more space, but building an addition isn’t always an option. Buying a new home with a flex space provides you with options because you never know what the future will bring.”

For more information, visit:

Inspire Custom Homes: inspirecustomhomes.com

Lennar Atlanta: lennar.com/atlanta

Traditions of Braselton: traditionsofbraseltonhomes.com