Kids moving out can be tough, but renovating their room into a beautiful new space can make it all worth while.

As the child of parents that had re-purposed my bedroom the second I left for college, I have never quite understood the want to keep your childhood bedroom the way it was. So by all means mom and dad, change things up! Goodness knows its more beautiful now as a tasteful guest bedroom than during my “hot-pink-walls and striped-furniture” high school days. From yoga studios to home offices, and a new trend called a “snore room” which is a room for sleeping seclusion from a partner sawing logs in their sleep, empty-nesters are re-purposing and renovating their kids’ old rooms.

San Francisco Interior designer Paul Wiseman, President of the Wiseman Group Interior Design, created his and hers snore rooms for a couple in California when two of their children moved out. His room is very Moroccan-style with dark shutters, a wooden four-poster bed and painted bathroom tile, as per the request of the youngest son to not turn it into a “frilly room.” Hers, on the other hand, is reminiscent of the English countryside with a canopy bed, floral wallpaper and mountains of pillows. Now, after falling asleep in the master bedroom, either partner may retreat to their hideaway for some peaceful sleep for the remainder of the night. Wiseman says that “almost every couple” he works with wants this sort of retreat from their snoring spouse.

Ian Smith’s garage turned cyber-punk-bedroom was his dark, rebellious and computer clad (10 computers to be exact) high school cave. Now, at 31, his mother Elizabeth Smith  has renovated it into her yoga studio. The space, which is now light and airy, plays host to “goddess gatherings” and “new moon celebrations”. The story behind the punk-rock lair turned fresh yoga studio has been a positive selling point in the resale process of the home.

Darlene Javits (a woman with a vision that would make Carrie Bradshaw swoon) decided she wanted a closet instead of a ring from her fiance. The closet in question would require remodeling part of their Dix Hills, New York home. After her fiance’s son moved out of the house she decided that she wanted to turn his bedroom and his computer room into one big dream-closet. She hired Los Angeles closet designer Lisa Adams to create the masterpiece. The final product, which will land around the $200k mark, has suede-lined custom cabinetry a vanity and a makeup vanity in which the mirror doubles as a TV. Ms. Javits is foregoing the emotional response to re-purposing the old bedroom and says that when her fiance’s son comes to visit, there are two guest bedrooms for him to choose from. “It’s our time, it’s our life and it’s our house!”

Re-purposing bedrooms can either add or decrease the home’s resale value. Creating a large master suite with a large bathroom and closet space can increase your home’s value, but the tricky part comes when personalized choices are made that may not work for the new buyers. Choices such a prayer rooms where tile is laid over a bedroom floor, or a sports memorabilia room in which the closet and storage need to be removed can pose a problem fot marketing that real estate agents will not be too keen on. Chris Christensen, owner of Regal Realty out of Orlando, Florida says that, “The majority of buyers cannot imagine what a room could be” so it is a good idea for re-modelers to leave closets in tact so the room can at least be staged as a normal bedroom when it comes time to resell the home.

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For real estate inquiries, stop by the beautiful Montrêux Welcome Center at 16475 Bordeaux Dr. in Reno, NV or call us at 775.849.9444. The Welcome Center is open 7 days a week, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.