Something Extra
Bonus Rooms offer space for reading, sweating, working and playing.
Buyers can be particular when home-shopping. One buyer’s necessity may be another buyer’s extravagance. But it seems that almost everyone wants some sort of bonus room—whether it’s a loft, a suite, a gym, a library, an office, a playroom, a sewing room or a media room.?
????All are resourceful ways to use these multipurpose spaces to create a home that grows and changes throughout the years as a family’s needs evolve.?
????But what exactly is a bonus room? The definition isn’t clear-cut. Strictly speaking, a bonus room is a room fashioned from previously unfinished space, often in an attic, above a garage or in a basement.
????But today many builders are designing homes with finished-out bonus rooms already in the floorplans. In those cases, the definition would have to be broadened a bit to encompass any room that doesn’t have an obvious purpose.?
????“The term ‘bonus room’ has become more of a marketing term,” says award-winning home designer Jim Lucia of Lucia, Kassik and Monday. “I would define a bonus room as any space in addition to the usual, expected rooms, with the level of completion ranging from completely unfinished to completely finished.”
????For example, Lucia says he’s designing a bungalow-type home in Lake Mary with a high pitched roof encompassing an attic that could be finished out at a later date and used as an office or a media room.
????At the other extreme are new homes with completely finished-out bonus rooms. And somewhere in-between are new homes with bonus rooms that are wired for electricity but may have plywood floors and rough drywall installed.
????In fact, regardless of their level of completion, it’s usually best when bonus rooms are planned from the start. Rooms created after the fact in areas that were never intended to be used as livable space are sometimes oddly shaped or difficult to heat and cool.
????In any case, a bonus room, like any bonus, is something extra. Frequently, a bonus room becomes a multipurpose room or a family room. Sometimes a bonus room is adapted to a specific purpose, such as a home office or an array of other uses.?
????How a bonus room can be used depends a great deal upon its size, design and location. In some cases it may be a large area with open doorways that connect to other rooms. Such a design may not lend itself to creating an office, a guest room, a permanent bedroom or any type of room that requires privacy.
????If the room is separate enough to maintain privacy it can basically be used for anything, although it may be necessary to add closets or doors. While a bonus room that is built into the original home design is often built without a closet—the presence of a closet usually requires that the room be officially considered an additional bedroom—a bonus room added after the home was built may be complete with closets.?
????“Once you get to a certain price range, usually over $350,000, most buyers will likely want the bonus room,” says Realtor Kathleen Gallagher-McGiver of RE/MAX 200 in Winter Springs. “A true bonus room is a huge flex space that’s as unlimited as a buyer’s imagination.”
????Gallagher notes that most builders plan bonus rooms with at least a half-bathroom and preferably with a full bathroom. That way they can be used as suites for resident teens or in-laws or as guest rooms.?
????“Floorplans with bonus rooms are our most popular,” says Carol-Ann Barody of Centex Homes. “They’re especially popular with families that have children under 12 years old.”
????Barody says Centex is offering bonus rooms in its Cortland II model at Sullivan Ranch in Mt. Dora. In addition the company’s townhomes at Emerson Park in Apopka now feature loft areas that can be used as bonus rooms.?
????“If you have teenagers or kids, you need to put them somewhere,” Barody notes. While some bonus rooms will come wired for today’s electronically-enamored youth she says most buyers are having rooms wired after they purchase their homes.
????Mary Jane McNaught, sales director for DeLuca Homes, says many buyers are looking for extra space without the hassle and expense of adding on above the garage at a later date, which was a popular fix in the 1990s.?
????McNaught says DeLuca offers flex-space areas in its Pasadena model at Sawgrass Bay in Clermont. “They’re big enough for a playroom,” she says. “People do like that.”
????DeLuca buyers are more frequently requesting media rooms, adds McNaught, especially in higher-end homes priced above $500,000. Responding to demand, the company will create a “mini-theater” by soundproofing the walls, running wiring for surround-sound and even installing step-up seating.
????An extensive media room was recently installed by Patriot Building Contractors in a Windermere home as part of remodeling project.
????“It’s out of this world,” says Michael Wilson, Patriot’s president. Not only are the walls double-insulated but the projection screen is a colossal 120-by-72 inches with hidden surround-sound speakers.?
????The room also has platform seating for up to eight adults and four children and a wet bar. The home was featured in the Remodel Showcase of the 2008 Parade of Homes.
????Jennifer O’Connell, Ryland Homes-Orlando marketing manager, says the homes the company is building in Summerport in Windermere have either a bonus room or an activity room. “Almost all of our plans offer bonus rooms,” she says. “A lot more buyers are seeking that extra space.”
????Rick Jennings, general manager of Nautilus Homes, created a 14 by- 22-foot “teen-flex-room” as part of a remodeling project by installing a new truss system and constructing a stairway from the existing family room.
????The new upstairs area includes a private bathroom and closet, an entertainment center and a Murphy queen bed. The balcony off the rear of the home overlooks horse farms.? This Longwood home was also a part of the Remodel Showcase of the 2008 Parade of Homes.
????“When our clients ask for a bonus room, we try to find out what they’ll be using the space for,” Lucia says. “If they say a craft room or a theater or a library or whatever, then we design the room to fit the purpose.”
????Then is it still a bonus room? That depends on your definition. But if the room is comfortable and inviting and enhances your down time, that may be bonus enough.?
????All are resourceful ways to use these multipurpose spaces to create a home that grows and changes throughout the years as a family’s needs evolve.?
????But what exactly is a bonus room? The definition isn’t clear-cut. Strictly speaking, a bonus room is a room fashioned from previously unfinished space, often in an attic, above a garage or in a basement.
????But today many builders are designing homes with finished-out bonus rooms already in the floorplans. In those cases, the definition would have to be broadened a bit to encompass any room that doesn’t have an obvious purpose.?
????“The term ‘bonus room’ has become more of a marketing term,” says award-winning home designer Jim Lucia of Lucia, Kassik and Monday. “I would define a bonus room as any space in addition to the usual, expected rooms, with the level of completion ranging from completely unfinished to completely finished.”
????For example, Lucia says he’s designing a bungalow-type home in Lake Mary with a high pitched roof encompassing an attic that could be finished out at a later date and used as an office or a media room.
????At the other extreme are new homes with completely finished-out bonus rooms. And somewhere in-between are new homes with bonus rooms that are wired for electricity but may have plywood floors and rough drywall installed.
????In fact, regardless of their level of completion, it’s usually best when bonus rooms are planned from the start. Rooms created after the fact in areas that were never intended to be used as livable space are sometimes oddly shaped or difficult to heat and cool.
????In any case, a bonus room, like any bonus, is something extra. Frequently, a bonus room becomes a multipurpose room or a family room. Sometimes a bonus room is adapted to a specific purpose, such as a home office or an array of other uses.?
????How a bonus room can be used depends a great deal upon its size, design and location. In some cases it may be a large area with open doorways that connect to other rooms. Such a design may not lend itself to creating an office, a guest room, a permanent bedroom or any type of room that requires privacy.
????If the room is separate enough to maintain privacy it can basically be used for anything, although it may be necessary to add closets or doors. While a bonus room that is built into the original home design is often built without a closet—the presence of a closet usually requires that the room be officially considered an additional bedroom—a bonus room added after the home was built may be complete with closets.?
????“Once you get to a certain price range, usually over $350,000, most buyers will likely want the bonus room,” says Realtor Kathleen Gallagher-McGiver of RE/MAX 200 in Winter Springs. “A true bonus room is a huge flex space that’s as unlimited as a buyer’s imagination.”
????Gallagher notes that most builders plan bonus rooms with at least a half-bathroom and preferably with a full bathroom. That way they can be used as suites for resident teens or in-laws or as guest rooms.?
????“Floorplans with bonus rooms are our most popular,” says Carol-Ann Barody of Centex Homes. “They’re especially popular with families that have children under 12 years old.”
????Barody says Centex is offering bonus rooms in its Cortland II model at Sullivan Ranch in Mt. Dora. In addition the company’s townhomes at Emerson Park in Apopka now feature loft areas that can be used as bonus rooms.?
????“If you have teenagers or kids, you need to put them somewhere,” Barody notes. While some bonus rooms will come wired for today’s electronically-enamored youth she says most buyers are having rooms wired after they purchase their homes.
????Mary Jane McNaught, sales director for DeLuca Homes, says many buyers are looking for extra space without the hassle and expense of adding on above the garage at a later date, which was a popular fix in the 1990s.?
????McNaught says DeLuca offers flex-space areas in its Pasadena model at Sawgrass Bay in Clermont. “They’re big enough for a playroom,” she says. “People do like that.”
????DeLuca buyers are more frequently requesting media rooms, adds McNaught, especially in higher-end homes priced above $500,000. Responding to demand, the company will create a “mini-theater” by soundproofing the walls, running wiring for surround-sound and even installing step-up seating.
????An extensive media room was recently installed by Patriot Building Contractors in a Windermere home as part of remodeling project.
????“It’s out of this world,” says Michael Wilson, Patriot’s president. Not only are the walls double-insulated but the projection screen is a colossal 120-by-72 inches with hidden surround-sound speakers.?
????The room also has platform seating for up to eight adults and four children and a wet bar. The home was featured in the Remodel Showcase of the 2008 Parade of Homes.
????Jennifer O’Connell, Ryland Homes-Orlando marketing manager, says the homes the company is building in Summerport in Windermere have either a bonus room or an activity room. “Almost all of our plans offer bonus rooms,” she says. “A lot more buyers are seeking that extra space.”
????Rick Jennings, general manager of Nautilus Homes, created a 14 by- 22-foot “teen-flex-room” as part of a remodeling project by installing a new truss system and constructing a stairway from the existing family room.
????The new upstairs area includes a private bathroom and closet, an entertainment center and a Murphy queen bed. The balcony off the rear of the home overlooks horse farms.? This Longwood home was also a part of the Remodel Showcase of the 2008 Parade of Homes.
????“When our clients ask for a bonus room, we try to find out what they’ll be using the space for,” Lucia says. “If they say a craft room or a theater or a library or whatever, then we design the room to fit the purpose.”
????Then is it still a bonus room? That depends on your definition. But if the room is comfortable and inviting and enhances your down time, that may be bonus enough.?