Empty Nest Design Transformation: Six Ideas for Inspirations

Having a newly empty nest isn't just a big change — it's a big opportunity. You have a bedroom that can be converted to match any work scenario or hobby, and you can adapt your home's entire style so it better suits your aesthetic. Of course, browsing around the luxurious Scottsdale townhomes for sale is always an option if you're thinking about downsizing or moving to a better location for your new lifestyle. You can even tour local townhomes and condos to see design possibilities in living color. But when you want to keep your current home, there are plenty of ways you can transform the space and get even more enjoyment from your home. Here are a handful of the most popular empty nest design transformation ideas for homeowners with extra space.

1. Create dedicated offices for work and home management

Remote work is here to stay for many people. If you've been sharing an office or making do with a cramped nook in your home, renovate the newly empty bedroom and create an office space you love. Some of the options that will change it into a wonderful workspace include:

Smart overhead lighting features a bright glow during the morning and a blue-light-free environment during the evenings.
New flooring or a thick rug — not only does this give the room an entirely new aesthetic, but it will muffle the echo during video calls and help dampen sound across the room.
A big desk with all your favorite features. Find a big executive desk that wouldn't be practical in a shared office room or a bedroom, or invest in a convertible desk that gives you both standing and sitting options.

If you have multiple bedrooms available now, that's even better! Everyone can have their own office.

2. Enjoy a convertible guest room for when you're hosting

It can be fun to celebrate an empty nest with a brand-new room design — but you might not have an empty nest forever. According to the Bureau of Labor, 54.6% of adult children moved back in for at least a short span of time before reaching 27 years old. If you love hosting and having family at home, convert that old, teen-friendly bedroom into a guest room.

Give it stylish furnishings, wall coverings, and carpeting that suit your style. After all, it's your guest room. Then you have a lovely space for traveling family, college students during their summer breaks, and adult children coming back home.

3. Renovate your spare room and create a home gym

Health and fitness are popular topics for people of every age and lifestyle. You might love attending a spin class in the early morning... but having a virtual class in your own spin studio is even better. You might pick up weight training to strengthen your muscles and your bones. Whatever your preferred form of exercise, a home gym makes it easy to incorporate workouts more regularly into your schedule.

Some great ways to instantly make a spare room into a comfortable and productive gym include:

Replace the overhead light with a big (and quiet!) ceiling fan.
Replace or cover the floor. Take out old carpet and add spongy workout tiles, or cover up the beautiful hardwood flooring with a floating floor and mats that can handle a lot of impact.
Install pull-up bars and workout racks right into the floors, walls, and ceilings. While there are a lot of makeshift accessories that don't require hardware, now's your opportunity for pro-quality gear.
Hang up some floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

Depending on the size of the room, it might be a shared or multi-purpose gym. Consider everyone's favorite fitness activities, including cardio, yoga, and strength training, to make good use of the space. High-quality renovations can even add value if you decide to sell your home.

4. Upgrade the bedroom into a sunroom full of natural light

Scottsdale is a sunny paradise, and you can turn your extra bedroom into a sunroom, plant room, or sunny den. Replace the windows, especially if they're old or foggy double-paned windows, or add additional windows if the architecture allows for it. Then, you can add your favorite fiddle fig trees, citrus trees, and vining paradise. Save some space for a comfortable chair and footrest, and now you have a bright and cheery space for all-day relaxation.

This is a particularly popular idea for homeowners with a small backyard or condo owners who don't have their own private condo.

5. Expand your primary bedroom (if your layout allows)

In-depth renovations are becoming more and more popular. If you want a more dramatic change than simply changing the style and purpose of an empty bedroom, it's time to change your home's layout! You can knock down a shared wall to absorb the room into your primary bedroom, giving you extra space to get ready in the morning or relax in the evenings.

Even if your layout doesn't quite allow for a bigger primary bedroom, there are still a lot of ways to transform your home's layout. If the bedroom sits near the foyer, expand it into a bigger dining room. Are you converting a spare bedroom into an office? Absorb the closet into the next-door bedroom's closet for a luxurious amount of space.

6. Invest in renovations that aren't necessarily kid-friendly

When you have kids at home, there are quite a few design considerations and limitations that necessarily shape your style. But once everyone has moved out, you're free to explore your style without limits. This means you can make changes like:

Installing pure white carpet
Choosing fragile furnishings and delicate fixtures that need care and attention
Painting or papering the walls in the main rooms with styles you love
Installing hardwood floors and beautiful rugs

As you dream up what to do with the spare bedrooms, expand your renovation plan to your entire home so you come home to a house perfectly designed and furnished for this new stage of your life.

Downsize into a chic condo or townhome with help from Christine Gioia

Knowing that you'll soon have an empty nest can be a bit sad, but it can also be fun to plan for. Make a list of all the things you haven't had room for at home or the design styles you couldn't make work. Now is your opportunity to make all those new and old dreams come true. If you want to see what design trends are popular in your neighborhood or what renovations are leading to greater appreciation and equity, reach out to your local realtor. Christina Gioia can help you learn more about the current state of the market, consider what your options are if you decide to downsize and guide every generation of your family toward their next home.