We talk a lot about home remodeling projects like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, but we don’t talk about renovating the attic. This is an often underutilized space of the home where you could add square footage to your living space. While attic renovations aren’t possible in every home, it might be worth it to see if you can use this space. If you’re lucky enough to have an attic that is large enough to renovate as useable space, then here are some of our attic renovation ideas that you’ll want to use for your project.
Wondering How to Use Your Attic?
The idea of adding more useable space in your home might sound exciting, but what should you use it for? Luckily there are no rules for what you have to use the area for, but here are some of our favorite ways people have transformed their dusty attic into an enjoyable space for their families.
- kids bedroom
- office space
- crafts and art room
- kids playroom
- TV room
- adult lounge
- library
Recessed LED Lighting
There’s likely going to be a limited amount of wall space for windows in your attic, so finding and installing a good amount of lighting will be critical in your attic renovation journey. We recommend going with plenty of recessed LED lighting. Not only is this bright light, but LED also doesn’t get hot like other bulbs. The attic tends to be the warmest spot in the house, and you’ll be glad to have cooler lighting during those summer nights. The recessed lighting also doesn’t take up any of that limited headspace.
Quiet Up the Floors
Since the attic wasn’t built for living, you might find that the floors don’t hold in the sound as well as you’d like. This is fixable, and luckily there are ways to fix it without investing a lot, but there are also more effective ways. So no matter your budget, you can lessen the sounds of footsteps.
The best way to hush up movement in the attic is by installing heavy-duty floor joists. These are thicker and will absorb the sound better than the thinner and less sturdy ones that are probably in there right now. Additionally, you can use blow-in-dense-pack insulation. This will not only quiet up the floor, but it will also insulate the space much better.
Unfortunately, those are both more expensive options, and if you aren’t too worried about the noise, you can add carpet to the space or use rugs. These are more affordable ways to make the movements in the attic not so loud downstairs.
Install a Ceiling Fan for Better Airflow
Attics can get stuffy very quickly, even with newly installed HVAC. So we recommend adding a ceiling fan to help keep the air moving. There are low-profile fans made especially for low ceiling situations, and these might be exactly what you need to keep you from sweating during the hot summer months.
Stick with One Color
Attics can feel a bit small and cramped. To combat this, you can choose a monochromatic color pallet to keep things light and airy. In addition, white or cream walls with light-colored furniture and decor will keep the space from feeling too dank and allow the available light to bounce around much easier.
Spray Foam the Roof
The roof is where you lose most of your heat during the winter, and if you are using the attic as living space, you’ll want to keep the temperature more under control. We recommend using spray foam on the roof. It’s sometimes two to three times more than the cost of regular insulation, but you’ll be able to keep the temperature at a more comfortable position if you have it.
Consider a Skylight
Not only will a skylight bring in much-needed natural light, but it can also add a precious headroom to a space that’s bound to feel cramped. And since you’re right at the roof anyway, it isn’t as big of a project as it might be in other places in the home.
Low Ceiling Corners for Storage
Looking for more storage? You can add built-in storage to your attic space by using up that corner where the ceiling comes too close to the floor to be used for anything else.
Its Own Thermostat
If you can, you’ll want to put the attic on its own thermostat. Unfortunately, its climate and temperature changes will be vastly different from the rest of the home, and you’ll struggle with freezing downstairs and too warm upstairs unless you can put them on separate systems.
You might not have considered renovating your attic before, but we’re sure you’ll love the extra space for whatever your family might need it for. Just be ready to invest in some soundproofing and additional insulation.
