New Space for Outdoor Enthusiasts: Adventure Rooms

OutdoorDo you love spending time in the great outdoors? Are you more likely to hit the trails than the malls on the weekends? If so, then you probably understand the logistical challenges that come along with your favorite hobbies: trying to store gear such as bikes, helmets, skis, poles, golf clubs, kayaks, surfboards, fishing poles, and so on. Lacking a better option, most people tend to force these items into closets, front porches, and already overstuffed garages — creating stress and chaos in their homes in the process.

A fun and logical solution? Create an “adventure room” that is dedicated to your enjoyment of these activities. This can be done in any underutilized area of your home that has easy access to the outside: a large mudroom, basement storage area, or a double garage that can be partitioned off for this use. And the finished space can offer more than just attractive equipment-storage solutions; it can also feature items like a television, comfortable seating, a beverage chiller, exercise equipment, and memorabilia from outdoor events. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

Aside from providing a place for keeping your gear safe and protected from dirt and damage, adventure rooms are also a great home base for enjoying “staycations,” as many people will spend the coming summer holiday close to home due to the dual challenges of a still-sluggish economy and the skyrocketing cost of gas.

Image: Rick McCharles.

Coats, Mittens and Boots … Oh My!

Getting the family in and out of the door in the winter — without making the house a wet and cluttered mess — can be a real challenge. The solution? An organized approach.

At our house, we have a conveniently heated hard-wearing tiled floor in the entryway, which features a seating area and a place to hang things. Here, we can take off wet shoes and boots and hang up our soggy coats. We have a rattan basket to hold gloves, hats and scarves. And we have a wire egg basket for dog leashes and toys.

None of these things are expensive to install. They just require good planning and space use. That is what design to build is all about.

More Logical Storage: You Know You Need It

On every one of our renovation projects, we make sure to factor in lots of logical storage. Typically, people don’t pay attention to closets and storage areas unless they’re done exceptionally poorly or extraordinarily well. Here are some of results of well designed, logical storage:

guests arrive and know where their coats go
kids know where to put their toys, shoes and backpacks
your keys and briefcase have a place to be so you can find them in the mornings
your bathrooms and bedrooms are no longer cluttered with clothing and personal products
you can always find the dog’s leash
you have a dedicated area for storing party supplies, such as paper products, cutlery, and beverage glasses and bottles
items like cookbooks and audio equipment are neatly organized and ready for use
sports equipment and bicycles do not clutter your entryway

Because it makes sense in the room, because it “fits” properly, our logical storage disappears. Here are some examples of the kind of simple, logical storage we build into every one of our replica watches uk projects…