With the rise of the modern townhouse and apartment living, floor space has become even more of a luxury than ever before. To maximise every square inch of available space in their homes, homeowners should find ways to make rooms appear as multi-functional as possible.

Shift to multi-functional spaces

Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, explains that the way in which people use their homes has changed since the pandemic. “The shift towards remote working has transformed the way that buyers search for properties. What’s more, with interest rates being as high as they are, buyers have a smaller budget but a growing list of must-have features for a home. This often means that every inch of available space needs to be working hard to maximise the home’s overall functionality, no matter how big or small the home might be,” he notes.

According to Goslett, the best way to achieve this is to create multi-functional spaces that offer more bang for your buck. For example, he suggests that if the home does not have the space to dedicate a whole room to a home office, then it could be worth incorporating a built-in desk option within a corner of the living room or one of the bedrooms.

“This advice is particularly important for sellers who can stage the property to help showcase the possibilities of the home,” Goslett suggests.

How to create a multi-functional space

For sellers who are not sure how to create a multi-functional space, RE/MAX of Southern Africa shares the following ideas:

• If your property has an enclosed living room, include a convertible sofa bed so that it can easily transform into a guest bedroom.
• If your property does not have space for a dining room, you could add a kitchen island with a few bar chairs so that the space can double as an eating
• Any room in the home can easily double as a work-from-home space simply by adding a fold-out wall desk – just remember to position this near a plug point.
• Maximise your outdoor space by creating an indoor-outdoor living area. Simply add a roof structure and a way to enclose the sides. There are more affordable ways of achieving this (e.g. wooden pergola and canvas sides), but there are also more luxurious ways of achieving this (e.g. louvred awning and stackable doors).

Whether you are selling or simply looking for ways to improve the overall enjoyment of your home, these clever design solutions not only save space but also adapt to our evolving lifestyle needs, making homes more versatile and efficient.

“By combining the purposes of various rooms to serve multiple needs, homeowners can enhance the overall functionality of the home, which can greatly impact the property’s resale value. Sellers who are not sure how to improve the use of the home’s floorplan can get some free advice from a local RE/MAX Agent. As suburb experts, a real estate agent can share valuable insights into what buyers are looking for in the area and how your home compares to other homes on the market. They can then help sellers make improvements to the home so that it is more competitive within the current market,” Goslett concludes.

For more real estate advice or to get in touch with your nearest RE/MAX Office, visit www.remax.co.za.

Writer: Kayla Ferguson