The Overlooked Room Homeowners Are Renovating Before They Move

Plenty of people have moving on the mind—22 percent, exactly, according to a newly released survey by Stoneside—but they aren’t leaving their homes behind without first making some improvements in the name of resale value. So how are homeowners planning to get the most bang for their buck? While the bathroom and kitchen are usually the two most popular spaces to renovate, among those planning to sell, the majority (nearly 40 percent) thought the bedroom was the area offering the most ROI. 

Over the course of the past year, our bedrooms have become our personal sanctuary (and for some, they’ve even doubled as a home office). That could explain why homeowners see the value of investing in this space. Although it’s more likely that it’s because bedroom repairs are typically less labor-intensive than fixing up a kitchen. But don’t underestimate the power of new window treatments, a fresh coat of paint, or built-in storage: A bedroom revamp can add value to your home (you can recoup anywhere between 40 and 80 percent of your original investment, according to Home Advisor). 

Adding attractive features like lots of outlets or ambient recessed lighting is one way to win over potential buyers, but we have a few more design-driven ideas that will help sell your place in a flash.

Gain Square Footage With a Dormer

Tacking on an extra bedroom to your home can raise the value by up to $50,000, but an addition isn’t always possible. One work-around is to expand the space you’ve already got with a dormer (a structure that projects beyond the pitched roof). By bumping this attic space out (it only cost $6,000 for materials), pro renovators Catherine and Bryan Williamson increased the room by 100 square feet. 

Build a WFH Station

Squeezing as much function as you can into your space may also pay off. This bedroom is a sewing room, a home gym, and a study, all thanks to the storage units that flank either side of the bed frame (the modular system with drawers and a tabletop is from Vitsoe). 

Hack Your Closet

A walk-in closet is worth building if you can do it on a tight budget. After being quoted $30,000 by contractors to construct a custom setup, Julia and Chris Marcum went to IKEA and bought its Pax system for $3,000. Some paint, wood filler, and pieces of wood for the trim made the store-bought frames look expensive.