Spare a thought

If you're lucky enough to have a spacious home than more than likely you'll be familiar with the so called 'good room'. This room tends to lie in the house, untouched and unused except for once a year at Christmas if we're lucky and it's a waste of space that could be put to good use.

Think about it - if you were to break down the value of your home per room, how much did that room actually cost you? Pair that with the amount of time you have spent in your 'good room' and it works out as one expensive investment. It's time to bite the bullet and to start using that room more frequently. Here are three useful ideas that could out your spare room to better use.

Office
A home office could be the perfect solution for the spare room. You don't need a lot of space to make an office work in your house, it simply depends on how much storage you need and how many chairs you would like in the office. A desk is a standard piece of furniture in any office so start with that and then work your way around the room after that. Desks can come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colour and better still, they come in all sorts of prices. The Next Hoxton desk (RRP €356) is a beautiful desk that isn't gaudy or too big and would look well in either a small or a big room.

Spare bedroom
A spare bedroom is always handy, if you have the space to make that work for you. Whether you have relatives coming to stay or you have a friend over to dinner who wants to have a few drinks without worrying about a drive home, it is always handy knowing that there is somewhere for them to sleep should the need arise. Decorating a spare bedroom can be fun as you can keep it slightly formal whilst adding your own personal touch. A bed will obviously be the main focus of the bedroom but a chair is also a nice touch as your guest will probably have a suitcase with them or it is somewhere that you can leave some towels for your guest. The Next Versaille Dining Chair (RRP €568 for pair) is meant for a dining room but would also look well in the corner of a bedroom, particularly if you are dealing with a small space.

Dining room

Granted, a dining room will probably have a lot less use than the two options mentioned above but home entertainment is all the rage these days so why not have a nice room away from the heat of the kitchen where your guests can relax in comfort and style?

The main focus of this room would obviously be the table and chairs although it is important to be cautious when choosing what you want on your floors as there is a possibility that food or drink will be spilled at some point. The Empire Dining Table from Meadows and Byrne (RRP €949, chair sold separately at €198 each) is a solid and beautiful table that would look fantastic in a dining room and is a solid long-term investment.

A lick of paint and some artwork will also go a long way, no matter what you decide to do with the room and you won't need to empty your bank account to achieve a fresh look. Just make sure that your 'good room' is put to good use, otherwise it is pointless having it in the house!