In our previous articles: Basement Conversion Ideas Part 1 and 2 we took a look at some uses for basement space that are uncommon in Dominica. Today we look at the benefits of a space that is not found in the average Dominican home, the attic.
The attic is the space found directly below the pitched roof of a home or building and just like the basement or any other room they offer a number of uses and benefits:
1. Attics help control the temperature in the home by providing a large mass of slowly moving air. When the hot air rises from the lower levels of the home it is often retained in the attic which is why generally attics are not primarily used for living space. However, ensuring that the space is well insulated will rectify this problem.
2. Attics are generally used for the purpose of storage. Rather than having all your family’s belongings scattered in various rooms all over the house causing the home to feel cluttered you can simply place the less needed items in the attic for safe keeping. The attic can be used to store items from seasonal decorations to unused pieces of furniture.
3. Homes with attics, especially completed attics that are well insulated, are of greater value than homes that do not have attic space. If you ever decide to put your home up for sale in the future you will not regret having an attic included in your home design.
4. Just like the basement, an attic can be converted into living space which will increase the value of the home to more than what it would be if it was a just a regular attic. It would also be less expensive to convert an attic into living space than to add another room to the ground level. Here are two (2) rooms you can easily convert your attic space into:
I. An additional bedroom is one of the most common conversions for attics. As time goes by the family grows and more space is needed to keep an appropriate level of comfort and privacy for all family members. When another bedroom is required it would be easier and more cost effective to convert an already constructed attic into a bedroom. And depending on the size of the space it could even be converted into a studio apartment with its own bathroom and kitchenette.
II. With more and more individuals finding themselves frequently working from home or starting their own business, having a professional space at home is becoming a greater need. The attic can be transformed into a quiet area to concentrate solely on work or a studio/workshop for the artist, designer, craftsperson, etc.
While these are the most common attic conversion ideas as long as it is built to code and the layout allows it the space can be converted to whatever you want it to be. You could consider having a home gym or simply a space to exercise, a family room, a game room, or even an entertainment room.
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Written by Garn Todd Joseph
Website & Advertising Assistant for the Millenia Group of Companies