{"id":19769,"date":"2020-10-30T10:52:55","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T17:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=19769"},"modified":"2025-11-26T03:35:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T11:35:32","slug":"buyer-what-is-a-bonus-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-is-a-bonus-room\/","title":{"rendered":"What Exactly Is a Bonus Room \u2014 And What Can You Do With It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re looking at a listing you love and notice a \u201cbonus room\u201d described <\/span>among its features<\/span><\/a>. But what does that really mean? In short, it means an extra room that isn\u2019t <\/span>technically<\/span><\/i> a bedroom<\/span><\/a> \u2014\u00a0and can be whatever you want it to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For a homeowner, the function of a bonus room \u201cchanges depending upon what stage of life you\u2019re in,\u201d explains <\/span>Amber Harvalias<\/span><\/a>, a top-selling agent based in <\/span>Burlington, North Carolina<\/span><\/a>, who works with 70% more single-family homes than the average agent in her area. For instance, in 2020, Harvalias noted, \u201cWe are now in a pandemic, and a bonus room has definitely increased in value and taken on a whole new meaning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

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That is to say, people need more from their home environment these days than they ever did before, and bonus rooms are poised to provide it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople need a place to work from home, they need a place to do homeschooling, they need a place to work out at home,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd they just need flex space to get away from one another. Sometimes that bonus room is a second TV or a playroom for the children \u2014 it just depends on what you need.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The technical definition of a bonus room actually varies from area to area, so it helps to know what to look for and what vocabulary is used regionally to describe it. If you do close on a home with a bonus room, here are some ideas for how to make the best use of your space given its missing features and unique characteristics.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a bonus room?<\/h2>\n

A bonus room is a room in a house that is not a kitchen, bathroom, family room, hallway, or closet \u2014 but for one or more particular reasons, it doesn\u2019t qualify as a bedroom, either. This room might show up over a garage, for example, or represent attic or basement space in some states.<\/span><\/p>\n

The types of bonus rooms you might find, and the terms used to describe them, vary across the country.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, in some states, bonus rooms are also known as <\/span>FROGs<\/span><\/a> when they are located directly <\/span>above the home\u2019s garage<\/span><\/a> \u2014\u00a0hence the acronym, which stands (aptly) for \u201cfinished room over garage.\u201d These rooms might be longer and narrower than a typical bedroom due to the shape of the garage below.<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes a bedroom\u2026 a bedroom?<\/h2>\n

You might be wondering: Why wouldn\u2019t a seller just <\/span>call it a \u201cbedroom\u201d instead of a bonus room<\/span><\/a> and potentially drum up more interest in the listing? There\u2019s a reason why sellers don\u2019t: A <\/span>bedroom must have specific minimum qualities<\/span><\/a> in order to be legally described as such.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Definitions of a bedroom can actually vary depending on the state. In most states, a room must have minimum square footage \u2014 usually 70 to 80 square feet \u2014 to count as a bedroom. It must also be of a minimum width, typically seven feet.<\/span><\/p>\n

A bedroom must have a certain ceiling height, <\/span>usually of seven feet<\/span><\/a>, according to the International Residential Code; half of the ceiling in the space must meet that mark in most states. It must also <\/span>have a closet<\/span><\/a>; a door (not just an entryway); and a window (and that window must be big enough to meet the state\u2019s standards, usually 5.7 square feet). The home\u2019s HVAC systems must also extend into the room for it to qualify as a bedroom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some states also mandate how many outlets should be in a room in order to call it a bedroom. Requirements might mandate one outlet per wall, or one outlet per a certain length of wall, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note that a room without these characteristics can\u2019t technically be called a bedroom\u2026 but it\u2019s certainly up to you whether you choose to use the space as one, anyway!<\/span><\/p>\n

What can you do with a bonus room?<\/h2>\n

Now that we\u2019ve established why that room isn\u2019t <\/span>technically<\/span><\/i> a bedroom but is in fact a bonus room, the next thing to decide as a potential buyer is how to use that special additional space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One approach is to designate it as a <\/span>multipurpose room<\/span><\/a> \u2014 with a setup that can accommodate a <\/span>home office<\/span><\/a>, guest room, and exercise equipment all at once, for instance.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there’s not a pandemic, most people are using a bonus room space for an extra TV, a gaming area, a movie theater,\u201d Harvalias says. \u201cOften bonus rooms don\u2019t have one specific purpose. Often, they\u2019re large enough to be a movie theater or game room but still have your treadmill or your elliptical in there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in a more focused <\/span>purpose for your bonus room<\/span><\/a>, here are some ideas for what to make of a space with unique features.<\/span><\/p>\n

If it\u2019s missing a closet…<\/h3>\n

If your extra space has no closet, it can work great as a <\/span>home office<\/b> setup with a desk and bookcases. Or imagine it as a <\/span>media room<\/b> or <\/span>gaming room<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It might be a <\/span>kids\u2019 playroom<\/b><\/a>, with bins, baskets, or shelving to organize toys. Add equipment (or even just a mat and a mirror) and it\u2019s a <\/span>home gym<\/b> or <\/span>yoga room<\/b>. And since the typical short-term visitor doesn\u2019t really need a closet, this space can function well as a <\/span>guest room<\/b><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern family living doesn\u2019t always require the trappings of old traditions \u2014 especially during times of upheaval, such as in the pandemic \u2014 and Harvalias describes how that can look when it comes to inventing a bonus room out of necessity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve seen many people even changing their dining room that they never use, selling their formal dining room table, and that becomes their new bonus room space,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the ceilings are low or sloped\u2026<\/h3>\n

Young (and still short!) kids might love to make a bonus room with a sloped or low ceiling into a <\/span>kid\u2019s bedroom<\/b>; it makes for a cozy and special environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The same idea applies to a <\/span>kids\u2019 playroom<\/b>, or a <\/span>homework room<\/b> tucked away from distractions. This type of room can also work as a <\/span>library<\/b> or <\/span>gaming room<\/b>. Add builtins to customize the unusual space and max out its functionality.<\/span><\/p>\n

If it\u2019s missing a window or a door\u2026<\/h3>\n

A bonus room without a door could make a nice <\/span>crafting space<\/b> (where privacy is not needed). Same goes for a <\/span>laundry room<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

A room without a window is perfect for a <\/span>music room<\/b>, where you\u2019d likely want to minimize noise bleed in both directions.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes people will go in and finish unfinished attic space, which typically does not have a window in it,\u201d Harvalias says. And sometimes, she says, a bonus room without a window becomes a perfect <\/span>walk-in closet<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If there\u2019s no HVAC in the room\u2026<\/h3>\n

Try using a bonus room with no HVAC as a <\/span>library<\/b>, or a <\/span>place for teens to hang out<\/b>. Of course, if the bonus room has no HVAC but the home is located in a mild climate, you have even more options!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n \"homelight\n <\/div>\n \n

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If it\u2019s low on outlets\u2026<\/h3>\n

A bonus room with limited power outlets is obviously not an ideal pick for a home office, say. But it <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> ideal for a <\/span>yoga room<\/b> or a <\/span>home gym<\/b> (with analog equipment).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are your hobbies, your passions, your family\u2019s needs? Maybe it\u2019s a meditation room, a dance studio, a crafting or sewing room, a gift-wrapping room, or a reading nook.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, a bonus room is perfect when it\u2019s used just the way <\/span>you<\/span><\/i> want and need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Header Image Credit:\u00a0Sema Martin \/ Unsplash.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019re looking at a listing you love and notice that a \u201cbonus room\u201d is described among its features. What is a bonus room? Let\u2019s unpack the bonus room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":19780,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,643,638],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-home-tour","category-house-hunting"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat\u2019s a Bonus Room (And Why Isn\u2019t It a Bedroom?)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You\u2019re looking at a listing you love and notice that a \u201cbonus room\u201d is described among its features. What is a bonus room? 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