Home Additions: Innovative Ideas to Consider

by Ann Hayward 04/17/2022

If you want to add on to your home, you have many options available to you. Not every home addition has to be another bedroom over the garage or additional living space that changes the footprint of your home. There are many innovative and unique home addition ideas that can increase the functionality of your home.

Here are a few home addition ideas to consider:

Extend Your Kitchen with a Breakfast Nook

Whether you have a sprawling kitchen with an island or a quaint kitchen that is just right for preparing meals, you could probably benefit from a dedicated space for eating and snacking. When you extend your kitchen and build a breakfast nook, you create a space where you can house a small table or booth designed for those quick yet vital meals. This is a place where people can gather, where kids can eat a snack after school or where you can have a delicious breakfast before you start your day.

Add a Mud Room To Your Entryway

Whether you enter your home from the garage or from the front door, it can sometimes be frustrating not to have a specific space for removing coats, hats, boots or shoes. A mudroom is one of the most critical rooms in any house — and many homes do not have one. By investing in an addition that will allow you to have a mudroom, you will can enjoy a home that is more organized and functional.

Design a Sunroom

Sunrooms are a simple addition to put on because they are usually built over a patio or a front porch. Whether your sun room addition ends up being in the front or back of your home, you will surely be delighted to have an all-season room where you can read, rest, relax or have a conversation.

Create a Room Out of an Attached Garage

If you simply need another room in your house, then one of the best ways to make one is to close off your attached garage and finish the space. This room could be an entertainment area, a fitness center or a playroom.

With home additions, you have the freedom and flexibility to get creative. This is your home, and it's important that you transform it into a space that feels like yours. These additions not only help you live well within your home, but they also will add value and increase your ability to market your home when it comes time to sell.

About the Author

Ann Hayward

Born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs, Ann Hayward got her Pennsylvania real estate license at age 18 even before going to college. This second-generation real estate professional followed in the footsteps of her father and two uncles, inheriting their passion for the business. Licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Ann is accomplished in her career, with numerous designations including SFR, SRES, PSA, WHC, and multiunit Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) from the National Development Council. She specializes in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, all jurisdictions where Ann has lived and knows very well. In addition to her professional expertise, she owns and manages personal investment property, understands and has been involved in the renovation/remodeling process, and has great resources which she shares with clients. When you hire Ann to represent you, she will make your buying or selling experience an enjoyable, rewarding one. Her compassion, sensitivity to her clients’ needs, eye for detail, and ability to see the big picture when guiding you through a purchase or sale are unique assets that will ensure your success. A diverse and relevant background also gives Ann a distinct edge. For 30 years, she worked in fast-paced, high-pressure television and theatrical production, attaining the highest achievement – DGA membership as a Director, and as an award-winning staff and freelance writer. Her keen audio visual skills and design sense benefit sellers in marketing their properties, and are invaluable in helping buyers see the potential of space. A true renaissance woman, Ann was also an income tax professional and office manager for H&R Block, so she thoroughly understands the tax and financial implications of acquiring and selling real estate. Her superior organizational skills are further evidenced as owner of a downsizing/professional organizing business, Managed For You, which allows her to connect with everyone from millennials to boomers and seniors, whether for small space planning or assisting with major decluttering and transitioning. Ann holds an AB in American History from Simmons College, Boston, plus attended Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration where she was a candidate for Doctorate. She additionally studied Film Direction at the American Film Institute in LA, and was a Stanford University post-graduate Professional Journalism Fellow. Personally, Ann is an avid if not very good golfer, and the co-founder of a nonprofit 501c3 organization offering educational guidance, tutoring and counseling for youngsters from elementary school through college admission. She sits on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational film production corporation as well. (202) 494-6252 [email protected]