Do you have an image of a “perfect home” in your mind? It is then, but expected, that when going in for a property, the first thing you will focus on is the number and types of rooms in a house and their sizes. The house’s rooms should meet your expectations and purpose. There are different types of rooms in a house – from attic to basement, depending on its size and structure.
Let’s look at some of the common rooms you can have in a house.
List of 15 Types of Rooms in a House (with Descriptions)
1. Living Room
The living room, also known as the ‘sitting room,’ is one of the most important types of rooms to have in a house. It is the central room where families unwind after a long day, and you entertain your friends and guests. The interior design and style of the living room is a reflection of your personality. You can furnish it with sofas, comfortable chairs, coffee tables, artwork, different kinds of lamps, television sets, floor rugs, etc.
The living room is usually the first you see on entering a house. It is also normally the biggest room in a house. The size of a living room varies based on the total square footage of a house. An average living room may range from 14 ft x 16 ft to 18 ft x 24 ft in measurements.
2. Bedroom
Another important and ‘must-have’ room in a house is the bedroom. Bedrooms may again vary in size, depending on the house’s overall size and the user of the bedrooms. For instance, children’s bedrooms are smaller than the homeowner’s or the master bedroom. In America, the average bedroom dimensions are around 11 ft x 12 ft making it roughly 132 square feet in size. On the other hand, master bedrooms are the larger bedrooms that are usually used by the heads of the household. In houses with a master bedroom, most of them would be 14 x 15 feet in size.
A bedroom can be located anywhere in the house, depending on the architecture of the building. The bedrooms’ interiors would include a bed and other furniture such as a dressing table, wardrobe, chest of drawers, nightstands, lamps, and other fixtures that best suit your requirements and taste.
3. Kitchen
No matter what type of house it is, every house has a kitchen. It is aptly said that the kitchen is the heart of a home as this is the room where the family does its cooking to feed their loved ones and is one of the most used areas.
Kitchens are often located near the dining area. Like the rest of the house, the kitchen has evolved in design, size, and square footage over the years. It can be said that larger homes have room for larger kitchens, and there is no standard or set kitchen size. Normally, a kitchen occupies 10 to 15% of the home’s total square footage. Hence average kitchen sizes in America could range from around 150 square feet (for a single-story house) to 174 square feet (for multi-story houses). However, newer home constructions tend to have bigger kitchen spaces.
4. Dining Room
You will vouch for the fact that delicious food and conversations create wonderful memories for times spent in the dining room. Most often than not, the dining room is located near or adjacent to the kitchen for the convenience of serving food. Typically, a dining room has a table and a set of chairs.
The size of the dining room would depend on the house and the family. Some dining rooms are small and cozy, ideal if you have a small family, whereas others can be extensive and lavish. A well-designed dining room creates the right ambiance for families to come together for a proper meal and share their experiences, thoughts, and laughter.
5. Bathroom
A bathroom is among the most significant and indispensable rooms in a house. It is used daily by every member of the family and often even by friends and visitors. Using a clean, beautiful, comfortable, and functional bathroom is a good way to start or end your day.
There is no standard size of a bathroom; some bathrooms are small and simple, while others are large and extravagant. Some houses have a single bathroom, while others have multiple bathrooms. Many times there is a bathroom at every level of the house.
Most bathrooms have a shower or a tub (if the bathroom is large enough), sink, mirror, storage cabinets, and a closet with or without a bidet.
6. Guest Room
All of you have had guests stay over at your homes at some point in time. Visitors must be made comfortable during their stay at your place. A separate guest room would be ideal for maintaining the hosts’ privacy and providing the guests with a relaxing and restful stay.
Especially families that have regular stay-over guests prefer having a separate guest room for the sake of convenience. These are spare rooms converted into guest rooms as and when the need arises and hence do not have standard sizes. The interiors may be styled and designed as per your choice and budget.
7. Nursery
A nursery is a baby’s introduction to the real world. It will be his/her own space for some time. Therefore, it is essential that you make this space inviting, comfortable, and a fun place to be in for the little one. While designing a nursery, you must keep in mind safety guidelines and make the room child friendly and safe.
Since this room is dedicated to new-born babies and toddlers, not all houses have a nursery. Some people use a spare bedroom or their room for their baby. A nursery usually comprises a crib and a storage space with all essential amenities and supplies belonging to the baby.
8. Home Office
Depending on the work you do, you may find yourself bringing work home either regularly or from time to time. Moreover, given the current scenario with the pandemic looming over our heads, work from home has become the new norm. If you are working from home, you may want your designated workspace, so you are not disturbed and interrupted by anyone or by the activities in the house.
To be as productive as you were within the office space, your home office must be visually appealing, practical, and comfortable. You may refurbish a spare room and convert it into your office set-up. Subject to your job demands, all you may require is a table for your computer and a chair.
9. Attic
The attic is the topmost room of a house with a sloping ceiling. Again, not all houses have an attic. If you live in a geographical region that is subject to much rain or snow, you will have a sloping roof in all likelihood. Thus attics are the triangular section at the top of the house.
Often attics are neglected and not put to much use. However, you can transform even a small space like the attic into a tiny office, a den, a study, a storage room, or even a spare bedroom. But before you do that, you would need to determine if the attic is strong enough to withhold additional load and consider the headroom.
You can give the room a completely new look with appropriate colors, lighting, and furniture. It will not resemble the dusty, dull, and musty room it was!
10. Basement
A basement is a part of a building below the ground level, either partially or fully. Not every house has a basement, though. For instance, basements are more common in the colder regions of the U.S., where the foundation needs to go below the frost line compared to the warmer regions like California.
Depending on the basement space available, you may transform it for multiple purposes. If the basement has enough standing room, you may convert it into a cellar for storing wines, preserved foods, and other produce. On the other hand, daylight basements can be converted into living spaces by simply painting the walls, doing up the flooring, and fitting appropriate electricals. You can even use the basement as a storm shelter during harsh and stormy weather or as a laundry room or game room.
11. Storage Room
Storage rooms often serve as multifunctional spaces that help keep the house looking clean, tidy, and less cluttered. While the room’s main function is storage, it may also serve as a laundry room or basement or mudroom.
You can convert the basement or a spare room into the storage room. Depending on what kind of items you want to store, you may design the room to suit its functionality. Extra bed or bath linens, cleaning supplies, books and magazines, board games and toys, art and craft supplies, or even project materials such as paint may be stored in the room.
12. Utility Or Laundry Room
The ideal location for a utility room is next to the kitchen with access to the backyard. This makes it easy to hang laundry outdoors if you have a washing line outside. If this option is not available to you, you could install a laundry pulley to make most of the high ceiling and keep the washing out of the way.
Typically, a utility room will have a washing machine, dryer, large sink, ironing board and iron, laundry baskets plus storage space for items such as coats and shoes. The room may also serve a dual purpose – as a utility room and a storage room.
13. Home Gym
The focus on health and fitness is a raging trend among many people. An increasing number of homeowners are choosing built-in home gyms against enrolling in a community or public gym. These homeowners are carving out a private space within their homes for a regular workout regime.
While it sounds extravagant, a home gym is easy to design. You can convert either a spare room or the basement or even the attic into your gym space. The good news is that you do not have to spend too much money on its construction or renovation as a gym does not require plumbing or a lot of electrical work. However, you need to plan well to optimize the space available and create a safe and inviting gym area. Then all you need to invest in is some gym equipment, and you are good to go!
14. Garage
Do you know that more than 82 million homes in America include a garage? Over the years, garages have become an integral part of American life. Successful companies started their ventures in garages, and music bands launched their careers in garages. Many people also use their garages as workspaces, studios, and for other purposes. While most homes have a single car garage, some homes even have three-car garages.
Just as house sizes have increased through the decades, so have garages. With families having more than one car, the need for multiple bay garages has increased. Most garages are attached to the house and differ in dimensions. An average one-car garage would have a 9 feet doorway, 12 feet width, and 20 feet depth as dimensions.
Consider your family’s needs in all practicality when deciding how many and how large a garage you need.
15. Balcony / Veranda / Porch
A veranda is a roofed platform or balcony that is partly enclosed and runs along the exterior section. It is often on a level with the ground floor and extends along the front and sides of the house. A porch is similar to a veranda with a covered shelter projecting in front of the house. A balcony, too, is a platform outside the house but is often above ground level and smaller in size. All these spaces may be enclosed with railings.
Most people love their porches or verandas. This space between the home and the yard is a wonderful place to relax, have a coffee, admire the view, and socialize with your neighbors.
Final Thoughts on Different Room Types
As you can see, there are many different types of rooms a house can have, depending on the house’s architecture and size. With the present situation that warrants working from home, you can also consider a well-equipped study and a home theater room for relaxing. We hope this short guide has been of help when picking the dream house for your family.
