This coming week we have so many holiday events. Some we look forward to and some we do out of obligation. We get overloaded and worn out having to get our homes ready to receive guests. We move furniture around to accommodate family and friends in our living and dining rooms. Everyone leaves and we collapse. Does your home have a spot for you to relax and unwind all by yourself?
We have sectionals with a chaise attached, a recliner or a nice comfy chair to curl up in. But this is the family space. Our homes occupants don’t acknowledge the living room as your private room. They could come in at any time and disrupt your pause.
Maybe 2026 is the year you find a space in your home to create your get-away. A place you can call your own and where you can unwind. You might find you would use this space almost daily!
Years ago we began the “man-cave” craze. Then came “she-shed.” These retreats are still a big hit. However, you need a full room to create such spaces. Maybe you reclaim a room when you become an empty nester. You can create an office space, a relaxing space, a crafting area or maybe even a gaming table in the room. The decor can be totally different than the rest of the home. This is one room that does not need to flow. After all, it is YOUR room and needs to represent who you are and what you enjoy. You want to feel totally YOU in this room. Only then can you truly relax.
What are your hobbies? I sometimes have to help clients decide where and hoe to install their trophy mounts from a hunting trip. Or maybe some mounted big mouth bass they caught on a fishing trip. Or maybe some tongue-in-cheek mounts. You know I love dimensional art.
Some people have collectibles they want to display. Or maybe some family heirlooms that were passed down and they felt did not feel right in the main part of the home. This room can be as eclectic as you want. There are no rules in here!
Not all of us have that extra room to call our own. Maybe you have a landing area at the top of the stairs. Or maybe under the staircase. Of course these niches are not private, but you could add a comfortable large chair and lamp to read a book or take a nap. Maybe you could add a drapery to enclose the space.
If your bedroom is large enough you can segregate a space that can accommodate a chaise or a chair with an ottoman. Keep a blanket and pillow handy.
Maybe you have a room where the closet is not needed. Take off the doors and create a niche that could hold a chair for you to lounge in. Maybe even a twin mattress with some comfortable large pillows to rest upon.
Do you live on a property where you could add a small camping trailer? What about an empty garage? How cool would it be to gut the structure and create a lounging set up.
Think outside the box. Look around your home to see if you can find that space you can claim all your own. Free of the everyday noise and excitement. A place where you can get away and relax. It comes in real handy after you have entertained your family and friends, especially during the holidays.
Michael Siewert is an interior designer in Augusta who also has a lifestyles television show on WRDW that runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
