Our homes have become the center of our universe in the last year and for many of us, they are now workspaces, as well as areas to socialize, spend quality time with family and rest. If you’re looking to create a more versatile home that crosses both the style and substance boxes, here are some tips to combine funky with functional.

Define roles for each room

We demand more of our homes now and many of us view our nests as social spaces, sanctuaries and offices and studios. Whether you live alone, you live with your partner or you have a family, it’s beneficial to define clear roles for each room if you’re looking to enhance functionality. Think about how you want to spend your time at home, where you want to be and how your home can cater to your lifestyle. Open spaces are ideal for families and multigenerational households but some homeowners also like to have secluded, shut-off, private spaces to work, enjoy hobbies and activities and wind down after a busy day. You can achieve a balance by adapting the layout, using versatile furniture and adding screens, curtains or partitions to separate work and play or social and private areas.

Embrace versatility

If you long for your home to look fabulous, but you also have to cross the practicality box, there are some fantastic solutions and ideas to bear in mind. One option is to utilize versatile furniture and layouts to facilitate different activities. Consider a daybed in a home office or a side table that doubles up as a desk in a formal living space. If you have a daybed or a sofa bed, you can welcome guests and keep an extra bedroom while also providing a tranquil spot to work. If you’ve started working from home and you don’t have office space, you can turn a dining room or an adults-only living room into a study simply by changing the way you use your furniture and adding storage. You can use open shelving to display books without making the room look clinical and you can use side tables and units as a desk. You can also use modular furniture to change the layout of the room if you’re combining living and workspaces.

Focus on the details

There are several ways to transform the appearance of your home and make it more practical that don’t involve knocking walls down or embarking upon a full-scale interior design project. One effective way to add personality and inject style without breaking the bank or devoting hours to DIY and redecorating is focusing on home decor details and finishing touches. You can put your own stamp on a room, channel themes and trends and introduce different colors and prints simply by adding or swapping accessories. Consider a living room with plain white walls, for example. With this blank canvas, you can carry any theme by choosing the right accents and accessories. From a contemporary, industrial-style space with hanging pendant lights, oversized bulbs, concrete plant pots and bronze door knobs and drawer handles to an opulent boutique hotel-style room with velvet curtains and cushions, huge mirrors, sumptuous rugs and eye-catching wall art, the options are endless. Use decorative touches and accents to showcase your design style and your personality.

Prioritize storage and organization

We all know that clutter can have a negative impact on the aesthetic of our homes as well as functionality. If you’re on a mission to design a beautiful home that also works for your family, it’s hugely beneficial to prioritize storage and organization. You don’t have to go out and buy masses of tubs and boxes that might detract from the look of the room. You can use storage to create a new focal point, for example, cubby hole walls or stylish wall-mounted units and you can also explore furniture that offers storage space. Great examples include beds with hidden storage underneath, TV units with drawers and cupboards and coffee tables with built-in drawers. You can also use decorative hooks to hang coats and funky shoe racks to keep your footwear in order.

Create space for different people and activities

Many of us share our homes with friends, family members, children and partners. If you live with others, it’s likely that you have different interests and that you like to spend time alone as well as hanging out together. If you’re hoping to create a home that caters to everyone, it’s a fantastic idea to create spaces for individuals to enjoy different activities as well as areas where everyone can come together to socialize. Ideas include playrooms, games rooms and dens for children, reading rooms, studios and adults-only snugs and living rooms for relaxing and unwinding and open-plan kitchen-diners and family-friendly living rooms for spending time together.

If you’re short on space indoors, there are ways to solve the problem that don’t involve moving house. For those who aren’t afraid to take on a big project, it may be possible to extend your home or convert an attic or a basement. You could also consider knocking through if you have smaller rooms and you’d like a larger, open space. If you have a dining room and kitchen, for example, you could open up the space to create a big kitchen with dining and seating areas. Another idea, which is becoming increasingly popular as more and more people work from home, is adding a garden room. You can use a garden room as a work studio or office, a home gym or yoga studio, a bar, a sanctuary or spa to retreat to after a busy day or an area for your kids to play.

Embrace versatility

If you long for your home tolook fabulous, but you also have to cross the practicality box, there are some fantastic solutions and ideas to bear in mind. One option is to utilize versatile furniture and layouts to facilitate different activities. Consider a daybed in a home office or a side table that doubles up as a desk in a formal living space. If you have a daybed or a sofa bed, you can welcome guests and keep an extra bedroom while also providing a tranquil spot to work. If you’ve started working from home and you don’t have office space, you can turn a dining room or an adults-only living room into a study simply by changing the way you use your hardwood dining room furnitureand adding storage. You can use open shelving to display books without making the room look