Tapping in to your hidden space

BY JENNIFER V. HUGHES

When it comes to renovation projects, contractors say homeowners often don't (pardon the pun) think outside the box.

MARKO GEORGIEV / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Jennifer Scherer in her new, bigger closet. Her contractor removed a built-in and took space from another room.

Want a closet? You can steal some space from a neighboring room. Want a room? You can repurpose that little-used closet into something more practical. When your contractor takes a peek behind your walls, you might be surprised to find you have usable space you never knew existed.

A savvy contractor can often come up with an innovative solution for home design and construction problems.

"People sort of get tunnel vision," says Richard Graniere, owner of Wayne-based Advantage Contracting. "They work in the existing space instead of working within the outside perimeters of the house. They get blinded by the walls.

'Open things up'

One of the easiest ways to repurpose space is to take down non-load-bearing walls, and Graniere says most walls in your home are non-load bearing. Even a load-bearing wall can be removed, but it requires support beams to be erected in its place.

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Tapping in to your hidden space