A home can be a lot of things to a family. In most domestic situations a home is common ground, a place that is shared by all, with the exception of master bathrooms and bedrooms. The family convenes in the livingroom to watch television or to play board games and dines together in the kitchen or dining room.

In recent months, however, the home improvement industry has witnessed a change in remodeling trends to more specific uses for each individuals in the home. It used to be that the mother had her sewing room and the father had his workshop. These specialty rooms are still the case today but have increased in size and scope with advances in technology regarding the activities. These areas are a far cry from the little rooms where hobbyists used to convene.

The Media Room

The increase in popularity of both video games and video entertainment has spawned a whole new industry outside of the home theater. Ten years ago home theaters included music, video games and movies. It was a place where you could put in a vintage popcorn machine and enjoy an “evening out” without stepping outside your home. Now, the home theater room is more apt to be taken over by the children playing Guitar Hero, Wii or a multitude of new interactive games as much as watching the television.

The media room could be a dedicated area for those who want to just watch television or can be the games room. In short, there are two rooms instead of one: Games and Media.

The Home Library

It used to be that books were kept in a shelving unit or the headboard for a bed and the biggest collection was the encyclopedia. People bought books and either passed them on to friends or sold them to second-hand book stores. With the amount of information being put into book form the amount of books being sold is astronomical. This is also due to the boom in online book sales. In addition, people are hanging onto their books.

So, where do you put them all? Well, there has been an increase for including built-in libraries in new home construction and renovations which include libraries has spiked as well.

The Spa Area

Spas used to be outside and were more of a recreational attachment like a swimming pool or patio. The new spas are more creative areas. These are iindoors and can include a garden door to a patio and are not to be confused with the personal spas in bathroom ensuites.

The spa room can include a heat massage table and a tanning bed along with a chroma therapy options which uses light for a soothing experience. There can also be a audio system.

The Wine Cellar

Wine is one of the biggest-selling beverages in world and collecting wine one of the fastest-growing hobbies. So it is no wonder that the demand for a dedicated place in the home to store wines is also growing. The purpose of a wine cellar is not only to stack the bottles in neat order but to age the wine into maturity in a controlled environment.

For the best results the wine connoisseur looks for design, proper lighting, humidity control and temperature stabilization. And one of the prime considerations is that the wine must be stored lying down so that the cork does not dry out. A dry cork can lead to leakage and the ruination of the wine. In addition, a wine cellar has to be a place where the wine collector can spend time researching, tasting and entertaining so the aesthetics should match the hobby. Fine wood and travertine-tiled flooring come to mind when envisioning a wine cellar.

The Closet Area

The walk-in closet has been a standard feature for high-end homes and now the average homeowner has this on his or her wish-list. The dresser drawers in the bedroom are all but forgotten as furnishings because the functions are incorporated in the large closet space. Women even like the vanity option where the room not only holds the wardrobe but also hides away the dressing table. In addition men and women are demanding their own closet systems rather that the “her-side, his-side” parts of the enclave.

The Bathroom

Just like the closets both men and women are looking for their own bathrooms. The bathroom can also incorporate some of the closet's tasks such as the vanity and include parts of the spa room, as well. Multi-jet shower cabinets with steam attachments and huge bubble, soaking tubs make a bathroom an exotic experience.

The Workshop

Not confined only to men the workshop is now a place where boards can be planed or fine, antique furniture refinished. With advances in tool technology the space can be outfitted to be the envy of any fine furniture shop. Garage workshops are also taking this to the next step. Polished garage floors, professional tool chests and stainless-steel work benches resemble a NASCAR shop.

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