Give Your Home a Facelift With These 3 Projects
It's been said that home is where the heart is. Home is also where the ongoing to-do list is. What comes to mind when you think about your home? Is there anything about it you'd like to improve or change? If you're like most homeowners, you won't have any trouble naming at least a handful of things you'd love to cross off your list. Whether it's a larger job to be contracted out or something on the smaller side that you plan to tackle, there are so many things you can do to improve your home. The trick with this is choosing what to do and when to do it. If you're not quite sure where to begin, keep reading. Here are three ideas for projects that will have a major impact on your home, giving it the makeover it deserves.
1. Transform Empty Spaces Into Usable and Livable Areas
In your home, do you have any space that's not being used for much of anything other than clutter or storage? Maybe you have a room that's just sitting there, totally empty. One of the best improvements you can make to a home is to utilize every inch of available space. Even more importantly, make sure your improved space serves the purpose you need it to. Make it work hard for you.
What's one room of the home that typically boasts a good deal of space, yet isn't always used to its full potential? If you're thinking about the basement, you're on the right track. It's true that not all homes have one, such as older homes with dirt basements or tiny crawl spaces, or homes in certain geographical areas. However, so many homes do have this very usable space and it just isn't living up to its full potential.
Does this sound familiar? Are you daydreaming about what your current dark, musty basement could possibly become? If creating livable, clean, and comfortable square footage for your family sounds good to you, consider basement finishing as an option. This is an ideal option for families needing extra space for kids to play, for home gyms, or for hosting gatherings with overnight guests.
If your home has room outdoors for a bit of expansion, adding a deck is another way to create additional living space. And for a family who sometimes feels a bit too close for comfort, being able to spread out between the two areas will feel amazing. You can have a lot of fun sprucing up your new deck as well. Including an outdoor kitchen, pizza oven or a small custom fire pit would be a great way to add to its functionality, while creating an enjoyable space for everyone to kick back and relax.
When you're thinking about where to build your deck, it's important to keep your family's typical foot traffic pattern in mind. For instance, building it right off of your already cramped kitchen could end up doing more harm than good. Instead, plan to build off of the more common areas such as the family or dining rooms. Another bonus to adding a deck is that they cost a lot less to build than an enclosed four-season addition. Is there one in your future?
2. Make a Big Impact by Performing Small Updates
When was the last time you went through your home and paid attention to the smaller things that often go overlooked for years at a time?
Cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, towel bars, and even switch plates have the power to do great things for a home's aesthetics... or do the exact opposite. The same goes for window treatments, shower curtains, lampshades, and even more disposable items, such as hand towels, throw and area rugs.
Replacing the bathroom faucet, installing a backsplash in the kitchen or updating the ceiling fan or light fixtures of yesteryear will bring new life into your home. The best part about all of these upgrades is that most are very DIY friendly and won't take up your entire weekend.
Since the focus is upgrading the look of your home, it's important that you do your best to streamline everything you're replacing. This is a time when understanding (or deciding on) your decorating style will make a difference. Making sure everything you update goes well together will go a long way in improving the look and overall cohesiveness of your home.
3. Replace Outdated Windows and Doors
Windows and doors are some of the most important components of a home. They can be excellent for providing adequate insulation, ensuring everyone inside enjoys comfortable temperatures all year. They can also make your home look put together and wonderful. Alternatively, they can be one of the main reasons your family is complaining about being either too hot or too cold, and they can make your home look shabby. What makes all the difference? New windows and new doors.
If you're living in an older home with original windows or if you're noticing some signs that your current windows or doors aren't doing their job, swapping out the old with new will be a great next step. While this can be costly upfront, you're sure to benefit from the cost savings due to their insulation properties alone. Doing this is also a simple way to increase the overall value of your property and ensure increased security for your family.
It can be intimidating to decide on which projects to tackle and when, so it's important to make thoughtful choices before jumping right in. Focusing on what will be most beneficial to your family's comfort and safety should be at the top of your list, followed closely by ways to increase the overall value of your home. Keep in mind that a home is never truly completed. There is always room for some sort of improvement and with each one made, you'll enjoy calling your house a home more than ever.
