We all crave the creature comforts of a cozy, well-designed home. While there are a lot of do-it-yourselfer’s out there who work tirelessly on their homes and seem to be updating or renovating on a constant basis— this is not possible for those of us who don’t know the difference between a table saw and a drill.
Of course, the latter-mentioned group of people could just hire someone to renovate their homes for them, but then that comes with Hardhat renovation guys. Anyone who has done a major renovation can attest to the unexpected costs and immense mess that it creates. How can we update our homes while bypassing major renovations? We want updates that all of us can do, not just those handy do-it-yourselfers.
1) Create Open Space In Your Home
According to a Bankrate Study, open floor plans are on the top of the list when it comes to home buying and home ownership. Homeowners want an open floor plan where the kitchen, family room and dining room share one vast open space. Also, formal dining rooms seem to be going out of style. Here is your opportunity to create space in your home, making it more appealing to you and to your visitors. How can you do this without tearing out walls, you ask? Actually, making your home seem open and airy can be easier than you think. Sometimes it’s as simple as getting rid of bigger, bulkier furnishings, or moving furnishings around the room to see what placement gives the most open space. If you are attached to the huge armoire, cabinet or another bulky furnishing that is taking up a lot of space, then consider painting it a warm off-white color— this will help it “disappear” into the room, tricking the eye to think the space is more airy and open. Another trick of the eye that gives the illusion of open space, mirrors. Mirrors when placed opposite windows reflect light into the room and make the room seem more open. If you have a formal dining room that you really don’t use, then consider turning it into a cozy den, home office, crafting room or library with a reading nook. This will make the current space you have more usable, and creates a whole new room in your home that you never had before (without any messy renovations!).
2) Add New Lighting To Your Home
Proper lighting can truly bring a room to life. A poorly lit room looks small, dark and cramped, while a brightly lit room appears open, airy and welcoming. There are numerous ways to brighten up your home with lights. Some of the easier methods are as simple as buying table lamps and floor lamps for your home. Strategically place a couple of tall floor lamps in dark corners and watch your room come alive. Layer this lighting with lamps on side tables, making the room feel welcoming and cozy. Then, if you want to get adventurous, you can replace all those outdated ceiling fixtures with the stunning modern masterpieces that are available on the market. Of course, this last part may require you to hire an electrician for installation, but if you’re handy, replacing a ceiling fixture is something that is not too complicated. Whether you keep it simple with floor lamps, or go all out and replace all your ceiling fixtures —modernize your home with plenty of bright lights.
3) Cabinetry: Update Drawer Pulls and Door Handles
Nothing dates your kitchen and bathrooms more than old-fashioned, worn, and dirty handle pulls and knobs. There is no excuse not to update all your cabinet and door handles when it is really so simple to do, and there are so many ways to update your cabinetry. There are numerous finishes to choose from such as bronze, brushed nickel, aged copper, and shiny stainless. With so many modern choices on the market it may be hard to decide what best suits your home. Don’t stress too much about the plethora of options, after all, you could always buy one or two different styles to see what works best in the room. Plus, there are not really any steadfast rules to choosing cabinet pulls and knobs. Essentially, a country kitchen can look chic and updated with very modern stainless knobs, while a modern kitchen can look cool and eclectic with more vintage-style knobs. The design choice is up to you, so get out there and start updating your kitchen and bathroom cupboards today.
4) Update Window Treatments
Windows seem to be overlooked a lot of the time. Homeowners struggle to decide what style would suit the room best, leading them to give up and leave the windows bare or just install simple blinds for privacy. Here’s the thing— windows beg to be dressed! By leaving your windows bare, you are missing out on a whole spectacular layer of decorating. While those who are lucky enough to enjoy ocean or mountain views may argue this fact, but even the best of views could be framed by stylish window panels. Windows can be dressed to perfectly suit your style and taste.You can go bold and graphic with geometric curtain panels, or beachy with gauzy white sheers, or minimalist with bamboo shades—-the options are endless. If you are stressing about all the possibilities, then take a cue from the color schemes that you already have in place. Sometimes the easiest option is to simply match curtain panels to the color of your walls— doing this creates a look that goes with any style.
5) Create An Outdoor Room
Sometimes we forget to look outside our very own doors for unused space. Even if your home doesn’t have a large front porch or amazing backyard patio—there is still space to be used. You just need to be inventive. You can create an amazing outdoor space by starting with an outdoor rug to define a “room” outdoors. Then add a couple of comfortable outdoor chairs and throw cushions, a small fire pit, some dangling string lights — Voila! You have added a new “room” to your home. If you want to get fancier you could put down some brick pavers or flagstones, then layer it with the outdoor rugs, chairs, etc… Or you could go all out and install a large pergola, drape the sides with privacy curtains, add an outdoor heater, some music, some wine….yes, this sounds like a great outdoor escape. The pergola install may take the weekend to accomplish, but it would be worth it come Sunday evening when you unwind outdoors with your glass of wine.
