For many people, the most important things in their lives are their home and their family. Your home provides shelter and a place to relax and unwind at the end of the day, as well as a degree of financial stability.
As your family grows, your home may have to change along with it. Families can come in different shapes and sizes, which means that your home renovation ideas should be geared to your specific needs and circumstances.
With this in mind, here are some ideas to help you to transform your home into exactly what you and your family need.
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Add More Space
One of the most obvious issues that might crop up as your family grows is the lack of space. As your children get older, or you have more children, you may find that things get cramped. This issue can be compounded by pets or adults who work from home.
The good news is that there are some solutions to this issue. Sometimes, the only option is to move to a larger house. However, more often than not, you can create more space in your home.
If you have enough outside space and you’re willing to sacrifice part of your backyard, then you have some fantastic options for adding space. The most traditional option is to add an extension to your home. You can add a huge amount of space with an extension, making it perfect for an extra bedroom and some more living space.
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Another option is to add a garden room. A garden room is a separate structure from the rest of your house, which makes it a great idea if you want some extra privacy. A larger garden room can become a separate bedroom and bathroom unit, which is a good option for guests or older children. You can also create a home gym, office, or workspace. The fact that it’s separate from your home can allow you to get into a better frame of mind for working.
If you have a garage, then you can use that space for something other than your vehicle. It can be a good option for extra storage or even a workroom, which is an especially good option if you work with your hands.
Depending on the structure of your home, you might be able to add an extra room or two by converting your attic or basement. If you have enough attic space, then this can turn into an office or even a bedroom. The basement is another good option, as depending on the size, you can turn it into a bedroom, a study, a playroom, or even a couple of rooms.
Converting a basement or attic isn’t as simple as just putting a bed up there and hoping for the best. You have to make sure these rooms are suitable for their intended purpose. For basements, this might mean damp treatments and installing a proper staircase. The attic floor may need to be reinforced and you need to ensure that the roof is high enough to let you use it as a room. But if you can get all of your ducks in a row here, then it’s a fantastic idea to provide you with some more space in the home. Depending on what you are going to use it for you can decorate it with some midwestern furniture, get it all kitted out to be exactly what you wanted it to be.
Nursery and Bedrooms
If you have children, then you will need to consider their changing needs as they grow older. For example, while it’s often beneficial for a newborn baby to sleep in their parent’s room, this should ideally be a temporary measure. Most expectant parents try to get the nursery sorted out before the baby is born, but everyone knows that sometimes life gets in the way of our best-laid plans.
While it might be your dream to create a beautiful nursery room for your baby, don’t worry if you don’t get everything sorted before the birth. The most important thing that they need is your love. As they get a little older, you can focus more on creating their own space.
You will have to change their space as they get older as well. The needs and interests of a 4-year-old are wildly different from those of an 8-year-old, even if four years doesn’t seem that long to an adult. The older your child gets, the more that their personality will change and the more that they can get involved in the renovation of their bedrooms.
Thankfully, you don’t have to break the bank to redo bedrooms. A lot of the time, it comes down to a new lick of paint and some personal touches that your child can get involved in. Involving your children in the renovation work of their bedrooms is a great way to bond with them and to teach them to take some responsibility in their room. After all, this is supposed to be their haven, so it makes sense that they have a say in how it looks.
As well as more personal touches and design features, you should also consider other interests and needs of your children. If you have room in your house, then a dedicated study room is a great idea, but most people have to make do with what they have. Adding a desk to your child’s room gives them a quiet area to study and do homework, and it’s increasingly important as modern schoolwork usually requires a laptop or computer.
Doors and Windows
Replacing the doors and windows might not seem like a big change, but it can make a surprising difference to your home. For starters, as your doors and windows get older, they deteriorate. This means that the seals might fail, so they are less effective at insulating your home. Heat can more easily permeate your doors and windows, so it’s harder and more expensive to regulate the temperature in your home.
New doors and windows, however, will rectify this problem and make heating and cooling your home more efficient. This saves you money and helps you to do your bit for the environment, as you’re using less energy at home. It also prevents any nasty drafts in winter, which can make it hard to relax and be cozy.
As well as the practical aspects of replacing your doors and windows, they also add a lot of personality to your home. They are one of the first things that someone will notice when they see your property, so shabby doors and windows can have a poor impression. Not only that, everyone likes to be proud of where they live.
Your doors and windows also have a significant impact on the lighting of your home. If you want a brighter interior, then larger windows and windowed or glass doors will provide more light.
You can make your home look nicer and make it more practical to live in as well, depending on your choices. For example, you can get durable sliding patio doors with built in dog door, meaning that you get plenty of light, but you also accommodate the furry members of your family and prevent accidents.
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Kitchen Renovation
It’s been said that the heart, or at least the stomach, of a home is in the kitchen. Whether you’re an avid home cook or you prefer to feed your family as quickly and efficiently as possible, you can’t deny the importance of the kitchen. After all, everyone needs to eat.
The kitchen is also one of the most heavily used rooms in most homes, which means that wear and tear can hit hard and fast. Over time, it will start to look shabby and you might even notice that the appliances start to fail. You can hold off some of these issues by keeping your kitchen well-maintained and clean.
Sometimes, all it takes is a quick lick of paint and some smaller jobs to breathe some new life into an old and weary kitchen. One great option is to replace the cupboard doors and drawers, or even the knobs and handles, as this updates your kitchen without breaking the bank or taking too much time and putting your kitchen out of commission.
However, the time will come when you need to make some major changes to your kitchen. Your mileage may vary, but it’s always helpful to have a good idea and a plan for your new kitchen so that you’re ready for a major renovation. One kitchen style that’s popular and timeless is the shaker-style kitchen, which is rustic and relatively simple while coming with bags of personality.
No matter what style or design choice you choose, it pays to be prepared for any major renovation. Even if you’re paying for the renovation with a loan, save up in advance so that you can cover as much of the cost as possible and save on interest payments.
You should also come up with a plan for what to do when your kitchen is unusable. Even a quick renovation can take days to complete, which can be incredibly disruptive. However, once your home is up and running, you’ll find that it’s more than worth the inconvenience.
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