Renovate To Innovate: Ideas to Renovating Your Home

The time to renovate a home isn’t only when deciding to sell, although a renovation can help speed up the process when selling.  The comfort and enjoyment of the home is also increased.  And why shouldn’t it?  A home can and should be a family’s “castle,” offering the latest in home innovation and a great deal of warm satisfaction.  Of all the places on earth, the home should be one of harbor and spacious, comfortable living.

Kitchen

Cabinets can be the ultimate pleasure or a stunningly boring eyesore.  A sleek yet understated design can go a long way to updating an old, unflattering kitchen.  A classic white draws the eye and enlarges a small room.  The addition of an island makes the space more comfortable to move around in for cooking and entertaining.  Hang pots and pans or store them away in hidden under cabinet space saving spaces.

Add a grill for indoor cooking on cold days.  Imagine enjoying a sumptuous fire grilled steak in the dead of winter. Under cabinet appliances such as a microwave or coffee-maker.  Brighten the darkest corner with tucked away under cabinet lighting.  Faucets that can be turned on or off with a simple gesture come in very handy when busy cooking.  Add color for a festive glow to make spending time in the kitchen an everyday pleasure.

Basement

A basement is often the most neglected room in the home.  Turn the room into the most visited with a few simple renovation ideas.  Build columns around ugly support poles.  Books can also be stored from top to bottom on newly added floor to ceiling columns.  Use shelves or build shelves into walls to make the new room spacious and comfortable.  Add plenty of lighting if the basement was dark and dank before.  Track lighting brightens any space.

Consider a theme for the room when choosing to renovate.  Put in a pool table for all to enjoy a game room.  Mount old board games onto the wall for a whimsical touch.  Toss in some bean bags and a comfortable couch to enjoy movies and television.  Open up the stairway to allow for fresh air and sunshine.  Perhaps there has been a new addition to the family and the basement would make a comfortable living space for a family member or a guest.

Master Bedroom

Everyone deserves a small slice of “heaven on earth” and the bedroom is a great place to start.  Add a rocker or an overstuffed chair for a comfy reading corner.  Add a neutral color to expand the room in the mind’s eye.  Others may feel more expressive when painting, the thing to remember here is that bold colors will often have to be repainted before selling.  For an easily removable splash of color, add area rugs, especially if dealing with hardwood floors.

Lighting is one aspect that is often neglected at renovation time.  Lamps are very expressive and can be floor or wall mounted.  A dimmer switch provides added warmth.  Curtains add a hint of luxury and a definite hint of privacy to the room.  Use of impermanent color to update a room with brightly colored sheets and pillowcases are easy additions.  Keep the room cozy by adding pictures of family and friends with inexpensive frames.

Laundry Room

This room is sometimes forgotten altogether when it comes time to renovate.  The addition of shelves adds not only storage space, but opens up the room making it comfortable and easy to work in.  The addition of a sink for bigger household jobs is a convenient addition worth consideration.  Adhesive hooks turn the room into a space for storing Winter clothes and coats during the warmer seasons. Mount clothes drying racks to save space and electricity.

White paint in this room makes the space look larger and gives less of a claustrophobic feel.  A raised washer and dryer is a nifty storage space that is out of the way.  Hang shirts straight from the dryer from wire shelves or by adding a curtain or shower rod.  Perk up the room with vases and add seasonal fresh flowers.  Here is a spot that a swath of wallpaper can add a cheery note as well.