What Rooms in My Home Should I Focus My DIY Efforts On?
Home improvements can be an exciting part of any renovation, giving homeowners the chance to express their creativity and show off their unique sense of flair. Despite their benefits, these renovations can cause a lot of stress, especially if you have a lot of rooms to focus on. Luckily, we have an array of tips and tricks to help you improve each room in your house by using a wealth of high-end DIY tactics.
Signs Your Home Needs Some DIY Improvements
1. Your Decor Looks Tired and Out-Dated
No matter how timeless you think your home is, styles change over time. If you notice your home looking drab or old-fashioned, it might be time to add a few new touches. Whether it’s a bunch of fresh flowers or a collection of sleek fixtures, these choices can give your home a new lease of life and transform your home into a modern hub of creativity. Your home does not have to look like a space-age vessel but just a few contemporary motifs can really help to elevate your entire space.
2. The Roof Is Crumbling
Roofs suffer a lot of wear and tear over time, leaving our homes vulnerable to all sorts of issues including leaks, moisture build-up, and damp spots. By reinforcing the roof, or even replacing it entirely, you have the potential to save your home from irreversible damage. These fixes can also protect your family from serious collapses or mold infestations, which can also give you peace of mind.
3. Pests Are Taking Over Your Home
Rodents such as rats, cockroaches, and possums can unfortunately see our homes as their own, causing a plethora of mishaps and complications. These creatures are often attracted to damp areas or cracks in walls, giving you a great opportunity to fix these problems and be rid of these pests for good.
4. Your Family Is Expanding
Although many of us would love to keep our man caves or craft rooms, we are often forced to make sacrifices for new arrivals. As such, you may have to implement a series of DIY improvements when expecting a new child or are looking to give an older child a new sense of privacy. Regardless of the circumstances, this process can be very refreshing and allows homeowners to reinvent their beloved homes.
5. Your Appliances Need Updating
For those who spend most of their time in the kitchen, your essential appliances may be in of an upgrade. Nowadays, many appliances have a smart component, meaning that they can be controlled via your smartphone. Thus, you can boil a pot of coffee whilst relaxing on the sofa watching your favorite TV show.
What Rooms Are in Need of Improvements?
1. The Kitchen
A kitchen remodeling is a crucial part of any home improvement plan, and it is vital that it ticks all of your boxes. This process can take many forms from a new set of countertops to a new catalog of ultra-modern appliances. The kitchen can be a very dated space, especially if it is not improved to fit in with the times. Adding elements such as quartz countertops and minimalist appliances can help change your unfashionable kitchen into a space you will never want to leave.
2. The Bathroom
As we age, we require different things, particularly when it comes to bathroom accessibility. We may need a new shower or bathroom to help us cleanse ourselves with ease. In turn, it may be a good idea to contact some local professional glass doors contractors to help create your very own designer door. Another area of the bathroom that may need changing is the flooring. So, why not get rid of the old vinyl flooring and fall in love with a new set of hardwood flooring to really give the space a new sense of elegance?
3. The Living Room
The living room is often regarded as the center of our homes, the place where the whole family comes together to spend quality time with one another. However, when this space feels claustrophobic or unattractive, it can force the group to split up and spend more time tucked away in their respective bedrooms. To make this space more inviting, try contacting a window installer to help you create a range of natural light sources. If you are looking to close off the day with a comforting sense of darkness, apply a custom shade to your windows and build a much more intimate feel.
4. The Garage
Garages are a prominent asset for any home as they can be used to protect your car or as a vast storage unit. Yet, these areas have so much more to give. By reaching out to a garage door contractor, you have the chance to install a door that best suits your family. In addition, some of these installations are paired with a unique garage door opener, meaning that you can control this space with a click of a button. It is also vital that you keep up with any garage door maintenance within your home to ensure that this space can continue functioning optimally.
Benefits of Improving Certain Rooms in Your Home
1. Add Market Value to Your Home
If you are looking to sell your home, it is paramount that your house is in the best possible state before you enter the property market. By working on certain elements of your home, you have a better chance of attracting possible buyers, especially those who are looking to move into an already renovated home. In turn, you can sell your home for a lucrative profit and have enough money to kit out your new property.
2. Can Help You to Relax
Do you dread coming home from a busy day at work and spend the evening looking at endless cracks in your ceiling? Though it may be difficult to face the issues occurring within your home, confronting them will help to ease your worries. It is good practice to start small, conducting a collection of small DIY projects every so often like re-painting the walls or adding some new light fixtures. Over time, you will notice a big change in the quality of your home, which can help you to feel more relaxed as you continue to spend time in your space.
3. Improve Your Relationship With Your Neighbors
An unsightly house can cause a negative relationship with the people next door, particularly if it undervalues their own home improvements. Simply clearing up the garden or changing the exterior of your property can make your house pop. In turn, the whole street will seem like it has undergone a serious makeover.
4. Lowers Utility Bills
Heat can often escape through subtle cracks in our house’s foundation, leading us to ramp up the heating unnecessarily. This can increase our energy pocket and leave us out of pocket for the things we actually want to do. Fixing the roof can be a simple way to keep heat within our home, allowing us to lower our heating bill and save money on our essential outgoings.
5. Less Maintenance in the Future
By completing these renovations as soon as possible, you are less likely to have to work on them as you get older. This is particularly important for newlyweds, who are eager to make a house a home as soon as they walk through the front door. Working alongside a team of experienced contractors ensures that you can gain all the guidance and advice you need to personalize your living spaces.
How to Complete DIY Home Improvement Projects on a Budget
1. Purchase Second-Hand Furniture
Second-hand furniture is a great option for those looking to fill out their home, without having to splash the cash. Essential items such as sofas, cabinets, and cutlery can be found in an abundance of local thrift stores, meaning that homeowners can pick up a range of new stuff, whilst potentially supporting a native charity. These items are often checked over before they are put on sale, so you do not have to worry about mistakenly buying a piece of broken furniture.
2. Research Affordable Contractors
Contractors can help you to complete complex jobs with ease, ensuring that you and your home are kept safe throughout the entire process. However, some of these professionals can be pretty pricey, especially if they are operating in a very special niche. Thus, it is advised that you spend some time researching some of the local workers in your area and deciding whether they are able to fit your budget. You can also contact these tradespeople directly and ask if they are willing to complete the task on your budget.
3. Reinvent Existing Pieces
Sometimes all you need to do is work with what you’ve already got. If you notice a piece of furniture like an armchair, a table, or a bookcase is starting to look a little weathered and aged, it may be time to up-cycle it. Try coating darker items with a coat of neon paint to help them stand out against more subtle pieces. In addition, you can also use nostalgic items such as family pictures or school portraits to give neutral items a more personal feel.
4. Add Unique Storage Options
Our modern lives are usually filled with stuff, much of which we do not know where to put. Using conventional household items like shoe boxes, baskets, and crates, you can optimize the storage solutions within your home and keep treasured belongings safe and secure. This is a useful strategy if you are decorating a child’s bedroom, as it can help to hide away all of their toys, whilst still keeping with the styles of their room.
5. Implement a Garden Room
If the space permits, your garden can also be transformed into a practical hub. A garden room is a small extension that sits at the bottom of the garden and can be used as an office space, a gym, or a playroom for children. For those who do not spend a lot of time outside, these fixtures help to give your garden an entirely new purpose. This ensures that you are making the most of every aspect of your home.
6. Add Some Safety Updates
Although they may not be as exciting as some of the other options, a few safety features will help to give your home a new sense of relaxation and tranquility. Whether it’s a new set of sturdy handrails for the bathroom or a high-tech home security system, these assets will help to put your mind at ease and help every guest live comfortably. Plus, they can also help to add more value to your home as they can better suit those with disabilities or other conditions.
7. Display Family Heirlooms
Grandma’s spoon collection may not be the ideal fixture for your new bachelor pad, but these humble heirlooms can help to give your home an attractive vintage overlay. Since retro fashion is back on trend, and frankly, quite expensive, a few personal items scattered around will build a sense of character. Moreover, you can mimic these popular vintage styles without having to spend too much money on older pieces of furniture.
When we decide to renovate our homes, it is important that we place our focus on certain rooms as these are the spaces that we often use the most. All of these spaces can be altered with a few DIY improvements, many of which can also be carried out on a budget. As such, many of us now have the potential to revitalize our homes, whilst still saving money.