5 Design Lessons For Your Home Renovation
If you are thinking about under-going home renovations, you are no doubt going to have some questions. In fact, several may come to mind well before you decide on where to start or what you want to change. These questions address five areas that are valuable to consider before renovating your home.
Is It A Big Deal To Want To Break Down Walls?
It’s not always the additions, but often the removals that have the greatest impact. It is more modern to have an open floor plan, so if your home is a bit older, this might be an important move for you to create a space that you enjoy. We now have new ways of breaking through walls and ceilings to create light, space, and airflow—which are the subtle ways that change the feel of a room, even if they are not all about aesthetic features that are more obvious.
Support Walls
Some walls are part of the integral structure holding your home up – these are called support walls. Find out what your options are to reinforce support walls differently and go from there. Make sure that you have a professional look at your building plans before doing anything DIY style in this kind of field.
Building Code Guidelines
If you are looking at extending or changing the shape of a room, either up or towards your perimeter wall, then you need to ensure that you have the correct permits. Any structural changes should be approved by an expert who is familiar with all the building codes in your area. Having a contractor with experience also helps with this.
Natural Light And Skylights
While it can also be a more strenuous change than simple decor, paint, or furnishings, adding windows and skylights can be totally worth the added hassle. Lighting impacts a room. Natural lighting zones can be used to optimize air flow, light, and electric bills, as well as change the atmosphere altogether. The size, shape, and position are important elements to consider, and can play into the new look as well as the new feel.
How Can I Make The Most Interesting And Simple Changes That Have The Biggest Impact?
It will always occur to people to change the color of the walls and pieces in the room. It is less obvious to change the style of the floor or window frames.
Finish With Touch
Textured paint or raw materials can also add depth to any basic changes you may make. These are easy to do on a budget and will contribute less to the time and effort, as most of these things will be on your list anyway and this is just a matter of thinking outside the box on how to change it.
Molding The Room
Skirting and cornices can be tacked to walls – in other words, don’t get stuck on what something is supposed to do. Think outside the box when coming up with ideas for your renovation.
Date The Space
Moldings can make drastic changes however they are used. Consider removing any finishing touches that in any way resemble another era. This leads us to the argument of good vintage versus just plain dated.
Light Up The Room
Think about what blocks light or throughways. Consider what frames your windows and doors and how to let in more natural light when renovating. Skylights are great if you have the budget and if the ceiling structure allows for them. (Side-note: if you have closed ceilings then maybe open the space up.) Add mirrors to extend and throw light if there is no way to increase natural light or airflow.
Divide And Conquer
Split walls and break-up large bland areas by changing the color or creating texture changes. This can be achieved with artwork or textured paint and stencils. Even plants are a great way to spruce up your home renovation project. With a larger budget, you could look even at built-in features like mantles, shelving, or fireplaces.
What Should I Remember If I’m Renovating One Room At A Time?
Many people prefer to approach huge tasks like renovating homes in small, easy-to-chew chunks.
Decisions That Will Affect Each Other
Color pallets should be selected to match the purpose and size of the room, while keeping harmony throughout the house. Materials used will also create warmth or fresh open feelings, so don’t just pick what you like in the store or from a catalog.
Options Before Action
Positioning additional lighting (especially if you can’t change too much about original fixtures) next to the right objects, like mirrors and windows or large paintings/beautiful pieces will add space and dimensions to any room, before considering breaking through or extending.
Do What Is Best, Long-Term
Consider expert opinions on what changes will help a house age well. Too often, we get stuck on what we want and we don’t always see what a space needs most to keep its value. This could include sustainable options being explored.
How Can I Modernize Effectively?
Vintage details can be a win, but don’t assume that because a feature is aged that it looks vintage in a good way.
Storage Space
Shelves should serve a dual purpose of being attractive. They can be used to maximize space which is integral in many homes, and they can be eye catching.
Maximizing Movement
Fold away can make an area seem cleaner and neater by freeing up a space and leading to less clutter.
How Can I Renovate With A Small Budget?
Swapping furniture in your home, replacing it with new, or refurbishing a statement piece can be a great way to get the most out of a renovation without breaking your bank.
At the end of the day, all changes need to be made with your daily habits, movement, and home renovation needs in mind. Walk through what you do in each space or what you need the space to become before deciding how to go about changing it. Contact Miller Construction & Design for sound advice on the best way to achieve your desired outcome!
