3 Rooms to Renovate in Your House This Year

Kick start 2020 with a stylish house revamp. If you are looking for some renovation ideas for your house, read on.

No sooner has the last of the Christmas turkey gone, on come the adverts for holidays and as well as thinking about where to spend the summer, our minds turn to more immediate things, like home improvements.  From fixing that leaking gutter to a complete kitchen makeover, there are many projects that need our attention and now is a good time to start planning.

 

Where to start

Nothing lifts the spirits more than a revamp of your home, particularly after Christmas.  The decorations have been taken down, the tree cast aside in the garden awaiting a trip to the rubbish dump and without the lights, the whole house is looking very sorry for itself. Whether you have a one-bed apartment or a five-bed detached house, you can’t do everything at once, so you need to prioritize.

 

How about a Kitchen Makeover?

In any home, this is often the hub of activity. From cooking meals to simply socializing over a cup of coffee, the kitchen is where most of the action is, so a kitchen makeover could be just what the doctor ordered. This can include anything from changing the cabinet doors to a complete remodel, and although you may not be thinking of selling right now, just remember that everything you do will impact on the value of your home in some way, so chose carefully. Whether you have a Shaker-style kitchen or a modern kitchen design, changing the color of the doors may be all you need to do. White kitchen cabinets painted gray look fantastic in the right setting and with matching accessories such as window blinds.

Whatever you do, don’t neglect the amount of countertop you need. It is no good cramming your kitchen full of appliances if you have nowhere to prepare food. If you have space, and this works great in combined kitchen/dining rooms, consider installing an island. This allows people to work around the kitchen while increasing the amount of work surface and storage space.  If design isn’t your thing, then it is well worth calling in a specialist kitchen fitter to advise. Most will do this free of charge, but don’t commit to anything until you are absolutely sure you are going to get value for money.

Improve that Dining Area too

This may be in the same room as the kitchen or totally separate, but the function of this space is 100% related to the kitchen, so it must be included in your list of priorities. A new dining table and chairs would be great but maybe all you need is to upcycle what’s there. Pinterest is great for finding new ideas.

Relax in a brand new Living Room

This is the space away from the kitchen and dining area, which, again, may be part of the same open-plan area or a separate room. Either way, it is the area where you and your family or friends relax after a meal, to watch TV or read.  If the furniture is fine, why not try a new color scheme? Look also at the lighting. Can this be improved? You cannot beat subdued lighting when watching a good film. The use of free-standing modern lighting fittings can provide light exactly where you need it, while the rest of the room can be in darkness.

What does it cost to remodel your home?

A kitchen makeover can be very expensive if you have to move appliances or fittings, so always sit down and think things through before starting work. Consider the way your house or apartment works and what needs to be done to improve that. Don’t waste money moving plumbing or electrics unless it is absolutely necessary.

You may want to take this opportunity to upgrade the electrics, maybe include a few more sockets if you find you’re having to use lots of extension leads and multi-plug adaptors. Always use a qualified electrician for this work!

If your project requires structural alterations—maybe you want to open up individual rooms into an open plan space—you may need to call in an engineer to advise on necessary supports. You will need to factor in an amount for professional fees, which may be as much as 10% of the cost of the work.

Get several estimates and don’t go for the cheapest. Whatever the cost, you should add between 10 and 20% for unforeseen events. This contingency sum is yours to use as you see fit. If you are putting the work in the hands of a building contractor, you should never disclose this to him as I can guarantee he will spend it. Agree the cost on a priced up schedule and do not make any variations unless unavoidable as this will almost certainly result in additional costs.

We have some great accessories in our Decorama shop, so why not take a look. Maybe you don’t have to spend as much as you thought. We will be publishing more house renovation ideas over the next few weeks, so come back often and sign up to get regular updates.