|
 Winter is here. You’re cold, bored and sick of looking at the same old walls. It’s time for a change before cabin fever sets in. But what if you don’t have time for a vacation or money for a new home? Are you doomed to psychosis? No. You just need to think inside the box.
Investing in home improvements is one of the wisest decisions a homeowner can make. And one, if done correctly, that will not only increase the value of your home but offer nearly a one hundred percent return on investment (ROI). It’s all about moderation.
According to the 2005 Cost v. Value Report, midrange bathroom
improvements of about $10,500 yielded a national average 102.2% ROI.
Kitchen upgrades that were classified as “minor” and cost around
$14,900 offered a 98.5% return while “upscale” improvements averaging
$81,552 only offered a 84.8% recoup of investment. The point being that
you don’t have to break the bank to improve your digs in an aesthetic,
as well as cost effective, manner.
Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or have some savings nestled away for a rainy winter day and can hire some help, the four projects listed below can turn your cabin fever into a cabin hootenanny, and let you roast your chestnuts in the exciting comfort of your newly improved castle.
Botox the Kitchen: Cabinet Re-facing and Appliances
Give your kitchen an injection, rather than purchasing the entire cosmetic shebang. Modernize your cabinetry with veneered or wooden doors, new drawer fronts and hardware. All of which can be done for approximately a third of the expense of purchasing brand new cabinetry and offers the homeowner a multitude of options. For ideas, feel free to go on a walkabout through Lowe’s or Home Depot, or surf the net at design.hgtv.com/kitchen to get those cupboards you’ve always wanted and never knew you’ve always had.
Secondly, take the plunge and upgrade those appliances. Balance the plausibility for what you want with the functionality of what will work. Find the happy medium.
Take measurements and make sure your new appliances will fit where the old ones have been. Can you open the doors of your new appliances without bumping into anything pre-existing in the kitchen? Keep in mind that you are trying to avoid an entire kitchen overhaul so be absolutely sure that your new oven will be cozy in its home without any body work to cabinets and countertops. Get stainless, just make it painless. Most appliance outfitters make financing available as well, giving buyers a variety of options with which to make the costs more affordable.
Still not satisfied? Add some flavor to those kitchen windows with some new drapes. It’s amazing how, in kitchens as in life, minimal change can vastly improve one’s current outlook.
Make That Living Room Shine: Lighting
Since the living room is where most people relax with the family or entertain their guests (a.k.a. do a lot of living) it’s natural that this room should take up a good deal of focus. Although assumptions usually lead to miscommunication, let us, for the sake of argument, presume that the color of your living room is satisfactory, the flooring is to your liking and the furniture is as cozy as it is pleasing to the eye. All this notwithstanding, something still isn’t quite right in the hearth of your home. What to do?
It’s time to let the light bulbs go off inside those brilliant little minds (and living rooms).
There are basically three types of home lighting: Accent, Ambient and Task.
Accent lights bring attention to points of interest in your home. Task lights brighten up work and reading spaces. Ambient light fills in the gaps.
Points of interest in your living room can range from artwork to bookshelves, mantles to display areas full of family photos. Don’t be afraid to put the spotlight on the items you take a significant degree of pride in. Use low-voltage, energy efficient halogen to brighten those vacation pics or make that Wyland painting pop. Install track or recessed lighting to cozy up the fireplace and introduce those titles on your bookshelf.
 Task lights involve physically bringing a light source to an area of the room. Light sources such as lamps and hanging lights let you see those laptop keys or curl up in the words of a good book without having to squint. Use your imagination. Likewise, ceiling lights are probably the number one source of ambient light found in the home, but don’t be afraid to let your creative side burn bright with an array of wall sconce choices as well.
It is also important to note that the atmosphere of the living room fluctuates with the mood and feel of the moment. Nobody wants lights so bright it feels like they are getting a sunburn or so dark that they need a flashlight to find the remote. Installing dimmer switches along with those new lamps and track lights will ensure that you have the right illumination for any situation.
Get In Sink: The Bathroom Project
“If you’re on a budget, redoing the sink is one of the simplest ways to upgrade your bathroom,” said the folks at ImproveNet. They aren’t lying. One look at modernbathroom.com and the number of choices that face those who want to remodel the bathroom is staggering: stand-up showers, Jacuzzi tubs, ceramic and porcelain tile work, vanities and double-flush toilets. But does it really have to be so daunting? And so expensive?
Instead of pulling up that old tile to give your bathroom a “warmer” look, try throwing down a handsomely crafted rug that offers the colors you’re looking for. Don’t begin tearing down walls for bigger bathtubs and that new shower just yet.
Try installing one of the more technologically advanced shower heads on the market today. You know, the kind that make every time you bathe feel like a trip to the spa. And, to complete Project Bathroom Simplicity, put in a new sink and faucet.
Angie Coffman, Director of Delta Faucet Product Marketing, said in a 2005 interview that “you can create an entirely new theme for your bathroom – such as contemporary, Old World, or European – based on the design of your faucet.” Imagine what you can do when you combine your faucet with a sink made of porcelain, glass, corian or ceramic and comes as a freestanding basin, a pedestal or a pre-formed sink/counter top combo...
Just make sure your new sink will fit where your old sink used to be when using existing vanities and countertops. Likewise, faucets use an array of installation set ups so when you find the one you are looking for, double check that it will fit the pre-drilled holes in the sink you’ve decided to use. Lather up and enjoy.
Make the Suite Sweet: Master Bedroom Makeover
For those that practice Feng Shui, the design of the home and the placement of furniture is necessary for peace of mind and body. But, whether you give a Shui or not, peace of mind and body should never be ignored. And there is no place where such ideals should hold more true than in the room where we sleep.
If home is where the heart is, the master bedroom/master suite/big bedroom is where the soul replenishes itself. Any issues here must be righted if the rest of the home is going to have any worth. Your bedroom should be warm, relaxing and, above all, comfortable. Which means it’s time for everybody’s favorite, painting.
Painting is not exactly the most fun thing to do on the weekend, but it’s the easiest way to change the overall feel of your bedroom. So have fun with it. Pick out a blue if you are in need of tranquility, serenity and comfort, go after greens for feelings of freshness and security as well as comfort and calmness, or seduce yourself with lighter shades of violet which promote luxury and sensuality.
Buy all the paint you need at the same time to insure consistency in color. If your bedroom tends to get a lot of sunlight, be sure to purchase a light-stable brand. Tape off what needs taped off and put drop cloths over anything you don’t want to match the color of the walls. Uncork a couple bottles of wine, crank the tunes and paint along the trim first, then the walls – rolling the paint in large “W’s” and “M’s” to prevent streaking. Two coats is usually enough.
Try canopy beds, wood floors, crown molding or plants to make your chamber befitting of both king and queen if peace of mind still evades you. Sleep tight.
In 2004 The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University said “homeowners completed about 50 million home improvement projects and spent nearly $138.1 billion.” Ten years ago my old boss looked at me with an unfiltered, Pall Mall hanging from his weathered lips on a dusty job site and offered one of his less profanity laden colloquialisms, “If it don’t make dollars, son, it don’t make cents.” Or sense. I was never quite sure if he got it or not.
You’re not alone in your improvement projects, just make sure you do your homework and choose what will work best for your budget, your investment and your peace of mind.
~ Craig Hysell
Photography courtesy the National Kitchen & Bath Association
|
