You do not have to do major renovations to add beauty and increase the value of your home. From very low cost options like painting to new staircase ideas, here are some common sense ways to cost effectively beautify your home and add value too.
Buy a Great Looking Front Door
Your front door is like a business card. You see dozens of them but rarely notice one until it is really well designed. And when you see this type of card, it makes a lasting impression. This is the same with a front door. You remember the ones that are impressive. Today there is a wide range of styles and materials that allow you to have a unique and distinctive front door. Pick one that gives a great first impression when someone comes to your home.
Change Your Staircase
One way to add dramatic flair to your home is to replace your old staircase with a modern designed one. Today, staircase manufacturers understand that staircases must be not only functional, they must add beauty to a room. So they focus on looks and styles that complement a room and enhance its charm. Staircase ideas include wood and metal materials, floating stairs and spiral staircases and come in a variety of price ranges including some you can even install on your own. The result will be a fantastic upgrade that you will notice each time you enter the room.
Buy New Kitchen Appliances
Renovating a kitchen is not only an expensive undertaking, it can make one of the most active areas of you home unusable for a long period of time. Perhaps a better option for getting a new kitchen is to update your kitchen’s appliances. Consider changing the refrigerator, dishwasher, ovens, grill and perhaps even the kitchen sink and even adding an island in your kitchen if you have the space. Today’s kitchen appliances are not only more efficient, they are also beautiful. These upgrades more than pay for themselves if you are looking to sell, and are a lower cost option to get a gorgeous kitchen.
Create an Open Concept Home
Older homes and apartments were built with distinct rooms that are separated by walls. The result of this approach is that you end up with smaller rooms and lots of unusable space. Today, the focus is on creating open concept homes where fewer larger rooms flow into each other and are separated by half walls or only furniture. It is common in fact for new homes to have the kitchen, living, dining and family rooms all essentially in the same room. The effect is very dramatic, flows better and allows in much more light. So removing non-structural walls between rooms is a definite way to beautify your home and increase its value.
Paint and Declutter Rooms
One of the most effective ways to add beauty and value to your home is to simple and cost effective. Painting the interior of your home makes a dramatic impression and can make any room look new. If you are trying to sell your home, make sure you aim for neutral colors that are in demand. If not, let you own taste dictate and get more creative.
The next thing you can do is to remove clutter in rooms of your house. This means moving out things that may have been placed in a room for convenience rather than style and also changing out any bulky furniture. Remember open space is as important to a room as furniture and when there is more space, you highlight everything else in the room. When you declutter, the things left in the room become more attractive. Experiment with taking things out and live with it for a day or two to see how the room looks and feels and keep in mind less is more.