Skip to main content

Author: @fl@nsburg

How to Make a Small Bathroom Look Bigger

A bathroom provides you with solitude and peace. A bathroom allows you to unwind after a hectic and stressful day at work and to wake up and be ready for your day. As a result, bathroom remodeling projects are very popular among homeowners. A growth of 2% annually is expected in the remodeling industry through 2025. A small bathroom may limit the extent to which you can to remodel, but there are certain things that you could do to make it appear bigger.

Natural Light

Letting in natural light into your bathroom is an effective way of making it appear spacious. Therefore, the bathroom remodeling company handling your project should ensure that there is enough light getting into the bathroom. Besides, nothing matches being welcomed by sunshine in a room. The use of translucent window shades will guarantee you plenty of natural light without compromising your privacy. Furthermore, a solartube or skylight will brighten up your bathroom further, thus making it seem bigger.

Recess Cabinetry into the Wall

The storage units in your bathroom might be the ones eating up all your bathroom space. Your bathroom remodeling company can recess your bathroom cabinetry. Therefore, you will have more space for storage and at the same time create more bathroom space. The bathroom remodeling company will have to reframe the walls to allow them to accommodate the cabinets. The cabinets will also allow you to declutter around the bathroom.

Mirrors

Mirrors actually make rooms appear bigger and brighter. The bathroom remodeling company will mount mirrors at a focal point to create an illusion of depth. Mirrors also make your bathroom appear brighter because of their reflection of natural and artificial light throughout the day. Mirrors on your bathroom door and cabinets will make it have an open feel.

Clear Glass on Your Shower Cubicle

The use of a translucent glass door on your shower cubicle door makes the room appear smaller. It may let in a bit of light and assert your privacy, but it does not serve any significance in space optimization. Translucent glass doors act as wall barriers in the bathroom space.

Above are just but a few tips that you can make use of through the bathroom remodeling company to make your bathroom appear bigger. Do not compromise! Effect the change on your bathroom today.

Add More Living Space With a Luxury Basement Remodel

Unfinished basements can be a huge waste of potential in many homes, but luxury basement remodeling can help transform them. If you have an unfinished basement in your home and want to add more livable space to your home, here is what you need to know.

What Do You Want to Use the Space For?

On average, a basement remodel can provide up to a 70% return on investment, according to Home Advisor. This means you can benefit from the additional space now, and if you sell in the future. To give you some ideas for what you can turn your basement into, here are some of the most popular ideas.

1. A Private Office Space

With more people opting to stay at home and work, turning your unfinished basement into a private office space can be a great way to help separate your home and work lives. It can also give you more privacy from family members or rambunctious kids. If you have space, you could even install your own private bathroom so you can really channel your inner CEO.

2. A Gym

Working out at home can have many benefits when compared to going to a gym, and basement remodeling can give you your own private exercise space. You can add your own sound system, equipment, shower, and even a drink station if you have the room. This is a great way to reclaim unused square footage and turn it into a great motivation to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

3. A Lounge

If you enjoy being able to entertain friends, you can consider basement remodeling to change your unfinished basement into a lounge or game space. With the addition of a bar, a bathroom, entertainment, and game tables, you can create the perfect place to hang out with friends. If your friends are more into sports, you could create a space around a sports theme with a large central TV and couch for watching every game.

4. A Family Space

Creating a family basement space is also a great idea, especially for rowdy kids. By giving them their own space to play and be loud, you can enjoy a quiet upstairs while your kids get to enjoy just being kids.

There are many different ways to use basement remodeling to transform your unfinished basement. Consider these ideas and speak with a local contractor to get started on creating the perfect space for your family.

The Benefits of Whole-Home Remodeling

If you’re a homeowner looking for a complete design change, most remodeling companies recommend you remodel your entire home instead of doing it room by room. Besides boosting your home’s value, a whole-house remodel also comes with other benefits, which are explained below.

Offers a Harmonious Design Plan

Because you’re remodeling your home all at the same time, it’s easier to create a unified and well-integrated design plan. Design-build remodeling companies have an in-house designer you can sit down with to discuss how to make the colors, textures, decor, and overall style cohesive.

The design is then implemented room by room. In the long run, you’ll find that it saves you time and hassle compared to remodeling one room at a time. For instance, you only need to budget for the remodel once, and you can even order all the material you need ahead of schedule.

If you’re planning to go for a vacation or can afford to stay somewhere else, you’ll be able to come back to a brand new house. If your home hasn’t had a makeover in a while, it can be exciting to upgrade it, so it reflects the current environment.

Increases Personal Satisfaction in Your Home

Remodeling just one room, such as the kitchen or living room, can increase the aesthetic appeal of your home, making it more enjoyable to live in. Now imagine the bigger return you’ll get by remodeling your whole home.

This will have a larger positive impact on you and your family, as it also gives your lifestyle an upgrade. Whether you have guests over and are entertaining them in the living room, or you’re cooking in the kitchen, or simply relaxing in your bedroom, you’ll feel more confident and happier when your home’s design has a perfect flow.

Additionally, nothing beats the feeling of having a job that’s not only well done but also over and done with. Since your home is complete, you don’t have to worry about another remodeling project, at least for a long while.

If you are still deciding between a whole-home remodel and looking for remodeling companies to help you with a cohesive design plan, hopefully, this article is a great reminder that you’re on the right track.

A Home Office May Be the Smartest Home Addition in 2021

If you’ve been considering home additions in 2021, it may be smart to consider adding one or more home offices to your existing space. Many companies have shifted to a remote work model during the pandemic, and a large portion of these companies will be continuing a hybrid work model for the foreseeable future. This means that even if central offices open back up, many employees will still be permitted to work from their homes for part of the week.

While you may have been working temporarily from your couch or bedroom, this isn’t sustainable. If you plan to continue working from home, it may be time to contemplate home additions like a new office space. The remodeling industry is predicted to continue to grow by around 2% annually through at least 2025, so contractors are certainly available and willing to work with you as you plan out your home additions.

There are numerous considerations as you design a home office space, including the following:

Creativity

Spend some time thinking about what you’ll need to make sure that your home office space inspires you. If you’ll often be doing creative work there, you’ll need a space where you feel relaxed and can let your thoughts flow freely. Creativity may be a vital part of your work, and if you’re in a small, stifling space, you will find this more difficult.

Productivity

You’ll want to design a space where you can be as productive as possible. This means that you’ll likely want to avoid an open floor plan and opt instead for a room with a door that closes so you can focus on work as necessary. It can be difficult to work from home, and you may enjoy being able to increase your productivity by changing your environment.

Organization

Create a space that allows you to organize all of your computer equipment, books, and files so you have everything that you need to operate your home office. It’s frustrating to continually get up and find something you’re missing or you left in another room, and basic organization can help limit this.

Designing a home office space that you can work in effectively can help make working from home easier for you and your family. You’ll find that you enjoy more productive work time and that your work-home balance improves when you can close the door on your work for the day. Contact a local contractor to learn more about your options.

Basement Design Trends to Watch in 2021

Basement remodeling can have many benefits that go beyond adding more space to your home. According to Home Advisor, the average basement remodel can have up to a 70% return on investment. If you are considering a basement remodeling project, either for extra space or to increase your property value, then check out these top basement design trends.

A Sweet Suite

Transforming your basement into a luxurious guest room is a great way to create a welcoming new space for visiting friends and family. However, these new suites go beyond your traditional guest rooms by upping the ante on space, features, and design. While traditional guest suites include a bedroom and private bathroom, take your full guest suite to the next level by including a lounge area, kitchenette, or living room to give your guests added privacy. Add special touches like quality linens, designer furnishings, and dramatic details to give your guests the best stay ever.

Fancy a Drink?

Adding a bar to your basement remodeling project is a classic renovation that never goes out of style, but today’s best remodels go above and beyond to completely elevate the entire bar experience. Fans of wine may want to include a wine cellar and custom wine racks for storage, along with a cozy tasting area for entertaining. Beer lovers may want to recreate their favorite pub environment, complete with taps, mood lighting, and comfy bar seating. Bonus if you build an at-home brewery to test out your best craft recipes.

Another Day at the Office

One of the top trends in basement remodeling for 2021 is the custom office space. With more people working at home, home offices are going above and beyond the call of duty with personalized spaces that rival even the sleekest executive office. Create a space free from distraction with your own private work area that includes functional storage, comfortable seating, and a kitchenette stocked with everything from coffee to mid-day snacks. Working from home has never been so relaxing!

Your new basement space can be whatever you want it to be with creative design choices that reflect your taste, style, and creativity. Basement remodeling is a smart investment for any homeowner, and with today’s top trends, the sky’s the limit — so start planning your basement remodel today to create the room of your dreams.

Different Types of Residential Home Additions to Consider This Year

Fully 85% of the nation’s homes were built prior to 1980 and are in need of home improvement. If you’re living in an older home, the time may have come when you are considering how to improve your home’s value. Home improvement can be found in many forms, but many homeowners have found that one of the best ways to do this is by building residential home additions, such as adding a sunroom, an extra guest space, or converting their unused garage space. Residential home additions vary widely, but one thing they are almost always guaranteed to do is improve a home’s value and curb appeal. The following list will describe just some of the more common resident home additions that are often added to older homes for a homeowner to consider.

The Traditional

The traditional home addition, or conventional house addition, is a structure that is built onto the existing home and that is open to the entire house. This space is considered to be multifunctional and may even have more than one designated room within it. When these are well-built, the addition blends into the rest of the house.

The Bump Out

A room addition or “bump-out” is a single-purpose room that is added onto an existing structure, such as a guest room, nursery, or bathroom. Often, this can be creating a space within a space (like enlarging a closet to make room for a small half-bathroom). Unlike a traditional home addition, bump-outs are relatively smaller (perhaps adding 50 to 75 extra feet).

The Sunroom

A sunroom is just that — a sun-filled space that is meant to be relaxed in. Unlike the previous two additions mentioned, sunrooms are often not opened up to the entire home and tend to be added to the back or side of a home and closed off from the rest of the house. Sunrooms are often made from pre-fabricated materials and the walls of the room are glass. They are also not as big as a traditional addition, though they may be bigger than a bump-out.

The Conversion

A conversion typically is made to a garage. When the garage is a two-car space, then usually one space gets walled in, central air and heat vents get added, and flooring is put in. Usually, garage conversions are to create a spare bedroom or office space. Homeowners will also convert an unused garage if necessary. Unlike other home additions, however, garage conversions have difficulty blending into the rest of the home, and they don’t increase a home’s value near as much as other types of additions.