• Effective Ways to Future-Proof Your Living Space

    Do you ever feel as though you are constantly improving your home? If you are always decorating, changing things, installing upgrades, and refurbing tired spaces then you certainly aren’t alone. We spend a lot of time in our homes, and we want them to be at their best. Most of us are always seeking ways to make our homes more efficient, more beautiful, and more comfortable. We’re looking for ways to make them more sustainable, to show off our personality and to have a home that we are proud of. 

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    This is completely normal, and to an extent, you’ll probably always want to make small changes and improvements. But you should try your best to future-proof your home, at least when it comes to the bigger elements. A future-proof living space is safe, sustainable, cost-effective, and hardwearing. Yes, you’ll probably always want to paint walls and add accessories, but with a future-proof base to work from, you’ll save money and time, and your home will always be ready to show off to guests. 

    Invest in Good Quality Flooring

    Good quality flooring is essential. It’s a big part of the décor in your living space, taking up a lot of the available area, so you want it to look good. But it also takes a lot of footfall over the years, not to mention spillages, drops, trips and other damage. Poor quality flooring is hard and expensive to look after, and with everything the floor in a family space has to cope with, it won’t last. Investing in a hardwood floor can be a great idea if you are looking for hardwearing flooring that will last the test of time. Even better, you can quickly accessorise a laminate floor with a trendy rug if you are looking to make a quick, inexpensive change. 

    Get into Good Cleaning Habits

    Investing in good quality is often the best way to make sure your décor, furnishings, and appliances last for as long as possible. But this is only true if you look after them. Get into good cleaning and maintenance routines and your home will look good and work well for much longer. 

    Always Consider the Future

    Whenever you update your living space, whether it’s a change to the décor, a new sofa, or a bigger refurb, always do it with the future in mind. Think about whether these changes will still suit your lifestyle and family in 10 years, considering your age, and mobility, as well as your future plans.

    Prioritise

    When it comes to future proofing, don’t worry about things like accessories and soft furnishings, which can be changed easily. Instead, prioritise things like flooring, heating, windows, and important pieces of furniture which contribute to your safety and quality of life. These are the things that need to last, not those finishing touches that make a home. 

    Keep it Simple

    When it comes to décor, the best way to future-proof is to keep things simple, avoiding trends and fashions, and sticking to plain, light colours that work with different seasons, accessories and styles. Keep your walls plain and you can easily change things up with the addition of some colourful accessories. Choose bold wallpapers and designs, and suddenly you are very limited and have to make huge changes every time you want something different. 

    Perhaps the best ways to future-proof your living space are to avoid trends and to make changes mindfully. Always think about the future before you make any changes, but especially bigger, more expensive ones. 

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  • 4 Home Improvement Ideas to Enhance Your Home’s Aesthetics

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    Home improvement and renovations are a fabulous way to add value to your property’s structural and cosmetic appeal. By improving your property’s structure, you are enhancing the aesthetics of your home, street, and neighborhood. After all, well-maintained and enchanting neighborhoods are created by devoted homeowners who prioritize property upkeep. 

    Real estate is subject to deterioration and depreciation, and both these factors reduce the overall market value of your home. But you can maintain and increase market value with strategic and cosmetic enhancements that upgrade the utility and aesthetics of your property. For instance, constructing a basement or a swimming pool works wonders, or you can boost market value with a well-maintained lawn. 

    Keep reading to explore some incredible home improvement ideas to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property. 

    1. Mission: Decluttering Everything 

    Your primary mission, should you choose to accept it, is to declutter every item that you no longer use or find useful. In the words of the wise Mary Kondo, declutter everything that doesn’t spark joy in your heart. All households carry the clutter of hideous heirlooms, inherited sentimental belongings, broken appliances, discarded furniture, and unwanted clothing. 

    Decluttering these items will create space to organize your home, bring in new furniture and fixtures, and repurpose rooms. Is your attic currently functioning as a storeroom for old furniture, appliances, and unwanted belongings? Consider looking into a nearby storage facility to repurpose the attic into a home office or a fitness studio. 

    The internet can help you in this endeavor! Suppose you live in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are looking for a temperature-controlled storage unit to store artwork and wooden furniture. In that case, use the search query ‘storage units Corpus Christi’ to find the most relevant results. The keywords matter while searching for reliable and high-ranking businesses on Google. 

    It’s wise to explore credentials and sift through customer reviews to understand the experiences of other Corpus Christi residents. Once you’ve exhausted all means of online research, you can head over to the facility and inspect security protocols. Renting a nearby storage unit is more practical and efficient than converting precious residential square footage into storage space. 

    You can also hold a yard sale by rounding up all the belongings you no longer wish to keep. Think about selling that old refrigerator, your preschooler’s old toys and furniture, and unwanted clothing items. You can put the money you raise towards repainting the walls or installing a deck.

    2. Transform the Floor Plan 

    Do you want to undertake a major renovation that transforms your home’s floor plan and cosmetic outlook? If yes, consider changing the floor plan to create new living spaces or alter the existing rooms. There are several ways to modify the floor plan, but it involves significant dismantling and hiring a licensed contractor. 

    You can transform the floor plan by merging two living spaces to create a more spacious and airier room. For instance, you can join the living room and the dining space into a larger room to eat and lounge. Merging two rooms will improve heating and cooling efficiency and give your home an open and inviting aesthetic outlook. 

    Suppose you want to add more space to your kitchen with a large walk-in pantry and breakfast nook. In that case, you can alter the kitchen floor plan and create two more sections. However, you will have to sacrifice indoor or outdoor space to achieve this. Many homeowners prefer open kitchen floor plans with walk-in pantries, breakfast stations, and small herb gardens. 

    Here’s another fabulous idea: transform the attic floor plan to create a home office and a study area for the kids. There are millions of ideas you can explore to add value and living spaces to your property. Connect with your inner architecture and focus on creating spaces that elevate your life quality.

    3. Construct a Basement 

    Constructing a basement can work wonders at boosting market value and enhancing your property’s structural and functional appeal. Even if you don’t want to sell, a basement will give you more rooms and living spaces to improve life quality. 

    For instance, the basement can function as an office for your home-based startup. Or you can use it to open a yoga studio and hold sessions in a noise-free and ambient environment. A basement will allow you to cash in on the rental potential of your property by listing it on Airbnb. 

    The basement can also house an extensive home entertainment system, a gaming room, and a mantuary for entertaining guests. Possibilities are endless, but constructing a basement involves hiring a construction team and undertaking a home renovations loan.

    4. Repaint the Walls 

    Behold the easiest and most affordable home improvement idea to enhance the aesthetic appeal: repaint the walls! It’s natural for the walls to become dusty and unappealing with time, especially the exterior walls that absorb debris. Repainting the walls is the perfect idea to recreate the color palette of your exterior and interior spaces. 

    This idea encourages you to channel your inner Picasso and experiment with the colors you’d like to see in your environment. We recommend extensive research to find colors that align with your home’s architectural appeal and the neighborhood. You can also examine the Pantone colors of the year and architectural color trends to find the trendiest combinations.

    Don’t hold yourself back from experimenting and trying out colors that you adore.

    Final Thoughts 

    Aesthetics and cosmetic appeal matter significantly. But not more than the utility and functionality of your house. We advise prioritizing home improvement ideas that enhance your property’s functionality and aesthetic appeal. For instance, transforming the kitchen floor plan will make it more functional, storage-efficient, spacious, and lively. 

    It’s wise to plan your budget before you start exploring ideas. You can look into home improvement loan products to finance extensive renovations that will elevate your life quality.

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