Home Upgrades That Stand the Test of Time (& Make Your Home More Interesting)

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Not all home upgrades are created equal. There are times when your home might be in need of a refresh, whereas others are needed to elevate your space. If you want to boost comfort, luxury, function, and long-term value, then you want to find the right upgrades that stand the test of time. You will also want to make some that fit with your preferences and make your home more interesting. To help you on your journey, here are some ideas that blend aesthetics with function, so that they will never go out of style. 

The Influence of Art Movements On Furniture Design

Furniture design has long been shaped by major art movements, which reflect cultural, social, and aesthetic shifts over time. From the ornate, gilded designs of the Baroque period to the sleek minimalism of Bauhaus, each movement has left a distinct mark on furniture styles. This post will explore how different artistic eras have influenced furniture design. Keep reading to find out more.

Baroque & Rococo: The Age of Ornate Elegance

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Baroque style was dominant with grand, opulent, and visually striking looks. In terms of furniture, this meant extravagant carvings, gold leaf finishes, and dramatic detailing on items like chairs, dressers, and wardrobes.

Is Abstract Vinyl Flooring Still Stylish for the Home?

Abstract luxury vinyl flooring has always been a question of personal taste and the selections that have become available over time have seen an increase in popularity.

Interesting facts about laminate flooring

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When renovating your existing home or selecting the finer details of a new build, one of the big design decisions you will have to make is what flooring to get. Whilst I do believe that different flooring options are best suited for different rooms and that you have to factor in the style, practicality and cost of flooring when deciding what flooring to opt for, one type of flooring which I think is a fantastic option for most homes and rooms is laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring is a common household flooring choice as it is versatile and practical plus it is available in a variety of styles and budgets. As laminate flooring is a popular choice and offers a variety of positive benefits here we take a look at a few interesting facts about laminate flooring - 

Flooring options for different rooms of your home

Whether you are renovating your existing home or selecting the finer details of a new build, one of the biggest décor decisions you can make for home improvements or a new home can be what flooring to have. 

The type of flooring you choose can greatly impact the style and feel of a room. Also some types of flooring are better suited to certain rooms compared to others. With that in mind it can often be the case that you choose different flooring options for different rooms in your house rather than have the same flooring throughout. 

4 Things that brighten up any home

If you are trying to make your home as close to perfect as possible, there are a number of things that you might want to think about in order to make that happen. For most people, keeping the home above board and moving in the right direction is always going to be something of a challenge, and it is for that reason that you will want to make sure that you are going to focus on this as best as you can. As it happens, there are a number of things which are a fairly certain way of ensuring that your home becomes a much brighter and more enjoyable place to live, and those are the kinds of things we are going to focus on in this article. What follows is a short list of some of the greatest and simplest joys that brighten up any home, and which you should consider for that purpose.

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DIY Home Improvements

Sometimes, having a side project after work, or on weekends is a great way to keep yourself busy. Whether it’s putting up a shelf or building a birdhouse, DIY can be the way to go! Here are just a few ways you can improve your house yourself.

Decorate your fridge

Weird one, right? But when you think about it, most fridges come in white. So why not add some paint to it. You could paint it a similar colour to your kitchen or you could give it a bright pattern. This doesn’t even need to be done with paint. You could get tape and create patterns. This is a great idea for temporary decorations like you would put up for Christmas. In fact, you could even use this technique to decorate your fridge for Christmas and other holidays.

Smart ways you can add value to your home

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There has been a growing trend over recent years where people are looking to perform work on their homes strategically, for the way it can boost the selling price as opposed to simply renovating their home just because they fancy a change. But what are the top ways in which you can add value to your home?

Extensions and Loft Conversions

Reconfiguring your home could be the most cost-effective way of creating more bedrooms. On the whole, it is more affordable to transform a two-bedroom house into a three-bedroom living space over purchasing a new house with an additional bedroom. A good builder and architect would be able to work together in order to redesign your floor plans to make the most of the space that you have available throughout your home.

Adding a brick built single or double height extension is one of the most popular ways to add value to your home. Providing your building works are well executed and planned meticulously, an extra can add around 12% to the value of your property.

Similarly, loft conversions can dramatically transform your home for the better, often with a smaller expense compared to that of an extension. Some say ‘build upwards not outwards’, as this is the most effective way of maximising your returns when you come to sell, adding around 15% to the value of the house in the long run.

One of the main things to bear in mind when trying to add value to your property is to avoid overdeveloping. You should speak to a local estate agent to discover the ceiling price of your home, this way, no matter what you do to it, your property can’t command an asking price that is too much higher than that of the other properties on your street.

Updating your rooms

Renewing tired rooms throughout your home can be a great way to start if you are looking to add value to your property. Choosing to update your bathroom may not necessarily add heaps of value, but it can certainly boost the appeal, making it more attractive for new buyers. You need to consider your bedroom to bathroom ratio. For instance, if you live in a four bedroomed house with only one bathroom, it may be worth adding in a second one which can add value too, as much as 9%.

Kitchens are often referred to as the heart of the house, and for some houses, this is where most spend their time. The kitchen ranks as one of the top projects to renew and update, as the value adding benefits are solid. Like the bathroom, the kitchen is one of the main things that people look for, therefore boosting the appeal of your home if you chose to modernise your kitchen design.

Decorate the exterior

What if I said that most home buyers make up their minds before setting foot inside a home? While you may be focusing all of your attention on the beautifying the inside of your home, you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Therefore the exterior of your home is equally as important as what your house looks like from the inside. Improving the kerb appeal of your property doesn’t need to be costly, nor time-consuming, but simple tweaks can make viewing your home that extra bit delightful.

Brightening up your exterior colour by providing a fresh lick of paint can go a long way in attracting new buyers. Although this doesn’t necessarily boost the value of your home directly, it will also be sure to make your home look more enticing.

Eco-friendly features

Green living is one of the most dominating trends in home living and can actually make all the difference when it comes to selling a home. Green features and finishes make your home stand out against other competitors in the housing market and can often help to secure a sale. 

To ensure you get the best possible price for your home, it makes sense to add sustainable and energy-saving features to traditional fixtures in your kitchen and bathroom. Properties from rw-invest.com offer smart lighting that provides each homeowner with the added benefit of reducing expensive utility bills and an elevated style of living. This comfort knowing that you are only paying for what you are using is a desirable factor when considering where to buy.

Ideas for a summer house

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When I was a child I used to love visiting my great great aunty Nansi as she had a summer house in her garden. Positioned to the side of her immaculate lawn and amongst blooming flowers that she took great care of her summer house was a place for her to relax in on her sun loungers, a tranquil place to read a book and where she could admire the views. Her summer house was a favourite childhood haunt of mine, I spent hours in it when we visited her and I loved playing in it.

As I have such fond memories of her summer house I’ve always wished that I could one day have a summer house in my garden.

As well as satisfying my inner child’s desire to have a garden summer house to call my own, having a summer house in our garden would also be a great way to add more space to our house.

Transforming a room on a budget

When we first moved into our current home we went all out on decorating the children’s bedroom. Apart from finding a home for our furniture and other worldly possessions the other rooms in our house got neglected.

Fast forward a few years and nothing much has changed. Busy lives and lack of money has meant we haven’t got around to decorating any of the other rooms which look rather drab, boring and uninspiring.

Recently we redecorated the children’s bedrooms - lucky boys getting their room transformed again whilst our bedroom has never been touched. We painted their room, moved around furniture, upcycled a few pieces of tired looking furniture, decluttered and added some new eye catching accessories such as modern rugs. Even though we did not do much and no radical changes such as flooring or new furniture it was amazing how the room was transformed.

The beauty of brick tiles

Over the years the trend for exposed brickwork within the home has gained popularity. Exposed bricks are beautiful and make a strong visual impact. Bare brickwork creates a raw contemporary look that perfectly suits an industrial, loft or rustic style.

Achieving exposed brickwork can be tricky. You could remove the plaster on your walls and hope that behind it is a treasure of beautiful bricks. Whilst many older homes boast gems of beautiful bricks behind plaster, the reality is that most homes have breeze blocks or timber frame rather than a solid wall of beautiful bricks. Another downside of renovating your home and exposing brickwork is that it is hard work, messy and time consuming!

Thankfully there is a way to get the exposed brickwork look another way. Brick tiles can be installed on walls to achieve a faux exposed brick wall.

Double glazing

The benefits of double glazing in your home and things to consider when installing double glazed windows.

What is double glazing?

Double glazing is when you have two sealed panes of glass with an insulating void between them. The gap that separates the glass panes is either an air filled vacuum or filled with a heavy inert gas such as argon. Both doors and windows can be double glazed.

Making your home more valuable

Sprucing up your home and adding extensions are rarely cheap. Data from the Office for National Statistics has predicted that those in the UK collectively spend almost £30 billion on home improvements annually. That works out at £43 million each week!

So, how do you know in which room to invest your cash for the best return on investment on your home improvements exploits? Check out this guide to how much home improvements can add to your home’s value before you start planning…

Bathroom

We all want a home with a modern, well-working bathroom — so this may be a good space to do up if you don’t think yours is looking at its best at the moment. According to the Nationwide Building Society, a new en-suite bathroom or the creation of a second bathroom can add around 5% to a home’s overall value.

But is it worth the investment? Presenter of TV show: Location, Location,Location, Phil Spencer, seems to think so. He believes that a new bathroom will increase the value of a home by almost 3%. “You don’t need to do a lot with the room, it’s all about the features that you put in, such as a set of new taps, a heated chrome towel rail, a big new shower head, a power shower, and a glass screen or glass door instead of a shower curtain.”

Creating a relaxing home environment

Life can be busy, demanding and stressful. Juggling various aspects of life can be challenging. Family life, socialising, hobbies, work, health care appointments, financial commitments and other obligations can be taxing on our time and emotions. 

Dealing with the hussle and bussle of life can leave us stressed out and emotionally tired. As many of us have to overcome long, busy and stressful days when we get home we want to relax and de-stress. 

A tranquil and stress-free environment is much more suitable for de-stressing from life than a hectic and chaotic environment. As our homes are our havens, they can be a sanctuary from stress.

Creating The Perfect Family Home

There’s a difference between a good home and a good family home. In order to make a house that works for an entire family, you need to create a warm, welcoming, and homely environment. It needs to work for all individual residents of the household but also for the family as a whole. Obviously, you can’t re-design the house to suit the taste of your five-year-old because the place would probably look a little... “interesting” if that were the case. But you should certainly be striving to create an environment that feels like home for everybody in the family.

Curtains or window blinds??

Recently we have been refurbishing our living room. Since we moved in it has had very little attention to it. A few ornaments and pieces of furniture have changed places or been moved to another room as we settled it but since then nothing has changed. It has been a comfortable, lived in space that has served us well but it has been lacking in style and a sense of character.

As we have decorated and done home improvements in all the other rooms of the house, the time has come to turn our attention to the living room.

With it being a room that we spend a lot of time in especially together as a family it is only sensible that it is a room that we enjoy spending time in and love the look of.

Home improvements that can’t wait

Whether you’ve just moved into a new property or have been living in the home for several years, you’ll know that the process of upgrading the home never ends. By the time you’ve finished one decorating and improvement cycle, it’s time to start the next. Thankfully, most projects are focused solely on the outcomes rather than the timings. However, there are some that simply cannot afford to wait.

If any of the five issues below need sorting in your home, it’s vital that you so with immediate effect. You’ll be thankful in the long run.

The top 5 ways to make your home look more modern

Want to create a stylish, modern but warm interior to your home but a bit stuck as to how to get it on a budget? No worries as these five top insider tips will help you make the smallest changes that bring the maximum impact to a space.

How can balustrade modernise your interior design?

Typically used to support balconies and staircases, balustrades bring style, elegance and functionality to a property. Given their sophisticated look and practicality, balustrades are a popular component of many homes and commercial buildings.

Balustrades can be made from a number of materials, including glass, chrome, wood, stone, iron and stainless steel.

Top 5 key components of a house you should not often change

There are some changes that you make to your home that are worth it, especially in the uplift it gives to the value of your property. But there are some components that don’t need to be changed as often as other, as Balustrade Components illustrate.

1. Staircases

Your home may look like a simple box construction, but all these components work in harmony together to provide strength and structure to the building.