Home is where we live our lives, which is why it’s important that your home offers all the comforts and conveniences you need to live your best life. If you are building a new home or renovating an existing one, take inspiration from these design ideas to make your house the best home possible.
Practical Spaces
Whether you are building or remodeling, you should take advantage of the opportunity to include everything in your project that will improve the way you live each day. You may think first of the rooms that make an impression, or those with the biggest impact on your budget – kitchens and bathrooms, for example. But some of the more mundane areas can have a big influence on whether your home makes your life easier or adds to your headaches.
Office
Whether you work remotely or just need a space to be productive in, a home office is a valuable asset. A separate study that is quiet, comfortable, and uplifting ensures that you can work without distraction, which is great for peace of mind. Creating a home office plan should be a high priority when renovating your home.
Laundry Room
It is a sad fact that doing laundry takes up a good chunk of our time each week. As one of the most dreaded chores, designing a stand-alone laundry room that you actually enjoy spending time in is a great way to make the task less dreadful. Plenty of storage, a large utility sink, ample counter space, and a place for hang-drying clothes are just a few of the features any good, functional laundry room should have. If you are able to, consider adding a window to make the space bright and airy.
Mudroom
A feature that more and more modern homes cannot go without is a good mudroom. Between kids, pets, sports, yard work, and more, there are plenty of reasons why having a space like this near your most used entrance is a good idea. Creating a place where shoes, backpacks, sports equipment, and pet paraphernalia are corralled as you come and go helps keep dirt and miscellaneous items from spreading throughout your home. Plus, you avoid the question that is the dread of parents everywhere – “Has anyone seen my shoes?”
Modern Conveniences
If you’ve never toured an old home – a really old home – you may not realize that closets weren’t always a standard feature. Home design has come a long way, and there are always new innovations and trends that are worth considering for your house. Be on the lookout for features that will help increase your home’s efficiency, convenience, and functionality.
Outlets
There are a few things more frustrating than not having enough outlets. Hunting for places to plug in your appliances, lighting, and electronics is highly irritating, but trying to mitigate the issue using cables and extension cords can be both unsightly and unsafe. Avoid this problem by including more outlets than you think you will need in your home design. Consider where you need specific wiring for entertainment centers and other special features. Planning ahead in this way helps you avoid future hair-pulling and makes your rooms easier to arrange and decorate down the road.
Smart Devices
Now is a great time to add smart devices to your home. A suite of solutions for your door locks, doorbells, security system, climate control, lights, and more is a huge opportunity to make home ownership that much less stressful. The ability to customize, automate, and control these features from any distance increases your freedom and can even reduce your energy bill. Left the light on before leaving the house? Turn it off with the tap of a finger on your smartphone.
Storage
As we’ve established, one of the hallmarks of an older, badly designed home is a lack of storage. If you want a home that isn’t cluttered and disorganized, considering your storage needs and integrating them into your home design is of utmost importance. Homeowners who overlook this detail will struggle to maintain the composed, relaxing environment they hope for. Consider the following options for creating ample storage in your home:
- Closets of all kinds – entry, linen, bedroom, etc.
- Kitchen cabinets and a pantry
- Garage
- Custom built-in storage in living rooms, offices, etc.
Curb Appeal
Sometimes spending all this time planning the inside of our homes can make us forget about the outside. Real estate experts emphasize the importance of curb appeal to home value, so ensuring that the exterior of your home gets just as much attention and care as the interior is a step you shouldn’t skip.
Landscaping
The easiest time to add landscaping to your home is during the initial build when your property is already a blank slate and installing sprinkler systems is easy. But existing properties can always benefit from a refresh with some thoughtfully selected flowers, shrubs, and trees. If you don’t have a green thumb, consult with experts to help you choose native plants that require little care and watering. Bonus points for creating an eco-friendly landscape design that conserves water and benefits pollinators!
Upkeep
If you’re undertaking a renovation project, this is your cue to give your curb appeal a facelift by attending to any exterior maintenance. This can be as simple as pressure washing all of your concrete, or mulching your flower beds. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to make a home feel invigorated or even transformed. Restaining old fencing, trimming overgrown trees, or simply updating the style of your house number are all good ways to give your home exterior some extra sparkle.
Make It Your Dream Home
Some of the things you’ll add to your home may have relatively little practical value, and that’s ok. Make sure there is room in your budget to splurge a little on things that add the icing to that cake. After all, you’re investing a lot of time, effort, and money into creating a home that will improve your lifestyle and add to your happiness. You might as well make it your dream home while you’re at it.
Here are some examples of popular ways to boost the luxury of your home:
- Add a statement fireplace
- Install heated flooring
- Create a spa-like bathroom – including a rain shower head and/or deep soaker tub
- Opt for high-end tile or countertops in the kitchen
- Spring for cutting-edge, high-quality appliances
- Install solar panels and other climate-friendly options
- Invest in unique light fixtures for entries, dining areas, etc.
- Go for the massive walk-in closet you’ve always wanted
- Put a pool and/or hot tub in the backyard
Design For Forever
No matter what you add or don’t add to your home, building a new home or renovating an existing one is a big project with a lot of decisions to consider. Even if you don’t plan to live in this house for decades, you deserve to enjoy where you live now. You never know what the future will bring, so designing it as though it’s your forever home will never lead you wrong. Using the ideas in this guide to make choices that will create a true home for you, in every sense of the word, you’ll have a home you love – whatever the future brings.
