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When we talk about having a home, the whole purpose is about having an area that we can truly claim as ours. Something that we buy as an empty shell, and then fill it up with love and life and personality, until it becomes a part of us. We create memories there and build relationships and essentially it provides us with the protection and care that we need to survive. It gives us warmth and comfort and ensures we are always safe. That is what a home should be.
Having said that, there may come a time where that feeling starts to fade. That can happen for many different reasons, you may just be bored of the space now and want a change, or you might not have a choice and be forced to upgrade because you’re starting a family and need extra room. But regardless of the reason, know that deciding to move out doesn’t have to be the answer. In fact, it can be your last resort. You see, just because your walls may be built with brick or concrete, that doesn’t mean that change can’t happen, both internally and externally. It’s your home, and you have the freedom to do whatever you like with it.
It’s important to take note as well that homes go up in value over time. Unlike a vehicle that loses value as soon as it has been bought – a property is quite the opposite, and only increases as the years go by. So if you grow with the times and invest your money in making your home even more incredible, you will be adding on even more to the overall value. So not only do you get the best out of your space, but it will pay off financially too, by tens, if not thousands – if not more.
Depending on the type of person you are as well as the circumstances you are in, will determine what kind of actions you will make. They can be as major or a subtle as you want as long as you’re happy. If you’re not entirely sure what direction to go in, or how the decisions you make will affect your home, then it’s wise to seek out the help of a professional who can talk you through the whole process in a detailed way, filling you in on the structural options. This can include things like knocking walls down to turn multiple rooms into one big open plan space, or even vice versa. So have a sit down with a professional and fire as many ideas that you have at them so you have a better understanding and overall realistic vision of the changes that can (and can’t) be made.
Here are a selection of various ideas to get your mind thinking.
Convert the loft
Let’s face it, lofts always end up being the storage room that is absolutely full of dusty boxes with old toys, clothes, photos, and gadgets inside. And while it’s useful to have a place to hide all of the junk, you are wasting a beautiful space just so your Christmas decorations have their own room. Yes, if you do want a loft conversion then it means sorting through all of this clutter and finding new places to put it all – that is, if you plan on keeping it, but it will all be worth it. A loft is such a lovely place to have a room made because you can fit in large overhead windows that allow all that natural light to shine in, and depending on your style, you can keep a lot of the wooden beams exposed, giving you a real rustic vibe which is all the rage right now. You may find that you will have to have a dormer extension so that you have the extra headspace to stand up properly, and in that case, you will want to position that at the back of the house just so it doesn’t look too visually intrusive from the outside.
Add some shelter to your outdoors
If you love to sit in your garden overlooking all of the wonderful nature that you have, then why not make that experience even more special by adding patio awnings to the mix? These are a wonderful thing because they give you a choice. When the hot sun is shining, you have the choice to sit under it and work on your tan while basking in the heat, but then you also have the option of returning under the shade when it gets a little too much. Not only that, but when the weather starts to turn and the rain comes out, this won’t determine whether or not you can be outside, because regardless, you have the shelter to stay dry. It not only looks wonderful, but it also works brilliantly for when you have guests over and plan a nice evening together because it gives you a nice place to sit and socialise. Just add a few fairy lights or solar lanterns, or even a candle or two to really set the vibe, and you’ll end up finding yourself spending all night outside looking out at the stars while sipping on a nice glass of red.
Create more colour in the garden
Your garden is where you have all the possibilities to go as colourful and wild as you like. If you don’t have a lot of grass to work with because the area is cemented, why not change that? It isn’t actually as difficult as you imagine it to be, and once the job is done, you will have a real lawn to let your creative juices flow. You don’t need to be an expert gardener to add life to the space. You also need to remember that you can always change the look of things too – nothing is set in stone. When you enter the summer months, you can plant vibrant colours all around, and if at any time you get a little tired of that and want a new look, all you have to do is remove them and plant something else. If you are a big lover of all things nature and wildlife, then you can even add various plants and features that will draw them to your garden. For example, a water feature will attract all sorts, like birds, butterflies and dragonflies, essentially making your garden a safe haven for these stunning creatures.
Improve the curb appeal
The curb appeal is such an important part of the overall look of your home, and yet so many people forget about it because they are spending most of their time on the interior, but think about it, the face of your house is what people see first, making it the first impression, and that’s always said to be the most important. It’s no good having the wow factor indoors, but having a grim appearance on the outside. If your drive is rather old, you may start seeing various cracks form, and not only does this look rather ugly, but it will encourage weeds to start forming too, giving the look of an even messier drive, so have them filled in so you can have a new feel to it. If you have any wood around, be it from a fence or a porch, have a look how it’s ageing. You may decide to have it taken down completely and replaced by a brand new frame, or you may just need to sand it down and give it a lick of paint or varnish.
Build an extension
Extensions can take quite a while to build, and they can also cost you quite a bit of money, but it’s important to remember that no matter how expensive it may be costing you now, if and when you decide to sell, you will be making double of what it cost you – if not more, so always bear that in mind and think of it as a future investment. The extension all depends on where you are able to build, but this is all information that you can get from a professional. Extensions are great because they give you a whole new space to play with. You may decide to knock down the exterior wall of the kitchen and build it on that so you then have a big open plan kitchen to get creative in. Or you may decide to keep it as an entirely different room and turn that into another bedroom, a home office, a master bathroom, a playroom, or maybe even a gym if that’s what you’re into. The possibilities are endless when you have the freedom of space, so have a think about the best way that you can benefit from the addition.
So what more are you waiting for? Now that you have a bunch of different ideas, you can begin to think about all the fun changes and additions you can make to your special humble abode. And don’t forget to enjoy it! Change is good, especially when you are in control of it, so embrace that – it’s awfully empowering.
*This is a contributed post.
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