With summer finally here it is natural for our thoughts to turn to home improvement projects.
The warmer weather and longer days present an ideal opportunity for undertaking some renovations and general upgrades.
Many people are planning such work this year due to the unprecedented levels of travel chaos that are occurring in many countries. Put simply, the idea of a summer holiday filled with airport queues and delays is not particularly appealing and the concept of a staycation and time spent improving our homes seems to be the better option.
If you are considering giving some of your key rooms an upgrade, then this article will be of great interest. Four top home improvement ideas will be discussed in detail. All will offer significant visual upgrades and may increase the value of your home.
1. Add a conservatory
A conservatory is the perfect addition to any home and can add an extra space that is dedicated to pleasure and relaxation.
With the warmer months here, it can present the perfect opportunity to create a room where time can be spent reading the newspaper in the morning or a favourite novel. A conservatory can also be the ideal space to entertain guests and makes the perfect place to congregate after an enjoyable dinner party.
In addition, the high levels of natural light that come through its glass construction make it an exceptionally energy efficient room which will require little in the way of heating or lighting during the warmer weather.
There is further good news in terms of the added value a conservatory will give to your home. Estimates suggest that a well appointed conservatory that is constructed to a high stand will add approximately 7% to the total value of your home. When considering having a conservatory built it is important to ascertain exactly what you want from the space and have a thorough idea of its final dimensions.
The materials used will also affect the final cost and you can find conservatory cost guide here.
2. Upgrade your bathroom
A key existing room that will benefit enormously from a facelift of full renovation is the bathroom.
This space can often be overlooked by a lot of homeowners and as a result it can eventually become a little tired looking with dated features. In recent years, a growing trend has been to make bathrooms mimic the look and feel of a true spa experience.
It is straightforward to get this result and will mean that bath or shower times will become something to relish and enjoy rather than just another daily routine. One key improvement option to consider that will give a true spar feel is to install multiple water jets in your bath and/or shower.
Good quality water jets will be able to massage multiple parts of your body as you wash which makes for a truly relaxing and invigorating experience. See here for some of the best water jets to install in your shower.
3. Create a dedicated home office
Whilst we live in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to realize that at least one benefit has come out of the unfavourable circumstances of movement restrictions, widespread illness and national lockdowns.
For many people remote working or hybrid models of work have become the “new normal.”
Employers are aware that there is an almost universal desire amongst the general workforce to spend at least some time working from home and a lot of firms now offer such models of work. A recent survey discovered that 98% of people would like to work remotely to some degree.
This is generally because it allows people to take greater control of their work/life balance and adds in an extra amount of flexibility to the working week. If you are in this situation for work, then it makes perfect sense to dedicate a room solely for use as a home office.
Keep the space clutter-free and add in a high-quality desk and office chair that allow you to work in comfort. Use noise cancelling headphones to listen to music that will allow you to focus whilst blocking out ambient noises.
4. Upgrade your kitchen
A final upgrade to consider is the kitchen area. Depending on your budget you could opt for a simple facelift with some updated colour schemes to bring it in line with modern trends.
If you want a more extensive renovation key themes this year include installing hard wearing granite worksurfaces and adding a kitchen island that can either be the main hub of food preparation or a place for the family to sit at mealtimes.
It is also a sound idea to consider upgrading some of your kitchen appliances if they are showing signs of age.
Today modern appliances such as fridges and freezers come with energy efficiency ratings that show how much power they will consume.
Aim for “A” rated appliances and you will be able to minimize your energy bills in addition to improving the look and feel of your kitchen.