Hartford Home Remodeling category interest

PRO TIP: CREATE AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN

Can you see the kids playing in the family room while you’re in the kitchen or does a wall block them from view? How’s the traffic flow when you entertain?

Whether parenting or entertaining, an open floor plan makes life easier! No matter what stage in life you’re in now, an open floor plan is more adaptable to the way most people live. Small, single-purpose rooms limit how you can use and repurpose the space.

A typical open floor plan combines the kitchen, dining, and family room and usually involves the removal (or partial removal) of a wall or two. If the wall is load-bearing, an architect or building engineer should be consulted to ensure the structural integrity of the home is not diminished.

PRO TIP: BUILD AN ADDITION

What’s the one home renovation that can give your home the exact new space you’ve always wanted? The answer is an addition! That’s because the possibilities are endless. Whether you add an entire second floor or a three season room onto the back, an addition improves the comfort and usability of your home. Keep in mind that a well-designed addition maintains the aesthetic integrity of your house’s exterior. You want it to look like it belongs on your house and not like an afterthought.

What living space have you always dreamed of owning? We built this lovely addition onto the back of a home in Carmel, Indiana for owners who longed for a screened porch like one they loved on Lake Wawasee.

PRO TIP: REFINISH THE BASEMENT

How many basements in Indianapolis go unused because they are dark, damp, dated, or completely unfinished? Your lower level is like a pearl hiding in an oyster when it comes to underused space in the home. There are amazing new products and options for a basement renovation from ceramic wood-look tile to recessed LED lighting that make the space look just like it’s part of the main level.

PRO TIP: UPDATE THE MASTER BEDROOM SUITE

You spend, on average, eight hours a day in your master bedroom and bath. That’s a third of the day. Shouldn’t your master bedroom suite be one of the nicest parts of the house? If you are tired of bumping into one another in the bathroom or trying to find a spot to cram another dress or suit hanger onto the rod, it’s time to upgrade your space. A decent sized bedroom, spa bathroom with large shower and double vanity, and a roomy walk-in closet will improve the quality of your daily life!

PRO TIP: CREATE OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE

There’s a big difference between a hot concrete pad in the back yard and an outdoor oasis where you can kick back with a good book, dine al fresco, and host a party. Outdoor living space includes the comforts of inside your home like comfortable furniture, climate control (shade and a fire pit), a place to grill, and comfortable seating. Many of today’s outdoor living designs add wifi and a flatscreen TV for the ultimate in outdoor entertainment!

PRO TIP: BUILD A SPA BATHROOM

Close your eyes and imagine the luxury of visiting a 5-star spa every morning and evening of the year. Picture yourself stepping from your bedroom carpet onto a heated bathroom floor and grabbing a warm towel. Wash away the day’s stress under a rainfall shower or soak in a deep, hot tub while listening to soft music. You work hard. You deserve a spa bathroom!

PRO TIP: CONVERT YOUR DINING ROOM INTO A HOME OFFICE

As eat-in kitchens expand into the hangout center of today’s busy family, the role of the formal dining room has changed. Few millennials are sitting down to dinner in separate dining rooms with all the trappings. If your dining room is underutilized space in the house, convert it into a room you will use, like a home office! Most dining rooms are a great size and typically include plenty of natural light. Use it to work from home in comfort and style rather than sitting at the kitchen table!

PRO TIP: REDESIGN YOUR HOME’S EXTERIOR

When you drive up to your home do you smile or cringe? Strong curb appeal contributes to the value of your home and your neighborhood! New siding, larger garage, a stone band, a larger front porch, or a paver sidewalk and driveway are all exterior renovations that add visual interest to your home. An exterior redesign is also a great way to make your home stand apart if you live in a cookie-cutter neighborhood. The only caveat is if you belong to a homeowners’ association or live in a historic home with restrictions to exterior alterations you must first go through the proper approval process.

PRO TIP: CHANGE THE SECOND FLOOR LAYOUT

We spend a significant amount of our lives in bedrooms and bathrooms. In older homes, those tend to be placed on the second floor. The rooms are small by today’s standards and missing walk-in closets, master bedroom suites, and laundry rooms. A second story renovation can increase your home’s comfort tenfold.

By converting the attic of this Meridian Kessler bungalow, the family gained a true master suite, a second bathroom addition, and a brighter, more functional space.

PRO TIP: GO UNIVERSAL

Barrier-free design (universal design) means anyone can live comfortably in a home regardless of physical ability. Wider doorways and hallways are just one of the many design choices which make a living space user-friendly to all. Think “easy-to-use” rather than handicapped-accessible.

In the kitchen, lower pullout drawers for pots, pans, and dishes are much easier to access for any person regardless of physical ability than reaching deep into a cabinet to haul out a heavy pot or stack of plates. A drawer pull is more comfortable to hold onto than a tiny knob. Also a microwave placed at hip level rather than above a stove top is safer to access for everyone!

Bathrooms are other rooms that benefit from universal design principles. Any woman who’s ever held her leg up against a slick shower wall while shaving can attest that a shower seat makes a world of difference in comfort and useability! Not to mention a grab bar is a welcome feature when you’re a child trying not to slip in the tub or shower.

Think universal design when planning a major or minor home renovation and improve the ease and comfort in which you live.

Ready to Renovate?