Feb. 13, 2018.
The new year is an excellent opportunity to use the momentum of change to improve the place you call home. Your home’s appearance has a surprisingly significant effect on your overall mental wellness. It can help to bring you peace and relaxation, or it can add another level of stress to your day. Essentially, when your home is well-designed and reflects your style, you will feel more comfortable, thereby aiding in stress relief and boosting your happiness.
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If you’re ready to make your house feel like your dream home, here are four upgrades you should add to your to-do list.
Need cash to pay for your home renovation? A mortgage refinance might be the right fit.*
1. Cover up boring walls with timeless reclaimed wood.
Boring walls hardly improve the style of a room. In some cases, depending on the choice of paint color, the room can feel cold and unwelcoming. The most common solution is a fresh coat of paint to brighten up the existing look. Though there certainly isn’t anything wrong with repainting, you can achieve a far more stunning look with wood paneling — specifically reclaimed wood wall panels. Wood is timeless, and the weathered appearance of reclaimed wood is highly sought after, even in very modern homes.
You can easily cover up a dingy wall with this paneling, so long as your walls are structurally sound. The end result is a wall that has incredible depth and texture you simply can’t achieve with plain paint. Try out this idea as a statement wall that functions as a backdrop to your bed or perhaps your living room sofa. It can also make an otherwise plain entryway into a welcoming little space.
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2. Make a visual impact with chic canvas prints.
Nothing quite brings together a room like wall art. Wall art is the finishing touch of every space, but many homeowners may feel reluctant to go art shopping. An excellent alternative to traditional framed art is canvas prints. Not only are canvas prints more affordable, but they actually add a touch of cool chicness to any wall. Better yet, you can have custom art printed on canvas for you.
Canvas prints are an affordable way of adding something special and personalized to your home. Even if your home is otherwise nicely put together, you just might find that the addition of canvas prints really finishes the interior design.
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3. Allow your living room furniture to act as a statement.
Your living room is likely your most used room in terms of relaxing and entertaining. This makes this room a particularly fun place to decorate, but sometimes it’s tricky to make everything flow together seamlessly. Rather than focusing on all the little decorations and furnishings, start off the living room’s design with the main pieces of furniture. An excellent style to go with is an Amish living room furniture set, with Mission style being a very popular choice.
Mission style furniture is simple enough to mesh with any type of interior design, from farmhouse to modern urban. It is well-built, sustainable furniture that you will also have for decades with proper care. Begin with your furniture set and work your way from there by adding throw pillows, wall art, an area rug, lighting, etc. As you start to decorate, you can bring in your own style and personality through the colors and patterns you choose. You can stay with a calming solid color for your accents or bring out the vibrant, bold patterns that match your personality and character.
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4. Replace old vinyl flooring with a luxury tile.
One of the busiest locations of your home is the kitchen area. It is truly the heart of the home where meals, conversation, cooking, and gatherings take place. Your kitchen is one of the first places people will see when they enter your home as well. Your bathrooms are also hubs of the home, and you want them to be inviting and beautiful. Nothing makes a kitchen or bathroom look more dated than aged and worn-down flooring. Vinyl flooring is fairly common in these rooms, often replicating a tile look, but why replicate it when you can have the real thing? If you want to revamp your kitchen or bathroom, take out that old flooring and have porcelain tile installed instead.
Porcelain is more durable than ceramic and can be found in a plethora of different colors as well as designs. You can have a floor from a stark, clean white tile, to the most dramatic ebony shade, right to a faux wood look. Porcelain is easily maintained and ideal for high traffic kitchens. New flooring also adds considerable value to a home that may be placed on the market.
Upgrading and beautifying your home is incredibly rewarding and can really pay off in the future if you decide to sell. Thankfully, you don’t need a huge budget for an extensive remodel to make effective, meaningful changes to your dwelling. Start off with these four upgrades and see where it takes you.
Matt Lee is the outreach coordinator for Allura. He is a content marketing specialist serving building material manufacturers. His focus is on sustainable architecture and eco-friendly building materials.
*While refinancing could make a significant difference in the amount you pay each month, there are other costs you should consider. Plus, your finance charges may be higher over the life of the loan.
For educational purposes only. Please contact your qualified professional for specific guidance.
Sources are deemed reliable but not guaranteed.