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Remodeling your home is a source of excitement and anticipation—there are so many things to do and think about. After living in your home during lockdowns, you know exactly which areas are causing you the most stress or need changing. There are ways to circumvent some of the necessary stress involved with a home remodel, and to turn it into a positive experience. What are some home improvements that can help you relax more when they’re completed?
Open Your Floor Plan
By necessity, most of America lives with the least amount of square footage necessary. However, there are ways of changing the arrangement of even older home’s floor plans, in order to create an open floor plan where space is showcased. In open floor plan homes, there aren’t necessarily walls to define individual spaces, and so your furniture helps define those spaces for you. If you have a traditional floor plan, it is possible to redesign, but there are also ways to work around individual room spaces to create more space, even without a fully open plan. A “window” pass through between a living room and kitchen area, for instance, might be a good solution to create visual openness, without sacrificing a load bearing wall.
Repaint Your Walls
You want colors which are soothing and refreshing to you, personally, and that could mean different things to different individuals. However, in general, this means more diffuse color palettes, avoiding “wake me up” colors like red and yellow. Bright colors are also not as soothing. If you are specifically looking for things which will be relaxing to the eye, you are searching for a grouping of colors which are dilute, with textures and fabrics which are likewise not jarring to the eye. Those colors are magnificent in some spaces, but you are creating an environment that’s specifically for relaxation.
Improve Your Outdoor Space
One of the most peaceful things you can do to add to your home relaxation is to create an outdoor space for your family. A popular addition which can also create an outdoor space, and add to the value of your home, is a deck or a patio. A deck can be created from wooden materials or recycled poly and can be as large or small as is necessary for your home and needs. A patio can likewise house outdoor furniture and create an outdoor space and might be a better option under some circumstances. Pouring concrete is more affordable than other types of hardscape materials. This still needs to be maintained and sealed for longevity, of course.
Add a Larger Tub
If you, like over 90% of Americans, are not the same size as your 1950’s forebears, you are most likely not a good fit for a vintage bathtub past about the age of ten. Thankfully, there are options for you to add a larger, better fit of a bathtub for your family to enjoy. Whether this is a garden tub for one, a spa tub for two, or a step-in bathtub for safety, there are many options available! There are measurements that need to be made, of course, but there are options for almost any bathroom.
Move your Furniture
One of the most popular and useful home decorating options is to use what you have, but to either graph out or hire someone to maximize the space in the room you are remodeling. Sometimes, moving around the things you have and use in order to maximize space, see what might be extraneous to the space, or get rid of things which might be blocking the full use of the room. Often people try to add furniture or objects to a room in order to make it feel more relaxing. Sometimes, the answer is less furniture, more space, and a better use of that space.
Light It Up
Your lighting in a room makes a big difference! Natural light will help a room feel more relaxing, so make sure your windows are fresh and clean, and open your curtains (or, better, take them down). If you, like many, live too close to others to have no screen on the lower part of your windows, consider shielding bathroom and bedrooms from neighbor eyes by adding a removable window film on a portion of the window, which allows light in.
Toss, Toss, Toss
There are few things that cause a space to feel more stressful than extra stuff. It eats that lovely space you’re trying to maximize, and it creates frustration and, worse, guilt. Often there are things which are in our spaces which have served their past usefulness, and which are not longer helpful to us or the people we are becoming. It’s ok to let go of things which are not longer of use or value to you. This can include furniture that was given to you, but which you no longer need, gifts you don’t like (even from your mom), and other memorabilia of times you don’t need. It’s ok to jettison things that you don’t love or use, to create your peaceful space.
Decorate for You
Most of all, your home needs to reflect your own personality in order to be relaxing and soothing to you. Does comfy, soft furniture cause you to feel peaceful, even if it’s not on trend? Your house is for YOUR use, not for show to others. Do you like a funky mid-century print, and it makes you feel happy? Stick that on the wall! When your home reflects your authentic self, it will naturally be more soothing to you!
Your home should always be your safe place, and the inside often reflects the way you are feeling, as well as influence your feelings. Especially during an ongoing pandemic, you need to create a peaceful oasis where your family can feel safe and protected. Increase your living area by decreasing furniture and other stuff, and display what you love. Open those windows, and open your heart!
Looking to remodel your home? We can help!