Five Top Home Renovation Upgrades
We understand that when you renovate, you want to put your hard-earned dollars where it counts. Here are five top home renovation upgrades that will give you the most bang for your buck. They will make your home more functional for the way you live, feel new-to-you, and if needed, freshen it up for potential resale in the future.
Home Renovation Upgrade 1: Ditch the Tub-Shower Combo for a Roomy Shower Stall
Tub-shower combos are great when you have toddlers around. But as your family grow up and your nest empties, replacing it with a shower stall will make showering a more pleasant experience for all who use it. Teens, tweens, and adult guests who use this bathroom will appreciate a full shower stall that doesn’t involve stepping over the side of the tub. Also, use a clear glass shower surround to make your bathroom feel bigger and brighter.
Bonus: Consider heated floors. Your toasty toes will thank you every time you’re barefoot in the bathroom.
Home Renovation Upgrade 2: Maximize Your Cabinets’ Potential
There have been amazing advances in cabinetry in the past decade, from pull-out recycling, trash and compost bins to paper towel storage; from cookie sheet and cutting board slats to pull-out racks for herbs, spices and oils. The shelving here solved the problem of digging around in a blind corner cabinet, maximizing this challenging area’s storage space efficiently, functionally and ergonomically. Another upgrade is changing lower cabinet doors to drawers. This will increase the storage space potential in your lower cabinets. It also makes it easier to reach items placed toward the back and is more ergonomic for aging in place.
Bonus: While making some kitchen upgrades, consider updating dated countertops. A natural stone or stunning quartz pattern will make your kitchen feel new to you. And if you’re planning on selling your home down the line, it will make your kitchen appeal to more homebuyers.
Home Renovation Upgrade 3: Prepare To Age In Place
If you want to make your current home your forever home, you may need to adjust a few things to make it functional as you age. We renovated the bathroom seen here so that our clients would be comfortable and safe as they aged in place. Elements include a curbless shower, grab bars, ample lighting, a handheld wand in the shower and easy-to-grab cabinet hardware.
Tip: We advise our clients to place the temperature control for the shower heads in a spot where they can turn it on without getting wet before the water has time to heat up. In the photo above, it’s on the left side of the stall, within reach of the open shower door.
Learn more about this bathroom
Home Renovation Upgrade 4: Add a Home Bar
A home bar will make things feel more festive at home, and it’s great for entertaining. Some may be larger and more elaborate with features such as a bar sink, icemaker and wine cooler. Others for smaller spaces include beautiful built-ins, a lovely countertop and a beverage fridge. Home bars are also a great spot to show off all that beautiful glassware you use when you’re entertaining via racks, open shelving and/or glass cabinet doors.
Placing a bar somewhere outside of the cooking and prep zone in the kitchen allows people to serve themselves out of the cook’s way. They also work well in a butler’s pantry, dining room, hallway alcove or living room. And home bars do not have to involve alcohol — you may opt to make them all about coffee and tea, or create a beverage station where your kids can grab their juice boxes.
Tip: Make a splash with an eye-catching home bar backsplash. In this photo, a stunning quartz used on the countertop extends across the backsplash for a chic and seamless look.
Home Renovation Upgrade 5: Finish the Basement
If there’s one thing we learned during the pandemic, it’s that we all need more space. Basements offer all sorts of opportunities. These include rec rooms, media rooms, private apartment-like space for overnight guests or grown-up offspring, kids’ playrooms, adult playrooms (think pool, foosball and a bar), home gyms, laundry rooms, quiet home office and homework spaces and more.
Tip: Consider built-ins for media equipment, games, books, toys, exercise equipment and other basement stuff that needs corralling.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these five top home renovation upgrades. If you need help freshening up your home, please give us a call to schedule a free consultation.
