Remodeling Fads That May Not Be Such A Great Idea In Real Life

Remodeling trends come and go. Sometimes, though, what looks great in a design magazine just does not translate so well into a real life home. Here are a few examples of such unfortunate fads and some realistic alternatives.

The Stadium Kitchen

Perhaps because of the myriad of celebrity chefs that seem to be taking over every channel on TV, the arena sized cooking space has been splashed all over glossy design magazines for quite a while now. Suddenly people think that they have to have enough room in their kitchen to cook a banquet for 16 – or maybe run a Hell’s Kitchen style cooking contest?

Wouldn’t it be a lot more useful to have a kitchen layout that allows the home cook to pivot with ease from the chicken in the oven to the peas in the fridge to the tomatoes on the counter while whipping up a weekday dinner?

A big kitchen is nice, but one that requires Rollerblades simply to get from oven to sink quickly is just overkill. The perfect kitchen feels spacious but keeps everything close at hand, something that a good kitchen remodeling contractor can help you achieve.

Misplaced Porches

Having a porch built onto your home is a wonderful idea. If that porch is screened in so that you can enjoy the outdoors within being bitten to death by mosquitoes that’s even better. No one would argue that the addition of a porch will indeed benefit everyone who lives in the home. The problem is where most people choose to put it – right in front of the living room.

Views from that living or family room are completely now ruined. All the natural light that used to flood the room is gone and looking out of the windows now means peering through a rather darkened space that is filled with outdoor furniture that, in most US climates, you do not get to use for more than half of the year anyway.

Rather than ruin your living room with a view, why not have that new porch built onto the side of your home instead? It may take a little more thought and planning but that is why there are these people called architects.

Built in Lighting

Lighting up a room is obviously a great idea. In fact, most lighting designers recommend you implement a lighting system that has layers – task lighting and mood or ambient lighting. It is just that some built in lighting doesn’t always look right. Too many recessed lights and your ceiling begins to look pockmarked whilst track lighting is a little too reminiscent of a department store showroom.

Not all of your light has to come from the ceiling. Remember the layers of lighting? That means adding light at different levels as well. Every room has three dimensions so, apart from the light above your head, have sconces added to the walls and extra outlets installed so that you can add an elegant floor lamp or two near a love seat or table.

Winter Remodeling Projects

For those people who love the summer and all the opportunities it brings to be outside, a cold winter stuck indoors can be miserable, to say the very least. They would love to venture outside but the temperatures are a little colder than they can bear for very long – anyone who lives in the northeastern United States especially knows all about that.

There are ways though, with a few remodeling and decorating tweaks, you can actually bring far more of the best of the outdoors indoors, alleviating some of that November to March cabin fever that so many of us suffer from. Here are just a few ideas:

Add a Sunroom

Adding a sunroom is a big investment but one that more and more homeowners have been choosing to make over the past few years. A well constructed sunroom allows household members to enjoy an afternoon in the sun without having to brave the icy cold and also adds extra living space that the whole family can enjoy.

If you already have an existing porch you may be in an even better position. Consult with a remodeling professional about having it converted for year round use.

Upgrade Your Windows

If adding a sunroom is too much of undertaking for you right now, you can achieve a similar effect in your living or family room by having your smaller windows replaced by a larger bay or picture window – or by the addition of a few well placed skylights or sun tubes.

Create an Indoor Garden

A few pot plants scattered around the house is nice enough but, for some outdoorsy types, that is simply not enough. An indoor garden takes the pot plant idea a step further. Many gardeners already know starting plants inside is a common technique to have a successful crop in the spring and summer, but why stop there? With a little expert help (yes, landscape designers will work indoors as well) you can create a beautiful indoor oasis that will bloom all year long.

Another thing some homeowners choose to add to their homes is an indoor water feature. It does not have to be overly big an and fancy – a $30 tabletop water fountain can be just as effective at bringing the mental image and real sound of a babbling brook into your living room as one of the larger, pricier options.

Upgrade Your Deck

For some people there is simply no substitute for the feeling of really being outdoors and as long as they have something to take a little of the chill off they do not mind bundling up a bit to do so. If that sounds like you, why not consider investing in an outdoor fireplace for your deck?

If you are considering adding an outdoor source of heat you may want to consider one of the newer pellet burning outdoor stoves over a traditional wood burning one. These fireplaces produce no creosote, which is a major cause of chimney fires, and are some of the most energy efficient appliances on the market today.

Protecting Your Biggest Investment

If you are like the majority of other Americans your home is your single biggest financial asset. Therefore the fact that you need to protect that investment as best you can should be a no brainer.

Yet it’s not too unusual to see someone outside their home on a Saturday afternoon lovingly washing and waxing their car for hours, completely oblivious to the fact that water is also running all down the driveway because the gutters are blocked and about a day away from falling off the house altogether.

Protecting your investment in your home is all about maintaining its value, especially when the real estate market is less than great. The value of your home is directly tied to its condition, so there are certain steps you should consider taking to preserve that value. Where best to begin?

Do Your Homework

There are many ways to preserve the original value of your home and many of them involve repairs to and sometimes the remodeling of both indoor and outdoor features of your property.

It may interest you to learn that the return on investment (ROI) you get from certain remodeling projects – especially exterior ones – actually varies depending upon whereabouts in the country your home is located.

According to several years worth of findings in the Cost vs Value report, a mid priced re-siding job undertaken on a home in the north eastern U.S.A. will, on average, recoup 90% of its cost but that decreases to the low 70s in the Mid West. In that region it tends to be decks and patios that offer a better ROI when discussing outdoor improvements and additions that pay.

The projected costs that could be  recouped on any  given remodeling project also depends on the current value of similar homes in your neighborhood  and the rate at which property values are changing in the surrounding area. Even the availability and current cost of new and existing homes in the immediate vicinity can be a big factor in a project’s ROI.

At this point seeking the advice of either an experienced local realtor or a general contractor working in the area is very useful when trying to determine which projects make financial sense and which are going to be mainly just for your personal enjoyment – and there is nothing wrong with that.

Picking The Right Contractor

However good a certain remodeling project’s ROI seems to be on paper it is only going to return the investment you expected if the job is well done. A new deck may in theory be a great idea for preserving the value of your home but if it’s a shoddy DIY job with crooked beams and spotty staining that is hardly going to be the case.

Take the time to put as much, if not more, work into finding the right contractor for your project as you did choosing which one to undertake in the first place. If your family, friends and/or colleagues cannot offer you a good recommendation try using a service like Remodeling Contractor to find the best people in your area for completing any given project.

Home remodeling, even when you have a good general contractor on board, can be tough. Trying to get across to the contractor you are considering hiring exactly what you have in mind can be a challenge. “I want a bedroom in my attic” is, after all, a little vague.

If an architect is not in the picture and if your drawing talents stopped developing after third grade, a tool to help you envisage what the home improvement ideas in your head will turn into in real life would be really handy. Especially if you could do it all right from your phone. Well, guess what? There is an app for that – Home 3D for the IPhone and iPad.

Home 3D is rather different to other remodeling software aids you may have seen in the past. Using pre-set room dimensions that can be adjusted if needed, it allows you to alter the layout of any room within seconds. Want to see what your bedroom would look like minus the dividing wall? Done. Want to put it back again but this time with a built in closet? Results in seconds.

Home 3D also differs in that not only does it let you design – and then redesign – the layout of the rooms you are considering remodeling but virtually decorate them as well. It allows furniture to be moved, wall art to be hung, and an overall design scheme to be established—anytime, anywhere.

That means that when you do meet with your remodeling contractor for the first time all you will have to do is take out your Apple gadget of choice and they will instantly have a clear picture of what you want them to aim for. Planning and negotiation, then ultimately the remodeling work itself, can thus begin far more quickly.

You know how a sunny day makes you feel a little brighter even on a bad day? It makes a lot of sense, therefore, to look for ways to introduce more natural light into your home when planning a home remodeling project.

Most home remodeling experts agree the more natural light that can be introduced into a home the better. But what is the best way to go about doing so?

• Have windows installed in less obvious places. If you have an outside bathroom wall that is solid right now, have an attractive window added as a part of your bathroom remodel to add extra natural light and open up even the smallest of spaces. For privacy order frosted or opaque glass though. Some home remodeling contractors have even installed windows in shower areas bringing light flooding into a traditionally darker area.
• Give today’s new generation of skylights a try. The skylights available right now are sleek, leak proof and can be installed by a professional in a very short time. Some of the higher end skylights can be placed as high up in your home as you desire, as they can be controlled by remote control from the floor below.  Some models also feature built in blinds that can be activated whenever the sun becomes too bright or, although it actually looks very cool, a full moon is keeping the household awake as moonbeams flood the house.
• Sun tubes are a green alternative to skylights that can be installed easily in even the smallest of spaces. A well placed sun tube can bring natural light flooding into a cramped bathroom or dark hallway and make a real difference to the whole feel of a room. Many people prefer sun tubes to skylights in the bathroom because they bring natural light into the room without compromising anyone’s privacy.
• Replace a solid front door with one that features windows of some kind. To maintain privacy, opt for etched or translucent glass that will let the sun in without affording prying eyes a sneak peek of your home. If sidelight windows are not quite your thing look for entrance doors that feature decorative transoms instead.
• Reclaim your dark basement or attic with the addition of new windows to light up the space. Once you can actually see what you are doing you may find yourself inspired to put those huge amounts of unused square footage to better use by commissioning a basement or attic remodel. Once again, skylights and sun tubes are another great alternative, especially in the attic where energy loss is likely to be more of a concern.

These are just a few of the ways you can add light to your home, a good remodeling contractor and/or architect will be happy to suggest many more based upon the unique features and design make up of your home.

If you are concerned that adding more windows to your home will increase your energy bill, fear not; today’s replacement windows are more energy efficient than ever and by bringing more natural light into the house the amount of artificial electric light you have to pay for should decrease significantly.

One of the biggest complaints about the most commonly built style American home – the ranch – is that it is quite simply rather boring. In their most basic form the single story ranch can be a little dull. Four walls, a roof , rather plain, not many bells and whistles architecturally speaking. Even those with a second story are not always something worth writing home about.

That does not mean you are condemned to living in a nice but plain house. They are plenty of remodeling tweaks – some big, some small – that can add a little of that “wow” factor to your ranch home.

Landscaping

Nothing livens up the exterior of a ho-hum house as well as a departure from the featureless (if well manicured) lawn into a landscaping project that is a little more adventurous. Think winding paths, flower beads, exotic shrubberies, even water features. Enlist the aid and expertise of great landscaping professional and your ranch home could be the breakout star of the block in no time.

Siding

Most ranch homes have vinyl siding and, in many cases, rather boring, drab siding at that. There is nothing wrong with vinyl siding but why not upgrade to give the exterior of your home a lift?  Just changing this single design feature can make a huge difference when it comes to remodeling ranch style homes.

Aluminum or concrete siding gives you the opportunity to spice things up a bit with a daring paint job and cedar shingles or faux stone will make it look like a different house altogether. Even the simple addition of small stone or brick accents for chimneys or bump-outs can add a nice texture.

Decks, Porches and Patios

Because ranch homes are generally built to be economical and affordable these outdoor features are often omitted or, if they are there, are very basic. By hiring a skilled deck builder or patio designer to help you create something extraordinary you get more enjoyment out of your home as well as enhance its aesthetic appeal.

Windows

Many homeowners underestimate the impact new windows can have on both the home’s exterior appearance and their energy bills. In general larger windows are better in design terms as they let in more light.

One of the most important things you can do when remodeling a ranch style home  is to add texture to the uniform exterior. Bay windows are a great way to do that, but also don’t overlook picture windows which can be equally as attractive and effective.

Radical Remodels

If you have a little bit of money saved up that can be put to good use undertaking a more extensive remodeling job on your ranch home our advice is go for it, so long as you find a good, reliable general contractor to manage and execute the project.

If yours is single story ranch, adding a second level is a possibility well worth considering. Gabled dormers for the newly created upstairs bedrooms add a lot more of that “exterior texture” we were talking about earlier and a nice covered entry way can add a little extra something to your front door area as well.

Home shows have long been a great way for homeowners considering a remodeling project to get inspiration and ideas for use in their own home.

Product demonstrations can be very useful for giving you an insight into the difference between certain offerings that go beyond an online review or magazine article.

And then there are, of course, the freebies. Exhibitors at most big home shows offer all kinds of samples to take home with you and many of them can be quite helpful and worth picking up.

Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your next visit to a home show.

Go Prepared

If you have a specific remodeling project already in mind, bring a few basic specifications with you to the show such as room measurements, photographs or drawings.  Doing so will help you help you communicate better with the experts on hand about your ideas.

Give Out Your Information Selectively

Unless you want to be bombarded with calls and emails for months about projects that were really just optimistic pipe dreams, only share your contact information when you are truly interested in a project, product  or service.

Only Take The Freebies You Will Use

All those little pots of sample paint look so cute, so  it’s tempting to take one in every color. Unless you are planning on painting a rainbow though, that is not really necessary and all the unused freebies will just end up cluttering up a drawer or cupboard in your home for no reason.

Ask About Seminars

Many home shows offer seminars and classes throughout the show and some of them can be very useful, educational and interesting. To ensure that you do not miss one that you would really have enjoyed check the show schedule before you leave and plan your time accordingly.

Only Take The Kids If They are Interested

Some kids may be very interested in a visit to a home show, especially if the room being remodeled is their own. However, the majority will get bored, distracted and cranky rather quickly, making it hard for Mom and Dad to see what they have come to see or talk to the vendors. Consider hiring a babysitter for the day instead.

Exercise Caution

Vendors at a home show are usually paying the organizers to be there. They have not been vetted, their references have not been checked and their quality as a professional has not been questioned. All the organizers have done is cashed their check and allocated the contractors floor space.

However well you hit it off with a certain contractor, or however good the sales pitch they give you, never commit to anything on the spot. By all means exchange contact information so that after the show is over your project can be discussed further, after you have had time to do a little checking yourself.

One last hint – take sales pitches at any home show with a grain of salt. Like anything else in life, things that sound too good to be true usually are.