How To Modernize Your Home
Modernize Your Home with These Steps
Being “homebound” has been the new normal for many people. Let’s face it, even before the pandemic we all spent a lot of time inside. Did you know that according to the Environmental Protection Agency, on average, we’ll spend over 90% of our lives indoors? And now that our time indoors has been more restricted to our homes, it’s inevitable that we’re starting to analyze our surroundings, including those areas that could stand for an update. The prospect of modernizing your home may seem daunting, but when you have a plan it can be an exciting experience.
Survey Your Living Space
If you’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately, this should be a piece of cake. You probably already know which furniture is worn out or which window doesn’t function anymore. Take a walk around inside and outside your home. In particular, take notice of those areas you interact with most and linger for a moment to gauge your reaction to being in that space. Does it make you smile? Can you imagine how you would feel differently if you made a drastic vs. subtle change? It may seem silly, but if you focus, you’ll start to understand how there are so many factors you can change to improve your everyday living experience.
Consider the Feng Shui
When it comes to home designs, the layout of your home can have a huge impact on quality of life. Let’s just say that your home would be considered “high traffic”… with multiple people milling about day after day. Much like cars on the road, you want to not only avoid hazards (like those darn fireplace tools that take up too much room), but also help keep the traffic moving.
Or if you’re in a more solitary living situation, how about the functionality of the respective rooms in your house? For example, if you’re working from home and your desk is a large piece of furniture facing a wall, perhaps consider something with a smaller footprint that you can relocate near a window.
Evaluating things like these could affect the size of that new dining room set you’ve been longing for or even that wall that could stand for a window to allow more natural light to come in.
Colors can Breathe New Life
Neutral colors are great. They can be paired with just about any decor. However, there’s something to be said for introducing some color into your environment. This would include the walls, floors, cabinetry, even your window treatments. However, maybe you’re hesitant to go too bold with the color scheme. Why not introduce some dark colors as accents throughout to bring a bit more contrast and definition to areas that may seem kind of bland. Here’s some additional perspective on colors and where the trends are pointing on Home Paint Color Trends.
Modernize with a Contemporary or Transitional Solution
Have you ever given much thought to the windows in your home? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Windows are often under appreciated in respect to not only their functional purposes, but also the effect they can have on your home’s aesthetic. Often referred to as the “eyes” of the home, windows provide a much needed connection to the outdoors, including the ability to introduce fresh air into the space. Come to think of it, they do resemble eyes when viewed from the exterior of your home.
When it comes to contemporary design, there are a host of window (and door) options available to not only replace what you have, but to possibly reimagine an entire room. The products run the gamut – from picture windows, single hung windows and operating casements to multi-slide and bi-fold doors, pivot doors and entire window walls. These types of products are built for high performance while maintaining a sleek, visual. Plus they come in a variety of materials like wood, aluminum and fiberglass.
How about glass options? Modern means thinner profiles and more glass, so performance is usually a primary question people ask about. Indeed, with certain products like those we’re discussing here you actually have some flexibility in what type of glass is used. Insulated Glass (IG) is made up of two or three glass panes with gas in between to reduce thermal transfer. And then there’s low-E or “low emissivity” coating. Essentially, a coating applied to the glass minimizes the ultraviolet and infrared light that can travel through glass, while allowing the amount of visible light transfer. High tech stuff for sure!
The key here is to engage with a window and door professional, like Davis Window & Door, who can help guide you through the process and options available to you.
Is a major home renovation worth it in the long run?
When planning any renovations with significant costs associated, it definitely demands thoughtful consideration. Take windows and doors for example. One benefit is the added energy efficiency you’ll realize. That translates into direct savings on your energy utility bills. Not to mention the ROI that might calculate into your investment portfolio when it comes time to sell your home. Potential buyers are seeking homes that have added energy efficiency and feature design elements that reflect a contemporary mindset. Research still indicates that replacing them can do wonders for your resale value.
Here’s an expanded look at the topic previously featured in our blog.
Transforming your Living Space with Modern
So there you have it. There are definite ways to modernize your home so it’s more enjoyable to live in, whether it be a new color scheme or maybe even the addition of iconic modern black windows. Hopefully, if you were discouraged before you’re now armed to make your project a reality. Here’s some additional recommendations about how to possibly transform your home, as well as what products you might want to consider if modern windows and doors are part of your project.
