Research by home insurance company LV has revealed that, last year, a massive 15 million homeowners made the decision to transform their current home into their forever home instead of moving. For many, renovations to their existing home is the perfect solution when they can’t afford the expense of moving up the property ladder. It can be incredibly difficult to find the perfect forever home, without having to put some work in to turn it to your taste. So, why not stay put and give your current home some TLC instead? Here’s some renovation ideas and inspiration for creating your forever home, without moving….
Our Renovation ideas for your existing home are
Create Extra Space
One of the major reasons why people seek to move home is to gain space. The great news is that it’s much easier than you might think to gain more space without moving. There are a number of ways this can be done.
Convert your loft: Most lofts are suitable for conversion and this is a very popular way of gaining an extra bedroom. Bedrooms in the loft make a nice cosy space due to the sloped ceilings and warmth of being at the top of the house. The benefit of a loft conversion is that uses ‘dead’ space in your home, compared with other options that use up space outside.
Conservatories and extensions: Adding a conservatory or extension to the rear of your property will give you an additional room or extend on the room at the back of the house to allow more space. Whilst some people like the look of conservatories, others prefer to design their own extension in fitting with the look of the property.
Garden rooms: A garden room is different from an extension because it is a freestanding building. This makes it ideal for a wide range of uses including a home gym, office or even a money-making Airbnb venture.
All these options will increase the value of your property and give you the extra space you need, for whatever you want to use it for.
Redecorate
If your home is not to your current taste or style, a complete redecoration project could be just what you need to make it feel brand new. Either spruce it up to be bang on trend with the latest styles or opt for a timeless look to last for many years to come. The later will save you money in the long run as you won’t have to decorate again for a while.
Clever use of colours, design, furniture and mirrors can totally transform the look of a room. Lighter colours and mirrors can make a space look bigger whilst darker colours and soft furnishings can give a cosy, homely feel.
If you’re short on design ideas, just take a look online at sites such as Pinterest where there is an abundance of inspiration. These days, you don’t have to be an expert to create beautiful results and YouTube has a wealth of useful tutorials for any trick or technique.
Renovate
It can often be much cheaper to simply renovate certain rooms in your home rather than buying a new house. Upgrading your bathroom and kitchen is a great way to improve your current property and make it feel brand new. If this is going to be your forever home, think about investing in the best quality fixtures and fittings you can afford so that they stand the test of time.
The great thing about renovating is that it gives you the opportunity to design your room to meet the exact needs of your household, with the right storage and functionality.
As well as a new kitchen and bathroom, other things to consider include new flooring or carpets, a new driveway, a dream garden, better insulation or simply a lick of exterior paint and a new front door. Read our ‘How to Add Value to Your Property’ blog post for even more renovation ideas for your existing home.
What have you done to turn your home into your forever home? We’d love to hear about it.