(BPT) - Whether you are buying, selling or simply remodeling, you are looking to invest in updates that will increase the value and appeal of your home. It's natural to want it all, but before you over-personalize or break the bank, there are many simple, budget-friendly changes that can increase the value of your home without the risk.
Cassandra LaValle, interior designer and editor of the acclaimed lifestyle and design site, Coco+Kelley, offers these tried and true tips for upping your home value without overdoing it.
* Refresh with paint: You may not be able to replace large appliances or countertops, but in the kitchen adding a fresh coat of neutral paint to outdated cabinets and swapping out hardware can go a long way in making the space feel refreshed.
* Little luxuries in the bathroom: Replace your current shower head with a rain shower, like the Waterpik RainFall+. Completely budget-friendly and easy to install - it takes less than five minutes - this showerhead can make a huge difference in an everyday routine - giving a spa-like experience with multiple high-performance spray settings.
The same goes for lighting - brightening up this space in particular can be a big selling point.
* Don't forget about the outside: Every home needs curb appeal. If you can't afford major landscaping, focus on the entrance to the home. Again, updating with paint and hardware on the front door will be a welcoming touch, while a couple of really great potted plants at the entryway add to that focal point.
* It's in the details: Consider adding small details to rooms that will elevate the style. Framing out windows, or adding baseboards, molding or wainscoting to a space will leave it feeling a bit more polished.
No matter how big or small your projects, remember it doesn't take a lot of money to make a big impact to any space.
(BPT) - Your home's front door is more than a portal for family and friends - it makes a statement about your own personal style. Home designers often list the entry door as one of the most cost effective ways to dress up the front of your home for "wow" curb appeal.
"This Old House" magazine notes that since the front door is the first and last thing we touch when entering and leaving our homes, "it's easy to understand why many of us still like our doors to be made of wood - nothing else matches the material's warmth and satisfying heft."
"People choose wood entry doors first and foremost for their beauty; it's a fine piece of furniture on the front of your home," says Brad Loveless of Simpson Door Company.
For homeowners who enjoy the beauty of wood entry doors, options are now available to stand up to the harshest climates - from the wind-driven rains of Nantucket Island to the desert Southwest. Following are three ways to have the wood door you want and to ensure it will look great for years, no matter what the climate throws at it.
Bring your dreams to life
With doors available in hundreds of wood species, and numerous designs and glass options, it can be hard to envision how a particular door will look like on your home. Short of hiring an architect to make a sketch, most people have had to rely on their imaginations. Recently, easy-to-use, free online tools have become available to simplify the door selection process. For example, Simpson's "Test Drive a Door" enables people to upload a photo of their home and view different door options on it. This allows a homeowner to be sure before they buy.
Go for performance
People are used to looking for high performance when shopping for new cars or computers, but might not realize the same approach can apply to doors. Manufacturers have developed high-performance wood doors with superior weather resistance that last in the most demanding exposures, including coastal homes with no porch or roof overhang to protect the door.
One high-performance option to consider is choosing wood species that perform best in moist conditions, as this varies among wood types. Species that have been shown in laboratory testing to have natural moisture resistance include Douglas Fir, Black Locust, Nootka Cypress and Sapele Mahogany, among others. In recognition of the use of such species and advanced joinery techniques, "Window & Door" magazine selected Nantucket Collection doors from Simpson as its "Most Innovative Door."
Another performance option some manufacturers offer in their wood doors is water-resistant composite blocks within the bottom of the door, where water can infiltrate. Doors also are available with full exterior cladding to protect them from rain and sun, while retaining the beauty of wood inside the home.
A strong finish
With any door, whether made of wood, steel or fiberglass, it is crucial to finish it for long-lasting protection from the elements. Doors are sold either factory finished or unfinished. If unfinished, the door must be finished by the door dealer, a contractor or the homeowner. Manufacturers provide step-by-step instructions for best results from finishing, and those steps typically must be followed to ensure warranty requirements. Chief among these are to finish all six sides - front, back and all edges. As no wood surface should be left unfinished, finish should also be applied to the cut-outs for the handle and lock set, as well as any other openings, such as for mail slots or pet doors.
If the door is exposed to sun, it is generally better to use lighter color paints or stains as those absorb less heat from damaging UV rays.
Light colored walls offer you so many different options in furniture and home decor. But, they also give you several advantages over dark walls. When used in small rooms light walls can make your room appear to be much larger than it is. They are an ideal way to make any room feel more open and airy. When used in a room that doesn't get very much natural light, light walls add brightness. To get the exact look that you want, you need to know how to buy furniture for a light color themed home.
Choose a Style for Your Home
Before you purchase furniture for a light colored room, decide what look you want for the room. Do you want a warm and inviting room? Do you want to create a bold contrast in the room? One of the best advantages of a light colored theme is that you can incorporate almost any color furniture and accessories into the room. But, a change in color will cause a dramatic effect on the rooms look.
Warm and Inviting
Light and neutral colors work well together and they are ideal for any size room. Using light colored furniture with light colored walls makes the room feel warm and inviting. It will also make the room seem cleaner and uncluttered. If you have white walls, choose furniture pieces in white, cream or light beige. You can add a little contrast with complimenting colors in a area rug, throw pillows or home decor.
Bold and Dramatic
You can create a really bold and dramatic feeling in a light colored room by choosing dark colored furniture. However, keep in mind that it's best to use furniture that is just a few shades darker than your walls. If the difference is to dramatic the rooms decor can be to bold for the eye. To blend the colors together, balance them out by adding contrast to the rooms trim, baseboards and molding.
Modern
Using furniture colors such as black or red in a light color themed room not only adds a bold feeling to the theme, it also gives it a modern look. More and more homeowners are choosing to decorate their homes in a modern design. And, one of the most popular colors for modern furniture is black. Black furniture has a sleek feel and gives you the advantage of using numerous colors in your decor, pillows and area rugs.
Country
If you have a country style home, choose furniture that carries that look over into your rooms. Choose furniture in natural or pastel colors. Furniture with light colored floral designs are an excellent way to compliment a country decor. If you don't want a floral design on the furniture, use light or pastel colors and add a floral touch on your curtains, pillows or other accessories.
by: Oleg Oyfe
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_6999.shtml
