Renovating
Forget Resale Value: Try These Tricks to Tailor Your Home to Suit You
Planning to stay put for a few years? Design your home for the way you live now
Cast aside everything you’ve heard about buying, renovating and decorating your home with resale potential in mind for a moment. Doesn’t it seem as if that’s been dominating the conversation for a long time now? Once you begin looking at your home as a place to settle into and make your own, rather than as a design package meant to appeal to the widest audience, the possibilities for creative expression and personalisation are endless. And if you have no plans to sell your home within the next five years or so, why not do what you can to make it a perfect fit? You may never want to move again!
Here are 8 easy ways to set up your home to fit your life.
Here are 8 easy ways to set up your home to fit your life.
2. Bring more joy to your life with something wild like a giant indoor slide!
What does your heart desire? Is there something you dreamed of having as a child? Now that you have a home of your own, you have a chance to make those dreams come true. Bring on that indoor slide, fireman’s pole, loft or rock climbing wall.
What does your heart desire? Is there something you dreamed of having as a child? Now that you have a home of your own, you have a chance to make those dreams come true. Bring on that indoor slide, fireman’s pole, loft or rock climbing wall.
3. Cater to your pets
One of the first things mentioned on every sell-your-house type of TV show is to get rid of all evidence of pets. But unless you are selling your home right now, who cares if its next owners don’t like cats (or dogs, or ferrets)? Building in cat ramps, pet doors and dog runs can make life with furry friends easier and more entertaining.
Take a look around a home fit for feline friends
One of the first things mentioned on every sell-your-house type of TV show is to get rid of all evidence of pets. But unless you are selling your home right now, who cares if its next owners don’t like cats (or dogs, or ferrets)? Building in cat ramps, pet doors and dog runs can make life with furry friends easier and more entertaining.
Take a look around a home fit for feline friends
4. Make bold decorating decisions, even on fixtures and finishes
Don’t limit yourself to beige paint, stainless-steel appliances, white cabinets and granite benchtops; tap into what you love instead. Floral wallpaper and apple-red cabinets? If you like them, why not?
Don’t limit yourself to beige paint, stainless-steel appliances, white cabinets and granite benchtops; tap into what you love instead. Floral wallpaper and apple-red cabinets? If you like them, why not?
5. Tailor your outdoor space to your needs
Rather than assuming that future owners must have a big green lawn, think about what you want to live with now. How about wraparound decks and easy-care plantings? A Zen rock garden? A formal parterre? The right yard and garden can bring a great deal of joy, so follow your heart.
Rather than assuming that future owners must have a big green lawn, think about what you want to live with now. How about wraparound decks and easy-care plantings? A Zen rock garden? A formal parterre? The right yard and garden can bring a great deal of joy, so follow your heart.
6. Shift rooms
Never use that formal dining room? Take it over for a kids’ playroom, an art studio, a home library or a study. Rethink your spaces based on your needs and you may find you can work within the current footprint of your house in new, creative ways.
Never use that formal dining room? Take it over for a kids’ playroom, an art studio, a home library or a study. Rethink your spaces based on your needs and you may find you can work within the current footprint of your house in new, creative ways.
7. Dismantle a specialty room, even if it’s great for resale
As you rethink your space, consider giving any specialty rooms the boot if they don’t fit your life. Media rooms and wine cellars may sound great on paper (and make some people very happy), but getting rid of them could be the best thing you do at your home.
As you rethink your space, consider giving any specialty rooms the boot if they don’t fit your life. Media rooms and wine cellars may sound great on paper (and make some people very happy), but getting rid of them could be the best thing you do at your home.
8. Renovate to fit your life and passions
Take a cue from this family of professional circus performers who raised the ceilings in their living room to have more space for juggling, then make the changes that matter to you.
TELL US
What would you change about your home if you didn’t have to worry about selling? Type your answer in the comments section below.
MORE
5 Things Often Overlooked When Building or Renovating
Attention All Renovators: 11 Things to Expect
Renovate Right: 6 Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Take a cue from this family of professional circus performers who raised the ceilings in their living room to have more space for juggling, then make the changes that matter to you.
TELL US
What would you change about your home if you didn’t have to worry about selling? Type your answer in the comments section below.
MORE
5 Things Often Overlooked When Building or Renovating
Attention All Renovators: 11 Things to Expect
Renovate Right: 6 Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Could removing a bedroom open up your living space in a way that makes more sense for your household? If so, think about what’s stopping you. There are so many homes out there with dinky little rooms tacked on to the first-floor plan just for the sake of having an extra bedroom on paper – buck the trend and knock down that wall, then bask in the extra space and light.