Tag: home improvement

Five Features To Consider While Building A Beach House

Posted on by John Conde

With real estate prices being cheaper than ever, many people are buying properties near the beach and building their dream home using exclusive wood, staircase parts, roofing shingles, and more. From balconies overlooking the ocean to wrap-around porches ideal for lounging in the sun, building a shore house is all about getting creative and considering some fun extra features you’ve always wanted. Beach homes are all about getaways where you can enjoy the outdoors, so you’ll want to consider different aspects that will allow you to enjoy the smell of the sea and the wind in your hair.

Below are five features to consider when building your shore house:

A Wrap-Around Deck
Wrap-around porches hold that southern charm that makes them a popular choice for anyone building a beach home. They also come with an added bonus for anyone with large families you know will want to take beach trips with you all summer long:  these decks are great for entertaining large groups of people at the new home, and are perfect for having a calm, relaxing moment alone while enjoying your new space.

Outdoor Shower
What beach home is complete without an outdoor shower? An outdoor shower is essential for homes located close to the beach. Having a shower outside will help avoid sand being tracked onto the beautiful carpets, or scuffing up any hardwood floor. Even if your home is not located extremely close to the beach, this is still a great addition. The outdoor shower gives another shower option for large groups when there are only so many showers inside. It’s also nice to cool down.

Sunroom
Sunrooms are a versatile feature, as they can be transformed to withstand any season. They are a big hit with shore homes due to a large amount of light they let in, ideal for lounging or entertaining friends, along with the beautiful view of sunny gorgeous skies they can add into a room. You can even set up a living room or dining room in a sunroom. Plus, being able to see the sky can even make a room seem larger.

Balcony
What better way to lay out in the sun than a balcony? There are many different styles of balconies available, from colonial to Roman-style and including staircase parts to access from down below. Balconies are the perfect location to enjoy your morning coffee and socialize with guests. Whether you attach it to a bedroom or a living room, balcony doors also provide a large amount of light to a room – ideal for a beach home.

Pool/Hot Tub
A pool and hot tub is the finishing touch on your shore home. Your dream home should feature all the luxuries, particularly if you’re using your home as a getaway. Relax and soak in the hot tub after a long day or go for a swim during the day to escape the heat of the sun. Plus, they add a level of luxury that most do not have in their beach home. You’ll have a great place to relax, and something to impress your friends.

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How To Make Your Bathroom The Best Room In The House

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

It is probably fair to say that the bathroom is not top of many people’s lists when it comes to their favourite room in the house.  Most people would probably say the bedroom, followed closely by the lounge or living area. The bathroom would likely be some way down the list, and perhaps even be ranked lower than the kitchen!

What we cannot understand is why you wouldn’t want the bathroom to be one of your favourite rooms, and give it the attention it needs in order to become so.

The Bathroom Attitude

Most people view their bathroom thus: “I only spend a short time in there having a shower and brushing my teeth, so why bother making it a place I want to stay?”

There is some mileage in that argument, for sure, but surely the answer is that if the bathroom was a welcoming, calming place, you would want to spend more time in there?

How can you make your bathroom the best room in the house?

Put Some Thought Into Decorating It

We don’t mean that you have to go and paint the walls in bright colours, but the least you can do is make the décor just a little more inviting. This might mean tiles instead of laminate on the floor or applying a lick of fresh paint to the walls. You don’t need to spend a lot of time and money, but just make it similar in terms of care and attention to the rooms where you do love spending time.

Buy Some Books

Simply put, the modern bathroom needs books. Not only will it impress visitors, it also gives you the perfect excuse for you to draw yourself a hot, deep bath, pour a glass of wine, and sit and relax for an hour while getting lost in your latest novel.

A search of ‘ideal books for bath time’ in Google will give you a number of great ideas, including for those of you who might want to read to children while they bathe, so that you can always have something at hand to fit the mood and atmosphere.

Ensure Your Shower is Awesome

While you don’t want to spend any longer than you need to in the shower and so wastewater unnecessarily, the transforming powers that a great shower have are unrivalled. Where else can you step in half asleep, and step out of five or ten minutes later ready for everything that the world is ready and waiting to throw at you on a particular day?

If you have an awesome shower, you can rule the world.

Go For Scented Candles

Whether you are having a short, sharp shower or a long soak in the tub, scented candles are a great way to switch off and escape to another world while you’re in the bathroom.

Whether you go for a cheaper option from a supermarket or put your faith in a brand such as Yankee Candle, you will be ensuring you make your bathroom a tranquil paradise that you simply love spending time in.

Put all of these tips into practice, and you’ll immediately be bumping your bathroom up the list of your favourite rooms at home.

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6 Garage Upgrades That Can Help You Sell Your Home

Posted on by Jenny Zamora

There are many aspects of a home that can be updated to help it sell your home for more money. One area that may get overlooked is a garage. Most garages are attached and can be used as extra square footage. If a garage is not updated to the current condition of the house, then it may be a problem for potential buyers. There are a variety of upgrades that can be made in a garage that can help sell a home. Review a few upgrades that should be made before a home is listed on the market.

Lighting

The lack of lighting in a garage is not good when trying to sell a home. Lighting is important to buyers as they want to have good illumination when the garage door is closed. If a garage has few fixtures for lights, then the addition of new lighting will be a good upgrade. The best option to use for lighting will be compact fluorescent bulbs. These use less energy and last longer than standard bulbs. The lights in a garage can also be updated to LED task lighting. This is a new type of lighting that is being used in a home.

Flooring

A garage floor that has oil stains and looks dirty will need to be updated. The best option for flooring is an epoxy paint or stain. Another option is to install rubber tiles or mats around the perimeter. Making a garage look like updated can easily be done by simply cleaning and resurfacing the floor. Paints for use on a garage floor can be found at a local hardware store or a home improvement store.

Storage

Additional storage for a home can be added in a garage. One way to do this is to add cabinets and wall organizers for yard equipment. The addition of a pegboard with hooks for hanging tools can also be a good upgrade in a garage. Another option is to add shelves to any unused wall.

Doors

Garages on the side or front of a home will be facing the road. This means that an old door will kill the curb appeal of a home. Old-looking doors are not beneficial when trying to sell a home. One way to update a garage door is to repaint or replace it. Garage doors made of aluminum will need to be replaced with a new door. A wooden garage door may look much improved with a new coat of paint.

Walls and Ceilings

A garage that is completely updated will typically have a finished ceiling and walls. Finishing a garage is a great selling point as it will be insulated. This is a huge selling point when a home is located in the areas of the country that have cold winters. Another benefit of finishing a garage is that that space will look clean and provides a clean slate for future customizations. A garage that looks unfinished may be seen as a reason for buyers to offer a lower asking price.

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