Homes – and their renovations – are like snowflakes: No two are alike. The choices you make are highly subjective and personal but if you plan on selling in the foreseeable future, some are better than others.
Let’s all take a moment to bid adieu to renovation trends that have come and gone.
In memoriam: Avocado-colored everything, dark wood everything, shag carpeting and many, many more. Gone, but never forgotten.
So who better an authority on the subject of design and aesthetics than Architectural Digest? Here, we lay out nine of their renovation dos and don’ts – some of which come at little to no cost.
1. Don’t Buy All New Things. When renovating or remodeling a home, avoid buying new things for the sole purpose of filling or changing the space. Be sure to take a step back to determine if that particular ‘transformation’ fits with the rest of your house.
2. Do Find The Light. When it comes to natural light, there’s really only so much you can do to add more to a space – short of tearing out a wall and adding more windows. So in lieu of a Kool-Aid Man-sized hole in your wall – OH YEAH! – instead give careful consideration to a layered lighting plan with both direct (ceiling-mounted) and indirect (floor and tabletop) lighting.
3. Don’t Hoard. From pots and pans, to knickknacks, to frames, to keepsakes, keep clutter to a minimum. Excessive stuff can make a home feel dark, cramped and, well, cluttered. When looking to renovate, remember less is more and as Queen Elsa urged, ‘Let it go.’
4. Do Embrace Color. Yes, white everything is the new avocado everything but a little color never hurt anyone. Be brave and bold – and choose colors to match. Consider saturated jewel tones and rich textures as a way to refresh any space and give it new life. And if you’re not ready to commit to a sapphire room, maybe opt for a sapphire wall instead.
5. Don’t Be Too Ambitious. Like relinquishing stuff, little touches can go a long way. Think: paint. Paint is an unsung hero when it comes to completely – though subtly – transforming a space at minimal cost for maximum effect. You can also consider adding architecturally interesting cosmetic pieces, such as wainscoting, a new light fixture and other small(-er) touches.
6. Do Look Up. It’s not often we crane our necks to look at our ceilings – but it’s worth a peek. Popcorn ceilings, anyone? Ceilings can be cracked or peeling and in desperate need of some TLC – but you wouldn’t know if you never looked. And if ceilings are trayed and they’re not your thing, you can continue wall paint beyond the tray to give the illusion of a taller, bigger room.
7. Don’t Neglect Millwork. It’s easy to play it safe when it comes to your cabinets, airing on the side of cautious and predictable. But consider flipping the script and instead of letting the countertops and backsplashes have all the glory, play those down and play up your cabinets, opting for an unexpected pop of color. Pro tip? Avoid costly construction and replace only the cabinet doors.
8. Do Consider Wallpaper. Once an interior design cautionary tale, wallpaper is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as bold and exciting new patterns, textures and permanence pave the way for their renaissance. Be bold and let it make a statement without a serious commitment.
9. Don’t Narrow Your Focus. Not too much, anyway. While there’s value in focusing on big-impact rooms like kitchens and bathrooms, make sure their transition spaces, such as hallways, foyers and mudrooms, complement them to set the tone.
And the best part about all these renovations? They’re all exceptionally impactful but also cost-effective – the best combination, right? At DeLeon Sheffield, we want your house to feel like home, whether you stay for a year or a lifetime.
Because at DeLeon Sheffield Company, ‘We’re More Than Realty; We’re Family.’
