Over the years, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of renovating a home first hand. Contrary to popular belief, the experience can be truly therapeutic. Beyond just updating the appearance, renovating can be a cathartic journey that allows you to create a space that looks beautiful and functions well, reflecting your style and individuality.
It’s a chance to connect with your home on a deeper level, provide a sense of accomplishment and infuse your personality into every nook and cranny. So if you’re considering a home renovation or extension project, here’s how to make it a journey of self-expression and transformation. You’ll be amazed at the positive impact it can have on your life.
One step at a time
Renovating can be overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable steps can make the process more enjoyable. Before you begin, take some time to reflect on what you want to achieve. Do you want to create more space? Do you want to bring in more natural light? Do you want to modernise your home? Only once you have a clear vision should you start to create a plan and a budget.
Breaking down the process into steps will help you prioritise critical tasks. Work backwards from when you want to complete the project to create a timeline. With a clear timeline, you’ll be better prepared for each stage of the renovation process.
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Creating a well-thought-out plan for your renovation helps things run smoothly and will also help you budget properly. With a clear budget you can focus on the renovation without worrying about finances, reducing stress and letting you enjoy the process thoroughly.
Focus on the layout
The single most important element of any renovation is ensuring the space is functional and meets the needs of your daily life. So before you start, spend some time re-evaluating the layout of your home. Identify any unused spaces or rooms and rework the plan so it all pulls together. You might find simply reconfiguring the existing layout would be a better solution rather than extending.
Some spaces might benefit from rearranging the furniture. If you have a cluttered or cramped space, consider decluttering and removing items that are not needed. This will free up space and make it easier to visualise how best to reconfigure it.
Consider how you plan to use the space and how you would like it to function. Think about the habits you’d like to encourage and visualise how you’d like to spend your time there.
Renovating a home has many benefits beyond aesthetics. A well-functioning home can encourage and support healthy habits in various ways. For example, a well-designed kitchen with ample counter space and storage will make cooking and meal preparation easier. A designated dining space will encourage sit-down meals together.
Aesthetic overhaul
Let the ambience you want to create guide your aesthetic choices. There are many layers to creating atmosphere, two of the most important are lighting and your choice of wall colours as both will have a significant impact on how the space makes you feel.
When choosing wall colours, let how you want to use each room influence your colour selection. Warm colours tend to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere, while cooler colours, such as blues, pale greens and greys produce a more stimulating effect.
Lighting is another important consideration for creating the right atmosphere in a room. The trick is to get the balance of artificial and natural light right. Too much artificial light results in a space that feels clinical. But if it is under-lit, everything will appear gloomy and uninviting. Make sure to use warm-toned light bulbs. This will make the room feel cosy and ideally you should swap your switches for dimmers so you can control the light quality in the room, be it low and ambient light to relax and entertain, or brighter light to read and work.
Natural Light
Renovating can also provide an opportunity to bring in more natural light and connect with the outdoors. There are many ways to incorporate natural light into your home, including skylights, larger windows, or adding mirrors to reflect light into a space.
In addition to the aesthetic benefits, incorporating natural light into your home can positively impact your mental and physical wellbeing. Exposure to natural light can help to regulate your circadian rhythm, which is essential for good sleep. It can also help to improve your mood and boost your energy levels, making you feel more alert and refreshed. Good levels of daylight have also been shown to help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.
Put your stamp on it
Don’t be afraid to take risks and try something new when renovating. This is your chance to create a space that reflects who you are and what you love.
A home that reflects your personality allows you to feel comfortable and relaxed in your own space. With items and colours that reflect who you are, it can bring a sense of calm and happiness to your life. It helps you to create a space that is uniquely yours and brings joy every time you walk through the door.
Colours and patterns that you love, displaying family photos and artwork or unique decor items, such as vintage finds or handcrafted pieces, will help to make your home feel more personal and special.
