Whether you’re building or renovating, you want your new home to be comfortable and stylish, and to make life easier for you and your family. So how can you achieve this?
There are lots of conventional items you can include to make your home just that little bit more special – from heated bathroom floor tiles to a verandah or alfresco area. But if you’re looking to create a real talking point, check out these 10 ideas for wacky, yet practical, home improvements.
1. Use The Space Under Your Stairs
If you have a staircase in your home, chances are that the area below is not doing much. But with a few clever design tricks you can turn this wasted space into just about anything.
With the inclusion of some shelves you can display your book collection, knick-knacks or photos, adding some colour and valuable storage space to the room.
Another option is to install pull-out drawers to house your shoes, games, toys or sporting equipment. The drawers keep things out of sight, but still accessible, which is a win-win.
2. Turn Your Shed into Something Cool
Got a daggy shed in the backyard that’s full of old junk and spiders? Time to clean it out and transform it into something magnificent.
If you’re the creative type, you could turn it into a studio. So whether you like to paint, or play music, your old shed could become your new haven.
3. Create A Hidden Room
Inside every serious adult is a kid at heart, and what better way to indulge your imagination than to build a secret room into your house.
This can be as simple as creating a clever disguise for your door – a bookshelf works well for this – and you’ll soon have a haven to escape to whenever you need it – for as long as you can keep it a secret!
4. Walk-In Shower
When designing your bathroom, if you think outside the box, you can add a few small details that will not only look beautiful, but also save you a lot of time and energy down the track.
A walk in shower eliminates the need for a screen, which means no cleaning of glass required – and who doesn’t want that?
5. Platform Storage in Spare Room
A raised “platform” floor in your spare room is ideal to maximise storage space while also keeping it as a usable guest room.
By using lift up doors and pull out drawers you can utilise every bit of space, which is especially handy in small houses with limited cupboards and designated storage space.
6. Built-In Bar On Your Deck
Imagine, a warm summer’s evening spent on your deck, with a few friends and a few drinks. Pretty good, huh? Now add a built-in bar to your deck and it gets even better.
For a relatively small outlay you can improve your outdoor entertaining area and make it fun and inviting for your guests for years to come.
7. Turn Space Above Stairs into a Playroom
Anyone who has kids knows that toys can and will take over the house if you let them. Having a play space within your home means the kids have their own sanctuary, and the toys stay under control. But if you don’t have a spare room or living area that is suitable, don’t despair – if you have stairs in the house, you can build a small room above your staircase that the kids can call their own.
8. Bi-fold Glass Windows and Doors
When the weather is fine, the ability to open your home up and bring the outdoors in, is priceless. With bi-fold doors and windows, you can do just that. They fold away neatly, leaving nothing between you and the great outdoors, perfect for entertaining or relaxing.
9. A Sunroof in Your Bedroom
If you want to add an extra special touch to your bedroom, consider a glass sunroof. You’ll let more light in by day, and you can gaze at the stars and moonlit skies by night. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect sight to fall asleep to at the end of your day.
10. Two-Sided Fireplace
If your design allows it, a two-sided fireplace makes a stunning addition that adds warmth and style to your home. If possible, the master bedroom and the bathroom are great choices to make the most of this statement.
So think differently…
It pays to put some serious thought into your design – because time spent now can vastly improve your enjoyment of your home, and life, for years to come. A good builder or designer will be flexible and work with you to incorporate your ideas.
So be bold and don’t be afraid to think outside thebox – because many of the greatest ideas seemed crazy at first!
