5 Tips to Spruce Up Your Home for the Spring
The best weather of the season, the beautiful sunshine and gorgeous spring showers, and the new season of spring cleaning is finally here to encourage us to take on those home improvement tasks we’ve been putting off all year. Spring cleaning comes in the midst of a busy holiday season, and it has been seen as one of the best times for consumers, and more importantly homeowners, to take advantage of a myriad of sales to encourage the organizing, redesigning, and home improvement of their spaces.
Originally, spring cleaning was thought to be only a project to tidy up, get rid of the old and in with the new within the home. It was seen as a way to bring in a new season of home improvement products, ranging from furniture, and additional items to use for home organization. However, though spring cleaning still remains a big hit for most home projects indoors, home improvement and Do it yourself, or DIY projects are now the new go-to for homeowners that want to remodel, re-design, and find new accessories to complement their home living spaces, both inside and outside. Patios, lawns, backyards and basements are not just the back or forgotten parts of a home, they now prove essential to home improvement and making a statement when entertaining and also increasing resale value to hip new home buyers. On top of this, most homeowners find themselves wanting to relax in their backyard or so-called man-caves, but can’t seem to find the time or funds to continue their ever-expanding remodeling and projects that have gone ignored.
But, there’s no need to fear. With the home improvement industry up by 5% in 2018 alone, more and more websites, Youtube videos, and local companies are providing more and more services in order to help homeowners bring in the new season with big projects and small accessories.
Here are 5 ways to spruce up your home for the spring, and all are completely doable in a short amount of time, so that you can enjoy a better spring season in your new home, and continue to entertain in the new, beautiful spring weather. Better yet, you can take baby steps in accomplishing your new home design by looking at these tips, and seeing which work best for your budget, time, and skills.
1. Re-design or replace your patio doors
French patio doors, sliding patio doors, the list is endless! Patio doors are a big part of enjoying the setting outside and inside, completing the look of a home, and entertaining guests. These doors completely change the look of a home, and can complement any style or design, whether modern, classic, or Victorian. If your sliding patio doors have not undergone replacement within the last couple of years, old and worn out sliding patio doors can block the amount of light that enters a room, make a living and entertaining space look out of date, and overall ruins the ambiance of a fresh new, spring home. Moreover, sliding patio doors have a tendency to get stuck, have worn out hinges, and lead to cumbersome drafts. On top of this, in homes that are more susceptible to the elements and wildlife, it’s important to keep up to date with sliding patio doors replacements to ensure predators, snow, and excess use does not ruin the look or functionality of the doors.
To make the best of the spring season, consider more modern sliding patio doors that make use of sleek glass, form and function design, and most importantly, patio doors that offer enforced glass that resist the elements and ensure long-lasting beauty. french Patio doors, and sliding patio doors can also serve to attract attention from outside the home, such as modern black or ash-colored frames, and expansive windows. As well, sliding patio doors can provide more light that saves on energy costs, warms up a living room, and allows for endless views for the springtime.
2. Consider hardscape design for permanent beauty
Homes are supposed to be permanent residences for families to entertain in for years to come. However, nowadays it’s hard to find a backyard or front yard that doesn’t have movable, cheap and outdated pieces of accessories in the lawn that are meant to hold entire families together. Not on springs watch! The season that provides immense beauty deserves a home that will be as permanent and strong as the family. A good option to consider when re-designing a home for the spring and for resale value is hardscape design. The internet provides a plethora of options to incorporate hardscape design into homes that don’t otherwise have built-in design.
Hardscape design includes making use of beautiful elements such as stone, tile, ceramic, and other landscaping elements and accessories to design permanently built designs into a home. These can range from pools, to barbecue pits, seating areas, bonfires, and even gorgeous green roofs with flower beds on them. The list is virtually endless! If the task of hauling stones to and from your home is daunting, consider hiring a local roofing contractor to make your flower bedded roof dream come true, or a local designer to do the hard work for you. It’s never too late to change the look of a home, and smaller projects such as installing hardscape designed flooring or patio decks can take a shorter amount of time and still add beauty.
3. Install new simple awnings for entertaining
With spring comes both lots of sunlight, light showers, and endless perfect temperature nights. Because of the versatility of spring weather, it makes it the perfect season to continue to entertain outside both day and night. A great addition that is quick and simple for any home is the addition of an awning. Awnings come in a vast amount of designs, colors, and textures. From traditional canvas, to slated wood, slick glass, and even frosted glass, awnings are another part of a home that can tie its look together, attract guests, home buyers, and also simple onlookers.
Awnings are meant to protect against the elements, so it’s essential to keep in mind the weather and springtime temperatures that affect your area. For example, a slated wood panel wouldn’t be ideal for an area that receives heavy rain. It also would not be ideal for a desert home that gets blistering sun year-round. Certain elements need certain awnings, and any home improvement helper at your local hardware store can give you guidance and tips as to what awning to use, how to install, and warranties that come with your new awning. Always make sure to find adjustable models, or models that can complement your home and needs both inside and out.
4. Do that man-cave that’s been eating at you
The idea of the man-cave or den is almost elusive for some, and seems so far out of reach and unobtainable. However, a plethora of home improvement blogs and the advent of new, cheaper furniture options from online trading sites and expanding furniture stores can make it a possibility this spring! Though we’ve been focusing on the outside, and bigger projects of redesigning a home for either permanent or re-sale value, doing a basement remodel can be as versatile, permanent, or temporary as you want it to be! Whether you want to redesign your basement every season, use it as organized storage, or spend this spring finally being able to enjoy the room you’ve been putting junk in, a basement remodel is essential when spring cleaning and leaving a great impression for future guests.
If the idea of a man-cave or den just doesn’t fit you, try redesigning your basement for movies or entertaining! Projectors that are super easy to install and set up, laz-e boy chairs, comfy cushions, and a soft sided cooler are all you need to keep your snacks nearby and your drinks cool for the new spring time movies.
If you’re not big on movies either, using your basement as a home office for those new spring projects could also prove beneficial when it comes to tax season. Because basements are easily distinguished separate rooms from a home, they are easier to use and identify as home offices, and thus even easier to write off during tax time. In addition, doing a basement remodel for the purposes of setting up a home office could even be written off as a tax write off! Who knew? However, keep in mind, for any redesign you do to your basement, keep track of your receipts just like you would keep track of your proof of insurance. Make sure all work is documented, all remodeling is accounted for, and you are keeping track of the payroll for any people that might need to come in and help your remodel. This includes your local plumber, local designers, outside designers, furniture movers, and painters among others. Though it seems daunting to do a basement remodel, with a change in furniture, paint, and basic maintenance, your basement can be your new go-to office or getaway this spring. So sit back, and let the springtime remodel work its magic.
5. Spruce up the inside of your house in little ways
It’s easy to get caught up in the larger projects of spring, such as redoing your patio, deck, lawn, awnings, and basements. These are all important to bring in the new season of spring, and to allow you to continue to be inspired in your home. These bigger projects can even do much to sell your home to modern, hip home buyers. But you shouldn’t forget about the small things that can bring in the springtime into your home.
A big trend right now is distressed furniture and nature. The springtime brings with it perfect amounts of sunlight to grow new plants, open the windows, and allow space and time for us to enjoy every part of the home. Adding springtime accessories, colors, and new bed sheets and throws to compliment the springtime can do loads to ease your mind and add a sense of calm for the season. As well, adding distressed furniture that can be done from cheaper pieces, such as cabinets or mirrors, can add a beautiful air of springtime to your home.
For those that have children, consider using the springtime to not only redecorate and remodel your home, but also to encourage your little ones to use techniques to organize, redo and enjoy their own rooms. The spring break that coincides with most schools can be used for vacation, for rest, and also to do those DIY parent and child projects that can add a lifelong memory of spring to your home. This spring season, consider these projects and more to help you reach your goal of executing your spring vision.
Use the spring to remodel, revamp, and re-love your home!
As mentioned before, spring cleaning and remodeling covers a vast array of areas, from awnings, to hard scape design, remodeling the inside of a home, you name it! The spring signifies a new season and new opportunities, and luckily furniture stores also agree! Spring sales are a dime a dozen during the season, and even local home improvement contractors can offer clearance and sales for anything from roofing, to glass and mirror installation, plumbing, overhaul, anything that allows home owners to spend this season redesigning their homes. With the added beautiful weather, sales, and ideas on home improvement on the internet, it’s no reason spring continues to be the season of change for homes all around.
A quick search of spring sales yields everything for your new spring home makeover. From electronics, to furniture, make-up, and most importantly home improvement, money news provides a snapshot of coupons available for the season. Some of the holidays for the season include mother’s day, memorial day, Easter, St. Patrick’s day, spring cleaning, and Earth day. Take advantage of all these companies and more in order to maximize your profits and save as much time and money installing and redoing your home.
