Remodeling

I am currently working on a couple of remodel projects, and it got me thinking - what are some things you can do to get ready for a remodel project?

Remodeling can be small, but what about when you are planning something larger? Knocking out walls, moving plumbing? 

The first thing that I recommend is plan out your entire project, even if you are just starting room by room. If you only think about the room you want to tackle first, you could miss out on an opportunity to not only make that room better, but make your whole home function better. 

*When I first started dating my husband, we remodeled his whole house, top to bottom, we took everything out to the studs and started over. We only did it room by room. It took a while to get it done> we were dating, then engaged, then married, then had a baby, and the house still wasn't done! :) It worked out great for our budget, but I had one disappointment when we got all done. We did our bedroom and I loved it, we added a closet that didn't exist before and a vanity area (when we did our bedroom, we only had 1 bathroom, and I wanted a spot to get ready every day). After our bedroom was done, we started saving and came up with our next project... by this point one bathroom was not cutting it. :) Our next project, was to completely remove and rebuild half of the house. We got rid of a yucky "sun room" and doubled the size of the living. By making our main living area so much bigger, we were able to add a dining area and a second FULL bath!!! In the end, I wish we would have done a "master" bath and walk-in closet, had we thought about the whole project, we would have realized that, and done the master bedroom with the rest of it and it would have turned out a bit better. It still ended up being a huge success and we loved it in the end, but thinking about the whole project in the beginning and breaking it up with that in mind, would have helped...*

While planning the project, keep in mind your life style now, and how it will change. Maybe you are a newly married couple planning on having kids in the future. You may not know when those kids will come, but if you are planning on kids in your house, plan with that in mind. Like I said, life changes - with those changes you may have new ideas, new tastes, and new needs. Your overall project may even change. The nice part about bringing in a professional that has dealt with remodels, is that they can look at your home with you and help you figure out what the right changes are for you and help you keep in mind your overall goals with your house. That professional can also help you look at your budget and decide what it the best way to use that money now. It may not be possible for your budget to re-do your whole house, but it may be possible to break it up into phases. 

Another professional to contact is a trusted realtor. They can give you an idea of how much your current home is worth as is and how much in value your remodel could add. If you are not planning on staying in your home, I think talking with a realtor is a great idea. If you are planning on staying in your home for a long time, it might not matter to you if you add value, dollar-wise. Value can also be added in the way you live in and use your home. 

Once you plan your project, pick your materials so that you can get accurate pricing from the before mentioned remodel professional. A kitchen remodel price can vary big time based on the cabinets and counters that you use. 

Once your pricing is done, I think that it is a good idea to keep a separate contingency fund, in case of unforeseen issues. Your remodel professional can give you an idea of things that might come up. If you are just getting new carpet, a contingency fund probably isn't necessary. When walls are being torn down, there is a better chance for unforeseen problems, because you just can't always see into the walls until you start to tear them down. 

Once work begins, try not to stress. I know easier said than done when you are living thru a remodel. Things will happen, good and bad and eventually it will be over and you will be enjoying your new space. I am all about DIY - I think that it is fun to say "I did that". But hiring professionals will help your stress level and the time line!

 

Are you thinking about a remodel in your future? I would love to meet you and go over some ideas. Let me know how I can help you!

Thanks for stopping by!

Megan

Time for some freshing up?

 There is something about being inside a whole lot more in the winter makes me look around and wonder, what can I change today? Maybe it is just me, but it might be you too! Obviously remodeling/re-designing rooms can't be a daily thing, but how about little seasonal updates to keep from getting "bored" with your room?

Here's just a few easy updates to help get you thru the rest winter!  

Winter is finally in full swing, a fun way to cozy up your space is to add some new pillows or pillow covers! Pillows might be my favorite thing to sew. Even a beginner sewer can make new pillow covers! The best part of making your own pillow cover - you can use the pillows you already have! My favorite pillow tutorial is from Dana. She has a great video (Click here) showing how to make them! How about head to the fabric store - you can add a little color or pattern to your couch in no time! Sewing not your thing... I don't blame you. :)   At almost any home decor store there are stacks and stacks of pillows to choose from! You can always mix in new pillows with some of your existing pillows.

 

Speaking of cozy, how about a new blanket? I was just looking at mine the other day and besides the Red Wings blanket (compliments of my hubby) all of ours are old and tan or brown :( My whole living room is brown at the moment! So, while I'm finishing that up, I have added a new living room blanket to my list! :)

 

Another easy and fairly inexpensive update: a new lamp or lamp shade! There is such a variety out there that you should be able to find one to fit any room! A lamp can be a piece of art in itself, but if you have a simple lamp, a fun new shade can add some new dimension to your space.

Why not change up your wall décor? Maybe update the kids pictures, or switch out a piece of art for something new! Maybe add a new mirror? Mirrors help to lighten a space and bonus, mirrors help make a space feel larger too! 

 

Need a free option? Switch things around from room to room. Take some accessories from your office and switch them with ones from your living room. Take the art work over your bed and switch it with the mirror in your foyer. Just moving things around helps add a bit of new excitement and can freshen your whole house up for FREE! There's nothing better than shopping from your own stuff!

Have I added anything to your to do list? I would love to see what you've added  to your home to freshen it up! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Megan

a SUPER room! DIY Outlet and Switch Plate Covers

Because most 4 year olds have a new favorite every week, we didn't want to spend a ton of money on the "super hero" stuff. So I "DIY-ed" a lot of it!

My first project was new outlet covers! I Google-ed some images of different super heroes and picked my favorites!

I painted jumbo switch plate and outlet covers black so that the edges would blend more. After printing my images, I trimmed them to fit (do not cut the holes for the outlets or switches until the paper is on). I then used mod-pog to attach the image to the cover, one coat on before the paper and then about 4 coats on top of the image. Before doing the top coats of mod-pog, cut the holes for the outlets and switches. After finding out the hard way ;) - it is best to cut with a sharp knife from the FRONT, I started in the middle and then cut to the edge and followed the edge around with my knife.

What do you think of the finished product(s)?

Sound easy? You can do this with any paper, it is a fun way to personalize a space. The jumbo covers cost around $1 plus the cost of your mod-pog and paper, so it's pretty cheap and fun to do!

I used the matte mod-pog because that is what I had on hand, but you could also use the shiny. *I have also made my own mod-pog with Elmer's glue and water!*

If you try this, please let me know how it works for you and share a picture!

Thanks for stopping by!

Megan