Anyone who is a regular visitor to my studios, either in Arizona or Virginia, knows that they’ll see something new every time they walk through the door. It’s not so much design wanderlust as design experimentation.
And since opening my Arizona studio, I’ve been eager to start working on a big project. So, I’m starting with one of my own. My husband and I found a great house and we have started a floor-to-ceiling remodel.
This is the first serious “personal” remodel I’ve done in many years and I’m approaching it as both a designer and as a customer. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing details of the remodeling process. I hope that it helps you take the great plunge and create the home of your dreams.
Beautiful View Soon to be Amazing
Buying and remodeling vs. buying new
Let’s start at the beginning – finding the home of your dreams. The collapse of the housing market has shaken up more than a few neighborhoods with homes sadly falling into foreclosure, upside down housing values, and new communities left unfinished by homebuilders out of capital and customers. But it also means there are some great values in some fantastic communities. If you shop wisely there are many advantages to buying an existing home, even one that is older.
For starters,
- You have a clear view of the price range and whether it’s worth the investment and if the home has a reasonable price tag.
- With the help of a licensed home inspector, you can better assess the overall quality of the structure, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems because it has weathered a few seasons. A so-so looking house in a great neighborhood can become a dream home if it has good “bones” such as solid construction and a good lot location.
- Established homes also have established landscapes; sit on larger plots of land, and depending where you live, trees lining the sidewalks.
- Older homes often have nuances such as built- in butler’s pantries, bay windows, crown moulding, beamed ceilings and more. These wonderful details are often expensive extras when it comes to new construction.
Keep an open mind
One of the enticing parts of looking at new construction is walking through the model unit. It’s always beautifully decorated and spotless. When you walk through an existing home you are always influenced by the color of the walls, wallpaper, rugs, and what ever décor may be on display. Remember, all of that is cosmetic. If a kitchen is beautiful but it is to dark, you can change the windows, cabinets, and countertops. If a bathroom is tiny but has large walk-in closets you may be able to restructure the entire space. There are also a lot of amazing extras you can add to homes such as a gas fireplace, new entrance ways, redesigned staircases, essentially if it can be built, it can be installed. The sky may not be the limit, depending on the structure of the house and your budget ,but a whole house remodel can also be scheduled in stages.
We love this exisiting interior arch window
Now, go find your dream home to be!
In the next few weeks I’ll be discussing
- How to develop a remodeling design and plan
- How to choose a contractor
- How to manager and live through a remodel
- Designing a whole house electronics system
I welcome your feedback and questions.
