Renovating a house has been a dream of mine for over a decade. When my husband and I were finally in this situation buy our first home Earlier this year, we were thrilled to find a home that had just a little something to do with it to make it our own.
In the ten months since we bought it, we’ve undertaken a number of projects, from painting to wallpapering, replacing flooring and lighting.
We’ve rounded up the six best home renos this year.
Buying New Kitchen Appliances
If there’s one thing about renting apartments in the past that I absolutely hated, it’s having to use old, worn-out refrigerators and ovens that have seen so many tenants use them before me. They never feel clean, and it’s one aspect of renting that always makes it feel like the place isn’t entirely my own.
When we moved in, we thought we’d see how long we could last with the old white fridge that came with the house, but after a while, my husband and I had to climb up the wall due to lack of space. After replacing it, the old white dishwasher died, so we had to replace that too – and did. new equipment Has been a game-changer in the kitchen.
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installing new floors
The faux wood laminate in our new home has seen better days. With chips and deformities everywhere, and it wasn’t even the color we chose. So, before we moved into the house, my husband ripped out the living room and dining room floors, and replaced them with beautiful hickory. Engineered hardwoodWhich completely changed the space.
We had to wait a few months to replace that same laminate on the stairs and in the upstairs hallway, but now that we’ve finally said goodbye to that laminate, the whole house feels more harmonious and comfortable, and much more our own.
Updating a Bathroom Vanity
I would describe the bathroom in our house as “sad beige.” Although you can tell the house had been renovated at least since it was built, it was clearly renovated without any style in mind: the floors and shower were covered in beige tile about 20 years ago. are, and Pride The was white with brown laminate countertops which was apparently the cheapest option available.
And don’t get me started on mirrors and lighting.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a full budget bathroom remodel Now, so I did what I could. I initially painted the walls a more crisp white (goodbye, sad beige), replaced the mirror and vanity light with stylish brushed brass options, and painted the vanity green.
Then, about a month ago, we replaced the countertop with faux marble laminate, and installed a more modern sink and faucet along with it.
While I still have to live with the beige tile, the rest of the bathroom is so much brighter and more modern that I start to forget it’s even there.
replacement of light fixtures
Along the floors, before going inside, we All ceiling light fixtures were replaced In the house. The existing ones completely lacked any personality. Instead of the awkwardly placed matte black ceiling fan in the dining room, we chose a brushed brass Sputnik chandelier.
In the hallway and entryway, we replaced builder-grade lights with stylish flush mounts. And in the bedrooms, we replaced the worryingly low ceiling fans with rattan alternatives – the material and special lighting distract from the fact that they’re still fans.
backyard makeover
It would not be an exaggeration to say that when we came to live here, the backyard of our house was a mud pit. Apart from the tall grasses which completely took up one side of the yard, there was not a blade of good grass to be seen.
we started building a shed In one corner of the outdoor space, the waist-high chainlink fence on one side was then replaced with a wooden fence to match the other two sides. My husband got a gate built (the previous gate was resting on the side of the house), so we finally had a nice fenced-in yard for our pup.
In spring and summer we filled the backyard SODGarden beds, bushes and trees, and it now looks like a completely different yard.
Installing Wood Panels on Basement Ceiling
When we bought our house, the basement was recently finished (a boon for a 1930s house in our area) – except for the roof. The entire thing was left open, with beams and wiring spoiling the look of the overall space.
But since for our vision basement Transforming it into a cozy retro-feeling karaoke lounge/movie zone, it was really exciting to have a blank slate on the rooftop to do my thing. We replaced the fluorescent tube light with a recessed light, and my husband installed it wood paneling Instead of drywall – and we couldn’t be happier with the result.
