17 Jun

Unusual Ways To Improve Your Home Addition Plans

Now that you’ve decided to add some space to your home, you probably have already contacted an architect. Perhaps the plans have been drawn up and are ready for execution. Wait! There might be some interesting details that have been overlooked that could make your addition even better.

But first, let’s look at common home additions and their benefits:

• Kitchen
  Kitchen expansions are common among addition seekers. They provide more space while adding some value to your home. Bigger kitchens also allow more cooking and storage space for avid chefs. Dinner parties are a lot easier with bigger kitchens.

• Family Room
  Adding on to your living room or building a new one opens up a world of possibilities. These spaces can allow families to relax and communicate in a peaceful atmosphere. Plus, the extra space means more room for more people—not to mention the value it adds to your home if or when you decide to resell.

• Bedroom
  Fortunately, bedrooms can be built up or out on existing homes. These additions are great for elderly family members or children living at home. Extra bedrooms also invite visiting family members to stay over during the holidays in comfort.

Before construction begins on your home, consider these unusual possibilities to improve your plan:
For the Kitchen

• Create a wine rack out of the kitchen island. Or add a pull-out leaf for extra seating or prep space.

• Add a pull-out cabinet in your kitchen for extra space that can be neatly tucked away when not in use.

• Outlets are also important to think about. You can hide them in drawers, cabinets, and even in strips running under counter overhangs. Unsightly charging wires won’t be missed.

For the Family Room

• If you’re adding a family room to your home, consider lowering the sitting space to make a bi-level room. This creates a cozy space for family and friends while expanding the look of the room.

• During construction, it may be advisable to install an in-wall pest control system. This is just a series of tubes inside your wall that are connected to an outdoor service port. A material is injected into the tubes from the outside that eliminates pests without affecting the safety of residents.

• Magnetize your walls with magnetic panelling. These are strong enough to hang shelves, tvs, and more. That way, you won’t have to use a hammer and nails, which could damage the walls. Plus, you can easily move and redesign the area without the hassles of covering up nail holes.

• Now is a good time to think about outlet locations. Family rooms are a popular place for electronics and charging stations. Outlets could be in the floor, cabinets, on the mantle, or even the end tables.

For the Bedroom

• Whether you’re planning to build a bedroom on the second or first story of your home, you should consider access to the outdoors. For a first-story bedroom, sliding doors to a nice patio would allow anyone to enjoy the beauty of their surroundings. For a second-story addition, a balcony would add even more luxury to the room.

• Now you can truly create a masterpiece with the bedroom ceiling. Often overlooked, ceilings are a great space to design and decorate. Having thick beams exposed definitely adds a unique atmosphere to the room.

• Next, you can also choose to add a bathroom to this new space. A neat idea is to have a stone fireplace in the bathroom that also mirrors a fireplace in the bedroom. Plumbing and electrical considerations would definitely have to be handled ahead of time.

Overall

• You can install sun windows in any room to the house. These filter in natural sunlight, which adds warmth to any room. If in a bedroom, sun windows can provide beautiful and easy access to stargazing.

• Before construction begins on an addition requiring a roof, you could decide to install solar panels. The benefits of solar energy are endless. For example, you’ll be saving money on electric bills while using clean energy that benefits the environment. Plus, the value and marketing of your home will increase. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, homes with solar panels can sell 20% faster and at a %17 higher value than homes without.

Perhaps you haven’t fully settled on a function for your addition. Here are some unique room uses that would truly add personality to your home:

• Spa
  Turn that additional room into a spa. Since you’d have all the trimmings like a massage bench, candles, and soothing music, the masseuse can come to you!

• Yoga
  Similar to a spa room, a yoga room can be created with floor mats, calming colors, and tranquil lighting. This room could afford the privacy necessary for deep meditation.

• Coffee/Wine
  For that coffee/wine connoisseur, have a special room dedicated to the art of tasting and enjoying. A bar can be set up that handles the appropriate needs for keeping coffee or wine ready to taste.

• Games
  A pretty obvious option, game or recreation rooms are great for children and their friends. If you have children, relatives with children, or grandchildren, adding one of these rooms would be beneficial to everyone. Or you could even turn this room into a putting green for miniature golf.

• Music
  Keep all of your music memorabilia and instruments in one place. Listen or create music inside this room that should inspire creativity and fun.

There are many unique and unusual ways to improve your original home addition plan. Talking with your architect about your ideal home pays off, especially when he/she offers valuable advice and suggestions. Architects are there to listen to your ideas, even the crazy ones, while showing you possibilities that you may have not considered.

Hopefully these few ideas have inspired you to think outside the box for your home addition plan, whether that be a kitchen, family room, or bedroom. These ideas are great starting points for building a unique plan for your special home.