When it comes to protecting the environment, the benefits are a long way in the future, and the costs are immediate. That’s why, according to interior designer and TV personality George Clark, people aren’t going to change the way they live – at least not without some benefits in the here and now.

Rather than taking an ideological view on the climate, Clark is more pragmatic. He says that if people are going to change, they need some incentives other than another Al Gore presentation about the end of the world.

Fortunately, things have moved on quite a bit since the early days of eco-friendly design. It’s no longer such a compromise to renovate a house in an eco-friendly way. In fact, in some situations, it’s incredibly high tech.

For regular homeowners, this means both getting some benefits and saving money on gas and electricity bills. Living more sustainably and reducing utility costs go hand-in-hand, and it’s something that everybody can benefit from.

Governments have realised this too. In the UK, for instance, the government wants to fit solar panels to 800,000 “social houses” to reduce utility costs for low-income residents. When you compare gas and electricity prices before and after the change, there’s a large difference. And that’s the benefit of eco-living: it helps level the playing field. No longer do you need a substantial income to run a big house, just the right approach to energy usage.

Here are some renovations that are eco-friendly and could save you money in the long term.

Build Draught Excluders Into New Doors

If you’re planning on fitting new doors, you might be able to save a bit of money on your gas and electric at the same time. Rather than fitting draught excluders, which can look cumbersome and get dirty really easily, find ways to use the door itself to plug gaps between one room and another, especially exterior doors. The good news is that the majority of modern exterior doors come with draught-excluding seals which work much better than regular excluders. Find a door that fits the door frame perfectly and put an end to inch-thick gaps under your doors which let in all the cold air from outside.

Buy Furniture And Fittings Second-Hand

Most people think that the biggest energy cost involved in the delivery of goods comes at the shipping stage. But, in reality, it’s actually the manufacturing stage which involves the most energy use, especially for products which contain metal. As a result, even if you buy furniture locally, you may not be reducing the carbon footprint of your renovation.

It’s always better, therefore, to make use of old furniture: furniture that would otherwise have been thrown in a skip and dumped in a landfill. What’s more, second-hand furniture offers opportunities that new furniture doesn’t. Upcycling a piece of new furniture doesn’t make much sense. But taking something that is apparently past its best and making it new again can be a gratifying experience and something that’s well worth doing at least one.

Choose Low Electricity Appliances

When renovating a room, we rarely consider the type of appliances we choose. But it turns out that not only is the choice of appliances essential for eco-living, but it’s also important from a stylistic point of view.

Appliances, like radiators, aren’t just appliances anymore – something which many homeowners just hope will fade into the background. They’re fast becoming focal points for the room. There’s no longer any need to stick with your original cast-iron radiator and decorate the rest of the room around it. You can get different styles of radiators that can be made to suit any room and look good too.

A current favourite is tall, thin radiators that snake their way all the way up a wall to the ceiling. Gone are the ugly traditional column and cast iron radiators. Designer radiators are here to stay, and they look a heck of a lot better than their counterparts. Designer radiators come in chrome, stainless steel, and aluminium, as well as different colours.

Replace Your Drapes With Thicker Material

According to estimates, as much as 30 percent of all the heat lost from a home is lost through the windows. That represents a significant bump to your electricity and gas bill. But the good news is that you can stem the loss of heat through judicious investment in drapes.

Thin curtains might be all the rage right now, but thicker drapes can be made to work too, especially when paired with the perfect interior. You don’t want your drapes to look too heavy or overbearing, like something out of Wuthering Heights, but you do want something that will stop heat escaping, especially now winter is approaching.

Most professional drape suppliers will allow you to choose the tog of the material. Selecting a higher tog can help to keep small air pockets within the material, providing additional insulation and reducing heat loss.

Experiment With LED Lighting

LED lights were originally invented back in the 1990s. But, as with any new technology, they were extremely expensive, to begin with. Today that’s all changed, and the cost of LEDs has come down considerably. No, they’re not quite as cheap as old-fashioned incandescent bulbs just yet, but they’re well on their way. And, importantly, they provide greater bang for the buck: LED bulbs are able three times as expensive as regular bulbs, but they may last thirty times as long and use 10 percent of the energy.

There’s also another feature of LED lights that make them particularly appealing to homeowners: their versatility. It turns out that the underlying LED technology is a lot safer than traditional lighting technology and this means that LED lights can be arranged into all sorts of configurations which simply weren’t possible in the past. LEDs can be made so small and use up such little energy that they are now being fashioned into sources of light which mimic things in the natural world, like rushes and twigs. LEDs can also be placed in areas where it would previously have been difficult to put bulbs, again adding to their versatility. Lighting a space from multiple vectors, for instance, is easier with LED bulbs than other varieties.

Stick With Wood Frames

If all you cared about was looks, which would you choose? Factory-produced UPVC window frames or wood frames? In all likelihood, it’s the latter. And the reason? Factory-produced UPVC frames are generic, ugly and hard to repair if they get damaged. Wooden frames, on the other hand, can be sanded down, chiselled away and be replaced piece by piece if necessary.

But there’s another reason to stick with wooden frames whenever possible: plastic frames are just downright dangerous for the environment. According to health experts, UPVC frames emit a toxin which can harm your health as well as the rest of the environment. Wood frames covered in non-VOC paint don’t.

Fill Your Cavity Walls Before You Start The Decorating

If you’re stripping back your old decor and are looking to replace it with something new, it’s worth thinking about filling the spaces between your cavity walls before you start decorating. Homes which don’t make use of cavity wall insulation can see their gas and electric bills skyrocket. What’s more, halfway through a renovation is the opportune time to start injecting insulating material. It’s cheap, and it’s best to do it while the decorating is ongoing to minimise disruption.

Buy Furniture Made From Recycled Materials

Have you ever wondered where all your recycled plastic and metal goes? Most of it goes back into new packaging products, but a small chunk of it also goes to make furniture.

The great thing about recycled furniture today is that you would never have guessed it was, other than the fact that manufacturers tend to be very proud of the fact. It’s high quality and sometimes more durable than unsustainably sourced furniture, thanks to its high plastic content.

Scrap Radiators Entirely

[Photo courtesy of Bill Nichols/Geograph.org.uk]

As discussed, efforts have been made to redeem radiators. But no matter how hard designers try, they rarely fit into the design of a room. Plus, they’re also not particularly energy efficient according to Clark, which is why you should consider alternatives.

Fortunately, you don’t have to freeze in the winter to keep your home stylish: just choose underfloor heating. Not only does it keep radiators out of your living spaces, but it’s also more energy-efficient, slashing the cost of your gas and electric bills.

Use Local Materials For Renovation Works

Bamboo is often considered to be an eco-friendly material because it grows quickly and comes from bamboo farms. But bamboo is cultivated a long way from its target market. Buyers of bamboo are often people in rich countries in the northern hemisphere, whereas bamboo tends to be grown near to the equator. That means that there’s a lot of energy involved in shipping it to your house. You can bypass all of this, of course, by source sustainable materials locally.

Have you ever thought about completing some renovation work on your home? This is a possibility worth considering for one key reason. It will allow you to add a lot of value to your property. So, eventually, when you decide to sell, you’re going to be able to put it on the market for a lot more than it was originally worth. The best part is that the changes we are talking about here don’t have to be dramatically expensive. In fact, they can be fairly cheap and completely affordable even if you are working on a budget. Let’s look at some of the possibilities, and along the way, we’ll think about the type of value you could add to your home by making these changes.

New Flooring

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

One of the most important points to remember when you are changing your home is that it’s not about how expensive it is or how much it’s worth. It’s about how much it appears to be worth. If your home looks like it’s worth half a million, that’s exactly how much buyers are going to be willing to pay. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that when you sell the home, the price is determined by the building and the land rather than the interior. This isn’t true, and buyers can be influenced by a modern home design.

That’s why you should consider replacing carpeted floors with laminate flooring. This looks stylish and contemporary, but it is surprisingly cheap. You can get laminate flooring for your entire home for just a few thousand. If you don’t have that type of money home loans from GoBear and similar companies could provide the solution. They can lend you the money you need to pay for the change, and you can pay them back in the period of a year.

Light Fixtures

[Photo courtesy of SplitShire/pexels.com]

Lighting is a brilliant way to make a property look different without actually changing all that much about it. If you want a key area of your home to focus on, you should look at the kitchen. By changing the kitchen, you can add as much as ten thousand on to the asking value of the property. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to spend ten thousand renovating this room. Instead, you can spend a couple of hundred replacing the light fixtures and adding spotlights that look stylish. The other benefit of spotlights is that they draw attention to key features in a room that you want buyers to focus on.

Aesthetic Materials

[Photo courtesy of Pineapple Supply Co./pexels.com]

It would be wonderful if you could add marble or granite fixtures to your home. However, most people don’t have this type of money in their budget and are reluctant to borrow large amounts of cash. That’s understandable, so instead use aesthetically similar materials. You can buy materials that look like marble for a fraction of the price, and unless they ask directly, you don’t have to divulge that it’s not the real deal.

Good luck with your own home renovation. We’re sure you’ll be thrilled with the level of value it adds to your property.

Finding discount for household essentials is the foremost reason why homemakers spend longer hours when shopping at the malls. If you happen to be the husband of a woman who loves a bargain, chances are, get irritated every time you go shopping with her. It is an instinct for housewives to control their spending, so their families can survive until the next payday.

The curtains are one of the things that homemakers would like to buy at discounted prices. They have the patience to wait for the best, whether it is a holiday, Thanksgiving or a closing out sale. Discount curtains are no longer a rare opportunity for shoppers since they are made available at online shops as the competition is becoming stiff.

[Photo courtesy of Markus Spiske/pexels.com]

Curtain products are advertised online; hence, the online stores are offering them at a lower price so they can dispose of them and allow the new product line to replace the old stocks. This is the time that homemakers and shopaholics are waiting so they can buy many curtains for their homes.

Some online shopping portal offer discounts for various curtain types from 50% up to 77% discounts. The best example for this is the five-piece set of Zebra-five piece set curtain which includes a topper, two tiebacks and two panels. Its retail price was $29.99 and now it is sold at $14.99 which entitles you to a saving of $15. A purple voile sheer curtain with floor length of 84 inches including two panels was originally priced at $34.99 and now it is available at $14.99 which entitles you to a saving of $20 or 57% discount.

These examples clearly show that discounts for curtains can help low income families buy affordable curtains that are made of various designs and patterns. It only needs patience and extra time to enable you to discover the online store that sells cheap but high quality window coverings.

Your outdoor space should be somewhere you and your family can spend time and have fun as a family unit. It should have useful features that make your life better and easier. That’s not too much to ask. So, if you’re wondering which changes you should make to your garden next, let the useful ideas below guide you and give you the inspiration you need.

A Decking Area

Without a great decking area on which to put your table and chairs, your home will lack the space for you to gather with friends and family when the weather is good. You won’t have anywhere to eat and entertain outdoors. In the summer especially, that’s a real shame. So, you should definitely think about having a decking area put in place in your garden if you haven’t done so already. When the weather is good, you will get plenty of usage out of it, so it will be worthwhile investment to make.

Herb Plants

Herb plants are great for adding a little something to your cooking, and growing them in your garden is a good way to save yourself some cash. There is no need to pay high prices to get your hands on a small amount of dried herbs when you can grow your own and then use them from fresh. If you’re into cooking and love making meals for your family, this is one great addition to your outdoor space. You’ll get plenty of use out of it, and it’s very simple to do as well.

[Photo courtesy of Suxu/pixabay.com]

Secure Fencing

Having the right fencing in place in your home can make a big difference. In terms of its use, it’s all about making your garden a safe and enclosed area. If you have a dog or even young children, you don’t want them to be able to get out and get near the road and all the dangers that lurk there. That’s why you need safe and secure fencing that clearly demarcates the area of your garden. Long Fence Chain Link Fencing offers security with a nice design. Browse all the options and see which is for you.

A Shed or Greenhouse

The great thing about having a shed or a greenhouse in your garden is that it gives you an indoor space in your outdoor space. If you enjoy growing fruit and vegetables and things like that, you should certainly opt for a greenhouse. This will allow you to grow strawberries and tomatoes in the summer. A shed is more for the handyman or woman. It gives you the space to carry out minor fixes and DIY jobs away from the main house. You will be free to get messy without having to worry about spilling oil on the carpet.

If your outdoor space has been starting to look and feel a little limp, these additions will do a lot for it. There is nothing better than having a garden with usable and useful features, so start putting them in place.

There’s a feeling that a lot of homeowners can relate to. It’s the sense that, after you’ve lived somewhere for a while, you can’t help but want to move on to somewhere new. The idea that after a few years, you’ve gotten everything you can out of your home and it’s time to start over. Granted, there are some genuine reasons why you might want to move to a new home. You might be starting a family and need more space, or your income might have increased, and you want to move to a nicer neighborhood. However, one of the main things that you need to be aware of is the fact that, if you’re not careful then you’re just going to end up doing the same thing every few years. As the old saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. If you spend your life going from place to place trying to find that one perfect home, you’re never going to be satisfied. Instead, you should make an effort to make the most of the home that you have. You will often find that doing that will make a huge difference to the way your home feels while saving you a lot of time, money and stress. With that in mind, here are some ways to make the most of your home if you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with it.

Maximize space

[Photo courtesy of Maria Orlova/pexels.com]

Space is probably the biggest issue that a lot of people have with their homes. People often feel that their homes are cramped with no room to move around. They feel that going somewhere new with more space is the answer to their problems. However, the reality is that, unless your finances have changed dramatically, most homes that you can afford will be the same size with only slight differences. It’s a much better idea to take the time to maximize the space that you have in your home. There are a lot of different ways to do this, but the first thing that you do should be to reevaluate the layout of the rooms in your house. If a room feels too small, then that’s probably because there are too many things encroaching on the floor space. Perhaps your couch is in the center of the living room, and you could free up space by having it pushed up against a wall. Or maybe your dining room table is larger than it needs to be and just ends up completely dominating the room. By thinking about the way in which a room is laid out more carefully, you can often add a surprising amount of space throughout your home.

Use light carefully

Light is one of those things that a lot of homeowners tend to ignore because it’s a lot harder to put your finger on than things like layout or furniture. It’s a more vague and nebulous idea that has more of an impact on how a room feels than anything else. But the reality is that light can be the secret weapon that turns a depressing home into a vibrant place that you want to spend your time. We’ve all had those moments where you walk into a room, and it just feels dank and claustrophobic, even though you have plenty of space to move around. If that has happened to you, then there’s a pretty good chance that it was because the room simply wasn’t well lit. Natural light is, of course, the best way to make a room feel more spacious but you can also use lamps to help a room feel cozy without feeling cramped.

Clear out the clutter

[Photo courtesy of Hans/pixabay.com]

Even the nicest, most spacious home in the world can end up feeling untidy and unpleasant if it’s full of junk. It’s all too easy to end up letting your home become a mess because you spend so much time there that things blend into the background more easily than they would anywhere else. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have an impact on how your home feels. You might consciously take in the pile of papers on the kitchen countertop, but it’s still going to make the room feel untidy. Keeping the place clean and free of junk and clutter is going to make it feel like a much brighter, more enjoyable place to be for you and your family.

Don’t forget your yard

Even if people stay on top of keeping their homes well organized and tidy, it’s incredibly easy to end up neglecting your backyard. This is because a yard often takes a fair bit more work to get up to a high standard than your home might. Sure, there might be more steps to a perfect lawn than to a clean carpet, but putting in that effort is always worth it. Even if your home is totally clean and perfect, looking out the window to see an overgrown and untidy garden can sour the whole thing for you. Plus, you want your yard to be the kind of space that you can actually use and enjoy. Because of that, you don’t want to spend your time wading through knee high grass and tripping over weeds poking up through the patio.

Use every room

[Photo courtesy of Holland and Green Architectural Design/flickr.com]

If you really feel like your home doesn’t have enough to offer you, ask yourself this question: are you using every room properly? There’s a decent chance that the answer to that question will be no. Take the office for example. A lot of people tend to use their offices as a place to dump things that they haven’t found a place for but still want to be able to access at a moment’s notice. This turns an office into a glorified closet very quickly. The same goes for your attic. Instead of just having it be the place where you store boxes of old junk, why not turn it into a fully functioning room. It doesn’t take that much work, and it will be a perfect playroom for the kids or a spare room for guests to sleep in.

If you live for the summer months, don’t spend this special time trapped inside four walls, make a break for the outdoors and carve out a living space in your backyard. You’ll save on your air conditioning bills, and all that outdoor grilling will keep the cooking smells out of your carpeting and upholstery. No one expects perfection in alfresco dining either, so you can forget about the napkin rings and embroidered tablecloths — thank heavens. What could be better than fresh air, comfortable surroundings, family, friends and the glories of nature?

[Photo courtesy of Rene Asmussen /pexels.com]

Before you relocate your favorite chair to the deck, patio or porch, let’s take a look at a few ways you can make outdoor living more convenient and fun.

Keep the layout cozy

We know they call it the great outdoors, but designing a super-sized space for your outdoor room may not be the best way to go. A large area and the absence of walls can be refreshing, but it can also make you feel exposed. The space can seem impersonal. Outdoor room plans that have at least one solid (or semi-solid) wall help anchor the space and make it feel more substantial. A room size that roughly mirrors the size of your indoor living room will be big enough for your family but small enough to feel intimate and inviting.

Make it comfortable

Outdoor living may seem carefree and casual, but to add comfort to the mix takes plush textiles and comfortable furnishings. Sure, built-in concrete seating has a modern appearance and is maintenance-free, but it also looks like it belongs out in an amphitheater somewhere, not cuddling your backside on a warm evening.

Your outdoor room will feel as good as it looks when you choose loungers, chairs, sofas, and swing sets that include overstuffed cushions in UV resistant fabrics – if you are not sure where to start with garden furniture, take a look here: https://backyardville.com/flexible-flyer-metal-swing-sets/. Whether you prefer wicker to metal or PVC pipe, the idea here is to balance rough and hard surfaces like concrete, siding, brick and wood with soft, textured and tactile furnishings that people will actually want to spend time on.

[Photo courtesy of Marianne/pexels.com]

Let there be light!

One of the great things about an outdoor room is that the cool evening breeze wafting across your lounger will be so much more refreshing and natural (and inexpensive) than a blast from your air conditioning system. Make sure your family is tempted to stay outdoors after sunset by providing adequate lighting so that everyone can see each other. Installing outdoor lighting has never been easier, just go solar. Solar lights have come down a lot in price, and are available in most stores. You can find them in post height, deck mounted, string lights, and even tabletop models. You may still want to add some citronella candles to keep the bugs at bay, and maybe an outdoor electrical fixture as a safety precaution when going up and down stairs or around the pool.

DIY doesn’t have to be left to the men. In fact, many women who have given it a go have enjoyed it and felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Yes, we may not be as strong as men, but with the know how we can certainly put a few shelves together. So, if you’re determined to show your man how it’s done, here’s what you’ll need to get started.

[Photo courtesy of foto fledgling /flickr.com]

Your Own Tools

Using your husbands drill to get started and practice is fine. However, most drills used by men are heavy and large so you may want to go shopping for your own. Finding the right tools will mean you’re one step closer to becoming a DIY Diva. Having the right size tools for you will make all of the jobs you do much easier to complete. You can find a list of perfect DIY tools for women here.

Safety Equipment

Again, there’s no point in wearing safety gloves that are three times the size of your hand. Firstly, it will your jobs much harder for you and secondly, it’s downright dangerous. Wearing safety equipment that doesn’t fit properly doesn’t make you any safer. In fact, it makes you more susceptible to injury. When you’re attempting a welding job, you’ll find the perfect Miller welding helmets from WeldingOutfitter.com.For anything else, try searching for women’s DIY safety equipment online. There’s a great variety.

[Photo courtesy of Ed Oliver/flickr.com]

Designate a Space

DIY can get messy and if you don’t designate yourself an area to work, that mess will spread quickly. It’s not just a pain to clean up after you’re done; it’s a hazard for anyone that has access to where you’re working. Find somewhere where you can set up your own table so anything that needs to be sawed, drilled or nailed can be carried to and from the working station. Don’t make the mistake of using your kitchen counter top as somewhere to do DIY. You’ll risk ruining your kitchen!

Know What You’re Doing

There are some jobs you can wing and have a go at, but there are others where it’s best to seek advice. Whether you ask your partner to give you a helping hand or you watch some tutorial videos online, it’s always best to know how to do the job properly before you start. You may fail the first time but DIY is often full of trial and error. Be as confident as you can be with what you’re doing. If you’re still squealing every time you use a power tool, you may need more practice.

Quality Over Bargains

You may be tempted to invest in a new tool because it’s on sale, but buying power tools isn’t the same as clothes shopping. You need to know the tools you’re using are safe and reliable. Before adding to your collection, do your research and look at reviews. You may find that the charge doesn’t last on battery powered drill or the plastic handles snap off of screwdrivers. Don’t waste your money on things that won’t last.

In every neighborhood, there is one property that stands out. It looks good, and you know it’s worth substantially more than the other properties on that street. It is the property that hits that ceiling price or value for the block. Beyond that, it is often the house we aspire to own, or at least make our property look just as good!

It takes a lot of care and maintenance to achieve a great looking property that the neighbors can be jealous of. Of course, you need to have a quality finish to begin with. And chances are, a few luxuries would be desirable if you were hoping to achieve the ceiling price for your property.

There is a problem with investing heavily in your home, though. That ceiling price may limit what you should do. Spend too much, and you may never get the money back. So how can you be sure the luxuries you fancy will one day ensure a quick sale at the top figure price you desire?

Pool

Owning a pool is good for your health as well as for your financial security in the future. Many homeowners find a swimming pool to be a desirable and beneficial addition. Aside from the upfront cost of installing it, there will be ongoing maintenance costs to ensure it is hygienic. You may need to upgrade the railing, gates or water pumps at some point too. Safety is everything when it comes to a pool.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Check the railing is secure and at the appropriate height. Make sure the gate locks well, and that the pumps are working efficiently. If they’re not, water pump repairs should be undertaken by professionals, but it might be possible for you to find the spare parts you need. Keep the water clean, and enjoy this much-valued addition to your home.

Hot Tub

Hot tubs are highly desirable at the moment. They offer a place for private entertaining, as well as somewhere to sit and relax after a long day. These days, you can find cost-effective inflatable hot tubs at your local DIY store. However, if you invest a little in a gazebo or private structure and planting, you could ensure a greater return. Look for quality spas and hot tubs that are easy to use, and look good in their place.

Does a hot tub add value to the property? If you’re able to allocate a dedicated area of your garden to this, then yes, it could be quite desirable. However, it may not be enough to increase the value of your home substantially. Check your local property listings or ask a property agent for their opinion about your neighborhood prices.

Summerhouse

If you have a good-sized garden, it can be very tempting to fill the space with extra living areas and structures. Always be wary of doing this. It’s best to consider the type of accommodation you live in. If it is a typical family home, then level lawns and clean paths are essential for children and pets to play. An executive home may need the same or additional patio space for entertaining.

[Photo courtesy of Unsplash/pexels.com]

With that in mind, plan your summerhouse addition carefully. You will want it to be sizeable enough to be practical, but not overwhelm the rest of your garden or yard. Wooden structures that are well cared for are very attractive and highly desirable. This might push the asking price up for you.

Landscaping With Decking And Patio

If you design your garden with care, you can enjoy it for multiple purposes. Think about safe play areas for the kids and a doggy patch that’s out of the way. Perhaps you’re keen to grow your own healthy produce? Landscaping to create these areas means that you can ensure you have the right space and aspect for a great patio and deck. Create a desirable view with the planting of shrubs and flowers. A small flowering tree or fruit tree might also increase the value of your home when it matures.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

If you are showing your home to potential buyers, be sure to set out the patio furniture. This should include a high-quality dining set. Adding place settings to the table can help viewers gauge the size of the space and how many people they could cater for. Give the area a good sweep and power wash to be sure debris and grime are removed.

Garage With Auto Doors

Convenience is everything when people are house hunting. They want easy ways to live the lifestyle they aspire to have. Something as simple as upgrading your garage doors might push the value and desirability of your home all the way up. Remote controlled auto doors offer additional security too. Imagine being able to just drive in and out without having to get wet in the rain. Make sure there are adequate security lights providing illumination along the drive too.

Designer Fitted Kitchen

A high-end kitchen will always be desirable. If it looks contemporary and like new, any potential buyer will be relieved they don’t have to put all the work in. Installing a kitchen takes a long time and a lot of upheavals so most buyers would prefer to have it all done before they move in. Best of all, they’re often willing to pay a premium for it all to be in place and looking grand.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Look for minimalist fitted kitchens with all the appliances built in. If it’s all hidden away neatly, this can be far more attractive. Make sure there is space for a dining set here, even if it is only a breakfast table or bar. Choose your colors wisely to make sure they are neutral enough for most tastes but offer a good level of vibrancy and energy to be stylish.

Flooring and countertops are very important to potential buyers. Look for better quality materials like granite with a high gloss finish. The details can make all the difference. Soft-close cupboards and drawers, and a big, roomy fridge-freezer will appeal to most potential buyers and might make for a quick sale.

Jacuzzi Bath

Some people love the idea of jumping into a jacuzzi bathtub in their own homes. They imagine the bubbles caressing and soothing their muscles, while the skin enjoys a gentle cleansing. Those that own jacuzzi baths might be less inclined to have another one. They can be noisy, and difficult to clean. This one is a tricky one to gauge when it comes to being a valued investment for your home. If you have no personal use for one, it might be worth avoiding.

Sauna

Saunas are a very healthy way to take care of your body, mind, and skin. They can offer a great deal of relaxation as well as a handy, natural way to detox the skin. Saunas at home don’t need to be very big. You might have one in the corner of your home gym, or it might form part of your family bathroom. They are reasonably easy to maintain and can be used every day.

If you install a sauna in your home, this may attract buyers that are particularly health conscious. The installation cost can vary quite a lot. If you keep the sauna area clean and well-maintained, then it might offer a valued add-on for any potential buyer.

Luxury Bedroom Decor

Buying a new home is often more about buying the lifestyle you desire. Luxury finishes will always be desirable and can indeed demand a higher price for the property. If other homes in your neighborhood are finished to this kind of standard, then it makes sense for you to invest in the right style of decor to compete with them.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Luxury decor should look like a luxury hotel suite. Imagine a well-dressed bed in a room with plush rugs or carpets, enormous headboards, and designer bedside cabinets. Your master bedroom should be the most attractive room in the house. This is the room where you spend most of your hours when you’re at home, especially if you work full time. It needs to be opulent, luxurious, and comfortable.

New Driveway

Don’t forget – the front view or curb appeal of your home is the very first thing anyone will see. It has to impress, and it has to welcome visitors toward your front door. A big part of this is the driveway. If it’s a little dated now, consider having it re-blocked, bricked, or paved. Some surfaces can look as fresh as new if they’re power washed.

Consider bordering the driveway with green planting. Lawn, shrubs, or even a hedge can look beautiful here. Keep all planting trimmed and tidy. Of course, you might prefer to use artificial plants to keep them low maintenance. Avoid gravel and loose surfaces as they can quickly become untidy and invite neighborhood cats and other animals.

Some luxury touches to your property might make it appear more attractive and become more desirable. This could, in turn, hasten a sale. To really add value, consider the add-ons that are most likely to appeal to the type of people that would want to live in your home. These are the ones that could help you reach that ceiling price.

It’s definitely getting hotter and it’s becoming harder to spend your time indoors. However, we can’t ignore the nightmare that is the muggy, musty house forever. What we can do, however, is beat it. Here’s how you prepare your home for the worst that summer has to bring and make it into that cool retreat from the heat that we all need. Just a few habits and additions can make the home a much more pleasant place to survive the heat.

[Photo courtesy of StockSnap/pixabay.com]

We spring clean for a reason

If there’s anything that’s worse than a home that’s too hot, it’s a home that’s hot, humid, and dusty. Dust isn’t just unpleasant and an allergen. It also makes it a lot harder to control the airflow of the home. It builds in vents and air conditioning units, make them less effective and efficient, driving up the costs. Go for a thorough spring clean of the home and try to stay on top of dust as much as possible. It’s a lot easier to both control dust and to circulate air by decluttering the home, as well. If there’s any furniture you can spare for the moment, move it into storage so you have more spacious, airy rooms that are easy to clean and cool.

Keep the outdoors to the outdoors

Your first thought when summer rolls around might be to let the sunlight in and throw the windows open. However, if you’re cooling the interior, that’s only going to invite hot air in. Solar heating also plays a massive role in increasing the temperature of the room. Use fans as a more energy efficient method of circulation in the room you’re using and close that window, using sun blockers to keep the heat out without completely darkening the room. Don’t neglect the heat that builds in the attic that can get upwards of 150 degrees in the evening. Seal it up by using isotherm insulation and making sure that you don’t have any leaks by way of cracked or missing roof tiles. In the evening, if it’s cooler outside, then you crack open the window and use a window fan to cool the house down.

Remember, energy equals heat

If there’s any reason to get more energy efficient, it’s to make the home a lot more comfortable. Every appliance you keep on when you’re not using it is just adding more unnecessary heat. This effect is in full force in the kitchen most of all. Extractors are well and good, but there are other ways to use less energy when cooking and thus create less heat. For one, you can cook outside. But you can also use a microwave or toaster oven instead of a full-sized oven or use the refrigerator to defrost frozen goods instead of the microwave.

Remember, working to make the home easier to cool isn’t just going to make summer a lot more bearable. It’s going to help you drive down the costs of controlling the environment of your home. Save your money alongside your sanity by following the tips above.

Now that the summer is pretty much here, we all want to be able to enjoy more time outside. With warmer weather and lighter nights, it always just seems a shame to stay indoors. But, sometimes, you can feel as if your yard just isn’t cutting it. Whether you live out in the country and have a lot of space to play with, or you’ve got just a small backyard, it’s time to start making the most out of the garden you’ve got. And if you’re not exactly sure where to start, here are a few ideas to think over.

[Photo courtesy of Pixabay/pexels.com]

Create A Dining Space

The first thing you should think about doing will not only be a benefit to you but the whole family. Everyone loves to be able to enjoy their breakfast, lunch, or dinner outdoors when the weather is nice. But to do that, you need a suitable dining space. So make sure you look for the right outdoor dining set and even a grill. Backyard barbecue spaces can be super fun to create, and in the summer, you will always get a lot of use out of them.

Enjoy Gorgeous Flowers

When you have a garden, it can be a shame not to see it flourish. You don’t have to be the most green fingered person to make it happen either. Whether you pick out some pretty flowers at the garden center and plant a few in pots by your door, or fill your entire garden with beautiful blooms, having flowers in your yard can give it a new lease of life. As well as creating a relaxing atmosphere and attracting nature, you can also clip them to bring indoors and put in vases.

[Photo courtesy of skitterphoto/pexels.com]

Keep Animals

If you have a lot of space, particularly if you live in the countryside, you might want to think about keeping animals. A coat can be great to keep your grass short, and then there’s always the option to keep chickens and enjoy fresh eggs in the morning. Even if it seems like a lot of work, you can do your research online so that things like chicken incubators are explained to you to make it easier. It will also take your love of growing vegetables to the next level.

Build A Sanctuary

Then, as a little treat for yourself, you might want to think about creating a little sanctuary. Whether that’s a garden house where you can escape for an hour or two of peace, a lovely seating area in the sun, or even a hot tub to soak your evenings away in, your yard can often give you a lot of potential to work with.

Make It Fun

With the adults covered, you might want to think about adding in something for your kids too. There are lots of outdoor play areas that you could consider building or putting in yourself. You just need to work of what space you have first. Then, your kids can also be kept entertained when everyone is enjoying some time outside.