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Owning your first home is incredibly exciting, and as a first-time homeowner, you’ll undoubtedly find ways to spruce up your home to make it your own. You may have a dream home in mind, but it is often difficult to know where to start renovating your home.
Designers may help you achieve a trendy yet functional home; but they will need your input, and design fees are expensive so best to know what you want before you start any form of renovations around the house.
A common mistake new homeowners make is going with the first interior design or renovation company they find without checking to see if their prices and work are up to industry standards. Interior designers have different points of view, and will have different prices depending on the scope of work that the client requires.
Always scout for quotes from interior design companies. Ideally, you should know what aesthetic you would like to see in your home, and an interior designer will help you visualize the designs you want in order to ensure that the renovations you have in mind flow well together. Nothing is worse than spending a small fortune decorating your home, only to get a mashup of styles.
Natural stone, like marble and granite, are timeless classics that can be used for flooring, countertops, and tables. However, most homeowners are not aware of the materials’ high maintenance in cleaning and upkeep. If you insist on using natural stone for the aesthetic, make sure you know how to properly clean the surface as marble is prone to etching.
Wood is another timeless material that blends class and nature. Commonly used to accent and brighten up rooms, wood is known to be weak against water, as water can cause wood to rot and mould. When using wooden surfaces, avoid placing them in moist areas like near the kitchen sink, or in the bathroom. Keep wooden surfaces away from fire as well.
The average Singaporean leads a busy day-to-day life. If you’re the type to put away cleaning on a weekly or monthly basis, then you should be looking into low maintenance options for your home.
Avoid exposed ceiling concepts, as these gather dust and debris. Light fixtures should be as simple as possible to lessen the frequency of dusting them. Unglazed materials, like tiles and wooden or marble flooring, require more maintenance than their vanished counterparts, so best to stick with the latter.
Before you do any sort of home renovation, plan out your space first. Figure out what needs to be redecorated, what needs to be renovated, and what needs to be completely overhauled. Plan out where your appliances and furniture will be located, so you can allot the space needed for the pieces.
In the modern digital age, we are never without our electronics. We use our phones from sun up to sun down, we use laptops for work, and we use electrical devices when making our food and drying out hair. All these devices need a source of power, which is why you as the homeowner would need to lay out electrical outlets relative to the number of people in your household.
While a few decades ago, we may not have needed as many electrical sockets at home, we certainly do so now. If possible, lay out the electrical plans with your engineer during the construction of the home. Else, talk to your electrician for home renovation options.
The bedroom needs to be the most private and comfortable room in the house. Since this room is where we retreat from the harshness of daily life, the bedroom is one of the most important areas of your home.
Concrete and marble flooring may be stylish to place in the bedroom, but they often get cold and difficult to step on with bare feet. Bold colours may look appealing and productive in the den, but they can cause sleeping problems and tension in the bedroom. Point is, not all trendy styles are applicable for the bedroom.
The bedroom is where we go to relax and sleep. Our mind and body both have to be in a calm state in order for us to relax properly. Choose comfortable, but low maintenance aspects like area rugs, calming colours, and neutral designs.
Plan out where you will be placing your air conditioning unit, and what kind of unit you will be using. Renovating your bedroom after it’s completed to make room for your AC unit is not only a big hassle, it is incredibly expensive. Find space beforehand and keep in mind that AC units can cause condensation due to temperature, so you may not want it over your bed.
Open concept wardrobes and walk-in closets are the ultimate aesthetic dream! However, many homeowners don’t see the downsides to these storage types until after they’ve installed one in their bedroom. Open concept wardrobes can cause dust to accumulate on your clothing, and walk-in closets are nightmares to clean.
To save money on laundry and cleaning services, keep your wardrobe simple. Stylish wardrobe options are not limited to open wardrobes and walk-in closets. Multiple minimalist and functional closets are available to cater to any home aesthetic.
Maintain a clutter-free, minimalist look by making the most of your storage space. Don’t limit storage to the walls, the space under your bed can be used for storage as well. In fact, customized bed frames with built-in drawers underneath are currently trendy, as they provide both aesthetic and functionality.
We can’t live without food. Even if you’re not a pro chef or an avid baker, the kitchen is an essential part of the home that gets us the nourishment we need to go about our day.
Cooking can cause quite a mess, and nothing is more stomach turning than making a mess in a kitchen that is already cluttered with unnecessary trinkets and decor. Exposed ingredients are not only eye sores, they are exposed to air, humidity, and pests.
Go for a minimalist style that keeps your kitchen looking tidy no matter what you’re cooking up. Use wall cabinets to keep your dishes and ingredients away, as well as any appliances that you may be using. Keep your kitchen bright with light colours and accents so you can easily see what you’re cooking or baking. A light kitchen also looks much cleaner than a dark, heavy one.
Those fancy, expensive pots and pans may look gorgeous, but are usually brittle and easy to rust. There are plenty of more affordable options that look just as beautiful, while being durable as well. Especially if you cook a lot, good quality pots and pans are worth more in value than aesthetically pleasing ones.
If you’re doing a complete overhaul of your kitchen, buy and measure out your appliances before you start renovations. You don’t want to end up with a perfectly-constructed kitchen, only to find out that your stove and refrigerator don’t fit. Alternatively, make sure your appliances fit in your kitchen space without overcrowding before you buy them.
Ever had trouble reaching for those wall cabinets? Or how about dealing with a sink so low that you’d need to arch your back just to wash dishes? When constructing the sink and cabinets in your kitchen, tailor them to your height or the average height of our household for convenience.
The toilet area and bathroom are subject to the most moisture and humidity out of all rooms around the house. When renovating the bathroom, choose materials that are impervious to water damage, as well as aesthetically pleasing decor that aren’t affected by high humidity.
Sliding doors and screen doors may seem like a modern addition to your home, but they are difficult to maintain. Over time, the lubrication that allows the sliding doors to glide smoothly will dry out and possibly rust, causing difficulties in operation.
The bathroom is a high humidity area; therefore, best to use materials that are water resistant to avoid rust, mould, and mildew from forming. Materials like wood can rot when in constant contact with moisture, but you can find an alternative in bamboo. Metal can rust when wet, but treated stainless steel can give you that chrome effect without the hassles.
Shallow basins had become a trend a few years ago, and some homeowners chose to place shallow sinks in their bathroom for the aesthetic. However, those same homeowners are now seeing the impracticality of shallow basins, as these cause the water to splash around and make a mess on countertops.
For new homeowners, customizing your space might seem intimidating. However, with the proper knowledge and the right tools, you’ll be able to make your dream home a reality.
Professional renovation services are here to help you through the process of renovating your home. We at ColeBuild can assist you as you personalize your home, as we offer a one-stop solution for all your building needs. Our experienced designers can conceptualize with you a trendy, yet functional, space while our construction professionals will do the work for you.
