Last year, we suggested five quick projects you can do on your own or with a remodeler to make your house merry and bright (and functional!) before the guests arrive. This year, many of us can expect even more visitors than last year, and the process of beautifying and upgrading can bring joy to an otherwise hectic season.
Of course, any remodel can bring stress, so be sure to use a reputable, experienced, and easy-to-work-with contractor like Crystal Remodeling (hey, we like to have fun, too!) and communicate early about budget, priorities, and timelines.
For a quick yet lasting fix, consider these upgrades:
Raise a glass—or eight
If eyes are the windows into your soul, then windows are the eyes into your living room…or something like that. In any case, a window upgrade has many benefits and is a relatively quick project. You can upgrade your drafty old sashes to new double-paned windows that can reduce energy use by up to 24% in the winter months and 18% during the summer. It can cost up to $800 per window for high-quality windows and installation, but the long-term pay-offs are enormous if you replace ALL of them. One old window can skew the results of all the new ones.
In addition, new windows can bring much-needed curb appeal to your home or add elegance where there was previously just efficiency. Black window frames, trim, and shutters continue to be on-trend for single-family homes. Black adds a pop of color and mood to the outside of a well-kept house and stands out in a crowd. Following black’s lead, dark brown, gray, and blue frames are also hot.
Read our deep dive on the whys and hows of upgrading your windows.
Budget for built-ins
Built-in bookshelves, display nooks, and storage can transform an otherwise blank wall or inefficient corner into a functional, beautiful, and personalized area. Consider adding floor-to-ceiling bookshelves to a divider wall or hand-crafted drawers under the stairs. Prevent bulky curio cabinets from taking up precious floor space by installing built-in shelving with elegant glass doors in nooks and crannies throughout the home, bringing your family’s personality to life everywhere you look.
Built-in open shelves can get those five boxes of books out of storage and a love of reading for generations in your home. As for holiday entertaining, books and decorative knickknacks are conversation sparkers, creating a great reason to finish this quick project before the holidays.
Read our take on the endless benefits of built-ins.
Entertain like the pros
The holidays are important for connection, loving family moments, and rekindling old friendships. But let’s face it, we can only stare into each others’ eyes over a half-eaten turkey for so long. After the dishes are done, it’s time to relax in front of the game, turn up the tunes (or the ‘toons), or catch the latest from the Marvel Cinematic Universe—streaming in UHD.
If you have thought about creating a media space, pre-holidays is the perfect time to put those plans in motion. By the time the figgy pudding is on the table, you’ll have a place for guests to chill, kids to play, and you to hide—we mean entertain—after dessert.
First, consider the main aim of your home entertainment space: will it be kid-friendly, pint-sized, and behind closed doors? Or a wing of your great room dedicated to high-tech TV-watching and communal music-listening parties? Budget based on priorities around technology, plumbing possibilities (wet-bar anyone?), and direct access to the outdoors. Invite us in now to evaluate practical considerations like built-in speakers, smart devices, lighting, soundproofing, and more.
If you time it right, you might be able to take advantage of black Friday sales to find deep discounts on electronics and even furniture.
Here’s how to create a media room that entertains everyone.
Whatever your vision (aside from dancing sugarplums, of course), we can revitalize your space before the holidays with a timeline and budget that works for you. We’ll even hang the mistletoe before the guests arrive!
At Crystal Remodeling, we’ll work with you to get your home ready for the ho-ho-holidays. Call us soon so we can make your season bright!