The start of a new year often makes us think about making changes in our lives. This can be to do with our health, our love life, our job or even our house. If you have been considering making some changes to your home recently or you still haven’t decided what to do with that spare room, then now could be the perfect time to turn thoughts into action.
The housing market is starting to flourish again after nearly six years of struggles, and so you could even end up adding some great value to your home should you ever come to sell up. If you are looking to make 2014 the year you finally tackle that home improvement project then here are a few great ideas to consider.
The Home Gym –
This is arguably one of the easiest ways to transform your spare room or garage space and is definitely the idea on this list that involves the least stress. Before you convert your garage into a gym, make sure to clean up the whole space and inspect the garage door and the walls. In case the garage door is damaged, call on a garage door repair company to have it fixed. If you have no spare room to turn into a gym, you may consider an Amish Pole Barn Construction project and use the space as a gym, garage or a workspace.
If you don’t have the budget, there is no need to splash the cash on top-of-the-range gym equipment as you can recreate most things on a shoestring.
A set of weights, a stability ball and a set of resistance bands could make up a large amount of what you need and this can all come at a very reasonable price. Consider using a skipping rope or a step up platform for cardio to avoid having to shell out for expensive running and rowing machines.
You may wish to reinforce the floor that you have (especially if the gym will be upstairs) so that any damage from weights hitting the floor can be minimised. Lastly, if you are planning on blasting out the tunes whilst you work out, it’s a great idea to sound proof the walls so as to not disturb anybody else at home or the neighbours.
The Ultimate Playroom –
Whether you are planning to make use of an existing room or build an extension, a playroom is the perfect environment in which your little one can grow and develop within the safety of your own home. There are so many ways you can create the perfect play space, but let’s focus on a couple of important areas.
Storage is a big priority. There needs to be enough space to house everything that your child likes to use during playtime, but this should not compromise the space that they have to play in. In order to do this, you may need to be a bit clever in the storage solutions you choose. Consider a large toy chest that has plenty of space inside and that can be decorated in line with the rest of the room. Stacking is also a great idea, as piling things on top of each other is a neat space-saving technique; just be sure to let your child know that they should ask for your help before trying to access the high boxes. Hideaway storage solutions like this are also a great way to use all the space that the room has to offer.
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when planning any room for a child is safety. You need to feel totally comfortable in letting them play on their own in the room without any nasty accidents occurring. To give yourself peace of mind and to safeguard your little ones you should include plenty of soft furnishings, consider a cushioned surface for the floor (such as wet pour rubber or a soft carpet) and rubber safety tiles, like these, that your child can lay down before they start to play.
The Romantic Roof Terrace –
If you have the capacity to build a roof terrace then it can be a great way to increase space within your home when you don’t have the option to do so on the ground floor. It may be less hassle than you think to create your own secluded area in which you can spend beautiful summer evenings with your partner or host some great roof parties for your friends and family.
Terraces can be built on either a flat or pitched roof (although the latter does provide more problems) and often don’t even require planning permission. This will all depend on whether your proposed terrace will overlook any of your neighbours’ properties and affect their privacy.
There is no limit to what you can add to this new space once it is built. Some stylish furniture will make those warm evenings all the more comfortable, whilst a BBQ area could make it the place to be when the summer rolls round again. Consider incorporating plenty of greenery and outdoor style elements to make your terrace look more natural and fit in with the surrounding area. You can even use plants and bushes to exclude the outside world and create your own private oasis.
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
By Chris Mayhew
Chris Mayhew is always contemplating his next home improvement project and loves looking at different ways of transforming and creating space. He would recommend safety surfacing solutions from Smith Brothers to anyone wanting to ensure their DIY projects are completed with safety in mind.
