Or a bedroom becomes an office. Or a dining room becomes a family room. You get the picture. You’ve bought a house, or have lived in your house for years, and you designed the rooms to be what was on the realtor’s floor plan rather than the rooms you need or want them to be. But now that you’ve moved in, or spent years there, you’ve found your house isn’t functioning in a way that has you loving your space. What to do now? Why change it, of course.
I know, it’s not as simple as all that. Monetary constraints, lack of time, not knowing how to implement what you want (psst, Fuchsia can not only help with the design, but also help you set up a realistic budget and schedule). It can all build up to throwing your hands in the air and deciding it is what it is. Well, let’s step back for a moment and see how we can change things.
For the sake of ease, we are going to assume you have both the time and money to either do the remodel yourself or hire someone. Also, that you are going to change that formal living room at the entrance of your house that rarely, if ever, gets used, into an inviting dining room just begging for a dinner party. Where to begin?
First, you need to decide whether this is something that you can undertake yourself or will need to hire someone to do some or all of the remodel. If the room is carpet, and you want to remodel it to be wood or tile, do you feel that you could tackle that project? Head back several blog posts discussing DIY tile backsplash installation. While it isn’t the same surface, many of those tricks and tips apply to installing tile on a horizontal surface. If you are repainting all the walls, one color, that may be something you can save some money on. However, if you are looking to do some sort of design or wallpapering, maybe it’s worth it to hire someone. Overall, it’s important to really think about the investment and whether it will be worth it. This isn’t about a resale value in the future, it’s about the time you will spend, level of finish you will receive and what are those two things are valued to you.
Next, find pieces that fit the space in both design and size. If the former living room is big enough for a 12 person table, but you only want an 8 person table, consider adding a buffet or bookshelves to make sure your space is filled. On the flip-side, don’t over pack your room. If there is only space for an 8 person table, and you want a 12 person table, invest in a table that comes with extension leaves and arrange the room so that it can encroach into another room temporarily when in use but be kept as an 8 person table day to day. Also, since you are investing in this remodel, be sure to invest in pieces with staying power. No reason to spend the money on new floors and paint only to have pennies leftover for a flimsy table and chairs. Remodels of this significance are for an extended period of time, be sure to create a budget that accommodates.
Lastly, finish off the space with accessories that add to the space rather than just fill the space. I’ve seen many time where shelves are filled to the brim with random items because the thought is that there can be no empty space. Not only is that not true, but it can also creates a sense of disconnect in the room theme and always creates clutter. Simple, themed accessories will go a long way. Use your window treatments to accent the colors and fabrics used elsewhere in the room. If you’ve selected upholstered dining chairs will a bold, bright pattern, go simple with a solid-colored fabric. Or vice versa, if the upholstered seats are solid-colored, have some fun with the window treatments.
Above all, the most important rule when undertaking a project like this is making sure you are creating a room to serve the function you are missing. If you know you’re missing something, but just don’t know if it would even fit in your house, never mind where, give Fuchsia a call. We can help!
