As the year continues to fly by and we move into fall, we like to take a step back and take a look at how remodeling trends continue to evolve. While 2024 has seen many trends come and go, there are some which have remained static. Additionally, there are some new trends that are relevant to the current season which we would love to put forth for your consideration. Take a look at some ideas that we think would be great to include in your current or upcoming home improvement project.
Last year, and even earlier this year, if you had asked an interior designer what the hottest color tones and styles were, the answer you most likely would have received would have been simple whites or lighter tones. By this point in time, the same question would yield a very different answer. As the leaves change to golden hues, so do the color choices of homeowners. Warmer and softer shades have become more popular. There is a push to make homes feel less sterile and more welcoming for both the owners and guests. While this can be accomplished simply by paint, another option is with wallpaper. Similarly colored wallpapers with whimsical themes can accomplish the same degree of warmth, which at this time of season, truly makes a home an ideal gathering place for all. With paint though, if future changes are desired, the updates can follow a much more economical path.
As utility and general home maintenance costs can rise during the fall and colder months, now is a great time of year to consider options that can help mitigate these increases. While these changes will help your bottom line, an additional advantage is that many of these changes also benefit the environment. To limit the use of natural resources such as natural gas, consider converting your home's heating system and main cooking asset. Heat pumps for instance run extremely efficiently and can cut down on electricity use and eliminate natural gas costs altogether. In the kitchen, converting your range from gas to an induction system will once again limit your use of this natural resource. Also, induction systems heat food much faster than natural gas which will save you time which is truly the most valuable resource. The second most valuable resource on earth is water, so don’t neglect how this can be conserved. Many sinks and toilets have been designed to use the smallest amount of water possible, which will help your water bill and limit its use. Finally, when thinking about outside your home, consider the increase in severe weather we seem to be experiencing. Using durable siding/roofing materials will save you money when rain, wind, or even hail causes damage.
Fall can be a mixed bag in terms of the weather that it offers. Sometimes its beautiful outside, while other times rain and chilly temperatures can leave you no choice but to retreat into your home. What many designers have found, is that when you must be inside, why not create an environment that evokes feelings of the great outdoors. Biophilia is the trend which accomplishes this goal. Through the use of colors, materials, and architecture, the objective of evoking nature inside your home is possible. Greens and browns can make your home feel like a forest, amplified even more by furniture upholstered by sustainable leather like materials made from mushrooms and cactus. Wallpaper can be acquired that is made from recycled flower waste even, adding both to the aesthetics of your home and shrinking your carbon footprint. To complete the transformation, consider installing large glass doors or windows which blur the boundary between the inside and out. Art featuring plants, along with actual live plants within are the final steps in truly employing Biophilia within your home.
While our final recommendations for your home can be applied at any point of the year, now is a better time than ever to improve the functionality and accessibility of your home! Whether you have older family members living with you, those with disabilities, or even those visiting from across seas, there are many adjustments you can make to your home to make it easier for all to enjoy. For instance, sensory faucets that automatically adjust the water temperature to perfect level or hands-free cabinets, both simplify life and make daily chores easier on those who may struggle with the daily tasks that most of us take for granted. Appliances that can show instructions in different languages or even have brail on them are equally helpful for those who communicate another way. When designing your home, really try to think about how the various people using it can get the most out of their experience.
An additional way to increase the accessibility of your home is by maximizing the space that is available. By creating spaces that are multifunctional and employing assets that have multiple uses, you greatly increase the usefulness of your home. Combo-ovens and washing machines, smaller appliances, and even in-sink dishwashers, all allow you to make the most out of your home layout and truly get the highest quality of life return from the money you have spent on one of your most important investments.
Want more insight into how RessaBuilt can help you transform your home? Check out the informative articles on our blog, or contact us to get your own home remodeling project started.
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