August 2021
As a homeowner, you know better than anyone that home improvement is an ongoing process. Between big projects like new roofs and remodels, you can take steps to rejuvenate your living space with projects that don’t take too much time or effort to complete.
Beautify your backyard
With the summer heat cooling and autumn on the horizon, you can look ahead to spending quiet evenings in the yard huddled around a fire pit with a warm cup of cider. But before you get there, why not take advantage of a summer afternoon and revitalize your space for maximum enjoyment? Your project slate will vary based on the space you have to work with, but as Country Living points out, anything from laying a stone path to building a treehouse can add depth and character to your yard.
A great place to start your project is with some simple landscaping. Uproot weeds, cover patches of mud and dirt with fresh sod or mulch and tidy up lingering leaves and detritus that may have gathered at the corners of your yard. Amy Fontinelle of Investopedia recommends planting perennials to ensure happy returns on colorful flowers. If you start by taking the time to clean your yard and make it look as complete as possible, you’ll begin to see the potential for more ideas to come.
Change the color of your world
When your home begins to feel a bit too drab or too familiar, a quick trip to the home goods store for a few cans of paint can be a game-changer. Painting the rooms in your home a different color can drastically alter their personality and give your home a refreshed style. Sheryl Geerts, writing for Better Homes & Gardens, suggests starting with the front door, swapping out a neutral color for something more vibrant and eye-catching.
If you plan to repaint the rooms in your home, Natalie Rodriguez of This Old House recommends making use of a color wheel. This will allow you to create unique contrast with colors that punctuate elements of a room. Playing blue off orange or complementing yellow with purple gives a room a lively character that’s welcoming and comforting. Fontinelle says that you should opt for a more neutral palette if you’re looking to sell, but if you plan on staying for a while, let your imagination be your guide.
Consider the kitchen
A beautiful, functional kitchen is essential if you spend a lot of time cooking. Kitchen renovation can be a time-consuming and costly endeavor if you’re starting from scratch, but if you have the key components in place and just want to spruce it up, you can do a lot in just a few days.
Fontinelle suggests starting with your current cabinets. Rather than replace what you have, you can paint or stain your wood cabinets to revamp the personality of the room. White cabinets are a great choice if you want something that’s timeless and helps to brighten the room, but you can go darker if it fits your color scheme. Another great way to change up your cabinets is by swapping out handles and knobs.
A new backsplash is another quick and simple way to liven up your kitchen space. HomeAdvisor says that adding a backsplash behind your stove provides protection from the heat as well as added style, and a backsplash by your faucet can help protect your walls from water damage. Do-it-yourself backsplash typically requires little time and experience, and if you have experience installing backsplash you can try to create a more complex design.
If you find yourself spending more time at home on the weekends, make good use of it by improving your home. A small project here and there can result in your house feeling brand-new again.
Ready to get started but need some additional funds? A home equity loan or line of credit, which uses the equity you’ve accrued in your home, may be just what you need. Contact one of our friendly Personal Bankers today to learn more, or apply online.