The Top 5 Home Renovations to Tackle This Year

Posted on Categories Renovations
This year the more popular home renovations tend to be smaller in scale – where function trumps flash. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2010 cost vs. value report, the smaller tweaks and midrange interior and exterior projects are yielding the biggest bang for the buck. In other words the more moderate home improvement projects prove to be the most cost effective. So if you’re thinking of selling your home now or in the near future, consider these top 5 home remodeling projects to help turn your current house into someone else’s home. 1.  CURB APPEAL First impressions are everything and you don’t have to be a real estate agent to know that. If your house is unappealing from the outside those potential buyers may never make it through the front door.  A great first impression could add a good 10% to the value of your home.
  • Define a clear pathway.
  • Upgrade your front door.
  • Update old windows with energy efficient products.
  • Replace your siding, as it tends to be the least costly upgrade.
  • Add a porch or deck. (any extension to the outdoors)
  • Add Architectural Details such as trims, shutters and moldings.
  • Add a new fence, trellis or gate.
  • Landscaping.
  • Roofing – replace or repair shingles if damaged.
  • Exterior Lighting.
  • Fresh Paint.
2.  MINOR or MAJOR KITCHEN REMODEL Just to give you an idea how important kitchens are to a home’s value – Here in the US we spend almost $200 billion a year on home renovation projects and $15 billion of that are spent on kitchen renovations. If your kitchen’s layout works perfectly well, just making some simple updates will appeal to the perfect buyer. Either way when you go to sell your house – keep in mind that you’re essentially selling your kitchen and the emotions attached!
  • Upgrade the appliances to stainless, as it has become the new standard finish in kitchen appliances.
  • Countertops and Sinks.  Consider Quartz surfaces, which are available in a multitude of colors, and finishes for its wonderful properties.  They are highly durable, non porous and easily maintained.
  • Kitchen sinks are available in all shapes and sizes to compliment and fit within your kitchen – from under mount, top mount and integral seamless sinks.
  • Cabinets and Hardware: repaint, re-stain or reface all door and drawer fronts if the layout still works – otherwise plan for new and improved cabinetry.
  • Replace and update old flooring with vinyl, ceramic, hardwood, concrete or stone.
3.  MINOR BATH REMODEL Just simple upgrading of sinks faucets and fixtures will add value, style and sophistication.
  • If your master bath has one sink only and you have a 6’long space, add two new under mount sinks.
  • New countertops and cabinetry really set the stage for the space and are critical elements in creating a beautiful spa like environment. Consider certain marbles, soapstone, bluestone or limestone to create a sense of luxury.
  • Furniture-like cabinetry in deep warm woods evokes richness.
  • Flooring such as ceramic, stone, concrete and woods.
  • Frameless glass shower enclosures undoubtedly add to a spa-like atmosphere.
4.  CONVERTING UNFINISHED ATTICS INTO BEDROOMS
  • Increasing the amount of livable space is still very important to homeowners and potential buyers – and repurposing existing space is the most cost effective way to achieve that.  It’s much more cost effective than adding on, as well as being the green thing to do.
  • If you have the attic space you could develop a 15’ x15’ bedroom c/w a 5×7 bath and shower.   Or utilize that finished attic space as a home office/guest suite.  Allocate this new square footage to appeal to you as well as the buyer.
5. DEVELOPING BASEMENTS INTO AN ADDED LIVING SPACE.
  • Developing the basement into a finished and livable entertainment space.
  • Create an added bedroom and bath, office, laundry or game room.
  • Provide ample built-in storage, playroom and finished bedroom.
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

How To Identify Your Home’s Best And Worst Features Before You Sell

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design
1.  ANALYZE THE SPACE
  • Walk through your home and look at each room in the context of the overall property.
  • Is your kitchen very dark and compartmentalized with an inefficient floor plan and layout?
  • Are the cabinets just worn out and refused to stay closed?
  • Do your appliances only work when they want to?
OR – on the flip side:
  • If you’ve maintained your home beautifully over the years and renovated your kitchen recently – added a new patio and landscaping – and updated the overall décor – but you’re still living with that green and pink guest bathroom down the hall, now would be the time to remodel it!  It will look extremely dated and tired compared to the upgrades you’ve already made.  So by refreshing it now will present a more cohesive piece of property to show later.
2.  IDENTIFY THE NEGATIVES – AND FIX THEM!
  • Before you invest any time and money into any home renovation projects it’s so important to first evaluate the structural elements of your home.
  • Do a walk through, and be really honest with what you find.  What weaknesses did you discover?  If YOU can see the problems  – so will the potential buyers!
  • Be on the lookout for anything and everything from cracks in the foundation / rotting, bulging or splitting around doors and windows,
  • Is the electrical wiring antiquated?
  • Do you have a termite problem? These issues can’t be hidden or camouflaged.
  • So be proactive and hire a home inspector before you sell.  They will help you uncover problems and looming issues that you may have over looked.
  • A typical home inspection analyzes the home’s structural integrity, all major mechanical systems and provides you with a thorough assessment of your home’s structure and property.
  • Use this information to repair the necessary areas of the home and give it the TLC it deserves.
  • Set goals and decide what you NEED to do and the compromises you’ll willing to make to turn your home into someone else’s dream home.
3.  ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVES – AND ENHANCE THEM
  • Highlight your home’s Best features:  Every home should have some.  If they don’t then create some!
  • Is it a canyon view from the hillside?
  • The ocean view from the kitchen?
  • The spectacular double-sided fireplace or the fabulous gourmet kitchen you’ve loved for years.  Or the deck and outdoor kitchen off the family room?
  • Whatever the asset –  dress it, enhance it, show it – AND CREATE THAT WOW FACTOR!
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Dwell On Design 2010

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design
Dwell On Design – the West Coast’s largest design event took place over the weekend at the LA Convention Center.  I hope you had a chance to visit this great event.  This 3-day modern design show featured over 200 design forward product lines involving all aspects of the modern home – from indoor and outdoor furniture, landscape architecture and design, windows and doors – to laundry detergent. So for your next home remodel or renovation project here are just a few of the great products that caught my attention – and will hopefully inspire you. Daniel Ogassian: A master tile maker, designs the most beautiful concrete and ceramic floor and wall tiles.  The naturally inspired organic and geometric shapes are highly textured and can be applied to any interior or exterior project.  Specify these materials for your master bath, kitchen, foyer, family room or anywhere, and set your home apart from the rest.  www.DanielOgassian.com. Boca Do Lobo: This modern luxury furniture collection took my breath away.  Designed and crafted in Portugal, the limited edition pieces of the “Emotion Collection” can’t help but stir those emotions in you!  The very exclusive furniture collection is crafted from the highest quality materials and speaks to its ingenuity and creativity, thereby producing a true work of art – every time.  Their website alone is spectacular.  www.BocaDoLobo.com. Modernus: This Company manufacturers modern swing, sliding, pivot and pocket interior doors.  These custom doors can be specified in a wide variety of materials – from wood and glass, to lacquer and aluminum at factory direct pricing.  These interior doors will enhance any modern home with grace, sophistication and style. www.Modernus.com. Arrigoni Woods: This is the first engineered wide-plank wood flooring product that provides a truly unique and custom quality European finish.  Choose from wire-brushing, aging, hand-scraping and custom oiled surfaces to take your oak, ash, walnut, and mahogany wood flooring to an entirely new level.  www.ArrigoniWood.com. I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

The 10 Best Ways To Design A Solid Floor Plan

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design, Development
Planning and designing is the most creative part of any home renovation, remodel or addition project, as it allows you to express yourself truly and honestly. If you’ve hired a design professional it then becomes their job to make sense of all your wants and needs – and to program and develop a detailed client profile in order to begin the planning and design phase of your project. Keep in mind that spatial relationships are extremely important when planning a successful layout. As you see your floor plan evolve, you want to aim for consistency, uniformity, and proportion from one space to another. For example: Don’t triple the size of your kitchen and expect that by leaving the adjacent family room the same quaint size, it will work in seamlessly with the new.  That old space will undoubtedly be incongruent with the scale and proportion of the new space. If you face design dilemmas with confidence and implement strong planning and design strategies, you’ll achieve the greatest results. Always remember to balance good design with practicality and follow solid theories and principles to get you through. Here are 10 valuable tips to consider when developing a good solid floor plan:
  1. Consider how your home is situated on its lot, particularly the orientation and view – and maximize the assets.
  2. Plan traffic flow to increase convenience from room to room.
  3. Notice the current circulation patterns in your home. You should be able to move about from space to space without obstacles blocking you.
  4. Older homes tend to be more compartmentalized where one room is isolated from the next—open that up in the renovation.
  5. Look for visual connection from space to space.
  6. Make sure the foyer is centrally situated and is easily accessible from all areas of the house.
  7. A closet near the entry is a great convenience.
  8. The path from the garage and/or laundry room to the kitchen should be short and direct, especially for unloading groceries.
  9. Having relationships between spaces creates a more inviting and workable environment.
  10. Keep traffic and circulation off to one side of the room and not through the space.
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

A New Design And Decorating Magazine For Inspiration

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design
Are you on a quest to come up with a design concept or idea for your home renovation or decorating project that inspires you in some way?   One that suits you and the way your family really lives?  Well, yesterday I came across and article in The New York Times that I found incredibly fascinating.  In a time when print magazines are folding left and right and design savvy homeowners are seeking affordable interior design and decorating inspirations – there is now a brilliant online magazine – Lonny.  www.Lonnymag.com. Founded by Michelle Adams a former market assistant at Domino and Patrick Cline a photographer, Lonny Magazine focuses on sourcing the most stylish yet cost effective design ideas and accessible products for its design savvy readers, with direct links to many of their favorite resources and products. This online magazine format replaces the print magazines that have folded over the past year – from Country Home, Metropolitan Home, House and Garden and Domino to name a few So grab your laptop or ipad and settle in with your morning coffee – and flip through, click on and zoom in on the pages of this magazine.  You’ll find accessible design ideas and affordable resources for all your home renovation and decorating projects – all at the tip of your fingers. I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Which Improvements Add The Most Value To Your Home When Renovating?

Posted on Categories Renovations
I wanted to let you know about an upcoming FREE event with my friend Alice T. Chan, a professional home stager and home selling strategist who specializes in helping her clients get their properties sold using innovative and creative marketing strategies. Starting on Monday, June 28, Alice will be hosting an amazing Telesummit – a series of calls – with a guest list that reads like the “Who’s Who” of creative real estate marketing today.  And I’m so honored to be among this distinguished panel of experts. Here’s the great news: you can participate in all of the LIVE events absolutely FREE.  There is absolutely no obligation to get in on this awesome information and start making the home selling breakthroughs you crave. The information she and her panel of experts offer is designed to move toward achieving results. On Tuesday June 29th, I’ll be sharing:
  • Which improvements add the most value to your home when renovating.
  • Which are the best home renovations to tackle this year in light of the current market trends.
  • Which major home renovation projects offer the best ROI.
  • 3 Design strategies that will set your home apart from the rest.
  • Which  “Must Have” trends will make buyers fall in love at first sight.
  • And SO MUCH MORE!
So please join us in this incredible event. Each day, Alice will host a different set of guest speakers, to provide you with critical information about how to get your houses SOLD now or in the future. You won’t want to miss out on this valuable resource! Click here to get more information: http://ow.ly/1Vs6l I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Top 5 Decorating Mistakes – And How To Avoid Them

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design
Whether you’re ready to re-design your entire home or just intend to redecorate a single room, make sure you have a master plan.  Here are the top 5 decorating mistakes and how you can correct them. 1.  Poor Furniture Placement.  A bad furniture layout can set the tone for the room and is still one of the most common mistakes that many people make.
  • Mistake: Don’t line up all your furniture and seating against the walls of a room, it’s almost impossible to carry on a decent conversation.  And no matter what you think it does not give the illusion of more space.
  • Solution: Try moving the large sofa off the wall and position it in the center of the room facing the focal point whether it is the fireplace or entertainment unit.   Re-orient all the other furniture pieces to work off that sofa, creating a more intimate living space where great conversations can happen.
2.  Oversized Furniture. I can tell you that, contrary to popular belief, size does matter.
  • Mistake:   Oversized furniture can be overpowering and chunky, eating up the space within the room by making it feel cluttered and smaller than it really is – particularly when those pieces are disproportionate to the space.
  • Solution: Large-scaled furniture works best when fewer pieces are used.  In construction, there’s a saying: measure twice, cut once.  The same should apply to decorating.  Measure (your space) twice and purchase (the right pieces) once..
3.  Unbalanced Room. This is where furniture placement and size come together to create balance.  It’s very important to be aware of the height, width and depth of all your major pieces.
  • Mistake: If your bulky sofa, heavy wood cocktail table and your inherited bombe chest are gathered to one side of the room with a pair of club chairs, all of those “bottom heavy” pieces create an imbalance in the space, both physically and visually.
  • Solution: Make sure your overall layout and conversation area is balanced. Then introduce some lighter pieces into the mix.  By all means use your sofa, but introduce glass, iron or metal combinations for cocktail tables and end tables.. If you have a very tall unit or hutch in your space, balance it out with a beautiful tall tree or an art arrangement.
4.  Poor Traffic Patterns: The ability to walk through each room in your house without navigating through a maze of furniture can be a challenge for some.
  • Mistake:  You don’t want to walk into your family room and immediately be faced with an aisle just wide enough to squeeze through, then knock into the corner of that lethal weapon called an end table…. bruising your thigh again, in the exact same spot as you did yesterday!  Always keep the doorways at the top of your list when thinking about traffic patterns in every room of your home.
  • Solution: If you have two openings into and out of your space, then move the traffic behind the seating, not through it.  If you have a sofa floating within your space and away from the wall make sure there is at least 30” to 36” of clear floor space to walk around between the wall and other furniture pieces. The ultimate solution is to arrange your furniture so that you direct traffic through the space.
5.  Identifying A Focal Point. Every space needs to have a focus or anchor for other design elements revolve around. This highlight is the glue that holds the room together, and creates a sense of interest.
  • Mistake: Some people never really figure out what the focal point to their room is, while others try to highlight too many.  Not taking advantage of natural focal points, such as fireplaces, expansive windows with a killer view, or charming French doors onto the patio can dull the senses and be very uninviting.
  • Solution: A good rule of thumb to follow is to look for the most dramatic element in the space.  In the family room or great room, the focal point is either the fireplace, windows to the view or the entertainment unit.  Make sure that your conversation area somehow faces the area or at least part of it.. If you lack a focal point – create one!
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

5 Master Bedroom Essentials To Create Your Ultimate Retreat

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design
Your master bedroom is the most private room in your home and creating that intimate retreat requires you to identify the essentials.  The master bedroom is your refuge and should be limited to the number of activities that take place here.  It’s a space dedicated to peace and romance – a refuge where we need to relax, restore and rejuvenate our body, mind and soul from the daily stresses of everyday life. Yet it seems that more and more of us are bringing our work and laptops into our bedrooms to catch up on those unanswered emails of the day or finish that report that’s due tomorrow.  So if you truly want to create that luxurious environment of rest, relaxation and de-compression then leave those piles of files, and computes out of the bedroom! Here are 5 bedroom essentials to help you create your utopia with comfort style and function. 1.  The Bed.
  • If space allows buy a high quality king-sized bed.  It provides plenty of space for intimacy and a restful night of sleep.
  • Create a focal point within the space and incorporate a custom upholstered or wooden headboard to add elegance and sophistication to your room.
  • Invest in luxurious bed linens.  There’s nothing better than sinking into your sumptuous bed – dressed in finest Belgian linens or Egyptian cottons (from 300-1000 thread count) and cozying into your delectable duvet and perfectly plump pillows. AHHH!
2.    Seating.
  • The master bedroom doubling as a luxurious hotel suite is becoming increasingly popular these days.
  • A comfortable seating area could include anything from a designated sitting room complete with a fireplace, sofas, chairs and tables – a charming window seat or a cozy nook simply adorned with a classic chair, ottoman and side table.
  • Delineate a space for watching television or reading.
3.  Storage.
  • Maintain a calm and serene bedroom by eliminating clutter of any kind.
  • If at all possible conceal your plasma television behind a remote controlled motorized piece of art – it slides horizontally or vertically over the television itself when not in use.
  • Nightstands should provide you with ample surface area for fresh flowers, magazines and the book you’re currently reading.  Use side tables with drawers to organize and store any loose paperwork – keeping clutter out of site.
  • If you have built-in bookshelves in your bedroom keep the books uniformed and consider including doors on the lower portion of the unit keeping the visual clutter free.
  • If access to your closet is within the bedroom room itself, invest in a professional closet company to maximize and organize your storage.
4.  Lighting.
  • Create a warm and relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom by overlapping several sources of light.
  • For overall ambient lighting include some recessed halogen fixtures overhead, suspended reading lamps over each bedside table (to free up surface area), or table lamps and wall sconces for a reading light.
  • Install individual light switches on each person’s bedside.
  • Ensure that all lighting sources are on dimmers, which will provide you with a romantic ambiance – and the greatest flexibility.
  • Don’t forget candlelight!
5.  Color.
  • Sets the tone of your bedroom space.
  • To achieve that calm and peaceful environment avoid using highly stimulating or overpowering colors.
  • Colors like violets and lavenders bring a sense of calm to a space.  Blues, whites, greys creams and taupes can also contribute to the overall serenity of the bedroom, and work beautifully with rich wood furniture.
Remember, the right combination of all these bedroom essentials contribute to the overall success of your space. I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

What You Can Do – With Bamboo!

Posted on Categories Architectural Interior Design, Renovations
Bamboo is a tremendously versatile, highly sustainable and renewable resource – and the perfect alternative to hardwoods.  It can be harvested every 3 to 5 years compared to 10 to 25 years for most other soft and hard woods – and never needs replanting as it continues to grow from the same root system.   It’s innate characteristics and strength rivals maple and oak and due to its water resistant properties won’t shrink or swell like most hardwoods. This unique species of grass can be implemented into any home renovation project from cabinetry to flooring and everything in between Here are some perfect bamboo applications for your next home remodeling project.
  • Exterior Decking and Deck Tile
  • Interior Flooring
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Outdoor Fencing and Garden Edging
  • Gazebos
  • Interior/Exterior Doors
  • Cabinetry
  • Shelving
  • Furniture
  • Wall paneling
  • Wallpapers and wall tiles
  • Bedroom headboards
  • Butcher Block
  • Kitchenware
  • Home accessories
  • Window coverings
  • Screens/Room dividers
  • Light fixtures
I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Design Style #5 – Eclectic Style

Posted on Categories Remodeling
If Country Casual, Traditional Elegance, Contemporary Cool or Transitional Chic doesn’t float your boat – then maybe this interior design style does.  Whether you’re a world traveler or a weekend flea market junkie, this multi-cultural style allows for great versatility at the same time speaking loud and clear depicting your personality. Does this describe your personality?
  • Your risk taking personality speaks loud and clear in your spirited design style.
  • You just love mixing furniture and details from multiple sources, creating globally inspired spaces.   However the main color palette is quite subtle and neutral.
  • A classic neutral background setting highlights all your ethnic objects.
  • Your inspiration is gathered from different design periods, but your planning is deliberate, as shared themes tend to tie all the elements together.
  • There’s a method to your madness as these elements somehow relate to each other either in pattern, texture, shape or color.
  • You may have collected some of your most precious pieces and accessories while on exotic vacations from around the world, or just visiting your local flea markets and antique shops.
  • Your favorite colors white, cream, brown, taupe and black are quite neutral and act as an ideal backdrop to showcase some of your favorite rough fabrics and bold textiles and worn surfaces.
  • Your home reflects your artsy and spirited design style at every turn and is a true reflection of your playful and trendy personality.
  • Seating and furniture can range from a contemporary leather sofa to a fabulous wooden framed lounge chair upholstered in a rich brown, black or red.
So get a solid handle on your unique interior design style before you begin you home renovation or decorating project so your home reflects you and your family’s personality. I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation” Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.