I live off-campus in an apartment that my parents own (I know, I know, I’m spoiled). They bought it with the idea that they could keep it as an investment and then sell it sometime down the road, after I’ve moved out. So the plan is to make improvements to this apartment while I’m living there, ideally increasing the place’s value down the line. But since I’m the one who has to deal with construction and the first person to use any improvements we make, my parents wanted my input on where to start upgrading.
To be honest, I’m kind of stumped! I would love a space that works better for me and makes my college life easier, but I don’t really know anything about renovating, remodeling, or redecorating, so I don’t know how to create a better space. Any ideas?
One simple way to identify the most important areas in your home is to keep track of where you spend your time and where you perform basic functions–doing chores, cooking, and so on. For most of us, our daily rhythms will point out the importance of a few rooms: the bedroom, the bathroom, and the kitchen. The latter two are massively popular choices for remodeling, with 81 and 79% (respectively) of remodeling contractors calling them “common” targets. These are rooms we visit a lot, that we use for chores and essential functions, and that feature appliances and plumbing fixtures that could, perhaps, be made more modern and more energy-efficient.
The experts at luxury kitchen appliance brand Dacor told us that appliance improvements are popular among remodelers for both immediate and long-term reasons. A functional kitchen is a beautiful thing, but a modern and energy-efficient appliance is also a boon to your property’s resale value, which seems to be a big concern here. Kitchen trends move quickly, and old appliances stick out, so a kitchen remodeling project can do a lot to update a property for resale. Similar logic applies to the fixtures in your bathroom.
These spaces play host to your important daily routine. We know that our daily rhythms–including our sleep cycle, our eating habits, and other key things–have a huge impact on our overall health. So it’s easy to argue that these sorts of projects are actually good for more than your home: they’re good for you!
There are other high-impact areas in your home, of course–including your bedroom, which is the last space you see every night and the first one you see every morning. One thing to consider is which rooms are best served by major remodeling and which ones are better improved by the purchase of less permanent goods. For instance, the comfort experts at Plumeria Bay told us that the addition of new pillows or down comforters can improve your bedroom without requiring any major construction. If you were to invest in that space, would a mattress or better bedframe do more than new flooring or a fresh coat of paint? If so, perhaps the kitchen or the bathroom is a better focus for your remodeling projects.
Ultimately, though, you need to cater your solutions to your particular needs. That means sitting down and mapping out the ways in which you use your apartment. How often do you cook there? Host parties? Study? Understanding how you use your space and how it works with your daily rhythms will help you pair it to the right improvement projects, whether they’re the ones discussed here or different ideas entirely.
“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.”
— Jane Austen
