Five Ways To Increase The Value Of A Victorian House By Mackenzie Fox

Posted on by
Reply

victorian houseIn today’s world, most homeowners cycle through a number of different properties throughout their lifetimes. That’s because a person’s needs can vary greatly according to age, income bracket and the total number of people in their household. It therefore becomes paramount for any homeowner to be able to maximize the value of their property at any given time. When it comes to period homes such those dating back to the Victorian era, the benefits of owning such charming abodes are offset by certain time-specific quirks and particularities that can really drive down a house’s selling price if left unresolved. To that end, here’s a list of suggestions that should help you increase the value of your Victorian home as well as improve your living conditions on the whole:

Restore the house’s original Victorian features instead of replacing them

A common mistake that many people make when purchasing period homes is assuming that an older house needs to compete with all the amenities offered by a new one. While older properties do indeed stand to benefit from being technologically up-to-date, this should never come at the expense of their own particular charms. Things like cast-iron fireplaces, sash windows and old-fashioned radiators are a plus in this situation, so take steps to restore or replace them with similar models instead of simply substituting them with contemporary items that are destined to look out of place in this environment.

Convert your loft into a livable space

Converting a formerly unused loft is one of the best ways to significantly increase the value of your period home. It adds an entirely new space that can be utilized by prospective homebuyers, which definitely makes it worth investing in. If your space up there is too cramped to add another bedroom, try converting it into a workout or hobby room instead.

Eliminate outdated plumbing and electrical systems

No matter how sturdy and well-built they are, most period homes will invariably show their age when it comes to plumbing and electrics. From old wiring to lead pipes and a general lack of electrical outlets, there are a number of problems in older homes that can drastically affect their overall livability. Eliminate them for good by hiring quality contractors who can handle the delicate rewiring and pipe replacement procedures that will have to be tackled. This step can be quite costly and time-consuming, but it’s an absolute must if you want to bring your Victorian house into the 21st century.

Spruce up the property’s exterior

First impressions are crucial when it comes to determining the value of pretty much any property, which is why it pays to make some timely investments in your house’s exterior. Some of them, such as repainting your windowsills or tending to the garden, will be cosmetic in nature, but others will have a direct impact on the house’s utility bill. To give just one example, properly insulating your walls and roof can prevent heat from leaking out during the winter, and thus save you a considerable amount of money in the process. As always, be sure to respect the house’s Victorian heritage. For instance, replacing traditional sash windows with modern UPVC windows will only serve to muck up your property’s image and therefore reduce its overall value.

Invest in appropriate furnishings

Finally, no period home would be complete without some truly appropriate pieces of furniture. Luckily, good quality period furniture can be found at relatively low prices if you know where to look and generally tends to enjoy a longer lifespan than most modern furnishings. This doesn’t meant that you have to stick exclusively to one style of furniture, but you’d do well to only look for pieces that fit well together and refrain from modern minimalist items that would stick out like a sore thumb.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to transform a Victorian house into the home of your dreams. By simply applying all of the aforementioned tips and tricks, you’ll be restoring your property to its former glory and helping maximize its market value at the same time. Thus, anyone who ends up staying in it will get to enjoy all the benefits of living in a unique environment with none of the drawbacks usually associated with such places.

~Written by Mackenzie Fox – All Rights Reserved

Tips For Embellishing An Open Floor Design By Diana Smith

Posted on by
1

Anyone who wishes to incorporate a contemporary touch into their home design can do so by simply embracing the commodity of an open floor plan. Of course, a layout such as this one also gives you the opportunity to try out your artistic endeavors and experiment with various decoration techniques. These few tips can give you just the amount of inspiration to get you started.

Play With Lighting

aaaaa

One of the best aspects of having an open floor plan is learning how to implement and play with different kinds of lighting. A design such as this one requires a fair amount of illumination and like that can tolerate a different combination of lighting features. Other than the fact that an open floor plan makes a perfect setting for ceiling to floor windows and skylights, it goes quite well with dramatic and recessed lighting fixtures. A dramatic chandelier can greatly illuminate a space, but also give it a stylish touch, while smaller pendant fixtures can easily draw attention to individual spaces.

Roomception

The idea of creating a room inside of a room might seem a bit uncanny, but it’s actually quite doable and very much desirable in a layout such as this one. An open floor plan gives you the opportunity to combine certain spaces and rooms and create multipurpose areas. This can be achieved quite easily by visually separating the spaces and giving them a subtle transition zone. This way you can easily blend together a family room, dining room and the kitchen while preserving your original sense of style. Another way to achieve this concept is to add levels, i.e. create a split level room.

Incorporate Color

wonderful-living-room-design-with-exciting-glass-ceiling-skylight-and-contemporary-leather-chairs-and-exciting-open-floor-plan-floating-staircase-ideas

The use of color has always played a major role in interior design as it has the ability to transform the complete space, create an illusion of a much broader or smaller space, but also put accent on certain places and connect or divide a room. This is why it’s crucial to learn how to smartly incorporate color into your open floor design. One of the options is to apply a neutral foundation and permeate the whole space with touches of bright and vivid hues. Another option is to use different shades of the same color in separate spaces. This will create a subtle and soothing transition between the rooms, without adding a distasteful and splashy vibe to the space.

Choose a Theme

While a theme surely isn’t a necessary component, it can greatly aid you in the choice of your decorative pieces and other accessories. Placing too much different decorations can create a rather unappetizing setting and make it appear quite confusing. This is why the best solution is to rely on details within the same style or at least the same color, texture or pattern. This way you can easily interconnect the rooms and place items such as vases, sculptures or paintings in similar shapes or sizes. Area rugs are one of the best decorative pieces, as they have the ability to connect or even desalinate the space.

Separate By Zones

While a spacious area with lots of room and lighting seems like a great idea, sometimes these broad spaces can take away the personality and intimacy out of the space. This is why people rely on some subtle but yet effective solutions for separating the rooms into different zones. Some of the most popular options are using transparent divisions such as sliding glass doors or stylish bi fold doors. Another option is to use folding screens, drapes or even creating green walls.

In the last couple of years, an open floor plan has become an essential part of a modern household. Not only does this layout give the household a broader sensation, but it also provides a great space for entertainment as well. With just a few simple hacks and a clever use of imagination, an open floor plan can easily become your fairy-tale palace.

Halloween Vampire Teeth Napkin Holder

Posted on by
1

enhanced-buzz-12754-1381586918-0-600x450What a cute and simple (and cheap) way to have your napkins held for your dinner guests around Halloween time. These can be fount for five or ten for $1,00and would make nice little take homes – especially for the kids.

Halloween Snake Wreath

Posted on by
1

14224757_645712715592488_4183502761587123673_nUse any size grape vine wreath and add dollar store rubber snakes and hot glue on to wreath. You will need a minimum of five snakes and more looks even creepier. The spray paint. Here the wreath was painted a dirt grey. Black, purple, or a mixture of lightly sprayed orange and purple to top of a heavily painted black would look awesome as well.

Halloween Tree

Posted on by
1

14199585_644979718999121_5216944407251018125_nWhat an awesome design for Halloween. Use black Christmas tree and add orange and purple twinkle lights, floral design stems covered in glitter and a witches hat to top it off.