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As 2015 comes to end, now is the perfect time to make New Year’s resolutions for your home. And thanks to your friends at Alure Home Improvements, we’ll be sure to help you make those resolutions come true!
Whether it’s a big project like raising the roof, or a small touch-up job such as adding a new coat of paint, we’ve got it covered. Let us suggest some projects to start you thinking in the right direction.
Here’s a suggestion that won’t cost you anything more than your time. Take a good, hard look at everything around you because with the dawn of a new day comes the opportunity to throw what you don’t need away—and to do it without guilt. Begin the New Year with a bang. Don’t cling to the past! Get rid of that clutter and you’ll feel better. You’ll see. From the attic to the closet to the basement to the garage, we’ll help you decide what you can truly live without.
For starters, try taking some daring décor risks with your interior decorating. You’ll want to add some color, some charm, something to liven up the space.
Step one is to approach your living room and remove everything that’s not nailed down. Put these items on your kitchen table where you can sort through it later. Get rid of all the accessories. Move the furniture so you can dust underneath them. You’ll appreciate that fresh scent.
Now you have the chance to reconfigure the space when you replace them. Swap your table lamps, move your bookcases to another wall, if you can. Change the curtains. Rearrange the sofas and couches. Put the TV somewhere else. If you have the energy, repaint the walls and the ceiling, especially if it’s cracked and the paint is peeling. At least, add a plant—the green will do you good.
Before you’re done, look at all that stuff you piled on the kitchen table with a very critical eye. If you don’t know where it came from, toss it in the trash. If it’s dusty or broken, what are you waiting for? Get rid of that stuff. If you need moral support, you’re not alone. There’s a reason that one of the hottest self-help books on the bestseller lists this year is Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Having a well-organized home can improve your mood as well as your physical and mental health.
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To think big, we suggest you consider replacing your front door—or your back door—because this well-used portal wears out fast. If it’s old and cracked, it’s an energy-waster, too, besides making a terrible first impression for your visitors. Maybe this is the year to upgrade your kitchen—we’re experts at Alure Home Improvements, with advice to fit every budget—and satisfaction guaranteed.
If your family has grown, why not turn your attic into a bedroom? The remodeling construction costs aren’t prohibitive, because you’re just gaining space under the same roof. Looking outdoors. What about getting a deck or a patio in 2016? This way you can expand your home’s living space more economically than by adding a new addition. But if you want to go that ambitious route, we’re there to help.
If you want to increase your home’s curb appeal, replace that old garage door. For that matter, why stop there? Consider new siding, whether vinyl or fiber-cement, because it’s low-cost, durable, simple to install, and easy to maintain. There are a host of options just waiting for you to choose from.
For the hottest ideas, here’s what’s trending in 2016, according to top designer Robin Wilson, author of Clean Design: Wellness for Your Lifestyle. Quartz stone countertops are increasingly popular because they’re durable, antibacterial and easily maintainable. Setting up an entry foyer bench lets people remove their shoes and outwear when they just come into your house, which confines dirt and toxins.
Replacing your kitchen sink with an undermount model can reduce the amount of bacteria that’s usually trapped around the lip of your sink. Since the kitchen is recognized as the “heart of the home,” think about opening up that space so family and friends can easily come together for good times and happy meals. And if the kitchen table has become someone’s de-facto office, it’s time to create a better home office space.
Speaking of space, the trouble with buying bulk items from big box stores like BJ’s and Costco is: Where do you put that stuff when you come home? Maybe it’s time to add a pantry off your kitchen where you might also put another refrigerator or freezer for more food storage. If you’re high-tech at work, maybe you want to bring your home into the space age with remote controls that let you manage security, temperature, lights, mechanical window shades and other features from your smart phones when you’re away.
High-end construction folks are installing curbless showers to improve accessibility for those who might be in a wheelchair so they can maneuver themselves right into the stall and use a handheld fixture to take a shower. And, last but not least, these days, many people are exploring all the shades of white—they’re at least 96 tints—to do something subtle for a change when a bright color is too bold to feel right.
Whatever you resolve to do, remember, we’re here to help at Alure Home Improvements. May your house be a dream come true in 2016!
