Multiroom Additions: 3 Tips to Cover All Bases from Start to Finish

Having one or two additions built into your home can add an extra touch of comfort. On the other hand, having three or more additions constructed at the same time can instantly change the dynamic and livability of your home--it may feel as if you’ve moved into a different home altogether!

Of course, planning multiple additions can be a little overwhelming for first timers. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help you in properly planning the project:

Balance the New and the Existing

Don’t forget that you’re “adding” to your home, not building a new one. The size, shape, and location of your additions should never overwhelm or “eat up” the existing sections of your home. You’ll want to try to achieve both a visual and functional balance and this is where working with experienced contractors, like our team here at Valley Home Improvement Inc., really pays off.


Professional contractors can take into account the size of your original home so that it works well with your new sunroom, laundry room, and connected garage. Similarly, they can easily make an addition look and feel as if it’s always been there rather than something hastily put together after your home was constructed.

Three Recommendations to Try for Lighting Your Sunroom in the Evening

Every sunroom has its own set of design challenges, and one of the most tricky aspects is how to light it at night. So tricky is this aspect that many homeowners tend to enjoy their sunrooms often during the day and seldom at night. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with that, Iit might be nice to consider the possibility of spending more time in the sun room perhaps straight into the evening.

Sunrooms let in natural light during the day, but it will need sufficient lighting fixtures to light up the room especially after the sun comes down. Here are some nifty ways to illuminate your sunroom in the evening.

Kitchen Remodeling Questions: Should You Splurge on a Walk-In Pantry?

A pantry is important in every kitchen because it offers the ideal place to store food supplies, kitchen appliances, and other cookware. It’s an essential feature in the kitchen that many homeowners want to have but can’t always build because of space and design limitations. Homeowners who choose to have them built find themselves asking how they could have gone so long without it.

Deciding on remodeling to have a walk-in pantry

If your home already has a pantry but is too small to be an efficient storage space, then you can simply renovate the space and put in a walk-in pantry. With a large pantry, you’ll have an easier experience storing food items as well as kitchen appliances and cookware that you may not want to keep in the kitchen cabinets or shelves.

More Innovative Alternatives for Your Bathroom Remodeling Project

Bathroom remodeling takes more than making a space look appealing—it's also about creating a functional place that makes life convenient for the people who use it. As you age, you may start to have a number of issues with mobility and functioning. If you plan to live in your home for a long time, then your bathroom remodel should suit your needs both now and in the future.

Achieving ergonomics

The first step to a bathroom remodel is to evaluate the existing space. What would you like to see improved? Do you simply want to update a feature here and there, or are you looking at a major overhaul? Regardless of the project's degree of complexity, you might want to look into making the area as ergonomic as possible, meaning storage should not be too high, tissue holders should be within comfortable reach, and faucets must be easy to turn on and off, among others.

Why an In-Law Suite Makes Sense for Your Next Home Addition Project

As the name suggests, an in-law suite provides you with the space you need to accommodate your in-laws when they come to visit. In-law suite home additions have recently grown in popularity because of the multiple benefits they offer, including improved functionality, maximized space, and better home value.

An in-law suite commonly features a bedroom, a bathroom, and a small kitchen. Design can vary greatly, depending on your needs and preferences. You can choose to have your suite as part of the house or separate from it. You can even create your in-law suite from a basement, garage, or attic that you’re not using.

Which of These Three Popular Roof Choices for Sunrooms Is for You?

Do you love spending time outdoors to enjoy the view of your garden, but can’t stand the heat and the bugs? To fully enjoy the outdoors while indoors, you can turn your garden into a cozy sunroom with the help of an experienced contractor.

If you think a sunroom addition is a good idea, one of your first considerations to make the design work is to choose the right roof for it. Among the popular roofs used in sunrooms include gable, single slope, and glass roof panels. Find out more about these three types of roofs so you can choose which one is perfect for your home addition project. 

Tips from a Kitchen Remodeler: Mixing and Matching Kitchen Materials

Combining different kitchen materials isn’t a new design idea, but it’s a very effective way to break the monotony in the space. With an interesting and effective selection, you can have complementary materials that create an attractive focal point for your kitchen. The key to mixing and matching materials is to use tones that relate while using strong contrast to make the mismatch look intentional and beautiful.

Bathroom Remodeler Gives Tips to Improve Your Bath Without Renovating

Space constraints can certainly prevent you from improving the appearance of a room in your home, but a renovation isn’t the only way to do so. Take your bathroom, for instance. Even if you can’t change the layout, you can still make the space more beautiful in so many ways. Here are four creative ways to improve the look of your bathroom without tearing down the walls.

Home Additions vs. Making the Move: Which is Right for Your Situation?

A lot of changes have happened since you moved in to your house—you now have growing children, you’ve acquired more furniture and appliances, and your lifestyle has evolved drastically for your family. You now realize that your home is smaller and no longer suits your current needs.

Instead of selling your house and moving into another one, you may want to consider a home addition. Here’s how you can tell if this type of home renovation project makes more sense for your situation than moving.

Tips for Home Additions: Three Popular Design Options for Sunrooms

A sunroom is one of the best ways to enjoy the sun all year-round and a good way to bring generous amounts of bright natural light into your home. Likewise, they can also be an effective way to expand your living space while creating a beautiful transition between your property’s exterior and interior elements. Of course, design is a major consideration when building your sunroom, because what you want is something that integrates seamlessly with your existing home design.

Striking a Balance Between Form and Function with a Kitchen Remodeler

When it comes to kitchen remodeling, two main factors must be considered. One is the kitchen’s form, and the other is its function. Concentrating on one factor alone can lead to a confusing-looking space, therefore the right balance between the two needs to be struck so one can bring about the uniqueness of the other.

A good example of a kitchen that achieves the ultimate in form and function is the test kitchen at Williams-Sonoma’s California headquarters, which is the home of various hosting demos, product tests, and cookbook brainstorms. Williams-Sonoma culinary director Amanda Haas and EVP of real estate and development Bud Cope explain their effective approach.

Bathroom Remodeler on Why Geometric Shapes Are Perfect for Bathrooms

Bathrooms that employ geometric shapes and patterns exude a certain simplistic elegance. Complement the geometry with clean lines, minimal colors, and traditional furniture, and you can instantly transform your bathroom into a sanctuary for comfort and cleanliness.

Geometric shapes and patterns work well for bathrooms because of certain elements intrinsic to the bathroom design, such as tiles, faucets, sinks, mirrors, and other features. Due to their different shapes, each feature can be mixed and matched to achieve the geometrical look you’re going for, from sophisticated and imposing to bright and cheery, and everything in between.

Bedrooms & Hobby Rooms: Possible Additions to Split-Level Family Homes

A “split-level” refers to a house layout popular from the 1950s to 1970s. It allows for many staggered levels inside a house, so that a residence that looks as if it has only two stories actually has more than that. Split-levels were typical for suburban homes and fit for the mid-20th century family.

These days, split-level designs may appear outdated, and some may have been even outgrown by modern family sizes and needs. As such, additions to split-levels are sometimes necessary.

Extra sleeping space

Building a street-level extension can open up an extra bedroom or two for a growing family. The new bedroom might be a good fit for a teenager who needs more personal space away from younger siblings. It can also be created as guest quarters. 

Given the layout of split-levels, any extensions might need to come with connecting stairs, so the additional sleeping areas are best reserved for grown-up family members rather than young children.

A party and entertainment level

Due to their layout, split-levels can keep living spaces neatly delineated. For example, a study can be situated on another floor and clearly separated from the kitchen or dining room, keeping quiet workspaces a bit more insulated from busier areas.

Additions can follow the same principle, which is why media, recreation, and party rooms are a great idea for split-level extensions. Homeowners just need to be careful in planning how to get platters of food up or down, to and from the kitchen.

Soundproofed hobby room

If isolated rooms are the great gift of split-level housing, then a hobby room is an equally great idea for an addition. The hobby room can be set apart from the rest of the house and be soundproofed. It can be an even better place to use as a gaming area, with clattering billiard balls or noisy video consoles, or as a music room where instruments can be played to the heart’s content.


Sources:

Popular Split-Level Home Additions. Simply Additions.

Split-Level Homes: Outdated or Underrated? Realtor Mag, September 2008.

Controlling the Temperature in Sunrooms Without Heating or AC Systems

Temperature control can be a bit tricky when it comes to sunrooms because of the amount of glass used to build the structure. Many choose to install a new air conditioning and heating system so that the sunroom is comfortably warm in winter and refreshingly cool in summer. Instead of installing a new heating and AC system, there are other ways to ensure that your sunroom always has the ideal temperature in both colder and warmer months.

Use Low U-Value Windows

To minimize heat gain and heat loss in your sunroom, your remodeler can use low U-value windows. U-value measures how a window system conducts heat. A window system's U-value is determined by its assembly, including the effect of the glass, seals, frame, and any spacers. Using a system with a lower U-value means you have windows with greater resistance to heat flow and better insulation.

Use Window Treatments or Privacy Shades

Placing window treatments and shades on windows and on floor-to-ceiling walls made of glass serve several purposes, such as preventing too much heat and light from coming in, enhancing the decor, and providing much-needed privacy. Window treatments are the ideal elements to control how bright or dark your sunroom is during daytime. Depending on your preferences and your sunroom design, you can choose among options like sheer shades, solar or sunscreen shades, vertical and cellular blinds, and curtains.

Install Electrical Heating or Use Space Heaters

When you don't want to add another furnace in the sunroom but still want it to be perfectly toasty during winter, you can use space heaters or install electrical heating. A space heater is a portable device that heats up its immediate surroundings. You can just store the heater away during summer. Electric radiant heating, on the other hand, can be installed in the floor, high on the wall, or in the ceiling as radiant panels. Electric mats that are installed below the surface or electric cables in the floor can keep a room warm for hours.

Use Ceiling Fans for Proper Ventilation

During summer, you can use ceiling fans and box fans to make sure that the sunroom has proper ventilation. You can also open doors to the adjoining room that has air conditioning to create cross-ventilation. Using a portable air conditioning unit is also a good way to avoid having a stuffy sunroom.

Source:
How to Heat and Cool a Sunroom, modernmom.com

Adding Living Room Comforts in the Kitchen with a Kitchen Remodeler

The kitchen can be a versatile space. Because you and your family spend a lot of time in the kitchen, making the area as comfortable as possible is a worthy investment. Cozy seating and a collection of personal photographs on display can make your kitchen a very pleasant and relaxing area, much like your living room.

To create this kind of space, your kitchen remodeler can take inspiration from your living room design. Taking elements from your living room and incorporating them in your kitchen will also make the transition from one space to the other seamless.

Comfy Sofas and Built-in Seating

Making space for a comfortable sofa in your kitchen is a good idea especially when you're used to hosting dinner parties that often end up in the kitchen anyway. Instead of placing a bulky sofa in your kitchen, you can have built-in banquettes or island seating instead. Meals are going to be more intimate with a banquette, and it can even double as your desk when you need to work while you prepare a meal.

Island seating, on the other hand, are very portable. You can tuck them underneath the kitchen island and simply pull them out when you have company.

Rugs and Other Fabrics

Placing a vintage rug on the kitchen floor or using kitchen-friendly fabrics can add visual interest in a space that's usually occupied by appliances and hard surfaces. A rug that's worn with time can also give the room a feeling of warmth, much like how it does when placed in the living room.

Personal Mementos and Beautiful Accessories

To make the kitchen feel as cozy as your living room, having built-in cabinets that also contain personal mementos like old photographs, some trinkets from your travels, and your favorite books is a refreshing idea. 

Source:
This kitchen trend — homey comfort — takes its cue from the living room, Los Angeles Times

A Bathroom Remodeler Shares Some Interesting Trends and Revelations

If you’re thinking of renovating your bathroom for a much-needed upgrade, the latest U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study reveals that thousands of homeowners share your sentiments. Homeowners want stylish spaces with luxurious features, which can be achieved with a professional bathroom remodeler through any of the following means.

Replacing Major Bathroom Features

The same Houzz study reveals that more than four in five homeowners replace major features in their bathroom, such as the floors, countertops, and sinks. The showers are usually upgraded, too, in favor of replacing tubs or tub-shower combos. Most homeowners opt for materials like ceramic or porcelain tiles, marble or travertine tiles, and stone slabs made of granite or slate for a beautiful finish.

Increasing Shower Size

According to the renovators surveyed in the study, 75% of homeowners retained the size of the bathroom, and 68% of those remodeling their shower are increasing its space. Some would even make room for trendy items like large rainfall showerheads and request a 50% increase in the size of their showers. This would make it necessary to adjust or modify the rest of the bathroom features, so the overall look of the space is chic.

Installing High-Tech Accessories

Many homeowners are also keen on improving their bathroom through high-tech features like “smart” or automated showers, mood lighting, and self-cleaning toilets. These accessories help make showers more enjoyable to use, more relaxing, and easier to maintain. They turn the bathroom from a simple, utilitarian private space into a truly posh and luxurious asset of the home.

What’s important to note is that almost all of the homeowners surveyed by Houzz—90% to be exact—fulfilled the remodel with a professional. The master bathroom renovation is considered a major project, so enlisting a skilled remodeler is a must for the project to be smoothly and successfully carried out.

Sources:
How People Upgrade Their Main Bathrooms, and How Much They Spend, Houzz, August 10, 2016
Houzz Bathroom Report Sees Size and Style as Major Remodeling Drivers, Remodeling, August 10, 2016

Multi-room Additions: Three Critical Tips to Ensure Project Success

A multi-room addition can solve a lot of your current home’s drawbacks and shortcomings. With it, you can have the space you want for your home’s other critical functions, with each room providing the necessary utility that your family can enjoy. If you are seriously considering to have a multi-room addition built, here is how to ensure you get what you want out of every square inch of your home improvement project:

Sunrooms and Landscaping: 3 Awesome Tips to Enhance Your Added Space

While well-designed sunrooms provide a home with an immediate showpiece, you can further enhance your sunroom’s aesthetic and functional appeal by giving it a few tasteful landscape touches. By establishing your sunroom’s intended purpose, you’ll be better informed about the style of landscaping that it should have.

3 Quick, Simple Makeover Ideas to Consider with Your Kitchen Remodeler

Who says kitchen remodels always need to be big projects? Sometimes, a quick and simple makeover like the following can already transform your space in a grand way:

Which Flooring Matches Your Style? 3 Ideas from a Bathroom Remodeler

From the surfaces to the sinks and showerheads—the elements of your bathroom design naturally reflect your style. Safety is equally important as aesthetic appeal, so your choice of bathroom flooring material is a primary consideration. In this regard, here are a few clever options you can check out and discuss further with a reliable bathroom remodeler:

Four Common Problems Builders Encounter When Doing Home Additions

Home additions represent a serious undertaking, so you’ll definitely want to work with an experienced and knowledgeable contractor who can help you avoid the common pitfalls and problems that builders encounter when doing home additions. The following are four common problems you and your contractors might face during construction.

Creating Gorgeous and Relaxing Sunrooms with the Right Furnishings

When you want to be able to relax with a view of the outdoors without really having to stay outside your house, the sunroom is the perfect spot for you to hang out. Your sunroom will let you relax while showing you an expansive view of your backyard, allowing you to feel like you’re outdoors while enjoying the controlled comfort of your home. When creating your sunroom, you can add furniture and accessories to make the room cozy, comfortable, and stylish. 

Kitchen Remodelers Choose Glass Countertops as Alternative to Granite

The kitchen is one of the most used spaces in a house, so it's only natural to want your kitchen to be perfect. Your kitchen remodeler can draw up a design that includes all the features you want - from base cabinets and cupboards to beautiful countertops and islands. Whether you're simply updating the kitchen or completely upgrading the space, the products and materials available today can help make your dream of a functional and aesthetically pleasing kitchen a reality. 

Why Your Bathroom Remodeler Should Improve Your Bath's Ventilation

For a bathroom to provide convenience and comfort, it has to be well-designed, with warm yet bright lighting, good-looking countertops, sufficient storage cabinets and shelves, and well-placed fixtures. Another essential factor that makes bathrooms a pleasant space is good ventilation. The telltale signs that a bathroom has improperly installed ventilation include; feeling stuffy or moist all the time or being too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter due to outside air coming inside the bathroom space. A skilled bathroom remodeler can design a system to ensure that none of those conditions occur and that the bath has improved ventilation.

Kitchen Remodelers share Top Tips on Designing a Gourmet Cooking Space

Is it time to remodel your kitchen and finally give it the aesthetic and functional boost that it deserves? First ask yourself: how much do you love cooking? If you’re a certified foodie and you can’t stop thinking about the gourmet kitchens that you see in your favorite cooking shows, you should ask your trusted kitchen remodeler to turn your simple cooking space into something that you can be absolutely proud of—and happy to spend your culinary adventures in. Here are some ways to achieve a gourmet kitchen:

Tips from a Bathroom Remodeler: Learn the Basic Facts about Sinks

The bathroom has several main components that contribute to its total functionality—and sinks are one of them. You may not have given it much thought, but sinks come in a range of styles, sizes, and basin depth. With the broad range of sinks available in today’s marketplace, you’re bound to find the one that matches up with your specific needs and preferences when you know what you’re looking for. Here are some tips and facts that a leading bathroom remodeler shares with his clients regarding sinks:

Ask a Bathroom Remodeler: How to Integrate Technology in the Bath?

Over the years, trends in home design and layout have adapted to the civilized human’s changing lifestyle. If a bathroom in the 80s simply required a functional arrangement and minimal cosmetic accents, today’s toilet and bath are already incorporating technology for a more convenient and entertaining experience. These days, it’s not uncommon for a leading bathroom remodeler to receive requests from clients to add certain gadgets and entertainment appliances in their bathroom.

Bathroom Remodelers Share some Ways on Rethinking Your Bath’s Layout

Before a bathroom remodeling project, homeowners have a clear view of what they want—where the tub or shower stall is going to be, what fixtures they’ll install, and how the floor, walls, and ceiling will look like. Unfortunately, there are times when things don’t go as planned: some components of the bath may be awkwardly placed; the toilet and sink may not go well with the overall theme of the bathroom; and there may not be enough space to freely move around due to a poor layout.

Expert Kitchen Remodeler Tips for a Successful Renovation

A kitchen renovation is an exciting project to undertake for any homeowner. It can also be a costly one. With the large financial investment that you’ll likely be pouring in to renovating your kitchen, it’s important for you to get your money’s worth. Look for a design that optimizes space efficiency and functionality. Of course, aesthetics are an important consideration as well.

Four Tips to Happy Bathroom Remodeling Choices

Bathroom remodeling dreams often start out extravagantly big and end with very practical realities and compromises. If there turns out to be no way you can have that luxurious in-floor bathtub, that doesn’t mean you can’t be completely happy with what your upcoming bathroom remodeling project ultimately yields for you. Here’s how to get the bathroom you want with the space and budget you have.

Big or Small: Maximizing Space with Help from a Bathroom Remodeler

Whether you have a spacious or a limited-space bathroom, there will surely be a way for you to make the most of the available space and have the design or layout you’ve always wanted, especially if you hire an experienced bathroom remodeler. A remodeler will know how to work with what you have and even go beyond what you expect.

Ask a Bathroom Remodeler and Other Tips: Bathtub Selection FAQs

For those who prefer to spend a bit of relaxation time in the bath (rather than just hitting the shower and running off), it’s easy to see that a bathtub is a mandatory fixture. How else can you soak in the exquisite goodness of scented bath salts or in the foamy delight of bubbles while listening to soft, relaxing music? If you’ve yet to set your mind on a particular type of bathtub, here are questions that may already be in your mind:

Common Additions to a Mid-Sized House

Over time, many families and residents consider changes to their homes and properties. One of the most common areas for review is within home addition. Some ways that a mid-sized home could benefit from these added rooms is the extra space that they allow. Rather than cramped rooms and scrunched areas, an expansion can allow for bright and airy living space and plenty of opportunity for storage, entertainment, and more. Supplementary space in a home can also allow for the possibility of private quarters for relatives or roommates, or a secluded home office that can be public for clients or private for home-based workers.

Costs can vary for your planned renovation depending on the size and features of the room you would like to design and include. The first step is to locate and procure a licensed contractor. Friends and neighbors can often provide good recommendations. When interviewing a contractor, ask for references from past jobs and also ask to verify his or her credentials. You can also check sources such as the Better Business Bureau to ensure that the business is licensed correctly.

Some good examples of mid-sized home additions usually include living rooms, entertainment centers such as in-home theaters, or enclosed front porch areas. Any or all of these can provide needed space for a wide variety of purposes. Whether spending a busy workday at a home office or a quiet day relaxing in front of the in-home theater, an expansion can help make that dream into a pleasant reality.

Simple room additions are not the only option either. In some cases, client may opt for an entirely new floor, such as a new third story, a balcony, or more. In these instances, discussion with your contractor and advance planning can help to best determine how to implement such a structure and how to expand your new planned space to its fullest potential, both now and in the future.

Sources:

Calculating the Best Size for a Home Addition. www.scheipeter.com

Movin' on Up: What to Consider With a Second-Story Addition. www.houzz.com

Making A Sunroom From a Patio

There are several things that you can do with the patio of the house. To start with, you can turn it into a play area for your children. You can also turn it into a relaxation and study area where you can read or children can do homework. Want to entertain friends and family? Yes, the patio can be a good place for that as well.

Unfortunately, a patio is only as good as the weather permits. If you want to enjoy all of these images all year round, you might want to consider turning your patio into a sunroom so that you get to enjoy the outdoor environment without the hot and cold weather conditions that you would have if the area is not enclosed.

Contractors are able to transform the patio into a sunroom for you. When building sunrooms, the contractor looks at the size of the existing room or patio to determine the best method of installing windows, doors, a new floor if necessary, and other features. The contractor would also be able to offer ideas on how the room can be energy efficient.

When turning a patio into a sunroom, you need to have a stable floor, because much of the new structure will rely on it for foundation. Walls will need to be built up so that they can support the windows of the room. The roof will need to be designed so that it is thick enough to stand up to weather elements while providing the amount of sunlight that you want to seep in.

You can work with a contractor to get the exact design that you want with a few ideas from the professional along the way. The contractor will take into consideration all of the features that you want in the room while making suggestions about heating and cooling or the support structures.

Sources:

Pretty, Pleasing Patio Designs. www.hgtv.com

Get Matched to Pre-screened Sunroom & Patio Enclosure Contractors. www.homeadvisor.com