Renovating your home is your way to put your personal stamp on your home. But renovations can be a long and expensive process. Because of this, you’ll want your renovations to create a look you can live with for a long time. Thoughtful planning can help you to create a space that is both beautiful and functional. It can be easy to get wrapped up in design trends, but will you be happy with a trendy color or element five years later? You don’t want to spend big bucks on a renovation you won’t like in only a few years. Make your renovation dollars go further by using these five tips to create a timeless look and feel in your home.

Neutrals Provide a Blank Canvas

Using neutral paint colors and elements can provide you with a perfect backdrop for whatever trendy looks you want to try out. By using neutrals, you can experiment with colors, textures, and furniture styles that are in at the moment. When you’re tired of them or the trend has moved on, your blank canvas is ready for the next fun look. Gentle whites, muted browns, and soft grays can provide movement without overpowering your new, stylish sofa. You can change the artwork on the walls from Dadaist to surreal, and a neutral backing will allow the art to speak.

Think about the past when you plan for the future. You may or may not remember the wood paneling craze or the golden oak cabinet obsession, but you recognize these things when you see them in another person’s home. Too much of a feature, even if it is neutral, can scream an era to everyone who enters the home. Avoiding going overboard is key in the renovation process.

Renovate for Your Needs

You may be looking at renovation to create a more flowing space for your family or define ambiguous spaces for tasks. Perhaps your kitchen is woefully inadequate or outdated, and you need to adjust it for modern usage. Whatever the impetus for the renovation, consider your needs. This doesn’t only mean your current necessities. Think about how your needs will change in the next few years or even further ahead. This will allow you to integrate ideas that can adapt to changing family dynamics.

When you draw up your plans and begin renovations, talk to your homeowners insurance company. Your renovations could add significant value to your home. For instance, you may have an outdated, confined kitchen with builder-grade cabinets and melamine countertops. A renovation can replace those countertops with more durable stone or granite, while builder-grade cabinets become crafted wooden cabinets or shelving. Home insurance can cover the cost of those renovations after you pay the deductible. Just make sure you update the insurance afterward to reflect the new value of the home.

Mix and Match With a Purpose

You can mix and match textures and styles in your home renovation, but do it with a plan. When mixing up different materials, scale, and color matter. Designers often suggest to homeowners to consider finding a common thread. For instance, you can use different types of architectural features but balance the scale for a mix of styles. Or you can make color your common thread as you explore incorporating stone, tile, wood, and fabricated features.

It can be difficult to find a single theme and stick with it. Often homeowners like features from many different periods and genres, but they may not all mix well together. If you are not sure about your eye for style, ask for a second or third opinion. You might think two elements work well together, but an objective view could help you to see the overall look more clearly.

Architectural Flourishes

If you worry that a neutral palette will be too boring in your renovation, consider adding architectural flourishes to liven things up. Something as simple as adding base and crown moldings to a room can work wonders. Installing moldings is one of the best ways to add character and elegance to a room.

If you are thinking about how you can implement a classical touch in your home while still using modern pieces, then moldings are your ticket to a meeting of both worlds. A simpler baseboard and crown can give off a minimalist aesthetic while still making the room feel finished. More ornate crown and base moldings add elegance and sophistication to a room even as you change the look and furnishings over the years.

Less Can Be More

There are a few situations in which less is more. For instance, fewer walls can make it feel like you have more space in the home. You may be considering renovating your home to open up rooms by removing unnecessary walls and doorways. As the cost of living for homeownership continues to increase, creating open spaces within a home is a great way to give you the feel of more space, even if you are working with fewer square feet.

Less can also be more when it comes to built-in features. Many dated kitchens feel stuffy and small because dark wooden cabinets fill every wall, sucking up light and taking up space. When drawing up your renovation plans, you might consider eliminating cabinets that you never use and going with a more neutral cabinet color or style. You can update them over the years by switching out cabinet hardware for a subtle but effective change.

A Home Design That Lasts

You may only live in your home for a short time, or you may plan to stay there for the rest of your life. But planning a renovation and creating a timeless look and feel is one of the most effective ways to add value to your home. You’ll be able to resell the home for significantly more than you paid for originally, or you’ll increase your home’s equity with a thoughtfully designed renovation. Consider utilizing these tips to plan a home renovation you’ll love not only now but in years to come.

Bio: 

Devon Linsky is a freelance PR professional working specifically in the home services industry for the last 6 years. She has worked for categories such as local and national real estate blogs, finance blogs, HVAC specialists, homeowner insurance guide’s, and many more within the industry. Her passion is derived from her previous experience with the headaches of home ownership and the things people tend to forget about when it comes to owning a home, renting, or being a property owner.