Whether you’re looking to spruce up an old fixer-upper, want to get your house ready to sell, or want to improve your forever home, there are endless options when it comes to sprucing up your home with some aesthetic home repairs. We’ll cover ten of the most common areas to focus on within your home and share some ideas on how your home could be transformed from ordinary to a dream come true! This list is by no means exhaustive but will be a great launching pad for your next project.
Floors
Let’s get things started with floors. Perhaps one of the most commonly sought-after aesthetic home repairs will be installing hardwood floors. While not for everyone, and perhaps not best for every room of the house, hardwood offers a lot to be desired. First, hardwood floors just look good. They offer a sleek modern look to just about any kitchen, living room, or dining room. Hardwood floors are also of course much easier to clean than carpet. However, some people forget that hardwood floors will also need various levels and types of maintenance over time depending on the material and quality used. For example, bamboo hardwood flooring looks and feels amazing, but it is a very soft wood and therefore scratches easily. The simple action of dragging a chair over the floor may leave a deeply ingrained scratch. Meanwhile, other hardwood floors may fade, warp, or begin to crack and leak over time. All of these are of course tradeoffs for a more functional space that looks sleek and modern.
Another common floor upgrade for carpets is making them softer to walk on. Many homes will come with short hair carpets and thin pads underneath to dampen or cushion the pressure of your feet on the carpet. This is why some homeowners opt for softer carpet choices and thicker under pads to provide better cushioning and a softer walking experience. However, you can also go the opposite direction and get the best of both hardwood and carpet by going with a very short hair carpet meant for commercial applications. You can find a reasonably soft carpet and put a thick pad underneath to have a carpet that can be easily cleaned and maintained.
Kitchen
Next up is the kitchen, the heart of the house. If your house was built more than 10 years ago then odds are it’s cramped and outdated looking. One common kitchen remodels that opens up the space is by getting smaller more efficient appliances to free up cabinet space. With smaller applicants, you’ll minimize the footprint you need in the kitchen which will give you more room to work with. Another common remodel idea is cabinets. This is the place where you can make your kitchen pop by adding in new cabinets either full of color, or with bold accents to highlight the overall kitchen design. A common cabinet choice is a solid black with a sleek modern design for a more functional but minimalist feel. For even better looks you can also upgrade your best kitchen cabinets and appliances with same the color pallet in mind.
Another common kitchen upgrade that makes a kitchen look modern and fresh is islands! This of course will vary depending on the space you have to work with. However, with new appliances and cabinets, you may be surprised how much new room your kitchen has. An island can over a more complete and cozy kitchen feeling while also offering lots of functionality. From permanent installations molded to the floor to mobile islands that can roll around, there certainly are plenty of options to choose from. Islands also come in a variety of heights, colors, and materials, and offer different functionality from simple storage to full-on sinks and more. Either way, islands offer a great enhancement to any kitchen and will be sure to spruce up the space with some functionality and design.
Roof
Next up is the roof. While your roof serves as perhaps the most important protector from the elements, it also finishes a home’s look. The roof can make or break how a home looks and will add serious value as well. However, with aesthetic roofing upgrades, you are far more limited in scope simply because roofs are meant to be tried and true. Your roof needs to perform an important function and must do so at all times, no matter sunshine or rain. With that in mind, there are two primary aesthetic upgrades to roofs that you can make, and several more that will accent or highlight the features of your roof.
The first aesthetic upgrade is material. While most home roofs are built from simple asphalt shingles, metal roofs are beginning to pick up steam. Metal roofs not only offer a longer lifetime and better protection, but they are extremely easy to install and can transform the look of a house from a standard home to a beautiful modern house. Metal roofing can also be laid directly over old asphalt roofing and therefore has only minimal labor costs. Since metal roofing is also so easy to install, it can generally be completed in 1-2 days by a local roofer instead of a week or so for older traditional asphalt tiles. Metal roofs are also finished and dipped in weather-resistant paints which means it’s easier to choose exactly which color you want. From bright and eye-popping to neutral and easy on the eyes, you truly can have any color roof you want for little to no extra cost.
Furniture
Another type of aesthetic home repair can be done for your furniture. It’s obvious that in the living room, dining room, and bedroom your furniture is the centerpiece of it all. Your furniture often sets the tone and mood of each room. That’s why getting a furniture refinishing service done to old and existing furniture can make such a big difference. Rather than spend thousands of dollars on old-looking furniture that works well, why not make it look new again instead of getting rid of it? Old leather sofas can easily be refinished to look just as new as the day you bought them. At the same time, other stands like tv stands and other wooden pieces can be restained quite quickly and cost-effectively at home with materials that anyone can buy from a home improvement store.
Land
If you’re more interested in showing off your aesthetic taste to the community then perhaps land is where you’d want to focus. Hiring a landscaper can transform a piece of land from just another yard to the next hot commodity in your neighborhood. Not only can you show off, but the extra beauty afforded by well-landscaped yards can boost your mental health and get you outside more often. Good landscaping can make your space more beautiful, but it can also give you and your family more privacy, reduce noise from traffic, and offer more shade among many other things. This can translate to more time outside!
Bathroom
Next up is the bathroom! Aesthetically, bathrooms are typically best served by sprucing up the existing appliances and then considering remodeling or other projects. The first and best place to start in a bathroom would be the tub. Most tubs begin to oxidize and look old after a while. Even if you clean your tub monthly, you likely have never finished the tub to reseal it and make it look new again. A bathtub refinishing service can make your tub look completely brand new! Since your bathtub likely takes up the most amount of space in your bathroom a new-looking tub alone can transform the space into a fresh new bathroom!
You may also want to consider other aesthetic enhancements like new mood lighting. Switching from soft warm to bright daylight can help open up the space as well as installing a new larger mirror or two. It may also be worth upgrading your sink and cabinet into a smaller more functional footprint which will further open up the space. At the same time, if you’re looking for a cozier feeling, wood paneling can offer a more intimate feel with softer warm mood lighting.
Fence
Aesthetically speaking, anything outside of your home is going to be important to address including your fence. Much like your roof, a fence can oftentimes ‘finish’ the look of a home and show itself off. Whether you have a chain-link fence or a taller privacy fence it’s a good idea to start with fence repairs. Make sure every post of the fence is upright where it should be and there are no broken or damaged materials around the fence. Even fixing up one panel could be the difference between a home looking unkempt and a home looking neat.
You may also want to consider repainting or refinishing your fence if you have a wooden privacy fence as well. Oftentimes a few cans of wood stain and protectant/sealant can make a fence look like it was just freshly installed. Also, make sure to properly care for the grass and any weeds around the fence as well. Even a brand new-looking fence won’t look good if weeds and grass are covering it.
Doors
One of the most simple and elegant outside aesthetic home repairs is your front door. Have you ever driven through and community and one house just really stood out to you? Odds are it was because of the front door. Again, much like your fence or roof, a good-looking door can be all the difference between someone thinking the house is neglected or that it’s well taken care of. One consideration is custom wood doors. Through customization, you can be sure to get exactly what you want, while also standing out from your neighbors. The nice thing about custom wood doors is that you can also decide on the color and overall design aesthetic to make sure it exactly matches your design choices.
Living Room
Now let’s take a step back inside and focus on the living room, the heart of the family unit! Every living room benefits from a cozy feeling that welcomes people and invites them to stay awhile. One of the best ways to accomplish this feeling is with a fireplace. Not only do fireplaces offer warmth and heat during those colder days, but they simply look elegant. A fireplace under the tv or in the wall can transform a simple living room into an elegant living space that offers warmth for everyone. Modern fireplaces also come in many different designs from traditional to modern and sleek with minimal design features.
Deck
Another great place to focus your energy on aesthetic home repairs is your deck. Much like an old wooden fence, an old unbeaten deck may look old but still work just fine. After time you may also find that your deck has begun to splinter and break apart as well. This is why it’s a good idea to get some deck sealant and varnish to seal your deck back up against the weather. A good varnish or top coat can also make your deck look shiny and new once again and may promote more outside time! If you’re deck however is reaching the end of its life then it may be time to consider composite metal decking services.
Wrapping Up
All in all, there are many great places in or around your home where a rather simple repair can drastically change the look and feel. From restaining a deck to installing a new metal roof, to refinishing old furniture, these simple repairs will make your home lively and happy once more. In addition to these repairs, you may also consider minor projects like installing a fireplace, or even going with new hardwood flooring to spruce up your space!
