How to Know When it’s Time to Renovate
Knowing when to renovate is tricky. Sometimes, knowing when to make changes to your home is obvious. Your family has clearly outgrown your kitchen, you have loose stairs, or it looks like someone ice-skated on your hardwood floors. Other times, the signs aren’t quite as obvious: The space is mostly fine, but a lot of small problems have accumulated and it’s getting more difficult to overlook the things you dislike.
Making the decision to renovate can involve a number of different factors, and in the end, the final call is up to you. When it comes to your own home, you’re the expert on what is working and what isn’t. However, if you’re on the fence on whether you’re ready for that reno, here are some tips to help you gauge whether or not to consider a renovation in the near future.
Obvious Disrepair
As mentioned above, it can oftentimes be easy to tell when something needs to be updated or changed. Cracks in walls from the foundations settling, paint peeling, and chipped tiles can be a few examples of these. Life doesn’t always go to plan, so damage will be inevitable as your home ages. One of these areas could be discolouration in the details of your space. For example, perhaps the grout in your kitchen or bathroom has changed shades irreversibly. Or maybe, when you move an entryway carpet, you’re left with a dark section where the rug was because the sun has faded the uncovered hardwood. You may also notice areas of your home are riddled with nicks, chips, and scratches that you’ve accumulated through the years. Each individual blemish may not be noticeable, however, if you see a photo from a few years ago and you hardly recognize the place, it could be time to give your home some TLC.
You’re Not Using the Space
A major indicator that you secretly want a renovation could be if you aren’t using the room as much as you wanted. Whether it’s your living room who’s couches are practically brand new, or a well-loved den that you adored for years but don’t use now, it’s important to ensure that the spaces in your home are places you enjoy. We use the things that we love, so when you aren’t using a space, perhaps it’s because it doesn’t work for you anymore. There is no shame in admitting that a space isn’t perfect for you. Plus, sometimes solutions don’t need to involve gutting the place - There are plenty of cheap, easy ways to spruce up existing spaces to make them more livable, and we encourage you to utilize them. But if you’ve tried a few methods, and the space still isn’t used, it could be a sign that you should renovate, and make the space a place where you love to spend your time.
A Change in Taste
Trends, styles, and personal preferences are always changing. Maybe twenty years ago your preference was to have certain colours and finishes, and now, you can’t stand it. It’s possible for you to walk into a home you once loved and no longer like the choices that were made. Spaces are meant to be enjoyed, used, and representative of who you are and how you live. If you find your home no longer suits you and your tastes, consider making some changes. This could allow you to enjoy spending time in the space and be proud of how your home looks.
The Space Isn’t Functional
If the space isn’t functional then changes should be made. A home is meant to be used and well-loved, and if rooms aren’t useful then they are just taking up space. For example, say you have a great office in your home, but it’s too close to the living room and the noise is too distracting for you to work. Maybe you have a gorgeous kitchen, but your kitchen organization is lacking because you don’t have the cupboard space you need. It doesn’t matter if you love the space in theory… If it doesn’t work how you need it to in the real world, then taking that space and turning it into something you’ll actually use will be a far better use of the floorplan in the long run.
If you’ve found yourself relating to a lot of what you’ve read, but still can’t convince yourself that it’s time to renovate, then that’s okay. Renovations are planned over time, and you don’t need to rush into planning just because you don’t use your living room as much as you used to. Typically, there is a straw that breaks the camel's back, and when it’s time to renovate, you’ll know. With that said, if you’ve decided that it’s time to renovate, then consider working with Living Edge Design on your next renovation to ensure you get a space that you’ll never want to leave.
