Whether you're looking to instill your personality in a new house, trying to reinvigorate your love for a familiar home, or hoping to boost your home's value before selling, there are plenty of simple improvements you can make to accomplish all three. Before you start making improvements, though, you might consider applying for your first home warranty. A home warranty company can provide you with a plan that protects your appliances and HVAC systems. These warranties aren't the same as having homeowner's insurance, but they can save you from too much worry if your air conditioning, water heater, or other systems break down. A home warranty can even increase your resale value if it's still in effect.
Naturally, you'll need more than that to create more appeal for your home. Here are just a few simple things that can make a big difference.
When it comes to interior design, most people consider things like furniture, spacing, and paint colors, but wall art is an often under-appreciated aspect. Your wall art shouldn't be an afterthought when designing a room. In fact, some interior designers would argue it's the most important element since it can give you an immediate color palette and an easy jumping-off point for the rest of the room.
Arguably the best thing about wall art is that you have so many creative options to choose from. Even with canvas prints, you can choose between original artwork, photographs, artwork you buy online, and more. Canvas prints are often cheap, and they can be made of museum-quality materials to lend your home an air of sophistication. Wall art can be made of just about anything, and the only real limit is your imagination. There are plenty of unique ideas online you can use for inspiration.
Environmental consciousness is becoming more popular both because of desires to lower homeowner's negative environmental impacts and to save on electric bills. A good option is a siding installation that helps keep the heat from entering the home and/or become trapped inside. As you can imagine, this can have a considerable impact on your electric bill by affecting how often and for how long you have to keep your AC on.
An older appliance isn't just prone to breakage or malfunction that could result in a service request. It also tends to use more electricity, and older dishwashers and washing machines use more water than modern counterparts. This is one of the main reasons many older homes could use updated appliances. You can cover new ones with your home warranty, avoid using as much energy, increase your resale value, and significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
If you really want to go all out, you could even consider installing residential solar panels. The average residential solar system in the United States consists of 20 solar panels. A solar install could put you ahead of the curve when it comes to renewable resources, and solar power is free. Consult a service provider to see if a solar system is right for your home.
People often think about keeping the inside of their home looking nice, but it's just as important to take care of the outside. This is especially true if you're planning on selling your home. Curb appeal basically refers to the attractiveness of your home from a street view. It's the first impression others get from your home, and it could be the last if you aren't taking care of it.
Some basic ways to increase curb appeal are to get rid of any clutter in your yard, clean your driveway, and make sure you're keeping up with your yard work. Beyond these basics, it's a good idea to pressure wash the outside of your house. Your deck or patio can be improved by installing a deck railing. You may hire siding contractors to give your siding a makeover and improve your home's aesthetic appeal. Even something as simple as repainting your front door can make your home appear more inviting.