The holiday season is almost upon us, believe it or not! It is nearly time for families to gather together for quality time spent cooking, playing, and rejoicing. While the holidays are a blast they can also be quite taxing, especially on the hosts. Some of that stress may come from wanting to impress your relatives and friends with your home. What should I cook to make sure everyone loves the food? Is everything clean and comfortable? How are the decorations looking? Another great way to impress your guests are home improvement projects! We’ve put together a short list of home upgrades that would make your home a sure hit.
Kitchen Updates
Updating the kitchen can sound like an overwhelming project, but it can be done a little at a time! For example, if everything is still builder/contractor grade, you could start by just replacing a few appliances. Having new countertops put in does wonders for the aesthetic and changing the cabinets can make a huge difference! So look at your kitchen from a fresh, big-picture lens, and see if you can’t pick out a thing or two to jazz up.
Kitchen Dining Area
Whether you have a cute breakfast nook in your kitchen or just a lovely eat-in area, there are so many ways to have it shine like new. You could consider new blinds and drapes for the windows. Replacing the kitchen table and chairs or even just adding a new centerpiece or table runner to the existing table can make a big change. Accent pieces or a lovely light fixture are also key to consider!
Stairway Update
The stairway gets a ton of foot traffic when you have family staying for the holidays, so take a look at that carpet or runner! This is especially helpful if the stairwell is in a main, well-lit area of the home. If it is looking dreary and worn-out, replacing it can really give that area of the house a lift.
Elevate the Entryway
The entryway of your home is how you create the first impression. Walk in your front door. What do you see? Is it bland and bare, cluttered and dirty? If it is over-crowded, reorganize and remove anything that isn’t necessary. A console table, accent bench, coat rack, mirror, lamp, or plants are wonderful ways to keep things tidy and give the entry way some character. Give it a new coat of paint to really brighten things up, and hang some artwork so those walls aren’t too bare.
Focus the Design
A key element to interior design of a room is having a clear focal point and working around that . Oftentimes, this is naturally built into the room, like a fireplace, a large window with a view, built-in shelving or vaulted ceilings. Sometimes you may have to create your own if there isn’t an obvious choice. This can be done with accent walls, art work, or a large piece of statement furniture. Whatever your situation, see if you can change the placement of art and furniture or replace some pieces to create more of a focused flow.
Our team at Ironwood is here to discuss any ideas for upgrades you may have! Contact us today and we’ll get your home looking just the way you want it to before the holidays.