8 Luxury Home Upgrades that Won’t Break Your Budget
May 19, 2018It’s a common disorder: Pinterest fever. You catch it after too much time spent lusting after those fancy homes filled with gorgeous things pinned to your favorite interior decorating boards. But even if your dreams are far larger than your bank account, there’s a cure: adding a home improvement (or several) that not only increases your home’s value while bringing you pleasure, but doesn’t break the budget while doing so. Sound impossible? It’s not. Here are eight upgrades that soothe your fever without making you break into a cold sweat when you get the bill.
1. Faucets
If you’ve been making do with utilitarian, water stained and just plain ugly faucets on your kitchen and bathroom sinks, then you’ll be amazed at the difference an upgrade makes. Whether you love the modern look of sleek chrome, the rustic vibe of oil-rubbed bronze, or the edgy style of matte black, there’s a faucet and a finish to suit your tastes. If you’re reasonably handy, you can even tackle the installation yourself.
2. Ceiling Medallions
The ceiling is often overlooked when it comes to interior design, but why should this solid stretch of indoor real estate miss out on all the fun? Forget about yesterday’s popcorn ceilings; today, the way to add interest and elegant style to your living room, dining area or even bedroom is with a blast from the Victorian past: ceiling medallions. Today’s versions of these classic ring-around-the-light-fixture accents are made of lightweight polyurethane instead of plaster. They’re available in many designs, can be painted to match your room, and are easy to install.
3. Backsplash
Is the wall behind your stove stained and unattractive? Do you go into a snooze while standing at your kitchen sink? Liven up your kitchen and make it easier to keep clean with a gorgeous backsplash. There are tiles in every color imaginable, including metallics and clear glass. Go traditional with a solid stretch of white tile, spice things up with bright or hand-painted designs, or go all-out wild with a bold pattern. A new backsplash is a budget-friendly upgrade, because even if you choose expensive tile, not many will be required in the small space. Plus, tile is easy to wipe clean — no more oil or water stains.
4. Countertops
Sure, you can make a sandwich on a grout-and-tile kitchen countertop or brush your teeth over dated Formica. But if you want to give your home a touch of luxurious elegance, consider upgrading the countertops. If you’re ready to splurge, you can’t go wrong with classic granite or marble. Less expensive, but still an upgrade that adds value and beauty to your home, is engineered stone such as Silestone or Cambria, or solid-surface counters such as Corian and Swanstone.
5. Wine Cooler
Ahh. A glass of good wine at the end of a long day…bliss. If you know your way around a red, or look forward to opening that special bottle of white, consider adding a small wine cooler to your home. As every wine aficionado knows, quality wine needs to remain at a controlled temperature (typically around 55 degrees) and humidity (ideally 65% to 75%, which is much higher than the average home). A wine cooler or refrigerator keeps your best-year vintages at their peak, and a small under-counter unit only requires the space of a kitchen cabinet.
6. Spa Shower
Would you like to enjoy a pampering spa experience at home, each and every day? That pleasure is yours when you upgrade your bathroom with two simple accessories.
First of all, you need a showerhead that really delivers. Rain showerheads are one option. These extra-large units transport you from the boredom of a regular shower to the joy of standing in a gentle, all-encompassing summer rainfall – well, that’s how it feels, anyway. Or go even further with a tower showerhead; these vertically mounted models have not only a rain head on top, but also several body jets running along the support bar, providing a truly relaxing, spa-like experience.
Once you’re done with the shower, keep the mood going with a heated towel bar. That might sound like a silly extravagance, but once you experience the pleasure of a nice, warm towel waiting to wrap you in soothing comfort, you’ll change your mind. Sometimes, it’s the little touches that count the most.
7. Freestanding Fireplace
The hypnotic dance of the flames, the soothing crackle of the fire, the warmth, and the connection to something deeply primeval: there’s nothing like spending an evening near a fireplace, preferably with someone you love and a glass of good wine. Unfortunately, not every house has a fireplace, and it’s even less likely if you live in an apartment. But that doesn’t mean your only option is one of those fireplace DVDs with a hand occasionally poking into the scene to stir up the logs. Instead, consider a freestanding electric or gel-fuel fireplace.
As they do not require a chimney for venting, you can place a freestanding fireplace wherever you want it. Most often, that will be in the living room, although a fire can certainly heat things up in the bedroom, as well. Electric fireplaces don’t have an actual flame — instead, LED lighting simulates dancing flames while providing a small amount of warmth. While the “flames” of older designs looked very fake, today’s units are quite realistic. Gel-fuel freestanding fireplaces, by contrast, do have real flames. Instead of wood, the fire burns from a small canister of gel fuel, which burns clean with no odor or residue. You’ll get more warmth than from an electric fireplace, although not as much as a wood fire provides.
8. Sound System
One of the downsides of watching a movie at home, rather than in a theater, is that even if you have a big screen, you probably don’t have a sound system to match. And after all, what’s an action movie without the pulse-quickening music, or a love story without the emotion-stirring songs, or your favorite horror flick without the squeal of a saw? You might not be able to go as big as a real movie house, but you can certainly bring some bigger sound to your own home. A good sound system balances speakers throughout the room, creating great sound throughout the space. Hire a professional for the most complex installation; he can run a complete sound system throughout your entire living space, including the backyard. No more need to rely on your smartphone for music at those summer soirees! Or if you’re handy and want to keep costs down, check out a “home theater in a box.” These systems provide everything you need for one room’s setup and are easy to install.
Original article found at: https://learn.livingdirect.com/cheap-luxury-home-upgrades/