8 Ways to Tailor Your Home for You, Not Resale
Forget for a moment everything you've heard about buying, renovating and decorating your home with resale in mind. Doesn't it seem as if that's been dominating the conversation for a long time now? During the boom times, it was about flipping properties for a profit, and right after the real estate market crash, there was a lot of fear around being able to sell homes at all. But today more people seem to be looking at homes as long-term commitments once again, and there is something quite refreshing about that.
Once you begin looking at your home as a place to settle into and make your own, rather than as a design package meant to appeal to the widest audience, the possibilities for creative expression and personalization are endless. And if you have no plans to sell your home within the next five years or so, why not do what you can to make it a perfect fit? You may never want to move again! Here are eight ways to tailor your home to fit your life.
1. Do the ultimate remodeling no-no: remove a bedroom. Could removing a bedroom open up your living space in a way that makes more sense for your household? If so, think about what's stopping you. There are so many homes out there with dinky little bedrooms tacked on to the first-floor plan just for the sake of having an extra bedroom on paper — buck the trend and knock down that wall, then revel in the extra space and light.
2. Bring more joy to your life with something totally wild ... like a giant indoor slide. What does your heart desire? Is there something you always dreamed of having as a child? Now that you have a home of your own, you have a chance to make those dreams come true. Bring on that slide, firefighter pole, loft or rock climbing wall.
3. Cater to your pets. One of the first things said on every sell-your-house-type show is to get rid of all evidence of pets. But unless you are selling your house right now, who cares if your home's next owners don't like cats (or dogs or ferrets)? Building in cat ramps, pet doors and dog runs can make life with furry friends easier and more entertaining.
See Houzzers' homegrown pet projects
4. Make bold decorating decisions, even on fixtures and finishes. Don't limit yourself to builder's-beige paint, stainless appliances, white cabinets and granite counters; tap into what you love instead. Floral wallpaper and candy-apple-red cabinets? If you love them, why not?
5. Tailor fit your outdoor space to your needs. Rather than assuming that future owners must have that big green lawn, think about what you want to live with now. How about wraparound decks and easy-care plantings? A Zen rock garden? A formal parterre? The right yard and garden can bring a great deal of joy, so follow your heart.
6. Shift rooms. Never use that formal dining room? Take it over for a homeschooling classroom, an art studio, a library or an office. Rethink your spaces based on your needs and you may find you can work within the current footprint of your house in new, creative ways.
8 Ways to Rethink the Dining Room
7. Dismantle a specialty room even if it's "great for resale." As you rethink your space, consider giving any specialty rooms the boot if they don't fit your life. Media rooms and wine cellars may sound great on paper (and make some people very happy), but getting rid of them could be the best thing you do at home.
8. Remodel to fit your life and passions. Take a cue from this family of professional circus performers who raised the ceilings in their living room to have more space for juggling, and make the changes that matter to you.
Tell us: What would you change about your home if you didn't have to worry about selling?
More: Making a "forever"-house connection
