Home Improvement Blog

How to Break Up a Large Room

February 10, 20150

Plan your rooms with the help of general contractors.

General contractors can help you plan your rooms.

Sometimes a lot of space can open up a many options for your home plans, allowing you to choose just about anything you want without worrying about whether it will fit. However, it can also be a challenge to get everything the way you would like without your room feeling like a gigantic open space. While home remodeling by general contractors can be a method of breaking up the space, there are other options you can try as well.

Use Furniture to Designate Zones

Just because you have one large room doesn’t mean it has to serve all one purpose. In fact, depending on the overall size of the room, this can be a major mistake. To help you designate various areas for different purposes, you can use furniture. For instance, an L-shaped couch can help section off a seating area from other areas of the room. Another option is to place end tables or extra chairs in a position that clearly separates one area from another. Plants also make great dividers.

Consider Anchor Pieces

It may seem like a good idea to fill up the space with a large number of smaller pieces to help break it up and create different uses for various areas. However, this can create a cluttered feel, which isn’t something most homeowners envision when making their home plans. Instead, choose a few larger pieces of furniture that will serve to anchor the room and create an organized look and feel for the room.

Your home plans may include larger rooms.

If your home plans involve a large room, break it up with furniture.

Get Creative with Your Lighting

The lighting you use in a larger room can have a dramatic effect on how people perceive the room. If your home remodeling project included adding many large windows to enhance the natural lighting in the room, you can use this to your advantage. Using lamps in dark or shadowy corners is a great way to help keep the room bright and cheery; however, you don’t want to overdo the lamps.

Select the Right Paint

You don’t have to paint all the walls the same color just because they are in the same room. In fact, many general contractors recommend painting larger rooms in two-tone schemes to help break up the space. This can be done by installing a chair rail with different colors above and below the rail. Another option is to choose an accent wall in one area of the room and paint it a different color than the rest of the room.

Larger rooms can often be just as much of a challenge as arranging a smaller room. Whether the larger room is the product of recent home remodeling or it’s always been a part of the home plans, it’s important to find ways to break up the room. This will give your space a better sense of purpose and eliminate the cluttered feel many larger rooms often create.

If you’re looking for general contractors to help you manage your home remodeling projects, contact us. Our Connecticut team can help you design the right home plans to meet your needs.

Keeping Your Pets Safe During Your Interior Renovation

February 5, 20150

Keep your pets safe during home additions.

Home additions aren’t the place for pets.

Remodeling your home can be the dream of a lifetime. Whether you are interested in home additions to make your home larger or you need help with other smaller home construction projects, it can be difficult to get the work done when you have pets underfoot. A professional remodeling company in Brookline, MA, doesn’t want to worry about harming your pets while they are working so it’s important to take the proper precautions to ensure everyone’s safety.

Another Area of the Home

Instead of allowing your pets free roam of the house during home construction, it’s best to secure your pet in an unaffected area of the home. Make sure the area is as comfortable as possible for your pet. Give your pet an ample supply of food and water, a litter box, toys and any special bedding. Let the home remodeling team know where your pets are to ensure no one opens the door accidentally and lets your pets free. This is the ideal option if you have nowhere else to take your pets and it’s too cold to leave them outdoors for an extended period of time.

Consider a Kennel

Some kennels will offer short-term care. While this is designed for those who want their pets to get interaction while they are at work, it can be the ideal option for keeping pets out of the way during home additions. If you will be able to keep your pet out of the areas that are being worked in during the evenings, you can bring your pet home from the kennel. However, some home construction may require overnight stays to keep your pet as safe as possible.

Don't let your pets wander during a home construction project.

Keep your pets safe during your home construction project.

Ask Someone You Know

Housing your pet in a kennel for even a day can be costly. Some kennels won’t even accept smaller pets, such as birds, rodents or fish. However, home additions and other remodeling projects can often be dangerous for all types of pets. In these situations, asking someone you know to watch your pets for the duration of the project can be the ideal option. A friend, family member or even a neighbor may be willing to make some extra room in their homes to provide your pets with the care they need while you renovate your home.

A professional remodeling company in Brookline, MA, will recommend finding ways to keep your pets safe. Their contractors expect to work in a safe, distraction-free environment and your pets deserve safety during these projects. The best ways to ensure your pets are as safe as possible is to secure them in another area of the home with all the comforts they need, house them in a kennel for the duration of the project or to find someone close to you to take over their care. Regardless of which option you choose, you will enjoy a beautiful home construction project, while keeping your pets safe and healthy.

If you are looking for a professional remodeling company in Brookline, MA, or the surrounding area to complete your next project, contact us. We can help you create the home of your dreams.

Painting the Basement Adds Value to Your Home (You Can Even Paint the Floors)

February 3, 20150

Have you considered painting in your basement finishing project.

Painting is beneficial as part of you basement finishing project.

When most people think of using paint in their home remodeling project, they think of the exterior of their home or their primary rooms on the main floors. However, painting can be an effective tool in basement finishing as well. When you use paint as part of your basement remodeling in Brookline, you can increase the value of your home.

Create a Finished Look

It can be difficult to spend time in your basement when it’s cold, dark and damp. This is what you can expect to experience in an unfinished basement, leaving you to wonder what use this space can really be. One of the most popular home remodeling projects many homeowners choose is basement finishing for this reason. When you apply some paint to the walls and maybe even the floor, you will create a finished look that exudes a warmer feel and makes you feel like you are in any other room inside your home.

A Variety of Unique Options

Many people like to give their basement a different feel than other areas of their home. When it comes to painting, there are a vast number of options from which you can choose to create the exact look you want. For instance, you can use various textured techniques to create the look of a stone wall or any other unique features. Talk to your painting contractor about your choices so you can create the right illusion for your basement rooms.

Have you considered basement finishing for home remodeling?

Finishing the basement is a valuable home remodeling project.

Special Preparation

The only difference in using paint in your basement versus other areas of your home is the techniques used in applying the paint. Basements are naturally damp areas that require mold-resistant paint to keep issues at a minimum. This is especially true if you intend to paint the floor. Painting the floor of your basement can be useful in opening up the space and adding a brighter tone.

Add the Finishing Touches

Basement remodeling in Brookline is about more than the paint you use. There are other finishing touches that can provide the look you want and add value to your home. For instance, crown molding can be the ultimate finishing touch to complete any project, giving the room depth and making it more livable.

Basement remodeling can be an ideal way to increase the amount of living space in your home and provide a fun new area of your home. Many people choose to transform their basement into a playroom for the kids, a recreation room for relaxation or a den or TV room. Regardless of the purpose you envision for your basement, the use of paint on the walls and the floor can not only create a new look, but offer greater value in your home.

If you want to complete basement remodeling in Brookline or the surrounding area, contact us. Our contractors can help you choose the right paints and complete your remodeling project.

Custom Windows Not Only Enhance the Beauty of Your Home, They Are Energy Efficient

January 29, 20150

Replace your current windows with energy efficient windows.

Energy efficient windows can save money and make your home more beautiful.

When your older windows begin to show signs of wear, such as frame warping, glass cracking or drafts, it’s time to look for energy efficient replacement windows. If you opt to replace the windows yourself, you run the risk of purchasing a window that doesn’t quite fit. Shimming or other modifications will need to be made to disguise this poor fit, increasing your energy expense. Opting for custom windows may cost more upfront but will pay off in the long run in energy efficiency and comfort for your home. To help you with your decision, here are a few reasons custom windows may be your best option.

Visual Appeal

Replacing your windows with a different style of window can make your house more attractive. If you want to brighten up a room, replace a smaller window with a larger one or convert a solid wall to one with windows. If you’d like to add more visual appeal to your home, consider adding a bay window or a garden window when looking at a home window replacement. This type of custom design could be made into the focus for the room.

Condensation Reduction

A high performing window can result in added warmth for your interior, resulting in less condensation and frost than windows with lower efficiency.

Save money with home window replacement.

Home window replacement can offer the beauty you want for your home.

More Light, Less Fading

Custom windows with special coating or glazing are now available that are more energy efficient, yet unlike their older tinted glass counterparts, are able to provide a clearer view without sacrificing light. Furniture coverings, paintings, photos, carpeting and woodwork can fade with too much exposure to sunlight, but energy efficient windows treated with the newer coatings can greatly reduce this fading.

Eliminates Drafts

Installing better performing windows can help improve the comfort of your home and have the added benefit of reducing utility costs. If you are sitting by a cold window, you will feel colder, regardless of the established temperature in the room. Custom windows that use the newer glazing techniques are warmer on the glass facing the interior of the house, allowing you to feel more comfortable.

Reduces Heating and Cooling Costs

Using lower performing windows can result in higher risk of condensation, air seepage, loss of heat, colder window surfaces, lack of comfort and ultimately, higher utility bills. Using energy efficient windows will reduce these issues and lower your energy costs. Once the new windows are installed, you may find the large HVAC unit you once needed can be replaced by a smaller, more efficient model able to handle the newly decreased load.

If you are in the market for energy efficient replacement windows in Massachusetts, contact us. Colony Home Improvement is ready to help you find a custom window design to fit your needs and your budget.

How to Protect Your Roof from the Massachusetts Winter

January 27, 20150

Proper maintenance can keep roof repair costs down.

Keep roof repair costs down with proper maintenance.

With winter upon us and temperatures sometimes dropping into the teens, saving your roof from bad weather should be a top priority. With a good plan of action, you can keep your roof repair costs at a minimum and reduce the impact on your budget. Here are a few tips to guide you in protecting your roof this season.

Keep Rain Gutters Unclogged

Cleaning out your rain gutters will help prevent ice from building up and causing serious damage. If water freezes and is allowed to accumulate, neglected gutters can begin to pull away from the roof, resulting in a costly repair. If you find ice in one of your gutters, you can carefully break it up with a hammer and remove it. This process takes an experienced hand so if you are not sure how to remove ice from your roof or gutter, reach out to your roofing contractor for assistance.

Keep Roof’s Drain Spout Openings Clear

Make sure the openings around your drain spouts are free of any debris or other obstacles. This will make it easier for snow to melt and flow away from your house, instead of accumulating, freezing and causing problems.

Find out how to remove ice from your roof.

Do you know how to remove ice from your roof?

Clear Snow and Debris from Your Roof

During harsh winter days, snow can collect on your roof and weigh heavily enough to cause serious damage or cause an older roof to collapse. Invest in a roof rake or use a plastic or light-weight shovel to remove snow from your roof before this becomes a problem. Remove debris, such as broken branches and twigs, to prevent holes. Clear or clean off animal droppings, which can cause mildew to form on your roof. If you find your roof is already damaged, a reputable roofing contractor in Massachusetts can make the repairs.

Prune Overhanging Branches

While trees may be beautiful in the winter with all that snow and ice attached to their branches, a tree’s loaded boughs spread over your roof can cause an increase in your roof repair costs. Even if the branches are not packed with snow or ice, branches can scratch against your roof’s shingles, creating holes and causing water damage to your house. Keeping your trees’ branches adequately pruned away will protect your roof from this preventable issue.

Check Your Attic Insulation

Look over the insulation in your attic and identify any gaps in coverage or reach out to a professional to do this for you. One easy way you can tell if more insulation is needed is to watch your roof after it snows. Notice where snow melts faster in some places than in others. The slower melting spots can indicate the need for more insulation in your attic in these areas.

If you are looking for an experienced roofing contractor in Massachusetts, contact us. Colony Home Improvement has more than 40 years of professional experience and is ready to assist you with your roofing repairs.