room addition | Colony Home Improvement

What to Consider When Your Home Addition Includes a Master Bedroom Remodel

July 30, 20150

A master bedroom makes a great home addition.

Consider a master bedroom for your home addition.

The most popular room addition when remodeling is adding a master bedroom. Sometimes older homes don’t have a designated master bedroom and the homeowner wants to add the common amenities usually associated with master bedrooms today. For other homeowners, it’s a case where the kids have finally all gone off to college and you have the house to yourself so you want to make changes to accommodate your new living environment. No matter why you are choosing a master bedroom for a home improvement project, here are a few things you’ll need to discuss with your Dover home improvement contractor.

Where Do You Want to Put Your New Bedroom?

The first factor to consider is where you want a new master bedroom. Some homeowners feel like the location of a master bedroom is one of the most difficult decisions they have to make in the process of adding on. It’s important to know how the new room is going to fit in with the rest of the house, both inside and outside. Another important consideration is privacy.

How Accessible Are Doors and Windows?

Once you know where you want the bedroom to be located, the next question you’ll need to answer is how you will access it. Do you want all indoor access, or do you want a door allowing you entry to an outdoor garden or patio? Depending on your answer, you then need to choose the styles of doors you want.

Windows are also important since they provide natural light and a view. You will want to make choices that allow the right balance of light and dark because the room is used for sleeping, but you don’t want it to be dark all the time. Position windows so the view is pleasant. Being able to see into pool areas, gardens or backyards can all provide visual appeal.

Ask your home improvement contractor about a master bedroom.

Your home improvement contractor can add a master bedroom.

What Kind of Lighting Do You Want?

Before you begin your project, it’s essential to determine the type of lighting you want for your master bedroom. You can use windows to provide some natural light, but of course, you’ll need alternatives for when it’s dark. Candle holders, crystal chandeliers and accent lighting are all decorative options that look great in a master bedroom. You can always put dimmer switches in for providing low lighting for more intimate settings.

Do You Want to Include Entertainment Features?

For many people, a TV is an unnecessary feature in a bedroom; for others, it’s essential. Consider whether you want to include a built-in entertainment center. You may also want to think past television and consider including a stereo and other entertainment features for your home addition in Dover.

We can help you decide on the perfect design for your master bedroom addition. Contact us to explore the many options you have available.

Your Attic Can Be Renovated into the Perfect Room Addition

July 2, 20150

Talk to your home improvement contractor about using your attic.

Your home improvement contractor can make your attic into livable space.

Using an attic to add space to your home may be a suitable option for those who are considering home addition floor plans in Needham. Having more usable space is not only beneficial, but it can also increase the value of your home. There are many benefits to using attic space as another room, such as improving your home’s storage capacity and insulation. When you are considering how to best use this space, there are plenty of ideas to keep in mind.

Turn an Attic Room Addition into a Bedroom

The sloped roof in an attic can provide the perfect setting for an additional bedroom since beds don’t typically need to use large amounts of vertical space. However, you need to choose the right sized bed to put in your new bedroom. If it’s too large, it can shrink your space, and if it’s too small, it can look like it’s being swallowed by the wide open room. If you are concerned about using up storage space, you might want to consider under-bed storage options. A platform bed offers an extra place to sleep, as well as offering space underneath for storing items. If space allows, you can also use a pull-out trundle bed to provide additional sleeping space.

Turn an Attic Room Addition into a Reading Nook

Smaller attic spaces can be perfect for creating a reading nook. This can reserve some space for storage but still allow you to take advantage of the extra room. Most attics have windows, which are perfect for creating a nice window seat. This makes a comfortable space to read your favorite books. Built-in bookcases can be used to line the walls. Most bookcases are just 12 inches deep, but they can be created in any shape, slant or height.

Instead of a room addition, consider changing your attic.

An attic can be the ideal room addition.

Turn an Attic Room Addition into a Built-in Storage Room

Attics of any size are great for providing a secluded area for entertaining, working on hobbies or studying. Seating can be arranged in a variety of ways, including under the sloped ceilings where headroom is not an issue. You may need to discuss lighting options with your Needham home improvement contractor since there isn’t always enough natural lighting in attic areas. You may be able to add highlights or more lighting fixtures. The rest of the space can be used to provide built-in storage. This allows you to keep the attic neat and use the area for more than one purpose. Long attics are designed perfectly so you can line the wall spaces with cabinets or shelves to use for storage. If the area is small or dark, try painting surfaces in light colors to help brighten the area and make it more pleasant.

Are you ready to talk to a home improvement contractor about how to use your unused attic space? Contact us for ideas and prices on renovating this space in your home.

Granite Countertops Add Value and Elegance to a Ranch Style Home Plan

June 4, 20150

Granite countertops are great when you design your own home.

Design your own home with beautiful granite countertops.

Ask any realtor and he or she will agree: the kitchen and bathrooms are unquestionable focal points of any home. If you decide to put your home on the market, the quality of your kitchen and bathrooms will play a major role in how much you can expect to sell your home for. If you are working on a ranch style home plan or room addition or have a home you are planning to upgrade, don’t underestimate the importance of making sure these rooms are appointed with elegant touches. Granite countertops provide the biggest bang for your buck.

Why Go Granite?

Granite is naturally beautiful, smooth, durable and available in a vast array of hues. As people have come to appreciate the simplicity of natural materials, granite has skyrocketed in popularity. The wonderful thing about this trend is it’s a timeless style. The avocado green Formica countertops that were all the rage in the 1970s eventually (and thankfully) went out of style. However, granite, a natural material from the earth, will never go out of style. Bringing subtle, subdued, soothing natural elements into a home will always be appealing.

A ranch style home plan can benefit from granite countertops.

Granite countertops work well in a ranch style home plan.

So Many Colors, But How to Choose?

The toughest part of incorporating granite countertops into a ranch style home plan or room addition is choosing your granite slab. Should you go with dark or light countertops? Should you choose a solid color or one with swirls, flecks or veining? When all is said and done, it boils down to personal preference.

Here are some considerations to keep in mind as you’re contemplating granite colors:

Darker countertops look best in rooms with plenty of natural light.

Dirt and water stains are more noticeable on solid colored countertops.
One hot trend right now is incorporating two granite colors in the same room, such as a veined granite on a kitchen island and a solid granite on countertops.

If you want to coordinate the color of your granite countertops with any element in the room, coordinate it with your cabinets. Again, use personal preference as your primary guide, but realize there are color combinations that naturally complement each other – deep brown cabinets with green granite, cherry cabinets with peacock granite and light oak cabinets with tan or pearl granite, for example. When granite shopping, take a sample of your cabinets with you. To do this, you may need to remove a cabinet shelf or door.

An Extra Set of Eyes Never Hurts!

Whether you own a ranch style house that could use updating and aren’t sure where to start or you are drafting a brand new ranch style home plan, contact us. At Colony Home Improvement, not only can we assist as you design your own home in Wellesley and the surrounding areas, we also are standing by to serve as your trusted adviser for home renovations and room additions of all sizes. Got granite? We do, and we’ll be happy to get it into your kitchen or home plan!

Modern Trends for an Outdoor Living Space as Part of Your Home Addition

May 12, 20150

Use custom built home plans for outdoor spaces.

Custom built home plans can create beautiful outdoor spaces.

When most people think of a home addition, they consider adding to their interior living space. However, contractors for home additions in Brookline and the surrounding areas can help you create custom built home plans that add outdoor living space as well. During the summer, having this type of living space can greatly improve your quality of life.

Effective Lighting

Just because the sun goes down doesn’t mean you have to head inside. With your outdoor room addition, choosing the right lighting can create an ambience that makes spending time outdoors after dark more enjoyable. In addition, the lighting you use in your new outdoor living space can work to draw the eye to certain features, as well as make it easy to see what you’re doing. In some cases, this may involve installing several types of lighting to serve each purpose individually.

Comfortable seating outdoors can be a great home addition.

An outdoor home addition can create comfortable seating.

A Comfortable Seating Area

Most people who want an exterior room addition have a nice seating area in mind where they can relax, spend time with family and friends and enjoy the outdoors. When you work with contractors for home additions in Brookline and the surrounding areas, they can help you create a comfortable place to sit and enjoy the feel of relaxing in the open air. You will be able to choose from a number of elegant seating options, as well as layouts that will help feed the conversation and allow you to enjoy the surrounding landscape.

Ask contractors for home additions about an outdoor kitchen.

Contractors for home additions can make an outdoor kitchen.

Consider a Kitchen

Whether you often grill outdoors or you’d like to give it a try, one of the most popular outdoor living trends is an outdoor kitchen. These kitchens often include a highly functional grill or outdoor stove top, along with other popular kitchen features, such as a small refrigerator, cabinets and countertops. Your custom built home plans will allow you to create a kitchen space outdoors so you can easily prepare meals without having to leave your guests out on your patio or other outdoor living space alone.

A room addition doesn’t have to be limited to the interior of your home. While adding more living space inside may have its benefits, creating new outdoor living space can be just as functional and help you enjoy some time outdoors as well. When you follow these latest outdoor living space trends, you will be able to enjoy the outdoors in new ways, whether you spend time outside as a family or entertaining friends

If you’re interested in expanding your outdoor living space, contact us. Our Massachusetts contractors can help you plan and carry out a functional living space in your own back yard.

Tag: room addition