People often assume that home room additions require lots of space and a large budget; however, adding a mudroom won’t eat up your yard or empty your yearly vacation budget. Creating mudrooms can be economical home room additions.
You can convert space you already have to build a mudroom, or add on a small additional room to create it. Then, after playing or working in your backyard, you can tidy up in your new mudroom. Keep in mind the following five elements as you make your room addition plans and while you interview remodeling contractors.
The Perfect Mudroom Location
A mudroom is all about location. Think about the most-used entryway in your house. This is where most people choose to place a mudroom. You can convert a small front porch into a mudroom or turn part of any existing room into a mudroom. It’s best to enclose the room–having four walls securely surround the area ensures less chance of tracking in outdoor messes to the rest of your house.
Ideal Mudroom Flooring Choices
Choose a slip-resistant, durable floor that can be exposed to the outdoor elements without showing wear and tear. Good options include textured rubber, ceramic tile, and unpolished stone tile. Choosing a dark floor color helps hide the dirt. The ultimate mudroom accessory is a floor drain, making cleaning an easy chore. Or, station your room addition near an outdoor hose, so people can wash off before coming into the mudroom.
Mudroom Storage Options
Who is likely to use the room and what do you plan to store in it? If you have children, make the storage area user-friendly for them, with coat and backpack pegs at kid-level and color-coded bins for each family member. If you want to store sports equipment, plan ahead to make sure it all fits. Think about designing custom-made storage bins and shelving, or peruse container stores for items that may fit your needs. Shoes and boots need a place to dry and be stored, as well.
Mudroom Furnishings and Wall Decor
Include a bench or a few sturdy stools in your room addition plans so you can sit down while you pull off your rain boots. When pondering wall coverings, think about easy-to-clean options, such as vinyl wall paper, high gloss paint, or wainscoting.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with a mudroom addition. The rest of your house can stay clean and perhaps your family can enjoy being more organized, too.
8 Essential Elements for Perfect Gamerooms
January 5th, 2010 by admin
Have you always wanted a gorgeous gameroom, but never knew quite how to design it? Keep in mind these essential elements for gamerooms and you can play to your heart’s content in no time!
Need help? Find a remodeling pro near you.
- A separate decor. Make your gameroom distinctive from the rest of the house. When you walk through the door of your gameroom, it should immediately relax you–that’s the whole point of gamerooms! Use a light, fun decor that is very different from the rest of the house.
- Lots of space. Your gameroom should have plenty of room for the family to move around. If you choose to put a pool table or other large gaming equipment in the room, make sure you have ample room on all sides.
- Games for everyone. The appeal of gamerooms easily transcends age. Make sure the activities in your gameroom offer something for everyone. For instance, a casino poker table might be great for the adults, nestled right beside a cute checkers table for the kids.
- Sporting spirit! Part of the appeal of gamerooms is showing your sporting spirit, so consider decor that reflects your favorite teams. Everything from team logos and colors to framed jerseys makes for an interesting look.
- Soundproofing. Want to yell at the top of your lungs when you see your favorite team score that touchdown on your bigscreen television? Good insulation or soundproofing material on the walls of your gameroom ensures you can cheer as enthusiastically as you like–no matter the volume.
- Comfy furniture. If you’re going to play a video game for hours on end, you need a comfortable chair to rest in. Bean bag furniture, recliners, long couches, and other lounging furniture are essential pieces of any gameroom’s decor. If you want to save money and get furniture that is already broken-in, hit up thrift stores and yard sales.
- Keepsakes. Gamerooms are meant to reflect fun and enthusiasm, so they are the perfect place for those vintage keepsakes. Vintage posters, neon signs, clocks with team logos, and even an old jukebox are the perfect accessories for your gameroom.
- Visuals and sound. No gameroom is complete without a television for watching the big game. A surround-sound system can bring the action even closer, and also works well for those times when only great music on the stereo will do.
Are you ready to create a gameroom that is the envy of all your neighbors? Let the games begin!
About the Author: Shannon Dauphin is a freelance writer based near Nashville, Tennessee. Her house was built in 1901, so home repair and renovation have become her hobbies.
Easy Basement Renovations & Other Home Renovation Ideas
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8 Essential Elements for Perfect Gamerooms
How to Do a Home Lead Paint Test
December 5th, 2009 by admin
Determining Accuracy in a Home Lead Paint Test
If you’ve been doing your routine fall maintenance, you might want to add one more task to the list. Doing a home lead paint test, if you have never done one before, and especially if you live in an older home, may be a smart way to ensure your home is as safe as you assume it is.
There are a few different techniques on the market to help you do a home lead paint test. The first home lead paint test uses a solution of sodium sulfide to indicate the presence of lead in paint. You simply take your sample, put the solution on it and wait to see if it changes color. You may be more familiar with a swab, which does the same thing. It is rubbed onto the surface of the area in question and changes color once the process is complete.
Another home lead paint test requires special equipment containing radioactive material. It should only be handled by a trained inspector. The equipment is a fluorescence X-ray that will determine whether the paint contains lead.
Home Lead Paint Test Will Keep Your Home Safe
The problem with doing a home lead paint test is that the testing results are inconsistent. Different tests may yield different results making the at home testing products unreliable. The best way to test your home is to have a credible lab check your samples. It may not be the easiest or least expensive alternative but in a laboratory, a technician can do a more thorough search of the samples. If you run a home lead paint test and it is positive, you may want to consider a lab test to make sure you know exactly what you are dealing with.
The walls of your home and drinking water are not the only lead paint hazards you must be aware of in the household. It is also important for your children’s health to keep up with safety recalls in toys. Right now lead paint is being found in various kids’ toys.
Gain Livable Space with Basement Remodeling
December 5th, 2009 by admin
by Roger Diez
You may need some extra space because your family is growing or a relative needs to move in with you. Or maybe you need a place to entertain? You can’t add a second story and moving is out of the question, so what do you do? Well, with a little imagination and some ingenuity and hard work, finishing your basement can transform that dark, dank junk storage space into something usable and even elegant. And when you are ready to sell your home, a finished basement can add to its value.
Basement Remodeling Ideas You Can Use
A remodeled basement has many potential uses. You can make it a recreation/play room with a pool table or ping-pong table. If you work out of your home, basement remodeling can provide you with a home office or a craft room. Do you want to get in shape? A home gym is another excellent use for the space. You can also remodel your basement into an extra bedroom for your growing family or for in-law quarters, complete with bath and cooking facilities. If you have separate access to the basement, you could even create an apartment for rental.
Plan Your Basement Remodel
Now that you have decided on finishing your basement, you don’t want to head downstairs with a load of lumber, some nails, a hammer, and a bucket of paint. If you want your project to succeed, a little planning goes a long way. First, take measurements so you know the space you are dealing with. Then lay out what you have and what you want the finished product to look like. You can use graph paper and pencil for the layout, or you can use basement remodeling software for a more sophisticated plan.
How About a Basement Remodeling Contractor?
If you are good at home improvement projects, you might want to try finishing your basement by yourself. But there are many facets to consider, particularly if your basement is damp. Are you skilled in the use of special coatings used to keep basements dry? Do you know about using specially treated lumber? How do you block off your furnace and water heater from view, but still have easy access? Can you get the proper permits and install plumbing and electrical systems that meet building codes? If not, you may want to bring in a specialized basement remodeling contractor. The contractor can determine whether or not you need exterior grading or a sump pump to keep your basement dry. They will be able to advise you on materials such as flooring and paint, and help design a proper heating and ventilation system. Make sure you select a basement remodeling contractor who has references. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau and your state contractors’ board. A good contractor can save you time and money in the long run.
Enjoy Your New Space
Once the work is done, you will wonder why finishing your basement didn’t occur to you sooner. Now you can have fun furnishing it. Whether you put in bedroom furniture for guests or in-laws, a poker table or pool table for recreation, a stair-climber for exercise or a computer desk for work, your remodeled basement is likely to get a lot of use and give you a lot of pleasure.
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Gain Livable Space with Basement Remodeling
5 Great Tips for Basement Remodeling
December 5th, 2009 by admin
If you have an unfinished basement, think about all that space under your home just sitting there, unused. Why not turn it into a new room and increase your living space? A good basement remodeling job can give your home a revitalizing lift.
Five Steps to Basement Remodeling
Be careful to select a qualified basement remodeling contractor. Only someone who understands the intricate details of moisture, concrete, and basement-related issues can help you create a room that will last the lifetime of the house.
- Make the basement waterproof. Even if you don’t have any current concerns with water in the basement, why take a chance? Before you start turning that old basement into a brand new room, use a good concrete sealant to keep the mold at bay and the dangerous radon out. It also helps prevent the “musty” smell some basements emit. Choose a concrete sealant specifically made for use in older buildings to get the most heavy-duty coating.
- Examine the reasonable requirements for your basement. Most finished basements need an additional source of heat, as they tend to be cooler than the rest of the house. What type of flooring will you choose? The lumber you use for the walls should be treated to prevent rot in the event moisture rises up from the basement floor. Much of this work is best left to a reliable basement remodeling contractor.
- Take steps for clean air. Moisture is a common concern in basements, and mold can be a major health issue for your family. Electric floor heating is a great way to help alleviate moisture in this part of the home. Other techniques to reduce moisture include directing water away from the foundation, using heavy-duty mold fighters like RadonSeal, or choosing materials that resist mold.
- Design your space. Now it’s time to have some fun! Design your space to meet all the needs and preferences of your family. Will the room be used for recreational fun or for relaxation? After you choose a direction for the room, decorate it with furnishings that suit your style.
- Turn on the lights. Basements are naturally dark and they often have low ceilings, which can make you feel like you are in a cave. Make the best use of natural lighting by installing glass blocks or window wells. Use mirrors and strategically placed artificial light to make the room feel bigger and brighter.
Your hard work will pay off in a beautiful basement space. Now take the time to enjoy it!
About the author: Shannon Dauphin is a freelance writer based near Nashville, Tennessee. Her house was built in 1901, so home repair and renovation have become her hobbies.
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5 Great Tips for Basement Remodeling