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Architectural products used:
Large Dentil crown molding NZ5
Belle cornice molding NZ15
Pacifica panel molding NZ10
Dublin baseboard NFL1 |
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Attic Remodeling
Some rooms don't fit the neat
categories of living room, dining room, bedroom, and kitchen. Because these
special spaces often serve multiple functions, they need flexible lighting that
accommodates a variety of uses. many people put a lot of thought into choosing
lighting fixtures for the main rooms in their homes, but when it comes to areas
like basement or attic remodeling they aren't as discerning. The lighting in
this minor areas is equally as important to make your home as functional as
possible.
Because the attic is above ground, converting it into a
nicely finished room can carry significant weight at the time of resale. If your
attic is already finished, simply consider the cosmetic appearance of the room
and insulation (the attic ceiling should have 6 to 12 inches of fiberglass batting).
The cosmetic conversion of an already upgraded attic is a wonderful investment,
because it will yield a much higher return. An operable skylight may also be
necessary, because attic can get extremely hot and often is poorly ventilated.
The cost and installation of a small skylight starts with about $300 and can go
much higher. If your attic is completely unfinished, you are looking
at a more serious remodeling. Have an engineer determine if the floor is strong
enough to hold the additional weight of a furnished room and if there enough
ceiling clearance. You must then determine the expense of running heating,
electrical , and plumbing systems up to the attic, as well as building an
acceptable stairway.
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Cozy Attic
Mood and atmosphere are very subjective and have an effect on
how we feel. If we have had a hectic day in a brightly lit office, coming home
to a softly lit environment can have a very calming effect, helping us to relax
and reducing stress. If the lighting is more dramatic, creating positive areas
of brightness and darkness, a dynamic atmosphere is created. While
creating a mood
with lighting the right levels of contrast are the means to success,
achieved by controlling each light individually. The wonder of light is its ability to transform a
space, literally with a touch of the button. This is something that
interior decoration can never do on its own. By focusing on what is to
be seen, light can screen out what is not, by leaving this areas in
darkness.
An attic is often forgotten during the day, yet it is
often can be a source of pleasure during the night. On scented summer evenings,
even the smallest attic can be transform into a magical romantic room, while on
winter nights if the attic is lit, it will provide warmth and coziness inside,
enhancing a felling of relaxation. With a well-designed scheme, a small attic
can be enjoyed whatever the time of day and whatever the season.
All you need to create a restful refuge is comfortable seating, a good book, and the right
lighting. You don't need a lot of space. smaller is often better. This
is your private world of retreat, and you can always improve the look
and feel of it with the simplest details regardless of particular taste
and style.
A ledge can display a collection of spun-glass bottles from
Murano, Italy. A small tray can hold a few perfume bottles of different
shapes and sizes. Lighting can emphasize depth of glass color. Colored glass bottles
(shown on the picture of the attic above),
thrown into silhouette, from an effective frieze on a ledge when lit from behind
by linear light source, such as
LED lights or
rope lights. Located
behind the objects and along the base of the ledge, it lights the wall more
strongly than the objects, which emphasizes the curved outlines of the jars to
dramatic effect.
Have a collection of candles, as well as several
glass or crystal hurricane lamps and
candlesticks. Your collection can
include twisted crystal candlesticks bought for a modest price at a house ware
store, as well as those of antiqued brass with solid crystal, or fine porcelain. The squat church candles called votives add charm and
warmth to any intimate moment in the home.
Candles
Decorating Tips:
- Clip the wick to about an
eight of an inch to avoid unnecessary soot.
- If you use a votive candle
that dose not have a protective frame, put a little bit of water in a
dish or cup so that the dripping wax won't stick to the dish and become
difficult to remove.
- Inexpensive clear or colored glass candle-holders
approximately two inches tall are perfect votive holders and are worth
purchasing by the dozen.
- If there is a draft put an additional dish under any candlesticks
holding tall candles to ensure that the wax doesn't drip on the table.
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Creating an Extra Bedroom
Adding an extra bedroom or guestroom
to a home can increase its value and speed up the sale of your home because your
property will appeal to a larger segment of the market.
I do not recommend starting from scratch by building an addition onto your home,
because the new construction costs are unlikely to yield much of a return. But
if you're able to create a new bedroom by altering an underutilized area of your
home, this may prove to be one of your best home-improvement investments.
How do you know how much an extra bedroom will yield on your resale, and how
much you should spend to create an extra bedroom?
As a general rule, the fewer bedrooms you have, the more you'll get out of
adding an extra bedroom. A one-bedroom home or condo that gains a second bedroom
will benefit much more than a five-bedroom home that gains a sixth. If it costs
you the equivalent of 3 or 4 percent of your sale price to add an extra bedroom,
which will enable you to attract a much broader market, my experience shows that
the return is worth the cost. Most probably you can raise your asking price
because your home will now be compared to more expensive properties.
Consider the economics of this for a minute. If new construction costs $75 per
square foot and you are able to turn a 150- to 200-square foot area of your home
into usable space at a cost of $3,000, you will have spent between $15 and $20
per square foot. This can clearly be a bargain.
To be sure, also get opinions from your real estate broker. Tell him or her what you
are thinking of doing and ask how it would affect the marketability of your home. You
may want to get several opinions on this, since you have so much at stake. |
