October 2016 - Page 2 of 2 - Bruzzese Home Improvements

Barnware Doors – Rustic versus Faux

October 10, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, Interior Designhome improvement, home trends, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Rustic versus Faux

What started as a way to accommodate smaller spaces has become a home renovation phenomenon. Everyone, from trusted renovation personality Bob Villa to property flipping shows on TV, is getting in on the craze, and it’s easier to join them than you would think.

Like with any trend, the two biggest questions to you is what are willing to spend, and what is the end result you’re looking to achieve? Real, rugged barn doors start at a few hundred dollars and go as high as a few thousand. And that’s before you spend money on the hardware. Faux barn doors, while cheaper, don’t achieve the same rustic flavor as the real doors. Before you make a huge purchase on your home renovation, it’s best to weigh the pros and cons of both types.

Rustic Barn Doors

Rustic barn doors, the ones that kicked the craze off, is what most people fall in love with when they’re house hunting. Having a big, heavy, rustic barn door is a dramatic way to contrast colors and styles, even in a small apartment setting.

Rustic barn doors are also the more expensive option. Whether they were recovered and restored, or custom built replications, these large rugged door options are going to cost more. However, the effects they achieve are unparalleled. Because of their size and thickness, they offer added versatility as sliding walls, shifting privacy areas, interior/exterior doorways, and any other creative ends you can think of.

You may have difficulty finding the right areas to hang traditional rustic barn doors. Their added weight can make hanging them properly a challenge, especially in an apartment setting. Also, finding the right hardware to support them may be an issue, especially on a budget. But if you’re looking to achieve the true effect of the interior sliding barn door, rustic is the way to go.

Rustic barn doors do achieve a lot more than what faux doors do. Their thickness and heaviness provides better privacy than hollow sliding doors or lighter materials can provide. Faux barn doors can really only be used as doors, while rustic barn doors are only limited by your imagination. While many may be fooled by a faux barn door, those who know craftsmanship will be able to spot a fake a mile away.

Faux Barn Doors

Sometimes the imitation works just as well as the real deal. Or, sometimes it just isn’t possible to go with the Real McCoy. In some living spaces, a faux barn door or even a custom built faux barn door can actually work better than choosing a rustic door.

With creating a custom faux barn door, you have a few more options available than choosing a rustic barn door. Although rustic barn doors come in a variety of different styles and lumber, they all have a similar makeup and use; to be heavy, durable, and rustic. With faux barn doors, however, you can choose far more options than just heavy lumber.

Faux barn doors can be created from wood, from glass, or even from your existing hollow sliding door. When you create a custom faux door, or have someone else make it for you, you can generally do it for the same price or less than what a rustic barn door would cost, even from the lower price range. Better still is the added customization options using a faux barn door would create.

Not every home can benefit from the rustic-ness of a barn door. But with a faux barn door, you can have better control over its style through its fabrication and paint. For instance, a glass sliding barn door would look great in a bathroom, while a heavy rustic barn door may not. If you want the effect of a rustic barn door but want to be able to soften its edges, you may want to choose a faux door instead. It’s also a better option for renovators on a tight budget.

Farm versus City

There’s no right or wrong way to use a sliding barn door. Both rustic and faux options are great choices. It all comes down to whether or not you’re trying to add farmland rustic style to your home, or whether you’re trying to add innovative metropolitan charm. If you’re looking for something that’s going to offer more than just “wow” factor, it may be worth going for the extra expense of rustic barn doors. They offer style and functionality, as well as added privacy. However, if you need to customize your home renovation, choosing a faux door is more affordable and let’s your style shine through.

Author Bio:

Ray Adams is a writer at Barnware Doors. He’s available to write about rustic homes and home decor, and excited to make a living outside the corporate world.

Elegant and Functional Walk-In Closet Design Ideas

October 10, 2016adminHome Organization Tips, Interior Design, Tips for homebuyershome improvement, home organization, home trends, interior designLeave a comment

One of the biggest mistakes of first time home owners is giving too much significance to the unimportant things. For example, it’s not that important how much room you have in your bathroom or even in your bedroom (if it is one-purpose room). Both of these places have simple functions and you don’t usually spend more time there than you absolutely need.

On the other hand, the size, position and layout of your closet can play a vital role in making your home more orderly and practical. Unfortunately, this is something that people often tend to oversee. Not only does it keep the rest of your home neat, but it also makes it easier for you to find whatever you are looking for. To make things even better, walk-in closets can be designed in a fashionable and enthralling manner, thus ensuring the rest of your home look even better.

Taking Care of Storage Capacities

First things first, when designing a closet, you must appeal to its practical side. What this means is that you have to come up with the way to organize it properly. Naturally, your first step would be to get the right storage capacities, which means finding someone to deal with shelving installation on your behalf. DIY projects are a great idea, but in this particular case, they might not give as satisfactory result, since any irregularity may seriously damage your valuables. Imagine if the shelf you keep your jewelry on suddenly broke or fell. Sure the results may not be catastrophic, but why take any chances? Another option would be to get a secure nightstand with compartmentalized drawers, where you will keep all the most precious things you own.

The Right Light

As we emphasized several times already, practical function of your closet is the most important. This means that your walk-in closet should always have adequate lighting. Now, while the illumination should be your first concern, this isn’t that hard to deal with. Just follow Watts (or lumens if you are going with LED) and you should be fine. What you might want to give some more attention to is making the light in the room match the overall ambiance. If you decide to go with a shimmery color (like petal pink) hanging fixture might be a perfect solution. Furthermore, seeing how glass is a natural light enhancer (due to its reflective nature) you might want to think a bit about investing in some glass shelves.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Speaking of reflective surfaces, no walk-in closet will ever be complete without the mirror. Seeing how this closet is going to be a room without windows, it is vital that you use all you can to enhance the effect of your lighting system. For practical purposes, it goes without saying that what you need is a full length mirror, but this is only the tip of the iceberg of all that you should pay attention to. This mirror is also a part of the room and as such it must fit in. The easiest way to do so is to make the frame match the surrounding wallpaper pattern. To find a universal solution that fits it all, you can always get mirror closet doors.

While to some they may seem like a luxury, but those who once lived in a home with a walk-in closet could never again live without it. Just having them, means that your home will be overall less messy and that you won’t have to make improvised changing rooms wherever you are. Still, in order to make you feel even more comfortable in this little fashion realm of yours, you might want to go one step further and go that extra mile when decoration is concerned.

Guest Post By:

Chloe is an art historian, recreational ballet dancer and a contributor at smoothdecorator.com. She is passionate about photography, dance and music. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world with her husband and take stunning photographs of beautiful places. She also enjoys learning and writing about home design, since she is crazy about aesthetics. You can find Chloe on FB, Twitter, and G+.

How Underfloor Heating Can Increase House Value

October 8, 2016adminEnergy Efficiency, Home Improvement Tips, Tips to sell your homeenergy efficient, home improvement, home trends, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Thinking of selling your home? If you are, you will be hoping that it has increased in value giving you a pleasing profit.

Renovating and updating a property is more or less guaranteed to create an increase in property value, providing of course you do all the right things, in the right way. For example, always employing professional tradespeople to complete renovations and keeping work in keeping with the age of the property and so on.

There are also new technologies that many incorporate into their homes which significantly boosts value. We think of underfloor heating as a new technology, and yet it has been around many centuries. The Romans, for example, heated bath houses with underfloor fires and there are Roman ruins that suggest they also used hot water in sub-floor chambers.

However, in the 21^st century, we still view underfloor heating as a decadent luxury and this is one of the reasons why it could boost the value of your property.

It spells luxury

Underfloor heating warms the floor above it, leaving it pleasantly warm to the touch. Most people would expect to find it in a bathroom, but to have a property that uses underfloor heating as its main source of warmth is simply fantastic.

Easy to install, maintain and run

The problem with new technologies is that the early prototypes can be slightly confusing to get to grips with. This means a cumbersome set of instructions and tasks to complete in order for it to work.

Underfloor heating, however, uses equipment that we are already familiar with. For example, underfloor electric mats simply plug in. Water underfloor systems use a combi-boiler to heat and pump the water through the system, although there are either systems available.

Compatible with alternative sources of energy

We are all aware of how we need to use energy wisely, and use less of it. Maximising every kilo watt of energy to heat the home will save you money on your energy bills but both underfloor heating systems are compatible with ‘free’ sources of power.

Electric underfloor heating systems can work off energy created by solar panels and/or wind turbines. Wet underfloor systems can work well with ground source heat pumps and so if you want to be really green – and save oodles of cash and add value to your property – then underfloor heating, powered by alternative energy is a great move.

Increases your property energy efficiency rating

Every property that is bought or let in England, Wales and Scotland have to have an Energy Performance certificate (EPC). This certificate rates the energy efficiency of a property from G which is the lowest rating, to the top rating of A or, better still, a carbon neutral property.

When you install underfloor heating, no matter whether dry or wet systems, you will be advised to ensure that your property is as well-insulated as it can be. This can be anything from upgrading the loft insulation to it meets current standards, to efficient double glazed doors and windows and cavity or solid wall insulation.

The heat produced by underfloor heating is not as intense or concentrated in one spot as that given off by radiators or even a blazing open fire. Thus you need to hold on to as much of this heat as possible.

With a better EPC rating and a property that is effectively insulated, you will increase both value and desirability of your property. In a nutshell, your property will be cheaper to heat than the only for sale in the same price bracket but with a lower energy efficiency rating.

Great flooring too

Underfloor heating works at its best when the top layer of flooring is an efficient conductor of heat. This conductivity is not apparent in all materials but hard flooring surfaces tend to conduct heat better than carpet or rugs.

Thus, many potential buyers prefer the polished concrete floor or the laminate, slate or wood flooring because it is clean. It is hardy and robust too, and can mean that there are no nasty dust mites lurking in the corners.

Quality from start to finish

However, like some other areas of home improvements, there can be a temptation to save money by buying an unbranded underfloor heating system, using materials of a poorer quality and ‘having a go at installing it yourself’.

Whilst this can work if you take your time and have all the right tools, it may mean that all aspects of installation of the system is correct. Underfloor heating is preferred by many people because it is reliable and needs little, if any, maintenance.

Do not skimp on professional systems nor installation if you are really serious about adding value to your property.

What renovations are you making to your property? How much value do you think these changes will add?

Underfloor Heating Supplies have a range of underfloor heating systems right for every property and every budget. Making sure you get the right system that allows for maximum comfort is essential when considering underfloor heating.

Looking to Remodel? How You Can Estimate the Costs

October 7, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, home remodelinghome improvement, home remodeling, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

The thought of remodeling should be exciting and create some sense of enthusiasm. However, for some, the thought of estimating the costs can be overwhelming. With so many resources online and conflicting reports, it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what you’re going to spend.

To help you budget for your upcoming remodeling job, here are some tips you may want to keep in mind:

The Basics

First of all, understand that there are some basic methods when estimating your remodeling budget. A list can be an excellent starting point to give you an idea on what you’re more than likely going to pay. When creating your list, here are some things you’re going to want to answer:

A basic labor estimate – Try your best to search the Internet to see what particular remodeling costs may be. While the numbers will be all over the place, it can give you an idea where your project costs may fall.
A list of all tasks you want performed – Every project will be unique. What do want to have done? Do you want planter boxes added to your deck? Do you want Trex lumber instead of wood?
Planning – How is it going to be done? Do you have a deadline? Does it need to be done immediately or are you willing to wait for a few months? Some contractors will cut you a discount if you’re willing to work with their schedule.
Material and equipment acquisition – What is needed for the project? For instance, if you were to dig a new pond, you would more than likely need some larger equipment, which in turn, would show up on your bill. Take a close look at what these rentals will cost.
Area preparation and the protection – How long will it take to prepare the area to get your project rolling? For example, if the deck is already there and needs to replaced, this will probably be cheaper than starting from the ground up.
Clean up and setup – This kind of coincides with the preparation/protection point. What kind of cleanup is required? Tearing off a new roof will more than likely involve a dumpster. The same can be said with remodeling a basement.

The Actual Budget made Easy

Determining the final budget for your remodeling isn’t so difficult if you set aside some time to research the costs.

Determine exactly how much you are willing to spend on your project – write this number down
Find out how your estimated price can be broken down.
Take 20 percent of the final budget and put it in the bank for any surprise issues.
Prioritize your entire list of renovations.

Create a detailed list with the methods that you will pay for your project.

Don’t Forget the Extra Fees

The estimating of your remodeling project might include some hard and soft cost fees. These are some extra fees you may want to think about:

Construction fees
Fixtures
Permits
Consultants

Conclusion

It’s hard to get an exact quote for any project since there are so many factors and each job is truly unique. The great thing about getting an estimate is that most professional contractors will be more than happy to offer a ballpark estimate for free. If you want a true ballpark price, even after doing your research, it’s best to talk with at least three to five licensed contractors in your area.

About the Author:

Stephanie Lynch resides in Gilbert, Arizona, and works for Howmuchisit.org – a cost-helping database. In her free time, she enjoys reading, scrapbooking and spending time with her husband and two sons.

Building Inspections: The Need-To-Know

October 6, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, Tips for homebuyershome buyers, home improvement, real estateLeave a comment

When buying a piece of property to proudly call their new home, many people fall into the trap of clever real estate marketing campaigns, which usually costs them thousands in additional expenses once the estate passes into their hands. Homebuyers with a tad more experience, on the other hand, know that minor oversights during preliminary property tours can result in major update costs later on, which is why they always base the final property purchase decision on objective building inspection reports. But what exactly do building inspectors do, and how can the unbiased assessment save you cash down the road?

ABC of Building Inspection

A building inspector holds qualifications and licenses that entitle them to review and report on the state of residential and commercial property for a set commission. In the audit, the building inspector will go over the building plans and the property itself to make sure it is compliant with relevant standards and regulations. During the inspection, the inspector will strive to identify defects or faults that may compromise residents’ safety and report thereon. A building inspector also has the authority to issue building permits prior to the beginning of construction, oversee the works to ensure observance of regulations on design, materials, and construction methods, propose solutions to potential issues, and certify the building plan compliance with relevant local standards upon completion of construction.

The Role of a Building Inspector

In order to ensure observance of valid building regulations and standards, the building inspector will undertake one or more of the following tasks.

Interpretation of building plans, regulations, standards and codes of practice;
Inspection of materials, structure, and workmanship for compliance with regulations;
Coordination of action plans during construction process;
Preparation of time scale estimates and costs prior to and during the building process;
Data collection with the help of surveying tools and photogrammetric equipment;
Provision of assistance to building managers, architects, and surveyors in construction planning and organization.

Down-To-Earth Report Details

If the list above sounds too complex for you, here are some practical examples of the defects a building inspector can uncover during the audit.

Structural faults, such as roof, flooring, or foundation defects which can compromise safety and well-being of residents and therefore need to be repaired before moving in;
Electrical system issues, such as wiring faults, smoke alarm defects, and low quality of installation workmanship;
Plumbing and sewer defects, such as drain, waste, and vent damage, as well as pipe, fitting, and water heater installation or operation faults;
Air-conditioning and heating system faults, such as blocked filters, valve defects, and poor installation quality;
Health hazards, such as presence of pests, mold and invisible toxins such as asbestos, water pollutants, and gas leaks, as well as balustrade, floor, ceiling, and wall defects, and other potential problems that can jeopardize residents’ health and safety;
Mechanical defects caused by age and wear which will require post-purchase repairs, updates, and makeovers that can cause additional costs.

Speaking the Inspector’s Lingo

Most building inspectors seem to speak a language of their own, riddled with vague terms such as ‘serviceable condition’, ‘conducive to deterioration’, and ‘deviations from the site plan’. For this reason, understanding the building inspection report can be a tough task for an average homebuyer unacquainted with technical vocabulary. To avoid misunderstandings, you should ask the building inspector to provide both a written and an oral elaboration on the state of the property you’re set on buying, and you can also ask them to produce a broad assessment of home repair and upgrade costs that will have to be covered if you decide to purchase the piece of property. On top of the inspection report and cost estimates, a certified building inspector will also be able to refer you to reliable environmental consulting experts for additional tests and audits to establish compliance of the estate with relevant health regulations and standards.

An unbiased building inspection can be a lifesaver for first-time homebuyers, as it will expose and point to structural, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical problems below fine frills and shiny polish which you’d otherwise overlook. Based on the inspector’s report, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on property purchase and avoid common mistakes that can set you back more than you ever thought was possible. For a cool bonus, you can try to use the specifics from the report to bring down the price of your future nest in the negotiations before you sign your name on the dotted line.

Ready to buy a home of your own and settle down? Make sure you get the property inspected before you dash off to sign the purchase contract: it will save you cash, nerves, and hassle later on. You’re welcome.

This article was written by Zoe Clark. Zoe is an environmentalist, home decorator and DIY enthusiast. When not obsessing about designing perfect homes, she is spending time with her family.

How to Maximise Space in the Hallway

October 4, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, Interior Designhome improvement, home trends, interior designLeave a comment

Light colors from top to bottom make a smaller space seem much bigger.

There are lots of positives about living in your home but a negative may be the lack of usable and accessible storage space in the hallway.

The hallway is an important space. Above all else, it needs to be functional but this sometimes means that style takes a back seat. And there are also hallways in homes across the country that fail to tick any boxes; in other words, there is no storage space for shoes, coats, school bags, dog leads and other paraphernalia we tend to keep in the hallway.

What if Balustrade Components told you that you can have storage AND style in the hallway? When space is limited, here are 10 great ideas for maximizing space;

#1 Every piece of furniture must have a role

You know how you like the small table with a vase of flowers on in the hallway? Ask yourself, apart from making the space look nice, what function is it playing?

It is something where car keys could be kept, or the phone book could sit? Every piece of furniture in the hallway has to be there for a reason. Sounds hard but you don’t have oodles of space to fill with pretty bits and bobs.

#2 Mirrors

Mirrors perform an illusion: they bounce light around a space, making it appear bigger. What’s not to love about staggering mirrors around the hallway?

If you can, place a mirror opposite a window so that the light pouring in from there is maximized. Always choose mirrors with frames so that they look ‘finished’ and neat.

#3 Foldaway furniture

This may sound a bit odd but certain parts of the hallway can become the space that you need with an impromptu gathering.

Upstairs hallways can be a great place to have a sofa bed, and when you have a family gathering such as Christmas or birthday, a folding table for keys, bags etc. can be a great way to keep clutter out of the main rooms.

#4 Let there be light! (and as much as possible)

Light is the key to making a space feel bigger. As well as staggering mirrors around the hallway and up the stairs, follow these hints too for more light;

Keeping window dressings lights and make sure they don’t stop light flooding the hallway.
Use glass infills in balustrades as this allows to flood through the entire area.
Use bright, but warm lighting throughout the hallway, including central light fittings and smaller lights in treads.

#5 Vertical storage

When we think of storage areas, we often look to the space directly in front of us or at floor level. To maximize storage space, think vertically. In other words, build storage up rather than across.

#6 Large-patterned flooring

Interior designers often suggest that larger patterns close down a smaller space but when it comes to flooring in the hallway, larger tiles can actually work to give the impression of more space.

Look for larger tiles or linoleums with larger patterns. Laminate also works well, especially when laid width-ways as this can give the impression the hallway is wider than it is.

#7 Build-into space

Under stairs space is often wasted and one way that all this space can be utilized is to build in the space with a bespoke storage solution. For example, storing shoes is often difficult but with bespoke cubes for storing shoes and so on, your hallway can be storage rich rather than being deficient in storage solutions.

#8 Light, block colours

Forget complex wallpapers and patterns in the hallway as too much detail can make the space smaller and cluttered. Think streamlined and minimal, which is why light, neutral, block colours work better than dramatic feature walls.

#9 Doorways

You may not have the budget to widen doorways but if you have, then creating wider doors out on to a hallway can really open it up. This is because it creates an illusion of more space as well as allowing more light into the hallway.

#10 Be organised

The problem with a hallway is that they are often the place that things get dumped until they are either dispensed of or they find a new home. This can take anything from a day or two to weeks, months or years.

Frankly, the key to making your hallway look bigger and more spacious than it is, is to create bespoke and functional storage solutions, keep it light in colours and be organised!

Balustrade Components create balustrades for hallways, as well as barriers for decking, mezzanine floors, outdoor balconies and more. Using glass in balustrade panels is one way of adding more light to any space, but certainly a welcome addition in the hallway.

How to Create a Truly Kid-Friendly Bathroom

October 3, 2016adminBathroom Remodeling, Home Improvement Tipsbathroom remodeling, home improvement, home trends, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Introducing a child to a family bathroom can be a veritable nightmare and a test of patience. Kids in their early age are by nature disorganized, and to make things worse, they own a mountain of stuff.

When a big family of seven shares only two bathrooms, some adjustments have to be made to accommodate the needs of the tiny users. Spacious washrooms can even be more challenging, allowing kids to wander about and make an even bigger mess. Check out our tips on how to make your bathroom truly kid-friendly.

Step stool

Teaching your kids to be more self-reliant from a very young age is highly recommended. After all, you don’t want to spend all day running behind them, making sure they have washed their hands or teeth. Buy each of your little ones a step stool or built it into the vanity so it doesn’t obstruct the routine of other house members. Also, make sure they can reach the faucet with simple add-ons. This will encourage your kids to wash up on their own more regularly.

Open shelves

While this seems like a disaster waiting to happen, open shelves are a great way to boost your kids’ organisational skills and facilitate their bathroom experience. Having their possessions on a neat display will allow them to memorize where particular items belong and prompt them to put it back or help their parents store it. Everything from bath toys to towels can be placed on special kiddy shelves and open compartments. They will love having their own nook in the bathroom.

Towel bars and safety measures

Do you often get greeted by the frustrating image of a messy pile of towels curled at the bottom of a towel bar? Most adults don’t bother with careful placement and adjustment of their towels after use and kids are no different. Still, they need a drying station, and that’s where simple, smooth (no sharp edges!) hooks come into play.

Invest in some sturdy elements that can withstand constant use and pressure. Lastly, put some rubber covers on sharp edges and slippery surfaces.

Sink and countertop

Opt for more sizable sink when shopping for bathroom fixtures and furnishing elements. If you’re blessed with a spacious bathroom, advised at Blue Lagoon Bathrooms, skip the double sink set-up and consider incorporating a single, large through sink. When you’re in a hurry, this will allow more kids and people to fit at once, instead of just two, and they’re easy to clean up. Pair your large sink with a massive, granite countertop. This will eliminate any stains and scratches that may occur.

Decoration

Go out of your way to make your kids feel comfortable and eager to be in this space. For starters, hang some family photos to add a touch of home to this space. You can even ask the kids to pick their favorites. Apart from items that will make bathroom more familiar to kids, you can insert some colourful learning pieces as well. It’s well known that kids acquire knowledge on the go, so it pays off to plant some framed alphabet panel, or displays of animals or geometrical forms.

Wall protection

It depends on your preferences and options, but you can choose between wainscoting and full tile when choosing a wall protection solution. Wainscoting can safeguard your walls from kids’ naughty escapades (dents and scratches) while adding a vintage feel to this space. On the other hand, you want to consider full wall tile for the splash prone surfaces. This will prevent mold and blotches caused by our little flippers.

Out of reach sector

While kids do need to feel this space is theirs too, some areas should be off limits for them. This includes the cleaning chemicals cabinet, as well as the medicine drawer. Kids tend to put strangest things in their mouth, and it’s best to keep them out of their reach. Tall cabinets and locked compartments usually do the trick.

Teaching kids about proper hygiene can be a painstaking process, making them do it – even harder! Commit to some bathroom remodeling to make this space more appropriate and inviting for them.

How Renovating Your Staircase Can Improve Your House Value

October 1, 2016adminHome Improvement Tips, home remodelinghome improvement, home remodeling, home trends, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

The staircase is often the first thing that people see when they enter your property so it makes sense to make a feature out of something that is not only necessary, but functional.

Renovations add value to your property, with some adding more than others. Replacing a staircase in a property can be a wise move, especially if the new staircase is a style that enhances the interior of the property.

Balustrade Components look at five main factors that help you add value with a new staircase.

#1 Materials

Staircases in most properties tend to be made from wood. Strong and robust, wooden staircases can be ornate and detailed, or plain and streamlined.

However, if you are installing a new staircase, you may wish to be a little more decadent with your choice of materials – if your budget can withstand it!

At the top end of the scale, you have the decadence of glass. Glass staircases look simply stunning. If your budget will stand it, choose glass treads as glass infill panels for balustrades. Frameless glass balustrades, for example, look simply stunning.

If your budget is under pressure, using a mix of materials can be the solution to getting a staircase that looks decadent and stunning without a hefty price tag. Using a mix of materials such as wooden treads, glass balustrades and aluminium can create a streamlined, minimalist effect.

If you opting for a traditional design, then a bespoke wooden staircase will tick all the boxes.

#2 Utilise the hallways space better

The staircase can be a cumbersome feature in a home and can swallow a large chunk of the little amount of space available in a hallway.

By renovating the staircase, you could utilise this space better. If you are struggling for space, you could consider adding a circular or spiral staircase. Although these sometime get a bad press, if you opt for a bespoke and custom-built spiral staircase, the final product and finish will be much better than the rickety, flat-pack spiral staircases you are probably thinking of.

A better proportioned staircase, whether it is spiral or not, that release much needed floor space in a hallway is always welcome.

#3 Changing the shape of the staircase

Circular or spiral staircases add a sense of style to a hallway as well as space but changing the shape or structure of a staircase can also make it more of a modern feature in a property which, when it comes to selling, can be advantageous.

However, just one note of caution: some shaped staircases can adapt better than others. In many homes, the staircase is the only way of accessing another level and some shaped staircases can make it very difficult from getting items from one level to another.

#4 Using space under the stairs

As well as creating a piece of stunning indoor architecture, there is another reason why renovating or replacing your existing staircase will add value to your home.

The one thing that is missing from many hallways is storage space. The hallway needs to be stylish but above all, it needs to be practical.

It is the space where wet coats are shed, muddy wellies and soaking wet shoes are flung off tired, cold feet.

It is the place where dripping brollies need to find a place to dry and everything from shopping bags to school bags are kept.

Utilising space under the stairs for storage is the obvious answer but all too often the shop-bought storage solutions are ill-fitting and rather than contribute storage space, actually swallow it. Frankly, including bespoke storage solutions under the stairs will be an attractive option to any potential buyer.

#5 Shows a deeper understanding of the structure and strength of a property

The staircase in an existing property can be adding serious structural strength to an outside wall so before you start ripping out the staircase, always make sure that it is not the very thing holding up an exterior wall.

That said, when potential buyers note a new staircase – and they are not hard to spot because they look simply delightful, especially with the glass balustrade you have chosen, for example – it sends a clear message: you have really looked after this property. If you are willing to spend time and money on a staircase, the basics will be taken care of and to a high standard too.

And finally…

A renovated or new staircase built for your property, and designed in such a way to maximize space will also, by default, maximize light. And in a hallway, more light and more space are two sure fire winners for adding value and desirability to your property.

Balustrade Components create bespoke balustrades for staircases, balconies, mezzanines floors, decking, anywhere that needs or wants a balustrade of some kind. Staircases are the often unsung heroes of the home and by creating a new, bespoke set of stairs, you are adding value to your property.