10 Home Renovation Projects for the "After" - and How to Plan for them Now
/Everyone is “hunkering down” at home, staying safe, adjusting to the new Indoor-normal.
And some of us are faced with, perhaps, a little extra time on our hands?
Quite possibly that spare bedroom full of boxes and junk, that never bothered us previously, is now screaming , “time to fix me up !!!!”.
Or, spending so much time looking at that dreary wall colour, has you thinking - time for a change?
And that home office space you were going to create - well —- now that is really top of mind, isn’t it ?
At some point, when this pandemic lifts, and life resumes, we are going to want to move ahead with some of the projects we have had in the queue ( arguably, with much fervor ! ) And now - in the quiet time, we have a chance to plan these projects out !
There is much we can accomplish, all in the comfort of our fuzzy slippers !
1. Plan that Gallery Wall
Now is the perfect time. Get out the few pictures you finally got around to developing, of the kids. Go online and look for interesting Art & Photos from Gig-based platforms like Society6. Consider adding in mirrors, heirloom pieces or decor. or Order Frames & Frame Hooks on Amazon or Deserres. Once all your choices are made, get out that measuring tape and plan your attack. Lay out your prospective gallery on the floor first.
2. Go through the House and do a “Hardware Overhaul”.
It is amazing, the transformation, that can be made when you change your hardware. On your kitchen cabinets. On your bathroom cabinets. On your interior doors. Even on Furniture pieces like dressers and sideboards. Go through your house and make a list of all the hardware you want to change. Jump online, and look at manufacturers like CB2, Richelieu and Emtek, and start creating shopping carts. Some businesses are still shipping, and you may be able to get your items shortly and begin installing.
3. Plan to recover vintage or tired furniture pieces, to give them new life.
Reupholstering existing pieces, can be so much fun ! Find a designer and have them send you fabric swatches. ( Our design arm, “Sunday Creative” is a great resource - contact her @sabrina@sunday-creative.com ) Many of the fabric mills are still sending swatches. Order a variety of textures and prints. Once they come in the mail, drape them over the prospective pieces and see what you think !
4. Plan & Order an “Amazon Patio”
We are surely busting at the seams right now, anxious to be outside again. We don’t know how long this will last, so let’s create an outdoor patio environment that celebrates the coming of spring, and allows us to be outside, even if it is just our own backyard.
Start with the basics if you don’t have them - seating & tables. Then, make a list of cute and cozy things that will make your safe-haven patio even sweeter - twinkly lights, colourful accent cushions, bright dishware, tiki lamps& fun outdoor carpets.
Amazon seems to be in full-swing, still. Let’s take advantage of this.
5. Start thinking about some Creative Cabinetry Solutions
If you are looking around, like us, and seeing just how much “stuff” we have in every room of the house……Kid’s toys, gift wrapping supplies, board games & media…….Let’s take a second to consider Custom Cabinetry to hide some of this “stuff”.
Find a local cabinetry shop ( shopping local during this time, is oh-so-helpful to small business that count on our patronage ), and email them to ask for quotes on custom cabinets. Be prepared to send them photos and dimension of your room. They may be able to even send you samples, and get you order in production, during this time, and then delivered in the “after”.
6. Do a “Drive-by” in your neighbourhood and scout Home Exteriors for Ideas.
If you are considering an exterior face-lift for the house, jump in the car, and do a Home Tour in your area. Take photos or make notes of how other people have used Colour combos in their exterior — whether it be Paint for Siding, Window frames, Door Colours, Eavestrough paint, Shingle colours, or landscaping choices.
Make a Concept board for yourself, logging all the images that might work together for your house, and you will be all set to start fetching quotes, once renovation work resumes.
7. Get the Kitchen organized.
A lot of us are making an inordinate amount of meals at home now, and perhaps you have noticed just how inefficient your setup is. Let’s go through your kitchen cabinets, one by one and see what is working and what isn’t. In the quiet time, let’s double-down on organization and plan a more well-thought out Kitchen space. Brands like Richelieu, have everything you need to create an organized Kitchen Interior. Jump online and start a cart.
A place for everything, and everything in its place.
8. Make Your Design Plans “real” by Drafting an Online Spreadsheet
Capture all your Design & renovation “hopefuls” and lay out a budget with an Online software system.
We love and use Airtable almost exclusively to plan our projects. It is a robust FREE program, with unlimited organizational abilities. Set up your “base” with columns and data-sets of your choice. Create completely custom, or work off of existing templates. Easier to read and format, than Excel. Add links to loved products. Include prices, Sources, images, dimensions and more.
9. Reach out to a Local ( or, not so-local ) Designer and book a Zoom Consultation.
Book a 1-hour Zoom chat with a Designer and have them assess your visually. Ask them to give you a “prescription” afterward. After a discussion, getting to know you & your needs & budget, your designer should be able to provide a Digital Concept board to you, with Product Ideas. Ask for a Shopping List to go with this, and be all ready for when the stores re-open.
Again, Sunday Creative is providing this service in two ways - $95 for a 1-hour Zoom Call, or $300 for a 1-Hour-Zoom call with Concept Board & Shopping List. ( Based on 1 room ) .
10. Get Your Colours Done ( Love this Old-School phrase ! )
Reach out to a Designer and book a chat to start creating a Paint plan for one room, or for the entire house. Brands like Benjamin Moore and Farrow & Ball are still shipping samples. Load up on samples, pin them to the walls, and have the family weigh in on options. Getting a professional Colour Board “done” helps clarify the overall feel of the house, and will take into account the colours for ALL things - walls, ceilings, doors, exteriors, trim work, architectural mouldings, and even soft-furnishings.
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