In today’s housing market, the value of properties is an increasingly important consideration in many homeowners minds. At Renao, we recognize that there are so many ways to increase the value of your home in this market. If you are planning to invest in renovating your space for selling or even living, we think these are a few pointers that you should definitely consider in where, how, and why to renovate this coming summer season.
Electrical System
Electrical systems are an internal aspect of home that is often overlooked when renovating. People get so excited about picking colours and furniture for their desired final look that they rarely think about how the electrical system in their homes will accommodate their current needs. That includes how their home will be powered, and how that looks on the surface on the walls where all the connection will be attached.
Most current homes in Toronto have outdated electrical systems that are underpowered. We live in an era of unavoidable technology, smart systems, and devices that are a part of everyday life, and therefore should be integrated well into our homes so it can accommodate both present and future usage. We believe it’s important to integrate state of the art electrical systems to be better return on money on your home improvement.
Aesthetically, outlets and having proper wire management in place will look seamless with the interior. Proper wire management keeps your space looking beautiful and organized. Imagine a well furnished home but you see your charging devices and appliance wires scattered everywhere. That unwanted chaos can certainly be avoided through smart and thoughtful design.
These are a few things to consider electrical wise before your designer puts their pen on the paper to integrate electrical into a space:
● Start with furniture layout in your space that will provide you with outlet placing.
● Adding a charging pad for your phone in the rooms you most likely spend your time.
● People underestimate the number of kitchen devices they use. Having multiple appliances such as blenders, air fryers, toasters, etc and the cables used for these out in the open can make your kitchen space look crowded. Alternatively, a dedicated cabinet with integrated outlets can make your kitchen look spacious and organized, so you don’t see all these miscellaneous items occupying the counter tops where food is prepared.
● Adding plug in, pop out or charge ups outlets and USB are a simple example to consider around your home for next home improvement project.
● Smart lighting is new upcoming modern dimmer switches, sensors and timers will not only look sleek, but save you money in the long run on your electricity bill.
As designers, we also notice that lighting fixtures are overlooked even though interior lighting is a huge factor in determining the style of a space. Just recently we worked on styling a 1.8 million dollar home, and during our consultation we almost cried walking around the house because it was so gorgeous, but used very cheap lighting fixtures similar to those from our moms apartment from 15 years ago. This includes flush mount dome lights, humorously known as “boob lights”, in their gorgeous bedrooms. We firmly believe that the style and efficiency of lighting should never be last on a clients list of considerations.
Millwork
Millwork, or woodwork that you see for decorative purposes or in kitchens and bathrooms, are one the most expensive items in home renovations. Of course, that is for a good reason. Quality millwork brings up your home value significantly, so it’s important to choose good quality work for your kitchen and washrooms specifically. You probably heard, if you remodel a kitchen or bathroom, you are making the most money out of this investment when selling. That is true. This is why if you are a buyer, you should pay extra attention to the quality of the material they use in millwork these spaces. These are the surfaces that are exposed and draw your attention and continuously being used.We’ve found that other millwork examples such as a closets or bookshelves don’t not draw as much attention as the aforementioned places, but still always be mindful of choosing quality finishes for your millwork.
In a luxury home, cutting corners and picking less refined looking cabinets will hurt your selling the home. Many times we have walked into a home and recognized that the cabinet dealer is not a professional interior designer, evident through how that kitchen or bathroom cabinets are not designed keeping the layout in mind. It is in the details, such as upper cabinets not connecting to the ceiling or the trim not being wrapped around, giving an unfinished look.
We encourage hiring professional designers who can really understand what design aspects in kitchens and washrooms remodelling will elevate your home to a luxury space. We would recommend avoiding sourcing that specific knowledge from a contractor or straight from a cabinet dealer.
Proper Space (Floor) Planning
Let’s start with a story. A couple of years ago, we had a colour consultation with a wonderful client for her newly built home. Once we started talking about colours room by room we started to notice the path of how the hallway lead from room to room was a was a bit odd. More than that, their washrooms and closets were also not quite spaced out right. We did not raise any comments. Once we finished with the colour consultation, she enthusiastically took us to the basement which she was planning to rent out. She gave a run down of where the TV was going to be and the sofa, and so on. We were standing in the unfinished living room confused, because where we were, there was a kitchen island close to the opposite wall which was also the path to go outside to their backyard. There was almost no additional space, aside from minimal legroom to put a few stools around the kitchen island. The opposite wall also had a window, which would have been blocked by the TV she wanted in the space. We hesitated to point out the limitations of this planning because once the layout is built and concrete, there’s very little that can be done to mitigate those issues.
The point of this example from our own practice, is to think about the functionality of the space before you built it. We found out they used a contractor who used someone else with BCIN to get the permit drawings approved by the city to build the house. Many contractors convince you that you are saving money for not hiring the expertise interior designer and architect but you are making a costly mistake of making unconventional spaces that are not functional and this will affect your resale of the property as well.
The contractor or the permit examiner is not concerned with if you have enough space to sleep in a room or where you are going to have your breakfast. They are hitting the checkmarks of measurement of the area and other safety requirements like smoke detector, air intake/out by the Ontario Building code. That does not necessarily mean their drawings reflect your living needs. We understand the importance of affordability, especially now. However, we strongly recommend that even if you cannot hire an interior designer or architect for your interior space, to at least have your permit drawings reviewed by them before you submitting it to the city. These are permanent choices about a space where you or someone else will be spending much of their time. If you were to hire interior designers, it is so important you do so from the start, so they can plan functioning spaces that are usable. It is a common misconception that an interior designer’s job is to simply make the space pretty, which it is to some extent. However, they do more than making a place look nice, their primary job is to make that space functional for you and your family.
On a side note, when you are selling your home, imagine yourself as a potential buyer walking into your home for the first time wanting to imagine their life there. If they cannot imagine where to sit, to spend time with their family, or they cannot find their way to the washroom from the bedroom, then that space planning is not functional. You don’t want you home to be confusing, and people don’t often walk in thinking about renovating right away to suit their lifestyle. Poor planning and layout of spaces can potentially cost you future clients.
These are a few things that we feel are largely overlooked in the process of buying, selling, and renovating. We hope this blog will give you something to think about before renovating your space. If you have more to add, please feel free to email your concern to us. If you like to collaborate with us, reach out by email: hello@renaodesignstudio.com.
