Annual Homes & Design Issue
From kitchen add-ons to recreational spaces and everything in between, it can be tough to know what renovations will be the best fit for your home and family in the long run. Here, we consult with regional experts on the home additions that can add value and make the most out of the space you have.
Highly utilized spaces like the kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor areas of a home are great places to look when you need to add space but also want to add value back to your home. Whether adding on an outdoor kitchen or implementing a secondary kitchen into a new basement, putting thoughtful consideration into these spaces is worthwhile both for your everyday living and also when you are considering selling the home down the road. Having sufficient bathrooms for the bedrooms and size of the house is another important area to look when considering adding on. Buyers value the space, and it’s easy to dress these spaces up with high-end finishes while still getting a return on your investment in the long run.
Add-ons, like properly designed mudrooms and sculleries, create cohesion in family life, streamlining daily routines and creating well-organized, inviting spaces. A proper mudroom is transformative, setting the tone for your day as you leave in the morning rush, and it’s your first experience when you walk in the door after a long day. It can serve as a family’s daily launch pad and landing zone for not only your standard coats, shoes, and school bags, but also more unique features like dog washes, additional powder rooms, chef’s offices, and big box pantry storage. A mudroom reduces clutter and keeps the rest of the house clean, fostering an organized, functional environment. Similarly, a scullery, or secondary kitchen, provides a dedicated space for meal prep, dishwashing, and storage, keeping the main kitchen tidy and free for family activities. This extra space also allows for seamless entertaining when hosting large gatherings and special occasions.
While the addition of any space to a home adds value, kitchens, covered porches and patios, and primary bedroom suites are areas we see most pursued in the residential world. For kitchens, modern trends have moved towards more open-concept living, with dining, kitchen, and living rooms often being tied together to facilitate a more communal living space. In keeping with the theme of open concepts, opening up the living space into a covered porch area with a fireplace and a corresponding hardscape surround allows for an expansion of the living space that makes entertaining guests more functional and allows families to enjoy the outdoors during all four seasons of the year.
I’d say the focus on enhancing outdoor living spaces has evolved over the last five years into one of the hottest residential trends we see today. For many people, the deck and patio are easy places to add improvements to increase the square footage of usable entertaining or lounging space to a home – often with the added bonus of little to no impact on the conveniences of current living arrangements. Outdoor seating areas, covered or not, built around fireplaces, firepits, gameday TVs, or simply a tranquil view, seem to be the new trending family gathering space for many. Likewise, outdoor dining areas arranged adjacent to full-service exterior kitchens can provide an attractive alternative for family meals. As an added enhancement, people are investing in products such as composite decking and metal handrail systems, and even metal or composite framing, to ensure lower maintenance and durability for these improvements long-term.
In today’s world, there are several additions that everyday homeowners can benefit from while also recouping their investment if they ever choose to sell. Open floor plans allow for seamless hosting and easy family time, and they are increasing in popularity. While not necessarily adding on, renovating an older home and opening up the floor plan will make your everyday living more enjoyable and will also be of value to future homeowners. Another great way to add value back is through energy-efficient improvements. This can include things like a new roof or a more energy-efficient HVAC unit. These additions will result in long-term cost savings for you, saving you money on energy bills, and will also appeal to future buyers as well.
