As time marches on, so do styles, fads, and trends. Remember shag carpeting and wood paneling walls? If this blog was written in 1976 those two things would be about how to make your house modern in 1977. However it’s not 1976 and shag carpeting is no longer popular. Instead we’ve moved on to fire pits, built in wine racks, and hidden rooms. Here are 10 “modern” things to make your house incredible in 2015.
1. Transform your staircase
Most people have staircases in their homes. Why not use the underside for something unique? Such as a wine rack or even a reading nook. Let your imagination run wild when it comes to customizing your home. However, when it comes to renovating your stairwell use a professional to make the change. You don’t want to play around with stairs.
2. Lose the ceiling
If you live in an urban environment this is a modern look to try. Open up your space by scraping the lower level ceiling. Sure it exposes duct work, but it has that factory, coolness factor. Plus it makes your living area look bigger.
3. Use flowers and greenery
Put flowers or greenery in every room. Not only with the floral scents fill up the room, but it will give your home a comfortable and homely feel.
4. Less is more
One of the big keys to making your home look modern is more space. Even if you don’t have lots of money for renovation you can use this technique for little or no cost. Declutter those living areas and see what a difference it makes!
5. Accents
All white kitchens are very modern. Maybe you have one as well. Try adding subtle accents to make your kitchen pop. Why not try black chairs with an all white kitchen. The stark contrast in color gives this kitchen a very modern vibe.
6. More stairwell space usage
If you have a tall stairwell area, chances are you have a lot of extra space at the top. You can build a landing area that can be used as either a visual decoration space OR it can be a living space such as a play area or napping space. If used for the latter you’ll need to get creative with extra stairs to the landing area. Again only use professionals for this one.
7. Not 1 but 2 dishwashers
If you have a large family you know the pains of loading and unloading the dishwashers. Loading and unloading one, two, sometimes three times a day can be very taxing. If you have the space try installing two dishwashers. This will cut your wash time in half and give you more time with the family.
8. Magnetic wall
If you want to try something relatively inexpensive yet trendy, try a magnetic wall. Yes, that’s right you can magnetize your walls. No longer will you have to drill holes to hang items. Hang picture frames, decorations, mirrors, etc. However be careful not to wear a metal jacket while walking by your walls. Not sure how to do it? Read about it here.
9. Baseboard vacuums
Tiled and hardwood floors are great, however they show every spec of dust, trash, hair, etc. Constantly sweeping and vacuuming can be a pain. Try installing baseboard vacuums. Having these time savers strategically installed throughout your house can not only help with the dreaded daily chore, but also make your friends jealous.
10. Bathroom fireplace
No longer do fireplaces only go in living rooms and family rooms. People are installing them in bedrooms and bathrooms. Perhaps even a multi-functional fireplace that is strategically placed between the master bath and master bedroom. If your space can accommodate this idea it can really change the ambience of the room.