When was the last time you scanned your place and liked it? Truly liked it? Homes are like sanctuaries. They are supposed to make you feel good. But do they?
If it’s taking you too long to answer, maybe it’s time to flip it. The benefits of redecorating your condo or just one room in your house are endless. The best perk is happiness. In the recent Home & Happiness survey of home design website, Houzz, nearly nine out of ten (87%) homeowners agree that the way their home looks impact their overall happiness. This cuts across men and women and home locations in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Furthermore, 74% of those who redecorated their homes in the past two years are happier, 51% feel more relaxed, and 35% say their homes are tidier. Newly-designed homes also result in more house parties and family members fancying staying home rather than going out. The two elements that made Houzz respondents jump for joy are not expensive stuff ---just big windows (74%) and more comfortable furniture (70%).
The desire to be happier --- isn’t that reason enough to give your space a new look?
People living in a condominium might have the impression that transforming that small condo room is impossible. However, remember that when it comes to style, space is never an issue.
Here are other perfect excuses to get started on that long overdue makeover:
You’re decors make you gloomy
A survey by national retailer Homegoods revealed that almost half of Americans (47%) have not updated their home decor in the last five years. This is probably the case in most homes. The result: only 20% of Americans reported feeling happy with their home decoration and 14% said their décor make them feel gloomy and stressed. The home should relax and not stress you out so make sure you revolutionize it with ornaments and décor that make you feel good.
At the same time, if you feel like you have to toss out a few things, be honest about it. The survey also revealed that 38% of men and 46% of women secretly wish they could get rid of one item that their partners keep on display. Do not sacrifice the luxuries of condo living just because your significant other insists on flaunting one wedding souvenir that doesn’t go with your condo’s entire look. If it stresses you out, it’s worth talking your partner out of it.
You want to channel your inner Martha Stewart in your kitchen
A lot of things happen in the kitchen. It’s no surprise that 79% of homeowners expressed their desire to improve the look and feel of their kitchen according to a recent survey, also by Houzz. More than half also want to remodel their kitchen to improve function and upgrade appliances. There have been a lot of designs emerging to fit every space. Opening your kitchen to other rooms and incorporating an island are among the most popular designs especially for modernizing a condo kitchen. These condo kitchen designs may be seen in DMCI homes that are meant to make the space more functional and appear bigger.
This is also a good way to get the men in the kitchen. After all, a recent Harris survey published in the New York Times revealed that 63% of women find it sexy when their partners cook. Who knows, maybe a better-looking kitchen will heat things up (and no, we’re not talking about heat in the kitchen).
You need to get more sleep
Everyone deserves a bedroom that feels like a hotel. The first-ever Bedroom Poll of the National Sleep Foundation shows that 77% of individuals get a good night’s sleep only on a few nights per week due to environmental reasons. The respondents did not want a huge bedroom but a quiet and a clean one. When renovating your condo bedroom, consider factors that make a room cool, fresh, and dark. Comfortable sheets and pillows are also an indulgence. A good night’s sleep is sacred; don’t be economical about it.
Your bathroom stinks
The philosophy should be like this: your bathroom should be so fresh and nice that you could sleep in it. Is your flush working? Would you like an open toilet? Or would you like glass doors to separate it from your shower? Would like to add a bathtub?
You are lucky if you live in a modern condo because you won’t need to worry about things as basic as these. However, don’t shy away from adding surprising designs to your condo bathroom like a small painting on the wall, a magazine rack for your reading pleasure, a humble plant, and don’t forget to go for perfect lighting.
Your family needs to get together
Would you and your kids rather go straight to your bedrooms when you get home? Whatever happened to those priceless family moments in front of the TV or playing board games? The same Houzz survey says that 42% consider the living room as the happiest room in the home so make sure that it is.
One way to do this is to re-upholster or get a new couch or sofa. Face it: your couch is either stained or saggy. Sofas are the first thing to welcome your guests so choose the ones that feel solid and heavy. It must be framed in hardwood and has a really dense cushion. A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you’ll make and one of the most permanent so go for quality.
Sometimes, all the renovation you need is to get rid of the clutter
According to the primary Houzz study mentioned here, homeowners are happiest in rooms that are clean and organized (72 %) and comfortable (68 %); especially women who are contented with neat and clean. If you don’t have a makeover budget, try moving things around. That’s also a good way to clean spaces where the pieces of furniture were originally placed. Scan your condo for things you need to toss out and things you could just re-paint and remodel.
Everything will wear out eventually. Your favorite furniture will not last forever, your kids will grow up and need mature-looking rooms. The needs of your families will change, and the demands of your lifestyle will also require change. So change. Like what they say, it should do you good.