If you could have everything you ever wanted in a house, what would it include? Would there be a beautiful outdoor living space attached to the back of the house? Would the home rely on a gas furnace or electrical heating? Would you add some terraces outside the windows to plant colorful flowers?
Having everything you dreamed of in your Philadelphia home may not be possible because of limited funds, but that shouldn’t stop you from incorporating SOME features from your vision into your house.
Designing the perfect home might require you to make some changes to the property. Whether you have purchased a new construction in Mainline Philly or have found a home that is 100 years old, here are some changes you can make to design the perfect living space.
Smart Home Systems
Technology exists to make life easier. One of the more recent innovations is smart technology, which is capable of making your home more efficient and under your control. A central hub such as Alexa can let you manage various machines in the home with just your voice when they are connected to the Wi-Fi. A smart thermostat allows temperature control from your phone, even if you are not in the house. Smart refrigerators can even notify you when certain supplies are low and automatically craft a grocery list to order. These smart-systems maximize the resources your home uses, like electricity, heat, and water, to save on utilities.
Efficient Heating
HVAC is a critical aspect of your home in Philadelphia. Temperatures shift dramatically throughout the year, which means your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning must be in tip-top shape, especially in the winter. When you rely on heat to get through the winters, you need an efficient system. The cheapest ways to heat a home are not always the best, so you need to balance cost with heating power. Some heating methods include space heaters, a boiler, a gas furnace, air source heat pumps, and geothermal heat pumps. Research each method to decide which will best suit your dream home.
Large Windows
Natural sunlight has far more health benefits than artificial light. It can significantly boost your mood, so letting as much into your home as possible is ideal. You can do this by investing in larger windows, particularly on the sun-facing side of the house. If you do not have the budget to invest in larger windows, you can achieve a similar effect with some large mirrors in the rooms of the house. This will reflect the light throughout the home, brightening the space during the day.
Hidden Storage
Making good use of your space is another element of the perfect home. Not everyone can afford the size of a home that can fit all their belongings and hopes for growth. If that is the case, and you want to avoid clutter, then you need to find creative ways to store your belongings. Hidden storage can be a fun strategy for reducing clutter and having a unique feature in your home. For example, some hidden shelves beneath the stairway can help you keep other surfaces clear. Investing in storage furniture can also help, such as an ottoman that opens up to become a small chest. If you have a bench in the entryway, storage compartments under the seat can give you more options. Kitchen appliances that you use frequently, such as coffee makers or blenders, can be stored in cupboards on pull-out shelves to increase counter space.
Home Office
Remote work has swept the population across the country. Many professionals are now operating in remote positions or hybrid scenarios where they can work from home for many of their responsibilities rather than commuting into the city every day. Having a separate space for a home office can improve your work-life balance even further. Designing a good environment in the office is key. Make sure there is ample natural lighting. Decorate the space with plants and art pieces to make it more comfortable. Consider buying a standing desk that can be adjusted to any height. A good office chair can have a bigger impact on your productivity than you might expect. The right home office can complete your vision of a perfect home in Philadelphia.
Prioritize Value With Your Improvements
Designing your dream home can be risky. If you have very specific tastes, the changes you make might alienate the home from future interest from buyers. Whenever you make changes to execute your vision of a perfect home, consider the effect they will have on the value of the property. If they increase the value and make the home more appealing, then your hopes of selling in the future will not be ruined. The wrong improvements, though they may help you enjoy the home more, could cause problems when the time to sell arrives. Keep value in mind as you design the perfect home in Philadelphia.
