126-kitchen-windowsYou’ve decided it’s time for a change in your home and you’re going to go with the whole remodeling shebang – the whole kit and kaboodle. The good news is the housing market is on its way back up and you’ll have the chance to get a better return on your investment. The bad news is if you don’t keep in mind that you’re looking for a big change, you might risk designing a space that looks a lot like what you have now.

We’ve put together a few things that you can do to keep your remodel from mirroring what you have now, and make the space more enjoyable.

For your bath:

  • Invest in a shower or tub that you’re really going to enjoy. Sometimes people think that they have to have a huge tub and a huge shower. In most cases, if you go for a huge tub and skimp on the shower, you’ll find that you don’t enjoy the space as much. Honestly, how many times have you taken a bath in the morning before work instead of a shower? Find a tub that is comfortable, but don’t break the bank on it – spend your money on the shower.
  • Build the closet you’ve always wanted. Really, make it the huge walk-in with built-in shelving that has a drawer for every pair of shoes you own. A big mistake in a lot of remodels is that people focus too much on the actual bath portion of their master suite and forget to add the extra space for the closet they’ve always dreamed of. It’s possible to have the best of both worlds if you remember to plan on the space.

For your kitchen:

  • Make your kitchen island something to talk about. An island is often something of an afterthought or it’s simply placed in the space because there was one there before. Take the time to design your layout the way you want it, with a large island that will function as you need it too. Often islands just aren’t big enough to serve as the prep area, gathering place or even as a serving area. Change that in your remodel and make it a fixture of your kitchen’s layout.
  • Bring in some natural light. Your kitchen may have a few windows that let you look outside, but what’s the use if you are only staring at the side of your neighbor’s house? Create new windows in your kitchen area so that you can see to the best parts of your property.  The natural light will make the large space feel brighter during the day; and it allows you to see what’s going on outside if you’re in the kitchen cooking!

There are plenty of ways to make big changes in your home during the remodel. If you’re going to take the leap and remodel your home, you might as well go for some of these big changes.