Buying a house is one of the most important things anyone does. It’s where you eat, drink, sleep and spend much of your time. You need to have a home you’re happy with.
Some people are lucky enough to buy a place that needs no work, while others get a home that needs significant attention. Whatever the status of your home, it’s a near certainty that it won’t be truly your own until you make it so. Home improvements are how you achieve this.
We’ve listed some home improvements that are applicable to anyone who has just bought a house in New England. We start by listing some of the key features of New England homes and then recommend how you can improve your exterior, interior, and garden.
What do New England homes have to offer?
New England is the home of colonial houses. Colonial chic was brought to New England from old England in the 17th century. It’s the style of present-day New England homes and it’s vital to know what these houses have to offer, so you know what you have to work with.
Colonial houses are gorgeous. They’re impressive structures that exude class but do so in a simple, unassuming way. These are some of the key things colonial houses offer:
- Lean-to structures
- Two stories
- Double-hung windows
- Neutral colors
- Steep roofs
- Gardens
This is what you have to work with. They’re the areas of your house that are ripe for home improvements, allowing you to build on the existing grandeur but add a little something to make the house your own.
Home improvements for the exterior of your house
Your home’s exterior is the part of your house that’s seen by neighbors and passers-by. It’s your advertisement to the world, so improving it will show strangers that your house is truly magnificent.
Community is important and being neighborly is something everyone can benefit from. But there’s no denying you get a real sense of pride from owning the best house on the block. The beacon on the street that shines brighter than any lamp.
You can achieve the status of brightest abode on the block by making some home improvements to your roof, windows, and ornamentation.
You could add a weather vane to your roof (to help give it some personality). You can give your casement windows a new coat of paint (to protect the wood from the outdoor elements). You may add some ornamentation (to differentiate it from the crowd).
How you realize your home improvements is ultimately down to your preferences. But by focusing your exterior home improvements on the roof, windows, and ornamentation you can make it a house your neighbors are jealous of.
Home improvements for the interior of your house
Your home’s interior is the part of the house you see most of the time. It’s the walls you see while you eat breakfast, the bathroom you bathe in, and the floors you walk on throughout the day. It’s also what guests see when you invite them into your home.
Show-offs are often unpopular but there’s a big difference between being ostentatious and building a home you’re proud of. Giving your house the interior look you want and maintaining it shows everyone (you, your family, and your guests) you care about your home.
You can get a look that gives you real gratification by aiming your home improvements at your chimney and color scheme.
Chimneys are an important feature of colonial homes. You’re limited in what you can do to improve it (structural changes are most likely a no-go area) but adding some augmentation can certainly help. You could hang a nice picture above your fireplace, put some pleasant plants nearby or border it with lights.
Color scheme is an area of improvement that all homes can benefit from. It can add warmth and even size to your room. New England homes are historically known for being influenced by landscape colors. This means you can improve your home by using lots of yellow colors to add warmth and a dash of green to give your rooms something to help them stand out.
How you go about your interior home improvements depends on your own preferences. But by tackling the chimney and your color scheme you can keep the New England vibe and enhance it.
Home improvements for the garden of your house
Your home’s garden is a multi-faceted part of your house. It’s an area to show off to guests, to entertain friends and for you to relax in, so improving it will show a range of people how fantastic your home is.
Gardens are diverse parts of your home. They’re as much a place to host people as they are for you to build something enduring that you’re proud of. And with sustainability so important, your garden is also an opportunity to help the wider world.
You can make your garden a place of sociability, respectability, and responsibility by making some improvements to your grass, soil, and trees.
Thick, green grass shows your garden is healthy. That’s why it’s the ambition of most homeowners and why it’s important you know how to boost the thickness of your lawn. Because if you don’t then you’ll have a tired looking garden.
Soil underpins your lawn and it’s what gives your plants the ecosystem they need to survive. Clay soil is a feature of many U.S. gardens and if it doesn’t drain correctly then it can kill your plants. This leads to the issue of how to amend clay soil and that’s why it’s vital you know the steps to take to help improve drainage. Because if you don’t your garden will resemble a plant cemetery, instead of a colorful area full of gorgeous flowers.
Trees bring life to your garden and to your community. They do this by acting as living, breathing statues. This means it’s important to pick the best trees for a New England garden and then know what to do to maintain them. Because if you don’t you’ll have some jarring trees that neither look nice nor live for as long as they should.
How you enhance your garden depends on what you have to work with and how you want it to look. But by improving your grass, soil, and trees you can make your home a place that’s beautiful inside and outside.
Your exterior, interior, and garden are the three areas you have to work with for your home improvements. Each one will have its unique quirks and we can’t make specific recommendations without being invited to your home.
But if you follow the general rules and tips outlined in our home improvements recommendations, then you’ll have a home your neighbors, friends, and family will adore and aspire to match.
