Some homeowners are most interested in the kinds of improvements that will increase the value of your home, but when you plan to stay in your home long term, it is far more important to think about home improvements that will make your life better while you are in your home. In fact, many of the home improvements that can make your life more fun and enjoyable will have a side benefit of bringing value to your space.

Improve Natural Light

Natural light is important to the way your home looks, but it can also add to your overall health and improve your mood. Finding ways to bring natural light into your home can take some imagination, but it totally pays off. The first method for bringing in natural light is to add windows or expand the windows you have. Bringing in a skylight or glass sliding doors can also bring in light and make your space more comfortable and welcoming. If you aren’t sure about adding in windows, using light colors and adding mirrors to your space is a great way to enhance the natural light you have and allow it to reach more of your home.

Add a Patio

A patio is a great way to expand your outdoor space and make your backyard a place where you love to spend your time. A good patio needs solid flooring that adds beauty as well as function to your outdoor space. Adding shade to your patio whether through trees or a cover is an important part of making the space usable, even when it gets hot outside. Comfortable patio furniture and a fire pit can bring your patio up a notch and make it a great hangout for summer nights. When you are building your patio , think about the way you would like to use it, whether that be as a hangout or for hosting barbecues. Try to plan the design around your needs.

Creating a Home Gym

Having a space for working out in your home is bound to improve your overall health and wellness. When you are designing your workout space, it is a good idea to consider the kinds of workouts that you enjoy and that make you happy. If you create a weight room in your home but you hate lifting weights, it may not pay off. However, if you love yoga or Pilates and create a room that makes it easier for you to get your workouts done , it will be super useful. No matter how you want to use the room, having lots of room to move around will help your home gym to be even better.

Add Kitchen Storage Space

Even if you have tons of counter space, if you don’t have enough storage in your kitchen, you won't have room on your work surfaces. Adding cabinets to your kitchen can expand both your storage and your available workspace. In addition, better kitchen cabinets can increase your home value and give you more space to work with. Try to go with a classic look for your cabinets so that you will continue to like the way they look even as trends come and go.

Add in Floor Heating

For really luxurious living adding radiant heating to your floors can be a great addition. Radiant heating will make your mornings easier by preventing the rude awakening of cold floors on bare feet. You don’t have to add radiant heating throughout your home though. You can instead add radiant floorings to a few key rooms in your home to make them more comfortable. Bathrooms are a great spot for radiant flooring, bedrooms, and cooler rooms in the basement also make for great options. Radiant heat can amp up the luxury of your home and give you an added layer of comfort.

Update Your Master Bathroom

Your master bathroom should be a place where you can calm down and destress even after the roughest day. Updating it to fit your needs and create a spa experience is a great way to enhance your lifestyle. If you are a bather, adding in a nice big tub with room to stretch out and soak will make a huge difference. If you prefer showering, a walk-in shower is a great addition that can be customized to suit your needs and your style. If you have the budget and space, having a separate tub and shower is a luxurious way to maximize the benefits of your master bathroom.

Build on a Front Porch

Porches are awesome additions to any home that can expand your usable space and give you somewhere comfortable to be while relaxing outside. A front porch also adds a welcoming space where you can talk to neighbors and hang out with visitors for a few minutes or a few hours. A porch swing can elevate your front porch and make it the kind of space where you can enjoy your time and relax at the end of a long day or while you drink your morning coffee. If you want to go all out, a wraparound porch is a beautiful addition.

Add Built-in Storage

Adding built-ins throughout your home will give you space to keep your books and other items without needing to find matching furniture at various stores. Adding built-in bookshelves to an office can help the space to be both more formal and more functional. Built-in cabinets in a basement room can give you space for food storage or for keeping your seasonal decorations behind closed doors. You don’t need built-ins in every room but adding it where you need it can make your life a lot easier and keep your home more organized.

If you are planning to be in your home for a long while, it should be a place that is comfortable and functional for you. Prioritizing your own wants and needs will help you to enjoy your space more and make the most of your life. Your home should be a reflection of what you love inside and out.

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