Adding On To Your Home - Does Bigger Mean Better?

It's important to realize that bigger doesn't always mean better

, particularly when it comes to increasing the square footage of your home.

Adding only a few extra feet to your kitchen, master bath, or bedroom, if designed well, can provide you with exactly what you need and cost substantially less than a larger home addition.

Keeping the exterior simple and rectangular in its design is far more cost effective than a more complicated structure that's angled or curved in any way. If you need a little extra space in the living room, for example, consider projecting out a few feet from the exterior wall and create a quaint and cozy window seat.

Creating more space can be tough on any budget. However, a great cost effective alternative - and a greener way to go - is to borrow some extra space from neighboring rooms or infrequently used areas. Repurposing and reconfiguring existing space is a more eco-friendly approach. Many older homes tend to be quite compartmentalized and leave us with tighter living spaces where one room abuts the next.

So why not use the space you already have?

Turn your existing front porch into that charming entrance you've been longing for. If your kitchen is tight and compartmentalized and backs on to a butler's pantry, mudroom, or oversized dining room, the more sensible solution would be to re-plan the kitchen by borrowing space from these adjacent rooms. Sometimes a few extra square feet from neighboring spacing and re-planning a new kitchen layout within that framework is all you'll need to create the kitchen you've only dreamed of.

If you live in the mid-west and you're desperate for a mudroom - a designated area in which to store your entire family's winter gear, sporting equipment and pet supplies, then consider re-working your laundry area and borrow a portion of your rear hall or garage area to create a new multi-purpose space. Maybe relocating your back door and bumping out slightly under your existing roofline will provide you with the perfect solution. Plan it with a goal in mind and design this space with ample cabinetry, cubbies, benches,hooks and nooks - to maintain a sense of order within the space.

If these small bump outs or re-purposing existing areas just don't suit your growing family's needs - then consider a larger addition and renovation which will provide you and your family with the home of your dreams.

by: Lori Gilder

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