The holidays will be upon us before we know it. Everyone wants their home to looks its best for entertaining.
That being said, now is the ideal time to start preparing your home for the holidays. Although you need several months lead time for certain projects, such as a kitchen make-over or a wine cellar, one special project that can be accomplished in six weeks or less is a home theater.
The Basics
Home theaters have become extremely popular, mainly because they have such a “wow” factor. And, demand for Home Theater is high prior to the holidays because it makes a fantastic family gift. The beauty of a home theater is obviously the finished product. But also the fact that you don’t need to build on to your existing structure.
In typical home theater design, an existing room is retrofitted. The finished product would include a Plasma TV, whole house audio/video systems, cozy furnishings and black out custom window treatments. If you are considering a home theater, you should talk to a designer and contractor very soon to ensure completion prior to the holidays.
Planning
If you’re short on time, but still want to update your home, consider giving it a fresh, new look. Here are some design ideas and finishing touches that would take approximately one to four weeks (depending on the project) to accomplish:
- New carpets are one of the easiest and quickest ways to attain a new look. Consider area rugs, runners, wall-to-wall carpeting or beautiful wool rugs. Whatever you choose will further enhance the luxuriousness of your home.
- Hardwood flooring, complete with decorative inlays and pattern work will give your home a custom look. There are a number of choices available and they include pre-finished or unfinished wood floors; exotic wood, specialty wood, laminate floors and engineered wood floors. Or, how about simply refinishing your wood floors to restore them to their former luster.
- Custom window treatments and blinds will give any room in your home a facelift. From swags, panels, draperies, valances, cornices, soft shades and custom toppers to wood blinds, Roman shades, pleated shades, vertical blinds, convertible shades and more – there are many ways to dress your windows well and really made a statement.
- Fresh paint is the second easiest and quickest way to bring a whole new sparkle to one or more of your rooms. Remember that the paint shades that you choose can potentially change the overall effect of a room, making it seem smaller or larger. Not sure about a color? Consult with a paint professional when choosing a new color. Or, purchase a pint of the color (which would cost about $10 or less) and try it out on your wall before making your decision.
- Special design elements such as the installation of crown molding or custom built-ins will go a long way towards improving room design.
To ensure that everything is completed well in advance of when you’ll welcome guests into your “dream” home, be sure plan your interior design and home improvements in October so that all areas of your home are looking, and functioning as you had envisioned.
