WINN design+build
In This Issue

• Home Additions
  That "Think Ahead"

• Maintenance Tip

• Pass It On!


Browse our portfolio

For inspiration and ideas, take a look at a portfolio of our work.


Quick Links

About Us
Subscribe

Contact Us  Find us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Join us on LinkedIn


Ready to Start?

Winn Design
& Remodeling

100 W. Jefferson St.
Falls Church, VA 22046


Ph: 703-876-9696

WinnDesign.com

 

July 2013  

Home Additions That “Think Ahead”

Can today's playroom become tomorrow's master suite? Can a home office become a private suite for in-laws? Yes, with a "think ahead" approach that can double the value of your home addition.

A home addition is a great way to enjoy the extra room you need today. But with a "think ahead" addition, you also enjoy living space that can easily adapt as your needs change.

"Think ahead" remodeling means working with us to design a space that looks beautiful and functions efficiently for you today, yet has the built-in flexibility to serve new functions as your lifestyle and family continue to evolve. Best of all, when you do get ready to repurpose your space, remodeling will cost much less because of what's already been included in the original home addition.

Here are three "think ahead" ideas to help you explore possibilities for your own home addition.

Home Addition Idea #1: Full house to empty nest

If you have young children, a roomy first-floor playroom is a smart investment that provides plenty of active family time all in the safety of an indoor play space. In terms of meeting today's needs, this type of home addition should include ample storage for toys, open play space, plus floors and walls that are durable and easy to clean.

What happens once the kids have outgrown the playroom? Well, with a "think ahead" approach, a well-designed playroom can easily be remodeled into one of today's most desirable home features: a first-floor master bedroom-bathroom suite. To make the conversion as easy as possible, make sure the size of the home addition will function well for today's playroom and the future master suite. Anticipate how storage space could work for toys now and clothes later. Today's remodeling might also include a half-bath, but with plenty of room in the floor plan to add a luxurious full bath down the road. When it comes to thinking ahead about your home addition, contractor communication is the key to success.

Home Addition Idea #2:
In-boxes to in-laws

Do you need extra space for a home office? Design it now with a separate entrance (and with an eye toward meeting tax-deduction "exclusive use" requirements), and you will also create a "think ahead" home addition that can later function as an ideal in-law suite. As part of today's home office remodeling, build in features that will make the space live well now and later help elderly relatives enjoy a safe yet independent lifestyle. For example, consider lever-style handles rather than knobs, hard-surface flooring rather than carpeting, and a bathroom that is (or can easily become) accessible even if mobility is an issue. Design features such as built-ins, a fireplace or a vaulted ceiling can give the office an impressive ambiance today, while giving the future in-law suite a touch of luxury.

Home Addition Idea #3: Homework to workouts

What you need is an extra bedroom and bathroom for the kids. What you ultimately want, however, is a home gym and sauna. By thinking ahead, we can design the immediate extra bedroom and bath the family needs and, once the kids are off to school, convert the space for your own personal fitness club.

No matter what kind of space you need today, let us know what you may want down the road. That way, you can have that future functionality built-in right along with today's addition. If you'd like to explore how a "think ahead" approach can increase your living space and save you money down the line, please give us a call.

Maintenance Tip: Keeping Your Cool

A ceiling fan is an easy and energy-efficient way to feel cooler, using as little energy as a 100-watt light bulb. Keep in mind, however, that it does little good to run it when you're not around. The fan really isn't cooling the room. Like a breeze on a hot summer day, it's the blowing air moving across your body that makes you feel cooler.

If You Like Our E-newsletter, Pass It On!

We would like to thank all our new readers who have signed up for our e-newsletter. If you know someone who you think might like our e-newsletter, please forward them a copy. Unless they then choose to subscribe for themselves, they won't be on our e-newsletter mailing list for future e-mails. (We promise!)

See you next month!

Mike Winn

 

©2013 Continuum Marketing Group LLC