If you have spent any time house shopping in Scottsdale and Phoenix, you will notice that outdated homes are in abundance here. Last year, my husband and I spent almost one full year looking for a new home to buy. We never did find the home of our dreams, but I did discover that most houses in this area have not been updated for about 20 years.
In the end, we decided to remodel our current house into the home we were searching for. We spent countless hours on Houzz.com (like Pinterest, but specifically for homes and interior design). After months in construction, we created an updated house we love. After everything I learned through this process, I can now share a few tips to update any outdated home. Everyone has their own individual style and tastes, of course, so these suggestions are intended only to get your creative juices flowing. In other words, your mileage may vary.
If you are looking to remodel your home to sell or for yourself to enjoy, here are a five home updates that can go a long way in improving any space:
ᴑ Remove all pastel colors: We saw a ton of houses that had light turquoise and peach as the primary colors throughout the house. Faded and muted colors are out, bright pops of color, with mixes of different textures and patterns are in.
ᴑ Don’t think beige, think “greige”: Think about painting your walls a color that is a mix of gray and beige (hence the name greige). It brightens your walls and the color matches both cool and warm colors, so you do not have to replace all of your furniture and carpet with this paint change.
ᴑ Staining wood is a messy but a cheaper option than replacing wood work: If your house has the honey-colored wood for cabinets and banisters, consider staining or painting it. That light colored wood so predominate in houses built in the 90s is very outdated. But the wood can be stained darker or painted to look fresh and modern.
ᴑ Switch out brass and gold colored hardware: This is an easy fix that can be done in a weekend. Research online doors handles, hinges and drawer pulls that you can purchase cheaper online than at the big named hardware stores on sites like build.com or overstock.com. (We also painted all of our doors dark gray; it isn’t for everyone, but I love the modern but classic feel.)
ᴑ Change outdated light fixtures: Switching chandeliers and wall sconces that are outdated are an easy way to update a house. I found most of our new lighting at Valley Light Gallery in Scottsdale.
If you are thinking about a home remodel project, but are concerned that you don’t have the budget for it, consider a home equity loan or a cash-out refinancing of your home. With home values rising in the Valley over the past couple years, you may have more equity in your home than you realize. And, although interest rates have risen in recent months, they are still at historical lows, making this a great time to tap into your home value for some improvements, while lowering your overall borrowing costs.
If you are just beginning the process to update your home, the Scottsdale Airpark area is a mecca for building and home stores. There are stores for lighting, appliances, flooring, granite, furniture, and more, plus most stores have design centers to walk though and get ideas. Take pictures and use a notebook to keep track of all of your favorites. Before you know it, you will feel like you live in a new house you love too.
