We know it’s been really tough spending so much time at home, trying to maintain some kind of routine and get work done, doing your best to isolate your family to make sure they stay healthy.
You, no doubt, have noticed things about your home that you would love to improve “someday” …when things return to normal again. Instead of letting them bother you, set aside a few moments to start planning to make things better.
Custom kitchen by Merrill Contracting & Remodeling
Here at Merrill Contracting, we see three ways of focusing on what’s important if you find yourself dreaming of the home you’d love to have.
#1 Every Moment Counts: Low Maintenance
These days, everyone is busy trying to figure out to keep things feeling normal, with working from home, and keeping the kids on track with homework and away from too much screen time. It would be nice not to have to spend a lot of time or energy on home maintenance when there are more important things to think about. Fortunately, switching to some new engineered building materials available now will require less of your time for upkeep later.
Quartz countertops are a popular substitute for granite. These composites are as sleek and shiny as granite, but virtually maintenance-free. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) and Luxury Vinyl Planking (LVP) are not your grandparents’ vinyl flooring. They are beautiful, durable, water resistant, comfortable underfoot and easy to maintain. LVT and LVP flooring can be used, at an affordable price, in place of wood, tile or stone for any room.
When selecting exterior products, many materials can be almost maintenance-free. Exterior wood can be replaced with man-made materials such as engineered siding, trim and decking.
Sunroom addition and deck by Merrill Contracting & Remodeling
#2 Every Family Member Counts: Universal Design
While you’re all home together for extended periods, you realize your home needs to be comfortable and convenient for everyone from toddlers to seniors. Following the principles of Universal Design throughout the home means wider halls and doorways, lever handles on faucets, adequate task lighting, and increased lighting on stairways. Make it easier for everyone to help themselves in the kitchen by adding pullout shelves, multiple counter heights, and an under-counter microwave.
Custom kitchen by Merrill Contracting & Remodeling
A finished basement can be divided into separate rooms for kids to play and adults to relax. Even your pets can have their own built-in nooks for sleeping. A tiled bathing station in the laundry room or mudroom can make the dreaded dog-washing task much easier for everyone involved!
The “healthy home” aspect of remodeling is important too. Thoughtful building material choices can help indoor air quality, chemical sensitivities, and protect family members against allergens, mold, and mildew.
Laundry room remodel by Merrill Contracting & Remodeling
#3 Every Square Inch Counts: Organization
You’ve stocked up on necessities but maybe you don’t have places to store it all. There’s no excuse for inaccessible kitchen cabinet spaces anymore. Custom cabinet organization can make blind corners and hard-to-reach upper shelves accessible and eliminate the chaos created by leftover containers and precariously stacked pots and pans.
Updating a bathroom wouldn’t be complete without vanity storage options like fitted drawers, pullout shelves, hidden outlets for hair dryers and charging stations for shavers. A built-in tile shelf in the shower will keep shampoos and body washes handy while eliminating unattractive plastic shelves or wire organizers.
Bathroom remodel by Merrill Contracting & Remodeling
Since feeding your dog or cat is a daily chore, why not install a feeding area to make it easier? Add a low open shelf for food and water dishes and a slide-out bin to store food more conveniently than dragging around a huge bag of kibble.
We are thankful we can use these three criteria to make your home as beautiful as it can be, while taking into account the comfort of all members of your family, your precious time, and your budget. We are here for you via phone conferences if you want to talk or bounce around some ideas. If we have a project already in our pipeline for you, we can discuss what can be done now so that we can hit the ground running when social distancing safely ends. Contact us today!
