When I begin most new renovation projects I make a point to be sure to make unattractive spaces look nicer. They don’t necessarily have to be renovated, but they do need to be cleaned up to the point of no longer being detrimental, but a positive feature. Some of the spaces that I focus on for a quick improvement are the garage space, yard space, and basement.
The basement is perhaps the area where you can find the most benefit. It is part of the house and used often. Remove and hanging item from the ceiling that you can. Lose old cable and wiring and remove any items from the floor that you can. If possible, paint the floor a uniform color (they often aren’t) and even paint the support posts in the same color as the floor. This will help those obstructions to disappear.
The first home that I renovated was a perfect example of this. The basement was very large (it was a ranch house). However, the basement had 60 years of junk hanging from the ceiling and items taking up floor space (shelving).
Our recent cottage project provided me 2 examples of cleaning up a sight line for an immediate improvement. The first before and after photo below shows the immediate improvement, of a stunning view, with the simple remove of an unused swing support. This was a subtle improvement, but when you add up 20 subtle improvements, you are suddenly showing a beautiful place that feels cleaner, larger, etc. (Click the image for a large view).
Removed swing stand
The chimney, below, was cluttered with with cables, brackets, and a large antennae. None of these were necessary and cleaning them up provided a much cleaner look. In fact, the neighbor commented as soon as he came by. It was that immediate a change when viewed in person.
Cleaned up sight line
If you are selling or renovating a home, consider these simple, small changes. They will add up to make a world of difference.
