Turning a Negative into Positive

Do you have a room or space in your home you wish you could get more use out of?  We often see with older homes that living rooms, for example, are only used over the holidays or when entertaining guests.  Other than that, the living room is known as the "look but don't touch" room.  No space in your home should feel uninviting or unused.  Here are a few  tips to improve a small closet or an unfinished basement or turn a room with low ceilings into space with improved appeal.

Turn your living room into an everyday go-to spot:  Why not convert the living room into a room that all can enjoy on a daily basis?  Mount a plasma TV above the fireplace mantel and furnish the room with a large couch and love seat.  This will give the room a casual touch, making your room an inviting place everyone will use.  This will allow you to convert your small den into a desirable first floor study/office.

Make the best of your small closet: Is your bedroom lacking closet space? Call a local closet company to maximize the benefits of the small space and buy a large armoire for more storage. Also, try to donate any clothes you haven’t worn in over a year – you most likely won’t wear them again. If you have the space build a cedar closet to store your bulky offseason clothes, which eliminate over bulging in your master bedroom closets.

Your unfinished basement is your own fitness center: Is your unfinished basement used for storage and refrigerated food? Why not cancel your gym membership and create your own fitness center at home? Take half or less of your basement – depending on the size of the house, and paint the walls and pipes. You can turn painting the basement into a fun and affordable family activity. Add some inexpensive rubber matting with a few athletic machines and you will have a low-cost and comfortable place to work out in.

Do you shy away from entertaining in a room with low ceilings?  To make a room appear larger, paint the walls in taupe or off white with white or creamy trim/molding, or use wainscoting on the walls to detract from low ceiling heights.  Try mounting a pretty wall sconce or crystal chandelier to take the focus off the ceilings to something soft and more attractive.  Bead boarding your ceilings can also be warm and whimsical in a smaller room. 

Try some of these tips and you are sure to be happy with the results!

Debi Benoit, principal of Benoit Mizner Simon & Co., has been Wellesley’s #1 real estate agent since 2006.  The Wall Street Journal twice ranked her among the top 100 real estate professionals in the country.  With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Benoit Mizner Simon & Co provides buyers and sellers in both markets with in-depth knowledge and experience combined with unparalleled client service. With offices in Wellesley and Weston, Debi can be reached at (617)962-9292 or debi@benoitmiznersimon.com.