When we hear the word “custom” we tend to think of the words, “high-end” and “expensive”. This may be true, but in life, we generally get what we pay for: a cheap vehicle probably isn’t as sturdy, or well-built as one that’s higher priced. The same can be said for furniture. A sofa built using the best products and hand-crafters available is more likely to have lasting value.
“Custom” also means getting something made to your specific taste and style. In a house, that includes adding a new coat of paint, hardwood flooring or upholstered furniture. Your home may not need a complete overhaul, but consider these seven tips when looking to make changes on a smaller scale.
1. Exterior Paint
Benjamin Moore Copley Gray/ www.homebunch.com
Since the exterior of your home is the first impression people see, it’s a great place to start adding a custom look. Now, pulling out your ladder and paintbrushes may sound like a daunting task, but have no fear. The task can be a Do-It-Yourself project when you have the right tools and paint.
To lengthen the life of the paint on your house, do not paint until the temperature is 10 degrees or higher. While you’re at it, be sure to purchase a paintbrush with synthetic bristles to allow for an even stroke on your home’s exterior.
It’s important to use latex paint. It creates a sealed, yet flexible surface that can withstand the expansion and contraction of building materials during fluctuating Canadian temperatures.
2. Hallways
Hallways are an area of the home that some compare to an airport: it’s an area we use to go to and from various rooms in the house. Nevertheless, it’s a space that sets the tone of your house before visitors receive the full experience.
Instead of treating your hallway like an afterthought, customize it with a new colour, light fixture, or accessories to take it to the next level.
3. Hardwood Flooring
Installing new hardwood is one of the most common methods to add a custom feel to your homes. For the busy traffic areas in your home, the upgrade to hard-wearing, hardwood can change the look and feel of your home and add value!
Although there are many choices of colours, choose a hardwood that you really like because you’ll have it as long as you own your home. Vintage Flooring carries many solid and pre-finished engineered flooring choices.
4. Furniture
Custom furniture should be a no-brainer. Think about it, we spend countless hours on upholstered furniture. Sofas are more than just fabric and cushions drilled onto wooden frames. They tell a story. Your sofa may be the place where you see your child take their first steps, cry over a TV show or have your first kiss.
Custom furniture is a great alternative if you have a particular style in mind that you’ve been struggling to find. Canada is privileged to have many skilled craftsmen with time-honed skills to create that dream sofa you envisioned.
So ask yourself, what story do you want your sofa to tell?
5. Area Rugs
The finishes you choose for the floor are just as important as the décor in the rest of the house. An area rug is an easy and inexpensive way to customize your space, adding style, texture, and colour.
Broadloom’s versatility offers a variety of choices in colours, textures, and patterns. You can custom cut it to size and select the binding to go with your room’s décor. Or make an artistic statement with a one-of-a-kind rug. It’s another surface you can personalize and customize.
6. Bedding
For some, big-box store bedding is good enough. But you can elevate your sleep experience with custom-made bedding. I recommend choosing unique patterns, colours and fabrics by Robert Allen, Maxwell and Avant Garde. Nothing like a little luxury to begin and end your day.
7. Paint Colours
What better way to showcase your style than with a new coat of paint? Less than 15 percent of people have the ability to visualize a new colour on the walls. One rule of thumb is to start out small before you go big. For example, start a new colour with throw pillows and accessories and see how it makes you feel before applying it to your walls.
Whether your style is modern, contemporary or traditional, use customization to add personality to your home.
