Three Essential Home Renovations for Families Growing up and Living Together

With the increasing cost of housing in many cities, it’s getting tough for young adults to find their feet, move out and live independently. Many couples who plan on raising a family would do well to prepare for a longer period of living together with their kids before the nest is empty. If you’ve ever lived under the same roof with different people for a while, you’ll know that adjusting to each other can be difficult; these changes to the living space can make all the difference.

Interior functionality

Some home improvements can be easy to anticipate; any couple raising an infant will want to have a dedicated nursery, for example. This can be a simple matter of clearing out an existing room, repainting it in light, soothing color, and installing a crib. The same room can continue to function or be remodeled as they grow older.

Beyond the children’s individual rooms, common areas may also need to be altered. For instance, settling down in a Salt Lake City property with one bathroom can work out for one or two adults, but when the kids need to use it too, a second bathroom or bathroom renovation is necessary; you simply can’t wait on each other for that long and still expect to make it to work or school on time. In a similar way, the kitchen is another area which may need to be remodeled – parents looking to ensure that the whole family eats healthy, home-cooked meals could use more space for preparation and seating additional people.

Play and entertainment

Young kids love to play outdoors, and landscaping work on an existing property is one effective way to provide them with a good-sized play area. These yard improvements can be straightforward, such as installing swings, sandboxes, slides, or a tree house. More subtle changes can also work well, though; parents with a love of gardening may be reluctant to make significant changes to their green space, so growing some plants which attract pollinators can fill the yard with a variety of fascinating birds and insects. Altering pathways into playful, twisting and curved shapes will also stimulate them as they explore their outdoor space.

Older kids like to have friends over and hang out with them, but not every teenager is thrilled about letting their pals chill out in their own room. This is a perfect opportunity to repurpose an existing space into a family entertainment room or gaming den; installing a large screen and sound system in a common area can also help prevent kids from spending too much time locked up in their rooms and becoming isolated.

Increased storage

Teenagers and young adults who haven’t left the nest yet can accumulate quite a lot of possessions from their various hobbies and interests. The quantity of stuff isn’t the only concern here; sometimes, it’s just not a good idea to store items in the bedroom. For example, children’s paints are non-toxic, but when a young artist pursues their craft in earnest, they will want to use professional pigments and volatile substances such as solvent or thinner. Item collections also deserve to be housed in a suitably organized space. While a home extension may be ideal for more space, there are many other storage solutions to explore depending on the situation.

Making the right sort of home improvements will help any family anticipate the future needs of growing together and living under one roof for longer than usual.