Transform Your House Into Your Dream Home

Transform Your House into Your Dream
Home
By Kaitlyn Brand
Faculty of Art & Design
Abstract
In this paper you be able to read about home transformation. Dorothy said it
best–there‘s no place like home. It‘s the place where you seek sanctuary from
the rest of the world. It‘s the place where your family spends time together. It‘s
the place where you feel most comfortable and relaxed. It‘s the place you live
your life. But when it‘s cluttered and full of stuff, it‘s hard to think of your
house as a restful dwelling. Instead, it feels chaotic and stressful. Piles of
paperwork, items to sort, and things to clean up become constant reminders of
all the things we need to face and take care of. It can be truly overwhelming.
1.0 Introduction
You can take back your space and turn your house into the home you
want. You can create a welcoming space that is a reflection of who you
are, one that encompasses your own family values and preferences, and is
filled only with the things that give you joy and fulfill your needs.
Look around your home. What feelings does it evoke? Do you feel calm
and at peace as you look around? Are the personalities and talents of your
family members reflected and celebrated? Does your home emulate your
relationship with God and those you love? Does it feel like a place of
safety and comfort?

When it comes to your home, there are a number of questions you can
walk through to guide you toward creating the space you want. We go
into this topic in depth in my new book Unstuffed, but I‘d like to share
some of these questions with you here today, so you can get a jumpstart
on the process…
2.0 How Do You Use Your Space?
Figure 1
If you‘ve read this blog for a while, you probably already know that I just
love to entertain. I love throwing creative themed parties, but I also I
like hosting a simple get-together with just a few close friends. I enjoy the
buzz of a family dinner when everyone is contributing and discussing the
ins and outs of their day. For me this means that my home needs to have
space for hosting–an extendable table that easily seats 12, and lots of
space to sit down.
And while we do love to entertain, we are also a family of readers.
While a huge library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a ladder isn‘t
exactly realistic with our current space and layout, we do have a small
library area and a reading corner where we can enjoy all our books.
For other families, a dedicated space for reading might not be important,
but a space for sewing or crafting could be, or they might just want a nice
place to relax and watch movies. Perhaps they use the space for

inspiration to create art or music. Perhaps their home is reflective of their
children‘s talents.
Figure 2
If you‘re a chef or an avid baker, then a house with a well-stocked
kitchen might make you feel right at home. If your family loves movie
night, then having your DVDs on display and your comfiest couch in
your living room probably makes sense.
Reflect on how you use your space now and what you really value about
your home‘s layout and arrangement. What activities are most important
to you and your family? Does your home reflect this? If not, what
changes could you make right now to get it so that it does?
3.0 What is the Role of your Home?
Some of us see our homes as a hub—a place we gather to do all kinds of
different activities. If you work from home, you might also see your
home as an office. If you teach school at home, your home is a place of
education and learning as well.
Understanding the role of our home gives us a clear picture of how our
home can meet the needs of our family. Do your children need a quiet
desk where they can do their homework or do they prefer to work from
the library? Do you do crafts at home? Is your home a workshop or studio
as well? Is your home a gym or do you exercise outside? Think of the

many roles your home can play and the overall role as well. For some, we
sleep, shower, dress and eat at home, then spend much of our day away.
Others of us spend nearly all our time within the walls of our house.
Figure 3
4.0 How Does Your Home Make You Feel?
Do you feel proud of your home when people stop by? Does your home
make you feel safe, cozy and calm? Is your home disorganized and
chaotic, adding to your stress? Is your home fun and reflective of your
family values, your talents, and your memories?
Figure 4

5.0 How does your home serve your emotional & spiritual needs?
Does your home help you feel calm and centered? Often, when our
homes are full of stuff, disorganized and messy, we‘re actually trying to
fill a void or we‘re buying items in the hopes they‘ll make us feel better.
In reality, it‘s time to examine our emotional and spiritual state to reflect
on where our needs are not being met. When you feel emotionally and
spiritually fulfilled, you will no longer feel the need to clutter your life
with excess, and to hold onto connections with items, rather than
connections with people.(livingwellspendingless, 2016)
Figure 5
6.0 When you decide to being rearranging yourself
When you‘re reorganizing and uncluttering your home, you‘ll
probably need to do some rearranging and redecorating. As you work on
the layout of your rooms, think about the purpose of each room, and the
job of each and every item within each room.
There‘s a famous rule by William Morris that advises the following:
Have nothing in your houses that you don‘t know to be useful or believe
to be beautiful.
Generally speaking, this rule should apply to almost every item in our
homes. Because here‘s the thing–we often decorate our homes based on

how we THINK we should use our homes, rather than how we actually
use them. Give yourself permission to be realistic.
While you may envision grand and formal layouts, with furniture and
décor you‘ve always dreamed about the reality is that if you have children
and pets and a busy schedule, a formal décor may not serve you.
Arranging rooms so they‘re comfortable and functional is key to
transforming your house into the best home possible for you and your
family.
It can sound unattainable or difficult, but when you reflect on the true
value of your family, your friends, and those who bring you spiritual and
emotional nourishment, you realize it‘s the people in your life that really
matter. It‘s not about having the most perfect home or a home that‘s full
of designer furniture, toys, clothes and ―stuff.‖(Apartmenttherapy, 2016)
7.0 What it takes to build your dream home
If you've never looked at the costs of remodeling, prepare for a shock:
The price tags involved can make it seem like you'd be better off starting
from scratch. Starting at the low end, there are a few projects you can do
without breaking the bank. For instance, adding a deck to your home
costs an average of about $9,300 for a midrange home, according to
figures from Remodeling Magazine. Window replacements also run in
the $10,000 range, and a bathroom remodel typically costs around
$15,000.
Figure 6

But once you start looking at some more ambitious projects, the dollar
amounts you'll see start to get really serious. Thinking of remodeling your
basement? Expect to pay around $60,000. A major kitchen remodeling
can run $50,000 or more, and putting in a sunroom carries about a
$70,000 price tag. And if you want the master suite of your dreams, you
can start thinking of six-figure sums. Moreover, if you already have an
upper-end home, then remodeling projects get even more expensive. A
luxury kitchen remodeling can easily take you over the $100,000 mark,
while adding a master suite in an upscale house costs an average of
$220,000.
If you're like many homeowners, it's easy to justify those expenditures to
yourself by arguing that they enhance the value of your home. In theory,
you should therefore get your remodeling expenses back when you sell
your home. In reality, though, you can only expect to see a fraction of
what you pay on a remodeling project to flow through to the value of
your home. Such projects typically add between 50% and 75% of their
cost to your home value. And, disappointingly, the projects with the
highest price tags are often the ones that pay off the least.
8.0 How you can afford the home you want -- without debt
Taking on a bigger mortgage or home equity debt clearly isn't the ideal
way to finance an expensive remodeling project. But finding $100,000 or
more to do all the work to turn your house into a true home may sound
impossible.
Figure 7

That's where many people give up on their dreams -- never realizing that
a simple investment strategy that uses the financial principle of
compound returns can turn even modest savings into six-figure sums.
Simply by choosing smart investments and reinvesting income into
additional shares, you'll see faster growth in your available wealth than
you'd imagine.(Dan Caplinger, 2014)
9.0 Small Living Room Ideas That Will Maximize Your Space
For many inhabitants of studio apartments and small homes, the question
is not just how to make the living room furniture layout work; it's how to
make it all work in a way that serves ten purposes while still leaving room
to breathe. A living room is often the hub of a house, but when it‘s cramped
and narrow, choosing and arranging furniture can feel like an impossible
math problem. The good news is that it‘s possible to have a small living
room that can do it all and still feel (relatively) spacious.
‣ Accentuate the Room‘s Best Features: New York interior
designer Christina Murphy approaches a small living room
strategically: ―Assessing the room‘s assets and making those the
focal point as much as possible is the best way to make the room
appealing,‖ she says. If it‘s got great light, play that up with lighter
colors to create a sense of expansiveness; if it has a stunning
fireplace, draw attention to it.
Figure 8
‣ Scale Down Furniture: In a narrow living room, every piece of
furniture matters. Choose leaner tables and wall sconces to save

much-needed floor space. For seating, tight-back sofas and club
chairs are your friends, says Murphy: ―They can be a lot less deep
than loose-back options while still being just as comfortable.‖
Consider wall-mounted shelves and a floating desk over bulky
bookcases and workstations.
Figure 9
‣ Get Creative with the Layout: Limited space challenges you to
think beyond seating conventions. ―I love built-in banquettes since
they‘re efficient, maximizing space and conversation areas,‖ says
Murphy. If the room is narrow but also long, she recommends
placing sofas back-to-back to allow for two seating
areas.(SmallWonders, 2015)
Figure 10

10.0 Remodelling Tips to Transform your House into your Dream Home
Not all of us are lucky or rich enough to get the dream home we‘ve
always wanted. Purchasing a house is a big investment and many of us
not have the means to undergo a major remodelling project. Well, you do
not have to wait for decades before you can turn your house into your
dream home. Sometimes, simple changes can truly transform the look of
your house. Take a look at the simple remodelling tips we‘ve prepared
that can get you started towards your dream home.
Figure 11
10.1 Adding Framed Mirrors on Doors
If you have flat panel doors in your home, they may make your
home look boring and outdated. A simple remodeling tip you can
do is adding framed mirrors on top of it. Not only will they serve
their purpose, but they will increase any room‘s aesthetic appeal,
making it look more spacious. Just remember to paint the frames of
the mirrors the same color as the door to make them look as if they
were built into the door.
10.2 Painting your Ceilings
You would be surprised how much you can transform any space by
changing the color of your ceiling. Choose an ultra-flat paint to

hide imperfections and eliminate glare. However, the best choice of
color would be something that complements the rest of your décor.
10.3 Painting or Re-Staining Oak Fixtures
Re-staining oak fixtures can add a bit of luxurious feel to your
home. If you have the time, you can do this project yourself. You
can do this on your stairs or kitchen cabinets. The steps include
sanding, cleaning and applying at least three coats of
stain.(HomeRemodling, 2015)
11.0 How to Turn a House into a Dream Home
Telling someone how to make their dream home is virtually impossible.
Everyone has a unique vision of what it looks like and a lifestyle they
want for themselves and their family. This is why when discussing tips
about building a dream home, one can really only focus on the basics and
tell people where to look for potential which is exactly what we will do in
this article.(BondCleaninginPerth, 2016)
11.1 Light it up
Figure 12
One thing we know for sure is that no one dreams about darkness.
Pretty much every dream house involves areas filled with sunshine.
This is what you should do to your home, as well. You can never

have too many windows. If you have a means of securing your
privacy, such as back or front yard greenery, you can even have
windows for walls. Build a folding glass wall in your living room
area opening it up to your patio and the backyard. This will bring
your use of natural light to an absolute maximum and this is always
a modern and a desired feature. Alternatively, you can install light
tubes, skylights, and stair windows, too.
11.2 Convert your attic
Attic and basement both take up a lot of space and are usually used
for storage, particularly the attic. Maximize the use of space in
your home by turning the attic into an ultimate leisure room or a
spacious master bedroom. Adding more windows and installing a
glass wall, along with the height, could make you feel like you are
in the clouds. You can still use it as a storage area, by making
built-in cupboards alongside walls to put away your seasonal
clothes, extra linen, blankets etc.
11.3 The furniture
Apart from the actual building and its layout, the furniture also
plays a significant role in your home‘s makeover. If you want to
change the look of your home without purchasing new furniture,
you can simply move it around to open up space and adjust to the
remodel. Also, using trendy rugs could add style to your home.
You could try out minimalism and focus on smart storage solutions
using built-in furniture and furniture with a double purpose. Buy
smaller decorative pieces, or refinish the ones you have. Making
reading and relaxing nooks may also be a good idea to accompany
the newly found light in your home.(Steven Clarke, 2018)
12.0 Create a bedroom for the dog!
We have all thought about what our dream home would look like. It‘s
natural! After all, we spend most of our time at home, so we might as
well make it as perfect as possible. Some of us would like to have two
staircases in the house for easy access, to be perched on top of a hill with
a great backyard view, or to have a his and her walk-in closet.

Regardless of what your dream home will look like, I guarantee you that
the creative and unique home remodeling ideas below will make you
reconsider. After reading through this list, I couldn‘t help but add a few
new ideas to my wish list.
Figure 13

13.0 Lower the living room
Create a unique feel to the living room by making it ―sink.‖ It‘s an
elegant design that creates a space within a space.(Inno Asuncion, 2014)
Figure 14
14.0 Intelligent homes: history, trends and gaps in R&D
Visions of highly automatised Homes with futuristic technologies have
been developed for decades already under various buzzwords such as
Intelligent Home, Smart Home, Interactive Home and Home of the
Future. The tasks charged on the Smart House (Scott, 1998) are by no
means negligible:
‣ It helps its inhabitants live a healthy, happy and safe life;
‣ It performs many tasks automatically to relieve the stress of
managing the house;
‣ It integrates home, work, learning and leisure activities;
‣ It does not annoy people with the technological details of how it
actually works.
During the last few years the scientific literature concerning the topic of
intelligent houses/buildings has diversified. The term ‗‗intelligent‘‘ has

ecome somewhat outmoded or obsolete, being replaced by new
approaches such as ‗‗aware house‘‘, ‗‗integrated environments‘‘ or
‗‗alive and interactive environments‘‘. Authors have diverted their
interest in studying more the interaction between home and residents and
related interfaces than technologies as ‗‗intelligent‘‘ in their own right.
This change appears analogous to the shift of emphasis from technocentred
artificial intelligence towards human-centred ambient
intelligence, ubiquitous intelligence/ computing or versatile
intelligence/computing. The main trends driving the application of
ambient intelligence technologies in the application field of housing have
been found to be:
‣ The acceleration of rhythm of everyday life, hectic and busy
lifestyles, growing demands of efficiency and flexibility in daily
routines;
‣ The breaking up of the boundaries of time and space (increasing
telepresence);
‣ The ageing of population, leading to a demand of elderly living
longer in their homes;
‣ The increasing demand of security and safety (e.g. due to rising
crime rates and/or sense of insecurity);
‣ The growing pressures to curb environmental problems and to
save energy (to promote sustainable development and to
compensate high prices of energy);
‣ The increasing search for experiences and meanings (e.g.
Jensen, 1999, 2000) (leading to building homes as
media/entertainment centers);
‣ The increasing need for home as a sanctuary (home as dedicated
to privacy, rest and relaxation);
‣ The technological way of life per se of many young urban
people. Undoubtedly, new technologies have changed our life in
the last decades. They can make three types of contributions to
improve our everyday life:
‣ They can have practical use by making many everyday tasks
easier and faster;
‣ They can provide enjoyment, playfulness, fun and aesthetics;
‣ They can increase the status or prestige: the early refrigerator
advertisements in the late 1920s put emphasis mostly on

prestige and novelty and refrigerators were designed to appeal
to an average homemaker as much aesthetically as practically.
(Nickles, 2002, p. 697).(Friedewald, Da Costa, Punie, Alahuhta,
& Heinonen, 2005)
15.0 Conclusion
Planning and imagining your dream home should be part of the fun, so
don‘t try to rush the process. Many homeowners try to rush big
renovations–kitchen and bath especially–and end up regretting the
decisions they made in haste.
Take your time: live in your space, learn how you use it, bring home
samples, sketch plans, talk to experts. Write down your ideas and desires,
then come back and review them after a few months. If you‘re still
excited about your plans, take it as a sign to move forward. If not, you‘re
just saved yourself a boatload of money and a crushing ton of buyer‘s
remorse.
The easiest and simplest way to make your house into your dream home
is to start filling it with things you love. Display your teaspoon collection,
hang an oil painting of your dog, fill your powder room with ficus: just
do what makes you happy.

References
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Friedewald, M., Da Costa, O., Punie, Y., Alahuhta, P., & Heinonen, S. (2005).
Perspectives of ambient intelligence in the home environment. Telematics
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