We recently attended the Seattle Home Show to get the latest home improvement trends and ideas to inspire your home improvement projects. If creating your dream home is still a work in progress, here are some ideas we picked up from the show.
LED Lighting
While 75 percent of American consumers have opted for CFL or compact florescent bulbs, LED, which stands for light-emitting diode lighting, is becoming more popular as the price becomes more reasonable.
LED lighting is more energy efficient, lasts longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, and is even slightly more efficient than CFL lighting. A recent study by Consumer Reports recommended LED lights over CFLs because LEDs are mercury-free, brighten instantly and offer superior light quality. Even at $25 per bulb, LED lighting can save consumers about $130 over their 23-year lifespan while CFL bulbs save $60 over incandescent light bulbs.
With its increased popularity more decorative LED lighting fixtures have become available, some of which were on display at the home show. In addition to being energy efficient, some LED lights have the added benefit of being able to change color to match a room?s d?cor. With an array of fixture designs, many of which look as good as or better than incandescent, LED lighting might be a money-saving option for a home improvement lighting project.
Outdoor Living Spaces
At the home show we heard over and over how outdoor living is becoming an increasingly popular trend for homeowners. Many homeowners now see their backyard as an extension of their house.
In cities like Seattle where the rainy days often outnumber the sunny, it is more difficult to take advantage of outdoor living spaces. Many of the home show ideas for creating outdoor living spaces in the Seattle area included building covered patios in order to take advantage of outdoor space year-round. The coverings ranged from as simple as an awning to an extension off the house or independent gazebo. A personal favorite idea was to include an outdoor fireplace and heater to make the outdoor space comfortable year-round.
Updating Master Bath
For homeowners looking to remodel, but who don?t have the budget to conquer the whole house, the master bathroom is a place to start. We learned that many homeowners are forgoing large remodeling projects in favor of upgrades to key areas. The most popular room to upgrade is the master bathroom. Many homeowners are looking to bring the spa home and make their en suite bathroom into a retreat. The home show had all sorts of ideas to make you drool: fixtures and materials to turn the bathroom into a high-tech spa, including an automated toilet/bidet with touch screen. If you don?t have the budget for a major overhaul, small changes like updating tile or fixtures can help give an upgraded look without the upgraded costs.
Source: http://www.realestate.com/advice/home-improvement-ideas-from-the-seattle-home-show-41587
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Source: http://harrington42.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/home-improvement-ideas-from-the-seattle-home-show.html
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