New Living Space, New You

With the red hot housing market cooling off—and home values across America making headlines—homeowners are reimagining their living spaces. What would you do to reinvent yours?

Would you go open concept? Vaulted ceilings with rustic touches? Sleek, minimal and modern? Or would you bring nature indoors to create a calming environment?

Choosing a new aesthetic can be challenging given all of the options today. And given the uncertainty of the last few years, many homeowners have opted to transform their living space for versatility and comfort as well as shifting work and lifestyles.

Connecting with nature

Many designers have observed a trend to bring the calmness and tranquility of the outdoors into indoor living spaces. Some homeowners are adding more natural light and ventilation along with hanging plants, living walls, and green and natural tones for textiles and furniture.

According to Malka Helft of Think Chic Interiors, we will be seeing “large trees in living rooms and kitchens, another strong trend that goes right alongside this one is oversized planters in natural colors made out of natural materials such as jute, ceramic, and even concrete.""

And this House and Home article shares additional tips for creating a serene retreat at home with lots of sunlight, greenery and textural accents.

Taking a minimalist approach

When you reimagine your living space, is it sparse or cluttered? Empty or overflowing? Over the past few years, spaces have more functional and streamlined.

To create a minimalist living space you’ll want to use a limited amount of furniture—or smaller furniture—to make your space feel less cluttered.

Start to simplify as well—your space and your stuff. Reduce the chaos by removing clutter from shelves, knick-knacks, books, tables, cabinets, countertops and surfaces.

Keep your space coordinated and simple with a designated color scheme. When choosing your colors, minimalist living spaces opt for calming neutral colors vs. bright, bold and busy patterns.

Learn more about the modern minimalism trend with these 10 easy minimalist décor tips and minimalist decor ideas.

Combining work & home life

Since the pandemic, working remotely has become permanent for many employees leaving homeowners looking for new and innovative ways to create a functional at-home workspace.

While some have the space to turn garages or spare rooms into offices, others are repurposing existing spaces like the corner of a living room area or shared kitchen tables into individual workstations.

But if you’re working with limited space, consider a multi-purpose approach by combining a home office and guest room.

Your living space should reflect your lifestyle, interests, and personality. When creating this space think about what inspires you, calms you and brings you joy. The possibilities are endless!

Once you have a vision—and a budget—explore your options to cover the costs.

A HELOC or home equity loan can be a valuable choice to help cover the costs of home improvement projects.

If you have questions about how to access cash from your home's available equity, we can help you find the solution that works best for you.