Bathroom remodels and bathroom additions have the highest return on investment of nearly any other home project, which makes perfect sense because who doesn't need another bathroom or want that bathroom to be nice. When shopping for homes, buyers are looking for how many bedrooms and baths a home has, not kitchens or laundry rooms. But bathrooms can be expensive when you think of new plumbing, new bathtub, new toilet, new floor, new paint, new sink, new sink base...the list goes on. Even though you know you'll make all this money back at closing, it's hard not to want to do this work yourself.

Everyone is not a handyman. Many of us think we are, many of us know we're not, and still many more know what they're doing but don't want to mess with plumbing or electricity. Depending on the type of remodel, you can save a serious amount of money if you can handle the work. Consider these ideas before you do anything.

Professional Look vs. Cheap Look
If you can manage all the work yourself, can you manage to make it look professional? We have all been in bathrooms where the tiles are cut funny, the toilet isn't level, or some other noticeable oddity catches our attention. Ask yourself if you can live with a job that looks less than professional.

Living with the Remodel
If you have ever done a project yourself before, you know that your eyes (and your frustration) always return to the places where you made a mistake or places where you are unsatisfied. This can bother many people, and if you are one of those who can't stand to look at your failures every day or can't stand imperfections then you need to consider this before deciding to do the project on your own.

Product Comparison & Good Deals
Bathroom Remodelers know many people in their industry. From people who sell fixtures to tubs to tile to sinks, they have been in this business long enough that they know who has the best stuff at the best prices, and who is willing to cut them a deal. As a homeowner and someone not in the industry, you will not be privy to these deals or this information, and you may be paying more just for the material than what the contractor is charging, even after his markup.

Consider Your Value
If you only have one bathroom, remodeling it yourself can put a pretty big stress on the family, so you better have a good marriage to be able to handle this. Don't forget that your time is valuable, every second of it. This remodel can mean that you don't get to spend as much time with your children or your spouse. You won't have as much time to do the things you love because you will be constantly thinking of grout and tile patterns. These remodels can take over your life, plus they never seem to be finished.

Leave Bathroom Remodels to the Pros
Remodeling a bathroom is just too big of a project and too important to do yourself. The money you could save does not justify having a bathroom that looks unprofessional and ate up most of a month of your life. Some professional bathroom remodels take over a month, and this is by a team of people who know what they're doing working ten hour days. Bathrooms are such high-value rooms that the smart money is to get the highest quality job you can afford so you can make that money back at closing. Yet there are a few places where you can save money down the line. Click this link if you want to read more about working with bathroom contractors.

Places to Save Money
If you are not doing a total remodel, or even if you are, there are still a few places where you can save a little money on your bathroom remodel.

Buy your own fixtures—If you are not using standard fixtures in your bathroom, ask the contractor if it is okay to purchase them yourself. Contractor usually mark the items up 10% over retail for their time to find and retrieve the fixtures. You can save this money by getting them yourself. In many cases, the communication between contractor and client gets frayed and the wrong fixtures go in. Buying them yourself allows the contractor to be certain that he is installing exactly what you want.

Remove the Tile—If you are going to replace the floor, ask your contractor if you can save some money by tearing out the floor yourself. Typically, contractors are happy to comply with this one because it saves them time and allows them to do more jobs. But check with your contractor first. You bathroom floor might be different for some reason, and he might want some insurance in knowing that you will do a good and thorough job.

Painting and Tiling—If you just need a new coat of paint or are wanting to lay some tile, even if you are doing a total bathroom remodel with a contractor, have him leave these items to you. If you are not a good painter, there will just be a lot of cleanup, but you can get there. Tiling can drive you crazy, but if you start by practicing on an old table, you can get pretty good before your do your floor.

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Remodeling Magazineýs Cost vs. Value report for 2007 puts the average mid-range American bathroom remodel at $15,789. In the current economic environment, this figure simply screams ýbad ideaý or "not anytime soon" for many homeowners. Still, there are many out there who need to improve old homes or updates ones they need to sell, and no matter what the state of the economy, things still need to happen. Can anything be done? Here's the good news. A better bathroom IS possible without the high investment, and for some homeowners, a bathroom or kitchen upgrade is only a few hundred dollars away!

Re-Grouting: Enhance Tiled Spaces Without Breaking the Bank
Owners of newer homes might be have little worry about how their tile looks. In older houses, however, perfectly functional tile may end up looking terrible due to stains, discoloration, mold or mildew growth, and simply the effects of age on your grout.

DIYornot.com tells us that the national average cost of professional re-grouting is $184, and cruising the web, it is actually difficult to find bathroom re-grouting jobs that break (or even approach) the $500 mark. ServiceMagic.com puts the average cost of installing new or replacing old tile at just under $2,000 (making it a pretty reasonable investment in itself); itýs easy to see re-grouting for the bargain it really is. The real kicker: your new grout wonýt only look better and offer more options than your old grout, it will keep its appearance longer, too!

Bathtub Refinishing
In many bathrooms, the fixtures that are already in place are completely functional but simply look bad due to years of use. Stains in your bathtub that cannot be removed can look unsightly, but the relatively simple and inexpensive process of refinishing can give you a brand new surface and have a dramatic effect on the room as a whole.

According to Miracle Method (one of the countryýs most successful bathtub refinishing companies), most bathtub refinishing jobs run somewhere between $475 and $600 and can often be completed in 24 hours. Though you may be able to find a brand new bathtub for a couple hundred dollars, when you add in the cost of installing the new tub, removing the old one, and all the other work that goes into tub replacement, the bill is likely to run you thousands. By opting for refinishing, you get a brand new tub surface (of any color you like) in a fraction of the time and cost of replacement; remember, you can refinish sinks and countertops, too!

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Install New Mirrors
A good bathroom will have many head-turning facets, but if weýre honest with ourselves, most of us spend a lot more time looking at ourselves in the bathroom than we do the tile, tub, or flooring. Since mirrors are obviously one of the most heavily viewed parts of any bathroom, upgrading the one you have will be a very noticeable improvement. ServiceMagic puts the average cost of mirror installation at $334, which makes it an easy fit for most budgets, and once again, it is not the type of project that will have you barred from your bathroom for days at a time.

Combining Projects
One of the nicest things about really inexpensive remodeling projects is that many budgets can afford more than one. Instead of a single bathroom remodel that involves structural alterations, you may be able to do all three of these smaller (though striking) projects, and in some cases even have change to spare!

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It is said that an older structure that has been updated to appeal to modern sensibilities (and is complete with everything a modern family would expect in a brand new home) is the pinnacle of desirability in the housing market. With all the houses that are over 50 years old in Pittsburgh, bathroom remodeling is a great place for many residents to start when trying to add value to their properties.

Trends in new constructions lean much more towards spacious, elegant bathrooms; the cramped, closet-like feel of their predecessors is, without a doubt, less appealing to today's homebuyers. Remodeling a bathroom is one of the most fruitful home improvement projects you can enter into. Aside from increasing the value of your home, this type of project will also make your house a better and more efficient place to live in.

Ideas for Bathroom Remodeling in Pittsburgh
With the wide range of materials, fixtures, and other options available for bathroom remodeling, Pittsburgh homeowners will have to be savvy about which ones they choose. In most cases, the best course is to model any renovations around the look and feel of the rest of the house.

If your home is full of wood and tile, and you've got a brick exterior, a bathroom full of chrome and mirrors might look somewhat out of place. If the rest of your house has a more modern look, (polished concrete floors, exposed ductwork, etc.), a classic country bathroom could actually be a drawback if you ever decide to sell. Unless you're planning on redoing the entire interior of your home (in which case you can pick whatever style you want and run with it), try and use materials that are common in the rest of the house. You want the room to be updated, but you don't want it to look like a blatant add-on.

Pittsburgh Bathroom Renovation Obstacles
As is the case in many other northeastern cities, the options available for Pittsburgh bathroom remodels are often limited because of the small size of the original space (especially in older sections of town). While it is certainly possible to expand the size of a small bathroom, when you start knocking down walls and adding on to the original structure, the price of the project and its duration will both become much higher.

Another drawback common in older structures is the presence of pipes that were put in decades ago. The plumbing of modern houses uses pipes that are wider in diameter; this increases water pressure, reduces the time it takes for water coming out of the faucet to get hot, and, ultimately, reduces the amount and frequency of many plumbing problems. Unless you only want a skin-deep remodel, homeowners should consider having a plumber take a look at the pipes to see how much it would cost to upgrade to something wider (or to see if any other problems could be resolved by installing more modern hardware).

Pittsburgh Bathroom Remodeling Prices
For a simple facelift in smaller bathroom remodels, Pittsburgh residents can expect to pay around $4,000 or $5,000. If you're looking to completely overhaul a larger bathroom or want to expand the size of a smaller one, you can expect the price to increase dramatically (some projects can cost over $10,000). Keep in mind, however, that despite the initial expense of bathroom renovation, Pittsburgh homes with roomy, modern facilities (especially in homes where the original structure is older) have a higher market value and are also likely to sell quickly.

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Many people think of bathrooms as merely functional: it's where you bathe, wash your hands, and relieve yourself. However, we all know that there's more to the story. On the Interstate, when you decide to stop at a gas station, the first criteria to consider are the cleanliness of the restrooms. When you eat at a restaurant or have a drink at a bar, you inevitably inspect, scrutinize, and grade the state of their facilities, which tends to reflect the establishment's overall quality. And the same rule applies to homeowners: guests and prospective homebuyers attach a lot of importance to bathrooms, so you should as well.

Yes, Size Matters!
The biggest concern when it comes to remodeling any room is its size. When you renovate, creating more space should always be a priority. No matter how many fresh fixtures or state-of-the-art features you install, it'll all be useless if the room feels cramped. This is especially important when it comes to small bathroom design. Lavatories, even if they're only ? baths, are meant to be luxurious and relaxing. And although it's great to have a cozy, private retreat, you should also feel comfortable and at ease. So when it comes to undersized restrooms, you need to find ways to utilize the space you've been given in order make a tiny area feel like an airy sanctuary.

Let Space Speak for Itself
The simplest way to deal with a small bathroom design is to highlight the pre-existing space. This means you have to trick people into seeing more than what is really there. Giving the illusion of space is a very effective way to enlarge a room:

De-clutter: One bathroom design idea is to remove the clutter. Get rid of the busy wallpaper. Take down the picture frames. Remove excess furnishings. Eliminate those ugly towel bars.

Storage: Now that you've ridded yourself of the clutter, where the heck are you going to put your stuff? To hang towels, install a hook on the back of the door or buy a shower rod with towel bars already attached. If you have to have furniture, make it do double-duty. Get a decorative chest that can also act as an additional storage unit. Or invest in a small magazine rack that can be placed out of the way. But it's best to get things off the floor by hanging tiny shelves or buying a mirrored medicine cabinet to conceal your toiletries.

Lighting: Now that your stuff is out of the way, you now need to spotlight the space you've created. In small bathroom design, natural illumination is a great way to cast some light in dark corners. So install a skylight or add a window. If that's impossible, make use of the light you have. Put in a glass-block window that lets light in from other rooms. Mount some wall sconces that take up little space yet shed lots of ambient light. Or just fire up some candles to generate a romantic mood.

Walls: Along with lighting, another key bathroom design idea is color coordination. Letting your walls stay neutral (white or beige) generates an impression of more space. Plus, if you draw the eye upwards, the room will look taller; so add a border around the ceiling to create more vertical depth. Also, installing polished tiles and hanging mirrors lets the area reflect itself, thereby creating the feel of additional square footage.

More Out of Less
In any type of small bathroom design, it's the plumbing fixtures that eat up the room. But there are ways to make these cumbersome necessities fade into the background.

Toilet: A hung toilet has no tank attached so it slides right up against the wall.

Sink: Most vanities come with small, useless counter spaces and cabinetry systems. Instead, eliminate the waste by installing a wall-hung sink which frees up floor space. Or a pedestal sink installed in an out of the way corner can deliver the elegance you want with the openness you need.

Tub: Make this particular fixture do the work for two by installing a unit that works as both shower and tub. If you still want luxury, clawfoot tubs actually free up space around the walls and can be turned into a shower or Jacuzzi depending on the model.

Shower: If you have a half bath, a quick bathroom design idea is to simply install a single-stall shower in a corner. And to make it invisible to the naked eye, invest in frameless doors or a clear shower curtain for a transparent appearance.

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Few homeowners need that much persuasion to decide to pull the trigger on a bathroom remodel and for good reason. As much time as you spend in your bathroom, as important as your morning preparation routine is to having a good day, remodeling an older bathroom is a sure-fire way to increase the property value of your home. Don't believe us? Choice Point Appraisals does home appraisals in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Galveston Counties, and they would be the first ones to tell you that the condition of your home's interior is just as important as your home's exterior. You might not be able to have your Houston bathroom remodel completely compensated, but there's a good chance as much as 80% of your bathroom remodeling costs can be recouped in increased home equity.

Choices for Houston Bathroom Remodeling
Just because you're doing a bathroom remodel in Space City doesn't mean you need to make your bathroom look like central command for the orbiting space shuttle. I mean, what would a home in The Heights be without a rustic-style bathroom? On the other hand, contemporary urban baths with stainless steel bathroom fixtures might fit best in Sugar Land, while a home in The Woodlands might like a new contemporary casual bathroom makeover. Regardless of your Houston neighborhood and your own personal preferences, if you're willing to do a little searching the right bathroom is out there for you.

Cost of a Houston Bathroom Remodel
Everyday ServiceMagic is diligently gathering information on the home improvement projects we process. The first things we ask are how much the project costs and how long the project took. Here's what we found out. The national average for the cost of a bathroom remodel is $9,150. The average bathroom remodel in Houston is a little higher than this (just over $10,000). This doesn't mean that Houston bathroom remodeling is intrinsically more expensive.

We consistently see bathroom remodels come in at $8,000 and $9,000. At the same time, it's not uncommon to see projects in the $15,000 range. In fact, one Houston bathroom remodel we tracked hit the $50,000 mark. This usually means that either the homeowner has extremely expensive tastes or a significant change was made to the bathroom itself. You can install a new bathtub for a reasonable price, but if you want to rearrange the placement of the bathtub, sink, or toilet, the price tag is going to grow exponentially.

Project Length for a Houston Bathroom Renovation
Our national average for project length is right at three weeks. Houston bathroom renovations are right on this mark, although again skewed by homeowners who had larger resources and fewer time constraints. Examples include one Houston homeowner whose bathroom renovation took exactly four weeks and still scored the contractor a 4.5 out of a maximum 5-point scale. Another bathroom renovation took a whopping 42 days to complete and still received a perfect 5.

If project length is a concern, know that as long as you know what you want and what your price range is, there's little reason for your bathroom renovation to take longer than a week. Contractors want to keep the project short just as much as you do. The more bathroom remodels they do, the more money make they make. Just make sure you take enough time to feel comfortable with the decisions you make and the materials you choose.

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Have you ever noticed there's always one room in the house that never gets used? Why is that? Typically it's because of one of two reasons: 1) nobody knows exactly what to do with the space, or 2) the area feels too stuffy and impersonal. This is usually the main problems with formal dining rooms. Either they seem unfinished and cold, or they look so grand it feels like a "No Trespassing" sign should be hung in the doorway. This is why these rooms are typically reserved for fancy dinner parties or the occasional holiday meal. Except usually these rooms contain the most expensive and elegant items in the house, so why let these go to waste? Here are a few makeover tips that you can use to make this space feel more comfortable.

Give and Take: An easy way to quickly transform a formal dining room into something more casual is to add and subtract some accessories. Add a mirror that may open up the space a little and give things a bit more reflective light. Or, install a window treatment made from lighter, more colorful material. Possibly remove a few overbearing objects from the room (a hutch, a bookcase, etc.) to make it feel less cluttered. You still want everything to feel glamorous, but by removing a couple of heavier accessories and adding a couple of lighter focal points, the room may feel more welcoming and less cramped.

Delights of the Round Table: A lot of formal dining room furniture is polished, oversized, and comes with long, sharp edges. Although this certainly makes everything sophisticated, it can also create a harsh and imposing tone to the room. When in the market for a new table, you may want to consider investing in a round tabletop. As opposed to a long rectangular table, a circular design allows everybody to look into each others' eyes while they eat, making the environment more cozy and intimate. Also, by choosing a less polished wood you can make your furnishings feel less intimidating and more accessible to guests.

Sit Down, Relax: Formal dining room furniture tends to be dark and upholstered, which can make the area look gloomy and old-fashioned. Instead, why not choose a lighter shade of wood, thereby making the room more casual and relaxed. Also, instead of using the standard silk material for your chairs, upholster your furnishing in something less luxurious. Not only will this save you money, it will also let your guests feel less anxious to sit down at the table for fear of "messing up your nice things."

Informal Fixtures: Many formal dining rooms come with fancy light fixtures, usually in the form of chandeliers. However, these light fixtures tend to be expensive and sometimes are unable to provide adequate lighting for the room. Therefore, skip the chandelier and instead add other light sources to the space. Add a lamp in the corner or install wall fixtures. Possibly use candlelight throughout the room for a more elegant look by installing candle wall sconces. In any case, you don't have to have an elaborate light fixture to keep the room feeling warm and decorative.

Mix-it-up: Most importantly, if you already have formal dining room furniture or possibly can't afford to buy an entire new set, the best way to decorate the room is to mix and match. Use a traditional table with modern chairs. Use conventional dinnerware with funky placemats. There lots of creative solutions that won't cost you an arm and a leg but will help a room feel more welcoming. For instance, why use a china hutch for china. You hardly ever use the fancy stuff anyway, so why not use the hutch for an impromptu bookcase or to store other knick-knacks. Personalizing a formal dining room is the most important step in make the space feel safe, inviting, and whole.

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Great Rooms are one of the most popular design trends in the homebuilding and remodeling industry for good reason. With the hectic schedules of modern families, the traditional family meal in the dining room is fast becoming a thing of past. And since we are so busy, many families don't want to segregate themselves to different parts of the house in order to write the bills, do homework, watch television and eat meals. The solution is the great room, a large, multipurpose living area in which a family can congregate, share time together, yet still have enough space for each member of the family to do their own thing.

Tailored to Your Needs
The benefits of a great room are many. For starters, you can design them to fit your lifestyle. This might include a dining area, an area for watching television, and another with a table or desk for doing everything from homework to the family finances. The sky is the limit. With their large size, they can accommodate exercise equipment, sitting areas for secluded reading, really whatever your family does to pass the time.

Before designing your room, sit down with your family and take inventory of what is important to each family member to include. Remember, the goal of these multipurpose living spaces is spending time together, even if your busy schedules don't allow you all to be doing the same thing. That being the case, it's important that each member family has an area where they can pass the time to their liking, yet still be a part of things. Advance planning is the best way to be sure that you'll all be spending your time at home together.

Other Ideas
Besides your individual preferences, there are several components of these popular additions which have become fashionable across the board. Fireplaces are popular additions, as nothing brings people together better on a cold day than warmth and the calming presence of flickering flames.

Built in bookshelves are also common, as they provide easy and attractive areas for your family to display important family photos, books, kicknacks, heirlooms, and art.

Architectural features such as vaulted ceilings and large, picture windows can make these rooms feel even greater, adding a spacious feeling that brings together a room that often incorporates a diverse range of areas.

Finally, consider making your kitchen an extension of your great room. Kitchens are often the heart and soul of a home, and no cook wants to slave away isolated away from the rest of the family. By having your kitchen open up into your multipurpose living area, you will help to incorporate meals and meal preparation into family life, which, again, is the driving force behind this popular new design trend.

Talk to the Pros
Because a great room serves such an important purpose in a home, and because it necessitates the bringing together of a diverse range of design and architectural considerations, it's a good idea to consult with professionals in order to get the most out of this major home addition. Talk with a general contractor or your home builder in order to get ideas for how you want your room built and designed, and reach out to in order to best incorporate all your family's needs into this communal space. Regardless of how you choose to design your room, you can be sure it will be a space your family will enjoy together for years to come.

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Whatever happened to the den? That secluded, often shut off room where one could go to relax after a hard day, or perhaps utilize when work needed to be done without interruption—where did it go? Many would say that it's still there only with a different name, like office or living room. Office doesn't really seem to cut the mustard, though. An office, while it can be worked in, isn't a place to relax. Living rooms often have TV, which can be relaxing; but it's hard to concentrate with everyone else living all over the place. Game room is too distracting, and kitchen and dining room are way off. It seems like the closest thing many modern homes have to a den is the bathroom. What an unfortunate situation!

Why Have a Den?
The conventional idea of a den is often somehow related to masculinity. Men in television and film, from Don Corleone to Ward Cleaver, sought refuge in their dens and went there to shut out the rest of the world. Today, it is well understood that stress is everywhere, and felt by everybody. The idea that respite is only a concern for a father is outdated. Moms, dads, and kids all need a place to unwind that sometimes a bedroom just doesn't fulfill. It is good to have a room in the house where anyone who needs to be alone can do so.

Traditional Den Decorating
In the past, den decorating was characterized by dark hardwood floors and heavy wood furniture. It was not only a place to relax and get away, but to do business and have important conversation. Company that was invited into the den were to see the home's finest and were encouraged to partake in the best the hosts had to offer.

The Modern Den
Today's den is typically turned into a guest room. This leaves den decorating in the modern home open to everything. Basically, you don't want anything to be too distracting. Leave out items that make a lot of noise, such as a large TV or any battery operated toys.

Things that you and your family find relaxing have a place in here. Den decorating might include a fish tank or (once again) a fireplace. A few comfortable chairs or a couch are nice, and a desk of some sort is essential. The den should be soothing, yet encourage productivity. A den's primary purpose is to provide a spot where any household resident can go to think clearly and not be disturbed. The lighting should be soft on the eyes, but bright enough to read by.

LM

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Entertainment rooms have become popular additions, and even great remodels given that the typical suburban home has extra rooms and massive basements that are perfect for entertainment rooms. Make no mistake, entertainment rooms don't have to be pigeonholed into simply a big room with a big couch facing a large TV. These rooms can be made to entertain in whatever way you want.

Adding on Entertainment Rooms
Your imagination should allow you to divine exactly how your basement or spare room should entertain. The back of the house is typically the best place to add on since it won't change the texture of the front of your home from the street. But don't think that you can't build onto the second floor. Certainly there is nothing wrong with a fresh coat of paint, a sectional ottoman, and a big screen TV. After all, most families go this route so that their living rooms or great rooms are centered around conversation instead of who's winning the game. Entertainment room remodels are also a good way to go.

Entertainment Room Remodels
Many homes built in the last 15 years have the fireplace in the middle of the room, and as a result the TV has to be offset from the direction of the furniture. This can not only make for an awkward TV viewing experience, but it also makes the room look odd. By moving the main television into another room or into the basement, you can keep the natural flow of the original living room, while also creating an entertainment room that makes it easy and comfortable to watch television.

Entertainment Rooms are Home Theaters Just Waiting to Happen
Home theaters are not just for the wealthy. Although it sounds like a convenience only afforded by wealth, home theaters are home additions that require very little work to complete. A large spare bedroom is perfect for the home theater, and here are a few home theater ideas. You can pick some or all of these for your home theater.

• Tear out the drywall and wire for surround sound. If this isn't in your budget, then you can just wire externally and hide the wires along the corners of the floor or where the wall meets the ceiling.
  
• If you decide to remove the drywall for surround sound, it is a good idea to soundproof the room. Soundproofing is a good choice because the noise will not interrupt the rest of the house, and it will also further enhance the audio environment of the home theater.
  
• An entertainment center is most likely key to a home theater, unless you are using a projection screen television. Here is a place where you can save a little money by using a prefab entertainment center. If you are going all out, have a carpenter build a custom entertainment center to fit your room and your needs.
  
• If the room is large enough, consider building a 9-12" platform at the back of the room for stadium seating. This will allow you to seat more people, and make it feel like an actual theater.

Game Rooms, Wet Bars, & Home Gyms
Other popular uses for basements and spare rooms have been game rooms, and why not? Everyone loves games. Dartboards are a great, almost requisite choice, as are pool tables if you have the room to bring it in the house. Ping pong tables are great because most of the ones that are made anymore can be folded up and pushed up against a wall and out of the way.

If you choose to have a game room, this does not exclude the idea of having a wet bar, and it may in fact be a great complement to the game room. A wet bar is a great place to entertain, and house a mini fridge, a kegerator, and a liquor cabinet. This remodel is best suited for the basement just because of the amount of space required.

Of course, as much as we hate to admit it, the home gym is probably what we need the most. The great thing about a home gym addition is that most of the cost involved is the equipment you want to use. It will help to add a few mirrors to your home gym, maybe a television to watch while you are sweating away those extra pounds, and a rack to hang the weights. Other than that, a home gym remodel is a perfect entertainment room addition because it is low-cost and high-reward (when you actually use it).

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In the home, where do you spend most of your time? Which room is really lived in? Just a guess, but it's probably your living room (it's called that for a reason). So it's important that this room is designed properly since it sets a tone for the rest of the house: it says a lot of about you as a homeowner and as a person. Though you could hire a trained interior designer to help achieve a specific look, most of the time these professionals will initially try to get a sense of your style and taste before they come up with a plan. For that reason, it's a good idea to have some ideas of your own before hiring an expert. Here are some creative living room design tips to help you get started.

Intention Definition
The best way to plan a room is defining its purpose. Is it supposed to be a playroom? Is it for entertaining? Is it formal? Is it for looks alone? Or do you want it to have multiple functions? The more specific the function, the more appealing the area. In other words: when people know how to visualize a room's purpose, the more comfortable they feel in that space. This preliminary decision will help determine the room's overall shape.

Focal Points
Once the purpose is defined, you now have to find a centerpiece: that one feature that draws the eye. Most of the time, it's the TV. But why? Entertainment centers take up a lot of space and can often look clunky. Instead, be more original in your living room design. Focus on the fireplace, a painting, or something more personal to you. But if it has to be the TV, try to find a way to camouflage. Buy a cabinet that can be closed off. Or invest in a TV that can hang on the wall, thereby blending into the décor when not in use.

Requisite Relocation
Once the focal point has been defined, the next step is living room furniture. In order to make things look fresh, you don't have to buy new stuff. And unless you're changing the room's entire color scheme, you shouldn't even have to reupholster.

Instead create a whole new atmosphere with just a little imaginative rearranging. Before you start moving around heavy couches and love seats, it's a good idea to make large templates of your living room furniture from newspapers or old bed sheets in order to test out different arrangements. Remember, not everything has to be against the wall. Some contemporary designs use "floating" living room furniture in the middle of the room to help divide up the space (this is especially important if the room is taking on two different functions, such as an office and a den). Also, while arranging, don't forget to supply ample walkways for guests.

Breathing Room
Many times these spaces can become cluttered. Not because of poor housekeeping but because there's too much going on. Here are some popular pieces that could use some re-evaluating in order to create more square footage:

Coffee tables: Why walk around these objects and risk bumping your knees? End tables are more user-friendly and less in the way. But if you still want to put your feet up then get a recliner or an ottoman, which save space and are easier to negotiate.

Couches: Maybe get a smaller love seat instead. Or if you like big couches, possibly invest in a sectional or a wrap-around, and make it the room's focal point.

Bookcases: These are an elegant feature to any room, but to save space you could invest in some simple shelving or have them built directly into the walls. Most of all, remember that they don't have to be used just for books, but also knick-knacks, picture frames, etc.

Antiques: It's cool to have decorative living room furniture but beware of them getting in the way. Antiques set a mood, but they can also clutter an area, especially if they're never used. Be judicious in your selection, which should also help on your costs.

What Next?
After this point, if you want to get more creative, you may want to get some expert advice. But don't forget other aspects of the room that could use a little remodeling. Paint those white, antiseptic walls so it doesn't feel like you're in a museum. Buy some rugs that will also add extra padding to your floors (but make sure to match them with your throws, pillows, and other living room furniture in order to create accents). Also, proper lighting can really add ambiance: install some sconces, a fireplace, or just buying some lighter curtains can help capture some natural light.