If you play hostess every year, you might want to think of ways to make holiday entertaining simple. This is because a lot of time is spent entertaining guests, preparing and eating meals with family and friends. 

If you’ve been considering remodeling your kitchen in preparation for the holidays, we suggest that you start now. Some of you might think that it’s too late to start a remodeling project, but if you begin now, you’ll have plenty of time to work on this project and make sure that everything is in order before Christmas arrives. 

Here are some remodeling ideas to get your kitchen ready for the holidays. 

Get a new kitchen island

People with small kitchen spaces know the chaos that can result from preparing meals for a large gathering. Half-prepared meals, along with the ingredients, end up in chairs. In some cases, we even place them on top of stove burners that are not in use, or worse, the floor. 

Adding a new kitchen island will provide you with a much-needed prep space. Plus, your guests can use this space to gather while you prepare a meal.  

Remove the wall that separates the kitchen from the living room

Are you dreading the thought of having your family over this holiday season and end up crowding into your little kitchen so they can talk with you while you prepare food for everyone? If so, then you might want to get rid of that pesky wall. Preparing holiday meals and accommodating large groups of people can be a lot easier if you open up the space. 

Add storage

You can maximize unused space by adding additional shelving to hold your cooking oils, spices and other go-to items for easy access. Pots and pans can be hung from the ceiling. A reclaimed rack can be mounted to the wall to store wine glasses and bottles. Utensils can be hung on a rod and a magnetic knife rack to hold all your knives. 

Home renovations provide several advantages. Whether you’re looking to enhance your home’s aesthetics and living environment or transforming it before putting it on the market, updating your dwelling is one of the most profitable decisions you can make.

Here are 4 tips for working out your home renovation budget.

What is your purpose for renovating? 

Before renovating, you first need to identify your reason. Renovating for lifestyle reasons requires a different approach for selling purposes. If you are renovating to enhance your Colorado home’s comfort or livability, you need to consider your family’s needs. An outdoor kitchen would be beneficial for entertaining guests. An additional bathroom may also be in order for your growing family.

If renovating for sale, you need to properly asses your house and focus on changes that will make it more attractive to prospective buyers. The backyard may need revamping. A lick of paint throughout the house will help freshen up your Colorado home.

Set your renovation budget 

Home renovation projects can be quite expensive. Before you start choosing paint colors or floor tiles, you first need to determine how much you can afford.

Renovation costs can quickly get out of control. Sometimes, people decide that they want this and that, and then realize later on that it’s out of their budget. To prevent this from happening, it is best to set a budget early on. This is important so as to prevent disappointment and financial distress later on.

Get quotes from contractors 

Now that you have an idea about what you want to achieve and how much you are willing to spend, it’s time to look for contractors.

If you don’t know any contractor, you can ask referral from your family and friends. Or better yet, go online and search for contractors in your area. Narrow down your list to 3 – 5 contractors, and ask for a quote from each of them. This way, you can compare the prices and find the one that offers the best deal.

Account for hidden costs

Just because the contractor gave you a quote for $30,000, it doesn’t necessarily mean that will be the final cost. During the renovation process, some contractors find some issues that need to be dealt with. This is one of the major reasons why renovation projects end up costing more than anticipated.

Make sure that you prepare at least 10% to 20% for unforeseen experiences, so you won’t be scrambling to come up with extra money.

The bathroom is one of the most important parts of the house. It is where you start and finish your day. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get much attention as much as the bedrooms, kitchen, and living room.

Has your bathroom worn out its welcome? Maybe it’s time to update it and bring it back to life.  There are telltale signs that it’s time for a bathroom makeover.

Here are 5 signs it’s time to remodel your bathroom.

Planning to sell your home 

If you’re considering selling your Colorado home, a bathroom renovation can benefit you in a number of ways. Not only will it increase the value of your home, it also makes your home more attractive to potential buyers.

Bathroom renovations can be expensive, but studies suggest that you can recoup about 58% of the cost in resale value. If you are on a tight budget, don’t worry. Simple updates like getting new fixtures, repainting the walls, cleaning the grout, and adding clean lines of caulk around the sink and tub can help transform your bathroom.

Outdated design 

Is your bathroom old and outdated? If so, a bathroom remodel is in order. Today, people are coming back to that white, timeless look. White, gray, and black palettes will lend an element of ageless beauty to your space. Installing new lighting fixtures, cabinets, mirrors, and towel holders are also a great way to improve the look and feel of your bathroom.

Poor lighting 

Of all the rooms in the house, bathrooms are given the least considerations when it comes to interior lighting. If you can barely see yourself in the mirror, this requires action.

Use lighting fixtures that provide 75-100 watts worth of illumination for the master and guest bathroom. Installing proper task lighting is also important as this is the light by which you can best see yourself.

Bathroom smells bad 

You walk into the bathroom and crinkle your nose as you smell a noxious sewer-like odor in your bathroom. This could be an indication that sewer gas is escaping from the drainage system. This is a prime indicator that you need to update your bathroom.

Adding better ventilation to a windowless bathroom, fixing that persistent leak that is building up mold, and replacing a toilet’s wax seal are all smart fixes to get rid of bathroom smells.

Lack of storage

Don’t have enough space to store everything you want? Your bathroom may be due for an update. Make use of the vertical space and under the sink for storage. Come up with creative ways fit everything in the cabinets and closets.

Just like a book, your home is judged based on how it looks on the outside. If you are putting your home up for sale, it is important to improve your home’s curb appeal. You want to make sure that the house is attractive and appealing enough that the buyers will want to see the inside of your home.

What is curb appeal? 

Curb appeal refers to the attractiveness of your Denver home from the street. This applies to the exterior of the house, as well as the driveway, outdoor fixtures, landscaping, and walkway. Oftentimes, it is seen as a reflection of how the owner takes care of the house.

Makes your online listing standout

A huge percentage of Colorado buyers begin their search online. Instead of driving to your home, they would scroll through photos in your online listing. Many of them may never visit your home if they do not like what they see online.

A clean exterior, well-maintained shrubbery and a manicured lawn are all important if you want your home to standout in a crowded market.

Make a great first impression

First impressions are incredibly important, especially if you’re selling. Most sellers would spend a lot of time cleaning, staging and improving the inside of the house. Unfortunately, some of them tend to ignore the exterior. No matter how beautiful your Colorado house looks on the inside, buyers might not be interested to walk through your front door if the exterior is unkempt.

If the house looks messy on the outside, a buyer’s opinion may already be made before they enter the house. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Faster sale 

Potential buyers will decide whether or not to buy the Denver house based on first impressions. You’ll be able to attract more buyers and sell your house faster if you take time on making sure that your house’s exterior is as meticulous as the interior.

Perceived value 

Every seller wants to sell their home for top dollar. In order to do that, you want to spend ample time preparing and improving the outside of your home. Believe it or not, curb appeal can increase your home’s value by up 5 to 11%.