Tips for renovating a bachelor’s house into a couple’s home

January 2019

A home for a couple is distinctly different from a home where a bachelor resides. We look at some of the basic design principles that couples must keep in mind, when designing or renovating their homes A bachelor’s home is generally designed for the comfort of one person. From the artwork to seating, everything is likely to be based on an individual’s choice. However, after marriage, this space will need to be modified, to cater to the requirements of both people and reflect the couple’s taste. While doing up the home together, it is important that the couple explore common interest in décor themes, to create a happy space.

“In any space belonging to a couple, there are distinct personalities that will want to make the house into a home. A woman’s outlook will vary from a man’s and merging the different views will always be a challenge for any couple. For example, a man may place a wooden bowl at the entrance of the house, to toss his keys and wallet. He may also place his shoes at the entryway itself. A woman, on the other hand, may prefer to replace the wooden bowl with a glass bowl with potpourri and hang the keys on a hanger and place the wallet in a drawer. She may move the shoes into a rack, while the expensive shoes may be tucked into a wardrobe. While both these scenarios work, they both have a different aesthetic outcome,” explains Lekha Gupta, senior architect, LAB (Language Architecture Body).

Credits : freepik.com

Basic considerations for home renovation

A home for a couple means creating space to accommodating two people and their varying tastes. Hence, a couple must keep a budget in mind, before starting any renovation. “One of the basic things to consider, is whether the house has enough space. An apartment must offer enough privacy, in terms of partitions and door/window treatments. The wardrobe should have enough space, to hold the clothes and belongings of two people. With proper planning, one can create an aesthetically appealing and de-cluttered and organised space that also offers maximum storage. To enjoy watching television or an intimate conversation together, get a loveseat,” suggests Abraham Santosh, head designer, Elegancia.

Renovating a couple’s bedroom

Try and create an appealing harmony of colours, or a soothing interplay of contrast, for the walls and furnishings. Shades of green, purple, baby pink, etc., have a calming effect and these colours add style to one’s bedroom. The only private space in the house, other than the bathroom, is the bedroom. “The size of the bed should always be as large as the space will allow. Ideally, opt for a king-size or queen-size bed, with a comfortable, good quality mattress and throw cushions. Bedside tables on either side of the bed, with ample space for a lamp and keeping laptops, books, etc., is a must. This will create an inviting atmosphere, where one can unwind alone, while still enjoying your partner’s company,” adds Gupta.

Family dining room

With a lot of housing supply available in the new growth corridors, buyers are spoilt for choice. The cost of a flat is obviously important but one still only gets what one pays for. Ultimately, a home is not just an asset but one which performs the very critical functions of offering refuge, comfort and security. Buyers must look for options, which offer them these three advantages to a satisfactory level. Branded builders provide these as part of their standard value offering, because their reputation demands it.A display of shared memories, like photographs, can also strengthen a new relationship. Sticking small notes on the refrigerator or on window panes, can also brighten up a room, suggests Gupta. A modern kitchen, with modular fittings, the latest gadgets and ample storage, can also encourage couples to cook together. One can make the kitchen visually appealing, by selecting pleasant colours for the wall, fixtures and fittings. A stylish dining table will allow the couple to enjoy dinners together. “Well-lit kitchens and bathrooms are always functional. The dining areas can have task lighting and the living and bedrooms can have a combination of ambient and accent lights,” says Santosh.

While designing the house, the couple should discuss their plans, learn to compromise a bit and let function guide the design process. The ultimate aim is to ensure that the home is comfortable, calming and cheerful and helps you to relax and enjoy being together.

Home decor dos and don’ts, for couples

• Consider each other’s interest and needs, when designing the home.
• Opt for sleek functional furniture and do not crowd the space. Ensure that you have storage solutions, so that you can conceal the clutter.
• Use corner areas in the house wisely. For example, you can convert a corner into a dressing table area with a mirror and storage space for cosmetics or opt for a corner desk, to turn the area into a workstation.
• When designing the wardrobe, designate space for every item and have multiple drawers to use space efficiently.
• You can create a cosy seating space on a day bed, by adding some cushions. Play with prints and use soft furnishings in vibrant colours, to spruce up the home.
• A few candles and fresh floral arrangements, can instantly convert the look of a house from one owned by a bachelor, to a couple’s abode. Similarly, one can perk up the bathroom with aromatic dispensers, fluffy bath linen and glass jars for the toiletries.

Also read: How To Get A Home Loan To Construct Your Own House

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Source: housing.com

Investment Tips: How To Buy A Home That Delivers Long-term ROI

January 2019

The decision to buy a property, should be based purely on the needs of the individual and the inherent value of the unit. We look at how home buyers can ascertain this, to choose a property that provides good returns on investment

With the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) coming into force, as well as various other policy initiatives such as the Benami Transactions Act and the government’s push to affordable housing, we are seeing increased activity in the residential property market in the larger cities. After the dampener of demonetisation in 2016, the positive buyer sentiment visible now is especially significant. Consequently, builders are determined to capitalise on it, via increased marketing efforts. Given that there is already a lot of supply in the residential market – a lot of it for ready possession – fresh launches have been curtailed, so that the existing inventory can be absorbed. Much of the intensified marketing efforts are centered around special deals and offers.

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How to ascertain the real value of a home

While this may be advantageous for property buyers, they should be judicious while evaluating offers and schemes and base their purchase decisions solely on the real value of the home. Freebies such as gold, cars and household goods, have an undeniable attraction but they are fundamentally frivolous in nature and do not add to the value of the home.

The price of a home is obviously an important consideration for middle-class property buyers. However, the strategy of looking for the cheapest options on the market, does not make much sense because it is quality that determines value. In the case of residential property, the quality of an offering depends on three aspects:

• The quality of the location.
• The brand value of the builder.
• The availability and quality of facilities and amenities in the project and in individual units.

The importance of location in a property’s value

Central locations are traditionally the costliest, as they offer great access to many important parts of the city , such as the CBD (central business district) and SBD (secondary business district). These areas tend to host the offices of high-profile companies and offer a vast cross-section of jobs, from highly-paid management to more modestly-paid support staff jobs. Even the second category of jobs is attractive, because the growth prospects in high-profile companies, are usually very good. This is what makes living in central locations very desirable and from a real estate pricing perspective, very expensive.

In India, this mantra held true for a very long time, until the advent of the infotech culture. The IT/ITeS industry, tends to offer very good salary packages but is not focused on high-value locations. Quite to the contrary, such firms prefer to set up shop in peripheral locations, so as to save on the real estate costs. As a result, many cities’ outskirts have become very desirable places for home buyers and they are far less expensive.

For IT professionals and industrial employees, as well as property investors, buying a home in a peripheral location that connects to an IT hub and/or manufacturing belt, makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, such locations attract all kinds of developers – from those who have a reputation for creating true lifestyle value offerings, to those who specialise in constricted, ‘pigeon-hole’ homes. This is where the brand value of a developer plays a significant role.

Correlation between brand value and quality

With a lot of housing supply available in the new growth corridors, buyers are spoilt for choice. The cost of a flat is obviously important but one still only gets what one pays for. Ultimately, a home is not just an asset but one which performs the very critical functions of offering refuge, comfort and security. Buyers must look for options, which offer them these three advantages to a satisfactory level. Branded builders provide these as part of their standard value offering, because their reputation demands it.

Facilities and amenities that add value to a property

Urban life today, places a lot of stress and demands on us. Consequently, our homes cannot be mere places of refuge but must also provide healing and rejuvenation. A clubhouse, swimming pool and children’s park, are no longer luxuries but the bare minimum that Indian home buyers can and should expect. Nevertheless, even projects without such offerings will find buyers because of their lower prices. While short-listing prospects for home purchase, it is important to ensure that the final selection provides a decent lifestyle and not just an abode.

If one looks at the supply in the residential property market from this perspective, the choice of options automatically narrows down to a more manageable and comprehensive level. Buying the right home is not just about present and future comfort, but also about investment growth. Homes in good locations, built by reputed developers with a good saturation of amenities and facilities, will always yield better capital appreciation, as well as potential rental income for property investors.

Also read: How To Get A Home Loan To Construct Your Own House

Back to All Thane Real Estate Resources, Thane Property News and Articles

TO KNOW MORE ABOUT PROPERTY INVESTMENT IN THANE VISIT CREDAI MCHI THANE UNIT

Source: housing.com