(Family Features) Whether you recently purchased a new house and are looking for ways to add your own style and personal touches or are looking to upgrade your longstanding home, it’s essential to add style and function when completing any home improvement project. From adding light and ventilation to updating your home’s safety, closets, facade or backyard, you can take advantage of these ideas to enhance the aesthetics of your house and improve its livability and capabilities.
Combine Safety with Style
Home safety has never been so stylish, or convenient. First Alert’s easy-to-install Atom Smoke and Fire Alarm packs all the power of an advanced photoelectric smoke alarm into a miniature, non-intrusive design and features an advanced smoke entry system designed to reduce the chances of false alarms along with a loud, penetrating siren. The 10-year sealed-battery Atom provides added home protection and eliminates the need to replace the batteries for the life of the alarm. For more information, visit firstalert.com.
Upgrade Your Home with Natural Light
There’s no better way to breathe new life into interior spaces than decorating with light. Velux Energy Star-qualified, solar-powered fresh air skylights bring natural light and ventilation into the home and carry a 10-year, no-leak installation warranty. Along with available solar powered blinds, the skylights operate by remote control, closing automatically in case of rain. Costs will vary, but a new solar skylight installation typically ranges from $1,800 to $2,400 after a 30 percent federal tax credit. To find dealers and certified installers, visit whyskylights.com.
Enhance Your Storage Space
Whether it’s a lack of space, too many shirts or pairs of shoes, or simply not enough time to get organized, you can eliminate the mess and enhance your closet’s storage space in a weekend with ClosetMaid’s SuiteSymphony line. The DIY system, which is available in multiple finishes, adds stylish organization to both walk-in and traditional closets, and is customizable with accessories such as drawers, door fronts, shoe shelves and expandable hang rods. Find more organization solutions at ClosetMaid.com.
Refresh Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Looking to upgrade and instantly enhance the look of your home? Install a new front door, such as one from the extensive line of fiberglass exterior doors from Feather River Doors. Hand-stained oak and mahogany doors are among the most popular, accentuating elegant wood grain details that instantly improve a home’s curb appeal. They’re energy efficient, low maintenance, secure and available in custom sizes and colors, exclusively at The Home Depot. Check out the options at featherriverdoor.com.
Boost Your Backyard Appearance
Every backyard requires that special finishing touch. If your outdoor living quarters are missing that unique “something,” install and decorate a pergola to bring it all together. A pergola is the perfect spot for hanging plants, setting up a shaded canopy or creating an exquisite entrance to your personal garden. The options are nearly limitless, whether you’re building from scratch with raw materials or purchasing a ready-to-install version that can instantly improve the look of your lawn. Research the different types of pergolas available before deciding what’s best for you and customize it to fit your needs – it’s the ultimate creative space for the outdoor artist in you.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images (house exterior and pergola photos)