Personal Finance

7 Ways to Make Your New House a Home

Name: Article on how to make a new house a home
Brand: Axos Bank

Nov 24, 2020

Settling into a new house is very exciting, something you may have dreamed about for years. While you’re emptying boxes and scrambling to put things away, take a moment to consider how you can make your new home truly your own. Before we unpack some helpful ideas, let’s dispel a common notion held by many new homeowners.

What About Resale?

You should only make changes that will appeal to future buyers, right? Not true. Prioritizing another person’s tastes over your own will prevent you from enjoying a home that reflects your own style. Honestly, how could anyone truly know what a future buyer wants? What’s hot in today’s market may not be in a year or two. Plus, many buyers plan to replace carpet, repaint, and make other changes when they buy a home. Yes, the length of time you plan to keep your home may influence the extent of the changes you make, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from selecting designs that match your tastes.

Make It Feel Like Home

Making your house feel like home comes down to infusing your personal style into your home, both inside and out. Here are seven impactful ways to do that.

Paint, Paper, or Both

Whether creating an accent wall or covering the entire room, new paint is a great way to transform the feel of a space. With unlimited colors and patterns, wallpaper is another popular option to add style to a room. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, select colors and patterns that you will enjoy each time you enter the space.

Take Flooring to the Next Level

New flooring is another way to reflect your style. Hardwood, laminate, linoleum, cork, tile, stone, vinyl, polished concrete, and carpet are just some of your choices. If new flooring is out of your budget, consider area rugs. They come in a vast array of sizes, shapes, colors, and patterns and can be used to add sophistication, nostalgia, drama, or warmth to a room.

Flaunt Your Windows

Updated curtains, blinds, shades, and shutters can make a room feel like your own. And a stained-glass film applied to a small window can add a pop of color. Because there are so many options to highlight your windows, you are bound to find something that speaks to your personal style.

Make a Statement with Furniture and Appliances

Moving in your own furniture can instantly make you feel like you’re finally home. Whether a family heirloom or a unique piece from your favorite consignment shop, furniture is a way to show off your taste. Now is the time to purchase the new bedroom set you’ve wanted or the chaise lounge you’ve obsessed over for months. Even appliances can be signature pieces. A refrigerator with a touchscreen display, a chef-inspired range, or a bistro table and chairs can show your style.

Complement with Accessories

Regardless of how long you will be in your house, adding personal touches such as pictures, gifts, and other accents are easy ways to reflect your style. Use flowers and plants, live or silk, to bring nature inside and add your own personal touch to a room. Pillows and throws can add a layer of warmth and comfort. If existing faucets, light fixtures, doorknobs, and other hardware don’t reflect your taste, replace them.

Take It Outdoors

Painting the exterior of your house can dramatically affect its appearance. However, if you’re not ready to take on a large project, paint the front door instead. Small changes like replacing exterior lights or hanging string lights are touches that can reflect your style. And don’t forget about landscaping. Plant flowers, put in a garden, arrange a fire pit — whatever shows off your personality.

Explore Your Neighborhood

Feeling at home doesn’t just end at your property line. Get to know a few of your neighbors and explore the neighborhood. When you visit local businesses, check out parks, and take walks around your neighborhood, you become part of the fabric of your community.

You’ve worked hard to reach the goal of owning a home — make it your own by letting your style shine through.

Your new house is much more than an investment. It’s the space you will be occupying for a number of years. Personal items, furniture, window treatments, paint, flooring, exterior lighting, and landscaping can all work to personalize your home with your unique style. And getting to know your neighbors and your new community can extend your feeling of being home even further.

If you need cash to help you add personality to your new home, Axos Bank can help. Visit personal loans to learn more about available options. Or if you’ve been in your home for a while, a mortgage refinance may allow you to use your home equity for style updates.