Home improvements may be somewhat inconvenient, but you have to admit it can also be quite fun and exciting, especially if you can clearly see in your mind your desired results. When that happens, you can’t wait for the project to be finished.
In most cases, homeowners go for the typical upgrades and updates, such as getting a fresh coat of paint or calling a roofing company to redo your house’s roof. But sometimes, renovations and remodelling involve certain improvements that may seem odd to others, like converting your facade to make it look like a giant ship or having your high ceiling painted like the Sistine Chapel.
While some of these projects stand out because they’re just downright weird, others actually seem to work. Just because they’re unusual doesn’t mean that they’re already strange. They’re just not as common and widespread as other home improvement projects. Below are a few examples of uncommon yet very doable remodelling ideas.
10 Unusual Home Improvements That Work
1. Home Sauna
Imagine getting home after a long and exhausting day and retreating to a relaxing hot and steamy sauna in the comfort of your own home? Totally awesome, right?
Home saunas are quite common in Scandinavia. If you have enough room for one, it’s quite easy to build. We definitely recommend having one at home.
2. Secret Room or Hidden Passageway
If you think secret rooms and hidden passageways are a thing of the past or only for books and movies, think again. There are several advantages to having a secret room or an alternate way out of your home, especially in emergencies such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or fires.
3. Home Theatre or Media Room
If you’re a fan of movies and other similar forms of entertainment, a home theatre would be a very nice addition to your home. We’re not just talking about setting up a high-end audio-visual home entertainment system in your living or family room but a full-sized home theatre complete with surround sound, a huge monitor, digital projectors, and comfortable cinema seating on a couple of ledges.
That’s taking home entertainment to a whole new level.
4. Cast Iron Radiators
Typically, at the mention of the word radiator, most people would think of cars. However, a house has its own radiator counterpart that helps keep the temperature inside a room comfortable. Antique radiators have a certain appeal that lends a vintage and timeless look to our room.
5. Laundry Chute
Laundry chutes were once a staple feature in homes, but over time, and with a lot of homes not having enough space for it, it has been taken out of most modern home designs. You can choose to have one installed that leads to your laundry area in the basement or ground floor.
6. Dumbwaiter
Similarly, dumbwaiters were also a standard feature in an average Victorian and Edwardian home. These small hand-operated elevators are used to transport things from one floor of the house to another. They may seem outdated, but they’re starting to make a comeback in more recent home designs.
7. Spiral Staircase and Slide
Who wouldn’t want a slide inside their house? Admit it. You want one, too. Well, the good thing about it is that a growing number of homeowners are incorporating slides into their houses — mainly for fun, but also out of convenience. You may add a spiral staircase to go along with it just for kicks. The kids will love it.
8. Nook under Stairs
If you’re living in a smaller and tighter space such as a two-storey apartment, a nook under the stairs can be an additional spot for you to relax and unwind. It’s ideal for enjoying a book or a cup of tea or perhaps just going over your news feed.
9. Storage Space Under Stairs
Similarly, you can use the wasted space under the stairs and convert it into additional storage space. You can go with a small closet space, racks, drawers, or shelves. There are a lot of sites that you can visit for great ideas.
10. Attached Greenhouse
A greenhouse attached to your home clearly offers several benefits. You can grow your own fruits and vegetables and honestly say they are fresh from the garden. It can also help heat up your home, which means you get to reduce your heating bill.
The ones listed above are some of the most noteworthy unconventional home improvements we’ve gathered so far. We believe there are a lot more out there. Do you know some of them? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below.