Does the thought of going into your cellar make you shudder or opening the cupboard under the stairs gives you nightmares? By getting in an architect this Halloween, you can transform your house from being hellish to heavenly.
Ken Pike of Architect Your Home (www.architect-yourhome.com) in Nottingham provides his top tips from ridding your property of its most fearsome features.
Ghost bust your basement
“Your cellar doesn’t have to be a creepy space that is home only to discarded belongings and spiders. If it’s done right, you can end up with a room that’s versatile enough to be suitable for almost any use and which adds significant square footage to your property.
“As well as ensuring the building is structurally sound, an architect will address the need for protection against damp and maximise the amount of light that comes in. Adding natural light is always preferable and a light well or sun tube is a great way to do this. The final step is to design the layout of the room. By using an architect, you can have a design tailor made to suit your needs – whether your room will become a guest bedroom, play room or gym.”
What’s hidden under the stairs?
“Do you know what’s underneath the stairs or what makes the floor boards creak? If going under your stairs makes you want to scream with horror why not resolve your storage nightmares with some innovative storage solutions.
“Not only can a cupboard beneath the stairs become anything from an additional toilet to a work space, but the stair treads themselves can be utilised. Rather than just making creepy creaking noise, your stairs can become the perfect place to store hallway clutter such as shoes or umbrellas. If you want to get really creative the same idea can be applied to the space beneath floorboards.
Skeletons in your closet?
“Dreaming of real solutions to your storage problems, but too many skeletons in your current closet? To create the ultimate storage solution, why not consider some bespoke storage that will use every last inch of space or if you are thinking on a grander scale why not consider converting a gloomy loft?
“Lofts are ideal for converting, particularly in Victorian properties where the ceiling height is usually more than adequate for standing. Even if your property doesn’t have such a generous loft, it can still be a great idea to convert the space to create additional storage space that doesn’t give you nightmares.”
Architect Your Home operates nationwide with a network of more than 50 offices offering a unique pay-as-you-go service that makes architectural design accessible to all home improvement projects regardless of their size, complexity or budget. The service starts with an initial visit, designed to kick start a customers’ project by providing affordable inspiration, hand drawn sketches and advice. After the initial visit, the homeowners can use the services of their architect as much or as little as they need.
For further information on the services that Architect Your Home provides in Nottingham call 0800 849 8505 or visit www.architect-yourhome.com |
