Feathering Your Nest
While the birds fly south to escape the chill in the air, it’s nesting season for humans – we’re preparing to stay indoors more and keep warm with the comforts of home. If your nest needs a little TLC, consider a family room spruce up. The family room brings warmth to the home. Just its name conjures up visions of Norman Rockwell-like families watching television together or playing board games, hot chocolate or tea in hand. Of course, today it’s probably more like playing Wii and surfing the internet on the latest electronic tablet. Nonetheless, the family room is an important gathering space for a home.
If you don’t currently have a family room, consider a home addition that will give you one. The best space is near the kitchen, and if you can open that space to create a great room, you’re not only rejuvenating the home’s lifestyle area, you’re improving your resale value. Whether the space is large and roomy or small and cozy, it should reflect the personality of both the existing home and your family.
Family rooms often have fireplaces or wood stoves. While not necessary, they can be very practical. Fireplaces can serve as the focal point of the room. Both wood-burning and gas fireplaces provide more light to the room, and they can also serve as a back-up heat source in the colder winter months. They are especially useful to rooms with high ceilings, since heat from your furnace rises, leaving a chill below it. Wood burning stoves are also popular for heat sources, and they offer a variety of options. Be sure to ask your custom remodeler about the necessities for fireplaces – from venting to screens. Bringing your family together in a new family room could be the biggest feather in your nest this season.