Turn your attic into a living space

Published on: 26 March 2018 Last Updated on: 01 August 2024
attic room

When purchasing a home, people have some projection of the future. However, it is hard to predict everything. This is why we like getting a place with the room for improvement and expansion. The attic is probably one of the first choices for home expansion of growing families. It often seems miraculous the way an empty, or a storage room turns into a comfortable living space.

The purpose :

The purpose of your loft-conversion is an important element of project planning. Some of the most convenient and usual purposes are a playroom, an office, an entertainment room, or a bedroom. Decide the most convenient purpose depending on what you lack space for. Perhaps this can give your children enough space to play when they are indoors, or finally give you the master bedroom you’ve always wanted. The purpose will determine the layout, the amenities, and the type of access.

The access :

Perhaps you are used to using the attic ladder, however, when this becomes a room you use every day, the ladder is no longer acceptable. First of all, consider the space you have. Is there anything on the floor below which will make fitting a staircase difficult? Perhaps in certain scenarios, it could block one of the doors into one of the rooms. Hire a professional to make a plan for the stairs, unless you are a professional, or truly experienced. Safety should be your priority. Also if your loft is meant to be a playroom, you should definitely get a banister and safety get at the top and the bottom.

The style :

Does your attic currently have enough space for your purpose? Is the ceiling high enough? Do you have enough windows? Check your local regulations, get the required licenses and choose the style of the conversion. There are three common styles of the loft conversion, mansard, dormer, and roof light. The roof light is probably the most convenient one as it does not require major alterations to your roof. This is the reason why there is usually no need for planning permits.  The other two styles, however, involve creating more space and offer a better choice of windows. You can get more daylight and a possibility of installing shutters and other window treatments greater energy-efficiency.

Electricity/Plumbing/HVAC :

Hire a licensed electrician to establish whether your current system can handle the increase in the electrical load required for the new room. Let them do the wiring. Look for the main stack and plan your bathroom in that area. A professional plumber should have no trouble setting it up. Finally, the last contractor you will need for this type of project is an HVAC specialist. They will tell you if the current system can support another room and set it up.

Insulation :

Insulation is another essential part of the conversion. Perhaps even the most important one. Without it, the room would be impossible to live in due to extreme temperatures. It protects a room from the weather elements and increasing energy efficiency. Hang drywall once you are done insulating.

Flooring :

The floor insulation is not so much for the sake of warmth, but for the sake of noise. Installing floorboards requires an excellent subfloor to reduce the squeakiness. Also, a carpet may be a good choice as it absorbs a lot of noise. While you are at it, carpet tiles are excellent for a playroom. They are not slippery, they absorb sound and they are easily removed and replaced.

The room now fulfills all standards to be lived in. All you are now left with are the finishing touches. You need to select the colors, the furniture, and decor.  Do so according to the purpose of the room and your taste.

Bio: David Koller is a freelance blogger passionately interested in minor house fixes and home décor.

Read More :

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Front yard garden

5 Essential Tips to Designing a Beautiful Front Yard Garden

Over the years, the perception of gardening has changed from the traditional method of tilling a patch in the backyard for fruits and vegetables to more sophisticated types of gardening. Front yard gardening is steadily taking root in the suburbs as homeowners strive to decorate their front yards with more than hydrangeas in the flower bed. Needless to say, front yard gardening adds aesthetic value to the property and not just for you but your neighbors as well. In open-plan neighborhoods, exposed front yards call for constant admiration or scrutiny from neighbors who may get upset if they do not approve of what is in your yard. If you are confused about which plants will be able to uplift the aesthetics of the garden you can always count on experts in the industry. Home and property owners can get a mix of plants selected by Tree Service Roseville that are not only pleasant to look at, but also require low maintenance. This will help you keep your garden in top shape and be appreciated by everyone that visits the same. 5 Essential Tips to Designing a Beautiful Front Yard Garden An unsightly front yard is likely to hurt your neighbor's property as well. For instance, if he is trying to sell his home, open house visits with potential buyers will not go well if there are overgrown bushes right next door. Some neighborhood associations go as far as stipulating guidelines on what is allowed in the front yard. If you are contemplating starting a garden in your front yard, read on for useful tips. 1. Determine Size of the Garden How much land you allocate for your front garden is dependent on the size of your front yard; you cannot extend your garden to the neighbor's property. Consider other activities that go on your front yard, for instance, parking vehicles, a playpen for young children, and so on. Read also: 3 Amazing Flower Street Garden – How To Design Planting beds can be horizontal, along with the width of the house, or vertical from the house to the sidewalk to the fence. Leave enough space for a walkway so that people can access the home with ease without the risk of stepping on plants or getting their shoes muddy from dirt. 2. Select Mix of Plants Once you know how much land is available, identify a plant. Since front yard gardens are meant to enhance the look of your home, avoid monotony in one crop. Try a mix of different plants that will look great when they grow and plants that do not compete for nutrients. You also need suitable methods of nourishing your plants to give them the best chance of survival. Applying fertilizer and compost will greatly boost the nutrient content of the soil. Whatever plants you settle for, they should not block the view of the street-facing windows as this will block natural sunlight from gracing your living room or kitchen. Bushy plants with overgrown foliage look unsightly and are likely to mar the look of your front yard. Drop by your local garden store and find the best pole saw for trimming excess foliage to maintain the desired look and avoid harboring pests. 3. Establish Order While growing a variety of plants in your front yard is encouraged, do not get carried away. Planting too many species affects the appearance of the landscape making looks like different patches of land with no cohesion. This type of mess is best moved to the backyard away from the prying eye of onlookers. Read also: How to make a perfect summer retreat from your backyard Gardening experts recommend five to ten species of perennials, three to five shrubs and if you like, add two varieties of trees. Before making a decision, investigate what types of plants thrive in the climatic conditions of your area. 4. Regular Maintenance Having a front yard garden demands your full attention. You cannot afford to ignore drooping leaves, weak stems, or an insect infestation. Establish a maintenance routine that works well with your other responsibilities such as work or taking care of the family. Regardless of your schedule, there are important activities that must be done on a regular basis and sometimes daily. For instance, watering, trimming bushes, weeding, etc. You can choose to do this in the evening after work or if you are too busy, enlist the services of a gardener during the day. 5. Year-Round Gardening When starting a front garden, you want your plants to grow throughout as opposed to only a few months of the year. While not all plants can do well in the dead of winter or the sweltering heat of summer, you can count on evergreen trees and shrubs. Planting trees in your garden provide a natural fence around your property and trees provide natural shade for smaller plants. A reasonable amount of shade helps to control evaporation in the hotter months of the year A front yard garden may be the solution you have been looking for since you purchased your home. Gardening is an ideal alternative to mowing the lawn and running sprinklers all day. You do not have to do it all by yourself; involve the rest of the family for some added fun.

READ MOREDetails
big leaf plants

10 Best Aesthetic Big Leaf Plants To Buy In 2022

Big leaf plants can add an aesthetic touch to your home. If you are an admirer of home decoration, you cannot miss indoor plants as a part of your decoration.  Indoor plants require very minimum sunlight, and they are pretty easy to take care of. But, most important of all– they keep your indoor environment refreshed and fill it with fresh oxygen.  So, if you want to decorate your sweet home with beautiful big leaf aesthetic plants, you need to check out the few recommendations I have here in this article. 10 Best Big Leaf Plants For Indoors If you are looking for recommendations for indoor plants with big leaves, please check out the ten recommendations I have here.  1. Swiss Cheese Plant The botanical name of the Swiss Cheese Plant is Monstera deliciosa. This tropical beauty is enough to add a green touch to your indoors. It has big heart-shaped leaves to adorn your indoors. They do well if you keep them in indirect sunlight.  The heart-shaped leaves can grow up to 36 inches in length, and they are healthy for your indoor environment. ☀ Sun: They need bright but indirect sunlight. 🌡️Temperature: They are tropical plants, so you need to keep them in warm places. A temperature between 20°C - 30°C is ideal 💦Watering: You need to keep the soil wet most of the time. Watering them ⅔ times every week is enough.  🌷Type Of Soil: The soil needs to be moist and adequate fertilizers. A pH level of 5.5 to 7.5 works the best. 2. Dwarf Banana Plant You can keep a large banana plant indoors. They are also big leaf plants. This is a tropical foliage plant that you can plant in a large plant. The leaves have quick growth, and the leaves are harmless to children and animals. ☀Sun: You can keep your Dwarf Banana Plant in full sunlight or in light shade. 🌡️ Temperature: They are big leaf tropical plants, so they enjoy a warm atmosphere. You can keep them at a temperature between 10°C to 33°C. 💦Watering: They need regular Watering– twice/ thrice every week in the warm season water them. Once every week is enough for the cold weather. 🌷Type Of Soil: The soil needs moisture. They need regular fertilizers. 3. Bird Of Paradise If you want some flowers to highlight the big leaf plants you have indoors, then Bird Of Paradise is just the right plant to choose. These plants have long-lasting flowers and waxy leaves that add extra beauty to your indoors. ☀ Sun: Keep them in semi-shade or in full Sun. 🌡️ Temperature: Medium Temperature between 18°C to 22°C is just fine. 💦Watering: Keep the soil moist. The soil should not get completely dry. 🌷Type Of Soil: They need fertilizers in spring. Well-drained soil is better. 4. Elephant Ear Plant These are the cheapest big leaf house plants. You can pull them from anywhere and plant them indoors. You can find these plants growing outdoors. These plants are toxic for small children and animals, so if you want to keep them, you need to be very careful. ☀Sun: They don't need full sunlight. Indirect bright sunlight is the best. 🌡️ Temperature: A temperature between 20°C to 30°C is best.  💦 Watering: The soil needs consistent moisture. 🌷Type Of Soil: Acidic, moist soil is the best. 5. Pinstripe Houseplant Not many tabletop plants look as pretty as the Pinstripe Houseplant. These big leaf plants have gorgeous jungle green color with pink stripes to compliment the big leaves. They aren't too fond of direct bright sunlight. These plants are not harmful to animals and children.  ☀ Sun: Keep them in indirect sunlight. 🌡️Temperature: 18°C to 30°C temperature is good enough. 💦Watering: You need to maintain the soil moisture. 🌷Type Of Soil: You peat and pebbles to balance the moisture. You May Like To Read This: 10 Best Trailing Indoor Plants To Buy In 2022 6. African Mask Plant These big leaf plants are native plants of the Philippines. They get their name from their resemblance to an African mask. The large dark leaves can grow up to 18 inches. The silvery-white veins of the leaves make them even more attractive. ☀ Sun: Avoid direct sunlight. They love diffused sunlight. 🌡️Temperature: 15°C to 30°C is ideal for them. 💦Watering: They need regular watering during growth. Keep the pot moist and well-drained.  🌷Type Of Soil: Keep the soil well-drained using pebbles. Fertilize frequently after ⅔ months. 7. Majesty Palm If you are looking for long leaf plants or big leaf indoor plants, the Majesty Palm is the one. They grow ten feet tall indoors. The leaves are toxic for animals and children, so you need to be careful if you are planting them indoors. ☀ Sun: Bright indirect sunlight is best. 🌡️Temperature: 18°C to 30°C is best. 💦 Watering: Water once after 1 or 2 weeks. Let the soil get dry before watering again. 🌷Type Of Soil: The soil is best if it is acidic. 8. Calathea Orbifolia Are you looking for low-maintenance plants that keep the indoor air purified? Then there is no better option than Calathea Orbifolia. They can remove toxins from the air while also looking pretty with big textured leaves. There are silvery-white forks in the leaves that make them appear outwardly beautiful. ☀ Sun: They love bright sunlight but not direct sunlight. 🌡️Temperature: 18°C to 30°C is enough. 💦Watering: You can water them once or twice every two weeks.  🌷Type Of Soil: Well-drained soils rich in fertilizers are the best.  9. Philodendron Gloriosum A native plant of Colombia, the Philodendron Gloriosum is a big leaf foliage plant. These plants love to crawl and climb. In humid weather, you can keep them indoors. These big leaf plants have gorgeous pink, light green, and white running across the leaves. The leaves, stems, and roots are toxic for humans and animals.  ☀ Sun: Indirect and right sunlight is best. 🌡️Temperature: 7°C to 35°C is good enough. 💦Watering: The soil needs to be damp. You can water two to three times every week.  🌷Type Of Soil: Organic soil rich in fertilizers works the best.  10. Fiddle Leaf Fig The fiddle-shaped leaves of the Fiddle Leaf Fig are large and waxy. They inhabit their pots quite well. These big leaf plants are poisonous to humans and animals. But they are aesthetic-looking bedroom plants, and they are gorgeous. ☀ Sun: These plants need bright sunlight. Do not keep them in the shade. 🌡️Temperature: 15°C to 30°C is good enough for them. 💦 Watering: Regular Watering is necessary.  🌷Type Of Soil: You need well-fertilized moist soil.  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Here are some frequently asked questions that you may find interesting. Q1. How To Care For Big Leaf Plants? Taking care of big leaf  aesthetic plants is easy. You need to keep them in medium indirect sunlight and keep the potting soil moist. They don't need frequent fertilizing; once or twice every year is enough.  Q2. How Do You Encourage A Big Leaf To Grow? The water, light, fertilizer, soil, and care are all crucial to growing your big leaf plants. Q3. Why Is My Big Leaf Plant Dying? There can be several reasons for this; excessive Watering or little Watering can cause your plant to die. Varying sunlight and bad incompatible soil can also be the reason behind your indoor plant's death. Q4. What Affects Leaf Size? The amount of Sun, water, air, and fertilizer your plant gets has an effect on the leaf size. Bottom Line If you want to grow big leaf plants indoors, then you can choose from these ten plants I have recommended here. All of these plants are low maintenance, and they are pretty in look. Aside from that, some of these plants purify your indoor environment. Did you like this list? Please let us know in the comment; also, if you purchased any of them, let us know which once was your favorite. Read Also: 10 Best Tall House Plants To Buy In 202210 Best Spiky Plants To Decorate Outside Your HouseWhat Are Trailing Plants? – What Are The Types Of Trailing Plants?

READ MOREDetails
Messy Store Room

6 Smart Organizing Tips for a Messy Store Room

Imagine going into your bedroom wardrobe and not finding a spot to display your clothing or finding shelves or cabinets to wrap your folded garments, clothes, and accessories away? This won't be easy to keep the clothing sorted without the framework and storage structures in place. The same laws extend to warehouses! This often appears that the best thing about storerooms is their weakness: they always become a blank canvas. These become open space or closet deficient in organizing, sometimes resulting in being a drop zone and landing area for bins and things to build up over time. When it causes you a headache when you try to search and grab it, it might be time to arrange your storeroom and unpack it. Here are some of the tips you can consider to organize your storeroom. 6 Smart Organizing Tips for a Messy Store Room: 1. Categorize and De-clutter the area You want to arrange similar things together, close to having sorted in certain parts of your house. This physical activity can help you see just what you possess, how much of it, and what to consider when determining when to go in the garage. Gather your childhood mementos, gather your holiday decor, take out your luggage and travel supplies, dig out service pieces, etc. Categorize the things that you don't need anymore. While making the area clean, do not forget to spray a Responsible Pest & Scorpion Control medicine to make your storeroom pests free. 2. Widen the vertical space Don't confine yourself to a room on the board. Usually, the storerooms have relatively high ceilings, so step up. The more things that you can push into more upper shelving or shelves, the more floor room you can open up and bring in your work workers, which is also a bonus. 3. Make adjustable shelves They are perfect for tiny rooms because you can change the shelves' heights to match different storage requirements and wishes. Make some storage unit shelves to get things placed easily. This will give the room a more approachable and organized look. 4. Place the most important things in front When putting something, you need it more frequently in front of you, and you would be able to get to them faster. Often, moving boxes or objects further would then be needless to enter the purpose you seek. It does away with unnecessary confusion and discomfort. 5. Make Labels The trick to an efficient storage room has to learn where each object is. It's possible to lose track of where they are, no matter how beautiful the memory can be. Making labels for your room's storage choices allows it more accessible to easily find items and recognize where to place new products when you buy them. 6. Keep checking and Clearing your storeroom To stop the hoarding of products, periodically visit your storeroom to give away outdated goods or give away things that have not been used for more than half a year. It will keep the items from collecting in the storage room, which will motivate you to tidy up more effectively. Read Also: Small Kitchen Storage Ideas How to Decorate a Room with no Cost 5 Innovative Ideas To Lend Your Bedroom With More Space

READ MOREDetails