Five Home Renovation Resolutions for 2022

As we browse the home goods retailers looking for holiday gifts, our thoughts turn toward the new year and the mounting list of projects on our to-do list.

Last year, people used their homes differently than ever before, whether carving out a home office, a socially distant gathering space, or making room for a loved one to move in. We expect this upcoming year to be more of the same, as data suggests Americans will remain in full-on renovation mode. The Leading Indicator for Remodeling Activity from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies predicts a steady and significant rise in remodeling projects, that’s projected to reach $401 billion of annual spending by the third quarter of 2022.

As you consider which projects might be worth your time and investment, here are five upgrades on the top of our to-do list for 2022 that we consider our New Year’s Renovations Resolutions.

Staircase Refresh

We don’t spend much time using staircases compared to the rest of the house, so we’re not always thinking about their design. But if you have dated carpet on your stairs, you have a prime opportunity to revamp a central component of your home for a small investment. It could be as simple as installing new treads, and selecting new paint for the walls and maybe a new stain on the trim. To go the extra mile, local ironworkers are happy to custom fabricate a handrail.

This renovated stairwell features white shiplap added to walls and hardwood stair treads with white risers.

Touch Up the Bathroom

It’s amazing how the right paint and new hardware can revitalize a row of sad old cabinets. With no major construction involved, you can transform your bathroom vanity over the course of a weekend. Choose new hardware that looks bold and stately (think chrome bars, not little plastic knobs) that matches the tones in your countertop; remove the cabinets and give them a fresh, neutral shade. If you’re over the white-on-white bathroom look, try a dramatic dark finish that will make your new hardware and fixtures really pop.

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Outdoor “Room”

The last few years have proved how convenient it is to have outdoor gathering spaces. Adding a dedicated lounge to your back or side yard can feel like adding a whole room’s worth of square footage to your house. It could be as easy as a new patio set and a fire pit with some gravel or simple flagstone landscaping. Gabion baskets, framed with good looking lumber, can be made into a simple divider or group seating. We also love the look of pergolas with climbing plants.

New Flooring

A new floor treatment can dramatically alter a room and be the inspiration for a whole new design to take hold. Find flooring with a good combination of durability and timeless aesthetics, like Duravana Bay Bridge Oak with its gentle golden tones. Duravana hybrid resilient flooring is a whole new category of flooring, exclusive to LL Flooring. Duravana is extra scratch- and dent-resistant—plus it delivers Dual Defense waterproof technology for double the water protection.

Duravana Bay Bridge Oak Waterproof Hybrid Resilient Flooring.

Organize the Mudroom

A little bit of organization in an entryway can make a huge difference in the functionality and flow of the home. Start with simple shoe and boot storage, like a DIY bench or wall rack, so those items don’t spill out to hallways and bedrooms. Wall hooks are helpful for when guests arrive. And if you don’t have a true mudroom, a bit of wall-mounted storage can make even the slimmest entryway feel intentional and inviting.

Organizing with hooks like this is an easy renovation that is practical as well.

What’s on your New Year’s Renovation Resolutions list? Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and tag using #LLStyle!