Renovating
Ask an Expert: What is the One Investment You Shouldn’t Skimp On?
In part two of our expert series, Houzz professionals reveal the number one home element worth the investment
Houzz professionals have already told us the design lessons their mothers taught them, and now we’ve asked them to share the one investment they believe homeowners shouldn’t skimp on. Read on for expert opinions on which home investments will continue to pay dividends for years to come.
Indulge the heart of the home
Camilla Pringle of Camilla Pringle Interiors recognises the value of a multi-tasking kitchen:
‘For me, it has to be the kitchen, without a doubt. It’s become such a multi-functional space where families can spend time not only cooking, but relaxing, doing homework and catching up on the day’s events. It’s more often than not the room in which everyone in the household spends the most time.’
Discover how to keep the heart of your home organised
Camilla Pringle of Camilla Pringle Interiors recognises the value of a multi-tasking kitchen:
‘For me, it has to be the kitchen, without a doubt. It’s become such a multi-functional space where families can spend time not only cooking, but relaxing, doing homework and catching up on the day’s events. It’s more often than not the room in which everyone in the household spends the most time.’
Discover how to keep the heart of your home organised
Invest in custom design
Andrew Brown, part of the Brown + Brown Architects team, emphasises the importance of ensuring your home reflects your lifestyle:
‘Anything that makes your home suit how you live is worth the investment. There’s nothing more frustrating than living in a house that doesn’t suit how you want to live your life, with every little thing feeling counter-intuitive.’
Andrew Brown, part of the Brown + Brown Architects team, emphasises the importance of ensuring your home reflects your lifestyle:
‘Anything that makes your home suit how you live is worth the investment. There’s nothing more frustrating than living in a house that doesn’t suit how you want to live your life, with every little thing feeling counter-intuitive.’
Maximise energy-efficiency
Michael Parinchy from Pro Build 360 explains the value of this low-impact building concept:
‘Read about Passivhaus principles – a European concept of super-high energy-efficiency. I think this is one of the most important things to invest in when building. Funky design and high-tech stuff is all well and good, but if you’re constantly burning massive amounts of energy to keep the house a comfortable temperature and the air clean, this is a major failure in my opinion.’
Michael Parinchy from Pro Build 360 explains the value of this low-impact building concept:
‘Read about Passivhaus principles – a European concept of super-high energy-efficiency. I think this is one of the most important things to invest in when building. Funky design and high-tech stuff is all well and good, but if you’re constantly burning massive amounts of energy to keep the house a comfortable temperature and the air clean, this is a major failure in my opinion.’
Fit stellar lighting
Rebecca Leivars, an interior designer and founder of LEIVARS, knows the effect and value of good lighting:
‘Great lighting is the one single thing that really is an investment, as it’s more important than anything else. Great lighting done well will make any basic space, inexpensive piece of furniture and you look amazing. It’s the one thing you will never come back and do again once floors are laid and ceilings plastered and finished, so it really is critical to get it right first time, even at the expense of delaying other work. If I had £1 for every time a client has said, “We wish we hadn’t cut that out of the budget and listened to you instead…”’
See how to plan perfect lighting
Rebecca Leivars, an interior designer and founder of LEIVARS, knows the effect and value of good lighting:
‘Great lighting is the one single thing that really is an investment, as it’s more important than anything else. Great lighting done well will make any basic space, inexpensive piece of furniture and you look amazing. It’s the one thing you will never come back and do again once floors are laid and ceilings plastered and finished, so it really is critical to get it right first time, even at the expense of delaying other work. If I had £1 for every time a client has said, “We wish we hadn’t cut that out of the budget and listened to you instead…”’
See how to plan perfect lighting
Choose good-quality furniture
Andrew Dunning of APD Interiors explains the importance of investing in expertly upholstered furniture, among other things:
‘Upholstered furniture is probably my number one investment item – that cheap sofa might be good the first time you sit in it, but how will it be six months later? The other item is obviously your bed – good sleep makes you happy, poor sleep just makes you tired and miserable. And if you really want to splash out, invest in art. No home is complete without good art on the walls.’
Andrew Dunning of APD Interiors explains the importance of investing in expertly upholstered furniture, among other things:
‘Upholstered furniture is probably my number one investment item – that cheap sofa might be good the first time you sit in it, but how will it be six months later? The other item is obviously your bed – good sleep makes you happy, poor sleep just makes you tired and miserable. And if you really want to splash out, invest in art. No home is complete without good art on the walls.’
Prioritise quality in materials and design
Andrew Petherick, a designer and interiors architect at Artichoke, values quality above all else:
‘Whatever you are doing, whether it’s a kitchen or curtains, the combination of quality design and quality craftsmanship never fails. They cannot work apart: poor-quality design and great craftsmanship is a waste of great craftsmanship, and great design made and finished badly is a disaster.’
Andrew Petherick, a designer and interiors architect at Artichoke, values quality above all else:
‘Whatever you are doing, whether it’s a kitchen or curtains, the combination of quality design and quality craftsmanship never fails. They cannot work apart: poor-quality design and great craftsmanship is a waste of great craftsmanship, and great design made and finished badly is a disaster.’
Invest according to your priorities
Egon Walesch, founder of Egon Walesch Interiors & Flowers, emphasises longevity and always keeping the intended use of a space in the foreground of your planning:
‘Whatever your budget, it makes sense to allocate funding according to the functions of the space and prioritise those areas in which you spend the most time. If you like cooking and entertaining, make sure your kitchen is well designed and equipped with the right tools to make it pleasurable to be there.
‘Invest in good-quality seating and furniture that you use often. When choosing furniture, try to think beyond trends and select timeless pieces that will hold their value and maybe even become the heirlooms of the future.’
TELL US…
What do you consider your best investment in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Egon Walesch, founder of Egon Walesch Interiors & Flowers, emphasises longevity and always keeping the intended use of a space in the foreground of your planning:
‘Whatever your budget, it makes sense to allocate funding according to the functions of the space and prioritise those areas in which you spend the most time. If you like cooking and entertaining, make sure your kitchen is well designed and equipped with the right tools to make it pleasurable to be there.
‘Invest in good-quality seating and furniture that you use often. When choosing furniture, try to think beyond trends and select timeless pieces that will hold their value and maybe even become the heirlooms of the future.’
TELL US…
What do you consider your best investment in your home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Stuart Duncan, a contractor at Build Different, advises homeowners on the importance of properly insulating their homes:
‘Take a fabric-first approach and install as much insulation as you can. Upgrade windows to triple glazing and eliminate air leakage. Over the long term, this investment will pay off.’