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7 New Year’s Resolutions for Your New Jersey Home

Dec 03, 2019

With the New Year around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start planning for your next big home improvement. If you're building a custom home, these seven New Year's resolutions can help you create the house you've always wanted.

1. Make Your Kitchen the Way You Want

One of the biggest complaints about owning an older home is that the kitchen is never just the way you want. Maybe the counter space is limited or the cabinets are out of date. With a custom home, you can create a space that will inspire you to cook more homemade meals. Maybe you wish to add a double oven or an oversized center island. A well-equipped kitchen can also act as a perfect gathering place for members of your family. This is what we recommend:

Quartz countertops resembling Carrara marble
Open shelving in select locations to display your favorite dishes
Custom-designed pantry with mixture of cabinets, drawers and open shelves
Large center island with prep sink

Want to splurge? We recommend custom cabinets made according to your specifications. Talk to your contractor about the style you prefer. Is your kitchen sleek and modern? Try cabinets with flat surfaces and minimal decorations. Do you like a more classic cabinet, for your farm-house style kitchen? Shaker cabinets may be more appropriate for you.

2. Install the Laundry Room of Your Dreams

Custom homes offer the opportunity to make all of your “must haves” home features come true. Laundry rooms can be placed in a convenient location in the home, like the second floor, so you no longer have to lug heavy laundry baskets up and down the stairs.

One fun custom home feature to consider would be the inclusion of laundry chutes so members of your family can easily compile what needs to be washed. This comes in handy no matter who is living in the house, whether you live with kids or your elderly parents.

Installation of a large utility closet and utility sink makes the laundry room even more functional. This gives you a place to hold detergents, household chemicals, rags and other practical items. While you're at it, make the closet beautiful, with cabinet doors and drawers for practical storage.

[Related: Worth the Splurge: What to Include in Your Custom Home]

3. increase Your Storage Space

You can never have enough storage space. If the home you're living in right now has too few closets, or the closets aren't big enough, talk to a contractor about revamping your storage space for optimal organization. Building a custom home, you can include as many closets as you desire, and you can add features like built-in shelving.

Many custom homebuyers also add a bonus room or dedicated storage room into their home design, so things don’t pile up in the garage or areas you’d like to keep clean and organized. Make use of your attic space by finishing the walls and floors. This gives you an out-of-the-way place to store holiday items and sentimental objects, without filling the space in your garage where your car would be parked.

4. Carve Out more 'Me' Time with Installation of Luxury Features

Your job is rewarding, but you lead a busy lifestyle and there never seems to be enough time to unwind. Add a relaxing space in your custom home design to give you the opportunity to take it easy. Turn your master bathroom into a sauna, including a walk-through shower or soaking tub. Install open shelving to make a place where candles and incense can burn. Work with your contractor to install custom storage to keep your counters clutter free, to create a more relaxing environment.

Sunrooms are also a perfect place to relax, enjoy a cup of tea or read a book. Build a sunroom with insulated, low-E windows to keep the environment comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside. Install built-in benches with hidden storage space along the windows to create a perfect spot for relaxing at the end of the day.

5. Bring the Luxury Outdoors

New Jersey’s climate is moderate and spending time outdoors is enjoyable for much of the year. Build in a usable outdoor space as part of your custom home build. As an example, your design may include a covered oversized patio area with an outdoor kitchen and bar. Work with your contractor to install electrical outlets for installation of a refrigerator and television. Include a fire pit or gas-powered fireplace, where you can relax after a long day at work.

If installing a deck, ask your contractor to build in benches for resting. Build your deck on the second floor to create a covered area on the first floor, where you can spend time outside even in inclement weather. Deck construction has come a long way since the 80's, and now decks are easier to maintain and more durable. We recommend composite decking material to ensure your deck is long-lasting and low-maintenance. Click here for more information on the pros and cons of decks and patios.

6. Build In Features to Keep Your Home Tidy

Modern custom homes are designed to be luxurious while offering convenience features that allow your home to stay tidy and uncluttered. Central vacuum systems can be added to your custom home design allowing you to make floor cleaning hassle-free. Trash and recycling chutes may also be a possibility for your new home. These types of chutes would dispose of garbage directly from the home into a trash receptacle in the garage or outdoors.

Install a mudroom on the first floor where the kids can leave their dirty shoes and umbrellas when they come home at the end of the day. Built-in storage like benches with drawers gives your kids a place to sit while they remove their shoes, and space to place their shoes once they've been taken off.

7. Make Your Home's Exterior Amazing

Choose long-lasting, durable siding for your new custom home. Brick veneer lasts a lifetime and makes your home look stable, solid and even historic. Mix and match sidings for visual interest and texture.

Install a large front porch to make your home more inviting and attractive. Work with your contractor to install a pathway in your front yard, for easy access to the front door.

Get Started on New Years Resolutions Today

Hire a custom home builder team with a reputation for excellence and a proven track record. We work collaboratively with our clients to help them create the home they've always wanted. Call GTG Builders today to get started with your home-design New Year’s resolutions!