Would you like to add a little cosmopolitan flair to your home remodel? Consider incorporating a few features popular with homeowners in other countries. If you need a little inspiration, these five countries offer impressive design features worth borrowing or adapting in your Pittsburgh renovation.
Spain
Spanish summers can be sweltering, but home designers have taken steps to ensure that interiors don’t become overwhelming. Shutters on windows let light in when days are cool and can be closed to prevent temperatures from rising during hot summer days.
Cool stone floors also help keep interior temperatures comfortable during the summer. If you plan to incorporate stone or tile floors in your remodel but are worried that they’ll be too cold in the winter, consider stones or tiles that include a built-in heating element.
England
Homeowners in England love their conservatories. Although the rooms are similar to sunrooms in the United States, conservatories aren’t simply rectangular rooms lined with windows. The stylish spaces often feature high ceilings, columns, chandeliers and built-in shades. Conservatories offer the ideal spot to read a good book, enjoy a meal or entertain friends.
Inefficient heating is the price Britain’s homeowners pay to live in grand old homes built centuries ago. Although the main living areas may be warm enough, bathrooms can be freezing during the winter. Heated towel racks make the transition from a warm bath or shower much more pleasant. The racks are a fairly inexpensive, yet luxurious, addition to any bathroom remodeling project.
Japan
Minimalist design is particularly prevalent in Japan, where streamlined surfaces and warm wood walls create serene interiors. Is storage an issue in your home? Take a cue from the Japanese and incorporate storage cabinets that blend into the wall but pop open the moment you press on them.
Do you picture Shoji screens when you think about Japanese homes? The screens separate rooms in traditional Japanese homes with a layer of translucent paper sandwiched between a wood or bamboo lattice framework. Modern versions of Shoji screens feature glass instead of paper and are a good choice if you’re not quite ready for an open floor plan, but want a bright, airy home.
Australia
Australian remodelers help their clients embrace green living with a variety of environmentally friendly products and design options. Among the green features incorporated in Australian remodels are:
- Concrete substitutes created using bones, shells and other organic materials
- Wood that comes from renewable timber stock
- Water- and heat-resistant building materials
Adding green features during your remodel is a simple way to protect the environment without affecting your enjoyment of your home.
Greece
Greek homes owe their warmth to the variety of textures used throughout. Classic homes feature brick or stone walls, exposed beams and interior wooden doors. The design features are often paired with brilliant colors that add a dramatic touch to rooms. Homeowners take advantage of the beautiful scenery outside their homes with walls of windows that offer expansive views. Why not emulate Greek homeowners and maximize your views with floor-to-ceiling windows that fold back to create indoor/outdoor spaces?
Would you like to add a little international flair to your remodel? The design/build team at Master Remodelers can help you choose the perfect touches to incorporate in your renovation. Contact us to get your project started.
Sources:
Latham: Building Hype
Dwell: Before and After
