7 Features to Upgrade Your Home Addition

Are you looking to enhance your home with a new addition but unsure how to make it functional and stylish? Many homeowners struggle with planning their home additions, leading to spaces that don't meet their needs. Without the right upgrades, you might invest in a project that doesn't add the value or convenience you want.

We understand how overwhelming it can be to decide on the best features for your home addition. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, we've helped many homeowners transform their spaces into functional, beautiful areas that enhance their daily lives.

In this article, you'll discover key features to upgrade your home addition:

1. Smart Home Technology and an Improved HVAC System
2. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Features
3. Maximizing Natural Light
4. Seamless Integration with Existing Structure
5. Maximizing Storage and Space Efficiency
6. Incorporating Green Spaces
7. Fireplaces

1. Smart Home Technology and an Improved HVAC System

PC: COCOON

Are you craving more convenience in managing your home? If you haven't considered smart home technology, you could miss out on a modern, efficient way to control your addition’s features. From adjusting the thermostat to securing your property, smart technology simplifies your life and enhances your home's functionality.

Lighting Control via Smartphone

Controlling your lighting through your smartphone is convenient and flexible. You can adjust the lights to set the mood for any occasion, whether dimming them for a cozy movie night or brightening the space for a family gathering.

Here are a few benefits smartphone-controlled lighting can bring to your space:

• Energy Efficiency: Easily turn off lights you accidentally left on, saving on energy costs.
• Convenience: Adjust your lighting from anywhere, ensuring your home is always well-lit.
• Security: Program lights to turn on when you're away, giving the impression that someone is home.

Heat Control with Nest Thermostat

A Nest thermostat lets you control your home’s temperature remotely. It learns your schedule and adjusts heating and cooling to keep your home comfortable. This is especially useful in a home addition, ensuring the space is always the right temperature when needed.

Let’s take a look at how a Nest Thermostat can elevate your addition:

• Comfort: Adjusts to your preferred temperature settings.
• Integration: Works with other smart home devices for a seamless experience.
• Remote Control: Adjust the temperature from your phone, even when you're not at home.
• Energy Savings: Learns your schedule to optimize heating and cooling, reducing energy bills.

Mini-Split System

A mini-split system is ideal for heating and cooling a home addition independently. It's a small wall-mounted unit that controls temperature efficiently without extensive ductwork.

Here’s why a mini-split system is the right choice for your space:

• Space-Saving: Wall-mounted units are compact and unobtrusive.
• Efficiency: Provides targeted heating and cooling without the need for ductwork.
• Cost-Effective: More efficient than traditional HVAC systems, lowering energy costs.
• Flexibility: Independently control the temperature in different areas of your home addition.

2. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Features

PC: Mohawk Flooring

Opting for eco-friendly choices in your home addition helps the environment and makes your living space healthier. Using sustainable materials like eco-friendly flooring and low-VOC paints reduces your carbon footprint.

Sustainable Flooring

Choosing sustainable flooring can help the environment. Everstrand carpet, made from recycled water bottles, is durable and eco-friendly. Bamboo flooring is another stellar, naturally occurring material, though it’s less ideal for Michigan’s climate due to its susceptibility to water and humidity.

Here are some benefits of sustainable flooring:

• Aesthetic Appeal: Available in a variety of styles and finishes to match your home decor.
• Health Benefits: Often free from harmful chemicals, promoting better indoor air quality.
• Durability: High-quality options like Everstrand carpets and bamboo are long-lasting.
• Eco-Friendly: Made from renewable or recycled materials, reducing environmental impact.

Low VOC Paint

Low VOC paint emits fewer harmful chemicals, improving indoor air quality and making your home healthier. It’s a great choice for painting the walls in your new addition.

Explore more impactful perks to low VOC paint via the points below:

• Low Odor: Minimizes unpleasant smells during and after application.
• Eco-Friendly: Lessens the impact on the environment during production and use.
• Durability: Modern low VOC paints are long-lasting and available in various colors.
• Healthier Environment: Reduces the emission of harmful chemicals, improving indoor air quality.

3. Maximizing Natural Light

PC: Open Up To Performance

Adding more natural light to your home addition can turn dark, cramped spaces into bright, welcoming areas. Sun tunnels and skylights effectively improve light flow, making your home more spacious and inviting.

Sun Tunnels

Sun tunnels bring natural light into your home addition, making it bright and welcoming. Typically, one or two sun tunnels can light up space effectively. They come in 14 to 24 inches, perfect for bathrooms or hallways.

Let’s take a look at the overall attributes of sun tunnels:

• Versatility: Available in various sizes to fit different spaces and lighting needs.
• Easy Installation: Less invasive than installing traditional windows or skylights.
• Brightens Spaces: Effectively illuminates areas like bathrooms, hallways, and closets.
• Energy Efficiency: Reduces the need for artificial lighting during the day, lowering energy bills.

Skylights and Gable-End Windows

Skylights and gable-end windows can greatly increase natural light in your home addition. Custom skylights, though more expensive, provide substantial light. Vaulted ceilings with gable-end windows create an open, airy feel, enhancing the look of the space.

Here is how skylights and gable-end windows can illuminate and upgrade your home addition:

• Ventilation: Some skylights can be opened to improve air circulation.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Adds architectural interest and value to your home.
• Energy Savings: Reduces the need for artificial lighting and can help with passive solar heating.
• Natural Light: Floods your home addition with daylight, creating a brighter, more inviting space.

4. Seamless Integration with Existing Structure

Ensuring your home addition blends well with the existing structure is important. Most projects match the original house's architecture. But, sometimes, contrasting styles can create a striking visual effect, like adding a modern glass box to a traditional home.

Here’s why a seamless integration with your home elevates your project:

• Value Addition: Enhances the appearance and value of your property.
• Aesthetic Consistency: Matches the architectural style of your home, ensuring a cohesive look.
• Structural Integrity: Proper integration ensures the addition is sturdy and well-supported.
• Design Flexibility: Allows creative contrasts, such as combining traditional and modern elements.

5. Maximizing Storage and Space Efficiency

PC: The Spruce

Efficient storage solutions are key to making the most of your home addition. Custom furniture like built-ins, cabinets, and smart shelving designs help you keep your home organized and functional.

Built-Ins and Cabinetry

Built-in storage options such as cabinets, shelves, and benches with storage help you save space and keep your home addition tidy and organized. They keep your home addition organized and free of clutter.

Let’s take a look at more built-in and cabinetry benefits:

• Customization: Tailored to fit your specific needs and preferences.
• Organization: Keeps your home addition clutter-free and well-organized.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Enhances the look of your space with stylish, built-in designs.
• Space-Saving: Maximizes the use of available space with custom storage solutions.

Multi-Functional Furniture

Multi-functional furniture is a practical choice for saving space in home additions. These pieces serve more than one purpose, blending functionality with style to meet various needs in smaller areas.

For example, a sofa bed converts seating to sleeping space, making it perfect for guest rooms or cozy living spaces. Other options include coffee tables with hidden storage and dining tables that expand to accommodate more guests.

Here’s an overview of the pros of including multi-functional furniture in your home addition:

• Space-Saving: Maximizes floor space in small rooms.
• Efficiency: Integrates storage solutions for better organization.
• Flexibility: Adapts easily to different living arrangements or room layouts.
• Versatility: Performs multiple functions, reducing the need for extra furniture.

6. Incorporating Green Spaces

PC: Houzz

Adding green spaces to your home addition brings nature indoors, making it peaceful and refreshing. Whether with living walls or indoor gardens, these features beautify your home and clean the air.

Living Walls

Living walls add a vibrant, natural element to your home addition. It's important to note, however, that living walls with plumbing are harder to set up, while non-plumbing walls need manual watering but are simpler to install and upkeep.

Check out the benefits of installing a living wall to your home addition:

• Space Efficiency: Maximizes green space in compact areas.
• Health Benefits: Promotes a sense of well-being and reduces stress.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Adds a vibrant, natural element to your home decor.
• Air Quality: Improves indoor air quality by filtering pollutants and producing oxygen.

Indoor Garden

Indoor gardens bring the beauty and tranquility of nature into your home addition. They range from simple potted plants to elaborate garden setups with integrated watering systems. Choose low-maintenance succulents and herbs, or create a more intricate indoor garden.

Here are the benefits you can enjoy from an indoor garden:

• Air Quality: Enhances indoor air quality by filtering out pollutants and releasing fresh oxygen.
• Aesthetic Appeal: Adds a lush, green element to your home décor, creating a calming and inviting atmosphere.
• Health Benefits: Boosts mental well-being, reduces stress, and improve focus and productivity.
• Customization: Offers a wide variety of plants and arrangements to suit any space and style preferences.

7. Fireplaces

Adding a fireplace provides warmth and creates a cozy atmosphere. Whether you choose a traditional wood-burning stove or a modern gas fireplace, it can be the focal point of your new space.

Let’s take a look at the pros of building a fireplace for your new home addition:

• Ambiance: Creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
• Focal Point: Serves as a stunning centerpiece in your home addition.
• Heat Source: Provides an extra source of heat, reducing reliance on central heating.
• Versatility: Available in various styles, from traditional wood-burning to modern gas fireplaces.

Next Steps to Building Your Home Addition

If you're struggling to make your home addition functional and stylish, you're not alone. Many homeowners face this challenge and risk investing in projects that don't meet their needs or add the desired value.

By exploring this article, you now know how to enhance your home addition’s functionality, efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

At Custom Built, we understand how overwhelming home additions can be. With over 15 years of experience, we’ve turned many homeowner's spaces into functional and beautiful areas.

Ready to upgrade your home addition? Contact our team of design-build professionals to get started. Check out our home addition portfolio, explore more home remodeling tips, and learn how our custom design services can bring your vision to life.

Now that you know more about features to upgrade your home addition, let’s explore how long it will take to build your project, how much it costs, and issues that a design-build firm can solve during your project:

• How Long Does a Home Addition Take to Build in Michigan? - Learn more about how long it takes to build your dream home addition and what shortens and prolongs your project.
• How Much Does a Home Addition Cost at Custom Built? - Explore the costs behind the home additions you just learned about, complete with essential factors influencing the price.
• 7 Key Issues a Design-Build Firm Can Solve for Your Upcoming Home Addition Project - Every remodel comes with issues; here are seven problems a design-build firm can solve during your home addition.