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Is Your Home Having a Mid-life Crisis?

By November 12, 2015August 23rd, 2021One Comment

Is your home having a mid-life crisis? Every home goes through it; it gets built and bought, the homeowners are all excited about their new abode, they decorate it, and then leave it. Ten years later the house has its mid-life crisis! It begins to look dated, it has lost the fresh lively look it used to have.

Can you help? Of course, you can if you can identify some of the signs of a mid-life crisis home, and how can to fix them.

Mid-life crisis clues

Multi-colored bathrooms. Color fixtures in a bathroom are pretty much outdated. Long gone are the blue and pink tubs of earlier years. If you have a home built in the 1950s and want to keep that character throughout, that is ok. If you are not keeping that mid-century vibe you need to consider remodeling.

You do not necessarily have to gut and rebuild your bathroom from the ground up though. Consider replacing the components in your bathroom that will make an impact but work within your budget. If not or you are going to be moving soon, possibly have the tile re-glazed. It will last at least 10 to 15 years before it will need to be done again. If the surrounding tiles are not neutral consider having those glazed in a clean white or off-white color too.

Bathroom cabinets if they are in good shape might just need a coat of paint. Lighting fixtures like below are ones that need to be replaced immediately! Go to your local home improvement store and find an updated solution. Faucets and tub fixtures can also go a long way in improving the look of an outdated bathroom.

dated bathroom

Countertops such as old Formica were big back in the ’60s. In the ’80s tiled countertops were popular with all that grout! If you have this look it is definitely time to update. Consider a solid surface countertop or if you can go for quartz, granite, or marble. All of these will add value to kitchens and bathrooms when you go to sell.

Wallpaper and wallpaper borders are one of those elements that can really give a home an old look. If you love the look of wallpaper consider one that is more in style today. Textured natural wallpaper such as Grasscloth and geometric designs are very popular now. An easier and more versatile wall treatment for all tastes is paint. A pretty neutral that come in various values that will allow you to change out your décor with the trends of the times.

midlife crisis home

Light fixtures, nothing dates a house more than light fixtures that are no longer popular. If you have never updated your “builder” grade fixtures it might be a good time to look at the options available. Surprisingly you can get fairly well-priced light fixtures if you are willing to do a little research on the internet or do a little shopping at the big box stores.

Flooring do you have colored shag carpets or once-popular Berber carpets? After ten years it is difficult to clean rugs. Consider hardwood, laminate, tile or if you love your carpet in a particular room consider going neutral will a lower pile rug. If you have hardwood and you have an area rug maybe that needs to be changed to give the room a fresh revived look.

Paint colors can date a home also. We just went through a big grey phase for the past ten or so years. Now more of a greige color is popular. Gray with a warmer tone. People are embracing colors but they are deep and rich. So if you are not sure what direction you need to take a color consultation is worth the investment.

Other Considerations

Once you have tackled the bigger projects to update, other considerations can be smaller but still transform a home. Look at painting cabinets, consider the hardware on cabinets through the home. Maybe it’s time for new curtains or bedding. The upholstered furniture if in good condition might need an update with new fabric. Rooms can do without the plaids and flowers of the ’80s, and if you reupholster a piece that is in good shape I advise thinking of solid or a small texture that comes across as a solid. All these items can give your rooms a much-needed facelift.

Do yourself and your home a favor take a critical look around, if you spot any of these mid-life crisis signs, it’s probably time for a change.

Other Good Reads:

Steps To Creating A Room

A Fad versus A Trend | What’s the Difference

Karen GP

Author Karen GP

Karen GrayPlaisted is the principle owner of Design Solutions KGP. She is a graduate from Pace University and The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Her marketing background and design sense are a perfect combination for home sellers. In the first year she began her staging business, she won the ‘Rising Star’ accolade from RESA, selected from all North American stagers, USA and Canada. In 2016 she won top Occupied Stager in the USA. Karen’s ability to educate and empower clients using simple solutions allows homeowners to transform their spaces with desirable affordable decadence.

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