- Remove non-weight-bearing interior walls on the ground floor to create an open floor plan between the kitchen, dining room and living room.
- An island between the kitchen and dining area may create additional work and gathering space.
- To slightly separate your kitchen from the rest of your living area, you may wish to retain a half-wall with built-in storage or display space, a glass barrier or a railing.
- Add cathedral ceilings to the ground floor.
- Build a foyer onto the street-facing side to add usable space and visual interest.
- Build a master suite, guest bedroom or sunroom onto either end.
- Add windows to the sides of the house — and perhaps skylights to the living and dining rooms — to optimize natural light.
- Replace existing single-hung or other old-style windows with bigger, sleeker, more energy-efficient models — perhaps casement, fixed-glass or horizontal slider varieties. Consider a muntin pattern or similar design for visual interest.
- Where possible, remove half-staircases and repurpose the space that's revealed.
- Replace carpeting with newer-style wood flooring.
- Add a fireplace to the living room to make it feel more cozy.
- Convert the existing garage into a bedroom and/or expanded family room, then build a new garage at the rear of the site.
- Eliminate different temperatures at different levels by modifying the forced-air heating system to create separate heating and cooling zones with their own thermostats.
- Replace old-style garage doors with more modern choices such as translucent flat panels, especially if they’re front-facing.
- Heighten curb appeal with a covered open porch to serve as your entrance on the street-facing side, incorporating columns as focal points. The space could protect visitors from weather while providing an outdoor seating area.
- Add a sidewalk that connects your front entrance with the street.
- Add a driveway turn-around at the back of the house that doubles as play and patio space.
- Upgrade exteriors with stucco, cedar, natural stone or other modern-looking surfaces, perhaps adding details such as trim, trellises, a pergola or shutters. Vary the color, pattern and/or texture of the materials used for visual interest.
- Replace roofing with a darker color and/or a contemporary material such as standing seam metal.
- To create additional gathering space, add a four-season porch and/or deck to the back of the home, perhaps incorporating storage underneath.
Written by Scott Rajavuori on June 18, 2019