We’ve all been spending a lot more time indoors lately, and some of us are beginning to realize the house has less character than we’d like. A standard solution is sprucing up the walls a bit, from something minor like placing tiles to a major change like tearing out an entire section.
If you’re changing your wall design but haven’t remodeled or renovated before, it can be a daunting decision. Working on a budget only adds to the stress and can also limit your options. Before you get too overwhelmed, contact Winthorpe Design & Build, an expert design-build firm dedicated to making your build as easy as possible.
Installing Decorative Walls
Decorative walls can include anything from a hearth to new wall paneling, and each option can vary in price.
Hearths
We’ve all read books that describe a very familiar scene: A family and children gather around the fire. The children crowd around and listen closely as the adults launch into a grand story of heroism and glory. There are innumerable holiday songs about sipping hot cocoa by the fire, roasting chestnuts, or gathering around to warm up after a day of playing in the snow. These days, hearths are practically synonymous with happy family memories.
Hearths are a relatively inexpensive way of giving your home that warm, welcoming feeling. They add value to your house and provide a more natural and flexible source of winter heat. As energy costs continue to rise and fluctuate wildly, it’s never a bad idea to have an alternative fuel source available for your home.
Stone Walls
Many fairy tales feature princesses in a similar scene. She wanders through the woods, hopelessly lost. She begins to think she may never see another person again when suddenly, she stumbles upon a charming cottage. It has stone walls and a thatched roof, and she can’t help but peer inside.
Stone walls can give your home a more natural, earthly feel. They tend to be on the expensive side, but many people think they’re worth it.
Paneling
Paneling is typically the cheapest of the wall makeover options. It may not last as long as stone, but it is far more budget-friendly.
Removing Walls
Over the last few years, open floor plans have become more and more popular. Many people are seeing the advantages of removing walls. Having one of your walls removed will be expensive and require a lot of clean-up.
Sometimes, homeowners don’t realize that they can’t remove a wall until they’re in the middle of a project. These are called structural walls, and removing them would compromise the structure of your home. It’s essential to consult with a designer (or a design-build firm like Winthorpe Design & Build) to determine whether or not a wall can be removed before making any further plans.
Half Walls
Half-walls are a less common solution to an open floor plan. They still provide sight into another room, but they don’t fully join the two spaces. Most half-walls cost between $10-$50, much less than a full wall. Many people choose to install a half wall countertop between the kitchen and dining room, which provides more surface area and a greater feeling of openness. You can also integrate support posts into the half-wall, solving structural issues while also making your home feel more open.
Tiling
Tiling has a wide price range and a variety of style options. From high-end laminate tile to natural stone tiles for a more comforting, home-style feel, there’s something for everyone. Ceramic tile, one of the most common types of tile, typically ranges from $0.50 to $3.50 per square foot, while granite tiles range from $5-$15 per square foot.
How We Can Help
When it comes to remodeling or renovating your home, you need someone you can trust, someone with first-hand experience in design and construction. Design-build firms like Winthorpe Design & Build do just that. Hiring a design-build firm to work with you eliminates the need for an architect, saving you both time and money.
Hiring an architect is sometimes useful, but often it costs more than it’s worth and is overkill for a renovation or remodel. Architects have high hourly rates and favor grandiose designs that might not always be practical. Hiring an architect also means more people need to collaborate, creating more opportunities for miscommunication and disagreement.
Winthorpe Design & Build has been in the design-build business for 30 years, and we have no intention of stopping. With our headquarters in Highland, Maryland, we have made it our mission to do whatever it takes to help people in the Maryland and D.C. area with their construction needs. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and impeccable planning techniques.
If you’re tied to a busy schedule, we specialize in creating well-thought-out plans that work around your needs and still get things done as efficiently as possible. Our staff are always friendly and know how to do their jobs without getting in your way.
Here at Winthorpe Design & Build, we do whatever it takes to make your experience as painless as possible and deliver satisfying results.
For more information, feel free to go to our official website. You can contact us any time, and we also offer virtual chats and online consultations.
We look forward to working with you!
