Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions a home improvement project? For 2020 the emphasis, like replacing plastic straws with paper and disposable water bottles with portable multi-use bottles, is a return to holistic, renewable and natural materials. Here is a list of the most popular home projects for 2020.
Pantone color of the year
Pantone announced in early December its 2020 Color of the Year is Classic Blue, a shade reminiscent of the sky at dusk.
“It’s a color that anticipates what’s going to happen next,” said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute, which selects the Color of the Year. “Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”
The official name of the color is Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue.
The Color of the Year is often incorporated in everything from makeup, fashion, home furnishings and industrial design to product packaging and graphic design.
New front door
Remodeling Magazine says a new front door, especially in the Craftsman style, is one of the hottest new looks for your home. It is also one of the best returns for your dollar.
Craftsman doors typically have glass panes in the upper third of the door separated from the lower flat wood panels by a thick piece of trim or molding.
However, Craftsman doors can also be fashioned with a large single pane of glass surrounded by solid side and top panels of dark wood.
The most typical configurations of Craftsman-style doors include one or two rows of glass with three panes each. The glass may be clear, leaded or stained glass. Craftsman doors frequently have sidelights and may also include transom windows above the doors.
Authentic Craftsman doors are crafted from any hardwood, but mahogany, cherry and oak are popular choices. The doors may be stained to allow the grain of the wood to show through, or painted to complement the colors of the home.
Stone veneer
Think about updating the front of your house, and increase its curb appeal with a stone veneer. Real stone offers a better quality and longer lasting look, then a manufactured stone veneer.
Not only does stone give your home a sophisticated look, it also adds value to your home. According to one report, you can recoup up to 93 percent of the value of natural stone veneer over the long run.
The one caveat for using real stone in the short run is the cost. If you are looking for a quick return on investment, manufactured veneer will return a higher investment on your home improvement dollar.
Natural stone veneer can last for a century or more, especially with occasional maintenance and repair.
Because it is “real” stone, no two homes will look alike because of the natural differences occurring in real stone.
Real stone gives your home a “custom” appearance and will make it a “one-of-a-kind” home.
Natural stone siding options including, slate, limestone, marble, travertine, and quartzite.
Depending on your budget you can cover a lot, or a little, of your home with stone veneer.
Many homeowners mix stone veneer with wood or adobe to control costs. Part of the home may be stone veneer along the bottom with upper portions of the home sporting wood siding or adobe.
Wood deck
After years of replacing wooden decks with fiberboard and synthetic materials like polyethylene-based composite, polypropylene-based composites, wood free plastics and fly-ash based products, real wood is gaining favor with designers because of the warmth and natural elegance it offers to homeowners.
Wood is naturally a versatile material, it offers a variety of grain patterns and colors, but can also be stained, allowing the retention of the texture of the wood grain while achieving a hue to complement your home.
Wood is often a more affordable option compared with other materials, such as composites. Wood is easier to manipulate, cut, saw, and screw, saving homeowners in labor costs.
A wood deck can be built twice the size of a composite deck at the same cost.
The downside to wood is the maintenance. Homeowners need to remember to treat a wood deck every two years with water repellent and decking oils to keep it looking beautiful.
