It’s no secret that you can try all kinds of ideas to make your home a little more unique than the others in your street. But, what if you’re looking to make your house more futuristic but not annoy the neighbours with a totally “out there” exterior?
You might not know it, but there are plenty of ways to make your abode look and feel more futuristic – both inside and out. If you’re in need of some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Take a look at the following ten ideas, tips and tricks to help you get started:
1. Get Bigger Windows Installed
Have you ever noticed that most homes in the UK feature the same style and size of windows? There are two main reasons for this; firstly, they are cost-effective, and secondly, they offer a uniform look.
The thing is, not everyone wants their home to look the same as others in their street or the local area, and one way you can stand out from the crowd is by having large bespoke windows designed and fitted to your house.
Consider large bay windows to provide maximum light input and give your home a bolder look externally.
2. Opt For A Scandinavian-Inspired Exterior
Another thing that the majority of homes in Britain have is similar external walls. They are usually bare brickwork, painted or pebble-dashed walls, and as you can imagine, they don’t provide much scope for creativity.
What some homeowners are doing in the UK is giving their houses an exterior makeover by looking to Scandinavian designs. For example, more people are having wood cladding installed – a simple makeover, yet one that boasts maximum visual impact.
There’s also another good reason to adopt such an upgrade: these stylish updates help boost property values!
3. Generate Your Own Electricity
There’s no denying that the cost of energy bills in the UK is skyrocketing. It’s not uncommon for most householders to pay virtually double for their gas and electricity bills than just a year ago, thanks, in part, to events currently occurring in Eastern Europe.
One way to take control of those spiralling costs is to consider a solar panel installation for your house. Most domestic properties in the UK can take advantage of solar energy and convert it into free and usable energy for their electricity, heating, and lighting needs.
What’s more, any unused power can be sold back to the National Grid, resulting in an futuristic upgrade for your home that literally pays for itself!
4. Have Underfloor Heating Fitted
The autumn and winter months of the year can be bitterly cold for most people, and the most common way to ensure a home is kept warm is by turning on the central heating.
Heat typically gets generated by radiators attached to walls throughout various rooms in the home. The trouble with radiators is that they usually take up valuable space in a room, and they can sometimes look unsightly.
Thankfully, it’s possible to ditch those ugly radiators in your home and take back the space needed in your rooms while still keeping them warm on a cold evening. How? The answer is simple: have underfloor heating installed!
Underfloor heating works well with carpeted, tiled, and wood floors, plus you can walk barefoot throughout your home in the middle of winter without feeling cold.
5. Upgrade To LED Lighting Throughout
There aren’t many homes with standard incandescent lightbulbs these days: most properties have energy-saving CFL bulbs.
While these bulbs are eco-friendly in some ways, they do have drawbacks. Firstly, they contain mercury. Secondly, they can take a while to “warm up”, and lastly, they sometimes don’t provide a crisp, bright light.
LED lighting is what you’ll find in any futuristic home and for several good reasons. They’re available in all kinds of light fittings, they provide instant light output, and they use a fraction of the energy of CFL bulbs.
6. Choose Light Colours For Walls And Doors
Light and airy is the theme for modern and futuristic-themed homes right now, and it’s something you should consider for your interior walls and doors.
White, or colours close to white, will help make the rooms in your home appear bigger than they are. Plus, such colours cost less when decorating each room compared with bold or dark shades.
7. Install Smart Home And Automation Technology
Today’s smartphones enable you to do all kinds of clever things, and managing various aspects of your home is one of them. Smart home technology has evolved in recent years, and now it’s possible to manage your central heating, lighting, and appliances remotely.
You can even purchase smart fridge-freezers that tell you when you’re low on certain ingredients!
8. Invest In Clever Interior Space-Saving Features
It’s easy to assume that only large houses with massive rooms are ideal for a futuristic makeover. The truth is, you can make even modest spaces look amazing.
One drawback to small houses or homes with small rooms is how space is at a premium. But, it’s possible to employ various clever space-saving ideas such as furniture and kitchen cupboards that help you maximise the space available to you.
9. Have A Hidden Elevator Garage Installed
One of the bugbears of owning a house in the UK is how you must legally comply with strict planning laws. For example, if you wanted to build a garage attached to the front of your house, it can’t stick out further than the front of the property.
A clever way around that issue is to have a hidden elevator garage installed. In a nutshell, you simply drive your car to a dedicated area of your driveway, where you can then lower it into the ground with a scissor lift and conceal it from view.
10. Lower Your Lighting Costs With Sun Tunnels
One final idea to consider for your home’s futuristic upgrade is to use nature to help you add light to your rooms. Windows will let in a specific amount of light, of course, but you can boost each room’s natural lighting with sun tunnels (also known as sun pipes).
Sun tunnels direct light from your roof into rooms in your home and don’t require any electricity to operate.
Featured image credit: Shutterstock
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