New drapes or replace the exsisting lighting?
I get a bonus every year from work. Today I find out if we owe anything on our taxes, and if we don’t, I’d like to spend the bonus on something for the house.
Last year we got new blinds, but I’d like to add some warmth to the rooms with some soft window treatments. However my husband and I agreed that if the bonus should go toward "home improvement", so we also talked about replacing the lighting. It’s a new construction home, and we didn’t get a choice on the lighting, so all the ceiling lights are the hideous shiny 80s brass things.
We plan to put the house on the market in a year or so, so we have tried to keep everything neutral. If I got drapes, I would want to add color and do something different in every room. Since color is such a personal thing, I imagine the drapes are not something that would "improve" the value of the home. We would leave the hardware (rods and brackets), but probably take the actual drapes with us when we move. Even if they don’t stay, I think the house will "show" better if we have soft treatments on the windows.
Lighting on the other hand would stay with the house and improve the value. We installed a bronze ceiling fan in the great room last year and I would like to carry that through the rest of the first floor lighting. I’d like something in stained glass in the foyer, but something more simple for the rest of the first floor (2-3 flush ceiling lights, pendant lights over the kitchen island and informal dining room and a chandelier over the formal dining room table).
Tagged with: 80s • blinds • bonus • brackets • ceiling fan • ceiling lights • chandelier • dining room table • drapes • formal dining room • home improvement • kitchen island • lighting • new construction • personal thing • stained glass • warmth • window treatments
Filed under: lighting pendant
I say go with the lighting, you are only going to be there a year, and whatever curtains you get might not fit the windows of the place you move to, much less match whatever decor you go with when you move in a year. If not having curtains really bothers you, you should try to do both. Check out clearence sales & close out stores for the light fixtures. If you see a light fixture in a store you like, write it down, check the measurements and see if you can find the same thing on ebay or online cheaper. Then you can check the clearance bins and closeout store (like big lots) for curtains. If you have nice blinds, you might want to consider just doing a scarf valance, you can find them for less than curtains, or make them yourself, and they can add just as much color.
I say go with the fixtures…people notice fixtures. Brass makes people run from a home.
If you do decide on drapes, don’t go all out and do custom. It isn’t worth it if you are not staying. You could always do something cheap and basic.
go with the lighting. You can always do inexpensive window treatments. (you can do wonders with fabric and make them yourself).