A living room decorated for fall after a dream home makeover by House Lift remodelers in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Elegant Decorating Ideas for Fall

As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, there’s no better way to spend your day than indoors in a cozy, warm space designed to capture your unique taste and vision. Embracing the spirit of fall adds an extra element of festiveness to your home during the autumn season, while creating a welcoming environment for all who visit. Though trends vary from year to year, these classic, sophisticated tips for fall can ensure your dream home makeover will be stylish for years to come. 1. Paint Your Front Door With the weather at the perfect temperature and the leaves starting to change colors, fall is one of the most opportune times to get creative with projects around the house, and there’s no better place to start than by painting your front door. A freshly-painted front door will enhance curb appeal for your home, and the color you choose can even elevate your mood throughout the winter. Consider painting your door a vibrant color, such as red, orange or yellow, depending on your style. While these colors blend perfectly with the fall season, they will also serve as a year-round mood elevator. In keeping with the fall spirit, you can...
A recently renovated home in Minneapolis, Minnesota features interior and exterior french doors allowing natural light to flood the room.

The Aesthetic Benefits of French Doors

Interior and exterior French doors have become a popular staple in home design over the years and they are easily recognizable by their rectangular window frames that extend down the door’s length. French doors made their first appearance in architecture in the 17th century and as France’s Baroque period flourished, so did the exploration of new artistic and architectural styles. Back then, French doors were really just full-length windows that led onto balconies. They were later modified into operable doors, which allowed access to the balconies while letting in plenty of natural light. Their versatility and beauty makes them an ideal choice for patios and more.  Thinking of adding an interior or exterior french door to your home? Read on as we discuss a few reasons why you should make them a part of your dream home makeover. French Doors Provide Functionality French doors were originally created to make small balconies accessible, but today, they aren’t only used for exterior purposes. Interior french doors can be used to connect rooms in your home and enhance the visual flair of your space. They can make rooms feel and look more spacious when opened up and create a cozy, comfortable space when...
Image of a newly-remodeled home. Windows line the front of a brand new four-season front porch.

How to Transform Your Porch Into a 4-Season Space

One of the main benefits of updating or remodeling your home is maximizing your available space to suit your lifestyle. Transforming unfinished attics and basements into enjoyable, fully-furnished spaces are smart ways to accommodate your growing family. However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to what you can update inside your home; it’s time to think outside of the box and extend your living space outdoors. When you are sitting outside, you want to enjoy the scenery, but you also want to be comfortable. But what do you do when it’s freezing during the winter and blazing hot during the summer? A four season porch is the perfect solution. Read on to find out how to make that a part of your dream home makeover. Enjoy Nature’s Beauty in Comfort A four season porch functions as an interior room made almost entirely of glass and windows that allows you to take in the views of the outdoors year-round. It is equipped with permanent heating and cooling, and it is included in the finished square footage of your home. This distinguishes it from a three season porch because three season porches are not equipped with any internal heating or cooling.  What Your Four Season...
Interior shot of a wood-paneled kitchen.

Which Wood Styling Works Best in Your Kitchen?

When designing or remodeling a kitchen, homeowners quickly realize their kitchen cabinets are a major focal point. Deciding what styles and wood species work best for your kitchen can have a significant effect on the fluidity of your interior design style. Luckily, our consultants have some ideas on wood stylings you can consider for your kitchen. Are you ready for your dream home makeover? Keep reading as we dive headfirst into your wood styling options. Wood Styling Option 1: Cherry Upgrading a kitchen is full of possibilities. No matter what wood styling you choose, pick one that reflects your personality, as well as your home’s aesthetic. If you are looking for an elegant, timeless look, cherry wood may be for you. Cherry wood can be customized to match any theme with its natural reddish tinge. It is known for its luxuriously smooth graining, as well as beautiful natural characteristics like knots and fissures. Cherry is filled with character and it is a relatively softer wood when compared to oak, maple or hickory, so a gentle touch is important when maintaining it. Getting in contact with a twin cities home remodeling agency or home renovation company like House Lift is a...
A young woman dusts her TV screen with a dry cloth

Spring Cleaning Tricks for a Modern Home

Are you looking for great spring cleaning tips? Look no further. The days are getting longer, the temperatures are getting warmer and the air is filled with fresh fragrance. This means one thing: it’s time for spring cleaning! Spring cleaning is deeply rooted in human history spanning every culture and country around the world. As winter turns to spring, we feel an energy of renewal that drives us to refresh and revive our homes. The dwellings we clean today, however, are quite different from those of our ancestors. Modern homes are larger, with more spaces and items to clean, including technology and appliances, making the task of spring cleaning a much larger undertaking. While doing a full-home spring spruce-up is a lot of work, the reward is spending those precious first warm days in a sparkling clean home. And with a few easy tricks, you can make the spring cleaning a lot more manageable. We know the value of feeling great about the home you’re in. Keep reading for our spring cleaning tips. 1. Start With a Game Plan Before you embark on your spring cleaning journey, you need to map out your path and make sure you have all of...
An image of an architectural blue print for House Lift blog "From Idea to Breaking Ground - Steps to Remodeling Your Home"

From Idea to Breaking Ground – Steps to Remodeling Your Home

Remodeling is a great way to invest in your home. Remodeling projects not only add property value, they can help you find greater enjoyment and better use of your space. The popularity of home improvement programming shows that many people daydream about how they’d upgrade their houses, and the renovation and remodeling industry continues to grow. When homeowners get inspired to change things up in their home, they can quickly become overwhelmed by the logistics of the project. With the right planning, pacing and professional support, remodeling can be much easier to navigate than one would expect. House Lift has provided remodeling and renovation services for more than 30 years. Keep reading to learn about the steps you can take for a smooth remodeling project, from idea to breaking ground.  1. Organize Your Inspiration Before you start sizing up your space, vetting contractors or pricing materials, it’s important to know what you want. Assess which rooms and areas of your home you’re interested in remodeling. Start by listing what you love about each existing space and what you’d like to change. This will help you prioritize your goals for your home renovation. Next, find style inspiration to inform your remodeling...
A finished basement bar renovation in a modern home, complete with gray marble countertops and dark wood

Your Vision, Realized (Highlighting a House Lift Renovation)

We recently had the pleasure of working with clients to finish their home. At two years old, this home was new, and still needed the basement bathroom and bedroom finished. Some of the framing was there already, and we set to work to deliver on their vision. While we were working on the project, the homeowners were inspired to add a bar and turn the bedroom and walk-in closet into a workout room. Sharing their excitement, we worked with them to design their dream basement and turn it into a reality. Take a look at the transformation. 1. The Bathroom The framework for the bathroom was already in place, and the homeowners had a clear vision of what they wanted. We worked with our clients to create this luxurious, modern bathroom, outfitted with elegant tiling and fixtures. Despite being a basement space, we were able to make this bathroom feel bright and airy with clean lines and a combination of recessed lighting and stylish sconces. 2. The Workout Room At the start of this project, the basement housed an unfinished bedroom with a walk-in closet. We transformed the space into a workout room, enhancing the natural light from the window...
A House Lift blog banner featuring an image of a young girl makes her bed with text "5 Creative Chore Chart Ideas for Families"

5 Creative Chore Chart Ideas for Families

Everyone enjoys a clean house, but the word “chore” doesn’t exactly elicit warm feelings from even the tidiest among us. Families often squabble about who’s doing the most, or the least, amount of cleaning, and kids often feel like any amount of help is some sort of indentured servitude. The family home is a space everyone shares, so we should all share responsibility in keeping it clean. By organizing chores on a chore chart, you can fairly share the responsibility of cleaning, and with these creative ideas, you may actually have a little bit of fun. Work For the Weekend A lot of people use incentives to get their families on board with chores. In this model, the incentive is a fun Saturday activity. Using a dry erase board, make a chart with days of the week across the top (Sunday – Friday) and rooms in your house down the side. Write down what needs to be done in each room on each day. Using magnets for each family member, assign each person one room per day. Some rooms require more daily upkeep than others, so make sure those are allocated fairly throughout the family. Every completed chore is given a...
A House Lift blog banner featuring an image of a child's study corner with text "Boost Your Kids’ Grades with a DIY 'Homework Haven.'"

Boost Your Kids’ Grades with a DIY “Homework Haven.”

After school, kids need a break from work to relax, play, and eat a nutritious (or not-so-nutritious) snack. Eventually, though, it’s time for homework. With some American students being sent home with upwards of 18 hours of homework each week, it’s easy to understand why some kids struggle to complete their assignments. Studies show that students, from kindergarten through college, benefit tremendously from having a designated homework space. By turning a nook, corner, or room in your home into a dedicated schoolwork zone, you give your students a leg up in their education. Keep reading for tips on how to create a perfect “homework haven.”  1. Create a Space That Fits Your Child Just like adults, kids stay more alert and focused when working at a desk. Working at a desk that isn’t a comfortable fit, though, can be just as detrimental as working in bed or on the couch. When creating your homework haven, make sure to outfit it with a comfortable desk and chair that works ergonomically for your child’s size. Because kids grow so much each year, consider an adjustable desk that can grow with them.  2. Shine a Light on the Subject When it comes to...
A House Lift Inc. blog banner features an image of home mid-renovation with text: "Why building costs are rising in 2021"

Why Building Costs Are Rising in 2021

It’s true that building costs have gone up over the last year and are continuing to rise. If there’s one thing real estate and construction experts agree on, it’s that no one can predict if and when prices will return to pre-2020 levels.  If you’re a homeowner who’s been waiting for construction costs to fall before starting a remodeling project, take a moment to understand the current market and discover why it may pay off to get started on your project sooner rather than later.  Why are costs going up? There are many factors that contribute to the price of building materials, all of which stem from two fundamental economic concepts: supply and demand. When the pandemic hit last spring, it threw previously efficient national and global supply chains into chaos. Production in the mills and factories that supplied the construction industry with everything from lumber to light fixtures ground to a halt as staff stayed home. Similarly, the logistics companies that delivered products to wholesalers and retailers slowed or stopped their operations. The construction industry has been dealing with the fallout ever since. Add to this the current labor shortage and rising labor costs, and the supply of construction...