5 Ways to Upgrade a New Flat After Taking Possession
Here are some ways to add more personality, high style and character to a new apartment
At the time of handover, most standard apartments in multi-storeyed buildings come with basic flooring, doors and windows, complete bathrooms, kitchens without cabinetry, basic light points and switch boards, and walls that are finished in a neutral shade of wall paint. Once the homeowner plans to shift, the apartment will have to be partially or fully renovated and customised as per the homeowner’s requirement. So, if you have purchased a new apartment in a high-rise and want to upgrade its overall look, here is how you can go about it.
- Note that the furniture takes up most of the space of medium-sized bedrooms and only a small percentage of the vitrified tiles is visible in the bedrooms of builder apartments. Therefore, there is no need to replace the vitrified tiles of the bedroom.
- However, if you want to give your bedroom an upgraded woody look, consider laminated wooden flooring, which can be fixed on the vitrified tiles itself. Laminated wooden flooring is a very cost-effective flooring option and looks good, too.
- Most builders provide plain anti-skid ceramic tiles for the balcony in neutral shades or darker tones of brown or terracotta. To upgrade the look of the balcony, replace these tiles with materials such as natural stone tiles that have a rough texture, or patterned cement tiles as seen in the image above. The balcony flooring is always fully visible, which makes it a great space to bring in more elaborate tile patterns.
2. Lighting
- Lighting plays a key role in transforming the overall look of the home and can be incorporated in the form of ambient, task, or accent lighting. So pick up your new lighting fixtures tastefully according to the function and requirement of each area of the home.
- Incorporate recessed lighting in the ceilings of the living-cum-dining room and the bedrooms (in small doses), as in this example. Recessed lighting adds an element of glamour, depth and elegance within the space. False ceilings with provision for tray lights are a great way to achieve a more refined look for the home.
3. Walls
- Although the new standard flats comes with painted walls, one can introduce bold, more personal colours on accent walls to energise the look of the space, like in this example. Don’t miss the golden-brown skirting and see how a similar colour is taken up on the ceiling as a base for the pendant lights.
- You could also opt for wallpaper to create an accent wall; it is a stylish solution to instantly lift up bland walls.
- Other premium cladding materials for the walls include onyx, travertine, accent tiles, wood paneling, 3D wall panels and so on. Take your pick, according to your budget and your design style.
4. Kitchen
A builder will hand over the kitchen with a granite countertop structure, kitchen sink with faucets, kitchen wall tiles and flooring.
A builder will hand over the kitchen with a granite countertop structure, kitchen sink with faucets, kitchen wall tiles and flooring.
- If you are looking for an upgrade, consider replacing the basic kitchen backsplash or wall tiles with materials such as glass, porcelain, metallic tiles and so on, in a design of your choice. Also, make provision for a ducted chimney and under-cabinet recessed task lighting.
- Since the kitchen countertop is pre-installed by the builder and only requires the upper and lower cabinetry, you can bring in a modular kitchen fabricator, or a carpenter to design and prefabricate the modular kitchen with accessories as per your requirements
- Another way to upgrade the look of your home is by converting your closed kitchen into a semi-open or an open kitchen, like in this image. It is a great way to bring in a sense of openness and visually make the home look bigger. Structural changes may be required, though.
5. Bathrooms
An existing builder-grade bathroom usually comes in neutral tones of tiles for the walls and flooring. These bathrooms can be upgraded by:
An existing builder-grade bathroom usually comes in neutral tones of tiles for the walls and flooring. These bathrooms can be upgraded by:
- Changing the tiles of one wall. This simple change will add colour, pattern and brightness within the bathroom, as seen here.
- Alternatively, you can retain the wall tiles and sanitary fixtures that have been given by the builder but only replace the flooring, as in this image.
- Another way to upgrade the bathroom is by retaining the wall and floor tiling, as well as all the sanitary fixtures, and just upgrading the countertop. In this bathroom, just see how a yellow solid-surface countertop steals the show and creates a stunning accent feature in the bathroom.
Tip: If you do not like the finishes of the overall flooring of the home, the bathroom and kitchen tiles, and the fittings that are provided by the builder in the sample flat, then it is advisable to take the apartment from the builder in the raw form without any surface finishes, and ask for a discount. This will give you the liberty to design your home from scratch with materials of your choice. You will also save yourself from the harassment of dismantling the existing tiles and disposing of the debris from the site, a tiresome task that can result in lot of wastage of time, energy and money.
Read more:
50 Fresh, New Indian Homes on Houzz
Tell us:
How have you upgraded your home? Share in the Comments below.
Read more:
50 Fresh, New Indian Homes on Houzz
Tell us:
How have you upgraded your home? Share in the Comments below.
Nowadays, standard apartments in high-rises come with basic vitrified tiled flooring for the entire apartment. This flooring can be upgraded in the following ways:
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