My job as senior editor at the magazine means wearing a lot of hats, and diving into dozens of different subjects and disciplines. For example, last Thursday I spoke about San Diego’s online dating community on SD 6, and on Sunday, I moderated a panel discussion at the Spring Home/Garden Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
I don’t even own a home, much less a yard, but I picked up a lot of file-that-away advice from the architect, landscape architect, and interior designer I was questioning. It was very interesting! Here’s what I learned:
1. Don’t redo your kitchen or bathroom just for resale value—living through a renovation is such a pain, and no one is going to have your exact taste in weird kitchen tile.
2. Your frontyard is the first thing people see. Your landscaping accounts for about 10 percent of your home’s value.
3. Adding on a room should take the entire house into consideration. It’s about flow.
4. Hire a professional! A professional knows about permit laws and housing codes that change constantly, the best contractors, what’s not worth the time and effort, etc.
5. Be honest with yourself—don’t ask for a giant kitchen if you don’t already entertain often and won’t be planning that many dinner parties.
6. If you can’t afford to change everything, make a wish list, prioritize, and plan five or ten years out. You can have it all—eventually.
For this month’s home feature—a cute Cardiff condo from interior designer and owner of Bixby & Ball—click here.
Home Reno Tips from the Home/Garden Show
Paul Body
