How to Update a Ranch House

How to Update a Ranch House

• 1

  Re-design the home's landscaping. This is one of the single easiest ways to change the look of the home. Add small, decorative trees at the front of your home to break the horizontal lines and create interest. A tall, conical evergreen at the end corner of your home will give a convenient stopping place for the eye. Go easy on low, horizonal-spreading shrubs under windows which only repeat the low roofline of the house. Curving walkways will add movement to the entryway.

• 2

  Add texture to the front of the house with stone or brick. This can be done very inexpensively with faux products, and can go a long way to adding interest to an otherwise dull exterior. Combine with a lively, but tastefully-toned coat of paint for a fresh, contemporary look

• 3

  Add a deck, porch, or patio for new living space. Ranch houses are generally designed for using outdoor areas, and a simple addition of a wood deck or stone patio can freshen up the appearance and function of outdoor spaces. A garden pergola or trellis for climbing vines makes the house more attractive and inviting.

• 4

  Build an addition for added space. A well-planned addition that adds another bedroom, a full bath, a family room, or a full dining area will keep your home competitive with more recently-built homes in the area and will help increase your resale value.

• 5

  Remodel the kitchen. Contemporary kitchens are more spacious than those built in the 1950's and 1960's, and utilize workspace more efficiently. Remodeling your kitchen to encompass these features, as well as new cabinets, marble or granite countertops, and energy-efficient appliances will make your home more desirable.

• 6

  Update the bathroom. After remodeled kitchens, nothing adds to resale value more than updated bathrooms. At least two full bathrooms are now the housing standard, and marble vanities and contemporary tiling are always desirable features appreciated by buyers.