How to Renovate a Split-Level Home

Plan to add a room addition on the front of the house. Create it to serve as the home's new entrance. Design this added space to offset the boxy look of a split-level from the street. Use partial glass for the enclosed room or design it as a sun room, for example.

Add new roofing and front landscaping. Install an interesting texture of asphalt shingles or cedar shakes over the entire house, for example. Use metal roofing as another alternative in an appropriate color, such as copper or pale green. Remove overgrown bushes and plants to correct the look of a house that is decades old. Add a front landscaping design that incorporates well-placed shrubs and mulch for a clean look.

Combine interesting materials together for a new exterior. Redo old siding or brick that give the house a dated appearance. Plan to install stacked stone, along with sections of siding made of cement fiber material, cut stone and some brick, for example. Paint the home's shutters and trim taupe or brown to tie all new exterior materials together visually. Install new energy-efficient windows before adding new exterior materials.

Add light and space to the interior. Paint the kitchen white and add an exterior wall of glass blocks, for example. Take down the wall between the kitchen and living area, if the kitchen is cramped or small. Add a wall of glass blocks in an upstairs hallway as well, so the upper and lower levels of the home have some common features. Install a couple of skylights in upstairs bathrooms and the downstairs kitchen space, as another choice. Keep in mind that you want both levels to harmonize in every respect.

Upgrade the kitchen and baths. Install stainless appliances and a new gas range for a high-end look. Replace vinyl flooring in the kitchen and baths with tile. Take out old main bath fixtures, such as tubs and showers, and replace them with high-quality fixtures and faucets. Leave the toilets in the same foot print, if possible, so that main drain lines won't need to be moved.