How to Remodel an 800-Square-Foot House

Sketch a floor plan layout from a bird's eye view. Draw this layout on graph paper and create a drawing of each wall facade with door and window openings, too. Begin the design by figuring out the front entrance and living space first. Carve out a 6-by-6-foot area inside the front door for a textured slate floor to join the living room.

Open a kitchen wall next to the living room. Create a bar or pass-through to add light to both the living room and kitchen. Paint both spaces a light parchment, for example, to unify them. Add heavy crown molding in both rooms to give a touch of elegance. Install light gray tile flooring in both rooms and upscale light fixtures.

Paint one wall of the bedroom and bathroom a bright color. Accent color adds liveliness to a small room. Use lime green for this accent wall color in both the bedroom and bath. Use white for additional walls and white fixtures in the bathroom. Paint additional bedroom walls white and use all white furnishings to make it seem bigger.

Install a large porch on the front and one side of the house. Add a covered roof. Use this for additional living and dining space in good weather. Use strong support framing under the porch, so you can add a hot tub on the side porch. Nail lattice work to create some screening around the hot tub area.

Take down all curtains and drapes. Install interior white plantation shutters that close vertically with a wooden bar connected to the shutters themselves. Leave the shutters folded open against the side window frames during the daytime for lots of light. Build storage space in the attic of the house to keep all excessive clutter out of sight. Add a set of pull-down stairs in the bedroom or a hallway for the attic access.