The conclusion of one year and the start of the next is a significant moment for so many reasons. As countries around the world consecutively count down ‘five, four, three, two, one, happy new year!’ lots of people are thinking about starting resolutions – to give up this bad habit or adopt that good one. For many, it is the opportunity to leave behind past versions of themselves and transform into something that they see as better.
The same can be said for our homes.
Perhaps 2025 will be the year that you finally take the plunge and install a glass staircase. Maybe you will give your garden the makeover it deserves, install solar panels to reduce your utility bills, paint your house a beautiful pastel pink colour or simply replace the kitchen that is looking a little tired. Whatever you choose, your home can be thoroughly transformed with the addition of a simple architectural feature or alteration.
Maybe you would like to make a change to your living quarters but you’re not sure what. If that is the case, you’re in luck. In this article, we hope to provide some inspiration in the form of seven architectural features that can transform your home in 2025.
Let’s start in the heart of the home – the kitchen.
Architectural feature #1: An open-plan kitchen
What is the biggest danger of any dinner party (aside from undercooked food)? One word: separation. If you’ve ever been in a situation where the only person you know is the host, the phrase ‘I’ll leave you guys to get to know each other while I carry on cooking’ might just fill you with fear. The best case scenario is that you make friends with a bunch of strangers while your host quickly nips into the kitchen; the worst is that you don’t see them for an hour and are left to talk about the weather, the traffic, jobs and holiday plans with people you just don’t know.
The solution? An open-plan kitchen, whereby the kitchen and dining area merge together to form one room. This home improvement idea ensures that the barrier between cooking and socialising is completely removed. Aside from taking away the potential social awkwardness, an open-plan kitchen also provides you with so much more space, opening the door to potential furniture layout opportunities.
While an open-plan kitchen is always a good idea, it is also a good idea to check whether the dividing wall is load-bearing or not. Our advice would be to consult the professionals who can install a vertical beam, should one be required.
Architectural feature #2: An extra bathroom
According to the property experts Zoopla, adding an extra bathroom can boost the value of your home by as much as 5%. The best bits? A brand new bathroom doesn’t have to cost the earth and – with the vast array of options available to you in our modern world – can be ultra-space saving, even allowing you to combine toilet and handwashing basin in one reassuringly hygienic unit.
No longer will your guests be faced with your personal towels and toiletries when they want to use the bathroom. Instead, they can enjoy the luxury and comfort of a guest bathroom – bliss!
If, on the other hand, you already have a second – or even third bathroom – the addition of things like fresh tiling, a vanity unit, vibrant wallpaper and new lighting can all improve its appearance and give it the fresh 2025 look you’ve been waiting for.
Architectural feature #3: A glass staircase
Admittedly, it is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about home improvement options, but with our enhanced awareness of the benefits of natural light, a glass staircase (specifically a glass balustrade for your staircase) can brighten a space by removing an opaque barrier – and, thus, brighten your mood too. While you might associate glass staircases with modern office facilities, the feature is actually incredibly versatile, just as at home in a new-build as it would be in a period property because it can act as a wonderful counterpoint between heritage and contemporary.
We believe that any good home should have a central feature that makes guests go ‘Wow!’. A glass staircase can easily be that feature, so long as it adheres to the following parts of the UK Building Regulations:
- Part K (Protection from Falling, Collision, and Impact);
- Part A (Structural Safety); and
- Part M (Access to and Use of Buildings).
By speaking to bespoke glazing specialists who can design your perfect glass staircase, you can ensure not only that the feature meets the required building regulations but also looks fantastic!
Architectural feature #4: An exterior paint job
If you have ever walked the streets of Cobh in the Republic of Ireland or explored the waterfront at Bergen in Norway, you will have undoubtedly noticed the colour on show. Paint (pastel hues in Cobh, vivid reds and yellows in Bergen) has transformed the architecture from ‘fine, but nothing to write home about’ into something that people travel many miles to photograph. Something so simple has secured both locations as must-visit destinations.
While you might struggle to convince your neighbours to paint their exteriors, you can demonstrate how good it can look with your own. Firstly, take your time to choose your paint – this isn’t just a third bedroom that can be hidden away from view. Next, clean the walls, including removing any lichen, moss and algae (this is vital if you want to prevent premature peeling, which, let’s be honest, you do). Then, on a reliably warm and dry day, you can get up your ladder, dip your roller in the tray of paint and get cracking – bonus points if you take a timelapse while you undertake the transformation.
Architectural feature #5: A green roof
Scientists have passionately extolled the virtues of plants for decades. They make us happier, and healthier and even reduce post-operative pain when staying in hospital. Up until recently, our green-leafed friends lived predominantly on our windowsills and in the ground outside. Today, however, you can convert the roof of your home and outbuildings from an ecological desert to into an oasis for pollinators and other insects.
Far from simply being something to admire and enjoy looking at – green roofs can be absolutely stunning – they also help to make your home more energy efficient. Because of the reduced cost of heating a home (green roofs add insulation), installing one can lower your heating bills by as much as 12%. Green walls, too, also look great and can contribute towards the energy efficiency of your property.
If you’re tempted to install a green roof, we would advise a light substrate that allows free drainage. Into that, we recommend planting the following:
- Sempervivum tectorum (houseleaks)
- Delosperma cooperi (hardy iceplant)
- Sedum Kamtschaticum (golden sedum)
To create a green roof, you might consider evergreen climbers like Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) and Hedera helix (English ivy) or deciduous options like Hydrangea petiolaris (climbing hydrangea) and Passiflora caerulea (passionflower), but it is important to make sure the integrity of your brickwork is solid.
Architectural feature #6: A reading nook
Somewhere to retreat to with a good book when the rain is falling down outside. That is surely every middle-age, middle-class person’s dream, right? While it has been calculated that 50% of us don’t read regularly, for those who do, a simple seating area next to a window sounds blissful, allowing us to lose ourselves in our favourite page-turners. If reading isn’t your cup of tea, you could create a niche for movie watching, gaming or taking part in another hobby of your choice.
To achieve this architectural nook when one does not exist in the first place, you could consider installing a glass box extension or a Victorian side return. Both of these things can be planned by specialist designers and – where necessary – structural engineers.
Architectural feature #7: Floor-to-ceiling glazing
As mentioned in this article, natural light is really good for us. To maximise its presence in your home, floor-to-ceiling glazing is a no-brainer, but you might be wondering whether it is as energy efficient as trusty bricks and mortar. The answer is that it absolutely can be. Glazing has come a very long way from the draughty single glazing in period properties. Today, technologies such as triple glazing, low-emissivity coatings, and thermal breaks help to keep your home warm in winter and cool in the summer months.
Why limit the view from your home to a small window? With floor-to-ceiling glazing, you maximise the enjoyment of any particular vista, whether that encompasses a well-tended garden or the wild and rolling hills beyond. As bespoke glazing experts, out of all of the home improvements on our list, this one is our absolute favourite.
Conclusion
The new year is well underway and resolutions might have fallen by the wayside, but that doesn’t mean your architectural visions need to too. There has never been a better time to invest in your home, improve it and make it exactly what you want it to be. We think the motto going into 2025 should be new year; new home improvement.