The Home ‘Must Haves’

INSTANT BOILING TOP

I’ve heard mixed reviews on these because although they are very handy, one downside can be the constant energy consumption of keeping the mini boiler on 24/7. Another negative is apparently it doesn’t make tea as well as a traditional kettle. We aren’t big tea drinks but I can’t say I can tell the difference? We switch ours off overnight and sometimes throughout the day if we don’t intend to use it again. It heats up very quickly and comes in handy if kept on for a prolonged period. I would prefer to have the tap than a kettle on the worktop because I am very OTT with things feeling untidy! That being said – I think a kettle would work well in a larder-style cupboard (which I discuss later on) To summarise – I think they are a great addition and there are now plenty of cheaper options rather than the £2k+ Quooker price tag which I’m not entirely convinced is worth the money if I’m honest! 

POT FILLER TAP

I LOVE this idea because I probably use the boiling tap most for cooking! I think these look best in more traditional style kitchens (ours is currently super sleek modern) In future I would 100% want one because they just look super handy and a great addition! Especially to save carrying heavy pots of boiling water – a winner for me with a dog that likes to try and follow/kill me at any given moment in the kitchen whilst cooking. 

WASTE DISPOSAL UNIT

I’m so upset we don’t have this – it pains me! An absolute must for me in the future. I often see people discussing them on Instagram as a great decision when reviewing their renovation choices – I can see why! Smelly bins, especially in summer are an absolute nightmare! 

OUTSIDE HOT + COLD TAPS

This was suggested by our plumber as a great addition, especially if you have kids, to use the warm tap for a paddling pool etc. Another benefit could be if you have an outside doggy bath (another thing I’d absolutely love!) Just all round handy to have! 

I would also suggest having one set of taps to the front of the property – jet washing the driveway/car washing/hose pipes for gardening/ handy during renovation works as well as taps to the rear. 

EXTERNAL PLUG SOCKETS

Similar to taps, these are also beneficial to have at the front and rear for various gardening tasks/ social events/ hair drying your high maintenance dog during shedding season – or is that just me? I’d class these as essential! 

DOGGY BATH

I feel the ideal location for this depends on your dog size/maintenance level. If you follow me on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/44.thevictorianreno/?hl=en – then you will have seen our big fluffy whopper AKA Toby. Typically he is better off at the groomers as they are trained and he is a lot of dog with a lot of fur! However, if we had a large garden space I love the idea of a doggy bath as a little helping hand. Alternatively, if your dog is a little smaller/lower maintenance then the indoor ones in utility or boot rooms look such a great option to have! I’d class this as quite ‘extra’ again but if you have a doggy you’ll know what I mean about how handy it would be! 

PANTRY OR PANTRY CUPBOARD

This is heavily aesthetic rather than solely functional but I do feel they are very handy to have in terms of organisation (you know I love that shiz) 

In our home, there is a walk-in-pantry (which is totally my beloved) but I do also love the traditional kitchens with the larder-style cupboards. I think they are so beautiful as well as very handy in terms of a tea station/ spice rack/ microwave and kettle hider etc etc you get the idea.

COFFEE MACHINE

I have briefly discussed this before and integrated coffee machines are EXPENSIVE. I only beelive they are worth the price in certain kitchens – both styles and price brackets. Our kitchen is super modern and if feel it is essential for this sort of style and layout. That being said, in a traditional style kitchen (my favourite) I would probably opt for a free-standing coffee machine. I actually really like the look of them and think they make a kitchen look homely but stylish! Is that odd? It feels a little odd now I’ve said it… 

INTEGRATED MICROWAVE

This follows on from what I’ve just discussed in terms of integrated units – ours works perfectly in our modern format. Another alternative is to hide it in the pantry.. I just don’t like them on worktops but I know they probably aren’t as offensive to normal sane people. 

PS I feel like it always sounds as though I hate our kitchen by how much I say I love traditional styles! I just fancied a big change and absolutely love the sleek moody feel that our extension has! However, if I had to pick a final decision and could never change it ever again – a super elegant traditional style is the one for me!

CEILING SPEAKER SYSTEM

Over the years we have worked our way up on these because the prices can vary so wildly but even a budget-friendly version is a massive bonus. I LOVE music so will turn it on in the kitchen making dinner or for parties. We currently have a Sonos system which is amazing quality and links to our iPhones via Bluetooth as well as working from a touch screen iPad with a wall-mounted clip – best of both worlds! An investment but definitely a great addition. 

CCTV/ HOME ALARM – HOME SECURITY SYSTEM 

Home alarms are a must in my opinion. A lot of people like the idea of CCTV but don’t have an alarm and as it was pointed out to us – you need an alarm more than cameras otherwise you’re just watching back footage of a burglary. I love being able to check the cameras from my phone at any time and the alarm system has pet detection so we can have it on without Toby setting them off – so clever! We have 2 touch screens that are wall mounted and can access the full security system- doorbells/ cameras/ alarms etc. I couldn’t be without it now! I think it is also a big advantage for homes of a certain price point where buyers expect it as standard. Again, due to wiring etc, it is far easier to do it during a renovation rather than retrospectively but we use a local Merseyside company who work meticulously with minimal damage. The company is ASG Integrated Systems who are amazing – I have linked their Instagram page for you to get a better idea of the technology I mean – CLICK HERE TO VISIT – This isn’t a paid ad – just a genuine recommendation! 

TOUCH SCREEN CONTROL SYSTEM 

I have briefly mentioned some features that we have but there are also even more snazzy options you can including lighting, curtains and also mentioned below: 

ZONAL CENTRAL HEATING

This topic will age as they hope to phase out gas central heating but for the time being, it is EXPENSIVE and much cheaper and more efficient to zone off your home. In our house, we have upstairs, downstairs and the extension as 3 separate areas which heat as and how we please. They work independently and can be set to different temperatures which is super effective in a victorian home where the heat and warm joy like to escape through the bones of the house. (If you’ve lived in an old home before – you will definitely know what I mean!) If you have a bigger house, maybe add more. If you have a smaller house maybe add less but either way I can’t see how zonal heating would ever be a disadvantage to running costs and efficiency! 

SMART THERMOSTATS

To discuss this point further, I’ll add that having a smart thermostat is an actual lifesaver. You can set the times from your phone for each area and monitor accordingly. This not only saves time but also definitely money. It is an absolute must! 

SMART ‘OTHER THINGS’

Smart light bulbs, smart plugs, smart locks, smart ovens – smart everything. Things with ‘smart’ in front of them are generally always considered as a bonus, both for yourself and home life to make it easier but also as a benefit to any potential buyers in the future. Typically you can save money with efficient running of the home as well as reduce faff and stress by controlling them from a touch of a button, when you aren’t even at home. Sounds good to me. 

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 

I think this can often be overlooked and I dream of a huge garden that can have lighting all over the place! Think ambient lighting rather than Football stadium.. That being said, floodlights are a great addition in terms of safety and security and light up an area very well. In addition, I like different features such as ground lighting through plants/trees or towards the house. Wall-mounted lights on the building itself or walls. My dream is to have an outdoor kitchen/hosting area and I also even love little twinkle lights – I JUST LOVE LIGHTING OK! Don’t overlook what a great impact it could have – ask the electrician for advice if you are struggling for inspiration or have a quick nosey on Pinterest – my ULTIMATE for home inspo – CLICK HERE TO VISIT 

SENSOR LIGHTING 

We haven’t done this in our current home and I really feel we should have. In our last, we had a sensor in the hallway so in the evening, when walking between the lounge, kitchen or bathroom the LED floor lighting by the stairs would illuminate. This was SO handy and I miss it a lot! Another great one is for going to the toilet in the night and having them in the bathroom. Both of these features seem a bit extra but they aren’t very costly and are so helpful with a lovely well thought out feel.  

FEATURE LIGHTING

I LOVE lighting on shelves/ downlights/ uplights/ lighting behind beautiful stone in bars or bathroom features etc. So many beautiful options that make a statement. Again, refer to Pinterest for ideas and see what suits your style!

MIRROR TV

I don’t have one but I would really really really like one(I’d like several)

TV’s that turn into a mirror/art – art/mirrors that turn into TV’s. What’s not to love? SO much more aesthetically pleasing. If you check out Picture Frame TV on Instagram to see what I mean CLICK HERE TO VISIT – not a paid AD just a genuine recommendation because I LOVE what they do! 

MULTI-POINT LIGHTING FEATURES 

I’ve mentioned this before but that’s probably because I clearly have a lighting obsession. It is far better to have several lighting options instead of one big central ceiling light that is too bright for evening wind-down. For example, in our extension we have 3 light switches – 1x 2 gang, 1 x 3 gang and 1 x 4 gang – sounds excessive but obviously it is a large area – CLICK HERE to see my Instagram to check the layout  

In all honesty if the garden was bigger I would probably end up with even more! Lighting includes: spotlights, ceiling lights, wall lights, under cabinet lighting and outdoor. I also feel it’s very important for lounges and bedrooms – who wants the big light on when they are in bed? Not me sista.

PLUG SOCKETS

I’ve said it before – I’ll say it again, you cannot have too many. Make sure you have planned for your essentials and added a few extra. Poor planning with sockets is an issue that is SO much cheaper and easier to do right the first time instead of trying to rectify afterwards. 

STORAGE PLANNING

I feel storage planning can get overlooked or at least definitely underestimated when doing a renovation. Perhaps people forget how much rubbish they actually have but can’t bear to part with? (Think I’m talking about myself again here) 

INTERNAL:

The biggest space stealers can include but are not limited to:

towels/bedding/clothes/ Christmas decorations/ suitcases/ bulky cleaning items like mops/ sports equipment/hobbies apparatus/ clothes you haven’t worn in years but might wear again so can’t get rid of etc etc etc 

Ottoman beds are a lifesaver for things like the above but also potentially a cost that you’d rather not have so try and add a few extra cupboards as and where you can. For example; under the stairs/ boiler cupboards/ bathroom vanity cupboards/ bathroom mirrors as a cabinet/ larger bedside tables/ ottoman box storage/ sofa poof storage/ slim profile cupboards on one side of the island unit and the list goes on. Consider whether it is worthwhile boarding your loft and adding a ladder – think of all the stuff you could shove up there then! A great time had by all. 

EXTERNAL:

Quite often I see homes come up for sale and they don’t have a garage, cellar or a shed so I wonder where they store all their ‘gardening stuff’ a lawnmower being the most obvious as its large and not great for hiding in your bedroom wardrobe. It remains a mystery but I’d say if you don’t have a garage or cellar then definitely invest in a suitable storage box or shed for your garden. It will make life a lot easier come Summer! Garden furniture/seat cushions/ speakers/BBQ equipment, gardening tools etc all have to go somewhere!