Making Your Guests Feel at Home in Yours
Home decorating and remodeling tips to ensure your guests will feel welcome this holiday season.

With the kids back in school, homeowners have some time to think about their home decorating and remodeling plans in preparation for the holidays. To make a great first impression on holiday visitors, it is important to update your home's look and feel.

According to remodeling experts, the key to cosmetic home improvements is upgrading what guests see versus what they can't see. Homeowners should make improvements to what guests spot immediately, including flooring, appliances and new paint, then move on to what they can't see, including plumbing and electrical upgrades. Guests will notice the surface changes and upgrades to your home before they will notice that you have a leaky faucet in the spare bathroom.

A home's high traffic areas, such as the foyer, kitchen and bathrooms, undergo daily abuse from family activities. Replacing stained carpet, chipped tile and grungy, outdated appliances are all simple renovation projects that can make a lasting impression on family and friends.

These three improvements will ensure you make the strongest impression on your holiday guests, without breaking the bank:

Flooring
Replace your dated hardwood floors, carpets and tiling. "Floors make a crucial first impression," said John Spitzer, a principal broker for John L. Scott in Portland, Oregon.

When people enter a home, Spitzer said that most people look down. "The first thing they see is the carpet. They're going to notice the floor way before they notice the windows," Spitzer said.

New flooring is a fast and affordable way to make a great first impression and increase home value. Unlike room additions and other types of pricey and time consuming home improvements, flooring installation is quick and simple, and often takes no more than a couple days to complete.

In order to get the highest return on your home improvement investments, real estate agents suggest splurging on hardwood flooring. According to a national survey of real estate agents, 90 percent said that homes with wood flooring sell faster and for higher prices than houses without wood floors. Upgrading your flooring to quality hardwood floors is a surefire way to increase the beauty and value of your home. To get more ideas on flooring, visit www.westcoastflooring.com.

Painting
A fresh coat of paint can work wonders for an outdated bathroom, kitchen or bedroom. Paint over your home's faded wallpaper or old coat of chipped paint with a solid, neutral color. Welcome guests with modest colors such as cool blues, greens, yellows and lavenders to create a relaxing atmosphere, or use bright, bold colors to provide high energy.

Clutter
A free and easy way to spruce up your surroundings is to get rid of all that clutter that tends to build up in high traffic areas of the house. Be sure every item within view of your guests is put away in its proper place. Remove any unused appliances and tools from countertops. Replace your quirky collections and decor with holiday candles and fresh greenery.

This article was provided by West Coast Flooring Center, one of the largest flooring stores offering Southern California flooring services with a wide variety of quality flooring options and other home improvement services. For more home improvement tips and services, visit the West Coast Flooring Center online at www.westcoastflooring.com.