“Room Lifts” over “Major Home Remodels”

I have been a designer & remodeling contractor since 1986. I love creating intelligent designs that function beautifully. I am the designer and Innkeeper at “Prairieside Suites” a romantic bed and breakfast near Grand Rapids, MI featuring luxury whirlpool and fireplace suites. I have lived through quite a few recessions, seen my share of market shifts and experienced dramatic changes in consumer spending. I like this phase which I’ll call “conscious consumerism” or a return to good old fashioned values.

• People are saving money instead of spending it.
• When they do spend money, they’re using cash instead of credit.
• People are paying down their credit cards and trying to reduce their debt.
• They are making an effort to live within their means. Wow, wouldn’t Grandpa be proud of us, we’re finally getting it!

This change has had a dramatic impact on home remodeling. Many homeowners are choosing to do “Room Lifts” which are small personalized room upgrades to their homes instead of the major remodels that were routinely done before the recession. I see a more conscious effort to re-use, re-cycle and re-claim. Green is in and it starts with re-purposing. Home remodeling today is more focused on improving our quality of life while we stay in our homes….essentially creating “live-in value”. We are creating rooms that we can enjoy, guilt free, because we own the investment. Gosh, that makes perfect sense to me. Come experience my world! Cheri Antozak is the owner, Innkeeper & Designer of Prairieside Suites Luxury Bed and Breakfast, Grandville, MI