Sharon Brier has seen many interesting additions to homes
Real estate agents see many things as they tour hundreds of homes a year, such as clever additions homeowners have added.
In her 38 years in real estate, Sharon Brier, an award-winning Realtor with Greenwood King Properties, has seen numerous original additions homeowners have made to their homes, such as toilets in showers and home kitchens with pull-down and pull-out appliances made for a trailer.
“With the internet and all the home-furnishing sites, homeowners are exposed to novel experiences and creations that they are recreating in their homes,” Brier said.
Secret spaces are some of her favorites.
“Hidden closets are getting more clever with their disguises. I have seen them under stairways and behind fabric panels,” Brier said.
One builder created a dog space under the stairway in a new home with a gate to keep the pet contained when needed.
Another homeowner had a secret tea room created under the stairs hidden by a bookcase. The owner and her granddaughter enjoyed private teas with a tea set and petite table and chairs.
Another new-home buyer went to great lengths to have his own flotation tank, popular in the wellness industry, installed in his four-story townhome. It had to be lifted by a crane to get it inside where they tore off the doors from the balcony.
“Another homeowner put a chiller inside his pool to keep the water cooler during the blistering summer,” Brier said.
One homeowner did not use the master tub, so she had it covered with a removable wood top and a seat cushion with plenty of pillows to hide the faucet. She used the covered space for storage.
More time is spent in luxurious bathrooms so one owner put two overstuffed chairs in her bathroom for a spa lounge.
“A homeowner in Upper Kirby installed a foot pedal to step on to turn on the water in the kitchen sink, leaving it hands free. This clever item is sold at plumbing supply stores,” Brier said.
Artificial grass is showing up more and more in small yards where the sun doesn’t shine, and even the pets prefer it to a muddy yard.
Sharon advises that one of the best home renovations where dollar value returns itself is to create interesting ceilings, such as vaulted or curved, will always get a favorable reaction and take the house to another level.