Like most people, you probably take great pride in your home. As such, you maintain it, clean it and adapt it. Adaptation of a home can take many forms, such as renovation, extension, or conversion. But it can also mean repurposing a room for something like a home cinema or basement brewery. We all have our quirks and hobbies. Here are 5 amazing and surprisingly quick home projects you could consider for your next hobby.
Outdoor Swimming Pool
Not every climate will benefit from an outdoor swimming pool. Yet, even colder nations like Canada, the UK, and some parts of the US get enough sun to enjoy. Because of poor weather, you might think a pool isn’t for you. But there are many advantages to having a pool and being able to lounge in the hot weather. In addition, your very own swimming pool will encourage you and your family to become more active, making family time more enjoyable.
You would be forgiven for thinking that an outdoor swimming pool installation is a massive job. In the past, this was the case. Yet advancements in pool installation technology mean you can have a pool of your own in less than a week. Prefabricated fiberglass structures from the likes of Dolphin Swimming Pools allow straight lines and freeform pools of all shapes and sizes to be installed quickly by expert builders and engineers.
Kitchen Renovation
You’re probably going to think it’s not possible to renovate a kitchen in a short space of time. But that is where you would be wrong. While a kitchen traditionally takes around 6 weeks to renovate, it is possible to do it quickly using some simple shortcuts and tips. To drastically cut down your renovation time, you can do the following:
- First, plan everything: know exactly what needs to be done.
- Re-use existing fixtures: just replace cupboard doors rather than the units or worktops.
- Leave the plumbing: if it works, leave it.
- Use free-standing appliances: built-in appliances take a long time to install correctly.
- Leave electricals: if it works and is safe, leave it.
- Tile where necessary: tile only in splashback areas and paint the rest.
- Use battery lighting: install battery-operated spotlights rather than mains.
Most kitchen work is time-consuming and requires professionals for installation such as ovens, mains connections, plumbing, and lighting. By foregoing expert jobs in favor of safe tasks you can do yourself, you will save a ton of cash and time. For example, the trickiest thing you will need to do is replacing cupboard doors. A DIY project like this can be done in a couple of days with a partner.
In-Door Farming
There’s nothing quite like fresh produce to use in your home cooking. However, the pinnacle of this lies in growing your own vegetables and herbs. This is an excellent benefit for anyone, but if you love to cook, then it’s a godsend. However, growing your own vegetables and herbs typically takes quite some time and is dependent on the weather. But not anymore. You can make your very own drip system vertical garden or install hydroponic plant growers.
Vertical drip gardens are more complex as they require you to irrigate the system properly. But once done, you simply switch on and forget. The verticality saves space so they can be installed anywhere. For your renovated basement or dark areas, though, you could use UV or LED lights for gardening. The easiest option is to install hydroponic plant growers. These are amazing machines that come in different sizes for 6, 12, or 24 plants at a time. They’re an all-in-one system with built-in planters, LEDs, and a timed watering system. They’re so efficient you can grow tomatoes from seed to edible fruit in 4 weeks.
Home Brew Alcohol
In addition to growing your own food, you might want to accompany it with your very own homebrew beer and cider. For many guys, this is an absolute dream come true. But the complexities of developing a beer or cider that tastes great have always put people off the idea. Typical homebrew kits are seen as a bit of a joke. And they don’t produce anything close to consumable. Yet, it’s possible to make your own alcoholic beer and cider at home that looks and tastes fantastic for the first time ever.
Manufacturers of home brew devices like Pinter have done all the hard work for you. They have crafted cold press kits which you install into your device. These packs are made from their award-winning recipes and form the base for your homebrew. The beauty of Pinter is that it’s a no-mess system and does everything in one. The device will ferment the cold press for you, and you can tap your brew directly from the keg-shaped system. From start to finish, you can enjoy your very own beer and cider in just one week.
Home Cinema System
You would be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t love a home cinema system. But the general consensus is that a home cinema is expensive and challenging to create. Well, not really. Some equipment can indeed be costly. However, you can get great deals on projectors and sound systems. If you don’t want the very best available, you can install a system relatively cheap at around the same price as a good TV.
All you need is:
- Projector: HD with inputs or built-in card readers are best. 4K is excellent but expensive.
- Projector screen: Duronic pull-downs are best, but anything white and clean can be used. Even painted on a wall works fine for some.
- Projector stands if needed: a robust tabletop stand or a free-standing item will do.
- Audio device: any good quality soundbar will do fine.
- Wires: 20 meter HDMI, extension leads, and audio wires required.
- Seating: one or more comfy seats.
- Decoration (optional): various items such as a popcorn stand or movie posters.
The most challenging part of this entire project is positioning your projector. If you have the skill, you can place your projector on the ceiling for the best results. Determining the distance is essential and will vary depending on your screen and room size. However, you can buy a projector stand, although you will need to position your seats around it, and some can be loud or get hot.
Once your projector is installed, it is simply a case of connecting wires. This is also tricky as you don’t want loose cables everywhere, so make sure you secure them around the room with clips and tape. If done correctly, you can have a basic home cinema up and running in one day.