Cost and thermal efficiency are top priorities for homeowners during the winter months. Use these tips to help jumpstart your next home improvement project and keep your home warm and dry this winter.

Keeping your home warm and dry through the bitter winter months is the primary goal behind these popular home renovation projects. These tips can also help you save some money. In a struggling economy, cost-efficiency is more important than ever, making heat retention and protection against moisture top priorities for homeowners.

* Heat Retention: Insulation and Weatherproofing
Keeping warm, while remaining cost-efficient, is important, and in this year’s economy, homeowners are being more diligent than ever. Making small home improvements, like installing a digital thermostat, caulking around doors and windows, and repairing or reinstalling insulation between walls and ceilings are all projects that can help efficiently retain the heat in your home, not to mention the money in your wallet.
* Exterior Protection: Roofing and Siding
Protecting your home from nasty winter weather is essential not only to your family’s good health and comfort, but also to the life of your home. Maintaining roofing and siding can also extend the life of interior elements like pipes, insulation, ceilings, and walls.
* Basement Renovation and Waterproofing
Water and moisture are the top causes of basement damage, so keeping your home protected during wet, winter months is essential. Sometimes, waterproofing is all a basement needs, but a complete basement renovation can be a rewarding winter home improvement project.

Winter is also a great time to take advantage of sales at retail stores and home service companies. Some contractors have greater availability during the winter months, allowing you to be choosy and even negotiate the price you need to get your next home improvement project on its way.

Small spaces have great potential when it comes to house interior design. Make more room while giving each space your unique design expression by applying these 7 rules the pros use!

1. Slim Down – Get a large box, basket or bag and sift through those small accents. Too many little things sitting around a small room will clog of the room’s space quickly. It’s amazing how much air space you will create by being super specific about what you have placed on table tops and shelves.

2. Trim Down – Heavy, bulky window treatments not only block the limited light in your small room but are also space hoggers. Free those windows by using shades, blinds or even shutters. There are some gorgeous options to be made or purchased at your favorite house interior design store. Have a little extra money to spend, have your blinds custom designed in fabrics that compliment the rest of your room’s decor.

3. Color Down – Though a variety of color breaks up a large house, too much color in a small one will work against your already limited amount of space. It is best to paint all the walls one color or use a similar pallet hue for small subtle changes from room to room.

4. Lighten Up – Pull in that limited light with the use of mirrors positioned directly across from a window. Use semi gloss paint to reflect the light and keep your furniture polished and your appliances clean.

5. Fabric Up – It is better to fabric up your accents and leave the large furniture pieces to solids. If you already have a busy couch with a floral print, shapes or strips, consider toning things down a bit with a slip cover. Then, bring in those extra fabrics in your accents to provide some visual depth and emotional interest. Have fun with this part of your house interior design project!

Bring in those weaves, patterns, and quilted fabrics for this.

6. Liven Up – Nothing says open space and health like fresh plants placed around a room. Potted plants are preferred but bountiful bouquets regularly freshened up will also work well.

Limited for room? Positioning a potted plant in front of the fireplace mantle during the warmest time of the year is a great use of that space. Angle your furniture and use the extra space to display an indoor tree or palm.

7. Step Up – Light bare wood is always the best and beautiful of option for giving a small room a larger appearance. Flooring in an apartment cannot be changed but it can be changed up! Place a lighter area rug on top of the existing carpet. Or in the case of a dark linoleum find a light bamboo or Berber to bring out the light.