Spring is a time for new beginnings, when you may want to update the look and feel of your home. At a loss for where and how to start?

No worries! I reached out to You-Neek Designs, 1946 Painters Run Road, to get some expert advice.

Emily Klapkowski, Carleton Drive, owner, visionary and chief design officer, prefers the term “must haves” when designing a new space vs. “trend,” which can be a turn off to clients not wanting trendy spaces or features that will come and go in popularity. “Our philosophy is always form follows function, as coined by Louis Sullivan,” said Klapkowski. Sullivan shaped modern architecture with his iconic designs and influential philosophy.

Here’s a room by room look at what Klapkowski recommends.

KITCHEN:

• Include island or peninsula seating to replace the traditional eat-in kitchen table.  This gives room for a “formal” dining space to be within the kitchen and eliminates a separate walled-in dining room.  It’s a great way to reclaim square footage in your home that is typically used a handful of times a year.
• Laptop cubbies in an island or peninsula are great for charging technology and putting homework away when dinner is ready.
• Outlets on both ends of your island are crucial for using small appliances on the largest counter space in the kitchen, especially when entertaining.
• Countertop appliance garages with outlets are perfect for small appliance storage to make items used frequently easily accessible.

For clients trying to incorporate TVs into the kitchen, but not wanting to take up counter space or have an eyesore on the wall, Klapkowski suggests frame TVs as the perfect solution. They coordinate with your design and display customizable artwork when not in use.

If you’re looking to rid counter tops of everything possible, you might want to try a built-in paper towel holder with replacements stored behind it. “A place for everything and everything in its place,” Klapkowski pointed out.

MASTER BATHROOM:

Moving to the bathroom, why not try heated floors? “They’re a simple and low cost feature to add into every bathroom renovation that increases comfort tremendously,” Klapkowski said.

Other recommendations:

• Include a handheld shower head in addition to a wall mounted/ceiling mounted shower head to make cleaning the shower easier.
• When space allows, a bench in a custom shower is a must-have.
• Make sure to switch a shower fan/light combo fixture with each function (fan, light and nightlight) separately and pick a quiet fan.  “Everyone has been in that hotel room with the fan that sounds like a fighter jet is taking off, but you can’t just turn the light on by itself.  This is a simple request of the electrician,” Klapkowski pointed out.
• Power and charging capabilities should not be only in the wall above the vanity, but in the vanity cabinetry, as well.  Charging drawers and countertop “garages” for frequently used electronics like hair dryers, straighteners, or toothbrushes help keep the bathroom tidy by storing things out of sight, yet at your fingertips.
• Built-in garbage cans have become a staple in the kitchen, but can be equally important in the bathroom where square footage is at a minimum.
• Bidets have risen in popularity and they have a wide range of functionality and price points.  A lower cost option is simply a bidet toilet seat.

“If you aren’t ready to pull the trigger on this item, add an outlet near the back of the toilet, which gives you the opportunity to add it easily down the road,” according to Klapkowski.

HOME OFFICE:

• The basic of home office ergonomics starts with a sit-to-stand desk.  Standing has been shown to increase productivity and energy, as well as reduce back pain.
• A fully articulating keyboard tray allows adjustability, so the forearm and wrist rest in a comfortable position without impeding nerves, thus fending off carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Monitor arms provide height, tilt and depth adjustability, so you can fix the monitors at the exact height for your head to be in a comfortable alignment with your neck/back.
• The final piece to the ergonomic puzzle? Find a chair that provides seat and arm height adjustability along with recline, seat depth and arm pad movement, so you have fit the chair to your exact proportions.

Finally, now that you’ve taken care of your home’s interior, let’s move outside.

PATIO/DECK:

• Include a covered area to protect from the sun and rain, so you can lounge and eat under cover when the weather isn’t perfect.
• When space doesn’t allow for both covered and uncovered space, choose a retractable awning or mechanical louvered pergola to have the best of both worlds.  This allows you to toggle between covered and uncovered space as needed.
• Include a TV into the lounge area to bring your family room outside 3/4 of the year.  Indoor TVs work fine in spaces that have permanent cover and are shielded from the weather.  Outdoor TVs are a great option for full weather patios and decks, although they are a good bit pricier than an indoor TV.
• To get the most use of an outdoor space in Pittsburgh weather, ceiling fans and electric infrared heaters are a must.  This will extend the use of your exterior space to 3/4 of the year.
• Outdoor kitchens have increased in popularity and for good reason.  They can house not only a grille, but smokers, refrigerators, ice makers, griddles, sinks and not to mention storage and serving space.
• “There are great composite cabinetry options that provide more functionality than a traditional outdoor kitchen constructed of masonry,” Klapkowski pointed out.
• Invest in furniture covers whether the space is covered or uncovered.  They will extend the life of your furniture and keep them looking new longer.  Some furnishing lines offer the option to buy covers, but if not, you can always have custom covers made easily and affordably.

“In Mt. Lebanon, people don’t want to move,” Klapkowski said. “They love where they are. They just need more space.”