8 Romantic Remodel Ideas to Rekindle the Love at Home

If you’ve ever remodeled a home (or even a room), you know just how frustrating it can get. But instead of sitting in your newly renovated home and being reminded of remodeling spats, why not build a home that keeps the romance alive?

What if we told you that remodeling your home can set the foundations for a stronger relationship? Cohabitating can often become routine. Individual routines come into sync and your home simply becomes a space in which you get things done (or rest to get more things done). But because it’s always the season of love, the spaces we live in should remind us of everything that inspired us to cohabitate in the first place. 

Let’s think of remodeling with a new perspective and delve into romantic home renovation and design ideas. These home projects for couples can help foster romance by creating corners that inspire an escape, nooks that spark intimacy, and a space that reminds you of the warm and fuzzy side of your relationship.

There’s a plethora of ways to design a home with romance in mind.

1. Intimate Outdoor Escape

Dedicating a place (or places) where you can get away together is key, and this includes your outdoor space as well. The burden on our homes to accommodate every occasion and need is growing every day. Dedicating an outdoor space, no matter the size, to connect with your partner and disconnect from the world is important to avoid burnout. The fresh air also acts as a daily dose of vitamin C for your relationship, strengthening your patience and recharging your positivity for the day. These positive sensations are sure to fire yummy endorphins, dopamines, and oxytocins as well. 

Design your outdoor spaces to accommodate romantic escapes.

The dedicated approach to an outdoor living space can range anywhere from outdoor patio furniture on a veranda to a backyard fire pit. However, a small hanging deck table, string lights, or simply a place to sit back and enjoy the view can also do the trick. If you’re not surrounded by nature, then add some plants to your outdoor space. Make a routine of having morning coffees with your S.O. or a refreshing drink to rekindle fond vacation memories in the evenings. The goal of this DIY project for couples is to have a space that transports you to another world, no matter how fleeting it is.

Intimate outdoor escapes are possible in many homes.

2. Fire It Up

If you want to put less of a conscious effort into watering your relationship all the time, install a fireplace — it’ll take a bit of the load off. Whether it's a traditional wood-burning fireplace or electronic, turning it on becomes part of this romantic ritual. We shouldn’t underestimate the power our senses have over us. With the sounds of the crackling fire, the warmth against the skin, and the organic sepia color that envelops that space, a toasty fire is sure to set the mood for bonding. A relaxing, exciting, peaceful, or intimate atmosphere is ideal and necessary to wind down and crank up the love. You can convene here to catch up or watch a film. Whatever you do, this at-home project for couples is the perfect romantic idea for an at-home date.

Aim for design elements that keep the fire alive at home.

Let’s not forget, although this opens up the need for more design decision-making (will it be brick-laden or modern chic?), it is an axial part of a beautiful room and can significantly increase the value of your home. 

3. The Powers of the Home Theater

‘Netflix and chill’ has turned movie-watching into the bread and butter of our free time. But since we’re doing more of it, it’s worth bringing the ‘special’ factor back to movie nights. A home theater is a great investment that will give you many cozy hours to escape from reality together. If a full-fledged home theater is not within your budget, you can achieve the same cinematic effect with a projector, as well. To realize this DIY home project for couples, make adjustments to your living room to transform the space as much as possible from how it serves you during the day to how it serves you when you finally have time to yourselves. You might add wall sconces that replicate the lighting ambiance you typically find in theaters and helps establish suspension of disbelief. Excitement and romance thrive in a place that is cut off from reality.

The excitement of suspended disbelief in your own home is worth the investment.

4. A Hobby Corner

Create a comfortable corner to enjoy a shared hobby together. If you’re both avid bookworms, set aside part of your renovation budget to create a cozy reading nook for two. Whether it’s a whimsical window-sill setup or bean bags that hug for a more earthy feel, make sure you give yourself an opportunity to be together even if your noses are stuck in different books.

Try building a home that helps you nourish your relationship.

If musicophilia is your shared obsession, you should consider creating a listening room (or corner) as a project for couples to do together. Soundproof walls, distinctive decor, vinyl, and good speakers are all you really need to create a mini-concert hall in your home. And you don’t have to make music to make use of a studio. No matter how big or small, a designated space for a specific leisure activity is always more exciting than doing it all in the same space as studies, work, or chores. Here is a listening corner by interior designer Jennifer Salvemini, acclaimed as one of Cultured Magazine's "Hudson Valley Architects and Designers to know". This little gem was her contribution to the 2020 Kingston Design Showhouse and it is sure to inspire.

5. A Kitchen for Two Chefs

If your hobby is food, make sure your kitchen has enough working space for you two to cook together. Team building exercises usually entail cooperation towards one goal and the result is a more open relationship with your team. Similarly, sharing the task of making a romantic dinner at home with your S.O. will turn it from a chore into an enjoyable activity. This project for couples can be made more comfortable by installing a kitchen island, planning for enough countertop space, and saving room for kitchen seating (whether they’re bar stools or a small café table).

Consider remodeling your home to accommodate two for chores and enjoyment.

With many of us working and cooking at home more often, the cut-off time between work and play isn’t always clear or at the same time for both of you. But even if you manage to commit to cooking together once a week, it may grow to be an endearing habit.

6. Let There Be (All Sorts of) Light

Lighting plays a tangible role on our moods. Therefore, when you get to the electrical stage of your remodeling project for couples, think about the kinds of lighting available and the kind of setting each can establish. You can even hire a lighting specialist to best tell you the options out there and which to choose for the environment you want to achieve.

It’s almost surreal how lighting can help in setting the mood.

Naturally, our focus is on an environment that is conducive to calm and relaxation, which is where love can grow. Many couples will agree that even when things are going great in the relationship, it’s hard to shake off responsibilities and the rest of the day to get in a romantic mood. Here is where a light dimmer, light fixtures along the hallways, and lamps can really help to set the mood in a particular room. Megan Dufresne, head designer of MC Design, explains that “Mini LED ceiling lights create the feeling of being under a dark sky full of stars and can be used in the bathroom or bedroom.”

7. The Bedroom

Of all the places in your home, the bedroom holds the most promise to keep the metaphoric fire burning. The bedroom should be a place of comfort, and the design, layout, and decor should make it feel like a place you never want to leave. Don’t overlook the choice of bedding. Softer colors and plush textures tend to draw you in and are great romantic bedroom ideas. Megan says, “Never underestimate the power of cozy, luxurious bedding to create a warm and inviting space. A fireplace in the bedroom doesn't hurt either.” Added seating for leisure or work creates even more opportunities to spend time together than you might have otherwise spent apart.

Making your interior design romantic and relaxing is a great way to rekindle the love.

A master bathroom for two creates yet another excuse to do together what you might normally do separately. Most couples are forced to go their separate ways as soon as they wake up and reunite in the evening, tired and eager to eat and sleep. As a building project for couples, consider designing your home to accommodate two, even for the small things like brushing your teeth. A double vanity can contribute to a more connected relationship. The crème de la crème of making the mundane intimate is, of course, the double shower, which can be a decadent but beautiful addition and a life-changing new habit.

8. Color: The Not-So-Placebo Placebo Effect on Happiness

It’s no secret that colors can make us feel happy, gloomy, relaxed, or energetic, which is why the color of our walls is so important. It can be a little tricky to get this home project for couples right, but there are colorists who can help you decide on tones, hues, and combinations. Red always represents romance, drama, and passion. You can add red curtains, pillows, or a throw blanket, or go all the way and paint a whole wall red. Just do so in the rooms that can help set the mood before you head to the bedroom. Give the bedroom softer, more nurturing colors. This balance will be sure to help highlight two equally important aspects of your relationship.

Color choice plays an important role in your and your partner's mood.