Improved Security: Home Design Ideas That Matter

Designing or redesigning a home is usually a process that throws the focus on the visual improvements of the overall aesthetics of the place. But designing a home where we can age safely and gracefully means so much more than buying new paintings and changing furniture around. In fact, your top priority should be to create a safe living environment that is equally stylish and comfortable for people of all ages. The problem is that we often don’t think as “criminals” and don’t really know what safety measures really matter. While it’s not a problem to find home decor ideas on sites like Pinterest, finding good actionable ideas that will improve your home safety can require some detective work. But don’t worry! We have read anything worth reading and can present you with a list of home design ideas that really makes a difference when it comes to making your home as safe as possible! 

12 Actionable Ideas For a Safe Home

1. Always, and we can’t emphasize this enough, always use professionals with good and validated reputation as service providers for anything that you do but especially when it comes to improving locks on doors and windows or installing security cameras and alarms! 
2. Garage Doors – more important than you may think! According to the Locksmiths Locator, about 71% of people use their garage door as the main entry for their home. Many forget to lock them, some don’t even have a proper lock on the garage door or between the garage and the home. If this sounds like you, take care of it today!
3. Consider installing electronic locks on the entryways, so you can control them better and from a remote distance, via bluetooth technologies and a smartphone. An authorized and experienced locksmith for homes should be able to assess all of your door and window lock needs and make the most pertinent recommendations. A door lock is sometimes all that will be standing between you and a potential intruder. So make sure you opt for the sturdiest locks you can afford – it wouldn’t hurt to put some extra money aside for your home lock and alarm needs. 
4. Think long term. Even though you might not feel old yet, you will need to consider reinforcing options in the walls with the help of grab bars. You will thank yourself in a few years. If your home has several stories, you should make the stairs 42 inches wide so you can later on fit a stair lift. You can also stack a coupe of closets and turn them into an elevator sometime in the future.
5. Design your new vanities in such a way that you can get rid of the lower cabinets.
6. If you are in the building phase of your new home then start by widening your corridors, if possible. Try to embrace the 40 inch corridors instead of the standard 36 inches. Your doorways should also be at least 34 inches wide instead of the usual 30.
7. Opt for electronic locks that will give your home a touch of modern design and aesthetics. A professional locksmith with hands-on experience will tell you which locks are best for your particular types of doors.
8. If you cannot afford electronic locks with fingerprint or card access, you can opt for deadbolt locks. Commercial grade-1 or grade-2 deadbolt locks added to your existing sets of locks are some of the most trustworthy types of locks for residential needs.
9. Install a wireless home alarm instead of a wired one. This way, you will not only get rid of the annoying and visually disturbing white wires around the house, but also prevents potential intruders from cutting the wires when breaking in.
10. Lower the electrical switches and raise the outlets at the bottom of your stairs in case you plan on installing a lift.
11. Place LED lights with sensors around the house, on the patio and in the backyard for enhanced security.
12. Improve the exterior aspect of your home by trimming down the trees, bushes, and shrugs periodically. This will deter burglars lurking around.

As you can see from this list, it’s often small changes that makes a big difference when it comes to security and home safety. You really do not need to make huge changes around the house in order to make your home both safer and more appealing to the eye!