Tag Archives: improvements

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9 Tips for Creating the Perfect Guest Room

guest-room

The holidays are coming – is your home ready for overnight guests? Follow these suggestions to create the perfect guest room for friends and family.

  1. Offer reading material

A pile of recent magazines or a shelf of assorted books offers guests a way to wind down before bed.

  1. Add flowers

A simple flower arrangement adds class and color to any room.

  1. Provide seating

Make sure there’s somewhere cozy for guests to sit if they need some alone time during holiday chaos.

  1. Make wi-fi connection easy

Leave a piece of paper with your internet server’s name and password on the dresser so guests can easily access your wireless connection.

  1. Did they forget something?

Fill a basket with sample-sized containers of essentials, like toothpaste, mouthwash and shampoo.

  1. Add a luggage stand

Put out a folding luggage stand where guests can prop their suitcases to avoid having to squat all the way down to the floor every time they need something.

  1. Make the closet functional

Be sure to stock the closet with empty hangers for guest’s clothes.

  1. Add charm with decorations

Create a welcoming, calm space for guests. Err on the side of generic. Remember, not everyone wants to sleep surrounded by Star Wars-themed decorations or your horror movie poster collection.

  1. A picture perfect welcome

Place a framed photo of you and your guest on the nightstand.

Is your “guest room” your living room sofa? Maybe it’s time to look for a larger space; I’ll be happy to help!

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4 Considerations When Updating Appliances

appliances

Nothing lasts forever – including the “vintage” stove that came with your adorable fixer-upper or the washing machine your parents gave you when they decided to downgrade. When it’s time to replace the appliances in your home, here are four considerations to keep in mind.

  1. Repairing vs. replacing

Sometimes an appliance is so far gone (smoke is often a sign) that repairing it is not an option. And if the estimate for a repair is more than half the price of a new (or great, used) machine, Consumer Reports says you’re better off buying.

  1. Classified ads

There are several reasons someone may be selling a perfectly good appliance. They may be moving to a smaller home. They may need a bigger, more powerful version. They may no longer be able to resist the lure of a fridge with a smart panel that tells their phone when they’re out of eggs. Appliance repair pros tell Angie’s List that newer appliances tend to have about half the life span of past models, so just because a machine is a few years old, it doesn’t mean it’s time for it to go.

  1. New, but not perfect

Ads may insist Labor Day weekend (and then Veteran’s Day, and then the next holiday, etc.) is the very best time to find deals on appliances, but if you don’t mind a cosmetic blemish or two, you can find deals year-round. Many big box and furniture stores and outlets have “scratch-and-dent” sections where you can find significant discounts.

  1. Refurbished shops

Some stores specialize in repaired appliances. They often come with delivery and service offers. If you can, bring a pro (or at least a handy person) with you when you shop to take a look. If the store doesn’t know a machine’s age, you can look it up by serial number here: http://www.appliance411.com.

Is it time to upgrade your home as well as appliances? I’ll be happy to help!

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9 Mood-Lifting Ideas For a Cozier Home This Winter

warm-and-cozy-home-plants

It’s been a freakin’ long day at work and you just want to get home and relax on your deck. But nooooooo, it’s already dark outside and that chill in the air is telling you it’s time to pull out your parka. OK, inside it is. But then it hits you: Indoors feels more like a dank cave than a welcoming oasis. Depressing.

You don’t have to succumb to the winter blahs. Just implement a few of these ideas, and you’ll be warm and comfy inside until winter’s worst blows over.

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The Reasons Behind 2017’s Color Trends

feng-shui

Every year, paint company Sherwin-Williams puts together a series of palettes to predict the hues and combinations that will influence interiors in the coming year. They look not only at paint swatches but also at the cultural forces behind a color’s popularity.

Recently representatives from the company were on hand to reveal the palettes to interior designers and others attending the Chicago Design Summit. They predict surging interest in “new spirituality, cultural flux, feisty self-expression, and soulful nostalgia” will bring these four palettes to prominence in 2017.

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7 Ideas for Using Feng Shui to Create a Harmonious Home

feng-shui

The ancient Chinese art of feng shui uses design principles to create harmonious spaces that encourage health, wealth and happiness. According to the practice, colors encourage energy to flow freely throughout a structure, and each color is thought of as an expression of one of the five feng shui elements: fire, earth, metal water and wood.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when designing your home using general feng shui color principles.

  1. Wake up a space with yellow

Yellow energizes spaces and is great for brightening rooms and adding a welcoming feeling. Yellows can be an excellent choice for kitchens, living rooms, hallways and offices.

  1. Hues that work for you

If it’s a calm sanctuary for a restful night’s sleep, feng shui rules suggest water-element colors of calming blues to create tranquility. If you’d like your bedroom to be more passionate than peaceful, fire element colors like red can help crank up the heat.

  1. A blank canvas for the kitchen

In feng shui, white is one of the preferred shades for a kitchen because it encourages purity and freshness. Plus, it creates the perfect palette for the rich colors of food.

  1. Better than a lullaby

Shades of green in a child’s room help make calm, serene spaces for sleeping. Plus, wood-element shades of green also encourage growth and learning.

  1. Mind your reds

While red is the Chinese color of luck and happiness, too much of the fiery color can throw things off balance, bringing aggression and overstimulation.

  1. Shades for success

Wood-element colors like greens and browns promote creativity, and water elements like blues and blacks promote wealth. Combining shades of each can change the energy of your home workspace.

  1. Look outside your walls

According to feng shui principles, adding accent pieces and furniture in elemental shades also can help change the energy of a space. You don’t need to go big (or commit) with an entire wall.

Color can help bring balance to your home, but it works best when you’re living in a place that suits your needs. Looking for harmony in a new zip code? I’ll be happy to help!

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4 Colors That Turn Off Buyers

Designers

Could the wrong shade of paint dampen interest in a home?

First, take note of palettes consumers tell researchers they like: The favorite color combos for exteriors are white and gray, beige and taupe, and slate and black, according to the 2013 National Home Color Survey. On the inside, neutral wins too. The most popular 2016 colors include grays and shades of white, as well as natural-looking greens.

Although it’s tough to prove, a Zillow Digs analysis of 50,000 photos of recently sold homes even suggests homes with creamy yellow or wheat-colored kitchens, light green or khaki bedrooms, dove or light gray living rooms, and mauve or lavender dining rooms sold for $1,100 to $1,300 more than properties decorated with less popular colors.

So, what are the paint chips that should be avoided? Credit.com highlights the findings based on studies of colors.

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Renovation Tips to Attract Millennial Buyers

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Generation Y makes up the largest pool of potential buyers, and builders and current home owners alike are keeping their needs in mind when building and renovating homes.

The millennial generation is overwhelmed with options and information online, which is also reflected in their home search process. They are not looking to settle for a home that is good enough, they want to find one that is ready to move in and enjoy right away.

Read the article on REALTORmag…

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Paint Primer: Quick, Affordable Change-Artist

Designers

Life was simpler when the choice of paint colors was more limited. Thousands of shades with catchy names now vie for attention, from “Knitting Needles” to “Dead Salmon.” Even deciding to use white can lead to the question of which one. Paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore offers more than 250 variations on that popular theme.

And that’s just the first part of the paint quandary. Once a color is applied to walls and dries, its hue may not resemble what’s on the paint chips (the sample, also known as strip chips or color cards, displayed at many paint, hardware, and big-box stores to guide shoppers). The reason for this variation can be anything from the lack of a primer to conceal the prior color, which can bleed through, to the amount of light in the room or the color of furnishings, both of which alter the look. Even the amount of sheen in the finish selected by home owners can make a big difference in the final appearance.

By heeding these five steps, buyers and sellers can improve the odds of getting the colors they desire, which will save them time and money by avoiding the dreaded task of repainting.

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6 Tips for Creating the Perfect Patio for Grilling

Patio for Grilling

The smell of grilling kebabs, the taste of a burger hot off the barbecue, the great excuse to remain outside on a nice day: Grilling is one of life’s simple pleasures. How do you make it even better? Create a patio or deck area that feels like a vacation in your own backyard. Here are a few tips:

1. Kick off your shoes
Select tiles, stone or wood flooring material for your patio that feels nice under bare feet. Remember to choose a material that won’t get dangerously slippery when wet.

2. Appoint a place to prep
Transform your grill into an outdoor kitchen by adding dedicated prep space for the cook. Consider adding a simple high table, a prefab island with heated and cooled drawers, or a complete built-in setup with a sink and fridge.

3. Protect your guests
Canopies and umbrellas are an easy way to make sure your guests don’t fry while you grill.

4. Light your night
Strategic lighting can help create a cozy ambience. Tiki torches, strings of tiny lights, lanterns and candles can all help paint a mood. A few citronella candles will keep the bugs away.

5. Furnish for comfort
Choose outdoor furniture that’s comfy, not just stylish. If you have metal chairs, splurge for cushy pillows. Not only will they help keep your guests happy, they’re an easy way to add color to your outdoor living area.

6. Let your drinks chill
Whether it’s a giant bucket of ice, a wheeled cooler or a built-in mini fridge, having a place to stash drinks cuts back on annoying trips to the kitchen.

Looking for a home with a great spot to grill? Contact me!

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What Not to Do as a New Homeowner

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We know so well the thrill of owning your own house — but don’t let the excitement cause you to overlook the basics. We’ve gathered up a half dozen classic boo-boos new homeowners often commit — and give you some insight on why each is critically important to avoid.