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Category: Home Makeover

  • HOW TO FIX 5 COMMON BATHROOM ISSUES

    Homeownership has plenty of perks. You can make changes whenever you want, but that also means you are responsible for making any fixes that you want (or need)! Instead of calling the local handyman every time something small goes awry, you can try out these quick fixes for common bathroom issues that arise while saving yourself some money along the way.

    1. Shifting Toilet Seat

    Is your toilet seat wobbling every time you sit down? Sometimes, there are visible bolts to tighten, but that just doesn’t fix the issue. Many are unaware that you can actually purchase a toilet seat tightening kit. Most home improvement stores will carry an inexpensive kit, usually around $10. Rather than investing in a new toilet seat, you can save time and money by picking up a kit the next time you’re out.

    2. Slippery Shower

    There are two main options to remedy a slippery shower. If you have a geriatric family member, a shower chair may be the best option to provide security. These chairs can be as affordable as $20 and can offer peace of mind when it comes to the safety of your loved ones. If chairs aren’t for you, a non-slip bath mat will keep you from falling in the shower and cost as much as a few coffees.

    3. Clogged Shower Head

    Do you normally have great water pressure, but now your shower feels like a slow leak? Your shower head is likely clogged from a build up of minerals in your water. Instead of calling the plumber or heading to the store to buy toxic chemicals, you can use ingredients already in your home to fix your problem. All you need to do is fill a sandwich bag halfway full with white vinegar, submerge the shower head into the vinegar in the bag, and tie the bag to the piping and allow the head to soak overnight. When you remove the bag, you should wipe the head to remove any excess and then your shower should be back to normal pressure.

    4. Slow Drain

    Before calling a professional, consider trying a Zip-It tool. You can find one at your local hardware store for around $5, but you have to be willing to deal with a little bit of gunk. The tool is placed in the drain and pulls out whatever is clogging it, usually hair and soap. If you can get past that, you’ll save yourself the price of a plumber.

    5. Leaking Water Valve

    Instead of heading to the store for a replacement water supply valve, try tightening the packing nut on the valve. A quick video search online will show you which nut to tighten, and it will only take a few minutes. Now you’ve saved time and money!

    While these are easy fixes to do yourself, selling your home isn’t nearly as easy to DIY. Call me today if you are ready to put your home on the market!

  • Give Your Home a Morale Makeover

    7 easy ways to revitalize your space and boost your mood

    With many Americans spending a lot more time at home, you may find your house taking on the roles of office, classroom, gym and community center — and it’s easy to feel uninspired by your surroundings after occupying the same space day in, day out. But all hope is not lost: There are simple and inexpensive ways to transform your home into a fresh and stimulating environment. Give your home some TLC with these seven tips from interior decorators, feng shui experts and design enthusiasts.

    Break it up

    If you’re working at home, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by conflicting responsibilities. To help stay on track, designate different areas for specific activities. It’s important to ‘compartmentalize’ your living space. Assign specific areas for fitness, work and leisure: Dig out a yoga mat from under the bed and dedicate an area to working out. Clean and organize the desk in the living room or office to serve as a ‘command station’ for going online and making phone calls. The bedroom doubles as another workspace and is perfect for napping or watching movies in bed. If you live in a studio, you can simulate separate “rooms” by splitting up the space with curtains, bookshelves or other furniture.

    Experiment with color

    Painting the walls is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to immediately invigorate any home. For a classic look that will hold up against almost any decor, opt for cool neutrals; if you prefer something more dramatic, consider adding a pop of color to a feature wall. Feng shui experts and interior designers recommend greens and blues: they are most associated with health, calm and well being. If you’re not ready to commit to painting, it is suggested to use accessories like throw pillows, an area rug, curtains or artwork to bring color into your space.

    Streamline and declutter

    With millions of us now living and working alongside family members, significant others and roommates, our homes may suddenly seem more cramped than ever before. There’s no better way to create spatial harmony than decluttering: it works a powerful magic in that it gets your entire space up to speed with you. Experts recommend starting small with a contained space like a bathroom, which “will give you a quick feeling of accomplishment and encourage you to do the next space.” The benefits of a tidy space extend beyond aesthetics — research has found that clearing clutter can lower stress levels.

    Do a digital detox

    The digital detox movement is not new, but it’s worth revisiting in this climate of constant COVID-19 news and social media chatter. Though it’s important to stay informed about the health crisis, it’s easy to slip from a healthy level of engagement to compulsive checking. To reduce screen dependence, set up manageable boundaries based on time or place. For example, designate dinnertime as phone-free, or remove mobile tech devices from your bedroom for a daily reset.

    Invigorate with scents

    Scent is a powerful vehicle for uplifting your mood. Every room should have a different scent track to score your moment. Use woody scents like cedar, palo santo, oud, copal and frankincense to feel grounded; rosemary for invigoration; and incense to focus and meditate. There are many ways to suffuse a room with scent — candles, oil diffusers, air mists and fresh flowers, to name a few. For a more subtle effect, crack open a window to balance out your chosen fragrance with fresh air.

    Greenify and purify

    While you’re staying put, there’s no better time to bring the outside world in. If there’s one thing that makes a space feel livable, it’s some elements of green. Not only do plants bring light and color, they also add oxygen to your home — something that many of us could use more of as we hunker down indoors. Consider the level of care you want to give: Some folks may find something less fussy to be easier to deal with, whereas others may want a more ‘high-maintenance’ plant that requires attention every day. Whichever plant you choose, she says that the ritual of maintaining it can be deeply healing.

    Lighten up

    Natural light is the top office perk, according to a study of workplace benefits published in the Harvard Business Review. If your home is now your office, you have more control than ever over the light conditions of your workday. To maximize your exposure to natural light, position your desk near a window and keep drapes and shades open during the daytime. If you don’t have much natural light coming in, it is recommended to affix aluminum mini-blinds to your windows. You can direct or cut out light (and inquisitive neighbors across the street) as needed, and when the sun hits them just right, you can use them to throw light into the room without getting blinded. Adding reflective surfaces — like a mirror, lacquered table, or chrome lamp — enhances the light in dark rooms.

  • Upgrade Your Dining Room Decor with Simple Elegance

    For many of us, the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life means our houses see more chaos and traffic than a rush-hour train station. The idea of an oft-used space like the dining room looking buttoned-up with sophisticated decor is almost laughable.

    But lately we’ve noticed a return to formality: More homebuyers are seeking out properties with a formal dining room, and current homeowners are warming to the idea of bringing more refined furnishings into their dining area. Some experts chalk it up to a stark reaction to the years we spent being casual and cozy indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    So with the spring season right around the corner, now is a great time to focus on adding a bit of elegance to your dining room decor. To inspire your aesthetic overhaul, here are five trending looks:

    1. Mauve velvet chairs
    J    ewel-tone velvet dining chairs have had a hold on the design world for a while now. The trend toward using velvet dining chairs in shades like mauve is driven by a desire for warmth, coziness, and a touch of glamor. These chairs pair well with a variety of dining tables, from traditional to modern, and work particularly well with brass or gold accents. They also bring sophistication, elegance, and depth to the overall design of the room.
    Get the look: Smarten up your dining room with a few mauve side chairs.

    2. Chinoiserie wall art
    Create an elegant focal point in your dining room by adding some Chinoiserie-style wall art. The trend toward using Chinoiserie wall art is driven by a desire to bring a touch of Eastern-inspired beauty and elegance to the home. These pieces pair well with a variety of decor styles, from classic to contemporary, and work particularly well with light-colored walls. The intricate and colorful designs are inspired by traditional Chinese motifs and provide a timeless and classic style.
    Get the look: Create a classic vibe in your space with framed prints.

    3. Grass-cloth wallpaper
    The dining room is a popular place for homeowners to experiment with wallpaper. And the grass-cloth wallpaper adds visual interest and sophistication to an otherwise dull space. Made from plants dried in the sun, grass-cloth wallpaper surrounds your room in warmth and texture. Its popularity is easy to trace since the biophilic design trend has been going strong for a few years with homeowners seeking out additional ways to bring the outside in. You can achieve the same look for less with a printed wallpaper in a grass-cloth pattern.
    Get the look: Embrace the great outdoors this spring with faux grass-cloth wallpaper.

    4. Large stone vase
    If your dining room is lacking a central statement piece, seek out a stone vase. An oversized textured stone vase works well to create balance with another textured object in the room like a light fixture, furniture, or big spring flowers. It’s a natural look that feels right in a room with other earthy materials like linen, rattan, or even a beige area rug.
    Get the look: Balance out your springtime bouquet with a handcrafted terra-cotta vase.

    5. Blown-glass pendants
    An elegant dining room doesn’t have to be stuffy! Get creative and add an artistic oomph above your dining table with blown-glass pendants. Blown-glass pendant lights are a functional way to bring an artistic element into your home. A homeowner with an eclectic style will be drawn to the opportunity to hang vivid colors and shapes over their dining room table.

    Get the look: Find the perfect expression of your artistic vision by shopping collections of blown-glass pendants on Etsy.

  • 5 Beautiful Decor Combinations to Add Value to Your Bathroom

    Some things are just meant to go together: macaroni and cheese, Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert, a bubble bath and a glass of wine. But when it comes to bathroom decor, some pairings are less obvious.

    If you’re looking to liven up your look or add value to a bathroom in your home you plan on selling, the following design ideas are sure to provide some inspiration. Here are five dreamy bathroom design pairs made in heaven:

    1. Natural wood cabinetry + black walls
    If you have a natural wood vanity in your bathroom, this tip is for you. The painted black walls really make the wood tone pop. The mix of rustic wood and black walls is fast becoming the newest take on modern farmhouse decor. Lighter oak finishes are having a moment, and what better way to highlight them than with the dark contrast of black walls.
    Get the look: Complement the light wood cabinetry in your bathroom by painting the walls Midsummer Night by Benjamin Moore.

    2. Brick flooring + cream-color walls
    Whether you start with the cream-color walls or the timeless brick flooring, there’s no denying the power of this decor combo. The design creates such a wonderfully warm bathroom with creamy walls and rustic flooring. The natural world is being brought into bathroom design lately to great effect: creamy natural colors and organic materials are all trending right now. Cream and beige tones have eclipsed gray as the neutral shades du jour.
    Get the look: Get in on this trend by painting your bathroom walls Pink Damask by Benjamin Moore and installing herringbone tile that looks like brick (without the brick price tag).

    3. Exposed beams + a Turkish rug
    When you have a neutral-tone bathroom, lean on colorful, handwoven textiles to invigorate the space. We love the combination of the wood beams and the vintage Turkish rug. This combination of materials and textures creates an eclectic look that works for a variety of different design styles, from bohemian to modern.
    Get the look: Shop for antique Turkish rugs on Etsy, or up the warmth in your bathroom with colorful washable rugs.

    4. Marble wainscoting + a bronze mirror
    Marble and metallics are a classic combination for the bathroom. Marble wainscoting adds a sense of sophistication and refinement to a powder room, while brass decor adds a touch of glamor. The result is a high-end and cohesive design that’s visually stunning, functional, and easy to maintain.
    Get the look: Combine Carrara marble tiles with a bronze mirror for an opulent powder room.

    5. Vintage vanity + geometric tiles
    There’s nothing quite like pairing something old (like a vintage vanity) with something new (like a geometric tile backsplash). Using a vintage piece of furniture as a vanity is a great way to repurpose materials and bring true design cred to your space, while the geometric tiles climb the wall like a trellis and work to draw the eye upward.
    Get the look: Pair your perfectly vintage vanity with these marble mosaic tiles.

  • Simple Ways to Refresh Your Space

    It’s easy to get sick of your home decor, especially if you have been staying home a lot.  With the warmer weather approaching, take some time to give your home a little refresh.  There’s no need to do a complete makeover of your home, just switch up a few things.  You’ll be surprised how a few simple changes can give you a whole new outlook!

    Take Advantage of Natural Light
    With spring on the horizon, we are starting to see a little more sun peeking out, so open those blinds and bask in the natural light. Instead of flipping on your lights in the morning, pull back the curtains and let sunshine fill your home.  The simple act of opening your windows can help lift your mood, and you’ll save a little on your electric bill too.

    You can also take advantage of the natural light to add in some more houseplants or help your current ones thrive! By simply adding in natural light, you have so many options to refresh and enjoy your living space.

    Give Your Home a Good Clean
    It seems simple but giving your space a deep cleaning and decluttering can instantly revitalize a room and make your home much more livable.  Even if you only go this far, it will surely make a major difference in refreshing your home. Set goals to clean and declutter one space at a time, and then work to organize anything left behind.  This is an easy and rewarding way to give your home a quick refresh!

    Change Up Your Bedding
    Making small updates to your bedroom, like changing up your bedding can change the whole look of your room and give it a fresh feel. This is the perfect time of year to wake up your bedroom with some new bedding. Or simply refresh your look by switching out your heavy winter blankets, throws, and pillows with lighter-weight and lighter-toned versions.  You could also add some throw pillows or a blanket at the end of your bed to add different textures and colors.

    Rearrange Your Furniture
    Rearranging your furniture is an easy and free way to completely transform your space.  Try changing up things or even losing pieces that just don’t fit. You’d be surprised how doing this can make your space seem more open and change the whole look of the room, while also becoming more functional. Plus, it’s kind of fun to shake things up a bit and change your furniture layout.

    If you are feeling bored with your space, you don’t have to completely remodel your home to switch things up! By swapping out a few pieces, adding in some new decor, or even letting more light in, you can achieve the looks you want.  These are all cheap and easy alternatives that will have a major impact on your living space!