Month: December 2018

A Nicer Home: How To Decide Between Remodeling and Buying New

When your house is not up to your standards, you may be faced with the question of whether to remodel or buy a new home. Both options have their pros and cons. It is up to you to determine which option is the best for you. This decision can be difficult to make, so here is a list of things to consider when making the decision. 

1. Does the cost of the remodel make sense? Decide what renovations you would like to do to your home. Once you have made this decision, get a quote from a contractor to see what the cost would be. Getting the quote will help you determine if the cost is worth it. If you will need financing for the renovation, take your homes value into consideration. You would not want to take out more money than the home is valued at. Of course, you can use the value it will be at after renovations are finished. 

2. Are you happy with the neighborhood your house is in? If you love the neighborhood that your home is currently in, then you may want to stay. Finding a new house that meets all your criteria and is in the same neighborhood, can be hard to find. Renovating would probably be the best choice in this situation. 

3. Does your family fit in your home? Look at your ten-year plan for your family. Does your current home fit with those plans? If your plan is to add a child to your family, then you may need to buy a larger home. It could also be time for you to downsize. Basing your decision on your ten-year plan, gives you a good idea on whether or not remodeling would be worth it. 

4. Does your home hold sentimental value? We spend so much time in our homes and sometimes a home can hold sentimental value. If your home is more than just a house and holds special sentimental value, then it may be worth it for you to renovate. 

5. Is the renovation time something you can live with? Renovations take time to complete. During this time your home will be under construction. Your family will be living in a construction zone while the renovation is going on. It’s important to get a timeline from your contractor. Then decide if you can handle your home being torn apart for that length of time. 

6. Are you over improving your home? When doing a renovation to your home it’s important to know the market that your in. You would not want your home to become over improved for the neighborhood you live in. The best way to do this is to look at the comparable homes in the area. If the homes in the neighborhood are not as updated as you would like your home to be, then it’s time to sell the home and buy new. 

7. Does a new house meet your wish list items? You should have a wish list for your home. This is a list of all the upgrades you want in your home. When you renovate your home you choose every detail. This ensures that your home is exactly what you want it to be. Buying a new home can mean you possibly miss out on some of your wish list items. 

8. Will renovating one section make the other rooms seem out of date? Renovating your kitchen may make the bathrooms seem out of date. If you don’t plan to renovate the entire home, this is something to take into consideration. The home should flow together. Determine what rooms will be renovated, then decide if renovating will bring light to the other sections of the home. 

Deciding to renovate or buy a new home can be a stressful decision. Using this list can help make that decision easy.

Dave CarmoLeave a comment

Some Tips For Giving Your Home A Sense of Style

 Do you want to add style to your home without busting your budget? Making your home look high-end doesn’t have to be difficult. The first rule of business is to clean out your home and add elements that will make it more visually appealing. Here are some tips for adding style to your home. 

Get Rid of the Clutter

The first thing you should do is de-clutter your home. It’s easy to let the clutter build-up in your home, especially in the winter months. The moment that spring arrives is the perfect time to declutter your home. Getting on top of your cleaning will allow you to enjoy your home more often. It will also inspire you to style your home the way you want. 

Give your home new life by organizing and getting rid of clutter. That way your home will feel fresh and new every time you walk into the front door. Enforce a regular cleaning routine by splitting up chores among your entire family. Everyone will do their part in making your home look and feel better. 

Get Stylish With Storage

One easy way to add style to your home is with storage. Stylish storage is a concern for many homeowners. When they think of storage, they think of plastic containers. While space is something that you need, you can add more space and style with beautiful storage solutions. 

Choose one piece of storage furniture such as a sideboard or a free-standing cabinet. This extra bit of storage is sure to add a stylish element to your home. Buying storage furniture will make a huge difference in the look of your home. It’s also a great way to clear out your home and make room for more stuff. 

Welcome Light Into Your Home

Light can make a huge difference in how your home looks. When spring approaches, the brighter days and longer days will become a wonderful addition to your home. There has been a huge trend in dark interiors over the years. By the springtime, the shift will return to light as bold accents such as sunflower walls and bright lights will make a welcome return. 

Think of combining a velvet sofa with bright colors. These elements immediately add depth and will improve your mood. Add a little bit of luxury with detailed home accessories such as woven baskets and square lamps. They will make your home feel more like a 5-star hotel. 

Add Elements of Art

Art is one of the best ways to add a touch of style to your home. It’s one of the most important elements of a well-decorated home. But adding too much artwork can quickly cheapen your space. There’s nothing worse than using too many mass-produced prints and artwork. 

Place the focus on one particular artwork. If you can’t afford to attend an art show, browse online shops like Etsy or Art.com. You’ll be able to find something that’s unique and affordable enough to fit your budget. If you’re feeling creative, you can make your own artwork and display it in your home. 

Repaint Your Walls

There’s a new way to make a home feel stylish than to repaint your walls. Choose the right colors that will give your home an instant makeover. If you’re afraid of color, opt for neutral colors instead. The minimalist trend is still popular in home interior design. 

Combine a freshly painted white wall with a bold accent such as a framed map of the world or a wooden accented mirror. Add some color to your home with the right accessories. Sometimes framed photos, window trims, and throw pillows do the trick. 

Focus on the Details

No matter what you do, you should focus on the details. Combine décor with other elements that add visual appeal to an otherwise bland space. Center your decoration around a theme so that they’re cohesive and tell a story. Walk around your home and choose the things that would make your home feel like a home. 

For example, hang up the postcards from your travels around your home. Get a glass bowl filled with colorful candy and another tumbler for fruits. Another way to add style to your home is to include multiple colors of the same object. Decorators love to buy odd numbers of glass vases or bowls to make their space more welcoming.

Dave CarmoLeave a comment

Creative Ways To Bring Your Home’s Décor To Life

 Every year homeowners become restless as we consider new creative ways to bring our home décor to life. How do we get motivated and what ideas can we bring to help upgrade our décor. Interior designers believe that we should stick with what we know. In other words, stay with what makes us and our family feel comfortable. 

Bedroom 

Why not think about simply changing the headboard on the bed. People believe that their headboard must stay in its original state forever. This is not true. There is a myriad of design styles that would amp up the look of your bedding. Perhaps, you can just repaint the existing headboard, especially if the headboard is one solid structure, then apply some appliques like beads to it. A neighbor had a unique idea of covering their bedroom headboard with a decorate fabric and stapled it in place. 

Kitchen 

Consider using cork flooring to replace your vinyl flooring. Modern cork tiles are strong, mildew resistant, and are available in varying colors that enhance the whole kitchen. Cork is easier to maintain and if you have never walked on cork flooring you are in for a treat. Cork gives you bouncy feeling under your feet. 

Also, if you dropped a glass or a plate onto the cork flooring, it will not break. Cork floor files can be purchased in styles that snap together or that has an adhesive backing to save you time and money. In addition, cork tiles easily install on top of your existing flooring or even over concrete. 

Walls 

In any room enhance your walls by adding molding. Molding is easy to install, at least according to YouTube videos who provide a step by step process. Decorative molding trim is available in amazing colors and style décor designs. Modern decorative molding is available to match your current room motif. Molding styles upgrade your living and/or dining room to look like a formal statement. Adding molding going up a staircase wall will have people asking if you have renovated your whole home. 

Rugs

Is it time to change out your room rugs? Affordability is the decorating industry’s new slogan. Adding new floor rugs in a variety of materials is simple, yet elegant as a home décor that brings new life to any room of the house. For a rug décor, consider using patterns that help you think outside the box. Placing a patterned rug in front of a plain colored sofa or couch gives it pizzazz. 

Bathroom 

Oh, there are so many decorating ideas to enhance your bathroom! Start with your lighting fixture. If you have lights strung across the sink on the wall. You can do 2 things – change the color and style of the lightbulbs or go further and change the whole lighting fixture. Visit your local home improvement store and marvel at the variety of affordable lighting fixtures that would glamorize your bathroom or make your bathroom more whimsical. 

While decorating, use wall tiles around the sink to add texture and patterns to your walls. Why not simply change your shower curtains and add decorative shower curtain hooks. Invest in matching towels and voila, your bathroom already looks revised. Use your imagination and have fun with upgrading your decors 

You get the idea now so go have imaginative fun without having to break the bank or your budget. Trust your imagination and add different décor that your family will enjoy. A school teacher friend of mine actually takes the pictures that her children draw and frames them unique frames. She places them on different walls of her home. 

Wow – I bet she has home cred with her kids when she wants them to do their chores! Become creative in the many ways in which you can bring your home’s décor to life. I just thought of something else – change your lampshades to a decorative fabric material – beautiful idea! Try, this and other ideas, I know your family and friends will love it!

Dave CarmoLeave a comment