by Jeff Pittman | Dec 17, 2015 | Homeowners
Winter Warmers | 5 Interior Design Trends With autumn giving way to winter and the Christmas countdown in full swing, you might be using the festive period as an excuse to switch up your interior design. Whether it’s overhauling your kitchen ahead of the big day or shaking up your living area ready for welcoming guests, adding a touch of TLC can help you warm up your home this winter. If you’re looking for some interior inspiration, we’re bringing you a lineup guaranteed to spark your creativity and help you embrace the winter season. 1. GO BOLD WITH BLUE Forget about myths that it’s a cold color – blue is the way to go this season. From magical midnight blues to powdery pastels, bring the outdoors in this winter by mixing up your paint palette. If you want to stay on trend this season, bring out the blue paint and watch your walls come to life. While lighter shades of blue will open up your interior and give your home a more airy feel, darker, inkier blues will add a richness to any room. For the last word in comfort, experiment with some bespoke lighting options to create a truly ambient interior. 2. ROOM DIVIDERS Winter is the perfect excuse for staying indoors – but if you’re still searching for your own private slice of paradise, a stylish room divider could be just what you’re looking for. The ideal accessory to any room in your home, you can divide up your dining room, separate the snug or close off the kitchen to create an instantly usable extra space. Available...
by Jeff Pittman | Nov 18, 2015 | Homeowners
4 Keys To Bringing Your Kitchen Into The 21st Century You may or may not agree with the popular notion that the kitchen is the most important room in your home. However, there’s no doubt that kitchens have a large impact on your everyday life and in turn the value of your home. If your kitchen is a little outdated, then it’s crucial to bring it into the 21st Century. Having an up to date kitchen is not only convenient for the holidays, parties and every day cooking – it’s a great selling point if you plan to sell your home in the near future. Is your kitchen up with the times? Here are the 4 key components you may need to upgrade to bring your kitchen into the 21st Century kitchen. 1. ADD OR REPLACE YOUR BACKSPLASH Source: Homebunch.com A backsplash is not only useful for confining splatters when you’re cooking, it adds a splash of fun to your kitchen – that’s why it’s so popular in kitchens these days. There are many options for installing a new backsplash or modernizing your current one. You might put in new tiles or simply paint your existing backsplash. If you do any painting, use a high gloss paint to make it waterproof. Because it only requires a small amount of space, this is a relatively inexpensive kitchen renovation project that can nonetheless make a big difference. 2. REPLACE YOUR SMALLER KITCHEN APPLIANCES While it’s nice to replace major appliances such as your refrigerator and stove, you can also modernize your kitchen much more economically by replacing smaller items. If your kitchen...
by Jeff Pittman | Nov 12, 2015 | Homeowners
5 Things You Need To Know If You Go The Rent-To-Own Route The real estate market has been up and down over the past decade, and there has been a resurgence in people who have decided to go the rent-to-own route. Most people don’t realize that you can sign a lease and rent-to-own in certain instances. However, this is an option for those who often don’t have enough money for a traditional down payment or who may have some credit issues. There are five things you should know before diving into a rent-to-own lease. EXPECT TO PAY MORE If you are renting to own, you should expect to pay more money each moth than if you were renting alone. This is because, in the rent-to-own scenario, typically part of your monthly payment goes toward the down payment. Banks often want to see where every dollar is going, so it is a good idea to write two checks each month, one for rent and one for the down payment. This is also useful if the payment amount is called into question. PURCHASE PRICE IS SET UPFRONT Finding a place that is willing to rent-to-own is the first step, but setting a fair and reasonable price is also something that must be factored into the equation. The purchase price is determined upfront, so it is important that the buyer research the comps in the area. Additionally, getting an inspection and an appraisal is still necessary to be sure that the sales price is fair, especially if the buyer will be getting outside financing. This is also the time to negotiate. LOOK...
by Jeff Pittman | Oct 20, 2015 | Homeowners
Luxurious Bathrooms and Home Spas Ever since the Ancient Romans invented indoor plumbing, the ritual of a hot bath in beautifully appointed surroundings has been a marker of the good life. Whether it’s a master bath with spectacular mountain views, a home spa with a sauna, or a marble bathroom that exudes Hollywood glamour, these eight remarkable properties have luxurious bathrooms fit for a true spa experience. Lakefront Luxury – Chappaqua, New York Elegant Georgian-inspired architecture adorns the home’s huge master bathroom. This grand Georgian-style estate sits on 86 acres overlooking a lake in one of Westchester County’s most beautiful enclaves. Designed by architect Boris Baranovich with six bedrooms and numerous formal rooms for entertaining, this home also has wonderful recreational amenities including a gym, a pool, a tennis court, and hiking trails as well as an elegant marble master bath to refresh after a challenging workout. The marble floors are inlaid with a sunburst pattern, and architectural details like crown moldings and large windows give this roomy retreat an extra dose of glamour. Beachfront Beauty – Kailua, Hawaii Simplicity and elegance are features of this beautiful bathroom in Kailua, Hawaii. Just twenty minutes from downtown Honolulu, this spectacular estate on Kailuana Loop feels like a world apart. Surrounded by lush palm trees and flowers and with 125 feet of frontage on Kailua Beach, this seven-bedroom home is the ideal place to swim, sunbathe, and relax. The master suite features his and hers baths as well as sophisticated wood paneling and an open layout. A resort-sized pool plus spa and hot tub in the home’s courtyard are further enhanced by a...
by Jeff Pittman | Oct 12, 2015 | Homeowners
6 Finishing Touches To Complete Before Move In Day When you purchase a newly constructed home you have the opportunity to customize your property down to each light switch cover. Same goes for any new home you purchase – the property is a blank slate you can use to create your dream home. So don’t wait to make the changes and upgrades you want – do it before you even move in. Taking the time now to complete the little details you want gives you more time to enjoy your dream house plus it sets your property up as a great resale in the future. Time and money for upgrades you want now equates to happiness now and equity in the bank down the road. Makes sense, right? So consider these 6 finishing touches to your home to make it absolutely perfect before you move in. KITCHEN CABINETS Image: thekitchn.com Take your kitchen from drab to fabulous with a custom cabinet installation. Choose wall to wall cabinetry in rich woods like cherry, oak, mahogany, or pine in a plethora of styles from the clean, simple lines of Shaker and craftsman to the traditional lines of Early American or contemporary. Options could include cabinetry hardware in polished nickel, bronze, stainless steel, or ceramic. NATURAL STONE COUNTERTOPS Image: mydomain.com While granite has become the mainstay for today’s well-appointed kitchen, consider solid surface options like quartz, Corian and marble. High end upgrades like granite and marble are durable, low maintenance natural stones that add beauty, elegance and value. Slightly more expensive than granite, quartz is a manufactured stone that can be colored to...
by Jeff Pittman | Jul 7, 2015 | Homeowners
10 At Home Drought Tips To Save You 28,000+ Gallons This Year Finding ways to ease the California drought is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives. On April 1st, Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order that cities and towns must reduce their water consumption by 25%. The reduction is supposed to take place until the end of 2015. The image below is from an infographic with Top 10 Drought Tips that will not only help homeowners conserve water but reduce their bill. The infographic also has a by-the-numbers look at how 29 California cities stack up when it comes to water usage and conservation. Graded on an A to F scale, cities such as Irvine and Long Beach earned an A , while Westlake Village received an F. Following these easy tips can save 28,000+ gallons per year per person. 1. A point-of-use tankless water heater can save thousands of gallons of water by cutting down on “warm up” time. SAVINGS: 1,000S GALLONS / YEAR 2. Use a low flow shower head to save 15 gallons of water during a 10 minute shower. SAVINGS: OVER 5,000 GALLONS / YEAR 3. Upgrade to a high-efficiency WaterSense® toilet and save 1,200 gallons of water a year. SAVINGS: UP TO 1,200 GALLONS / YEAR 4. Install low flow aerators on your faucets and cut your water usage by 40%! SAVINGS: UP TO 40% 5. Save 5,000 gallons of water a year by using Energy Star dishwashers rather than washing dishes by hand. SAVINGS: 5,000 GALLONS / YEAR 6. Fix leaks under your home, in your kitchen, and in your bathroom...
