Archives for 2016

A Cleaning Routine for Your First Home

cleaning thumbWith basic supplies and room-by-room checklists, you can get into the housekeeping habit

Moving into your first home is exciting and presents a wonderful opportunity to cultivate new habits, such as getting organized from the start, planting your first garden and even housekeeping. Cleaning may not be at the top of your list of things you’re excited about when it comes to your new place, but keeping your space spic and span is a big part of what will maintain that “new house” feeling. The key is crafting a cleaning system that works with your life.

8 Ways to Prep a Kitchen Resale

kitchen prepSome key updates to your kitchen will help you sell your house. Here’s what you need to know

It may be a seller’s market, but that shouldn’t stop you from fixing up your home before you list it. As you know, kitchens sell homes. However, what you might not know is how to create a space that seals the deal. If you update your kitchen’s finishes and stage the space properly, your home won’t be sitting on the market for long. Here are eight ways to prep your kitchen for resale.

Kitchen Trends to Consider and Avoid For Your Remodel

Kitchen trends

6 Ways to Spice Up Your Neutral Kitchen

Kitchen spiceLook to these details to prevent a white kitchen from feeling a bit stark

Despite the benefits of neutral kitchens, such as enhanced natural light and an emboldened sense of cleanliness, many homeowners find neutral kitchens so boring. Never fear. With a few design tweaks, you can get all the advantages of neutral kitchens with a little added excitement. These six kitchens from the Houzz Kitchens of the Weekshow you how to do just that.

To-Dos: Your June Home Checklist

june to dosGet your house set for summer with a mix of maintenance musts and breezy room refreshes

Summer officially begins on June 20 this year, but why wait until then to get into the summer spirit? Get a jump-start by prepping your home and garden for warm weather, setting up the perfect drip-dry spot for beach towels, reorganizing the kitchen (hello, smoothie bar), and more. These 15 to-dos cover all the bases, so you can enjoy your month to the fullest.

13 Places to Sneak In a Desk

desk thumbThere’s no need to work at the kitchen table with so many other spots for a workstation at home

If you don’t have the luxury of designating an entire room in your house as an office, don’t worry: You have other options. Whether it’s a closet or a corner of the laundry room, there are plenty of places where you can squeeze in a desk. Here are 13 of our favorite spots for locating a workstation at home.

How to Replace or Revamp Your Garage Doors

garage door thumbBoost curb appeal and maybe even security with new garage doors. Find out cost ranges and other important details here

A garage that faces the street (especially a large two- or three-car garage) can take up a lot of visual real estate. If your garage doors are in poor shape, clash with the style of your home or are just uninspired, replacing them can greatly increase your home’s curb appeal. Here are the need-to-know facts about updating your garage doors, covering style, cost and more.

5 Interiors That Nail the ‘Perfect Imperfect’ Look

Screen Shot 2016-04-15 at 9.28.08 AMExplore the beauty of accident, age and patina in these homes

There’s something beautiful about decor that happens by accident. Have you ever thrown something together, planning to arrange it thoughtfully, only to realize that it looks perfect just the way it is? This is the foundation of the wabi-sabi concept: that beauty is found in imperfection, impermanence and the authentic.

Australian author Karen McCartney explores this style in her new book, Perfect Imperfect, with photographs by Sharyn Cairns and styling by Glen Proebstel. The interiors in the book belong to creative people from around the world. Here, McCartney walks us through five of them.

9 Beautiful Blues for Bathrooms

baths thumbFrom soft sky to bold tropical aqua, see why this hue is making waves in bathrooms

I like using white in bathrooms just as much as the next person, but what I really like to see is a splash of color. Blue is a particularly good choice because it evokes the sea and the sky, and the positive associations many us have with them. But there are many fetching blue hues out there to choose from. Soft blues offer a stress-reducing ambience, as they’re purported to calm and soothe the senses. Bolder blues bring a fun and energetic vibe to a room, while the darkest ones lend drama and elegance. Among my favorites below, perhaps there’s a hue for you.