A Journey Through Real Estate

Welcome to our 2016 Holiday Home Series!  The holiday season is upon us and so the ugly sweater parties, cookie exchanges, gatherings and the like begin!  It can be overwhelming entertaining when you really want to give your home a face lift.  Here are some quick tips on giving a low cost and fast face lift to your home!

• Paint
  • To refresh, painting is the easiest way to change the feel of a room.  It seems like a daunting task to most, but if you block out a few evenings or a weekend day, most small rooms can be done fairly quickly.  Check with your local hardware or paint store to see if they carry paints that include primer to cut down on paint time. (Remember, this type of paint probably won’t work if the paint underneath isn’t flat)  Here are some easy step-by-step instructions if you’ve never painted before!
  • If you’re stressed about colors, neutrals are always a go-to.  Grays are really “in”, and browns are “out”.  Sherwin Williams announced this color was the IT color for 2017.  If neutral really isn’t your thing, and you love color, consider the light your room gets.  If a lot of natural light, a deeper or darker color will work well.  If not a lot of natural light, consider a lighter (not brighter) color.  Bright colors can end up feeling harsh, and are usually best as an accent well.  Again, it’s your home, so paint as you wish!
• Light fixtures and light bulbs
  • If you haven’t looked up recently, do so!  How does your light fixture make you feel?  If it feels dull and boring, consider installing a new one!  There are some fun/beautiful ones out there for under $100.  Is it brass and doesn’t match your decor now? You can take it down and paint the brass parts and spray paint them!  Light fixtures if already installed are fairly easy to remove and replace.
  • Get new light bulbs.  Now that it gets darker earlier, our inside light really can make a difference.  Does it feel dark in your home even with all the lights on?  Does it feel really yellow or toned?  New light bulbs can make a really inexpensive difference.  We recently got these and I LOVE the difference it makes in our very dark home!
• Update cabinet hardware
  • If you don’t have the time or patience to repaint or refinish your cabinets, a quick face lift can be replacing the hardware.  If it’s brass, or you just don’t like them, home improvement stores have many options!  You can even go all out and update in the bathrooms too.  Brushed nickel, and crystal are very versatile and go with just about everything!
• Enhance your Entryway
  • Painting your front door, or even updating the paint on your porch or entryway can really make a difference.  Make sure if you live in an HOA, to check and make sure what colors are allowed.  Bright yellows, blues and reds can really make your home pop! (as long as it doesn’t clash with the rest of your exterior color).  Keep the paint on your porch or entryway neutral, whites are always good!
  • Add a few large festive plants in the front.  Now that the pumpkins are gone, the entryway can look plain and boring.  Adding a simple outdoor plant (which can sustain the cold if you live in a colder climate) can really help make the entryway feel inviting.  Make sure they don’t block the walkway.
  • Even replacing your house numbers or installing new outdoor lighting can enhance your curb appeal and give you the face life you may have been looking for!

I hope these little tricks help!  If you have any questions or need recommendations please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and stay tuned for the next post in our Holiday Home Series!