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10 Ways to Keep Yourself Busy This Summer
A post shared by Amici’s Ristobar (@amicisristobar) on Jun 22, 2018 at 3:03pm PDT Try restaurants you haven’t tried before. You know that restaurant you always pass by and say you’re going to try but always end up settling for that Chinese spot around the corner? Yeah, finally gather up the courage to get out of comfort zone and try it! You never know, it could be your new go-to joint. Learn to cook something new. I know this has been on most people’s bucket list and you can never seem [...]
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Here comes the most dreadful, yet satisfying time of the year: spring cleaning. Although it might seem like there could never be an organized way to clean the house, here are some ways you could start. A post shared by endonegan (@endonegan) on Jan 27, 2018 at 2:47pm PST -Clean out your vacuum. A dusty vacuum won’t take you anywhere. Clean the dust cup and use scissors to cut off hair or other things that might be stuck in your rotating brush. A post shared by Katie Menezes (@essentially_empowered) on Nov [...]
3 Easy Barbecue Sauce Recipes to Up Your Grilling Game
Grilling season is upon us, and we’re prepping by giving our grills a good scrub and stocking the pantry with things like dry rubs and seasoning salts. And while we always love a good homemade meat glaze, there is no shame in going out and buying a bottle of barbecue sauce when you’re strapped for time. Or maybe you’re simply feeling a little bit lazy. Don’t worry, we’re not judging. There are plenty of top-notch bottled barbecue sauces on the market these days, many of which are made without high-fructose corn [...]
3 Reasons Your Rent-vs-Buy Math Might Be Wrong
A post shared by elcuttlo (@elcuttlo) on Apr 23, 2018 at 10:49am PDT It's common knowledge that owning a home is cheaper than renting (at least in the long term), but anyone who has ever sat down to try and figure out the numbers knows that finding out how much you'll save is harder than it looks. There are so many factors to consider. To try and help you come as close to the real number as possible, we've outlined three ways your rent-vs-buy math might be wrong — and how [...]
Before and After: A Cheap Collage of Browns & Creams Gets a Bold, Blue Modern Remodel
Peggy Wang, Buzzfeed's founding editor, decided one day a few years ago she was ready to move out of tiny apartment living. "It was like a weird sudden existential outburst in my usual lazy put-everything-off-forever mindset," she writes. When she purchased this 1100-square-foot home in Queens, it felt like the right fit. But boy it needed a face lift. She worked closely with White Arrow—Keren Richter and her husband Thomas Richter—to remodel this home. Keren shared more information about the renovation in her own words: "When we first began, the rowhouse [...]
How to Decorate Your Home Like It’s an Art Gallery
by KELLY PHILLIPS BADAL A post shared by MELANIE MORRIS INTERIORS (@melaniemorrisinteriors) on Mar 1, 2018 at 4:12am PST Living Color Kaleidoscope wallpaper, colorful lacquered furniture, hip-hop lyrics made into artwork: For Paul and Mikaela Hayama, these design details work harmoniously in their custom-built modern home. “A monochromatic, neutral, soft palette was an absolute no-no for me,” says Mikaela, a legal-operations director and mother of two in Manhattan Beach, California. “With young kids, we wanted our home to feel energetic and alive. It just made sense to embrace big bold colors [...]
Home Staging Ideas for Your Garage
A post shared by CornerStone Closets And More (@cornerstoneclosets) on Jan 8, 2018 at 7:48am PST Need some home staging ideas for you garage? Yup, this grease-covered dumping ground that serves as a "home" for your car (at least we hope your car fits in there) is not overlooked by home buyers. A good-looking garage is worth its weight in gold, and can be a strong selling point. In fact, a recent realtor.com® survey found that 32% of home buyers say the garage is one of the most important [...]
Second-Time Homebuyers Would Rather Have a Laundry Room Than a Living Room
A post shared by Better.Venting (@better.venting) on Apr 10, 2018 at 8:44am PDT Nearly three out of four (72%) house hunters who have owned a home before say a laundry room would be an "essential" feature of their next home, compared to just 59% who deem a living room necessary. That's according to a new survey by the National Association of Home Builders that asked potential home buyers what features they'd consider "essential" in the next house they buy. Responses varied between first-time home buyers and veteran homeowners, which offers some [...]
Spring House Plants Add New Life And Color!
It might be spring, but warmer weather is not exactly here yet for much of California which means we’re still not spending as much time as we’d like outdoors. This set the scene perfectly for spring projects around the home, like spring cleaning. Spring is also a great time for new beginnings, it can be a great time to buy a new property and make a move. Whether you’re moving or staying put, spring is a great time to start fresh; getting rid of clutter, adding a fresh coat of paint [...]
No-Fail Kitchen Color Combinations
Walking down the paint aisle at the home improvement store can be overwhelming. With so many paint chips to choose from, where do you start? Let us help you whittle down the choices with our picks for the best kitchen color palettes. Make your kitchen an expression of your personal style by drenching it in the colors you love. For a no-regrets approach, choose neutral tones for the expensive foundation elements (cabinets, floors, countertops, appliances) and introduce color on the walls, backsplash, window treatments, lighting, and other less-expensive accents. With this [...]
Does Your Home Staging Look Too Sterile? How to Warm Things Up
Home staging—the practice of arranging furnishings and decor in a house so buyers can envision living there—is becoming an ever-more important tool for home sellers. In fact, studies show that staged homes sell 88% faster and for 20% more money than those that aren't staged. And yet: Home staging can be taken too far. Home sellers sometimes clear out every last family photo, pillow, and doo-dad until their house looks like a hotel for Scandinavian robots. How do you stage your home with warmth, so it looks as though humans live there? And by humans, we [...]
How Big a Home Do You Truly Need? 5 Questions to Ask to Figure That Out
When it comes to homes, the popular credo is that bigger is better. More square feet = a larger slice of the American dream, right? Not necessarily. For one, bigger homes obviously cost more, and oversized McMansions can be harder to sell. As such, you'll want a home that's neither too big nor too small. But how do you strike that balance? Here are five questions to ask yourself that will help you determine how much space you really need. 1. Is this my ‘forever’ home, or is ‘right now’ good enough? While you can’t predict the future [...]
9 Gorgeous Spring Decorating Ideas to Usher in the New Season
Spring is officially here, and the days are longer and lighter—if not warmer, in some places. And with the new season comes a chance to hit the reset button on your home's decor. It's time to stash away heavy throws and that snowflake-themed doormat and bring out a brighter look. "Springtime is your chance to renew the spaces you live in and take them out of hibernation," says Karen Gray-Plaisted of Design Solutions KGP. To help you ease into the new season, we've gathered nine gorgeous ways to upgrade your interior and exterior style. The best part? They're cheap [...]
Go Green At Home! Your Wallet Will Thank You!
Heating & Cooling A post shared by Sarah Hughes (@ladyofloughborough) on Oct 18, 2017 at 1:16pm PDT Heating and Cooling your home takes up the lion’s share of energy consumption, but there are plenty of ways to mitigate the cost. For starters, keep your ceiling fan running even in the winter when it is cold. The ceiling fan circulates more air, which makes heating and cooling easier. Next, consider insulating your attic. Although this sounds like a big task, some insulations can be installed with just a small hole and there [...]
Meditation Room Ideas to Get Your ‘Om’ on at Home
Need some meditation room ideas to get all Zen in the comfort of your own home? Transforming a room into a dedicated yoga/meditation space—even if you try to be Zen about it—can sound daunting. How do you even start replicating the peaceful vibe your favorite studio delivers time and time again? “Meditation and yoga are all about connecting the mind and body with the universe, so it’s essential that the [room] enhances the experience,” says Lisa Melone Cloughen, owner of Melone Cloughen Interiors, a residential design firm in the New York area. “The [...]