Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

Author: admin

  • Different Styles of Desks

    While sending texts and emails may have largely replaced writing long letters, a desk remains an essential item in every home.  A great desk can be the focal point of any space dedicated to a hobby, academics or a job. Lucky for every home, there is a wide range of models. The following desk guide and design tips will leave the work behind when adding to your home’s style.

    Secretary

    Ideal for the modern home, a secretary’s desk features a set of drawers for storage, a folding writing surface and a small cubby for display purposes. This classic also goes by the names secretaire, bureau, and escritoire. Whichever name you prefer, this charmer serves many purposes for almost every room. The desk typically comes in low or high heights. A low one would be exceptional in a bedroom, standing next to a leather, velvet or faux fur chair. Nautical themes that harness the wealth of drawers that some believed was a nod to a sea captain’s desk work well with those placed in the living or foyer. Glass-fronted options allow for ample display of vintage finds and essential reading materials. If a study is not available, create a reading nook with a cozy chair that can fit into any corner of your home.  

    Writing

    A writing desk is perfect for those who prefer a minimalist approach. While not known for expansive storage, this open desk has a large top/counter that is perfect for spreading out, if a laptop is the computer of choice. The conservative style works just as well in a bedroom or living room. To add visual interest, consider using a patterned or boldly hued rug. Create a gallery wall that inspires. Include framed motivating quotes done in calligraphy and photographs of famous authors to act as muses. Plants are also a great way to inspire the written word. Choose leafy selections that will not get in the way of your craft.  

    Executive desk

    An executive desk offers an abundance of drawer storage and surface space. They also provide a canvas for intricate designs and grandeur on their panels. Their timeless appeal encompasses an array of styles and shapes. They can be rectangular, L- or U-shaped. Choose gold trim and light work for a look that would fit in on Mount Olympus. Go for dark wood if the rest of the room is kept all-white or neutral. One way to add a touch of style with this type of desk is to play with lamps. Choose one in an unexpected color to showcase creativity or a unique shape, such as an oval or a salt lamp.

    Roll-top desk

    Featuring a moveable top crafted from horizontal wooden slates, the roll-top desk is a delight. Small cubbies or drawers are hidden by the covering, giving the homeowner privacy in their affairs. It is also an ideal canvas for a bold or varnish. Consider bright shades like apple green, rose gold or Living Coral. If feeling adventurous, paint the desk one color and the hood another. Put down a tarp to catch debris from sanding and cleaning the desk. Apply primer from the top down. Once dry, use latex enamel paint, avoid painting the track or slates. Find the right desk for your home, inspired by the April 1958 issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

  • Art Appreciation Begins at Home: Teach children the value of original pieces from these unexpected sources

    A new generation of art connoisseurs is ready for guidance. Art is meant to be appreciated by everyone and can be done as early as possible, even at home. Children are naturally drawn to the creations of others and delight in having their own imaginations captured. It is also a great way to improve visual thinking skills and so much more. Recent studies show art appreciation provides a foundation for growth in math and reading. It also promotes social-emotional advancement and exercises language skills, which grows vocabulary. Try discussing shades and the process of creation to build more sophisticated language – paraphrase what the children say and ask more in-depth questions. Read on for ways to add a little more creativity to your home.

    DIY projects

    Toddlers can start with color mixing activities. These can be done in a sandwich bag to reduce mess. Grade school children or adults can cut butterfly shapes out of card stock to act as a canvas. Set out primary colors to start. Allow the children to mix red, blue and yellow, which spawn green, purple and orange.  Older children or tweens can have fun with a broader range of colors to make pinks, browns and other hues.

    Claude Monet, the father of French Impressionism, famously attributed his love of art to flowers. Help children of all ages find their inspiration through nature with a fun and easy project. Gather kid-friendly scissors, construction paper, green paint, a paint brush, markers and a popsicle stick. Start by painting the stick green. Have children draw and cut out a flower. Younger children may benefit from an adult tracing one for them. Glue the flower to the stem. Once done, have the budding artists discuss their creations. Show children how much you value their art by showcasing on the fridge or used in tablescapes for a personal touch.

    Selecting from an art gallery

    Parents should prepare children for a visit to an art gallery in advance. They should know not to touch the pieces, keep their voices low and nicely express their opinions. Beyond manners, parents can introduce young ones to a variety of mediums to discover which ones will fit in with their home’s style/aesthetic. Photography, sculpture and paintings are the most common. Older children can be involved in discussions on subject matter, abstract versus conceptual art, and placement. If the piece is going to be hung in a child’s room, discuss focal points, colors and subject matter. Keep in mind children will naturally gravitate toward what gives them comfort and joy. If hanging a piece in a common area such as the family room or kitchen, discuss as a family what would best represent the family and the feelings the piece will evoke. If possible, ask the gallery to arrange a meeting with the artist so they can discuss the work and answer questions. Most are open to nurturing future patrons.

    Renting pieces

    A full commitment to art is not always possible.  Many artists are open to renting their pieces for a short duration. This can be done to bring home new art for seasonal, celebratory or personal reasons. Artists with a wealth of original pieces are eligible to sign up for brick and mortar or online rental services. Higher end services assign curators to visit client homes to assess the space, present options and install pieces. This can be done on a three- to six-month rotation. For digital galleries, parents can browse selections as a family or present final options at the dinner table, offering the opportunity for each family member to discuss their preferences, champion their top choices and learn the art of compromise. Bring a love of art home. Children of all ages will benefit from any efforts made to improve their visual learning and language. This article was inspired by the April 1958 edition of Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

  • Should I Fix or Sell? Seven Benefits of Selling a House As-Is

    When you’ve decided to move on — whether you’re upsizing or downsizing, accepting a fantastic job offer in another city, or fleeing to (or from) the suburbs — think long and hard about what you really need to do to get your house market-ready. You may be tempted to go into renovation mode, but you might be better off selling your house as-is.

    Anything that impacts the home’s operation needs to be fixed before you list, including a leaky roof, a broken furnace, plumbing and the electrical system. These are all things sellers are legally obliged to disclose. If not, a home inspector will identify them to a potential buyer, possibly leading to an offer being withdrawn.

    Here are some things to consider when selling your house.

    1. Renovation ROI may not be there

    Most home renovations don’t pay off instantly. Complete bathroom and kitchen renovations add the most value but also cause the most disruption and can be very expensive. If these rooms haven’t already been renovated, don’t start now. Focus on making sure the existing selling features of the home are in great shape.

     

     

    2. Living in a renovation zone is stressful

    If an owner is fortunate enough to own a larger home with multiple bathrooms and a spare room or two, renovating may not be quite as challenging as it is for those in smaller spaces. But unless personally doing all the work yourself (and sometimes even then), you’re at the mercy of your suppliers’ timelines. You have to live there while renovating even though you’re not going to be the one to benefit. Before you sink $20,000 into a last-minute kitchen transformation, consider just painting or replacing cupboard door fronts and adding new hardware.

  • 10 Living Room Decor Ideas

    1. Bold hues

    This year’s motto is the bolder, the better. Intense teal and vibrant purple are very on-trend choices.

    Jewel tones and shades of green are big this year, while last year’s popular gray hues are a bit passé. Predominantly white living rooms with splashes of intense color are in, so are plants (but not succulents this year). If you would prefer to stick with earth tones, steer clear of beiges and grays. Instead, spice things up with mustard, terracotta or doeskin shades.

    2. Art Deco

    Designers are done with mid-century modern (called “MCM” in some circles), with its sleek, blonde and minimalist teak lines. Instead, embrace glam deco styles that incorporate the staples of maximalism. Look for this trend in lighting, fabrics and gold metallic hues.

    Symmetry and metallics are two of the defining characteristics of traditional Art Deco style. Think parallelograms plating a round gold mirror, a geometric oval racetrack rug, an overstuffed taffy velour club chair or a round, glass-topped bronze drink cart. All of these exude classy but casual glitz.

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Selecting the Perfect Backsplash: Tie your kitchen’s look together with these tips

    Don’t let a little water damage make your next backsplash a wash out with these designer tips. Jennifer Adams, our interior design pro, answers this reader’s kitchen remodeling question after a hurricane hit her home.

    Question:  We were flooded during the hurricane and have to rebuild most of our house. My kitchen has bamboo floors, alabaster white cabinets and Blanco Azul granite with black stainless steel appliances and stainless handles. I am trying to figure out a good backsplash to tie it all together. Any help would be great.

    Whether your countertop patterning is dramatic and bold or quieter and more textural, a backsplash that is simple will be better. Oversized rectangular tiles in light tones to match the whites in your granite, along with matching grout, will look great. For a more textural approach, choose a monotone tile mosaic in whites or pale grays. Even classic subway tile with gray grout will bring in a bit of pattern without being over the top or competing with your granite.

    For a finishing touch, tie in the bamboo tones throughout your kitchen with accessories and art in the same color.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Step Up Your Style: Discover a solution to reinforcing stairs when installing tile

    Do you have a tricky concrete floor problem that needs some complex answers? Not sure where to go for help? Our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, knows exactly where to look to solve all your flooring woes.

    Question: I am re-tiling my floor. I have a set of three concrete steps that go from one level to another. The steps at one time had carpet, so there are nail pull-outs and the edges are not square. Would it be best to add a backer board to the steps then tile on top of the backer board?

    Your idea to smooth out the surface of your concrete steps is a good one; however, a backer board might not support the tile for long. Instead, consider a compound designed for leveling a concrete floor. The nail holes themselves might not be an issue unless there are large cracks. Ask the staff where you’ll be buying your tile, or a professional tile installer, for information on which products will work best for your situation.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Nail Down New Flooring: Go from slab to hardwood with these stylish flooring options

    If outdated flooring has you puzzled as to the next remodeling step… our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, is here to help. Consider these variables for a new look that your loved ones will enjoy walking all over.

    Question: I live in a 1953 ranch home built on a slab. I want to install hardwood flooring throughout. However, the slab is covered with asbestos tile.  How would you install hardwood flooring?

    It is possible to install wood flooring over a slab floor with asbestos tile on it. However, there are lots of variables to consider, including how level the slab is, the moisture content in the air, and the level of moisture in the slab itself. A high-quality engineered flooring product might be a better solution and give you a similar look to hardwood, especially if you can’t nail the new flooring down. To find out what products will be best for your situation, ask a professional installer or licensed contractor.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Revamp Your Bathroom with a Modern Touch: See which look is cleaning up in style

    Do you have a small bathroom and no ideas for how to spruce it up? Even compact bathrooms can benefit from this refresh. Our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, gives you tips to go from small and cluttered to a streamlined sanctuary.

    Question: I am looking for ideas to remodel a small master bathroom. Absolutely willing to look at this as a clean slate – any modern, trendy suggestions would be wonderful!

    As luck would have it, the most modern, trendy look for bathrooms right now is a clean slate! Create a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere with airy whites, soft grays, open spaces, clutter-free surfaces and room to move.

    Choose a pedestal sink or a sleek, wall-hung vanity for a more spacious feel, enhanced by beautiful storage baskets. Use the biggest mirror possible and put lighting on dimmer switches to control the brightness. Consider a roomy shower with clear glass doors or a simple shower curtain instead of a standard tub/shower combo. Add a skylight or window, especially if there is no natural light.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • DIY with What You Have

    Refreshing your home doesn’t have to mean getting bogged down in major projects. These easy DIY ideas offer serious design inspiration without the big commitment.

    Paint a pattern.

    A fresh coat of colorful paint will revive a piece of furniture, but you can take it a step further by adding a pattern, too. Use paint pens to draw designs on drawer fronts, tabletops and more.

     

     

     

     

    © Meredith Operations Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Embellish with watercolor.

    To give a plain lampshade an artistic makeover, moisten a large paintbrush with water and sweep a wavelike pattern around the bottom of the shade. Then, tap wet paint into the pattern with a soft, round watercolor brush. (Use watercolor paint for paper lampshades and fabric paint for fabric shades.) The paint will bleed to the edges of the moistened area. After the paint dries, dot the wave with more paint in alternating colors. For dots that blend, paint them with edges touching.

     

     

     

  • How to Organize Your Closet Fast When You Move into a New Home

    There’s no better time to organize a closet than when you move into a new home, if only because you’ll get a fresh start. While it may be tempting to simply throw things on hangers and put them into your new closet, taking a little time to consider what you own and how it should be arranged will make your life a lot easier. Below are a few tips to quickly and efficiently organize your new closet.

    Start organizing before you move

    The most cluttered places in a home are the last ones a homeowner will pack. Due to leaving these spaces until the last minute, people will simply throw things into a box and they take everything to their new home.

    Rather than wait until the moving truck arrives, plan ahead and pack up your closets and cluttered spaces at least a week before your move. Be strategic. If a pair of shoes is sitting in a dusty heap in the back of your closet, chances are you won’t wear them again. Same goes for your kids’ soccer equipment from 10 years ago, that extra yoga mat you no longer use or the clothes that haven’t seen the light of day in over a year. Set aside two boxes. In one box, put items you no longer use. In the other, put things you know you’ll use in your new home. Challenge yourself by seeing if the objects in each box can take up the same amount of space.

     

    Figure out what you want to keep in your closet

    Figuring out what you want to keep in your closet might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually easier said than done. Some closets are used just to store clothing, while others are for coats and sports equipment. Others may need to be more multipurpose. Install shelves in your closet to store various items, making sure to keep seasonal or rarely used belongings to the higher shelves. Once you’ve figured out what should be in your closet, stick with your plan. For example, if your closet is only for clothes, you’ll need to find another home for your linens and extra bedding. All too often, we put things in closets that don’t really belong in them, leading to the space becoming cluttered.