Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Life

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  • The Five Best Super Bowl Game Day Recipes

    We all know that one of the best parts of the game day outside of the game is the plethora of food that comes with the event. In fact, the Super Bowl is the second highest food consumption event in America, according to the American Institute of Food Distribution—coming in second only to Thanksgiving Day!

    With this in mind, to help celebrate the day, we have compiled five of our favorite recipes from around the blogosphere. Enjoy, and happy eating!

    From the Blogosphere:

    The Five Best Super Bowl Game Day Recipes - bhgrelife.comBaby Bloomin’ Onion from Spoon Fork Bacon

    These little guys not only look amazing, but also taste just as great! What we love about them is that you can prep them in advance of the Super Bowl. Once the big day arrives, just drop them in the fryer, and you’re ready to enjoy these delicious bloomin’ onions!

  • 5 Holiday Décor Ideas You Can Enjoy Year-Round

    Preparing for the holidays can be a joyful, fulfilling experience. Decorating the home can be time-consuming, however, and when your efforts are only enjoyed for a temporary period of time, it may feel that that it isn’t worth the reward. There are many ways, though, that you can show your seasonal cheer without reinventing the wheel: below we’ve listed five ways you can decorate your house for the holidays with décor that will last throughout the year’s many celebrations.

    ChristmasAllYear_image4

    1. Indoor Foliage

    Plants are a festive and lively addition to your décor for any occasion (and they go with everything). For your year-round touch that’s also low maintenance, keep a jade plant as a focal point or arrange a display of succulents, like cactus or agave, in neutral-toned pots. For a seasonal touch, add poinsettias to your mix this time of year, transfer in African violets for the spring, and add hibiscus for a touch of tropics in the summer.

  • 7 Projects That Will Boost Your Home’s Value

    If you’re looking to sell your home in the future, or if you simply want an upgrade for your lifestyle, you may be interested in finding meaningful ways to boost the value of your home—and with a few cost-effective adjustments, it’s achievable. Here are some of the most valuable repairs you can make for the long-term, whatever your home plans may be.

    7 Projects That Will Boost Your Home’s Value - bhgrelife.com

    1. Repair Your Exterior

    You can increase your home’s value by repairing the exterior—and give the overall appearance an instant upgrade for anyone to take in before they even enter. Remove and repair damaged siding with fresh new siding boards. Replace missing window screens, or paint and sand existing old, worn screens. Repairing broken fixtures or cracks in the front walk, along with fresh painting and landscaping, can vastly improve your home’s curb appeal.

  • Showing Your House? Don’t Let the Holidays Interfere

    It’s holiday time! You should be spreading yuletide decor and cheer, but you’re selling your house and haven’t closed the deal yet. Do you have people coming over? Do you want to decorate for the season and enjoy this time of year at home while the festivities begin? It’s all possible, without missing out on the holiday fun! Follow our simple steps to show your house successfully during the holiday season.

    Showing Your House? Don’t Let the Holidays Interfere - bhgrelife.com

    Decorate, without going to extremes

    Don’t stop yourself from getting into the spirit. Potential buyers will want to imagine themselves actually living in the house, so go ahead and decorate. Be sure to keep from going overboard, though. Everyone has unique tastes and will want to deck their halls differently, so you should leave room for buyers to imagine their own styles, too: think sleek and neutral decorations.

    If you’ve already begun the moving process and are running low on décor, consider placing throws on a piece of furniture in each room, for an understated means of livening up the space. If you’re still living there, don’t be afraid to host the celebrations—showcase your home’s ability to be the life of the party!

  • Family-Style Dinner Party Tips and Ideas

    How do you envision a perfect evening of entertaining at home? It’s possible that your experience has taught you that a special get-together has very little to do with fine china, polished silver and perfect decorations. Instead, it’s about sharing time with your guests and making them feel welcome in your home.

    A casual, family-style dinner party is the perfect way to give your friends and family an evening to remember. Here are some tips for creating a cozy atmosphere where your guests can help themselves to delicious food, and feel comfortable laughing, talking and having fun with one another.

    Family-Style Dinner Party Tips and Ideas - bhgrelife.com

    Set the Mood

    Create the tranquil, informal atmosphere with simple decorations. Dot the table with pretty, understated floral arrangements of cut flowers. Instead of tall vases that interfere with your view and conversation, put flowers in short glasses or mugs, or even lay them on glass trays. Set candles around the area to create a dreamy, relaxed ambiance. Again, instead of tall candles, opt for some that are small, like tea lights, which will contribute to the soothing, laid-back ambiance without being obtrusive.

    You don’t have to take out the fine china and crystal if you don’t want to. Set the table with an eclectic, colorful mix of everyday plates and glasses. It’s perfectly fine to use mismatched dinnerware—in fact, doing so adds to the casual feeling you’re trying to create.

  • Ask a Pro Q&A: The Great Grout Mistake

    A simple design mistake has halted one reader’s remodeling project! What can you do when you don’t like the tile your contractor has already installed? Never fear, Dream Team member and interior design expert Jennifer Adams reveals the stylish solution!

    Ask a Pro Q&A: The Great Grout Mistake - bhgrelife.com

    Q: We made a mistake when we installed “12×12” white tile in our home.  The contractor used gray grouting that wasn’t sealed very well.  I would like to get rid of it but I discovered it’s glued to the flooring underneath. Now I’m wondering if I can paint the tile, and if so what products to use. Thank you very much for your help!

    -Carol V.

    A: Ohh… this is truly a tough situation! I’m sorry you have to deal with it. While white tile isn’t a mistake all by itself, any tile incorrectly installed is going to be a problem at some point.

    Do you know if there is damage underneath the tile as a result of the poorly sealed grout? If this isn’t the case and you like the look of the white tile, chances are good that your floor can simply be cleaned or re-grouted and sealed properly. Contact a professional tile installer to take a look and answer more specific questions and for an estimate, and follow their instructions about cleaning. Harsh chemicals and acidic cleansers will quickly deteriorate sealers and the grout itself.

    To answer your question about painting tile directly, well yes, technically, tile can be painted if it’s cleaned, prepped and primed properly. This includes sanding, cleaning again and using a special bonding primer. If you’re thinking about handling this project yourself, the staff at your favorite paint store should help you choose the right products.

    However, I wouldn’t recommend painting any tile if it’s on the floor or in wet areas such as bathrooms or kitchens! The paint is not likely to hold up to the wear or the moisture, and won’t look good for very long.

    If you’re thinking about changing the look of your floor, I recommend having your old tiles removed and new tile or other flooring installed. Talk with a licensed contractor for options!

    Good luck and let me know how it goes!

    -Jennifer A.

  • 5 Basics of Home Maintenance to Make an Old Home Feel Like New

    New homes are fresh and sparkling, but over time, they begin to show their age. If you want to keep your home feeling like new as each year passes, it’s important to keep up with proper maintenance tasks. Here are a few budget-friendly and DIY ideas to keep your home in fresh condition year after year.

    5 Basics of Home Maintenance to Make an Old Home Feel Like New - bhgrelife.com1. Regular Cleaning

    Normal cleaning tasks like sweeping, mopping, and dusting are important, but to really keep your home looking shiny and new, it’s important to remember deep cleaning tasks, as well.

    Steam clean your carpets at least once a quarter, and don’t forget to vacuum and steam your furniture at the same time. When you dust, reach for areas like ceiling fans, wall corners, and the inside of cabinets. Thorough deep cleaning on a regular basis makes all the difference when you’re trying to keep your home looking fresh.

  • 3 Easy Dinner Party Serving Styles

    There’s nothing quite as welcoming and comforting as a pleasant meal to encourage a sense of relaxation and closeness among guests at a dinner party. When you open your home to friends and family, you do more than feed hungry people; you celebrate the personal interactions that make life special. Just a little bit of early planning makes it simpler to get the food from the kitchen to the table smoothly, and three easy serving styles you can consider are buffet style, family style and French style.

    3 Easy Dinner Party Serving Styles - bhgrelife.com

    Buffet Style

    Buffet style is perfect for serving a large group of guests in a relatively informal setting. With buffet-style meals, everything is set out on a large area, such as a counter or kitchen island. Guests can then walk through, select the foods that appeal to them and take their seats.

    It’s a relaxed, friendly method of serving that leaves the host or hostess free to mingle with guests. The only disadvantage is that it is nearly impossible to maintain any kind of portion control, so more food gets wasted and the last guests through the line might not get to try everything they want to eat.

  • Spruce Up Your Home for Fall

    There’s a snap in the air and a distinct sense of possibility afoot. It’s finally fall—and your creativity is about to bust out in high autumn style. Seasonal decorating can be a fun way to spruce up your home, and the glory of autumn is no exception. Read on for some great tips on how to create gorgeous fall-inspired interiors, just in time for the season.

    Spruce Up Your Home for Fall - bhgrelife.com

    Bring the Outdoors In

    One of the quickest and most inexpensive ways to change the decor in your home in time for fall is to look to the great outdoors. After all, autumn is one of the most gorgeous seasons, full of rich colors and beautiful natural elements. Take advantage of the shifting seasons by bringing the outdoors inside.

    One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is with centerpieces. Centerpieces can be perfect for a holiday dinner or a simple weeknight family meal, as they can be ornate and lavish or toned-down and simple. To construct an eye-catching centerpiece, start with an assortment of decorative gourds and squashes in rich gold, green, and red colors, then display them in a woven basket for casual affairs or a classic silver or brass bowl for a more formal display. It won’t cost much, but your fall centerpiece will become a conversation piece as you’re serving guests.

  • Fall in Love with Our Fall Pin Love Sweepstakes!

    8289 Pinterest Lifestyle Sweeps October 2015_GOOGLE PLUS_COVERPHOTO_1080x608

    The air is crisper, the nights are cozier, the blankets are warmer, the decor is more inviting, and the food is more exciting. It’s that time of year again… fall is here!

    If you love everything autumn and get creative with pumpkins from the kitchen to the front porch, then celebrate the season with us! Whether you love traditional harvest style, or super spooky Halloween decor, we want to see how you embrace autumn fun. By entering our Fall Pin Love Sweepstakes, you could win $500 to enjoy all season long. It’s easy to enter — just show us your seasonal spirit on Pinterest!

    How to Enter

    1. Follow this link: http://bit.ly/FallPinLoveSweeps
    2. Enter your email address
    3. Find inspiration from our suggested pins
    4. Create and submit your Pinterest Board

    So what are you waiting for? Get started on your Fall Pin Love board and keep adding festive pins until November 30th, 2015. That’s when we’ll get to choose our winner! Good luck, and happy pinning!