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Tag: Jennifer Adams

  • Ask A Pro Q&A: Housewarming Party

    Celebrate in style, no matter the size of your new home. Interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams shows you how to go from cramped to cozy with a few great tips for your housewarming party in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!

    Q: “I just recently brought my new condo/townhouse.  It has 2 beds, 1 full bath, 1 partial bath, a basement, and it is 986 Sq. ft.  I am going to host a house warming this spring and would like to know how do I fit 20 – 30 guests in my small home?”

    — Nancy J

    A: Congratulations on your new home! It’s so fun to get settled into a new space and create a home for yourself that you love. And how wonderful to have a great group to help you enjoy it. Here are a few of my tips for entertaining your friends and family for any gathering.

    Expand outdoors! Add festive lighting and consider inviting the neighbors so they won’t mind your friends spilling out onto your driveway. Rent or borrow a pop-up canopy if it’s going to be hot or rainy. Have some spare throw blankets nearby if some of the seating is outside and it’s going to be chilly.

    Set up the bar/beverages area accessible but separate from the food. Your kitchen is going to be packed no matter what, so having the beverages further away will keep your gathering a little more spread out. Consider someplace where spills are not very consequential but still social, perhaps in the back yard or garage if you have one.

    Push the major furniture pieces toward the walls. You’ll need the extra room for people to mingle. Turn the dining table sideways or place in a corner to make even more room, and remove all your breakable accessories. The table surfaces and seating are still going to be useful for food and mixing up conversations groupings, so don’t hide it all. After the party you can re-arrange your furniture how you like it for daily life and smaller gatherings.

    Keep the food prep and beverage service simple. With that many people, there will be that many extra drink glasses and plates! Serve mostly finger foods that are easy to eat while standing up. Pre-plan an obvious place for garbage and the empties, so your guests can more easily clean up after themselves.

    Invite your closest friends and family a little early to help you set up. That way there will be people at your home when the rest of the guests arrive! It’s kind of awkward to be the first guest to show up at a party set up for a big event.

    Remember, you don’t have to have everything perfect! In fact, nothing has to be perfect. Plan ahead, but if you run out of something, you can send somebody to go get more. Invite a casual atmosphere, and everyone will have a great time, including, yourself!

    — Jennifer Adams

     

     

     

  • Ask A Pro Q&A: Updating Different Rooms in your Home

    A new year can mean a fresh start for your home’s style. How can you achieve this? Interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams has the answers to go for dramatic touches, textures and colors in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!

    Q: How do I update different rooms of my house…specifically my family room, bedroom, and kitchen.

    — Amanda M

    A: This is a great question, one that I hear a lot! And it’s not hard to make a few simple changes to completely update the look of any room in your house, particularly the family room, kitchen and bedroom.

    A quick declutter makes any room look fresh, airy and new. Pull out all the accessories off your shelves and other surfaces, and put back only about half of them, or, even less! Just a few of your favorites deserve a spot. If you can’t make up your mind about an item, save it to rotate back in later.

    Color is a quick way to update a room. Or, actually, these days it’s a lack of color that is making news. My whole house is basically white, wood tones and different grays from light to charcoal to dark iron. New decorative pillows, throw blankets, area rugs and accessories, even books, candles and art on the walls are great opportunities to change any room’s tone without even opening a can of paint.

    A new bedding set with fresh sheets, and a bold comforter or duvet will completely change the look of your bedroom. Contrast your wall colors for a little bit of drama, or keep things quiet with off whites, grays and lots of texture, such as a throw blanket with big tassels or fringe, or soft stripes.

    Emphasize the natural. I love natural curiosities such as interesting pieces of wood, fossils or shells, crystals and stones, because the color is subtle but warm, and the textures are so fascinating.

    Large plants! For a rich pop of color and dramatic touch, add some big architectural plants with interesting leaves. If you can’t spring for something as big as you want, buy smaller ones in multiples, and use a pedestal or plant stand to vary the heights. I generally use odd numbers for any accessory grouping, 3 is a magic number for this!

    — Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro: An Outdoor Housewarming Party in Autumn

    A new home is a cause for celebration, but what if you move in during cooler weather months? Interior design expert and Dream Team member Jennifer Adams has the answers to stay warm during an autumn outdoor housewarming party in the latest edition of Ask a Pro!

    Ask a Pro: An Outdoor HouseWarming Party in Autumn - bhgrelife.com

    Q. Hello, Jennifer! I’m about to host a housewarming party in November to celebrate my new home. Can you help me with a theme? I plan to have it in my backyard under white tents. Thanks!

    —Samantha T.

    A. Congratulations on your new home! I love the idea of having your party outdoors. Add festive outdoor lighting and portable heaters if you live some place that will be chilly.

    One of my favorite non-holiday-based November party ideas, depending on the timing of your party and if you like red wine, is to do a “Release of the Beaujolais Nouveau” theme! The French celebrate this on the third Thursday of November when the newest red table wines come out, but you don’t have to wait that long. Find some inexpensive Beaujolais Nouveau, which is on the light, fruity, sweet side. Pair with fruit, cheeses, sliced roast beef, beet salad, or figs with goat cheese, all perfect for party foods!

    If your party is earlier in November, consider a Mexican theme for the Day of the Dead. It’s a little more than just Halloween, and you can go all-out with a Mexican menu, which is always a crowd pleaser.

    Other ideas include an apple or pumpkin theme for your menu. Have a tasting of hard ciders or pumpkin beers! Pair with fruit, cheeses, crackers or bread and other savory snacks. Let me know how it goes! I’d love to see your photos on social.

    —Jennifer A.

  • 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.