Trendy Tricks & Tips

It's an ideal time to freshen up your home and try 9 Hot Decorating Trends...

1. PRINTS ON STEROIDS

This season look for textiles with large repeat patterns. Embrace the motifs of nature in a big way. Graphic prints are the rage, from big bold flowers to stylized branches. The scale is so big it can appear sculptural.





2. VINTAGE LUXURY

Old made new again! Unique vintage articles add a touch whimsy and style to any decor. Great for the budget conscious and even better for the environment.















3. WALLPAPER is back...it adds depth, color and pattern to a space. Available in so many new styles you have to see them to believe them!





4. METALLIC on vanity cabinets, walls and ceilings. Accents and accessories in silver, mercury glass, mirrors, and crystals.

5. THINK PINK!

Raspberry tones, pinky reds and coral shades are the in colors for home fashion and look fabulous married with chocolate brown.



6. GREY IS THE NEW BLACK

Clean tones of cobalt, slate, charcoal and gray flannel will dominate. Pair it with orange or fuchia!
















7. AVIAN CHIC...all things bird related.

You will find bird motifs in fabrics, accent pieces and wall art everywhere you look this year.












8. WOOD

Tree trunk tables, carved decorative bowls, wood motifs called faux bois.









9. HOME MADE APPEAL

With a focus on earth friendly living, anything hand made, environmentally friendly or made with natural organic materials. The texture of knitted and stitched handiwork is cropping up in ceramics, on furniture and wall decor.













Look around your home today and see what new trend you can incorporate into your existing spaces...you may surprise yourself!

Ask Stacie...

Q: Hi Stacie, Is there a guide or formula to how much space you should leave between your furniture? -D

A: You should always treat the wall around a piece of furniture like you would the matting around a picture. Do not try to fill up all the space around it. Leave enough space around your furniture so that a person can move about it freely. Also be sure there is enough space to pull out a chair in the dining room without hitting the walls. Here are a few guidelines:

COFFEE TABLE: Allow18 to 24 inches between the sofa and coffee table

TV VIEWING: Comfortable TV viewing- is three times the size of the screen. (i.e: to comfortably watch a 30" TV screen you would need to be seated 90 inches a way).

DINING ROOM CHAIR: Allow 24" to 30" between the back of a dining room chair and the wall.-

BED: The clearance between the bed and wall should be at least 24 inches

Granite Countertops- SO Yesterday!

For nearly two decades, granite has been the number one choice for kitchen countertops. Like its predecessors laminate and solid surface, granite will soon become a thing of the past. The theory is that once a material is found in apartment complexes and tract homes, it's on its way out. So what's next? Here are few a new options:

WOOD & COPPER

The trend now is toward warmer and softer materials like wood, copper and soapstone. The most popular woods for counters today are walnut and teak sometimes paired with copper. Both require more maintenance than granite. Wood needs frequent sanding and oiling, while copper requires buffing and polishing.

SOAPSTONE

Some soapstone is mined in Georgia and some people feel that soapstone is more subdued and warmer than granite. It looks old immediately and achieves an attractive patina with use. It can also withstand hot pots and pans.

FIRESLATE

The material has become more popular in the last few years as a material for counters, but it has been around since the turn of the 20th century when it was invented to shield the undercarriages of trolley cars from sparks clicked up from the tracks. It is made of a mixture of cement, sand and recycled paper.

GLASS

For a sleek, modern look, some people are choosing seamless sheets of textured glass."ThinkGlass" has a line of luminous and glacial-looking solid glass countertops that are more sanitary than granite and just as durable.

TERRAZZO
New terrazzo products made of recycled glass are also generating enthusiasm. Vetrazzo and IceStone are manufactures who make this product. Both products are as durable as granite, are less porous and therefore more stain resistant. Resealing is recommended every year or two.

ENGINEERED STONE

This is a quartz composite surface that is manufactured by Silestone and Caesarstone. The appeal is a soft more uniform look than granite. Engineered stone is virtually maintenance free and is available in a wide range of colors. While it looks like stone, this material is non-porous. It does not stain or require routine applications of a sealant.

VOLVIC LAVA

THIS IS HOT (no pun intended). This product once fired, becomes seamless and looks like a polished gem stone. It is oh so GORGEOUS! It will not stain, chip, scratch or scorch and it stands up to acidic foods. Lava Stone is expensive, and because the factory is located in France, they can fill only about 200 orders from the United States a year.

GREEN MATERIALS

There are kitchen counters made of recycled paper or sustainable wood pulp by companies like Richlite and PaperStone. They are made of layers of paper or pulp mixed with pigment and a resin binder that are pressed together with tremendous force. The product is extremely strong and water resistant. (the material is also used for cutting boards, rain guards and skateboard ramps). This material has a soft texture and mimics those qualities of soapstone and holds up well to hot pans and spilled foods. Scratches disappear after scouring with a Scotch-Brite pad and an application of linseed or mineral oil.

10 Reasons to Professionally Stage Your Property

Professionally Staged Properties:

• Look better than others on the market

• Sell faster

• Typically sell for more money

• Look better in print and internet ads

• Receive more foot traffic

• End up on a buyer's "must see" list

• Are viewed by buyers as "well maintained"

• Are viewed as "well maintained" by Appraisers

• Are often appraised at a higher values

• Are "move in ready"

Staging Works!
Use a stager, SELL a HOUSE