Hello everyone, it’s almost Memorial Day Weekend, and this year we will spend it at home sprucing up our outdoor sitting area in preparation for summer.  I know many of you will be doing the same thing, shopping the stores for upgrades to your yard in order to enjoy them during the longer nights and warmer days ahead. 

Today Mr. Courtney Lake of Courtney Out Loud is back as a Contributor with his story about how he chose pavers for his own backyard setting, and offering some very valuable tips on selecting the proper pavers for your outdoor space too.  Enjoy! 

“Spring is in full bloom and the heady sent of the first blooms are beckoning us to light up our grills, put on shorts and enjoy our yards. Yet for many of us, our outdoor spaces are long forgotten dumping grounds of mismatched furniture, yard supplies and kiddie pools or worse, the outdoor spaces are just vast barren patches of concrete, grass, or in my case, gravel.

When my Partner and I opted to invest in our outdoor space last year, we were completely at a loss on what to do with it. We inherited a barbell-shaped space that was half French limestone pavers surrounded by pea gravel and dirt. Functional but not very user friendly is how I would describe the old space. The major issue was the pea gravel which (1) the neighborhood cats assumed was their personal litter box, (2) didn’t allow the patio furniture to rest evenly as the legs always sank an inch and (3) wood floors and pea gravel don’t mix unless you enjoy refinishing and patching scratches every few months.

We opted to spend the majority of our budget on replacing the pea gravel and dirt with something a bit more “friendly” both underfoot and to our interior floors.  Since the builder had already started with the limestone pavers, we decided to continue with the look because it was economical since we only needed enough pavers to complete the space, the limestone is pretty durable and finally, we actually liked the neutral look of the pavers.

 

Read the rest of this entry »

One of my absolute favorite topics on earth is kitchen renovation, and even though we finished our own several years ago, it’s still one subject I never get tired of.  Today l’d like to welcome fellow home renovation lover and blogger Liz from It’s Great to Be Home on the subject of choosing kitchen cabinetry during a home remodel.

Liz and her husband are pros at flipping houses, in fact they just finished their fourth flip and I’m so excited to have Liz as a new monthly contributor, sharing her insight on all things home improvement.  Today the topic is choosing kitchen cabinetry, take it away Liz!

If you’ve ever tackled a kitchen or bath renovation then you know all about the onslaught of emotions that can be brought on by that prospect – excitement about having a fabulous space after the renovation is complete, nervousness about surviving the process, and sometimes total fear about the daunting task of choosing each and every fixture and finish.  For those of you on the brink of a big construction project, I’m here to take the intimidation out of at least one aspect of your renovation: choosing the cabinetry.

Cabinetry is often the biggest investment you will make during a kitchen renovation, so of course you want to get it right!  There are so many considerations and decisions to make.  Will you choose custom or stock cabinets? Should you chooser painted or stained cabinetry?  How much should you set aside in your budget?  The list goes on and on.

However, if you arm yourself with just a little knowledge before you tackle the cabinetry conundrum the task doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating.  The key to having confidence in your cabinetry choices is all about finding the perfect balance between three key elements – your budget, the look and feel you’re going for, and making the most of what you have through space planning.

 

 

 

How do you balance those three elements?  Here are ten questions that will help guide you to that ideal balance between budget, look and feel, and space planning to achieve your dream cabinetry.

 

Practical matters should be considered first (i.e., your actual needs), which are addressed in the first 5 questions.  Then we’ll move onto the pretty stuff!

1.  What is my cabinetry budget?

You probably already have an overall budget in mind for your entire kitchen renovation – but have you broken that budget down into allotments for cabinetry, tile, hardware, fixtures, labor and everything else that will go into the project?

Creating an itemized budget is the very first thing you should do, before you spend a single dime.  Why?  Because you don’t want to be that person that has a killer Viking range sitting in the middle of an empty kitchen – it’s all about spreading your pennies around, saving and splurging as necessary.  Keep in mind that you may need to make adjustments to your cabinetry budget (and possibly your budget in general) as you consider the next nine questions.

Elle Decor

 

Read the rest of this entry »

It seems it’s “tips” week here at CG and today we’re talking about some general suggestions for selling your home.  When I say “we” I mean I’ve invited my mister to share some tips with you since he’s the guy with all the knowledge on this subject – he’s a real estate appraiser and broker (yep both!) with over 25 years experience.  I asked him to contribute some of his knowledge so he was kind enough to write up this article for you today.

And after three years, it’s time I stop referring to him as just “mister” so allow me to introduce my husband to you by his actual name – it’s Matthew, or Matt as most people call him.  There I feel much better now that you finally know his name too!  Matt’s taking the helm here to share his ten best suggestions for selling your home quickly and achieving top dollar at the same time.  Here he is:

“Kate asked me to share some of my suggestions for maximizing the value of your home when you decide to put it on the market (and she’s going to add some pictures to illustrate too.)  First know that these recommendations depend on a variety of factors such as price range, time of year, region, and location, and this list is by no means all inclusive.

For first timers, the process of selling a home can be stressful, but there are a few things you can do to reduce the anxiety of the sale and secure the best sales price too. Most people buy the home they feel the most emotionally connected with – the one they can envision living in. Your goal as the seller is to give that feeling to the best of your ability to any potential buyer that comes through your door.

Ten Tips for Selling Your Home

1. First Impressions Matter.  The exterior of your home gives potential buyers the first impression and you want it to be looking its very best.  Start by power washing your home to get rid of any cobwebs, dirt, or grime. Rid your driveway of any oil stains and move any old cars off the property. Focus attention on an attractive and inviting entry with a new welcome mat, potted plants, and flowers. If your front porch light is old and/or broken spend $30 and give it a facelift with a new fixture. Spruce up the landscaping, mow the grass, prune the trees and shrubs, and replace or replant where needed.

2. Inspect the Exterior and Make Obvious Repairs.  Repair any peeling exterior paint or damaged siding, especially in the front of the home.  Make sure the front door hinges and hardware work perfectly, and the doorbell too since one of the worst first impressions is a non-working doorbell.  If for some reason you can’t get it to work, place a note over the doorbell that reads “Please Knock”.  Sliders and doors all need to be oiled and working smoothly including the sliding screen doors too.  You want that smooth transition from room to room and from indoor to outdoor living.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hello all, happy Friday!  I’m trying to recover from the mild headache I’ve had this past week every time I try to make a decision on what kind of tile to choose for the hallway bathroom project we’re starting.  This hall bathroom is the most ambitious project on my Home Goals list so I’m getting started on the process now. I’ve been in a dozen tile shops within 20 miles on this adventure to find the perfect backsplash.  

We’re reusing and repainting the existing cabinet (the plan is to build a new base for it and lift it up by 6 to 8 inches, more like a console style vanity), and we’re replacing the cultured marble countertop and mirror too.  I really really really see a feature wall of tile in here (with a much smaller mirror) from cabinet to ceiling.  The idea of tile going up to the ceiling completely rocks my world.

Sarah Richardson

New Ravenna

Read the rest of this entry »