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If you aren’t interested in trends and want to have your home stand the test of time, here is a list for you!

1. White Cabinets
2. Black & White color palette
3. Built in Book shelves
4. Carrera Marble tops
5. Gallery style walls

A new fun trend in larger kitchens is to add a beverage bar. It can be set up for cocktails and entertaining, with small wine/beer fridge, or just coffee/tea etc. Or both! If you are building or remodeling, and looking to do something different…here is your chance!

If you are thinking of selling your home, updating a tired kitchen is one of the best ways to spend your money. Kitchens can make or break the sale of your home! Here are some lower cost updates to consider:

1. Paint cabinets white
2. Put on new handles & pulls
3. Remove a boxy upper cabinet and add some open shelving instead.
4. Replace lighting. New pendants especially.
5. Add a new back splash.
6. If it’s in your budget, replace white appliances with mid range stainless steel

By doing these things, you can avoid having to buy new cabinets and counters, which is the bulk of the cost of a full blown kitchen remodel. Just be sure to choose colors and materials that appeal to most people.

If you have a neutral sofa, a fun way to bring color into the room is with decorative pillows.  These can be changed with the seasons, or whenever you feel like a change. There are some really gorgeous combinations you can make! And don’t forget the throw to complete the look.

Chip and Joanna from the home show “Fixer Upper” have really transformed the exterior of this boring little outdated house. Amazing and unrecognizable. At first glance it looks like they just beefed up and updated the porch, but if you look closer, the roof has been raised, new windows, shutters, door, lights, stone, steps….it’s basically a whole new house!

Don’t you just love the rooms and dreamy beds five star hotels? The softest of sheets…the   white down comforters and selection of just-right pillows for an amazing night’s sleep.  Just so happens many stores have their white sales (bedding & towels) in January and it’s is a great time to think about updating your master bedroom linens. And who knows…you might be inspired to re do the whole room!

Even if you live in a small apartment, you have room for one of these! So Pretty.

Replace your down spout with one of these rain chains…so gorgeous and amazing when it rains. And very cool looking when they freeze in the winter, too!

Here is a great tip that makes picture hanging a simple, gratifying task.

Always hang your artwork at 57″ on center.

“On center” means that the middle of the artwork is always at 57″ (the hook will be higher). It represents the average human eye-height and is regularly used as a standard in many galleries and museums.

If you stick to this standard, you create harmony among ALL the pictures in your home, as they will all share a midline, no matter what outside dimensions may be.

Step By Step:

1. Measure and lightly mark 57″ on the wall
2. Measure artwork and divide by 2 (this gives you the center)
3. Measure top of your picture to the tightened wire (a small amount)
4. Subtract “tight wire” amount from 1/2 height amount for the “to the hook” amount. This will tell you how far above 57″ your hook should go
5. Lightly mark wall just above 57″ with the “to the hook” amount

 Example:

1. Picture is 20″ tall
2. Middle is at 10″ (this mid point should rest at 57″)
3. Wire comes to 2″ below the top
4. 10″ – 2″ = 8″
5. Lightly mark 8″ above your first mark OR 65″ on the wall