Home Improvement Archives

March 12, 2021

How to Make a Budget for Home Improvement Projects

Budget for home improvement

Before you dive into renovating your family room or kitchen, you’ll need to know which projects give the best return on investment. That helps you make better choices for the biggest increase in your home’s value.

Kitchen renovations and finished basements and attics are the big winners here, accounting for as much as 10% to 15% of the total value of your home, according to CNN Money. Bathrooms lag behind slightly, accounting for 5% to 15% of property value, but smaller baths such as powder rooms or half baths contribute less.

Use these percentages, and any others that you can find, as guidelines when planning for home improvement projects. If your living room or bedroom is so sad and dated that you can’t imagine living with it for one more day, personal satisfaction can trump ROI to a certain extent.

Costs Related to Typical Projects

Americans love their kitchen renovations. So much so, the Huffington Post says four out of ten renovation dollars has been spent on kitchens in recent years. The trend is expected to continue. On average, kitchen makeovers cost just under $30,000. This includes flooring, new appliances, lighting, cabinetry, countertops, and labor for anything that you can replace without a full alteration of the room’s footprint.

Consumer Reports says the average bathroom renovation comes in at about $16,000, including labor. The big-ticket considerations are cabinets, plumbing and plumbing fixtures, and flooring.

The median costs of some other home-improvement projects are listed by Remodeling Magazine as follows:

New roof — $18,488
New vinyl siding — $11,192
Basement remodel — $61,303
Deck addition — $9,327
Attic bedroom — $47,919

Where to Cut Back and Save

There are places to splurge, and places you can pinch pennies without losing much quality. One big way to save is to perform as much of the labor yourself as possible. You can paint and hang wallpaper, more than likely, but brave DIY folks are also learning to set tile, install new light and plumbing fixtures, and lay hardwood and laminate floors.

Areas where you’ll want to hire out labor might be major plumbing and electrical, structural changes, replacing windows, installing cabinets, and replacing siding or the roof.

A surprising way to save money is by hiring an interior designer, even if it’s only for an hour or two. A designer offers professional home improvement advice, which can save money since you’ll make the best choices the first time. Even the wrong color of paint can add up if you have to paint a room twice.

If you really want to be frugal, consider a few of these options:

Shop for clearance-item floor and wall tile
Replace cabinet doors instead of buying new cabinets
Consider vinyl flooring instead of tile
Rethink laminate countertops, or opt for composites instead of granite or marble
Replace appliances with white, as pricey stainless steel won’t remain popular forever

Fitting Everything into Your Budget

Once you know what you want, start a goal account in your budget to avoid putting anything on credit. The benefit of this method is twofold. You’ll avoid costly interest payments, and the time it takes to save lets you shop for the best bargains. When you buy on credit, it’s tempting to buy the first thing that strikes your fancy.

The bigger your goal, the more time you’ll need to save for it. Start making budget adjustments now, and you’ll reach that goal sooner. Turn down the thermostat, cut out unnecessary spending, and hold off on buying that new car. Any areas of your budget where you can trim off the fat will beef up your eventual renovation.

Your home is probably the biggest investment you’ve got, and you owe it to yourself to make improvements that will increase its value as well as your enjoyment. Take your time. Instead of opening a new credit card account at your local big box store, squirrel away money and make smart purchases.

Mint.com can help you reach your home-improvement goals. With budget software that lets you track spending as well as savings, you can redirect money to where it has the biggest effect.

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Source: mint.intuit.com

March 9, 2021

6 Disastrous Tax Mistakes People Make When They Work From Home

Working from home has multiple perks, not the least of which is the short commute to your home office in your PJs. (Yes, it’s a cliché, and yes, it happens.)

But while you might be incredibly talented at designing websites, writing novels, or whatever it is you do during your 9-to-5 at home, nearly all of us have the potential to get tripped up during tax time.

Granted, working from home—either part time or full time—provides plenty of ways to save on taxes. But within those opportunities lie pitfalls galore (especially now that the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is in full swing), and they could lead to an IRS audit.

To help you stay in the clear when filing for the 2020 tax year, here’s a rundown of these six tax mistakes people often make when they work from home.

1. Assuming you can deduct your home office

If you work from home for a larger corporation (if you receive a W-2, that’s you), you cannot deduct the costs associated with a home office. Sorry, telecommuters!

And for all you W-2 employees stuck working at home during the coronavirus pandemic? You don’t qualify for this deduction either. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act removed the home office deduction for workers who conduct business at home but still have a full-time employer.

Self-employed individuals, however, can still take the deduction, provided they have a dedicated, work-only space. (See below.)

2. Neglecting to take all of your deductions

Some of the best perks of being self-employed and working from home are the many deductions you can take for various expenses. However, a few are commonly overlooked, says Josh Zimmelman, owner of Westwood Tax & Consulting in New York City.

For instance, many don’t realize that they can deduct the percentage of their internet, landline, and utilities that are used for work.

Those who work from home can also deduct transportation costs to outside meetings, dues for professional development, and regulatory fees or licenses paid to state or local governments. So if you use any of those, make sure to add them to the heap!

3. Taking too many suspicious deductions

On the other hand, some self-employed folks put themselves at risk of an audit by trying to write off bogus expenses, Zimmelman cautions.

“In order for an expense to be deductible, it must be ‘ordinary and necessary’ to run your business,” he says.

Just because you’re at home while you work doesn’t mean you can write off that fancy new espresso maker, for example; nor should you write off lunch with your spouse at that bistro down the street (unless you’re in business together, and it was a working lunch).

4. Taking an inappropriate rent deduction for your home office

Working from home doesn’t automatically mean you can deduct a portion of your rent (or monthly mortgage fees) for the square footage you devote to a home office.

There are two main criteria for legally using this deduction, says Jason Miller, tax manager at Nussbaum Yates Berg Klein & Wolpow in New York City.

Your home office must be exclusively a home office, not sometimes used for professional use and sometimes for personal use. That means your kitchen counter, guest room, or TV room with a computer doesn’t count. In IRS parlance, they are looking for “regular and exclusive” use, Miller says.
Your home office must be your principal place of business. If you work at home and have an office outside the home, remember that you are not allowed to take the home office deduction, he says.

5. Commingling personal and business spending

Too many work-from-home professionals miss out on deductions because their finances are in serious disarray, Zimmelman finds. An easy solution is to carefully track business spending by setting up separate checking, savings, and credit card accounts.

You also need to keep meticulous records of what equipment is used for business activities and what is personal. So, for example, if you have one cellphone for both professional and personal use, you can deduct a percentage of the expenses on your tax return, based on the percentage of use.

“You’ll need detailed call logs or other documentation to back that up,” he says.

6. Thinking credit card statements are sufficient to prove expenses

Do you blithely toss receipts because you consider your credit card statement to be adequate proof of your expenditures? You could be in trouble if you’re one of the unlucky people to get audited.

“The IRS will not accept credit card statements as backup, because they do not show itemized details of what was purchased,” says Miller.

For example, say you have a charge from an office supply store for $1,500 on your credit card. The IRS cannot determine whether the purchases were for legitimate office needs or whether you were buying computer components for your teen.

Plus, remember that in an audit, the burden of proof still remains on the taxpayer to prove or substantiate expenses. So keep saving those receipts! Apps abound, so you don’t have to stuff them in a shoebox; there’s even one called Shoeboxed, which scans and saves receipts for future reference.

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Watch: Sold a Home? Don’t Miss These Tax Deductions

For more smart financial news and advice, head over to MarketWatch.

Source: realtor.com

March 7, 2021

How to Use Vinyl Plank Flooring to Refresh Your Home

Deciding to do any major renovation in your home can be overwhelming because of all of the available choices. This is especially true when it comes to choosing the right kind of flooring. Not only do you have to take material, styles and colors into consideration, but overall cost, installation, and most importantly, durability, as well. Now, if you’re social distancing and looking for home projects to do, updating your home’s flooring might be the route to take as it’s often overlooked. Thankfully, there is a product taking the flooring world by storm, but still has many wondering if it’s too good to be true– vinyl plank flooring.

Cost

There’s no denying that vinyl plank flooring costs a fraction of what you would pay for hardwood or tile flooring. Not just for the actual product itself, but also the cost for installation because it’s not as labor intensive as other flooring options. Vinyl plank flooring can range between $2 and $7 per square foot while hardwood can range between $8 and $15.

Installation

Vinyl plank flooring snaps together and floats on top of the subfloor. It does not require any nails or glue and can easily be cut with a utility knife. Vinyl plank flooring can potentially be installed over existing flooring or subfloor, depending on the condition and type of floor. For example, if you install vinyl plank flooring over tile, and the material is too thin, you could end up with subfloor telegraphing. This is where the grout lines sort of emboss themselves on the flooring above. There are ways to prevent this, so be sure to read manufacture recommendations should you choose to install over tile flooring. Since vinyl plank flooring is so easy to install, it is definitely appealing to new and experienced do-it-yourself homeowners. Vinyl plank flooring comes ready to install and doesn’t require acclimating like other flooring choices.

Durability and use

Unlike hardwood and laminate flooring, vinyl plank flooring is virtually waterproof and scratch resistant. Which makes vinyl plank flooring the perfect option when installing in basements, homes with a pool, or any area where moisture could be an issue. Vinyl plank flooring is especially ideal for those with pets and/or kids where wear and tear is inevitable. Vinyl plank flooring is also temperature consistent to the room that it’s in making it more enjoyable to walk across, even in cooler months, and doesn’t require any in floor heating or cooling.

walton-oak-lifeproof-vinyl-plank-flooring-i127904l-e1_1000 — Walton Oak Lifeproof Vinyl Plank Flooring Source: Home Depot

Design Choices

Vinyl plank flooring comes in a variety of colors and styles. It can look like real wood flooring with actual woodgrain, tile, slate, and vary in sizes and pattern options. This gives homeowners the look and functionality they desire to update their spaces.

Disadvantages

While vinyl plank flooring seems like the hands down logical choice, there are some downsides to consider as well.

Vinyl plank flooring most likely won’t add value to your home. It can definitely update your home and look better than hardwood that has seen better days, but vinyl plank flooring won’t necessarily bump your return on investment like hardwood floors typically do.
Vinyl plank flooring, like laminate, cannot be refinished like hardwood floors. Although durable, you can’t touch them up like you can with natural flooring, you’ll have to re-laminate.
Vinyl plank flooring is printed. Because of this, when installing the wood look vinyl plank flooring, there are only so many variations of the wood grain pattern. Mixing up the boxes and paying attention to what you’re laying down, will help prevent the same exact board from laying next to another. This will ensure that your flooring looks more realistic like real wood floors.

In the market for new flooring and intrigued by vinyl plank flooring myself, we recently installed this flooring in our master bedroom to find out if it was up to the hype. You can read all about why we chose vinyl plank flooring for our own home and my thoughts on the installation process.

Vinyl plank flooring has come a long way and has quickly become a homeowner favorite for updating floors, despite some of the minor drawbacks . The ease of installation, durability, and overall cost makes it a great choice when compared to other flooring options. The most important thing is to research all available flooring options and determine what your overall goal is for your home. If you’re looking for something that is going to give you the updated style you desire, with practical durability, and is budget friendly, vinyl plank flooring is for you.

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Brooke has a lifestyle blog called Cribbs Style and currently lives in Charleston, SC. This wife, mom of two almost tweens, and mom of three fur children enjoys all things DIY and organizing. When she’s not helping others tackle the chaos of life, she’s either working out, at the beach, or just enjoying time with family and friends.

Source: homes.com

March 7, 2021

7 Ways to Combat Clutter in the New Year

The New Year is the time for a fresh start. It brings a feeling of starting over, and an opportunity to improve all areas of your life. In the New Year, take some time to complete projects you’ve been putting off for months. You can create an even better home for you and your family by decluttering and organizing your home.

Follow these tips for easy and quick ways to de-clutter your home.

1. Keep things at arms reach: Keep items you use daily somewhere where they can be easily reached, whether that’s in a basket, on a shelf, or in a cabinet. Store everything that is used sparingly on a higher shelf or in the garage or attic. It will be easier to find what you need when you need it.

2. Add shelves: If your home is cluttered adding more furniture won’t help. Instead of adding a bookshelf or desk, add wall shelving. You’ll have room for books, picture frames, paperwork, and even a television without cluttering your home with more furniture.

3. 12-12-12 Challenge: This challenge comes from BecomingMinimalist.com, and is a simple project to add to your routine. Clean and organize by choosing 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 to return to a proper place in your home. This helps you organize, declutter, and give to a good cause all at the same time!

4. Garage storage: Make your garage your main storage area. Use old dressers and other furniture to store seasonal items and items you don’t use daily. Paint the furniture the same color to create a unified look.

5. Get rid of broken items: There’s no point in keeping items that are broken or unused, they’re just taking up precious space in your home. If you haven’t used it or gotten it fixed in the past six months, you probably never will. Throw it out or donate it to make room for something new.

6. Use things up: It’s a habit to save special items for special occasions, whether it’s fancy bath soap or an expensive spice. Stop saving these things for the right time, use them and enjoy them now. Use what you have before you buy something new to help keep clutter at bay.

7. Deal with one room at a time: Take it step by step. Organize and declutter one room at a time, makes it easier to focus on the task at hand. If you try to juggle too many rooms at once, it may never get done.

Go through these tasks every few months to help maintain an organized home. A decluttered home can give you and your family peace of mind – and room for something new.

Source: century21.com

March 7, 2021

Important DIY Safety Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

There is no denying that more and more homeowner’s are trying their hand at do-it-yourself (DIY) projects, to turn their house into a home. Before jumping into any project or using a tool, often for the first time, it’s vital to make safety a top priority. Taking the proper safety measures not only projects yourself, but also those around you and your home.

According to Remodeling Central, these are the five most common accidents that happen when completing a DIY project:

Falling off a ladder: For example, never stand on the very top or stack multiple ladders
Misusing tools and equipment: Never take off safety guards and if anything you can buy additional items to protect you, especially important for things like table saws.
Slips and falls: Keeping your work area picked up and free of tripping hazards is especially important. Most important when dealing with projects requiring heights. (See also ladder safety.)
Electrocutions: Simply turning off a switch may not be enough, turning off power at the circuit breaker may be the better solution.
Noxious fumes: Not only is it important to not mix certain chemicals (think ammonia and bleach), how you handle and dispose of certain chemicals is even more important. Keeping work rags in a metal container could prevent spontaneous combustion of fumes causing a fire and/or explosion. Check your local disposal facilities for places to take any used/unused chemicals for proper disposal. This is also why it’s important to wear the proper masks to prevent inhalation of toxic fumes.

Now that we know this, let’s go ahead and go over some basic ways to protect yourself if you plan on renovating or starting a big, DIY project at home.

Young contractor drilling a hole in a piece of wood in his workshop

First Things First: Protect Your Head

If you have longer hair, make sure it’s tied back to not get in the way of your eyesight as well as the potential to get entangled in tools. It may even be a better idea to wear a hat or even a hard hat depending on the type of project you are doing

Protective Eyewear is Essential

We’ve only got one set of eyes, so wearing protective eye wear is essential to save your eyeballs from flying debris or chemicals. Whatever it is that you’re working with, wear what type of eye wear is recommended. Even for simple little cuts, don’t miss this step because unfortunately there is no way to know when this sort of injury may occur. If you wear eye glasses, check with your eye care professional to make sure they are rated for this type of work.

Protect Your Skin

Wear appropriate clothing that will protect your skin from whatever it is that you’re doing. Too loose, not enough coverage, or highly flammable materials could put yourself at risk of injury. It’s also important to wear gloves whenever you’re coming into contact with chemicals. Just like with the breathing masks, there are gloves specifically rated for the chemicals you are using. You want to protect your skin as much as possible.

Don’t Forget the Mask

Whenever working with chemicals it is recommended to wear a protective mask. Make sure to read the packaging to ensure you’re wearing the proper mask for the job you’re doing. Some chemicals require a respirator that a regular mask just can’t handle. Wearing protective masks is not limited to just chemicals and paint, it’s also highly recommended for wood working and sanding. Those tiny particles over time can collect in your lungs and airways causing potential life threatening damage.

It cannot be stressed enough to read instructions, pay attention to warning labels, and do your research when attempting any DIY project. There is so much information available out there to help teach homeowners the proper techniques and how to avoid serious injury. If there is still uncertainty, consult with a professional. Doing home improvement projects should bring moments of pride and accomplishment, not trips to the emergency room.

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Source: homes.com

March 7, 2021

7 Essential Curb Appeal Tips for Sellers

With the spring real estate market heating up across the United States, it’s time to focus on curb appeal. You want your home to stand out from the others, and the exterior will be the first area buyers see. If it’s not in top shape, there’s a good chance buyers will move on to the next home. So make sure you’re trimming the lawn, washing the siding and shining everything else up in preparation for showings. Here are some essential areas to address:

#1 Wash the siding
Your siding probably looks a bit dirty and dusty after this last winter, so it’s time to wash it off and make it look shiny and new for the spring. Use soapy water and a bristled brush to remove dirt and debris. If the grime and dirt won’t come off easily, you may need to use a pressure washer or power washer to remove it. You can rent a pressure washer from a local home improvement store or hire a professional power washer. The cost for exterior power washing ranges from $200 to $400, depending on the time and square footage involved. You should also take this time to wash your garage door, as it will be one of the first things buyers see. Do not use a power washer to clean your windows and doors though, because it could damage them and lead to repair costs.

#2 Revitalize the paint job
Once you’ve cleaned off the siding, it’s time to look at the paint. There’s a chance your home’s exterior will have chips, cracks and other paint issues following winter. To increase the exterior appeal of your home, consider repainting it. You could use the same paint color as before or choose a whole new color.. For a job this big, you may need to hire a painting contractor. Then explore how you can accent the paint job, whether it’s with plants, trim or exterior window treatments.

#3 Fix up the lawn
Given that winter was likely harsh on your landscape, it’s time to get it back in shape for the spring market. You should trim and prune any trees and bushes that took a beating or look overgrown. Add mulch to your flower beds and around trees to give them a professional, well-kept look. Aerate and dethatch your lawn so it can breathe and absorb nutrients more easily. If you have any barren spots in your lawn from snow and ice, add seeds or sod to help renew and cover those areas. If you have the time and budget, think about new spring garden colors in the form of flowers and shrubs.

#4 Add a fence
Another nostalgic, yet high selling point for buyers is a fence around the front of your property. It doesn’t have to be a highly secure fence like those you would add around the backyard. Rather, you could install a picket fence or a short chain link fence around the front yard. This can be especially appealing to families with young children because it helps keep kids safe and enclosed near the home. Installing a fence can range from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on the material you choose and the square footage of the front yard.

#5 Renew the front door
Once people pass through your fence and renewed landscape, they have to open your front door. If your entry door is beaten down, rotting and in bad shape, it sets a bad tone for the rest of the walkthrough. So look at how you can revitalize the door, whether it’s with a thorough cleaning or a paint job. Start by washing it down and then look for chips and cracks in the paint. Depending on the age of the door, it might be time to replace the door. Steel doors are noted as the safest and most effective doors for homeowners, but they are expensive. You might consider an affordable alternative like wood that you can personalize with knobs, windows and colors that complement your home’s interior and exterior design.

#6 Add landscaping lighting
For night walkthroughs, a great addition to your landscape is outdoor lighting. Landscape lights can increase the appeal of your home’s exterior and add security. You can accent trees, shrubs and flower beds at night to attract the buyer’s eye. That way, even though it’s dark outside, they’re still noticing the high points of your landscape. You can use solar fixtures that soak up sunlight during the day and light up at night. Otherwise, you can buy light fixtures that draw on power from the house or use batteries. These decisions depend on your budget and what works best for your landscape design.

#7 Update the mailbox
Mailboxes may seem like a nostalgic idea, but they can add definite appeal to your home, especially if you live in the suburbs. You can get mailboxes at a local home improvement store, and they come in various styles to match your home design. You can also fix up the mailbox you already have, whether it means painting it a new color or adding numbers to the side in the form of stickers or metal decals.

Source: century21.com

March 6, 2021

20 Questions to Ask Yourself When Deciding to Keep or Sell Your Home

The question enters many homeowners’ minds whether it’s your first home or your fourth home. “Is our current home our forever home or will we be selling in the near future?” Often it’s a split decision. Sometimes, homeowners can’t easily decide what their feelings are on their current home situation, but today, we are breaking down the top four items, and corresponding questions, we believe you should weigh when trying to decide on whether you want to love your home or if you’re ready to list it.

Location

You know the saying, location is everything. In real estate that couldn’t be more true since the location of your home determines its value. The exact same property in a different neighborhood can vary significantly based on its location alone. Questions to think about when deciding with location:

Do you love your current location?
Does the location of your property have truly unique features or can they be duplicated?
Do you love your neighbors?
Are properties available in your price range to purchase in the area you love?
Would you be okay with a neighborhood near your favorite location or do you need to be in a neighborhood within your desired location?

Size

Unlike location, the size of a home can always be changed whether it’s to add more square footage, or in some cases, take away. But when thinking about whether or not you want to continue living in your current home, you need to think about how you actually live and utilize the space around you. Ask yourself these questions:

Do you need more or less space?
Are you using all the space you currently have?
Do you need more space?
Can you add on square footage?
Can you repurpose your current space to make it more functional?

Renovation

Whether you decide on staying in your home or listing your home, you need to consider renovations. Not every house on the market is going to be move in ready, and maybe your current home just needs some extra love. Consider these questions:

Could a renovation change the way you feel about your home?
Can you live through a renovation?
Is a fixer upper something you would be willing to look at?
Would you have the time to manage a renovation project?
Are your renovation ideas actually doable from a cost perspective?

Cost

Knowing the cost of everything when it comes to buying or selling a home is important in keeping yourself educated and ahead of the game. With every home comes additional costs you didn’t plan for. Trying to keep this in mind is always helpful when deciding how to proceed with your current property. Here’s a few additional things to think about:

Can you afford to do a renovation to make it sale-ready?
Can you sell your home and make a profit to go towards a new home?
How much is your property actually worth on the current market?
What’s the going rate of properties in neighborhoods you love?
Is it a buyer or seller market?

Content Marketing Assistant at Homes.com | See more posts by this author

As Homes.com’s content marketing assistant, Sydney gets to combine one of her favorite pastimes with her job– keeping up with pop culture. Outside of work, she enjoys stepping away from her phone and computer and spending time with her friends, whether it’s just hanging out or traveling. Trying new foods, going snowboarding, and long road trips are some of her other favorite things to do, but what does she loves the most? When people read Homes.com’s blog articles, of course!

Source: homes.com

March 6, 2021

Tips for Growing Fruits and Vegetables at Home

There may be many benefits to growing your own garden, including better quality of produce, saving money, and having a healthy hobby. If you’re just getting started, use the guide below.

Here are our tips for growing fruits and vegetables at home!

● Gather your tools: Before you get down in the dirt, gather your gear. If you aren’t properly equipped already, head to your local home improvement or gardening supply stores to stock up on the essentials. To get started, you will need: a trowel (weeding, digging small holes), gardening gloves, a watering can and/or hose, a wheelbarrow, a shovel (digging large holes), a rake, shears (pruning), and sun protection.

● Decide how your garden will grow: Once you’ve planned the spot for your garden, you’ll need to decide which type you will grow. The traditional route is an in-ground garden, which uses natural soil and should ideally receive at least six hours of natural, direct light. If you have poor soil, you can choose a container garden instead by using store-bought potting soil (just make sure the container you use has proper drainage and enough space for deep-rooted plants). If you’re looking for something between the two, consider a raised-bed garden or the square-foot gardening method to get better control over the soil.

● Prepare your soil: Set your garden up for success by using high-quality soil. It should be well-aerated, free of stones and sand, and rich in compost for plenty of nutrients. Test the pH as well to make sure that your soil is only slightly acidic (unless you’re growing something like blueberries which prefer acidic soil).

● Pick your plants: Deciding what fruits and vegetables to grow is entirely up to you (and your growing conditions, of course). Plants like tomatoes, squash, beans, eggplant, corn, and peppers all love lots of sunlight, while leafy vegetables, potatoes, carrots, and turnips can do with less (which means they can be planted in early spring or late summer). If you’re a beginner, consider starting with seedlings from your local nursery.

● Tend to your garden: After the seeds are in the soil, keep a close eye on them. You may want to add more compost to help control weeds or cool roots during the summer. Depending on the weather, you may need to supplement the rain with additional water. Be careful not to water too much, though (watch out for leaves and stems that start to lighten in color or turn yellow).

Impress your friends and family with great, fresh meals all season long.

Source: century21.com

March 6, 2021

Give Your Bathroom Decor a (Spring) Break: 5 Travel-Inspired Trends From Instagram

If you’re dying for a real vacation right about now, we have good news—and bad news. While spring break might still be canceled, that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the magical vibes of travel into your home with some fresh decor.

After scouring Instagram for the hottest looks, we’re here to bring you these top five favorites. From European-style lamps and vintage accents to tropical-colored tiles, these bathroom looks have a little something for every would-be traveler. Here are five trending decor styles from the ‘gram—plus all the details on how to steal the look.

1. Box-framed wall lights

You may not know this one by name, but you’ll certainly recognize the industrial-chic vibe of these wall lights from @houseofbeau13.

“This is a great example of a trend that started in outdoor decor and became a hugely popular style for all types of indoor lighting,” says Natasha Nicolaou of NatNico Designs.

“The materials have an industrial feel, yet the box frame is light and delicate enough to not be overwhelming in a small space,” continues Nicolaou. “This makes the box frame sconce perfect for adding just a touch of industrial style to a bathroom.”

Get the look: Give your polished powder room an old Europe vibe with these dark bronze-finish brass wall lanterns from The Home Depot.

2. Antique-style mirror

Nothing screams “WC” quite like an antique-styled mirror like this one from @_havensent_.

“This past year has seen homeowners going for more bold and playful design choices in bathrooms,” says Nicolaou. “Where there’s bold design, you will often find a gorgeous ornate gilt mirror.”

“The vintage gilt mirror is a trend we have seen pop up in every room of the house over the years, and it’s finally found its time to shine as the crown jewel in bathroom design,” she adds. “They add a vibe of glam and vintage style to a bohemian or industrial-style bathroom, and they fit right in with the playfulness and color that’s trending in bathroom tile and wallpaper.”

Get the look: Round off your bathroom’s playful vibes with this modern accent mirror from Wayfair.

3. Bold and beautiful shower tile

If your dream destination involves more palm trees than castles, you’re going to love this colorful shower tile from @thehouse.andme.

“Don’t be afraid to use a bright, bold tile in your shower,” says Daniel Javor of Next Luxury. “Just balance it with soft neutrals in the rest of the bathroom.

“Bathrooms tend to be smaller spaces, making them perfect for splurging on a bold tile that would be too overwhelming or expensive to use elsewhere,” he continues. “Color is influential on your mood and mental state—so choose a soothing blue or green, or even an energetic yellow, orange, or red.”

Get the look: Shop this Loft Mata Hari polished glass tile.

4. Extra-long medicine cabinet

Another thing we find ourselves missing these days are quirky hotel rooms. Switch up your bathroom mirror into something functional and fun with one of these XL medicine cabinets featured by @nziarko_.

“It’s about time this became a trend,” says Nicolaou. “I have no idea why we’ve put up with tiny little medicine cabinets and tiny little mirrors for so long, but I’m so happy with all the choices that are offered now.

“With storage space at a premium in the bathroom, these extra-long cabinets are the perfect answer for those of us with countless creams, lotions, and serums in need of stashing away—and who wouldn’t want a bigger mirror?” she asks. “The perfect combination of form and function, this is a trend that will stick around for a long time.”

Get the look: Upgrade your bathroom storage with one of these Searle surface-mount framed medicine cabinets from Wayfair.

5. Oval vessel sink

With space being of the essence, there’s no better solution to efficiency in a bathroom than one of these oval vessel sinks featured by @holzhausliebe.

“If you’re remodeling your bathroom, a vessel sink is a great choice because it’s stylish, easy to install, and gives your bathroom a contemporary look,” says Javor. “An oval shape is nice because it’s thinner, making it perfect for use in narrow bathrooms, and the long length also gives you more options with faucet placement.”

Get the look: Bring some contemporary space saving into your bathroom with this matte stone Wisteria oval vessel sink from The Home Depot.

Source: realtor.com

March 6, 2021

Want to Upgrade Your Home in 2020? Nine Products to Consider Buying

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Covering more than one million square feet of exhibit space at the cavernous Las Vegas convention center, product manufacturers of about 2,000 different brands displayed their latest and greatest housewares last month at the International Builders Show. To put the size of the expo into perspective, that’s roughly 23 acres of sinks, faucets, toilets, cabinets and items from numerous other product categories.

Should any of the thousands of appliances and dozens of other product categories capture the fancy of building remodelers, they should be available almost immediately. If builders like them, they probably will be featured in model homes this fall, if not sooner.

Meanwhile, here are some of the products that caught this reporter’s eye, broken down by rooms in your house:

Kitchen

Nectar of the Gods

Perlick’s new coffee dispensing kit transforms its countertop-mounted beer dispenser into a cold brew coffee station. Similarly, Plum’s new countertop appliance automatically chills wine to the desired temperature, serves it one glass at a time, and preserves the rest for up to 90 days. With a simple touch of screen, the perfect glass is served within seconds, with no waste of what you can’t finish.

Drawer Cooking

Sharp’s first-ever microwave drawer will glide open with a wave of your hand near the motion sensor. It closes almost as easily with either a touch of a button or gentle nudge and remains closed when you walk by, so children and pets won’t open it accidentally. The unit has wi-fi connectivity, so it integrates with smart home features.

Kitchen-to-Table

If you’re a fan of the farm-to-table style food that has grown in popularity, consider looking at an indoor garden. Natufia offered what it says is the world’s first fully-integrated and automated hydroponic kitchen garden. The unit optimizes all minerals, nutrients and vitamins, and since it is controlled indoors, homeowners don’t need to worry about pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. The garden offers year-round, 24/7 kitchen-to-table ingredients without the concern of weather challenges or seasons.

H2O on Tap

Instant hot, cold and sparkling water? From the same tap? All of the above, with Zip Water’s HydroTap, which is meant to be used as a second faucet. Still, there’s no bulky reserve tank, just one line for filtered boiling, chilled or sparkling water. It also offers greater filtration than the standard refrigerator water line.

Bathroom

Go Paperless

Everything else in the house, it seems, is smart these days, so why not the toilet? The BioBidet features dual flush technology that senses user activity and responds accordingly to preserve water. Also, remote controlled spray settings and air dryer save on toilet paper. The lid opens and closes automatically, the bowl is self-cleaning and there’s a sensor–activated light. What more could you ask for from your loo?

New Way to Shower

The Thermostatic Shower System from Lenova allows users to fine-tune their preferences, including maintaining water temperature to within a single degree. The interactive control panel delivers the same volume of water, even when using the shower head and body sprayers simultaneously. Choose from preset sprays or mix and match shower heads, body jets, and tub spouts for a customized look and feel.

Go Large

California Faucets introduced a series of large format, solid brass showerheads offering a wider-than-standard spray. The different ceiling-mounted showerheads– arched, convex and ultra-thin– come in 28 finishes to offer a more sumptuous waterfall-like bathing experience.

Exterior

Outdoor Cabinets

Trex, the outdoor decking company, is now offering outdoor cabinetry. Made of stainless steel – we are talking outside, after all – its new line comes in nine door styles and 14 color and wood-grained finishes to complement any backyard or patio kitchen.

A Different Look

Nakamoto Forestry, one of Japan’s largest lumber mills, displayed several varieties of siding, including charred and brushed wood. Made from sugi trees, the siding adheres to the Japanese tradition of yakisugi, or “shou-sugi-ban” in the west. The company utilizes a heat-treatment process refined over several decades, and hand-grades each plank of wood at least nine times before shipment.

A Little Bonus

Finally, here’s an extra item for good measure: This one made the late night TV circuit, but it’s still worth a mention.

Rollin’ Rolls

Charmin’s GoLab prototype represents the toilet paper maker’s three-part vision for a better bathroom experience. One is RollBot, which delivers a roll when you there’s none left. Another is VIPee, which will bring a porta-potty to your couch while you’re watching TV. The third is SmellSense, which tells you when it’s safe to go into the bathroom after someone else uses it. While there is no release date, or confirmation these products will be released to consumers, it’s an interesting take on upgrading the bathroom experience.

Lew Sichelman

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Syndicated newspaper columnist, Lew Sichelman has been covering the housing market and all it entails for more than 50 years. He is an award-winning journalist who worked at two major Washington, D.C. newspapers and is a past president of the National Association of Real Estate Editors.

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Source: homes.com

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Related Articles

2. Antique-style mirror

3. Bold and beautiful shower tile

4. Extra-long medicine cabinet

5. Oval vessel sink

Kitchen

Nectar of the Gods

Drawer Cooking

Kitchen-to-Table

H2O on Tap

Bathroom

Go Paperless

New Way to Shower

Go Large

Exterior

Outdoor Cabinets

A Different Look

A Little Bonus

Lew Sichelman