October 1st, 2019 by tisner
Many people assume that children and home projects don’t go together, but why not? Oh, sure, electric tools and saws don’t necessarily need to be handled by young ones, but there is so much more than can help you with than a major remodel!
- Start simple: cleaning is probably the easiest way to begin engaging your children in home-keeping. Most love to sweep, dust, vacuum and help with dishes.
- Little ones are naturally curious about what’s outside, so gardening can be a lot of fun, as well as being educational. Not only can they assist with planting projects, but even preschoolers can be handy with a rake or help with weeding.
- When you’ve decided that your walls need new paint, sit down with the color chip cards, and let them help you decide on color. Painting the sample swatches on the wall is a great way to introduce a paintbrush or roller, and simple techniques.
- Planning on purchasing a furniture kit? Let the children help build it; learning how to follow directions that use symbols and handling simple tools is a great start to working those motor skills in a new way.
- Any small repair–tightening drawer pulls, replacing a door handle or sink faucet–can easily involve any age child. Give them an age-appropriate job, such as passing needed tools, shining a flashlight or using simple tools under your watchful eye.
- Putting up new curtains or hanging decor on the walls are great ways to teach school-age kids about using a level or measuring tape. Math skills in DIY? Absolutely!
- Do you perform your car maintenance? Everyone should know how to check the oil and other fluids, as well as tire pressure. Showing your children that keeping the family car in good running condition is as necessary as taking care of the house!
Get your family excited about helping, have patience, and keep them safe while you’re working. You’ll find that while you’re spending time with them, those DIY jobs will start them on a journey of learning how to be a good homeowner and a handy one at that!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: DIY home projects, Get The Kids Involved in Your DIY Projects, homeowners, homeownership, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner
Posted in Home Tips from Teri, Just for Fun | No Comments »
September 10th, 2019 by tisner
Having a beautiful lawn or productive veggie garden is not for the faint at heart. You’ve put plenty of time and effort into your landscaping, so when weeds start sprouting, some of them can take over quickly. They are, after all, wild plants that have adapted to their natural surroundings, and don’t need you to help them grow, so you’ll need to get a handle on them quickly! Let’s look at seven common weeds, and how you can keep them from sabotaging your hard work!
- Your garden will benefit from a Fall-planting of clover, as it provides nitrogen to the soil. but most homeowners don’t want it in their landscaped lawn. Mowing high over the plant will help it from reseeding but pulling them while they’re young is the best preventive.
- Crabgrass is a bane to many lawns, and it grows quickly once the rain hits the seeds. Pulling the roots is the easiest way to remove the plant, and even easier if the soil around it is damp.
- If you don’t care to add dandelions to your diet (yes, they are edible!), you’ll need to get them at the roots. Spray them with undiluted white vinegar until they’re thoroughly wet, and they will die within a few hours.
- Ground ivy, or creeping Charlie, is another weed that can be pulled effectively from wet soil. If you allow it to flower, make sure it doesn’t go to seed, or you’ll spend more time pulling new plants.
- Oxalis, or wood sorrel, has leaves that are almost clover-like, and purple or yellow blooms. Catch it early, and it can be pulled up by the roots, or use a soap-based herbicide to kill larger plants.
- A plant that has been cultivated in many hybrids, portulaca, can also be an aggressive weed. Once you’ve dug them up, allow them to dry before you dispose them in a compost pile or other yard waste. They easily regenerate from any part of the plant.
- The thin, strong-scented single leaves that shoot up in our lawns are wild garlic. Mowing won’t stop them, as they’re sprouting from corms in the soil. Pull or dig them up, and make sure you have the whole corm to avoid new growth.
To avoid a lot of back-breaking weeding, mulch heavily in flower beds, and consider putting new plantings close together. Some weeds are so well-adapted that it doesn’t matter what you do. Garden.org has an extensive list of weeds with photos and ideas for controlling them without a lot of chemical intervention.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: Controlling Common Weeds, homeowners, landscaping, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner, weeding, weeds, yard maintenance
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
August 20th, 2019 by tisner
Advertisements for full-house generators make you wonder if you really should invest in one, despite the high cost. Having your home in full power during an emergency would be a comfort, but are they worth it? There are less costly options out there, but only you can decide what’s best for your home and family.
Portable Power
- Portable generators are great for providing electricity to essentials: lamps, refrigerators, freezers, fans or plug-in heaters.
- Most are fueled by gasoline, and the tank must be filled as it runs, so there is a bit of labor involved.
- The engines on portable generators are noisy (think lawn mower noise).
- Generators that run via a solar panel are available, and the technology is getting better, but the initial cost is higher. Keep in mind that you’ll save on fuel expenses in the end.
- Prices vary with how many kilowatts you’ll need, and your budget should include enough for appropriate extension cords for each device you plan on connecting to the generator.
Stand-By Energy
- In order to provide power to everything in the house, including HVAC, a stand-by whole house generator is the best choice, as it will be connected to your home’s electrical system.
- A stand-by system can be fueled with natural gas, propane or diesel fuel. These types of units run more quietly than the portables and are fuel efficient.
- Whole house units will cost the most, as they are ready to go almost the instant you lose utility power, require professional installation, and possibly local permits.
- Installation should be done by a certified electrician, and some offer a package deal that includes the unit and installation in one price.
Whatever type of generator you choose, get the size and type of generator that meets your needs, not exceeds them. There’s no need to waste money! If you’re unsure of just how much energy you’ll need, ask-the-electrician.com has some helpful information as well as a sizing calculator. Though you’ll only need it during emergencies, you want to know that you’ve made the right choice for your home, your needs, and your wallet.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: Emergency Home Generator, Emergency Home Generator Basics, full-house generators, Home Generators, homeowners, homeownership, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner
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August 13th, 2019 by tisner
The loss of a job, divorce, a medical emergency or death of a family member can put homeowners in a financial bind. You worked hard to buy your house and make it your family’s home. Don’t let it get to the point of having the bank begin foreclosure proceedings! Here are some tips to help you save your home:
- First and foremost: call the bank before you begin missing payments! If you have equity in your home, this is especially important. Once payments are late, or the lender has filed a notice of default, they will be reluctant or unable to work with you.
- Several agencies offer free credit counseling and can direct you to someone who can assist you with getting those finances in order. The HUD website can put you in touch with a local counselor, or find helpful foreclosure information through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling®.
- Keeping your mortgage payments current is more important than paying credit card bills! Sure, late credit card payments will affect your credit score, but a foreclosure will do far more damage to your rating. Once you get caught up with the house payments, pay off the credit cards as soon as possible.
- Do you have any assets you can sell? Letting go of expensive items that you’re not really taking the time to enjoy–a boat, for instance–can certainly cut monthly expenses, and any proceeds can go to your loan.
- In case you’ve already gotten behind, open every piece of mail that comes from your lender. Many times, they’ll offer options as soon as the first payment is overdue, because they don’t want to foreclose on your loan as much as you don’t want to go into foreclosure.
- Resist any “quick-fix” offers you see on the internet, television commercials and junk mail, or even from so-called investors. These “rescue mortgages” could be a scam and will cost you your home faster than a foreclosure can take place.
- If you see that you can simply no longer afford your home, get advice from an attorney whose specialty is foreclosure, as most will do a one-time consult at no cost. You may also contact Legal Aid for a pro bono lawyer if you can’t afford it.
Don’t be embarrassed about reaching out to your mortgage company and letting them know you’re going through a rough patch. Being proactive before the installments become overdue will allow more options to be available. Your house is your most important investment, and its home. Do what you have to in order to keep it.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: foreclosure, home loans, homeowners, mortgage payments, mortgages, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner, Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure
Posted in Financing, Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
August 6th, 2019 by tisner
Hopefully, walking in the door of your home after a long day at work starts turning off the stressors of the day so you can recharge for the next. If there is anything about your house that doesn’t give you a good feeling, it may be time for some redecorating! Here are 6 things you can do to create a comfortable atmosphere at home:
- An unkempt yard or dirty, cluttered home can keep us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Once a room is cleaned, and piles of mail or schoolwork is organized, try to keep it that way. If yard work is getting you down, find an affordable landscaping company or neighbor to get the grass mowed, leaves raked, or flower beds weeded.
- You may not have had time to paint or do small redecorating projects when first purchased the house, and that outdated wallpaper or color is bringing you down. Color influences us, so when you are dreaming of Tiffany blue dining room walls, but yours are hunter green, take a weekend to get it done!
- Light is so important to how we feel! Keep shades and blinds open to allow sunlight to shine in, and that’s free! Spending a little to improve poor lighting in a room with lamps, sconces and brighter bulbs is a mood-booster, as we are naturally drawn to light. Add inexpensive battery-operated LED lighting to the underside of kitchen cabinetry, bookshelves and china cabinets.
- According to Healthline, plants can boost our mood and provide many other benefits! Where real plants aren’t practical, faux greenery will do, and it never needs watering.
- One thing that can cause issues is keeping something on display that isn’t everyone’s favorite. If there’s anything in a room that gives anyone a bad feeling or brings up memories they’d rather forget, remove it.
- Aromatherapy is certainly a current trend, but scents do affect us in many ways. There are so many ways to add a pleasant aroma to your home, so choose the most convenient method, along with a couple of different scents you love, and use them. When you get used to smelling one, change it out with another.
Finally, and most importantly, decorate with items you love. Home shouldn’t be making you feel stressed, so hanging a piece of art that was a bargain, but you never really liked, isn’t a good bargain. Walking into your home filled with things that bring you joy or peace–well, there’s no substitute.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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Tags: create a comfortable atmosphere at home, Get Your Home in a Good Mood, happy homeowners, home decor, home sweet home, homeownership, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner
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July 22nd, 2019 by tisner
Allergies are something we normally associate with Springtime and pollen, but our homes and yards are sources for allergies year-round. We can combat all the histamine-producing allergens, and it may take some work, but it can certainly cut back on our suffering.
Inside
- Bedrooms are likely the main culprit of allergies. Cover mattresses and pillows with dust mite-proof covers. Wash bedding weekly in the hot water, and the fewer throw pillows and decorative bedding we have, the better.
- Obviously, there are allergens in dust, so while you dust, wear a mask, and clean top-to-bottom.
- Opt for hard flooring with wool or wool-blend area rugs. When you must deal with wall-to-wall carpet, vacuum often, and have them steam-cleaned at least twice a year.
- Speaking of vacuums, make sure yours has a HEPA filter, and keep the appliance clean.
- Start the habit of removing shoes as you come in the door. Have a pair of indoor-only slip-on shoes to wear around the house. Having a doormat outside and one inside as people walk in will cut down on pollen and mold being brought inside as well.
- Machine washable slipcovers are perfect for upholstery, but on occasion, go over the sofa and any other fabric-covered furniture with the vacuum.
- Use bleach or other mold-killers as you clean bathrooms and watch for mold growth anywhere water is used.
Outside
- In Spring, when trees are pollinating, wear a mask while working in the yard.
- Another time to wear a mask is while mowing–the blades of your mower are stirring up all types of mold spores, and you may blame it on grass, but your allergies could be coming from the mold.
- Keeping your grass fertilized will inhibit growth of weeds that can make you sniffle and sneeze.
- If you love to garden, but not sure what to plant so you won’t feel miserable while you’re working, check out these tips from HGTV.
- That morning walk or jog is great for your general health, but if you must deal with allergies, move your exercise time to evenings when pollen is low.
- Shower as soon as you come in, or at least, change clothes that pollen and other allergens cling to.
- Wipe the pets down with a damp cloth whenever they come in from outside, as their fur is the perfect place for irritants to hitch a ride.
The best tip is not to allow allergies to control your life. Talk to your doctor about antihistamines that you can take so you can enjoy the great outdoors and so you won’t feel like you should be cleaning every single day. Allergies can make life miserable, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
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Tags: Allergies, Allergies and Your Home, histamine-producing allergens, orlando avenue top team, pollen, Teri Isner
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
July 9th, 2019 by tisner
You love your outdoor space, but is the afternoon sun stopping you from using if for more than weekend mornings with a cup of coffee? Closing in the space may not be in the budget, but there are many ways you can shade the area without putting a hole in your wallet!
- Sail Shades For less than $100, purchase a sail shade, a piece of polyethylene fabric, normally cut into rectangles or triangles and grommeted. Most come with a good length of rope to anchor it to your roof or attach it to a pole. It’s practically instant shade, and weather-resistant, so it can be left up all Summer.
- Cabana A breezy cabana can be made from a simple wooden structure, or even piping! Check out these ideas from Home Decoration Magazine.
- Vining Shade Build a vertical trellis wall, making sure it’s facing the direction the sun is shining. Plant fast-growing perennial or evergreen vines and train the plants to grow up the trellis. The trellis itself will shield your space from the sun, and the plants will help as they grow.
- Slatted Shade Pergolas are beautiful open structures on their own or covered with trailing plants. The price tag can be big, depending on how it’s done, but wooden pergola kits are available, as well as metal pergola kits for even less. These instructions from The Created Home show you how to build a simple attached pergola for about $200.
- Temporary Shade Lifehacker has a tutorial for a simple canopy that’s easy to put up, and easy to take down.
- Living Screen Visit a reputable nursery where you can get advice from a grower about good shade trees to plant as a screen around the perimeter of your patio. Purchasing 6’-10’ trees may be a bit more expensive, but with the right planting and care, the trees will grow and thrive, providing lush, living shade.
- Container Shade Bamboo is a hardy plant, and easy to grow in containers. Using several containers together will provide lush greenery for shade or a privacy screen. Find the best bamboo for screening, as well as what containers are best here.
If building or planting your outdoor canopy isn’t your thing, then an extra-large outdoor umbrella will do the trick. Many models are available, and have extending possibilities, and can rotate to follow the sun’s path. No matter what you decide to use, take advantage of your own shady spot to unwind after a busy week, move family meals outside, or just soak in the outdoors.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: TheSpruce
Tags: creating shade, Ideas for Shading Your Outdoor Spaces, orlando avenue top team, outdoor canopy, outdoor living spaces, outdoor umbrella, shade trees, Teri Isner
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July 2nd, 2019 by tisner
Homeowners know that to-do lists are almost always too long, but what about don’t-do lists? Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or have been in your home for ten years, here are a few things you shouldn’t be doing:
- Testing the smoke detectors incorrectly: sure, the battery needs to be checked, but so does the smoke detection. Light a match, preferably a kitchen match, and blow it out, holding it next to the detector. If the alarm sounds, great; if not, replace the battery. You may need a new smoke alarm.
- Using incandescent light bulbs: LED and fluorescent light bulb technology is getting better aesthetically speaking, so the extra cost to replace your incandescent bulb will make up for itself in the end. You won’t be buying new ones for at least one year, plus your energy costs will decrease.
- Keeping the old thermostat: replace it with a programmable, or even better, a smart thermostat. You will notice a difference in your electric bill!
- Not checking gutter guards: gutter guards are great for keeping leaves, larger twigs or pine straw from clogging the gutters, but dirt, seeds, as well as other smaller materials can still get in and cause problems. Check your gutters at least every six months.
- Ignoring your roof: just because you’re not seeing it up close and personal every day, doesn’t mean it doesn’t need inspecting occasionally. Learn more about how to be kind to your roof here.
- Setting the mower to the lowest cut: cutting your grass too far down can cause it to die. It will not keep you from mowing less! Cutting the grass 1-3 inches in length will keep it beautifully green.
- Planting trees close to the house: small trees that can reach thirty feet in height should be planted ten feet or more away from your house, while taller trees need to be at least thirty feet away.
- Watering the landscaping in the evening: your way to relax after a long day may be gardening but giving your plants a drink in the evening can cause mildew and other fungi to grow.
Keeping these don’t-do’s in mind will help you save money, besides keep your home safe and in good living condition! Also think of it as less to do, thus freeing up your time to enjoy being home with your family.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: agentmarketing.co.uk
Tags: 8 Things Homeowners Should NOT Be Doing, home maintenance, homeowners, homeownership, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
June 11th, 2019 by tisner
Making the decision to renovate any room in your home comes after a lot of thought and planning, but don’t forget that changes in your home can create changes in your homeowner’s insurance. Whether the renovations lower or increase the payment depends on the job, so we’re going to look at how a remodel can affect your wallet:
- Additions: Whenever you add square footage to your home, your policy will need to be upgraded, likely increasing your premium.
- Converted Space: Turning your garage into a home theater or creating a master suite from your attic space may not require changes to the policy if the square footage is already covered, but as replacement value has changed, you will want to increase your coverage.
- Home System Upgrades: Improving electrical and plumbing systems can lower your premiums, as upgrading them can make your home safer from incidents relating to fire and leaky pipes.
- Pools: Installing a pool or hot tub in your backyard will add to the replacement value of your home, and you’ll need to increase liability coverage to protect yourself in case of any accidents,
- Roofing: A new roof can lower your premium, especially if you upgrade it to the latest standards of protecting your home from natural disasters.
- Security Systems: According to Safewise, adding a home security system could lower your homeowners premium by 20%.
- Solar Panels: You will want to talk to your insurance agent before installing solar panels to your home. They may require a separate policy, depending on how they are mounted, which would add to your budget.
- Upgrades: Whether you use top-quality building materials for your renovation, upgrade the finishes in your home, or install state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen, you’ll need to change your policy to reflect the replacement value.
Making changes to your home improve your quality of life in many ways, but it may come at a cost. Protecting your investment is worth it in the end, but you want to be prepared for anything that will add to your monthly budget. Schedule a meeting with your insurance agent before beginning any major changes in your home so you won’t be surprised when your payment increases.
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: contractorconnection.com
Tags: home improvements, home renovations, homeowners, homeowners insurance, orlando avenue top team, Renovations and Your Homeowners Insurance, Teri Isner
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »
May 28th, 2019 by tisner
Decorating is the most personal way to express yourself in your home, and sometimes, when you want to try something different–something that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere on the list of design rules–it may be tempting to go with the flow, despite what you want to do. Get design-rebellious with these tips:
Color
- Small room? It doesn’t have to be a neutral color! Go bold but create balance with open shelving or smaller furnishings.
- We’re told not to stick with one color in a room, but going monochrome creates a bold, dramatic statement.
- Your ceilings can be considered another wall when it comes to color. Just remember to keep the walls a neutral color and get samples to paint on the ceiling before you commit to it.
- Trim doesn’t have to be white! Use high-gloss black for drama, stain that complements wood flooring, or neutrals for a modern twist on a traditional look.
Finishes
- If the metal finish on your kitchen light fixture doesn’t match the drawer pulls, it’s fine! Mixing metals is perfectly acceptable, and check out this article from the Invaluable blog for inspiration!
- Wood finishes don’t have to be the same throughout the house; create dimension with different stain colors, adding depth to a room or the whole house.
- Who said tile is only for kitchens and bathrooms? Create an accent wall with tile in any room. Be inspired by using the HGTV photo library search for whatever room you have in mind and add “wile tall” to the search term.
- Speaking of kitchen tile, why not use wallpaper for your backsplash? Protect it from splashes and oils with mounted plexiglass or a sealant made especially for sealing wallpaper.
Furnishings and Accessories
- Furniture stores have us fooled into thinking that our furniture sets must match, and this logic applies to even pieces like dining chairs. Mixing styles adds interest.
- Mixing more than two patterns can be scary, so start small with accessories in bold patterns that are easily changed. Staying in the same color family with your patterns will made this decision less daunting.
- If you’d like to add some natural pieces to your space but don’t have a green thumb, then don’t be ashamed to use artificial plants!
- It’s tempting to just scoot furniture to the wall and leave it because you want to follow symmetry. Go diagonal! Check out the difference a rearrangement can make by placing the sofa at a slant and give it a try in your living room!
Not all rules of design should be broken, and there are likely rules that tell us why going against the norm with our personal decorating has a great result. If you want to do something different, try it–you may like it!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!
Photo credit: stylecaster
Tags: Breaking the Rules of Decorating, decorating, decorating your home, home decor, homeowners, homeownership, orlando avenue top team, Teri Isner
Posted in Home Tips from Teri | No Comments »