Let’s face it, many times when folks visit the islands they tend to not want to come home from such places.  This is the case typically because the beach is a very relaxing place to be with all the warm air, salt water and sunshine.   What if you could decorate your home to have an island feel?  There are ways to go about turning your home into a tropical oasis.  A few of those ideas are listed below for you.

1. A good way to get started making your home feel like an island paradise  is by beginning to think outside of the box.  Do not be afraid of using bold colors in rooms in which you want to transform.  You can choose bold teal colors that mimic the look of the ocean for your family room then perhaps you can use some wallpaper in your kids’ bathroom that has sea creatures on it.  Don’t worry, as long as you keep it classy, not tacky, you will be able to get away with doing all sorts of wild colors and designs to achieve your beach house feel.
2. Another way to decorate your home to have an island feel is to add some accessories throughout the house that help you achieve the look. Throw pillows with sand dollars and seahorses on them are a great start.  You can even use seashells you have gathered on your trips to the ocean to decorate with.  Putting some seashells in glass vases with a bit of sand in them is a great way to achieve beach décor.
3. One way to give your home an island feel is to use a lot of candles that are scented with tropical scents.  Lighting these daily will help you to feel like you are on vacation when you are sitting in your own home.
4. Lots of ceiling fans throughout your home is another way to create an island oasis inside. You can also use ceiling fans outside on your porch area to take the feel outside.
5. Wicker and rattan is your friend if you want your home to feel like an island. Use it liberally.
6. Using a lot of tropical plants to decorate the inside of your home is another good way to get the island feel you are searching for.

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.

Are you remodeling, redecorating, flipping, building or just simply want to paint and hang new curtains? Maybe you’re remodeling to sell, and you want your house to stand out.  2018 has come to an end, and home shows and furniture markets have come and gone, and what’s hot and what’s not is just about set for the new year.   

• Using darker colors in the kitchen, especially navy blue, is a trend this year.  Livingetc offers some inspiration to add this classic color to your kitchen. 
• Speaking of color, warmer neutrals and earthy tones are starting to trend, and may replace gray as the popular color for walls and flooring.  
• Granite countertops are falling behind quartz and concrete as the trendiest choices for countertop materials.  

• Trellis and Grecian-style patterns are on their way out, and fish or mermaid scale patterns are gaining popularity. 
• The desire for comfort in furnishings is on the rise, using plump cushions and velvet fabric for added luxury to a comfy sofa or chair. 
• Believe it or not, floral is so in–even the chintzy look!  Whether you use it in fabrics or wallpaper, it’s the print to use this year, the bigger the better. 
• Fringe is still everywhere–trimming furniture, bunched into tassels on draperies, and even on lighting and mirrors! 
• You have your statement wall, but what about a statement ceiling?   Paint, wallpaper, tiles, exposed beams–some designers are calling ceilings the “fifth wall.”  Check out this article from House Beautiful, and look up for something new! 

There are so many styles for home decorating and design, and the practical thing to do is to use classic styles for the major things, and add the trendy in small ways, so you don’t have to break the bank and completely overhaul your all-gray living room just because it’s “out of style.”  Trends come and go, but classic does not.

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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Photo credit: spaceoptimized.com

The Christmas decorations come down, and everything looks so stark and plain, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Try some of these ideas to brighten up your home during the long winter days.

• Change your light bulbs to those that give off a blue hue to mimic sunlight. For dark mornings, invest in a sunrise light that comes on and brightens over a period of time to simulate the sun rising.
• Force the flower bulbs you were given as gifts. Their bright colors will bring Springtime early—indoors, anyway.
• Use light, bright colors everywhere you can—cozy throws, pillows, slipcovers, and accent rug—the light colors reflect what natural light we have coming through the windows and help boost our mood.
• Using natural items isn’t just for Christmas. A basket of pine cones with battery operated LED lights woven through them, or a simple wreath of twigs can double as decor for January.
• Use snowflakes, no matter where you live, to brighten up your interior. Get the kids to cut out paper snowflakes, or make these popsicle stick snowflakes. Hang either on clear monofilament and make a mobile or garland and hang them in a window.
• Cut the arms off of old sweaters and use them to wrap around candle holders and vases for a fun, cozy appearance.
• Clip small branches and twigs, spray them with white spray paint, (or leave them natural), and display them in vases with artificial snow, small pine cones, or whole nuts as a filler.
• Hang a mirror, or several, in a dark spot in your home. It will reflect light and brighten the space.
• Winter greens joined with a child’s sled, vintage ice skates, or a harness of jingle bells make great front door adornment.
• Use unused scarves wrapped around a foam wreath core for a fun and unique decoration. Hang a pair of mittens in place of a bow.
• Do you or any friends have flowering trees? If so, ask them for a few snipped branches, and force-bloom them with these tips from Fine Gardening. The Springtime buds will brighten any room.

Decorating for the colder months doesn’t have to scream Santa. Light colors, natural things and cozy pieces are perfect for brightening the long nights, and making your home as inviting as it was during the holidays.

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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Photo credit: Country Living Magazine 

Moving into a new home means looking for the right touch for the blank walls.  Artwork or family photos are the perfect fillers for these spaces, and hanging them can be a task.  Let’s look at some practical rules and tips for making those plain spaces come to life. 

Single Frames 

• Pick your space, picture to hang, and gather measuring tool, chalk or pencil, level, hammer and nails or screwdriver and screws. Picture-hanging kits can be purchased at hardware and home stores as well. 
• If the place you’ve chosen doesn’t have a stud for a nail, it is best to use an anchor and screw hanger.  These are inexpensive, and can be found in any hardware store.  Follow the easy instructions for installation for a strong mount for the picture. 
• Measure up to approximately 57” on the wall; this is where the center of your picture should be–average eye height. The top of the frame will obviously be higher. 
• Hold the frame up to the wall and use a pencil or some chalk to mark the approximate place for the nail/anchor screw. 
• Install the hardware you’ve chosen, and hang the frame. 
• Sometimes the frame doesn’t want to hang level.  Use self-stick rubber dots on the back corners of the frame; these will hold it in place, and protect the wall from damage. 

Gallery Walls 

• If you’re creating a gallery wall using several pieces, and include family snapshot photos, children’s artwork, art prints, and even fine art. 
• Create a clean, modern look by using the same style and color frames, same color palette, or same theme. 
• Use the largest picture for a focal point. Hang it first, using the 57” on-center idea. 
• Make templates of your artwork with newspaper.  Lay your pictures down on the paper, and trace around the edge. Cut the templates out. 
• Place the templates on the floor, or on the wall with masking tape, in any formation you like, changing the arrangement until it looks like a well-fitted puzzle. 
• Not all large pieces need to be in the center; a pleasing arrangement would have the focal point hanging to the left of your display, with smaller frames hung on the right.  
• Once you are satisfied with your mock-up gallery, hang the pictures using the first four tips. 

Bonus Display Tips 

• Renters or anyone who doesn’t want to bother with hammer and nails can use removeable sticky strips for framed pieces.  3M Command Strips are perfect for this easy display idea. 
• Use an art ledge for an easy display. These can be purchased at home stores and painted or stained to suit your style.  Attach to the wall at the 57” level, or 12” above the furniture, and place your pictures and artwork on them–no other hardware needed! 
• There are a multitude of free printables–seasonal and inspirational quotes–available on the internet.  Keep one or two spaces on your walls for a quick-change whenever you feel the need. 

No matter your decorating style, hanging framed items has a few rules that you should follow for aesthetics’ sake, but choosing what to display and how many is a personal decision.  Make your home your own by showing off what you love most, making the statement with your framed decorations. 

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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Condo living can be quite liberating if you are interested in downsizing and not having to deal with things such as cutting your grass or fixing things when they break.  Whether you rent or purchase a Condo of your own, Condo life is quite different from owning your own home.  There is a lot less upkeep when you live in a Condo vs living in a house but that doesn’t mean that you want to skimp on décor.  Below you will find a few tips for decorating your Condo that will have you loving your little place in no time.

1. One easy way to decorate your Condo that you may want to try is to add a few large mirrors to the walls.  Hanging large mirrors in a small space will make the small space look larger.  Many times, Condos can be tiny and have a lot of angles and awkward looking areas that can make a small space appear even smaller.   Mirrors can help to alleviate all of this.
2. Another tip for decorating your Condo is to paint the walls a nice white. You can find many different shades of white and can likely find one that will appeal to you.   White paint will brighten up the rooms in your Condo and make the pallet very neutral and easy therefore to decorate.
3. Yet another tip for decorating your Condo is to add color with large art wall décor. When you place a large painting on a wall in a small room it keeps the eye from looking towards the small space and brings the eye up to the artwork which helps the area to appear larger.   Not to mention it can add a great deal of beauty.
4. If your Condo is very small a good way to decorate and make the area work better for you is to separate spaces with room separators or curtains.  This works well for Condos that are completely open and don’t have a lot of walls in them.
5. Adding some shelves to the walls in your Condo on which to sit your knick knacks is a great way to make the space your own and to make it look like you and your personality.

These are just a few ideas and tips for decorating your Condo that you may want to put into practice.  There are many other ways in which you can create your perfect living environment with décor.

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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If you have your house on the market you likely already have everything arranged neatly and perfectly throughout the house.  The one area of your home that you may have forgotten about however is the basement.  Below are a few tips for staging your basement so that those who come to tour your home may be more willing to make an offer.

1. One tip for staging your basement to make it “show” ready is to pick up all of the clutter off the floor.  Most of the time when folks have a basement in their home they tend to use it as a catch all and therefore many items get tossed down the stairs without a second thought.  If you want the house to show the best it possibly can, be sure to put all of your basement clutter away neatly into storage bins.
2. Another way to stage your basement for a viewing is to paint the basement floor with a sealing paint. You could use the same paint folks use to paint their garage floor with or you may want to do something fancier such as decorative concrete. Whichever you choose, cleaning up the floor of the basement is a great way to make a statement during a showing.
3. Another good way to stage your basement in order to possibly have a better showing is by finishing the walls with sheetrock. This is not a huge project to undertake and is one that you can likely do yourself without breaking the bank.   Finishing the walls in the basement can make a really big difference in the way the basement looks.
4. Yet another way to stage your basement is to do your part to get rid of that typical basement smell. Use air fresheners and or fans to circulate the air the basement when you know that someone is coming to look at your house.  You can also use a diffuser with your favorite essential oil to make the basement smell nice and fresh.
5. If your basement is not well lit, you may want to add a few lamps before a showing. This is a great way to brighten up an otherwise dreary part of the house.

These are just a few ways in which you can make the basement of your home more appealing by staging. 

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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Decorating your home can be fun but no other room is more fun than decorating the nursery for the arrival of a new little one.  Nothing brings more happiness than welcoming a new baby into the world and what better way to welcome your new bundle of joy into your home than by fixing the nursery up for them.  Below are a few nursery decorating ideas to welcome your new little one.

1. A little baby is nothing more than a miracle from above so why not decorate your new baby’s room like the royalty that they are. Decorating the nursery  in a royal theme is a perfect idea whether you are welcoming a tiny prince or a princess.  You can keep the décor unisex by adding some rich colors to the wall or adding a chandelier to the ceiling.  Adding a few decorative pillows maybe in the shape of a crown might be a good idea as well.
2. Another cool idea for decorating your nursery is to make it extremely colorful with balloon décor. This type of room can be unisex as well if you stick to the primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red.  If you want to get really creative you could paint a balloon mural on the wall and perhaps an outdoor scene to go along with it.
3. If you like country décor you could use painted pallets to add a touch of southern sass to the room. This type of country décor can be unisex if you want or you can make it more of a cowboy feel or a cowgirl feel depending on which you have been blessed with.
4. Yet another great decorating idea to welcome your new little one into their new room is a Hollywood glitz and glam room. Sheer curtains hung throughout the room with walls painted pink is a great way to get this particular look and feel.  Yet again, a chandelier may be appropriate for this type of room.
5. If you want another gender neutral idea for your baby’s room you can use colors such as grey and yellow.  These colors are not only unisex they are timeless as well.

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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Summer is almost here and there are ways to “bring the beach” into your home with you so to speak by decorating in a beach theme.   Let’s take a look at a few easy ways in which to make your home feel like you are at the beach. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to make your home feel breezy and beautiful just like the beach.

1. One of the easiest and most economical ways to make your home feel like you’re living in a tropical oasis is by painting the entire inside of the home a color from the palette of the sea.  A nice blue green is a great option if you want to bring the beach home with you.
2. Another great way to beach theme your home is to find old items from the beach on your next beach trip to decorate your house with. These can be things such as the obvious, sea shells but they can also be such things as old floats, coral or driftwood that you find when you’re on your next vacation. Realizing that you don’t need a lot of money to decorate in a beach theme will help you to know that you don’t have to purchase new items to get the job done right.
3. Yet another good way to bring the beach home with you is to decorate your bedroom with beach style linens. These kinds of linens don’t have to cost a lot of money as typically this time of year they are going on sale because they are starting to put out winter items.
4. A good way to get some inspiration of how to decorate in a beach theme is to check out books on the topic or to look online for a few ideas. This way you can get going in the right direction and figure out your plan in your head before you begin the transformation process.

It’s my guess that once you get your home decorated in a beach theme you may not want to leave for work in the morning. The beach is a very peaceful place and your home should reflect that same peace and calm so that when you come home each day you can unwind and relax.

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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It’s pretty rare to come across a homeowner who doesn’t want his or her Orlando home to come across as expensive or even possibly luxurious to some extent. Your home is most likely your largest investment, your pride and joy, and so why wouldn’t you want it to look its finest. It can be seen as a reflection of who you are, and especially when used to entertain guests it can be utilized to potentially “show off” just how hard you’ve been working. The tricky part in this whole expensive appearance scheme is the financial aspect. The cost of your Orlando home itself may have burned through your home budget alone, and so the money left over for its interior decorations may be limited. For those of us who aren’t fortunate enough to spend infinite amounts of money on interior designers and on the most lavish foreign furniture and paintings, we have to make some clever choices. Just like with clothing, an impeccably dressed person does not necessarily have to buy their garments from the top fashion designers to look good. And the same can be said for homes! The price tags of a couch or dining room table are not the only indicators of class and luxury. How you arrange your home, and how you choose specific things to compliment its layout can make a world of difference with just how pricey your abode appears. And even if your bank account does allow you to afford the more luxurious décor items, you too can make use of these tips to making your Orlando home appear more expensive:

• MAINTENANCE. It seems so logical, but often homes can go without a good cleaning for a lengthy period of time.  Keeping your home clean and tidy is most definitely the simplest way to looking more expensive. Clutter and mess absolutely degrades its worth.
• WALLS. The quality of your walls says a lot about the quality of your entire home. A fresh coat of paint is always refreshing to see, and be sure to cover chipped areas and to remove marks.
• FRAMES. Posters and pictures taped up on walls just looks sloppy. Buying frames for your posters and pictures that are worth displaying looks absolutely polished and presentable. Nice looking frames need not be expensive either. This also goes for people who have not displayed anything on their walls. Hanging framed posters and pictures and pieces of art always looks very appealing.
• TEXTURE & PATTERNS. From your pillows to your rug, opt for regal looking patterns, most likely in deep tones. Window drapes in one room, like your family or living room, just screams luxury, and if it’s not too daring for you, a faux fur rug can do wonders. Neither has to be pricey, but just be careful not to go crazy on the patterns. Stick to a few specific things to decide to pattern up.
• LITTLE THINGS. Focusing on small, cheaper house items can really spruce up your home. Opt for more expensive looking garbage bins, coasters and the like. For instance, choose a more visually pleasing material like glass or wood over plastic.

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