Kitchen Remodeling Done Cheap

OK, by now you surely know that kitchens are what sell homes, right?  They also are important to renters.  And people who own and live in a house want a great kitchen, too.  So I think we can narrow the number of people who don't make remodeling the kitchen a priority wish to some bachelor guys and those who just had it done.

That doesn't mean you have to spend twenty grand if you don't have it.  Sometimes you can get a lot of good for only a little money.  Here are some examples.

Link:
http://www.bankrate.com/lite/smart-spending/kitchen-remodeling-ideas-under-500-1.aspx

Post Civil War Farmhouse in Northville

This house, 134 years old, is located in a great location five blocks from downtown Northville.  As the Detroit Free Press observes, that means a lot of great events you can walk to.  Since we did not get a Featured Listing Friday post up recently and this is for sale, after all, we have decided to have Featured Listing Friday on Sunday, instead, this week.

Fortunately, the Free Press has A LOT of pictures, so we are able to give you a good flavor for how the place looks.

Lighting Up Your Lives

Which light bulb to buy?  I'm old enough to remember when you didn't buy light bulbs, you got them for free from Detroit Edison.  I also remember when the only choices were incandescent bulbs or florescent ones that were for commercial uses.  Okay, and maybe the basement work room used a couple of tubes for bulbs.

Now we have an array of choices, with the old bulbs being phased out.  LED and CFL bulbs are becoming cheaper and more practical.  In Glenn Haege's article, he discusses all of these choices and the trends in the industry.

He also mentions rebate programs for DTE Energy and Consumer's Power.  I did not know about that.  If anybody has any experience with these rebates, let me know in the comments below or send me a private message.  I want to do a follow-up post about that.

Link:
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140321/LIFESTYLE01/303210009/Choosing-light-bulbs-requires-some-homework

5 Bedrooms

Every time I see those house flipping shows, the people always spend a lot of money on new kitchen appliances and putting in new bathroom pictures...and paint the bedrooms a neutral color.  What a letdown.

While I agree that kitchens sell houses, you CAN do something with a flip to upgrade the bedrooms.  Here are five ideas that, although maybe not worth doing in a flip, can help you think about other ways to upgrade those bedrooms.

Not a good idea to build one of these for a house you are flipping.

Link:
http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/03/09/unique-bedroom-designs/#more-54980

Detroit Projects That Never Were Completely Realized

Original plan for Civic Center.  Cobo Arena is to the left. Grassy area with trees bottom center turned into Hart Plaza.

Grand plans never fully realized.  What might have been.

In some cases, these scaled-down or never-built Detroit projects would have been awesome.  In other cases, they probably never happened because they were a bad idea whose time will never come.  Still, we can gaze upon the unrealized dreams.

Never built.

Capitol Park Artist Lofts Can't Survive

Curbed Detroit examines the lofts in a downtown Detroit building at 1217 Griswold, in the Capitol Park neighborhood.  The falling-apart structure was recently purchased by Dan Gilbert (who buys EVERYTHING downtown) and current residents are being told to vacate the death trap so that it can be renovated.  Reports indicate it would never pass a code inspection currently.

Home Storage: 45 Creative Solutions for Shoes

That's right, 45 (actually 46) creative new ways to store your shoes.  Enjoy.





Link:
http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/shoe-storage-creative-attractive-functional-options/pictures/index.html?xp=hgtv_footer

Hey, Look at that Cornice!

Okay, nobody ever really says that.  But maybe they should.

Cornices can add a finishing touch to a window, and it is my thought they are under-used.  If I had my druthers, there would be a lot more cornices in the world.  Maybe this blog post will start a trend.

HGTV has some thoughts on the matter.  They also have instructions on how to make your own.

Link:
http://www.hgtv.com/topics/cornices/index.html

Boost Curb Appeal in Winter

Here in Downriver Michigan, it gets cold.  If you didn't realize it, you got reminded of that last week.

That cold makes it more challenging to generate curb appeal for your for sale or rental property.  You can't just plant some flowers in the front yard, so you have to be a little bit more clever.  RentPrep has some ideas about that.

Personally, I like their idea to...

Dress Up Those Stairs

Putting some design touches in your stairway, whether on the risers, on the walls, or the stairs themselves, can in effect add another room to your house that transitions from downstairs to upstairs.  The Detroit News reports that this is becoming more accessible for the DIY crowd, too.

We like this.  See the full effect in the next picture.

See?

Home Staging and Mistakes to Avoid

Properly staging a home will increase the selling price.  I will confess a little doubt whether it is always worth it, as professional staging costs money on top of your other expenses.  On the other hand, you should think about staging your house or condo for sale as a DIY project, or at least think about how the house is looking to prospective buyers when they come by for a look.

Staging can be as simple as cleaning up, getting the spots and stains out of the carpet, and painting over the mauve walls that you did thirty years ago for something more marketable.  It also means removing family photos so that prospective buyers can see themselves living in the house instead of you.  For a professional staging, furniture and accessories are brought into the house just for the showings.

It also involves de-cluttering, which will make the space look bigger to prospective buyers.

However, there are some definite things to avoid.  Here is one of them:

Nobody can see themselves living in a horrid green nightmare.

Follow the link below for more staging mistakes.  We'll talk about staging more at another time.

Link:
http://hookedonhouses.net/2010/04/26/5-things-to-avoid-when-staging-your-house-to-sell/

Boost Your Christmas Curb Appeal

The good folks at zillow bring us some holiday decorating tips in a timely fashion.

Link:
http://www.zillow.com/blog/2013-12-17/adding-christmas-curb-appeal/

Awesome Mansion for Sale

Curbed Detroit has the info, but I should tell you that I look with longing on this place every single time I drive by it on Woodward Avenue.  Why, I even thought about interviewing at Charfoos & Christensen just so I could see the inside of the place up close.

This would look great as my office.

$2.8 million, 21,000 square feet, 49 rooms.  A carriage house with 5,900 square feet out back so that your guests aren't underfoot (can they ever be underfoot in a place this big?)  Not to mention a great facade and roofline.

Slideshow: Kitchen Design trends

Kitchen trends?  We've got kitchen trends.  Click for a slideshow on the trends for 2014.  Here are some examples:

Dress Up That Front Door!

You know the old saw about first impressions?  Remember the saying about curb appeal?  How about the one that goes that nobody sees the interior if they don't get out of the car?  How your house looks is important, whether you are trying to sell or trying to get tenants to rent it.

The front door is the key to the whole curb appeal thing.  Is yours a boring white, maybe a little bit scuffed?  Well, Bob Vila has some ideas that work a lot better than you would guess at first glance.



http://www.bobvila.com/traditional-wood-raised-panel/8454-10-eye-catching-options-for-your-front-door/slideshows#!1

Change Your Decor, Make Your Winter Room Warmer

Now that winter is coming to the midwest, you might want to consider some changes to your home to adapt to the colder weather.  The Detroit Free Press has some ideas on that score.  Among them:

• Reverse your ceiling fan, so that warm air on the top is pushed down to the floor.
• Change to Cree brand LED light bulbs, which will pay for themselves within one year.
• Put a propane-powered space heater on the deck or patio to keep your outside space usable.
• Switch in a Nest thermostat, which saves 30% off your energy bills compared to a regular thermostat.  It also can be remotely controlled by your iPad.  They also look really, really cool.

There are plenty of other ideas in the article, of course, for things like carpeting, drapes, and fireplaces.  The article is well worth a quick read.

10 Outdated Design Ideas

Sometimes a design feature is really popular, then fades into oblivion.  Frankly, some of these things just don't stand the test of time, and their faults overcome their virtues.  Houses that retain those features become temples to bad ideas.  Here are some of those bad ideas to avoid.



http://www.zillowblog.com/2012-09-20/wanted-dead-or-alive-10-criminally-outdated-design-features/

Wall Sconces 101

Thanks to Houzz.com, we have the basic Frequently Asked Questions about those lights in the middle of the wall:

Traditional Wall Sconces by Concord Furniture and Accessories Carolina Rustica

Why might you consider a wall sconce? Wall sconces are a great way to add lighting without taking up precious floor space, making them ideal for narrow spaces, such as hallways. They can provide ambient or task lighting, and can work as the main light source or simply as a complement to existing lamps. With lots of styles to choose from, a wall sconce can also add an extra punch of decoration. 

What types of styles are available? Options are endless when it comes to wall sconces, making it easy to match the style and look you desire. Determine what’s right for you by first evaluating the size of the room you’re working in. Then figure out if it will act as a primary or complementary source of lighting to the existing room décor. An oversized cast iron fixture will provide ample, ambient lighting while lending a rustic look to your space. For a modernized look, place slender wall torchieres with clean, straight lines on either side of your fireplace. 

Where in the home should you place your wall sconce? Any room in the home can benefit from a wall sconce, but determine exactly what you want from your lighting to decide where one will work best for you. Sconces are great for flanking paintings, bathroom mirrors, and headboards, as well as adding light to a reading nook without a table. They’re also helpful in small entryways, hallways or staircases where floor space is minimal. 

Where on the wall should you place the wall sconce? This depends on the size of the room, but in general, they should be mounted 60-66” above the ground. Spread them anywhere from 6 to 10 feet apart: closer to 6 feet if you want more fixtures and thus more light, or closer to 10 feet if you prefer less light. If you’re lining a staircase with sconces, avoid seeing the bulb from above the fixture by adding a closed diffuser onto the sconce or by using a downlight. 

What should you consider in terms of installation? Take into account whether your wall has been pre-wired to accept a wall sconce. If it hasn’t, you may need to hire a professional to help you install it. If you don’t want to deal with the extra expense and effort, seek out a sconce that simply require a cord and plug application. 

Signs of an Unhappy House Plant

When I was in college, I was given a plant, a plant I affectionately named "Pothole."  I worked on the school newspaper and Pothole sat on my desk.  He stayed with me for a long time.

It turns out the friend who gave me the plant, a biochem major, picked it especially for it's resilient qualities.  Smart woman.  I have another Golden Pathos plant now, and it is in my office.  It is just as resilient as its predecessor.

Still, because I am not at work every day, I see signs of distress.  Looking into it online, I came across this article which I think might be helpful to others, too.

http://homes.yahoo.com/photos/11-signs-unhappy-houseplant-help-slideshow/

Floating Homes

Some days, you don't want weighty discussion of the issues of the day.  You don't want news about gasoline prices or Kayne West and his baby North West.  Some days you're happy looking at pictures of homes that float.  I hope this is one of those days.  Click the link below for all 11 of them:

http://homes.yahoo.com/photos/11-floating-homes-really-deliver-slideshow/