Tag Archives: kitchen

Spruce Up Your Home for Spring

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Spring has finally sprung in San Antonio, and now it’s time to start sprucing up your home to reflect the blossoming surroundings. If you’re needing some inspiration, we’ve got you covered!

Spring Cleaning:

First thing’s first, before you can even think about adding something new to your home, you’ve got to get rid of the old. It’s time to go through your closets, garage, spare bedrooms and even kitchen cupboards and toss or donate what’s not working for you anymore. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in the last 6 months then it’s likely (unless they’re holiday knickknacks) that you’re not going to use them in the next six months either. Here are a few tips to help get rid of that winter funk:

  • Air out your pillows, blankets and comforters by hanging them on a clothesline for a day. That Spring scent on your pillows will do wonders for a good night’s sleep.
  • When’s the last time you cleaned your ceiling fan? We know… we can’t remember either. Now’s a good time to clean them off and give them a nice coat of furniture polish. Spinning all that dust around does nothing but kick up your allergies.
  • Likewise, we often overlook window and door screens. Use a scrap of carpeting to easily brush off all the built-up winter residue. This is a great job for the kids!
  • For cleaning the refrigerator, everyone’s favorite chore, go green by using a combo of salt and soda water to get it spick and span in a jiffy.

Spring Décor:

Now, for the fun part! Who doesn’t want to spruce up their palace with all of the Spring-inspiring colors and infinite décor and design ideas that abound, but let’s start small.

  • The easiest way to bring Spring into your home is to fill it with beautiful plants that do well indoors. We suggest some vibrant purple or indigo violets that will make you smile every time you walk into a room. African violets are some of the easiest houseplants to manage, which is good when you’re on the go. You might also consider hydrangea, hibiscus, a shrimp plant, flowering maple or peace lily, which also flourish indoors. Simple green, leafy plants are all the rage this season so now blooming required to give your house a touch of lushness.
  • Since Fiesta is upon us, why not adorn your front door with a festive wreath of colorful ribbons and cascarones? If you want to be more Spring-centric, consider a beautiful floral monogramed wreath that will last well beyond the fiesta madness.
  • Macreme is back in style, as well as fringing, tassels and feathers on all things from throws to rugs and wall hangings. They give your home a cozy rustic quality with just a few simple accessories.
  • If you’re looking for a more permanent change, consider the trending fashion-forward gelato colors – think orange and raspberry sherbet – to liven any room. Add these pretty colors to a single wall for a touch of Spring shine, or more if you’re in the mood to be bold. Accessorize with some pastel colored vases, dining chairs and plates. We like Fiestaware, which is elegant yet colorful.

Finally, if you’re ready to really go bold, let’s get started on your new dream home! Schedule a free consultation using our online form  or give us a call at 210-494-5400.

 

 

Increase the Value of Your Home

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You may be well on your way to achieving your new year’s resolutions, but what about resolutions for your home? Have you been putting off those remodeling projects for so long you forgot what you were even planning on doing? Here are some ideas that will help your house feel more like a home and also increase its value.

  1. Kitchen Remodel. Of course, you can easily spend thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars on a new kitchen, and perhaps this is something you’ve been wanting to do. However, be careful not to install a kitchen that outshines the rest of the house. Get the biggest bang for your buck by simply updating the paint color.

2017 trends are seeing bolder, more dramatic, colors in the whole house, including the kitchen. Also consider replacing old, worn out appliances with energy efficient ones. This attribute is definitely a plus, especially for potential buyers.

  1. Add a new Bathroom. According to HGTV, investing in an additional bathroom in your home can recoup you 80-130% when you’re ready to sell. It sounds like a great idea, right, but first you need to figure out where to put it. A half-bath requires at least 18 square feet of space and you’ll need at least 35 sq. ft. of space for a full bath.

What you do with that bathroom next is up to you. Prices vary greatly depending upon what kinds of fixtures and accessories you plan on using. The choices these days are virtually limitless. As far as overall style, vintage is in, but is it ever really out? Freestanding roll-top baths and classic brass fittings are hot items right now. If you’re on a budget, you can sometimes find them from salvage yards, restoration specialists or auctions.

If you want to try something completely different, play with a Mediterranean-inspired design. Think Spain, Portugal or Morocco and create a stunning room with hand-painted terra cotta and modern metallics.

  1. Repurpose a Space. Do you have a basement that’s been sitting empty and unfinished for years or perhaps an attic room or third bedroom that’s just become something of a hoarder’s nightmare? Then now’s the time to think of how you can best transform that space into something beautiful, livable and ultimately sellable.

A basement remodel can cost you an average of $64,000, according to Remodeling Magazine. However, imagine having your own in-house wet bar, gym, game/movie room. You might never want to leave the house. An attic or other unused room can be easily made into a craft room, office, yoga room or kids play room.

  1. Energy Efficiency. If you’d rather invest your dollars in ways to improve the value of the house without messing with the aesthetics, consider installing energy-efficient windows and insulation. You can save up to $2,500 each year, and the investment can be minimal. Extra insulation to your attic will only run you around $200 (depending on the size of your home), but will save you some serious green.

If you’re looking, not just to transform your current space, but build a new one, please call us at 210-494-5400 to set up a free consultation. If you wish to be added to our private email list for our newsletter, please sign up here.

 

Say Hello to Moore Supply of San Antonio

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5 HDR

Moore Supply Company is a top distributor of premium plumbing products, such as faucets and fixtures for your bathroom and kitchen needs. They are the supplier that we trust and send our customers to. We recently had a conversation with San Antonio’s showroom manager, David Hevner, and this is what he had to say:

David: “Plumbing hardware is our staple. We always say, ‘from the pipe in the slab to the faucets that you see and everything in between.’ We try to maximize the budget the homeowner gets from their builder so that they get what they want.”

For some, the idea of going to a showroom filled with literally 3,000 different types of faucets might seem a little overwhelming, which is why at Moore Supply they take our budget and then, using a simple computer program, identify your particular style. Based on that information, they show you a modest number of options within that scope, so that you’re in and out within an hour and a half. Dave and his highly-trained staff walk you through things like whether your master shower should have a rainhead spray, body spray or a handheld spray.

David: “We make the selection process very, very easy. People want to touch and feel their faucets because it’s something they use so regularly. We have working faucets and showers in the showroom as well as five working tubs with different options from air to whirlpool to newer designs such as a driftbath and hydrotherapy bath.”

These last two are pretty neat products. The driftbath, as David describes it, makes you feel like you’re laying in a stream. The water moves by you like a current and is extremely relaxing. The hydrotherapy bath creates micro bubbles that is an exciting remedy for people who suffer from eczema or even those who experience dry skin during the winter months.

David also had some nice things to say about us. We are honored to consider him a friend, after so many years of working together to help offer our customers the best quality and service, down to the pipes, as David might say.

David: “Stone Creek really leaves the design options to the homeowners so they build them what they want. With other builders it’s a struggle sometimes between the homeowner and the builder. Stone Creek is completely professional and gives customers real world budgets. It’s very rare that we have to go back and say they’re out of budget. That’s huge for us!”

Visiting David and his stellar staff at Moore Supply is just one perk on the road to a luxury custom-built home by Stone Creek Custom Homes. If you’d like to set up a consultation, please give us a call at 210-494-5400. If you’re interested in being added to our private email list to receive our newsletter, please sign up here.

Say Hello to Moore Supply of San Antonio

Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 HDR

Moore Supply Company is a top distributor of premium plumbing products, such as faucets and fixtures for your bathroom and kitchen needs. They are the supplier that we trust and send our customers to. We recently had a conversation with San Antonio’s showroom manager, David Hevner, and this is what he had to say:

David: “Plumbing hardware is our staple. We always say, ‘from the pipe in the slab to the faucets that you see and everything in between.’ We try to maximize the budget the homeowner gets from their builder so that they get what they want.”

For some, the idea of going to a showroom filled with literally 3,000 different types of faucets might seem a little overwhelming, which is why at Moore Supply they take our budget and then, using a simple computer program, identify your particular style. Based on that information, they show you a modest number of options within that scope, so that you’re in and out within an hour and a half. Dave and his highly-trained staff walk you through things like whether your master shower should have a rainhead spray, body spray or a handheld spray.

David: “We make the selection process very, very easy. People want to touch and feel their faucets because it’s something they use so regularly. We have working faucets and showers in the showroom as well as five working tubs with different options from air to whirlpool to newer designs such as a driftbath and hydrotherapy bath.”

These last two are pretty neat products. The driftbath, as David describes it, makes you feel like you’re laying in a stream. The water moves by you like a current and is extremely relaxing. The hydrotherapy bath creates micro bubbles that is an exciting remedy for people who suffer from eczema or even those who experience dry skin during the winter months.

David also had some nice things to say about us. We are honored to consider him a friend, after so many years of working together to help offer our customers the best quality and service, down to the pipes, as David might say.

David: “Stone Creek really leaves the design options to the homeowners so they build them what they want. With other builders it’s a struggle sometimes between the homeowner and the builder. Stone Creek is completely professional and gives customers real world budgets. It’s very rare that we have to go back and say they’re out of budget. That’s huge for us!”

Visiting David and his stellar staff at Moore Supply is just one perk on the road to a luxury custom-built home by Stone Creek Custom Homes. If you’d like to set up a consultation, please give us a call at 210-494-5400. If you’re interested in being added to our private email list to receive our newsletter, please sign up here.

Ideal Colors for Your Home’s Walls

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One of the best things about working with a custom home builder like Stone Creek Custom Homes is that you get to choose everything yourself (with our help of course!), from design to ceilings, floors, appliances, on down to the colors in each room.

Most tract home builders simply splash a shade of white on the walls and call it good, but we think your wall colors should be given much more attention than that. Sure, they exist primarily in the background, but you’d be surprised how much the colors in your kitchen, bedroom, living room and even bathroom influence your mood and behavior.

The Psychology of Color

Color has meaning to each of us – as individuals, cultures and species. Marketing companies use the psychology of color to influence us through advertising, and you can bet if it didn’t work, they wouldn’t bother. Still, many people overlook the significance of color in the space where they spend a majority of their time – in their own homes.

Here’s a breakdown of what different colors mean to us psychologically and where you might consider using them in your house:

White:  Neutrality, cleanliness, purity and safety. White can certainly work nicely in both bathrooms and kitchens, particularly with an accent wall of a brighter color.

Gray:  Solid, practical, timeless. Silver is an off-shoot of gray and represents a strong character. Gray can be used in an office space nicely or a masculine bedroom.

Red:  Energy, excitement, attention-getting. In homes, red is not a good color for an entire wall, but can be used in small doses – a splash of color. Interestingly, pink is the most calming color and therefore is great for children’s rooms.

Blue:  Calm, dependable, wisdom, loyalty. A majority of people claim blue to be their favorite color, which makes sense since much of our world is blue. Blue is actually ideal for a bedroom because it encourages restfulness. Some studies are showing that it’s also a great color for a work-out room as it helps you focus.

Green:  Growth, nature, money, good luck and generosity. A dark forest green is related to wealth and masculinity. Depending on the shade, green can be beautiful in a living room or even an office space.

Yellow:  Cheerful, happiness, optimism. Babies cry more in yellow rooms so it’s not a good idea for them. However, it does have the power to speed up metabolism, so it can be perfect for a kitchen.

Orange:  Warmth, Energy, Fun.  If used tastefully, orange can be a great color for a game or play room, or potentially even used as an accent color in the dining room.

Purple:  Wealth, prosperity, mystery, sophistication. Purple is not a color often used traditionally in the home, however, there are now some beautiful shades of purple that can really be used to enhance any room in your house. Remember, that purple is the color of Kings and Queens!

In a future blog, we’ll explore more tips for picking out specific paint colors, but for now, hopefully this will spark some interest and discussion. When you’re ready to put that paint on the wall, call us at 210-494-5400.