Tag Archives: upscale

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Maximize Your Fall Decor while Minimizing Storage Space

We’ve all been to Hobby Lobby when they start carrying their fall decor. Not a single surface is free of pumpkins or bright orange leaves. But how realistic is it to have a whole collection of decor for every season?

We’re here to share a few minimal tips to usher fall into your space while keeping it limited to a single storage box for the off seasons.

One of our first tips is to embrace some neutrals and softer tones allowing you to maximize your use of decorative pieces. Next, mix in shades of rust or terra-cotta that have been the stars of this year’s home color palettes. For those of you with neutral bedding, one unique tip we came across was to swap out your sheets for a pop of rust during the fall months. Similar warm effects can also be achieved with a fall colored throw blanket.

All Roads Woven Baja Throw Blanket

Our favorite suggestion is to invest in some fall pillow covers to mix with your current throws. Depending on whether it works with your color scheme, we recommend a deep rust velvet cover for a pop of fall and cozy to your seating area. If rust doesn’t compliment your color scheme a minimal “hello fall” pillow works with any color combo. For minimal storage purchase a pillow cover in the same size as your current throw pillows allowing you to simple swap covers when fall comes around! This decorative trick can be done in the living room and bedrooms for pops throughout the house. Here is a link to the covers we ordered on Amazon.

Navy & Rust Color Block - Mohair Velvet Pillow Cover - 14x24 Lumbar

Fall offers the excuse to splurge on a few extra throw blankets. I know in Texas we may sweat through Christmas, but the morning chill with a cozy throw and hot coffee is simply divine! With the weather starting to cool off, now is the time to include chunky knit throws in fall colors or neutral tones. Opting for neutral tones allow you to keep the cozy throws out through the whole holiday season which, you’ve guessed it, keeps seasonal storage to a minimum.

August Sage Chunky Wool Throw Blanket

For the pumpkin obsessed, we are with you! Covering your porch in mixed tones of pumpkins allows for a bold statement that you can change each year as you shop new selections of fresh pumpkins. Mixing in white and neutrals pumpkins offers just enough of a twist to a classic.

My personal favorite way to include live pumpkins is using mini white pumpkins on your coffee table, mantel, or table centerpiece.

Love + Grey home decor

For the decorator who varies between minimalist and maximalists, this suggestion is for you. Fall florals can vary from including a subtle sprig or an entire show stopping centerpiece. We’ve been crushing on dried wheat or pampas grass this year which can offer a subtle fall feel or be mixed with fall leaves to make a DIY fireplace centerpiece. We suggest having a vase of various florals or dried grasses year round that can easily be switched out seasonally to keep storing to a minimum and maximize your decorations budget.

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We hope you enjoyed these tips to maximize your fall decor while minimizing the burden on your closet space. Goodbye y’all and hello fall!!

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What are the costs and benefits of your home floor style?

The foundation of any interior room is the flooring. Both functional and decorative, flooring is not only the feeling we get under our feet as we cook, clean, and dance our ways through our homes, but flooring also sets the tone and mood of a room. With all the weight floors take in our home, it’s great to know the wide variety of options we have to perfectly customize our spaces. Let’s dive into a discussion on the approximate costs and benefits of each flooring category.

 

Solid Wood and Engineered Wood

Bringing mental images of Abe Lincoln in his log cabin or Paul Bunyon clearing trees out west, the classic of all classics for America homes is solid wood. Solid wood gives a vintage, historical feel to a home. Like a versatile outfit, solid wood can be dressed up or dressed down in any home. It can be refinished multiple times by sanding it down and re-staining which adds to its versatility. Solid wood will wear and show scratches over time and refinishing it can be costly. Nonetheless, the natural warmth of solid wood is hard to beat.

Approximate Costs: $5 to $10 per square foot

 

The variations of wood flooring have become far more diverse than what comes in the forest. Engineered woods are incredible options for many homes due to their classic feel and greater resistance to humidity than solid wood. On the downside, engineered wood is less durable and more prone to dents than solid wood. It also cannot be refinished as many times as solid wood. Engineered wood can make exotic wood styles marginally more cost effective for your home giving them a leg up in their ability to be customized.

Approximate Costs: $4 to $9 per square foot

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Laminate Flooring

The true chameleon of flooring is laminate. It can be made to mimic virtually anything. Laminate flooring is much easier to replace than woods, so updating styles is more feasible without professional help. Relatively cheap per square foot, yet extremely durable and wear resistant, laminate flooring poses a phenomenal value. Laminate gets a knock for style as it typically has repetitive patterns that can make it appear less classy.

Approximate Costs: $2 to $7 per square foot

 

Ceramic and Porcelain Tiles

Ceramic and porcelain tiles come in various colors, patterns and shapes ranging from classic, modern, and everything in between. Porcelain tiles are even available in faux wood “planks” to offer the style of hardwood juxtaposed with the durability of porcelain tile. A variety of ceramic flooring is terracotta tiles which can be a little more high maintenance but boast classic warm earth tones that have been popular for generations and are heavily trending. Between the two varieties, ceramic tiles are often less expensive and less durable than porcelain tiles.

 

Approximate Costs: $3 to $15 per square foot

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Concrete Flooring

A floor that previously looked unfinished is now considered stylish and chic for modern homes. Concrete offers a simple base for any consumer customization allowing its cost per square foot to vary as much as the designs. When sealed, this floor option is extremely low maintenance and easy to care for. While some homeowners opt for concrete to save the budget, terrazzo floors can climb to the top of a builder’s budget. This timeless classic has gained recent attention and is chosen for the beautiful mix of broken stones and materials set in concrete offering a wholly customized outcome.

Approximate Costs: $2-15 per square foot

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10 Pins _ Pinterest Inspiration - Room for Tuesday Blog

Cultivating Your Summer Outdoor Space

Are you getting the most out of your backyard space? With the meticulous attention we give to the interior of the home, it can be easy to overlook the backsides of our properties. These spaces may not be enclosed by four walls and a roof, but that does not mean they do not have incredible potential to be a place of retreat for our families. We have been inspired by backyard makeovers we have been seeing around town lately, and we thought you would be intrigued in upgrading your space too. The home does not end at the back door. Let’s dive into a few ideas to help jumpstart your journey towards the wonderful backyard experience you’ve been craving this summer.

Creating your own fire pit to gather around gives you the luxury of time with loved ones. Whether you choose stone or wood, there is no shortage of ways to bring a spark to your backyard. This more permanent addition can be DIY’ed or built by an expert contractor to match the exterior of your home.

At Home Projects_ Social Distancing Approved

With a little design work and some expert craftsmanship, you can turn a small square footage area into an impactful relational space. Check out these backyard nooks we found on Pinterest which were artfully redesigned to maximize their relational impact for the homeowner. String lights have been the hottest trend for a while due to their soft, warm glow and fun visual appeal. There’s a million and a half ways to DIY your string light set. A covered porch to hang string lights or greenery from will create a space of peace and tenderness to relax under. We love the idea of being protected from the sun on those hot summer days too.

Patio

Plants, plants, and more plants. Greenery can make a formerly stagnant place come to life. Whether you hang them from the ceiling, post them to a wall, or let them crawl, bring greenery into your space for a refreshing addition. Larger bush varieties can also provide much needed shade and privacy to keep your yard space serene and shaded.

 

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A deceptively simple update for a porch is to frame your current posts with wood. For those craving the clean lines and simple statement, surrounding your current posts with painted or stained wood can create a phenomenal appeal. The color scheme can be tailored to fit your home style for a modern, rustic, or farmhouse feel.

DIY Craftsman Style Porch Columns - Shades of Blue Interiors

Another update that offers a big design appeal is horizontal privacy fences. Whether you are putting your first fence up or ready to replace yours, this design offers sleek, modern lines and a safe enclosure for kids and pets to run around outside.

 

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The last trend we’ve appreciated is enlarged patios to cultivate the perfect entertaining space. Using jumbo concrete pavers allows you to enlarge your patio without actually having to pour mass amounts of concrete and permanently lose out on green space.

 

9 DIY Cool & Creative Patio Flooring Ideas | The Garden Glove

 

The best part about upgrading a backyard space is it will hardly cause an inconvenience to your daily life which is a major win for both you and the family. Get out there and make the most of that space this season!

New Year, New Home!

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You know we always say there’s no better time to start planning your dream home, and that’s never been more true as we launch into 2019. If, indeed, you are ready to get the ball rolling, here are some things that will help you make the best decisions possible as you move forward.

San Antonio Housing Market

According to MetroDepth, the San Antonio housing market is predicted to continue to see a rise in the cost of housing prices. This comes as no surprise to us, as San Antonio is one of the most booming towns in the United States. For locals, this means, there’s no time to delay! Good news is, price growth is anticipated to slow.

Currently, the median home value in town is $165,000, according to Zillow. That’s about an 8% increase from the previous year.

Mortgage Down Payment

Although, it’s recommended to put 20% down, many lenders allow a lot less than that. While this can be useful, we recommend that you put at least 20% down, if not more, and here’s why. You’ll be paying a lot more in the long run, and it could result in higher costs when paying for private mortgage insurance. Here’s a wonderful little tool – a down payment calculator, that will hopefully help shed some light on what to expect.

Know Your Neighborhood

Finding the right house or the right builder is only half the battle. Your neighborhood is the other half of the equation that will determine whether you and your family will be happy with your new home for the long run. To ensure a good match, consider a few things. Do you wish to be a in neighborhood with a homeowners association? Find out just what this entails. Sometimes the fee is worth the amenities.

Additionally, if you have kids, you’ll want to research nearby schools. Even if you don’t have children, the quality of the schools could affect the value of your home. Look into safety and crime statistics and take the time to map out all the important go-to’s, such as the closest hospital, grocery store, gas station and other relevant stops. Although time consuming, try driving through your potential neighborhood on different days and various times throughout the day to check on the traffic and noise. You won’t regret making the effort!

These are just a few notes to help prepare you for your new home. When you’re ready, we’re here to help build your dream. Give us a call at 210-494-5400 or fill out our online form to get started.

 

Love Your Living Room

Courtesy of Glen Andrews Art Glass

Courtesy of Glen Andrews Art Glass

There’s that one main room in your home where everyone gathers, perhaps watches TV, enjoys lively conversations, plays games. You might call it the living room or the family room. You might even have a great room, a modern version with an open floor plan that also combines the dining room. We love building great rooms for our clients, which by its very nature, encourages family interaction.

Regardless of what it’s called, this is the heart of your home, and you want it to be a room that shines. Your living room should, more than any other room, reflect the personality of you and your family.

Here are some tips to help bring some love into your living room or make that great room even better!

-          If you have a great room, then you must rely on area rugs and furniture to create the spatial boundaries in the room. Typically, you want a backdrop that is more neutral. Different sections of the space can utilize colors and patterns but should compliment the other sections of the room. Accent walls can also be used to cleverly add definition between spaces.

-          Update your great room with a home office space, small library, children’s play corner or adult arts and crafts corner. All of these options can, again, add dimension and definition to the space.

-          Find some unique antiques to add some character to your living room. Old antique doors can also be used to divide up a room. We recommend a hidden gem right here in San Antonio, called Architectural Antiques Salvage. This giant warehouse is filled with all sorts of treasures, from doors to light fixtures, clawfoot bathtubs, sinks and even some décor. They are located at 403 Dawson St., just on the eastside of downtown.

-          If you’re looking to update your furniture, which is a fun way to change the look of your living room, consider adding some curved furnishings. Once popular in the 60’s, the curved look is coming back. For example, a crimson velveteen sofa with a back in the shape of a half circle and a curved cushion in front. A piece like this can help add a touch of femininity to the room.

-          Light fixtures can be an easy way to define the space in your great room or living room, and can also serve as a showpiece that truly represents the ambiance you’re wanting to achieve. You might consider having some custom blown glass pieces to create a modern-day chandelier. Locally, we recommend Glen Andrews Art Glass of Caliente Hot Glass. They can design a piece specific to your look and tastes and even install it for you. For more information, visit glenandrewsartglass.com.

However, if it’s simply time to start dreaming of a new great room, we’re here to help! Give us a call at 210-494-5400 or fill out our online form to get started.