My Home Redux

Fire Pits: The Big New Thing in Outdoor Decorating and Entertaining

Firepits are big right now. From big copper bowl to propane run fireplaces with granite ledges and tables, you can find a firepit in numerous styles and almost any price point. We just bought one for our Halloween party, but I can see us using it at Thanksgiving and even on chilly summer nights. Otherwise, I can turn it into a really big cooler!

Inspiration and Ideas through Pictures

Pictures are the best way to find ideas for remodeling and decorating your house. That's why the remodeling magazines are primarily photos and ads. Here's a web site, Get Decorating, that offers thousands of pictures. It is subscription only but the site tailors subscription plans to varying time lengths and price plans. They use professional photographer so the photos are top-notch. Take a look and let me know if you use them and how it was.

(I must confess I had a similar idea, thinking to have decorators and architects submit pictures, but I've had no time to get it off the ground, so let me know how helpful this is and if it's worth the price.)

How Others View Your House

My brother sent me this in an email. Aint it the truth.  If you've sold your house or tried to refinance, you'll certainly appreciate this one.

Your House.

 

 

  How your lender sees it.

 

  How your buyer sees it.

 

  How your appraiser sees it.

 

 

  How your tax assessor sees it.

 

 

Sad. True. Funny.

What Would You Change - Part 3

As promised, I'll let you take a go at my own house.  We "finished" the major remodeling two years ago. My, how time flies. Still can't say it's really done. So take a look. What's missing?  What's wrong.  I'm aware of two things - one obvious, one not so much. What do you see?

What Would You Change - Part 2

Given the number of clicks in last week's newsletter, the "What Would You Change?" article seemed to generate some interest - or at least some curiosity. So let's try again.

Here's another beautiful home on a simply stunning lot with mature trees and natural elevation. Gorgeous. But I don't think the full beauty of this home has been brought out yet. There are three things I'd have to change. See the comments for my ideas and to add your own.

What Would You Re-do?

This house was remodeled by an architect. It's a very nice house. He should know better than I how to bring out the full beauty of this classic two-story home. But there are a couple of things I would just have to change if it were mine.  What are they?  Read the comments to add your thoughts and to see my proposed changes.

Questions and Dilemmas

Stumped with what to do with the purple couch?  Can't decide what colors go with the hot pink carpet upstairs?  Or just want some advice on how to warm up the living room? Ask away. I'll post the question in My Home Redux, and let our creative readers find you an answer.

Bah-Humbug Busters

Courtesy of I-Village Home newsletter, here are Top 10 Ways to Get into the Holiday Spirit.  Personally, I like #7 the best - a luxury gift, just for me, or #10, the peppermint martinis with the hubby!

Don't let the melancholy sounds of Elvis's "Blue Christmas" put a damper on your holiday spirit. Get hooked on a cheery feeling with these top 10 must-try tips:

1. Bake a batch of cookies with your favorite person.
2. Gather your closest friends for a holiday party3. Deck the halls from top to bottom, take a few pics and add them to our holiday gallery.
4. Brew a cup of gourmet cocoa and snuggle by the fire.
5. Work on a craft project -- and give the finished product to someone who needs a smile.
6. Treat yourself... to one very special ornament.
7. Skip the malls and purchase one or two luxury gifts (for less.
8. Invite the gals over for a gift wrapping party.
9. Make a festive floral arrangement for the table.
10. Just you and the hubby tonight? Crank up the holiday tunes, turn down the lights and shake up Peppermint Stick Martinis for two.

Fireplace Safety

Nothing quite fits the bill as a roaring fire on a cold winter night or a blazing yule log during the holidays.  However, it's important to keep in mind some key safety tips in mind.  Of course, keep flammable items away from the fire and the chimney (tree branches, bird nests) as well as always use a fireplace screen - metal mesh - when buring a fire.  But the #1 safety tip is to have your fireplace inspected and cleaned EVERY year. Be sure to check for cracked mortar or fire bricks and have them tuck pointed and repaired as needed. Also, have a new fireplace inspected BEFORE you ever use it. When we did our house, I looked before starting a fire only to discover that some of the mortar and cracked and loosened due to shrinkage between the fire brick and facing brick. Even more alarming were two large gaps between the fire and facing brick on the inside front (hard to see mind you, but dangerous, none the less). Since the mason never returned my calls to fix these problems, I had a chimney sweep and repair company take care of it.  Lesson learned:  don't assume a new fireplace is ready for a fire until it's inspected first!

Here are some more safety tips by the Duraflame, makers of artificial logs.  The article provides some good advice, although it makes some sales pitches for the desirability of their product. I prefer real wood myself.

Get My Home Redux News Free Every Week

Discover Real-Life Ideas for Luxury Home Decorating
and Remodeling on a Dime

Your home is your greatest investment. And it's the most obvious expression of your personal style and taste. But how do you get ideas? How can you learn what's hot in decorating, how to create the look you want, and how not to break the bank in the process? Some sites offer many great ideas, but they fall into two camps: cheap and look it or beautiful but expensive. Now, you can find home decorating and remodeling ideas that are as beautiful as they are practical, luxurious as they are affordable, stunning yet easy to do yourself. These are ideas and trends that have been tested and accomplished in real life, in personal homes.

As a veteran of numerous home remodeling and new home construction projects, I can help you not only learn what's hot in home decor, what home improvement projects will turn your home into a show place, and how to do it all while keeping an eye on the budget, you'll be confident knowing that these ideas and projects have been done and researched by someone with hands on experience.

So sign up for My Home Redux news. You'll discover the latest tips, hottest trends, and best ideas in home decorating and improvement. And if you want to do it yourself, you can learn that too. If not, then you'll know much more when it comes to hiring out work. But sign up now. The next issue is only a few days away.

Required fields are marked with * below.

                                               

Email Address   *
First Name   *
Last Name   *
Country   *	-- United States Canada Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaidjan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland Former Czechoslovakia Former USSR France France (European Territory) French Guyana French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Great Britain Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe (French) Guam (USA) Guatemala Guinea Guinea Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique (French) Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldavia Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Neutral Zone New Caledonia (French) New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Island Poland Polynesia (French) Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion (French) Romania Russian Federation Rwanda S. Georgia & S. Sandwich Isls. Saint Helena Saint Kitts & Nevis Anguilla Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Tome and Principe Saint Vincent & Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Tadjikistan Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay USA Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City State Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (USA) Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Yugoslavia Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe
What do you most what to learn from My Home Redux.com?	Please check all that apply:    -Luxury Decorating on a Dime    -Home Remodeling and Building for Women

         

 

This list has a privacy policy.