I am, admittedly, a magazine addict. There are certain glossy magazines I just have to read. As a teen, I hungrily tore through friends’ copies of Seventeen and Glamour, but when I was in college and first laid eyes on Architectural Digest as a guest in a friend’s classy home, I immediately was hooked. My first subscription was to Vogue, swiftly followed by House Beautiful. Eventually I developed an affinity for the arty lifestyle and culture pieces but my principal interest in both publications was focused on fashion and home fashion.
A representative from one of the myriad vacation home rental properties keeps leaving attractive brochures by my front gate. They want to know if we’re interested in turning our home into a vacation rental, even occasionally. I have to admit the lure of additional income is tempting. Many moons ago I had a friend who worked as a location scout for films and high-end catalogs. Telling me how many thousands of dollars a day were paid to people to rent out their houses, she whet my appetite for finding ways to make money off my home without having to work too hard for it. The truth of the matter? If I were ever to put my house on the vacation rental market, I’d have to do a lot to make it work, especially my outdoor space.
Not too long ago I was in a stunning Colonial home in northern Westchester. I was there to interview the homeowner for a local magazine. Practically the moment I walked through the front door, I confessed what a huge fan I was of her home’s architectural era. She graciously offered a tour around the house. Additions had been made to the original structure over time, including a new wing recently built by the current homeowner. I anticipated the killer kitchen and the luxury baths, but it was the new clothes closet that really took my breath away. It was the size of a bedroom and opulently filled with fine wood cabinetry, Berber carpet, and a stunning chandelier.
Let’s talk about wallpaper, which to some people, is akin to a dirty word. You either love it or you hate it. Whether or not you are a fan, wallpaper is technically decorative embellishment although it has qualities that can appear almost architectural. While there are many decorative things besides paint you can apply to your walls including paneling, wainscoting and shiplap, wallpaper alone provides a unique ambiance no other finish for your walls can duplicate.
I am a person willing to tackle small home improvement jobs around the house as long as it involves no tools beyond a hammer or a paintbrush. My Number One Rule: I definitely draw the line at taking on anything electrical out of what I consider a not-unreasonable fear of electrocution or electrocuting anyone else.
So much of home remodeling is about meeting changing needs. Is your starter home feeling too small, or have the kids flown the coop, or are you thinking about selling? Or maybe the kitchen feels dated or you’d prefer a walk-in shower instead of a tub. Other important considerations in moving forward with remodeling are the value-boost to your way of life plus the added value to your home. Let’s take a look at three major life stages that could be the spark for a home revamp.
I have dogs. I’ve always had dogs. Right now, I just have one. There was a period of my adult life when my family had three dogs, two cats, and a pony. Admittedly, the pony did not live with us inside the house. Nevertheless, its hair was a regular factor to be dealt with. Over my husband’s adamant protests, for years I persisted in bringing from the barn horse sheets and blankets and saddle pads to launder in our clothes washer.
As a dedicated reader of bath design magazines (temptingly displayed by the check-out of my usual grocery store, I can’t resist), I can easily rattle off at any time the latest news in bath trends. The current experts are touting larger-than-life vanities, strategic mirror placement (to maximize reflection, place your mirrors near a window or other light source), and nature-inspired accents like getting a plant! So, to move beyond design magazines, I spoke with Paul, a pro from HomeSquare.
I had a friend (she’s since moved to Florida) who lived in a beautiful, three story, narrow antique house in a historic hamlet.The house, which is well over a hundred years old, had been renovated a few times, but it was small and some of the ceilings were a bit low, and it was on a busy street that was hardly tranquil.
I always say life happens in the kitchen. It’s where all the important stuff happens. It’s where big announcements are made, where we’ve laughed and cried. It’s where the dog crates live and where kids do their homework. Besides a place to prepare and eat food, in most homes, the kitchen is the true gathering spot. Like the story about our family circus and a stray cat I’ll tell you about in just a minute…