Make My HomeSquare Blog - HomeSquare

Make My HomeSquare Blog

Grillin’ And Chillin’ – Trends In Outdoor Kitchens & Tips To Make The Most Of Your Backyard This Summer

Dreaming of upgrading your backyard space? You wouldn’t be alone. Recent data from realtors around the country shows that homeowners who added outdoor kitchens to their properties saw an increase of between 100% and 200% on their investments. Real estate professionals say even a simple addition, like an outdoor gas firepit, can yield a 67% return.*

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Happiness is a Fresh Paint Job

I was looking to get more light in my life when I hired a professional house painter to paint the interior of our home. In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to paint the whole interior of our house, but after the painter said we’d have to move out for five days, maybe a week, I changed the plan. So we broke the job into two jobs; he’ll paint the rest of the rooms another time. He’s already scheduled to come back this spring to power wash and paint the exterior. I like having an on-going relationship with a professional painter. I think it’s one of the key elements of responsible homeownership. (Since we live in Oregon we unfortunately couldn’t hire the pros, and my friends, at HomeSquare.)

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Secret Rooms and Hidden Spaces at Home

Years ago I lived in a studio apartment in New York City on a super-quaint West Village street. I loved the location — the actual apartment not so much — and imagined, due to my love of the immediate neighborhood, I might live there, for maybe the rest of my life. A major drawback to my fantasy was the apartment, which boasted wonderful exposed brick walls (I was the one who exposed them) and attractively battered hardwood floors (they came to me pre-battered) was just too small, no matter how many times I arranged and rearranged the furniture. I spent an irrational amount of time daydreaming how the apartment could become larger, to the point where my daydreams infiltrated my sleeping dream life and I began dreaming about a secret room I hadn’t noticed before that could be accessed through the apartment’s only closet. 

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Basement Renovation From Start To Finish

We’ve seen a surge of investments in home improvements over the last few years that is expected to continue in the future. We’ve seen people reimagine and rework their spaces during the covid era as they spent more time at home. And, as the housing market has provided its own challenges, more and more homeowners are opting to find a way to improve the space they have. For some, that may mean putting on an addition to find more square footage. For others, who don’t want to lose functionality of their existing kitchens, or need to move out, or live in a construction zone, tapping into already existing square footage in their basement can be a goldmine. 

We’ve taken lots of photos to document the process of this Total Basement Renovation project over the last year. You may have even seen some videos on our social media! Here is the ultimate recap, from start to finish.

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Welcoming a Furry Friend Into Your Home

The house must have seemed too clean or quiet, so we got another dog. We already have one dog, a Miniature Pinscher, also known as a Min Pin; at seven, she is well-behaved and neat as a cat, not barky, and never chews things up. Not once in seven years has she ever soiled the carpet. 

Unfortunately, in the past year, she went from being a lithe, lively spirit who enjoyed taking long walks to a prematurely aged couch potato who preferred to nap all day and snack on cheese and crackers. First, she gained weight, and then she became stiff. I decided she needed another dog and began combing my local shelter’s website for likely candidates. After a six-month-long search, I found the right one.

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How’s Your Entryway? 9 Ways to Create a Fantastic First Impression.

A friend recently sold her expansive home during a significant upward spike in the housing market. “The realtor brought me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she said. Then the heat was on to find another home. She had her eye on a unique condominium in her neighborhood, a corner unit created from the unification of two two-bedroom/two-bath apartments. The combined apartment is sprawling but with a confusing layout. As soon as my friend could take possession, a small local construction crew arrived to rip up the carpeting, steam off wallpaper, and open up walls. 

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5 Hot Interior Home Design Trends to Replace Yesterday’s Trends

I’m always a fan of a home design refresh. We all know the tried and true ways to spice up your living space, like incorporating plants or pops of color. While those will never go out of style, other design trends do. Whether you are moving to a new home or renovating your current one choosing home design elements that complement your style and are timeless yet trendy is challenging. Finding home finishes that won’t look dated next year is key. Here are five home design trends on their way out and how you can update them now.

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6 Tips to Get Your Home Holiday Ready

To-do list

The leaves are changing color, the air is crisp, and I’m not the only one noticing the festive decor showing up left and right on store shelves. This can only mean one thing, the holidays are just around the corner!

Whether you’re strictly a no-twinkle lights-until-after-Thanksgiving person or already planning cocoa-fueled viewings of It’s a Wonderful Life, a little advanced home preparation and organizing can keep holiday stress to a minimum. 

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The Impact of Deferred Home Maintenance

You might have noticed all the little tedious items on your home to-do list pile up. Somehow “I’ll get to it tomorrow” has turned into months, possibly years. Maybe it’s due to financial or time constraints. Whether it’s a squeaky door, loose floorboard, or peeling paint, you figure you’ll get to it someday, right? Well, let’s turn “someday” into today. Grab a notepad and pen, take a tour around your home, and let’s get started. Why? Because small deferred home maintenance can quickly turn into something big and expensive.

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Make it Pop! How To Add Color Into Your Home Design

Time after time, neutral color palettes remain classic, timeless, and a homeowner’s go-to for home design, architecture, and decor. While it doesn’t seem to be slowing down, I think it’s time to add some color to our everyday lives- why not start with your home? Let’s get creative and check out how to add a pop of color to your home.

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