Credit: Creative Commons

Chances are you have plenty of space in your closets, but the space you have is not being used to its full capacity.  But with a small budget and some hard work, you can transform a messy closet into a perfectionist’s dream.  If you already have a good base of wood shelving and wood rods, chances are you can just add a few accessories or more wood shelving.

Don’t be scared if you have to start from scratch.  And don’t be afraid to demolish whatever you have for a clean slate.  All you will need is some willpower, your music of choice for inspiration, spackle to fill in any voids, paint, wood screws, a leveler, and perhaps a handy helper.  I strongly suggest you invest most of your budget into buying some sort of closet organization system.  Home Depot, Lowes, or the Container Store all have easy-to-assemble melamine laminated shelves which can be customized to fit any space.

Here are some principles you should follow when redesigning or organizing a closet:

-          Make it easier to put things away. It should be easier to put something away than it is to get it out.  Use clear plastic baskets for underpants and socks and place the baskets on an open shelf so you don’t find yourself looking through an overstuffed drawer which sometimes does not even close properly.

-          Keep it open. Stack jeans, shorts, t-shirts and sweaters on open shelves so you will never forget about the capri pants you have in the dark corner of an overstuffed drawer somewhere.

-          Get shoes off the floor. Use a shoe rack or shoe bags to store shoes.  You can put them in those hard to reach corners or use clear plastic shoe boxes for the ones you use less often.

-          Double-up.  Suspend a second hanging rod in a section of your closet to increase hanging capacity.  You will need a section of your closet to hang dresses and suits, but optimize the other half for more hanging space or for open shelving.

-          Proper hangers.  Use sturdy plastic or wood hangers and recycle the wire hangers at the dry cleaners.  Buy specialty hangers for dress pants, ties, etc.

-          Use hooks.  Use every open wall space you have left over to place hooks.  They can hang robes, bags, hats, big necklaces, etc.

-          Lighting.  Closets should be bright.  If installing a ceiling light is out of the question, replace the closet door with a glass door to allow for extra natural light.

-          Make it fun for the kids.  Children love color, so arrange their closets with color coordinated baskets and leave the bottom of the closet clear of shelves so they can store baskets with their toys once playtime is over.  Paint the walls in a different color than the shelves.

When you are done, your closet will be a masterpiece of organization and you won’t be stressed out every time you open its door!

Here is a quick list of tasks (some fun and some annoying!) which you can tackle in the winter to help you maintain a better living environment:

-          Rotate your mattresses. Rotating your mattresses will help you sleep better and makes them last longer.  Also check to see if you need new pads.

-          Clean and organize a closet. Don’t overstretch yourself.  Pick one closet you know you can get done and go through the stuff that accumulates over the year.  Throw away any broken knickknacks and donate whatever you can to charity.

-          Perform an energy audit. Utility companies are now offering programs to help homeowners conserve energy.  You can go to your local utility provider and request an energy audit.  They may offer to replace your thermostats with programmable ones.  If you are serious about green living, you can also contact a private company to perform a comprehensive energy audit by measuring your home’s air leakage and its total water and voltage usage.

-          Clean your dryer vents. Move the dryer away from the wall and remove the tube that attaches to the machine to clean out all the lint.  Check and clean the outside vent as well.  By doing this twice a year, you will save on your utility bills and prevent fire hazards.

-          Change all the filters. HVAC filters should be changed every 3 to 4 months.  This will give you better air quality and prolong the longevity of your furnace.  Do you have a refrigerator with a water dispenser?  If so, you should also be changing the water filter.  Newer models have a light to indicate when to change it, but some of the older models don’t.

-          Clean window treatments. Inspect your drapes and determine if you can vacuum them rather than taking them to the dry cleaner.  You may be able to use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to clean the dust off your window treatments and save on the dry cleaning bill.  Most of the discolorations on your drapes come from dust accumulation.

-          Check for moth damage. Did you start noticing little holes in your wool sweaters?  Chances are you have moths in your closets and now that you are wearing your winter clothes you are seeing the damage.  It’s best to vacuum all your shelves and make sure your clothes are clean before you store them away for the season.  Moths only attack natural fibers.  Be sure and vacuum under your rugs and upholstered furniture.  Use pheromone traps or mothballs if necessary.

-          Clean your windows and sliding door tracks.  Vacuum your window and sliding door tracks to make sure they operate property.

-          Lubricate your locks and garage door opener. A lightweight oil such as WD-40 works easiest.

Do you have a special cleaning or organizing tip?  Feel free to leave a message below with your own recommendations.  Check out our video tips section under Mid-Atlantic’s Customer Care website.

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If you are a pro at entertaining, you should have it all planned by now:  what you will serve at your holiday dinner party, who is going to sit where, your table centerpiece, etc.  But for some of us, we get so busy preparing or worrying about the food that we forget about the other details.  So here are a couple of last minute decorations you can make in a day if you want to add some flare to your dinner party!

-          A bowl full of small wrapped gifts: Get some medium sized metal, white, or clear glass bowls and fill them up with small, beautifully-wrapped gifts.  You can use small chocolate boxes, small notepads, or artisan soap bars.  Use different types of leftover wrapping paper from the year before and create several festive bowls that can be used as your centerpiece for your table or buffet.  Then if you have surprise guests, you have something extra for them.

-          Dress up your chairs: Add a decorative ribbon to the back of your dining room chairs.  This will add some drama to your dining room.  Buy thick ribbons that coordinate with the holiday you are celebrating, cut large sections so you have enough left over to create a nice bow, and tie it around the back of your chairs.  If you have time, you can use hot glue to add small ornaments such as faux greenery, pine cones, or berries to the bow.

-          Candles: Candles are your best friend if you are running out of time.  Just adding a few candle holders to your table will give you that warm and comfortable feeling you want in your home for the holidays.  Combine a few decorative candles with any of the suggestions above and you are set to go.

So, I hope you can include some painting projects in your 2012 to-do-list and keep the following in mind:

Neutrals: Saturated neutrals are back.  These are the modern neutrals found in nature, such as pebbles, grains, clay and anything raw and organic.  Khaki, taupe, camel and orange tones are also in this category.

Rich earthy tones: These are the rich, deep hues found in nature.  Reds, amber, and wine-inspired colors such as violets and burgundy are all in this category.  These colors derive from fire, fruits, fossils, and Pueblo pottery and inspire passion.  They are great as accent colors.  There is also a big Southwestern inspiration here.  Expect to see a lot more tile accents, fabrics, and rugs with these colors.

Blue inspired hues: Everything that has to do with water and ice, blue skies, and jeans.  What is more royal than blue?  Nothing, in my opinion!  Blue tones are useful in so many ways and combine well with lots of other accent colors; I could paint my entire house in blue hues.  You could go from a calming décor with sky and oceanic blues or a vibrant décor with indigo or Mediterranean inspired colors.

Sherman Williams has a very nice 2012 color wheel inspiration that you can download as a PDF.  Imagine the possibilities!

THEN: Two-Story Spaces

NOW: Usable Square Footage

Buyers are opting for smart, energy-efficient floor plans that utilize all the space in the house.  Two story spaces are now viewed as wasted areas.  The open family room can be used for an extra bedroom, or the two-story foyer can be used for extra closet space.  More than half of the buyers I help end up customizing our floor plans to use the open spaces to create a bigger master bedroom, more storage space or extra bathrooms.

THEN: Big Jacuzzi Tubs

NOW: Bigger Showers with “Spa-Like” Features

Although many buyers are hanging onto their Jacuzzi tubs for reasons such as perceived resale value, fewer and fewer buyers are spending the extra money to add massage jets to the tubs.  Younger buyers are now adding more lifestyle options such as body jets, rain showerheads and steam showers.  Mid-Atlantic Builders has been ahead of this trend for years, by offering our award-winning Spa Bath 2000 designs to buyers who really want to make the most of their master bathroom by adding whatever they can to transform the space into a retreat.

THEN: Formal Living and Dining Rooms

NOW: Big and Open Family Rooms

Keeping with the trend of functionality, home buyers now understand that they spend most of their time in their kitchen and family room.  Most buyers want to use the living room for other purposes, such as a guest area or other multifunctional area, and keep their kitchen open to the family room.

PVC lattice panels are usually used for porches and fences to create privacy.  They are very lightweight, easy to cut, easy to paint, and inexpensive, so there is nothing wrong with repurposing them for interior uses.  With today’s innovations in manufacturing, you can find some really unique lattice décor panels with different shapes and sizes.  I am a big fan of geometric and oriental inspired designs.  Home Depot and Lowes have many options available, but there are also many online companies that will even custom make a pattern for you.

Take, for example, your dining room.  Mid-Atlantic Builders’ dining rooms already come with chair rails and crown molding.  You can quickly transform your dining room without buying new furniture simply by applying a fresh coat of paint and some vinyl lattice décor panels to an entire wall or to the portion of the wall below the chair rail.  I would choose a medium to dark shade of paint for the background and paint all the trim in a light color such as white or a light shade of gray for contrast.  This will emphasize the specific shape or design of the vinyl panel.  Take it a step further by customizing a window treatment with a fabric that resembles the shape from the panel and you’ve got a rich decorator look!

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We don’t have to settle for gray winter days after the colorful fall foliage goes away.  Fortunately, the Washington metropolitan area lies in a temperate zone.  Whether you decide to create a winter garden outside or move your plants indoors, there are plenty of opportunities to keep colorful plants around all year.

Creating an indoor container garden is an easy task.  Some nurseries even arrange the plants for you and all you have to do is care for them.

The pretty blue tones of African violets will certainly provide a surge of happiness during the winter months.  Combine them with a Sierra White cyclamen in a terra cotta planter and place it on the floor by a window or window seat.  The white flowers of the cyclamen with the blues of the violets will create a perfect winter arrangement.

Kafir lilies and begonias are also fall and winter favorites because of their long green leaves and their orange and yellow blossoms.  They fit right in with holiday decorations.

Your bathroom is another place where you can keep plants, especially if you have a window.  Tub decks are a perfect location for an orchid – my favorite.  Orchids love partial light and moderate amounts of water.  They thrive in bathrooms because of the humidity from the shower, but you should also spray them with water a couple times a week.  The Showgirl Cymbidium orchid has small white blossoms and fits in perfectly with any color scheme.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Now that fall is officially here, it’s time to start thinking about the upcoming holidays and cozy nights ahead curled up on the couch looking at the fire.

Your fireplace can be a source of inspiration and a natural gathering place, and here’s an idea to help you achieve a “decorator look.”

The Three-Plus-One Trick

This straightforward trick for a traditional mantel with ledge really works!  First, select an object to be the focal point and center it above the fireplace mantel.  It could be a painting, mirror, picture, or television.  Whatever you select, be sure to scale the size of the piece with your fireplace opening.

Then use the Three-Plus-One trick to add your personal style or to change the feel of your fireplace according to the season or special occasion.

Choose three related objects and place them on the right side of the mantel ledge.  These objects should not be identical in height. It is fine if you only have two objects as well.  The idea here is to create a grouping of layers.  You can use candles, vases, picture frames, or anything you like to collect.  Just don’t put the objects in a straight line, as you want them to be staggered.

For the “One” part of the Three-Plus-One design scheme, choose a single object and place it on the left side of the mantel ledge.  As a rule of thumb, this object should be twice as high as the group of objects you selected for the right side; but not taller than the top of your piece that’s centered above.  You can pick an object that is related to the other grouping or something completely different, such as topiary with a strong vertical line, a large vase with some silk flowers, or a tall sculpture.  When you’re done arranging everything, you should have an asymmetrical layout that’s pleasing to the eye and a good focal point for your room.

A powder room is a great example of one space you can tackle while keeping track of your budget.

You should first focus on how much you are willing to spend. Fixture costs for a toilet, tub, and plumbing make a bathroom remodel more expensive than you might have thought. Set aside anywhere between $5,000 and $8,000. Tiles, vanities, and lighting can vary in quality and price and depending on your taste, can increase the cost of the project significantly.

While a complete bathroom overhaul may be your end goal, there are many simple things you can do to change the look of a bathroom without flushing a lot of cash down the drain.

First – Paint. A fresh coat of paint gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Shades of white are not the only options for a bathroom, but I do recommend picking lighter colors because most bathrooms do not have a lot of natural light. Lighter shades also give you the impression of freshness and cleanliness.

Second – The Vanity. Vanities can also be painted by first applying a good layer of primer then using a semi-gloss or eggshell paint over it. I also recommend using a sealant over the paint to prevent water damage.  If you have an old pedestal sink instead of a vanity, consider buying a new one. You can buy a good pedestal sink for about $200 – $300 at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s store.

Third – Storage. Consider replacing an old medicine cabinet with a new surface mount one. They are very easy to install and won’t sacrifice your bathroom’s storage space. There are also unique storage solutions, such as open shelving, stackable drawers, etc. The Container Store and IKEA have some nice, inexpensive options. I suggest buying everything in white so you get a nice contrast to whatever color you decide to add to your walls.

Lastly – Accessorize. Accessories make all the difference. Consider buying a few new things such as wall art, a shower curtain or a toilet paper holder with a matching towel bar.

TIP: Tiles can also be painted. Re-tiling can be expensive and time consuming. The right products and preparation can make old tiles look new. Make sure you do your homework and use oil based paint and primer. You may need to sand down the wall tiles inside the shower; however, your hard work will pay off. This is a perfect option if you are preparing to sell your house. Bathroom upgrades score high on a homebuyer’s list!

Credit: Creative Commons

Last week I described the highly beneficial Specially Adapted Housing grant offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.  One of our customers has already taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity!  We are working with Deborah Massey to build her a beautiful Somerset home that meets her accessibility needs.  Ms. Massey, a disabled Veteran, had been looking for a home for almost a year when she thought of having a new home built for her unique needs rather than trying to modify an already built home.  She found her way to The Villages of Savannah in Brandywine, Maryland and fell in love with Mid-Atlantic Builders because we were able to accommodate her unique needs through our customization process.  Ms. Massey is especially excited about the elevator that we were able to work into her floorplan.  This is just one of the many modifications our staff of designers made to reconfigure her home so that it complied with SAH guidelines.  I will describe these modifications as we follow Ms. Massey throughout her entire home-building journey.  If you believe this program may benefit you, please visit the Specially Adapted Housing website or feel free to contact myself or any of our sales counselors to get more information.