Category Archives: Seller Information

Lifespan of Modern Home Appliances

“Wondering if it’s time to fix or replace your appliance.  Here are some average lifespans of 7 major appliances.” 

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Homeowners often assume that with an increase in technology comes an improvement of everyday life. So it can come as a surprise that when appliance manufactures add tech, like sensors and displays, they are actually shortening the product’s lifespan.

home mattersPhoto by: American Home Shield

Major home appliances like washers, stoves and even refrigerators have plugged into the digital revolution thanks to the introduction of smart appliances by brands like LG and Samsung. You can now do things like scan food items into your fridge, and it will then make recipe recommendations based off of the current contents — that’s one less excuse for ordering takeout.

Unfortunately, the added bells and whistles have overshadowed the fact that appliances just don’t last as long as they use to. The current average lifespan of major home appliances is around 10-15 years — compared to roughly 20-30 years when appliances were mostly mechanical in nature. That’s why your mom’s avocado-green washing machine lasted so long.

Today, the presence of LCD screens, Wi-Fi and even load-sensitive sensors have increased the vulnerability of our modern appliances — the more gadgets, the more things that can fail. This, coupled with thinner plastic parts replacing the more durable porcelain and copper parts of the past means more calls to the repairman. Just like our cars, home appliances were once bulky behemoths made of heavier, more resilient materials.

Related:
High-tech Kitchen Appliances to Make Your Life Easier
Get the Most Out of Your Household Appliances

However, there are two simple recommendations on how to avoid premature breakdowns with modern appliances. First, simply reading through the manual and getting a sense of how to properly clean and maintain your appliance is highly recommended to preserve its lifespan. Second, when problems do arise, don’t jump the gun and swap it for a new one. If the appliance has not yet exceeded the average lifespan, chances are fixing the specific problem and keeping it for its full lifespan will save you more in the long-run.


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Although the lifespan of major appliances has decreased over the years, the added technology has greatly improved our lives. For what they now lack in years, these modern machines make up for in energy efficiency and technological versatility. It’s a small price to pay for managing more productive lives in our fast-paced digital age.

Originally appearing on American Home Shield

10 Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses

“Want some plantings that are easier to maintain?  Ornamental Grasses might be a perfect solution for you.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Originally published on HOUZZ, by Laura Gaskill
Water-wise, low-maintenance and available in an impressive range of colors and heights, ornamental grasses have a lot to offer in the landscape. It is critical to choose the right variety for your region (native is best), because some ornamental grasses can be invasive. A good local nursery with knowledgable staff should be able to point you in the right direction. Whether you want to replace the front lawn, create a privacy screen or simply add beautiful texture, here are 10 ways to use these versatile plants around your garden.
Modern Deck by Paul Davis Architects
Paul Davis Architects
1. Enhance an urban outdoor space with a mini-meadow. Just because you live in the city doesn’t mean you must do without greenery. Create your own small-scale meadow with a custom planter filled with an abundance of lush, fluffy ornamental grasses — it makes a stunning backdrop to an outdoor seating area, and is sure to be a favorite of furry friends.
Traditional Deck by MB DESIGN & BUILD
MB DESIGN & BUILD
2. Soften sounds and breezes. The breeze riffling through long, reedy grasses creates a relaxing auditory backdrop for an urban patio. A bank of tall grasses positioned around an outdoor seating area can also provide a windbreak, making time spent on the patio more comfortable and appealing.
Modern Pool by Wagner Hodgson
Wagner Hodgson
3. Create a privacy screen. Choose a vertical-growing type, like feather reed grass, above, for the best results. While grasses will not provide the complete privacy of a tall fence, a bed of tall grasses during blooming season can give a patio, deck or pool some privacy while still letting in light.

Grass: Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
Need to know: Feather reed grass does well in most areas (USDA zones 3 to 9; find your zone), and grows tall rather than wide, making it a good choice for small spaces.

Transitional Landscape by Rollin Landscape Design
Rollin Landscape Design
4. Use as a low-maintenance border. Long driveway or sidewalk borders can be taxing to maintain. Use a single variety of ornamental grass to fill the length of the bed instead of mixed perennials and annuals for an easy-care (and handsome-looking) solution.

Grass: Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)
Need to know: Mexican feather grass is extremely drought-tolerant and hardy in zones 6 to 10, but is identified as a highly invasive species in California and Oregon. Mexican feather grass reseeds, so it may need to be pulled out in places you don’t want it to spread. If you live in California, the University of California Master Gardener Programrecommends as alternatives California native blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’), California native prairie dropseed (Sporobolus airoides), Mexican deer grass (Muhlenbergia dubia) or pink muhly grass(Muhlenbergia capillaris, especially ‘White Cloud’).

Transitional Landscape by Andrew Mann Architecture
Andrew Mann Architecture
5. Replace the front lawn. Replacing the front lawn with lush ornamental grasses cuts down on work (no more mowing!) and saves water. When you choose a variety of colors and heights, they can add more interest that a traditional lawn, to boot.
Contemporary Landscape by Davis Landscape Design LLC
Davis Landscape Design LLC
6. Boost front-porch privacy. Taller varieties of ornamental grasses, like little bluestem, above, can create privacy on the front porch or patio without fencing. For year-round appeal, be sure to ask at your local nursery how the variety you choose will look in each season.

Grass: Little bluestem
Need to know: Little bluestem is an incredibly hardy (zones 2a to 9b) and easy-to-care-for plant, native to all of North America except Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and the Canadian territories. Little bluestem is very drought-tolerant and grows well from seed.

Rustic Landscape by Addison Landscape & Maintenance, Inc.
Addison Landscape & Maintenance, Inc.
7. Complement rustic character. Have a barn, farmhouse or rustic shed on your property? Tall grasses with some visual similarity to wheat, like Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’, the noninvasive variety of purple fountain grassshown here, look at once rustic and up-to-date.

Grass: Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’
Need to know: Unlike other varieties of purple fountain grass, Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’ does not seed, and so is not considered invasive in California (two other noninvasive varieties ofPennisetum are ‘Rubrum’ and ‘Fireworks’). Purple fountain grass is perennial in zones 8b to 11.

Transitional Landscape by Andrew Mann Architecture
Andrew Mann Architecture
8. Gain textural contrast. The fluffy, feathery fronds of ornamental grass provide softness amid hardscaping like fences, pathways and walls. Allowing the grass to spill over the edge of the planting area is a great way to soften the edges of a path or sidewalk, as shown here.
Mediterranean Landscape by Shirley Bovshow
Shirley Bovshow
9. Add vibrant color — without flowers. Some grasses, like the pink muhly grass shown here, erupt in colorful, feathery fronds from late summer to fall. This is a wonderful way to bring color to a water-wise garden where flowers are sparingly used.

Grass: Pink muhly grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris
Need to know: Native to the East Coast of the United States, pink muhly grass clumps, so it will not invade other planting beds. Hardy in zones 7 to 9.

Contemporary Landscape by Christopher Yates Landscape Architecture
Christopher Yates Landscape Architecture
10. Grow a backyard meadow. Native sedges, when chosen properly for the region, make excellent, low-maintenance (often mow-free) lawn alternatives, perfect for covering large expanses of yard. The Carexspecies, such as Carex pansa, shown here, are particularly good for this purpose.

Grass: California meadow sedge (Carex pansa)
Need to know: Carex pansa is a species of sedge native to the west coast of North America, spanning from California to British Columbia, and thrives in that area. For other parts of the U.S., the Brooklyn Botanic Garden recommends Texas native Carex perdentata; Catlin sedge (Carex texensis), hardy to Zone 6; Pennsylvania sedge Carex pensylvanica, native to the eastern and central United States; and Carex senta, known as Baltimore sedge, native to the eastern United States.

Can You Spot the TV?

“Where to put the TV?  You’re going to have one, but you don’t want it to dominate the room.  These creations offer up lots of new options you may not have considered.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
By Grace Chamia, originally published on HOUZZ
Sometimes a room design doesn’t seem to allow for a 60-inch television — maybe it disrupts the aesthetic flow and clean lines the designer worked so hard to achieve. Cue these now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t entertainment systems that blend in with their surroundings so well, they rival chameleons with their camouflage.
Contemporary Family Room by Eoin Lyons Interiors
Eoin Lyons Interiors
Winston Churchill has my attention … so much so that I almost missed the TV behind him. Slidable artwork is a striking way to conceal a flush-mount TV.

Here’s Looking at You: Supersize Portraiture at Home

Contemporary Living Room by Wolveridge Architects
Wolveridge Architects
Where you don’t want to make a feature of a wall-mounted TV, a sliding floor-to-ceiling panel that blends in with the wall is clever at discreetly concealing it. In this Melbourne, Australia, living room by Wolveridge Architects, the good looks of the lower-level cabinetry, which can double as a bench seat, further distracts the eye away from the panel and, just as a magician never reveals secrets, physically distances the viewer from getting a peek at its nuts and bolts.
Contemporary Home Office by Howden Homes
Howden Homes
You can minimize the impact of a TV simply by surrounding it with framed prints.

How High Should Your TV Be?

Contemporary Living Room by Kurt Krueger Architect
Kurt Krueger Architect
The custom wall unit in this Los Angeles living room has a certain je ne sais quoi, with sleek white glossy cabinetry set against dapper walnut wood. The TV goes unnoticed behind the cabinet above the fireplace, with its sliding cover.

Walnut Wows in Traditional and Modern Settings

Modern Living Room by Kurt Krueger Architect
Kurt Krueger Architect
Contemporary Living Room by Tom Stringer Design Partners
Tom Stringer Design Partners
This cozy cabin might look like the type of place in which you’d shut out the outside world — no phones, computers or television. But it boasts a huge TV screen that rivals the stone fireplace. Hidden beside the chimney, it is out of eyesight when not in use, and slides out to cover the windows when the mood for a movie kicks in.
Contemporary Living Room by Tom Stringer Design Partners
Tom Stringer Design Partners
Scandinavian Living Room by Corben Architects
Corben Architects
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In this Sydney home, by Corben Architects, a black wall in open cabinetry camouflages a free-standing TV and fireplace set in front of it. Integrated this way, the high-shine TV screen acts almost as a lustrous finish.

See more of this home

Contemporary Living Room by Despina Design
Despina Design
A TV that doubles as a multifunctional room divider — how’s that for state of the art? This timber structure, which features an ethanol-burning fireplace and a rotating TV, divides an open kitchen-dining-living area and allows the homeowners to enjoy the warmth of the fire and a view of the TV from any part of the room.

The transparency of the fireplace and stunted height of the structure keep the piece from intruding on the space or blocking the flow of light.

Industrial Living Room by C O N T E N T Architecture
C O N T E N T Architecture
Sometimes you just want to be able to pack away your television like you would a PlayStation. Cue this Houston loft and its custom wall unit with tempered glass sliding doors in a satin finish. When the doors are closed, the eye shifts to all of the homeowner’s interesting pieces — artifacts from her travels and a book collection.
Contemporary Pool by Sandkamp Woodworks
Sandkamp Woodworks
That is indeed a rooftop hot tub with what must be a weatherproof television. The industrial steel frame mimics the silver in the skyline, blurring the line between the city view and what’s on TV.
Modern Living Room by Ad-Notam Miami
Ad-Notam Miami
Here we have a TV unit that can seem to vanish into thin air. One minute the viewer is staring at his or her reflection in a mirror, and the next it’s replaced by a live stream of the Grand Prix.

TV mirrors like this have come on the market as consumers look for entertainment systems that won’t disrupt their room designs. You simply select a frame that suits your decor or choose no frame at all. Just think, now you won’t have to worry about getting your laptop or tablet wet when watching a movie in the bath. Just direct your attention to your bathroom vanity mirror, sink in deeper and say, “Ahhh.”

Contemporary Living Room by Bacic Group
Bacic Group
Mastering minimalist design, this built-in TV floats above a frameless fireplace and completes the floor-to-ceiling wall feature without affecting the simplicity of the space.
Contemporary Living Room by Patrick Meneguzzi Interiors
Patrick Meneguzzi Interiors
A luxe piece of cabinetry can elevate a space, and this one in particular has a highly effective multifunctional purpose: Not only does it create a feature, lining the wall with something that catches your gaze, but it also stores and displays items and subtly accommodates the TV.
Contemporary Family Room by Forsythe General Contractors, Inc.
Forsythe General Contractors, Inc.
Who needs a dedicated media room when you can combine it so beautifully with a library? This San Francisco home nails the combo with a mammoth built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcase that sets aside just enough space for a flush wall-mount TV, which can disappear with a simple sliding panel. Should you tire of anything else on display with a unit like this …
Contemporary Living Room by Forsythe General Contractors, Inc.
Forsythe General Contractors, Inc.
… you know what to do!
Traditional Home Bar by V6B Design Group - Kitchens & Fine Cabinetry
V6B Design Group – Kitchens & Fine Cabinetry
A TV in the kitchen is quite a treat, especially when it has its very own cupboard. Guests in search of a drinking glass will be particularly taken aback.

14 Ways to Put a TV in the Kitchen

Traditional Family Room by Frame My TV
Frame My TV
You might not believe me when I tell you this, but that framed piece above the fireplace … yeah, that’s the TV, disguised by what is called a TV art cover. With the simple push of a button, the canvas painting rolls up into the decorative frame to reveal the relatively large, can’t-miss-it TV.
by Canvas Gallery
Canvas Gallery
A windowless bedroom shouldn’t be denied a view. Here, the designers cleverly created a sense of an outlook with pseudo curtains, which open to reveal a flat-screen TV.
Eclectic Living Room Eclectic Living Room
You can’t fit much in cupboards this size, surely …
Eclectic Living Room Eclectic Living Room
Oh, but you can. How about your DVD collection and a flat-screen TV that swivels on a panel and slides into a cavity when not in use? That’s media storage, display and TV viewing all in one.
Traditional Living Room by Lindy Donnelly
Lindy Donnelly
Like something straight out of a Nancy Drew novel, the middle section of this custom-made bookcase swivels to reveal a built-in TV, so as not to disrupt the cozy, scholarly vibe of the room.
Traditional Family Room by Lindy Donnelly
Lindy Donnelly
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11 Smart Decorating Ideas for Wall Niches

“Do you have an interesting little cubby or niche and not sure what to do with it?  Here are some ideas that just might help you out.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Originally published on HOUZZ, by Yanic Simard
Sometimes a wall niche has an obvious purpose — a cubby for firewood, for example. Other times, not so much. Either way, if you’re not sure what to do with your functional niche or awkward alcove, here are foolproof ways to fill, conceal, feature and otherwise turn that negative space into a positive.
Eclectic Living Room by Two Ellie
Two Ellie
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1. Firewood. A classic, and obvious, use for a niche near a fireplace is to store clean, uniformly cut firewood, which creates a beautiful rustic effect even if you don’t actually burn logs in your fireplace. Generally small logs can fill any shape of niche, turning a rounded edge or an odd angle into a fun feature.

See more on firewood storage

Contemporary Living Room by ACRE Goods + Services
ACRE Goods + Services
2. Firewood and art. The look of stacked wood works even in a modern setting. Feel free to get creative with it and add some art, or paint the ends of some logs in a bright shade to add graphic pops of color.
Contemporary Living Room Contemporary Living Room
3. Plants. For an organic touch similar to wood, use a hardy live plant (one that can survive away from sunlight), and let the leaves softly spill out of the niche to play against the hard lines.

See 10 of the top plants to grow indoors

Contemporary Living Room by MPD London
MPD London
4. Shelves. Spanning shelves across a shallow wall niche is one of the most efficient uses of these spaces. It gives you extra storage and display space, and can turn what seems like an awkward area into something that looks planned and organized.
Scandinavian Living Room by Shift Interiors
Shift Interiors
The horizontal lines of shelves can also visually correct awkwardly uneven walls (narrow or wide). Meanwhile, painting the backdrop elevates the niche to an architectural feature instead of a problem.

See 8 ideas for floating shelves

Paint by Benjamin Moore: Street Chic CSP-45 (backdrop); Balboa Mist 1549 (walls)

Industrial Entry by Regan Baker Design
Regan Baker Design
5. Bright hues. Of course, an alcove doesn’t have to be shy. Consider making one the center of attention with a coat of bright paint. If a niche doesn’t have a physical border, simply tape off a 1- to 2-inch edge before painting to give it a stronger physical presence.

See more bold colors for niches, nooks and crannies

Similar paint color: Rumba Orange 2014-20, Benjamin Moore; bike racks: CB2

Contemporary Living Room Contemporary Living Room
6. Mirrors and glass. Filling an alcove with glass shelves and a mirrored back adds a lot of layered depth, making the niche feel almost like a window or a passageway into a distant room. Here, the overall effect extends the apparent eaye line so the niche and room feel bigger.
Contemporary Home Office by Toronto Interior Design Group | Yanic Simard
Toronto Interior Design Group | Yanic Simard
7. Grating. Rather than filling the unusual niche between this front room and the adjacent foyer with drywall, I added decorative faux wrought iron grating to add structure while keeping the open feeling. Now the spaces are better defined without the foyer’s being closed in.

Light: Yves, Nuevo; sconces: Elte

Asian Bathroom by Gayle Wainwright
Gayle Wainwright
8. Carved panels. Similarly, the designer of this bathroom filled the pass-throughs between the shower and main space with decorative panels, but in a more opaque way that preserves a sense of privacy.
Modern Bedroom by Found Associates
Found Associates
9. Built-ins. Sometimes the best way to deal with a really unusually shaped niche or bulkhead is to build it out to make a flat wall. Here, the built-in storage also acts as an interesting headboard, giving the room a more structured feeling without wasting space.
Modern Living Room by Nova Tayona Architects
Nova Tayona Architects
A similar effect has been achieved here, in a more minimalist modern look, with built-ins used at multiple depths to turn the whole wall into a subtle feature.
Traditional Entry by Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
10. Reading nooks and open storage. The alcove under a stairway is often turned into closed storage due to the unusual shape, but it can also make a great reading nook or open storage for attractive coats, bags and other accessories that don’t need to be stashed behind closed doors.

See 8 clever ideas for the space under the stairs

Cabinets: Crystal Cabinets

Traditional Bedroom by Kelly Rogers Interiors
Kelly Rogers Interiors
11. Furniture. When filling a niche with a furniture piece, you can opt for something subtle that blends in with the walls, or take the opportunity to make the furniture a feature, like a jewel in a case.

Chest: Butler Specialty Co.; wall paint: Cool Breeze, Benjamin Moore; carpet: Delmar in Iris Green, Prestige Mills; bed: Pottery Barn

8 Clever Ideas for Under Your Stairs

“There are so many ways to use that space under the stairs…Sitting Area, Bookshelves, indoor door house.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
The proverb “Waste not, want not” applies to many aspects of life, and interior design is no exception. Making the most of every square foot of your home is a great way to gain the most value (both financially and emotionally) from it. If you live in a house with stairs, the space beneath them is a gold mine of creative possibilities. Here are eight ways to make the most of it.
Farmhouse Staircase by JWT Associates
JWT Associates
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1. Reading Nook

The small dimensions of the space under the stairs make it ideal for creating a cozy reading nook. This Los Angles book nook, designed by JWT Associates, is wrapped in tongue-and-groove wood paneling for a down-on-the-farm aesthetic.

Traditional Staircase by Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.
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With its white beadboard walls and storage cabinets underneath, this cozy Washington, D.C., reading nook is a great place to unwind with a good book.

Explore 15 cozy book nooks

Traditional Staircase by Jon R. Sayler, Architect AIA PS
Jon R. Sayler, Architect AIA PS
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This reading nook, by architect Jon R. Sayler for a home in Seattle, was designed around a full-size mattress. It’s a comfortable napping spot and overflow guest quarters.
Transitional Staircase by Lynn Donaldson & Associates
Lynn Donaldson & Associates
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2. Bookshelves

The shape of the space under the stairs also lends itself to built-in bookshelves. Unlike standard shelves or bookcases, under-the-stairs units take up just the right amount of space and can be made in a variety of styles.

This angular built-in bookcase in Calgary, Alberta, includes a bottom row of drawers for extra storage.

Wall paint: Lava Gray, PPG Pittsburgh Paints

Contemporary Staircase by Glenn Gissler Design
Glenn Gissler Design
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A curved staircase, like this grand example in New York, creates the perfect space for a dramatic library wall along the stairs.
Scandinavian Staircase by Texas Construction Company
Texas Construction Company
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A single-shelf bookcase cut into the bottom of the stairs can be eye-catching, as in this contemporary home in Austin, Texas.
Transitional Staircase by Von Fitz Design
Von Fitz Design
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3. Playspace

While putting a child’s bedroom under the stairs à la Harry Potter might be a little cruel, the space can make for a great play area for the young ones.

A narrow door built into the side of this Los Angeles staircase leads to a private retreat for the homeowners’ children.

Transitional Kids by Von Fitz Design
Von Fitz Design
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The interior of this playspace under the stairs include vibrant green walls, a shaggy throw pillow, faux-fur rugs and a helpful reminder about the importance of brothers.

Wall sign: Pottery Barn Kids

Contemporary Hall by CplusC Architectural Workshop
CplusC Architectural Workshop
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This contemporary nook cut into the stairs is a magical place in which kids can play and dream. CplusC Architectural Workshop designed this space for a home in Sydney.
Contemporary Home Office by Risinger Homes
Risinger Homes
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4. Office

If you don’t have an entire room available for a home office, consider the space under the stairs as a great alternative. The built-in desk and bookshelves of this modern office in Austin, Texas, make for a stylish workspace.

Discover 95 dazzling deskscapes

Contemporary Home Office by Andrew Snow Photography
Andrew Snow Photography
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It’s not necessary to build an entire office under the stairs. Sometimes a desk and chair below an open staircase do the trick, as shown in this industrial loft in Toronto.

Eames aluminum Management Group leather chair: Room & Board

Contemporary Hall by Maison de Reve Builders LLC
Maison de Reve Builders LLC
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5. Pet Space

The space under the stairs offers a wonderful private spot for a family pet. This doghouse in New Orleans features a custom wrought iron gate made to match the stair railing above.

Contemporary Entry by Candlelight Homes
Candlelight Homes
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Simply adding a water bowl, food bowl and dog bed to an alcove under the stairs also creates a custom and stylish space for your pet.
Contemporary Powder Room by Electric Mirror
Electric Mirror
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6. Powder Room

Adding a bathroom, even just a powder room, is a great way to raise the value of your home. The space under the stairs may provide just enough space for a toilet and sink, as seen in the marble-clad powder room above.

Traditional Powder Room by My Bespoke Room Ltd
My Bespoke Room Ltd
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This London powder room, by My Bespoke Room Ltd., makes good use of the small space under the stairs.

Browse 102 pretty powder rooms

Contemporary Staircase by Pinnacle Mountain Homes
Pinnacle Mountain Homes
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7. Wine Storage

For the wine enthusiast, finding storage space for bottles can be a challenge. Consider the space under the stairs as a prime location to add wine racks or even a walk-in wine cellar, as seen above.

Contemporary Staircase by Jeri Koegel Photography
Jeri Koegel Photography
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If you don’t have enough room for a walk-in wine cellar under your stairs, a few stylish wine racks might do the trick. This modern space in Los Angeles can hold up to 33 wine bottles.

Eames molded plastic stacking side chair: Design Within Reach

Traditional Staircase by Keechi Creek Builders
Keechi Creek Builders
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8. Hybrid

If you’re having a difficult time deciding between one option for your space under the stairs, why not try two? This Houston home, designed by Keechi Creek Builders, has both a doghouse and office space under the stairs.

Eclectic Staircase by Feldman Architecture, Inc.
Feldman Architecture, Inc.
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This San Francisco home, designed byFeldman Architecture Inc., includes a built-in bookshelf under the stairs …
Eclectic Staircase by Feldman Architecture, Inc.
Feldman Architecture, Inc.
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… and the bookshelf is also a secret door that leads to a children’s playspace.

Discover secret doors and hidden passages

Eclectic Laundry Room by John Hannah Architectural Design & Rendering
John Hannah Architectural Design & Rendering
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Finally, this cleverly designed space under the stairs in a Montreal home has a washing machine and dryer, as well as an alcove where the family cat likes to hang out.
Originally Published on HOUZZ, by Bryan Anthony

Making Your Move Easier for Your Family

“Moving to a new home is both exciting and stressful on everyone.  But there are some things that you can do to help everyone through the move.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Moving into a new house is so much more than simply relocating to a different place. When we leave behind a home, especially one we’ve lived in for a long time, we also leave behind all those years spent enjoying it. Children who were tiny when you moved in have grown into strapping teenagers under its roof. Friends have visited, meals have been shared, and the small dramas of everyday life have been played out in it, so it can be emotional to walk away.

Settling into a new home that carries traces of its previous owners also can take time. So in the rush and chaos of moving, take time to celebrate the home you’re leaving and get set to enjoy the place you’re moving into with these tips for easing the transition.

Eclectic Dining Room by sarah & bendrix
sarah & bendrix
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How to Say Goodbye to Your Old Home

Take photos of it. Before everything is swept up into moving boxes, take photos of your home. Document each room, so you can revisit it later. If you have children, snap pictures of them, too, enjoying the house as usual: drawing at the kitchen table, playing in the garden, chilling in front of the TV. You are aiming to capture an emotional record of your house, as well as images of its beautiful kitchen or big windows.
Industrial Kids by Blakes London
Blakes London
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Snap it messy! Take pictures of your home on a typical day, when it’s not clean and tidy. This will provide a more meaningful record of your house and how you used it. You could arrange all these images in an album, with the address and the dates you lived there on the front. This will serve as a lovely record of your time there, but also as a realistic account. If you have mixed feelings about moving on, honest images of all the good and bad elements of your last place may help you feel more positive about your new home.
Transitional Home Office by Studio M Interiors
Studio M Interiors
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Leave your mark. Why not leave a little something of yourself behind before you move out? No, that does not mean a sink full of unwashed coffee mugs! Try something subtler. You could go for the classic time capsule, hidden in the attic. Or write a letter to the new owners, welcoming them to the house and explaining what you loved about it. You could even sign your name somewhere and date it, perhaps on the ceiling inside a cupboard or on the rafters in the attic.
Contemporary Patio by Huettl Landscape Architecture
Huettl Landscape Architecture
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Hold a goodbye party. Celebrate your home and the life it has given you with a goodbye party. It doesn’t matter if you’ve already started to pack — your guests can happily negotiate a few boxes. String up some lights, play some music and enjoy the house with the family and friends you’ve shared it with over the years.
by Pavilion Broadway
Pavilion Broadway
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Toast your home. Raise a glass to your home, perhaps during your goodbye party or simply with your family. Moving is stressful and busy, but it’s important to pause, look around and say, “Cheers!”
Modern Kitchen by Born & Bred Studio
Born & Bred Studio
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How to Settle Into Your New Home

Clean up. When you arrive in a new home, nothing looks, feels or even smells the same way, which can be unsettling. So start by cleaning surfaces, floors and inside cupboards with some familiar, fresh-scented products to help make the place feel like yours.

Traditional Bedroom by Rill Architects
Rill Architects
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Get fresh. Fling open the windows on the first day, too, to air out the rooms and freshen up the whole house. In the evening, light a few scented candles.
Shabby chic Dining Room by Inspired Design Ltd
Inspired Design Ltd
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Grab a few goodies. Piles of moving boxes and empty rooms do not help a house feel like a home, so treat yourself and your new place to a few goodies that will make it feel special. Arrange some fresh flowers, bought at the store on the way to the house or picked from the garden, or buy quality hand soap or a few new towels. When you are facing days of unpacking chaos, these little touches can really cheer you up.
Contemporary Kitchen by Blakes London
Blakes London
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Don’t forget the pets! Dogs and cats may also take a while to settle into a new home, so try to ease the transition for them, too. When you arrive at your new home, shut the cat in a single room for safety, with water, the litter tray and its bed. You can let your cat out at the end of the day to explore, but confine it to a few rooms so it doesn’t feel overwhelmed. Cats should be kept inside the house for a week or so to prevent them from trying to return to your old home.
Contemporary Exterior Contemporary Exterior
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Do right by your dog. You should introduce your dog to the new house. Keep your dog on a leash and take it around the key rooms, one at a time, allowing it to sniff and explore, but under your supervision. You wouldn’t expect guests to run all over the house, upstairs and down, the moment they arrived, so don’t let your dog. Point out where its bed is and even keep upper floors out of bounds at first, so it doesn’t feel overwhelmed by its new territory.
Contemporary Hall by B&Q
B&Q
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Personalize the place. Paint a wall, hang photos or buy some new blinds. Even if the rest of the redecorating will take months, a few small tweaks can really help you start to stamp your personality on your new home.
Contemporary Entry by ALVAREZ-DIAZ & VILLALON
ALVAREZ-DIAZ & VILLALON
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Host a housewarming. Sharing your new home with family and friends can help you bond with it, so host a party — no gifts required. You might like to invite new neighbors, too, as a good chance to get to know them, or simply keep it small and intimate.
Originally published on HOUZZ, by Joanna Simmons

Happy Houseplants, Happy People

“Plants can soften a room, as well as bring energy into a room.  You can put them in just about any room in the house to liven things up.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Walk into a home filled with happy houseplants, and you’re bound to feel instantly more relaxed. Living plants boost oxygen, clean the air and enhance any room they’re in with fresh, organic style.Of course, if you think you are not blessed with a green thumb, then keeping houseplants alive, let alone happy, can seem next to impossible. Read on for styling ideas, encouragement and easy-care tips for keeping houseplants to boost health and happiness.
Transitional Staircase by Melissa Miranda Interior Design
Melissa Miranda Interior Design
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Houseplants fill otherwise dead space with vibrant energy. In the practice of feng shui, plants are considered one of the most effective cures for areas in the home that need help. Boost any unused or awkwardly shaped space with a potted or hanging plant, and you’re sure to notice an immediate change. Always choose houseplants that are suited to the light levels in your space — ask staff at a local nursery if you are unsure what to pick.
Eclectic Kitchen by A Darling Felicity Photography
A Darling Felicity Photography
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Houseplants bring the kitchen to life. The kitchen makes a wonderful home for plants, from delicate vines twining down a shelf to a pot of culinary herbs ready to snip while cooking. Especially in an apartment where you cannot change the wall color or appliances, bringing in fresh plants is an easy and budget-friendly way to personalize your space.
Eclectic Kitchen by Heather Banks
Heather Banks
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Growing tip: Keep houseplants in clusters. If you’ve had trouble keeping houseplants alive and healthy in the past, you might want to try keeping them in a group this time around. Not only will it be easier to remember to water them when they are conveniently located in one spot, but a group of plants also creates its own microclimate, which boosts humidity and helps prevent water loss.
by Dulux Paint
Dulux Paint
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Airy, open bookshelves like the ones shown here can make a stylish plant stand with plenty of room for a host of specimens. Don’t tuck potted plants into a bookcase with a back and sides, as the poor plants will not receive enough light.
Eclectic Dining Room Eclectic Dining Room
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Why not dine in a jungle? Create a lush ambience in your dining room by filling the space with plants. For the most jungle-like effect, set a few large potted plants on the floor, place a cluster of smaller potted plants on a windowsill or credenza, and hang a pot or two from the ceiling.
Contemporary by Rikki Snyder
Rikki Snyder
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Project idea: Planted centerpiece. Tired of changing floral arrangements? Buy yourself some extra time and give the air in your home an oxygen boost at the same time with a living centerpiece instead. Wheatgrass, cat grass and herbs are good choices for the table, though just about any small potted plant will work. Be sure to use containers with saucers beneath them to protect your table from drips, and save the taller plants for elsewhere — just as with flowers, you want to be able to see the person sitting across from you.
Transitional Sunroom by Melissa Miranda Interior Design
Melissa Miranda Interior Design
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Revive the conservatory of flowers. If you are lucky enough to have a sunroom (or any space with skylights and ample windows), consider it your solemn duty to fill it with as many beautiful living plants as you wish. Unlike most rooms in the house, in the sunroom you don’t need to stick with plants that require indirect light — so you can try your hand at something tropical, like a bird-of-paradise.
Eclectic Bedroom by Lisa Sorgini
Lisa Sorgini
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Sleep soundly with greenery around. Refresh the air in the bedroom with a potted plant or two for a more peaceful sleep and a healthier atmosphere. If your bedroom doesn’t get too much light, put your houseplant in the sunniest possible spot, and elevate it on a stool or plant stand to maximize the light that falls on its leaves.
Eclectic Bedroom by A Darling Felicity Photography
A Darling Felicity Photography
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Growing tip: Finicky plants love the bath. The humidity created by steam from the shower and bath makes the bathroom a haven for fussy houseplants, like maidenhair ferns. And since the bath is all hard surfaces, having a few living plants around is a wonderful way to soften the space.
by Warp & Weft
Warp & Weft
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Give macramé a chance. Popular in the 1970s and experiencing something of a revival, macramé has a new, brightly colored look and a modern boho vibe. Try hanging just one plant or suspend a cluster for a lush, jungle-like feel. Ferns and other plants with a tendency to drape do especially well in hanging planters.
Eclectic by Jennifer Young
Jennifer Young
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Start small. Even a single air plant on a bedside table can bring a welcome dose of optimism when it’s the first thing you see each morning. So if you’re not sure where to begin, start with one little plant, well tended and loved.
Contemporary Hall by Sarah Davison Interior Design
Sarah Davison Interior Design
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Don’t be afraid to go big. Whatever ails your space, a great big houseplant can go a long way toward fixing it. A large potted plant (or small tree) can bring more personality to your home, make a small space feel bigger or fill a big, open room without costing a fortune.
Eclectic Kitchen by Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
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Live, learn and let it go. The fact is, we all kill plants — some more often than others. Just because you’ve had bad luck in the past shouldn’t mean you must deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying living green plants in your home forever. Give it another go! Forgive yourself and move on. For the best chance of success in the future, shop for healthy plants from a reputable nursery, enlist the help of a knowledgable staffer to choose the right plants for your space, and embrace technology (set a reminder on your phone) to remind you when to water.
Originally published on HOUZZ, by Laura Gaskill

Clever Drawer Tactics for Kitchens

“Tired of cluttered drawers and cabinets in your kitchen? Want some clever ideas for storage?  Here are a number of interesting solutions that you might want to consider.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson
Have your kitchen-drawer contents turned into alarming tangles of plastic and metal, cunningly hiding whatever you are hunting for? Are your knives nicked and blunt from being thrown into the fray? Coffee cups chipped? Can’t find the cinnamon or the lid of your favorite pan? All hardworking kitchens descend into disarray occasionally, but if chaos is your daily kitchen companion, it may be time to reassess your storage. Putting everything back where it belongs (and where it can be found again), and saving precious countertop and fridge space are a piece of cake with some basic drawer strategies. See how to maximize pullout convenience to keep your kitchen shipshape.
Contemporary Kitchen by The Kitchen Design Centre
The Kitchen Design Centre
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Keep cups at the ready. You’ll never regret a cup drawer — it’s so much easier than digging in an overhead cupboard. Make sure it is deep enough for your tallest mugs, about 7 or 8 inches, storing them upside down to protect their rims. Cups have a habit of multiplying, so estimate how many you really need and donate or store the rest for emergencies.

A side compartment for tea, coffee, spoons and sugar completes a tidy and convenient coffee station.

Modern Kitchen by Divine Design+Build
Divine Design+Build
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Store glassware upside down on nonslip rubber drawer liners, sold in kitchen and cookware shops, to cushion rims and prevent sliding. Silky smooth soft-touch drawers are best for storing glassware, especially stemmed wineglasses, which may tip.

by Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
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Reunite saucepans with their lids. There are many ingenious cabinetry ideas for keeping pots and pans in close proximity to their lids, like a rear or side divider or a shallow internal drawer above the pots.

Tip: Pots and pans are usually standard sizes, and often a saucepan comes with a lid that will fit several other pans. Save space by not storing every lid — just a few that multitask.

Traditional Kitchen by Trish Namm, Allied ASID - Kent Kitchen Works
Trish Namm, Allied ASID – Kent Kitchen Works
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A dedicated lid drawer with vertical storage slots is a space-savvy way to keep lids neat.
Traditional Kitchen by ShelfGenie National
ShelfGenie National
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Oh, for storage like this with plenty of room for pots and lids to cohabit. Two-tiered shallow drawers in a countertop-to-floor cupboard mean no stacking of pots.
Contemporary by Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
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Plastic containers often mysteriously become separated from their lids too. A couple of internal shelves make for a tidy solution. Instead of throwing containers of every shape and size into this drawer, save similar containers that fit into one another and stack them neatly in separate piles.
Modern by Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
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Stay sharp. Treat your knives like the fine instruments they are. Never put them loose in drawers with other equipment — that way lie cut fingers and scratched, blunt blades. Store them off the countertop in a shallow drawer fitted with knife cavities or a slotted wood block that fits horizontally into the drawer, to keep their sharp and undamaged edges for many years.

Tip: Out-of-sight knives can’t tempt little fingers.

Transitional Kitchen by Signature Design & Cabinetry LLC
Signature Design & Cabinetry LLC
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By sacrificing 6 to 8 inches of cupboard space, you could put a wood knife block fitted into a narrow pullout drawer near your prep area.
Traditional Kitchen by Trish Namm, Allied ASID - Kent Kitchen Works
Trish Namm, Allied ASID – Kent Kitchen Works
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Get onboard. Another use for a narrow space is a pullout chopping board and tray drawer. It can be integrated behind a door like the rest of the cabinetry but is a good spot to display decorative boards and trays.
Traditional Kitchen by Inspired Remodeling & Tile by Peter Bales
Inspired Remodeling & Tile by Peter Bales
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An extra board, like this pullout one, is always handy to separate chopping jobs — nobody likes onion-flavored apples! Make sure it is at a comfortable working height and is firm enough to work on without its wobbling or tipping.
Traditional Kitchen by Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
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Don’t waste an inch of space — fit a removable chopping board over a shallow drawer.
Contemporary Kitchen by The Kitchen Design Centre
The Kitchen Design Centre
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Get a kick out of your drawers. Who thought of toe kick drawers? Give that person a medal. Depending on your cabinetry construction, drawers can be retrofitted in this forgotten space. Keep drawer pulls simple and flat to avoid accidentally kicking them.
Transitional by kitchens by peter gill
kitchens by peter gill
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Toe kick drawers are handy for horizontal wine storage; infrequently used platters, trays and boards; table linens and tea towels; instruction books and paperwork; oversized cooking pans; a hidden supply of chocolate; pet bowls; and valuables.

Tip: Avoid storing good wine in the kitchen if you can help it. It’s probably the hottest room in the house. Toe kick spaces are a better, cooler option than something in the open kitchen area.

How to Add Toe-Kick Drawers for More Storage

Traditional Kitchen by Kitchen Classics - Charles Heller
Kitchen Classics – Charles Heller
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Give drawers air for food storage. Store some vegetables — for example, onions, garlic, uncut pumpkins and potatoes — in ventilated drawers to maintain their flavor and save fridge and bench space. Potatoes particularly hate the cold, as the starch converts to sugar, and the texture and taste suffer. Don’t refrigerate tomatoes, either — they taste better at room temperature. Lemons and oranges also give up more juice when not chilled. A low-level drawer with a mesh screen front is ideal for fruit and veg storage.
Traditional Kitchen by Degabriele Kitchens
Degabriele Kitchens
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Cane baskets in wooden frames on runners or brackets maintain air circulation around vegetables and are a rustic touch for a country-style kitchen.
Traditional Kitchen by Schrocks of Walnut Creek
Schrocks of Walnut Creek
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“Egg of an hour, bread of a day, a wife of twenty years” … or something like that. Crusty artisan bread should be eaten as soon after baking as possible. Commercial sliced bread is best stored somewhere cool, but not cold, and sealed against any wandering pests. Bulky countertop bread bins take up prep space, and fridge storage can actually accelerate staleness, so consider a bread drawer with a cover and an insulating pad in the base.

Tip: Freeze sliced bread after two to three days for toasting, and crusty bread after one. There are many uses for less-than-fresh bread, like garlicky, olive oil–y panzanella salad; bread crumbs for gratin dishes; yummy eggy French toast; and berry-soaked summer puddings.

Modern Kitchen by The Kitchen Design Centre
The Kitchen Design Centre
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What a mouthwatering display — no more delving into the pantry. Do you love to make curries and spicy Asian and Moroccan food? This spice “library” does need space but saves plenty in the pantry. I like how it is at a convenient height and how the lids can be popped off when a pinch of this or that is needed.

24 Hot Ideas for Stashing Spices

Contemporary Kitchen by Esther Hershcovich
Esther Hershcovich
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Make a go-to multipurpose drawer close to your prep surface. Keep frequently used herbs and spices and, if you bake, items like a flour sifter alongside everyday implements like vegetable peelers, can openers and tongs in side compartments.

Tip: Store bandages and burn cream in your go-to drawer.

by WoodWorks INC.
WoodWorks INC.
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A drawer insert with holes cut to fit metal or plastic buckets (very cheap) will help you get a handle on cooking clutter.

Tip: Separate utensils by material — wood, plastic and metal — so you can grab something quickly.

Transitional Kitchen by Crystal Cabinets
Crystal Cabinets
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Soak up spills fast. Kitchen paper rolls need to be at the ready for quick action in case of spills and splashes. A clever little alcove in a drawer front puts a roll at your fingertips.
Traditional Kitchen by Midwest Stone Source & Custom Cabinetry | Rockford
Midwest Stone Source & Custom Cabinetry | Rockford
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Simplify undersink space. Undersink drawers that fit around plumbing fixtures are often an awkward shape. They can quickly turn chaotic, chock-full of bits and pieces. Creepy-crawlies love the warmth and sometimes moisture of this area, so don’t cram stuff in. Which items do you actually use in the kitchen? Do you wear more than one pair of rubber gloves at a time? Could some items go in, say, the laundry area? Pare down items like gloves, brushes, cloths and detergent for day-to-day use and top up from a supply in another area as needed.
Traditional Kitchen by David Heide Design Studio
David Heide Design Studio
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This is a practical arrangement for undersink storage. Narrow drawers on either side store cleaning products while rods multitask to hang paper rolls and tea towels.
by Dura Supreme Cabinetry
Dura Supreme Cabinetry
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Put rubbish in its place. We all recycle now, right? Double-bin drawers neatly separate recyclables and general waste.

Tip: This cabinet design allows the bins to be easily removed from the side; they don’t need to be lifted over a side rail.

Modern Kitchen by Shenandoah Cabinetry
Shenandoah Cabinetry
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In a small household, full-height bins might be overkill and will waste space. If side-by-side bins or just one shorter bin can deal with your rubbish load, use the extra drawer depth for a bag holder. This will create space underneath for infrequently used items and room for a handy drawer above the kick space.

Take Your Recycling Station From Blah to ‘Ahhhh’

Contemporary Kitchen by Cross Custom Homes
Cross Custom Homes
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Wire your drawers. Do you need your technology while you cook, perhaps to look up recipes or cooking hints, make cooking notes, play music or make diary entries? A powered drawer can keep your electronics off the counter and away from cooking mess and moisture and can charge them at the same time
Originally Published on HOUZZ, by Janet Dunn

How to Pick the Perfect Accent Color

“Accents, when done right, can give any room an extra touch of interest.  But how do you select that ‘extra’ color?  With a little planning and thought.”
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Choosing a favorite color is easy. Choosing a two-tone color scheme for your home? Not so much. Mistakes come easily, and the frustration might leave you reaching for a bucket of white paint. But don’t wipe the slate clean just yet. Here are my suggestions for pairing the right accent color with each of the six primary and secondary colors — and more.
by Paul Anater
Paul Anater

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A quick brush-up on the color wheel before we start:Primary colors: Yellow, red and blue

Secondary colors: Green, orange and purple

Analogous: Colors that are neighbors on the spectrum, such as green and yellow, or red and purple

Complementary: Colors that oppose each other on the spectrum, such as green and red, or yellow and purple

Beach Style Dining Room by Tom Stringer Design Partners
Tom Stringer Design Partners

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Primary ColorsYellow walls with blue accent.

Yellow is scientifically the lightest and brightest of the hues (and naturally warm). The most classic pairing is a cool blue accent — blue being the least aggressive color choice possible. Whether you pick muted pastel shades or pair a saturated lemon with deep navy, mixing a warm yellow with a darker, chillier blue creates balance to keep the space from visually getting too hot or too loud.

Contemporary Living Room by 1800Lighting
1800Lighting

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Yellow walls with purple accent. For an edgier appeal, a complementary scheme (using colors on opposite sides of the color wheel) will produce a high-fashion, high-drama look. Just check out how the purples pop against the soft yellow walls in this photo.I recommend choosing a pale yellow or using both colors sparingly, and breaking up the look with plenty of neutrals to keep the scheme from looking too jarring. The result will be the essence of spring.

Contemporary Kitchen by Toronto Interior Design Group | Yanic Simard
Toronto Interior Design Group | Yanic Simard

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Blue walls with yellow accent. Since yellow as a main color pairs so well with blue as an accent, it’s only natural that if you switch them, it would still be true. In fact, it works even more smoothly. When pairing blue walls (or in the case of my personal kitchen, blue cabinetry) with yellow accents, you can safely choose a bold blue and a pure, saturated yellow without overloading. Small hits of yellow are easily swallowed into the background, and blue is a very livable color, so you don’t have to be scared of accidentally going too intense.
Transitional Living Room by Alice Burnham, Inc.
Alice Burnham, Inc.

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Blue walls with blue accent. The liquid, mysterious qualities of blue make it an excellent choice for a monochromatic scheme, using a mix of tones to complement themselves. If you don’t feel confident choosing a hot color, simply pair blue with more blue (or some blue-greens and indigos) and let the oceanic shades run together.
Beach Style Bedroom by Terrat Elms Interior Design
Terrat Elms Interior Design

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Red walls with white accents. Red almost has a life of its own outside the color wheel. It’s so intense, and associated with such symbolic meaning (love, romance, fire, appetite), that it can be the hardest to pair with an accent. Thus, one of the most popular choices is to pair red with fresh white to avoid any clashing.Even when red is applied to just one feature wall, it will feel like the strongest color in the space, so if you aren’t sure, consider it the dominant hue and not an accent.

Contemporary Dining Room Contemporary Dining Room

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Red walls with blue accent. Navy again comes to the rescue with red walls. Even though the heat of red and the iciness of blue may make them feel like they’re at opposite ends of the spectrum, red’s true complement is green, but trustworthy blue plays against it without piling on drama. Plus, the combination carries a sense of classic Americana and nautical inspiration, so the sight isn’t a shock to the system.
Eclectic Living Room by FOUR LIONS
FOUR LIONS

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Blue walls with red accent and yellow pop. A special note for primary colors: blending the three together is a timeless tradition found in everything from ancient artworks to hip modernist apartments. Start with blue walls, add moderate hits of red (in one or two furniture pieces) and sprinkle in yellow accessories for an easy-as-1-2-3 look.
Contemporary Bedroom Built Work

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Secondary Colors

Orange walls with green accent. Orange, as a combination of yellow and red, is one of the most controversial colors — it mixes red’s heat with yellow’s brightness for a result that cannot be ignored.Blue is orange’s direct complement. If you prefer to tone down orange a little, use a leafy green; it will add a touch of coolness without fighting to be the star of the show. Choose a yellow-green for an almost analogous effect that can feel positively uncontroversial.
Contemporary Bedroom by Home Staging
Home Staging

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Purple walls with purple accent. Purple, like blue, is another hue that works quite well with itself. When used as a main color, it is typically either a dark and moody shade for a royal effect or a pale, grayed-out tone that keeps a look from feeling childish. Mix in some red-purple and indigo hues to keep the look from feeling too loud or too one note.
Beach Style Bedroom by WA Design Architects
WA Design Architects

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Purple walls with yellow accent. With a very soft purple, an earthy golden yellow tone will create a sense of whimsy and energy without feeling cartoonish. Just be sure to include some additional accent colors if you want to avoid creating a theme room.
Tropical Bedroom by A. Rejeanne Interiors
A. Rejeanne Interiors

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Green walls with yellow, red and orange accents. While the other two secondary colors are a bit more temperamental, green is probably the easiest dominant color to work with, which leaves lots of room to get creative. Try going for an analogous color scheme but taking it one step further, mixing in various hues from half of the color wheel. For example, this room moves from green to yellow and on to orange and red.
Contemporary Dining Room by Vendome Press
Vendome Press

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Green walls with blue, purple and violet accents. This room moves from green to analogous blue and on to purple and violet. In each case the bold hue is anchored by naturally flexible green (like a flower grounded by a stem) so the space feels full of color and yet not overwhelmed by contrast. Sticking to half of the color wheel creates a lot of interest while keeping the different energies tied together.
Shabby chic Living Room by Andrea Brooks Interiors
Andrea Brooks Interiors

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Pink walls with green accent. While pink is truly just a light shade of red it takes on a life of its own, which is probably why it gets its own name. Pairing pink with green is a long-standing preppy tradition that creates a sense of playful positivity tempered by an air of sophistication, so it doesn’t even read as a complementary scheme despite the two hues’ being true opposites.
Victorian Living Room by Favreau Design
Favreau Design

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Complementary ColorsLike pink and green, the fail-safe secret to creating a complementary scheme (that your guests will indeed compliment) is to let the primary hue dominate, in a toned-down shade, while sprinkling in a light helping of the accent hue, preferably in small doses and patterns. This will ensure that the look is lively but not loony, with just the right amount of edge.

Beach Style Family Room by Rachel Reider Interiors
Rachel Reider Interiors

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White walls with any color. When choosing an accent for white, you truly can’t go wrong with just about any favorite hue. However, to keep your color pop from popping too hard, the best bet is to mix a variety of colors, lest one dominate and take over the palette. Looking to a fun fabric or painting as inspiration, take slightly toned-down versions of its hues to apply to fabrics and accents throughout the space.
Tropical Living Room by Mead Quin Design
Mead Quin Design

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Gray walls with gold accent. If no accent color seems quite right for you, consider adding natural elements like gold and natural greenery. Both will add depth to a scheme based on sophisticated grays and off-whites (or, really, any color in the spectrum) without interrupting the flow, giving you the perfect antipop pop.
Originally published on HOUZZ, by Yanic Simard

8 Twists on the Guest Room-Office Combo

“Most of us have a room that’s pulling double duty, and usually it’s the guest room.  Getting balance is a bit tricky at times.  But it can be done with a little extra planning.“
Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team
Unless you host overnight guests frequently — and have space to spare — it’s smart to make a guest room do double (or even triple) duty. Here are 8 examples of guest quarters that pack in space-saving features with style.
Transitional Home Office by Ashley Bell Interiors
Ashley Bell Interiors
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1. Triple-duty guest room, den and office. A den with a door that closes for privacy can make an ideal guest space — and, with some smart planning, can work as an office too. In the space shown here, a daybed plumped up with lots of cushions serves as a sofa for watching TV or as a bed for overnight guests. A pair of tall lamps flanking the computer helps the desk feel like part of the room.
Contemporary Home Office by Patrick Brian Jones PLLC
Patrick Brian Jones PLLC
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2. Modern daybed. If you’re looking for a sleeker version of the typical guest bed, consider a modern, low-profile daybed like the one seen here. During the day, the room functions as an efficient home office; at night, the desk chair can be wheeled away and the bed pulled out to create a cozy nest for guests.

Daybed: Case Study Day Bed, Modernica

Contemporary Home Office by Ample DESIGN
Ample DESIGN
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3. Platform storage bed. A custom platform bed like this one hides a lot of storage in the compartments below while offering a sleek, one-of-a-kind look. The sturdy base makes it well-suited to either a Japanese futon or a traditional mattress, no box spring required. A slender built-in desk along the opposite wall keeps the narrow room feeling serene and spacious.
Contemporary Home Office by ANNA CARIN Design
ANNA CARIN Design
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4. Built-in daybed. This space-saving design can tuck in at the end of a small room, even in places a standard-size bed might not fit, leaving the rest of the room freed up for a desk. If you decide to have a daybed custom-built, do refer to standard bed sizing when making decisions about where the bed will go— if it’s too short, your guests will not be comfortable!
Contemporary Bedroom by Richard Cole Architecture
Richard Cole Architecture
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5. Over-the-bed cabinetry. To fit in more storage without skimping on having a real guest bed, consider installing wall-to-wall upper cabinets. Here, a slim desk provides ample workspace below the cabinets on one side; on the other, a comfy bed invites relaxation.
Industrial Bedroom by Kirkwood McCarthy
Kirkwood McCarthy
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6. Mezzanine guest loft. Mezzanine levels can be tricky to furnish, especially as a sleeping space where guests will want privacy. One smart solution is to install floor-to-ceiling drapes that can be pulled shut when the space is being used by guests and left open the rest of the time. Here, a settee bed takes up little space while providing a comfy place to sit or sleep, leaving the other wall free for a desk and chair.
Contemporary Home Office by Michael Kelley Photography
Michael Kelley Photography
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7. Tailored daybed. A backless upholstered daybed like this one is a good choice for spaces where the bed must go in front of a window. Piled high with throw pillows, it looks like a sofa during the day but can easily be called into service for guests at night. A glass-top desk takes up little visual space, making it a smart piece for a compact home office.
Contemporary Home Office by Ample DESIGN
Ample DESIGN
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8. Folding bed. For maximizing space, you can’t beat a Murphy bed. But instead of the typical vertically folding design, you might consider one that folds out from the wall horizontally. The example shown here was customized with built-in shelves inside and a whiteboard covering the exterior.
Originally Published on HOUZZ, by Laura Gaskill