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10 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill This Summer

“When the heat reaches it’s peak, it’s always good to have a few ideas of how to conserve energy, while still staying cool.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

It’s Summertime, and the living is easy. Until your see your energy bill. Save money on your electric and utility bills using these energy conservation methods.

Summer is supposed to be a relaxing, low-key time, but it’s hard to unwind when you’re worried about your home’s high energy costs. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help minimize the energy your household uses during warm weather months. If you’d rather spend your budget on fun-in-the-sun activities than on utility bills, make note of these amazing energy conservation tips.

1. Use ceiling fans to help cool your room

Raise your thermostat a few degrees and use ceiling fans to cool rooms as much as possible. Ceiling fans use less electricity than air conditioners and are comfortable ways to keep air moving in your home. If you received a tax refund this year, you might want to consider using it to purchase ceiling fans for your living spaces and bedrooms to help minimize the energy that you need to keep your home a comfortable temperature during hotter months. Ceiling fans come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and styles to match virtually any décor. Be sure to look for ceiling fans with the ENERGY STAR certification.

2. Use off peak energy on your appliances

Use off peak energy as much as possible for tasks like running the dishwasher and washing and drying clothes. Check with your local utility company to see if they offer discounted rates for off peak hours and when those rates apply.

via Real Simple

3. Plan no cook dinners for hot days

Plan to have no-cook dinners several times a week. In addition to saving the energy that your stove or oven will use, you’ll also avoid heating up the kitchen and making your air conditioner work harder. There are many easy, nutritional dinners that don’t require cooking. All of which are great choices:

• Green salads
• pasta salads
• sandwiches
• fruit plates

Even some chicken and meat dishes are good served cold. Who wants to eat a big, heavy meal when it’s hot outside anyway?

4. Use a thermostat-controlled attic fan

If you have an attic, consider installing a thermostat-controlled attic fan to help keep your entire house cooler. With sunlight beating down on the roof and heat rising from below, the temperature in attics can rise very quickly in the summer. An attic fan can help cool the space as well as the rooms below.

5. Maintain your air conditioning unit

For peak efficiency, it’s important to keep your exterior air conditioning unitwell maintained. Remove any leaves, twigs, or debris from around the unit, and clean the coils regularly. Change your air conditioning system filters per manufacturer’s instructions to keep energy use to a minimum.

6. Clean your freezer coils

If you have a freezer, remember that it has to work harder during warm weather months to maintain the correct temperature for frozen foods. Keep the coils clean to help it run efficiently, and check the gaskets to make sure the seal is maintained and the unit isn’t leaking cold air. Also, check to see if there is sufficient clearance room around the freezer for air to properly circulate.

7. Take energy conservation measurements before leaving the house

Before you leave on vacation, take some steps to conserve energy use while you are gone.

• Raise your thermostat, and unplug any appliances or electronics that won’t be in use while you’re away.
• Even small appliances and electronics like microwaves and television sets may continue to draw energy if they remain plugged in although they are turned off.
• Remember to set your water heater to “low” or to turn down the temperature while you are away as well.
• Put lamps and lights on timers instead of leaving them on the entire time.
• Close curtains and blinds to keep the warm sunlight out.

8. Use your bathrooms ventilating fan

When you take a shower or a bath in the summer, turn on the bathroom ventilating fan to remove heat and humidity and to help save on cooling costs.

9. Line dry your clothing

Take advantage of the warm weather to line dry clothes and linens instead of using energy to run the clothes dryer. In addition to saving electricity, you’ll save dryer wear and tear on the fabrics.

10. Learn alternative eco-friendly methods to reduce energy costs

Look into alternative ways to cool your home, such as geothermal cooling and evaporative cooling systems. Use your tax refund for window shadinghome improvements, such as installing patio covers, awnings, and solar window screens and films. Strategically placed landscaping can also help provide shade and minimize cooling costs.

You can also keep cool this summer with some old-fashioned methods that don’t require a lot of electricity or energy. Mix up a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade, or make some homemade ice cream using the hand-cranked method instead of an electric machine. Hang a hammock in the shade, and enjoy a good book. Invite the neighbors over for a cook-out instead of heating up your oven and stove. For dessert, enjoy the best summer treat of all that doesn’t even require any energy to prepare – slice open a ripe, red watermelon.

7 Ways to Rethink the Shrub

“If you have any type of yard to maintain, shrubs are a great option. But why not get a little creative for a change and do something interesting.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Shrubs are ubiquitous throughout our landscapes, many times making up a significant bulk of greenery in the garden. Often used as low-maintenance and long-term plantings around a home’s foundation or as a low walkway edge, these woody plants can do so much more.

Whether you utilize their unusual characteristics, prune them into tight forms or design with them for wildlife, you can get creative with shrubs for a more interesting and unusual garden. Here are ideas for rethinking the basic shrub.

Westover Landscape Design, Inc.

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Variegated Ivory Halo dogwood grows in a garden in New York.

1. Use variegated cultivars. Variegation can make a ho-hum shrub more visually interesting because it adds a white or creamy yellow coloration to the leaves. Variegated leaves can be highly contrasting, and the whiteness brings splashes of light to a dark shade garden.

Example species: Variegated Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Elegantissima’, USDA zones 2 to 8; find your zone), Ivory Halo dogwood (C. a. ‘Bailhalo’, zones 3 to 7) andvariegated wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana ‘Variegatum’, zones 4 to 8)

Paintbox Garden

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata, zones 3 to 9) sports bright red berries in winter.

2. Create bird habitat. Many bird species love shrubs because the birds can hunt for bugs and lizards in them while hiding from predators. Smaller birds will nest in woody shrubs, and many shrubs produce berries that are delectable to birds. (But not to other animals; be aware of plants that are toxic to kids or pets.)

The idea of using shrubs for bird habitat isn’t new, but you may want to ask yourself how you can specifically design with shrubs to create a robust habitat for birds. Look for ways to plant near water sources, and pair shrubs with other plants that support wildlife.

See 13 North American native birds and how to attract them to your yard

Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

3. Group together different sizes. Shown here is a grouping of the same species of small broadleaf evergreen shrubs planted at different sizes and pruned into spheres. Yes, this planting is higher-maintenance because it requires a regular pruning schedule. However, it makes for a fun and whimsical look in the garden, with textures and spheres set into a modern paving design with clean lines.

Example species: Littleleaf boxwood (Buxus microphylla, zones 5 to 9) and ‘Golden Gem’ Japanese holly (Ilex crenata ‘Golden Gem’, zones 5 to 8)

The Todd Group

4. Channel the French parterre. A parterre garden features flowers growing in patterns and often a low shaped hedge. The parterre is useful in garden design because it creates a formal, finished look while allowing for other more loosely planted flowering or edible plants to be included.

The traditional French potager garden often uses the idea of the parterre, but with edible plants. You can also use the parterre as a border for annuals that change seasonally.

Urban Angles

5. Create symmetry. Shrubs can be particularly useful for adding symmetrical elements to a rectilinear space. They can be minimalist, as in this example with low clipped boxwoods, or they can be looser.

Create symmetry with plantings that fit the space well by precisely planning out the spacing and pruning requirements. You can do this yourself with some simple measurements. It’s also helpful to place the shrubs while they are still in their containers. Move them around, making sure you have the spacing and alignment perfect.

Mary-Liz Campbell Landscape Design

6. Mix it up. On the other end of the pruning, shaping and symmetrical spectrum is a wilder-looking garden, with flowing perennials flanked by woody shrubs. Woody plants are an important element of the perennial and meadow garden because they provide structure and interest year-round. Additionally, there are many understory and woodland shrubs that can grow with a spreading form to create a naturalistic planting design.

Learn about the reasons for bringing shrubs into the flower garden

Proven Winners

7. Offer seasonal interest. Shrubs, like trees, can provide structure to the garden design — especially in winter. Shown here is the very popular redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea, zones 2 to 7), with bright red twigs in stark contrast to the white snow. Some deciduous shrubs have a flaming red or bright yellow autumn color as well.

10 Small-Scale Agaves Just Right for Containers

“Small containers and only a little watering, what’s not to love about this idea?”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

There are more than 200 species of agave, ranging in size from 6 inches to more than 12 feet wide. Due to their modest size and compact root systems, smaller agave species make an excellent choice for growing in containers. They require only infrequent watering and do well in summer, even in the heat. Their spiky shapes add dramatic interest to many garden spaces, big or small, along with patios, poolsides and entryways and as outdoor table centerpieces.

Here are 10 agave species that are perfect for smaller areas, with varying cold tolerances, exposure requirements and sizes to ensure there is one right for you.

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

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1. ‘Compacta’ Queen Victoria Agave
(Agave victoria-reginae ‘Compacta’)
Native to Mexico

This smaller version of the slow-growing Queen Victoria agave barely reaches 12 inches wide. The dark green leaves with bright white margins make this species highly desirable. This miniature native of Mexico doesn’t produce offsets (volunteers) like many other species of agave do, and it looks great when planted in groups of three or five.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (USDA Zone 8; find your zone)
Light requirement: Full sun is best, but it can handle filtered shade for a few hours a day
Mature size: Up to 8 inches to 1 foot tall and wide

Curtis Horticulture, Inc.

2. ‘Blue Glow’ Agave
(Agave ‘Blue Glow’)
Hybrid of Agave attenuata and Agave ocahui

Every few years there is a new plant arrival that takes the gardening world by storm. In the succulent world, ‘Blue Glow’ agave has done just that. While it doesn’t resemble its parents, the mixing of their genes created an agave that has dark blue-green leaves with yellow and red margins that seemingly glow when backlit by the sun.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 6.7 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Light requirement: Full sun is best, but it can handle filtered shade for a few hours a day; filtered sun is best in low-desert zones
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii var. monstrosus) adds height behind a globular golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) and a spiky rosette of black-spined agave

3. Black-Spined Agave
(Agave macroacantha)
Native to southern Mexico, including Oaxaca

Black-spined agave’s powder-blue leaves and maroon tips provide great color contrast in the garden. This agave produces numerous offsets, creating a clumping appearance. Its narrow leaves and open rosette growth habit add welcome texture in containers.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 3.9 degrees Celsius (Zone 9)
Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade
Mature size: 10 to 16 inches tall and wide

BuenoLuna Landscape Design

4. Agave Schidigera
(Agave schidigera)
Native to Mexico, including Chihuahua and south through central Mexico

The curly white fibers that grace this small agave’s bright green leaf edges capture the attention of passersby. White markings on the leaves increase Agave schidigera’s visual appeal.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun or light shade; filtered or afternoon shade is recommended in low-desert gardens
Mature size: 1 foot tall and 1 foot to 2 feet wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

5. King Ferdinand Agave
(Agave nickelsiae syn. Agave ferdinandi regis)
Native to Coahuila, Mexico

The resemblance of this agave to Queen Victoria agave is unmistakable, as both have dark green leaves, similar white margins and sharp terminal tips. At one point, it was thought that King Ferdinand agave was a naturally occurring hybrid ofAgave victoria-reginae; however, this is no longer considered to be true. Its unusual shape and open rosette form make it look great planted singly in containers.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Agave lophantha ‘Quadricolor’ growing alongside totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii var.monstrosus), ‘Blue Elf’ aloe (Aloe‘Blue Elf’) and golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii).

6. Agave Lophantha
(Agave lophantha)
Native to the Rio Grande area of Texas and adjoining Veracruz, Mexico

The leaves of this succulent are a lush green color, with curved maroon teeth along the edges. The center of the leaves often has a lighter stripe that runs the length. There are several varieties of Agave lophantha,including ‘Quadricolor’, which has yellow margins on bright green leaves. Plant it with other succulents for maximum effect.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 1 foot to 2 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

7. Artichoke Agave
(Agave parryi var. truncata)
Native to central Mexico, including Durango

Wide blue-gray leaves with maroon spines bear a striking resemblance to artichoke leaves, hence this Mexican native’s common name. Prized by many for its beauty, artichoke agave is a popular choice for container gardening, whether used in rows of three in a long, narrow container or singly in a modern pot. It does produce a few offsets, which can be used elsewhere in the garden or given to friends.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full, reflected sun or filtered shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

8. Twin-Flowered Agave
(Agave geminiflora)
Native to Nayarit, Mexico

The finely textured leaves of this bright green agave set it apart from most other species. Twin-flowered agave tolerates a range of exposures, from full reflected sun all the way to full shade, which makes it an asset in most situations.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full reflected sun to full shade
Mature size: 3 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

9. Mescal Ceniza
(Agave colorata)
Native to Sonora, Mexico

The decorative leaves of this midsize agave species are loaded with interesting features, including well-defined imprinted patterns and deeply toothed edges, which add a wavy texture to the landscape. Mescal ceniza’s blue-gray color adds a visually cooling element to hot outdoor spaces.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 feet tall and wide

Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

10. Queen Victoria Agave
(Agave victoria-reginae)
Native to the Chihuahuan Desert region of Mexico

Often described as the most beautiful agave, this one, named after Queen Victoria, lives up to its queenly name with dark green coloring and vibrant white markings. The tight rosette shape and smooth leaf edges that terminate into a single spike add to Queen Victoria’s visual appeal.

Where it will grow: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 18 inches tall and wide

See how to grow Queen Victoria agave

Agave growing tips:

First select a pot, with a drainage hole, that is a little larger than the root ball, as agaves do better when their roots are slightly crowded. No saucer is needed, and is in fact discouraged, as sitting water can lead to overly moist soil.
All agaves require well-drained soil, which can be created using one part compost, one part sand and one part perlite or pumice.
Water when the top two-thirds of the soil has dried out. Water deeply, until water runs out the bottom. Watering should be done weekly in summer when temperatures are above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and very little in winter.
Fertilize once a month during the growing season, which is typically late spring and summer.
Repot every three years or so once the roots have little soil left to grow in.

Originally published on HOUZZ by Noelle Johnson

The Polite House: How to Deal With Noisy Neighbors

“With so of us people living in closer proximity to our neighbors than ever before, unwanted noise can be a problem. Take some tips from here on how to keep your cool and best deal with the situation.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

First and foremost, when dealing with neighbors, safety is your priority. If your neighbor isn’t someone you feel comfortable confronting, then don’t. Use neighborhood associations, or even (if necessary) the police, to manage someone you feel unsafe around or unsure of.

But whether it’s a barking dog, a lawn mower, a crying baby, a kid with a basketball or a loud sound system, unwanted noise is one of the most frustrating aspects of living near others. We want things quiet when we want to sleep or concentrate or enjoy some peace, but we also don’t want to be challenged when we are the ones who may be making noise.

To help you decide whether you can feel good about lodging a complaint or whether you should shake it off and move on, here are some things to think about when it comes to noise in your neighborhood:

Try to determine if the noise is intentional and avoidable. Who is making the noise and how much control do they have over it? Before I let myself get bent out of shape or start thinking nasty thoughts about my inconsiderate neighbor — thoughts that will only amplify the whole situation in my head — I try to identify who is making the noise and if they have any control over it.

A crying baby in a neighboring apartment — sure it’s not fun to listen to, and the crying happens at very inconvenient hours, but there isn’t much that parents can do about it. Clearly they would rather have a happy baby too, so I know it’s not intentional; I know it’s temporary, and knowing this helps calm me down.

Zansitis Painting Inc

Think about duration and tolerance. How long does the noise last and how much does it disturb you? There is a kid who dribbles a basketball on his way to school each day, and his walk time is the last hour of my sleep time in the morning. In that sweet month or two when I don’t need my window air conditioner on and can sleep with the windows open (heaven in my book!), I realize I’m going to hear him and it’s going to last about three minutes. That’s enough time to wake me up and make me realize I’m awake, but I also recognize it’s short enough that I’m going to be able to get back to sleep. It’s something I can tolerate.

Can you tolerate an hour of trumpet practice? What about an afternoon of wood shop noises? Sometimes just knowing that the noise will end is enough to make it tolerable. You can always say, “Hi, Nancy. I was wondering if you could tell me how long Nate plans to practice his trumpet.”

One of the first steps toward finding a solution may just be finding out how much of a problem this noise is really going to be.

Lowe’s Home Improvement

Be understanding and ask about or offer solutions. If it’s my neighbor’s lawn mower at 6:30 a.m. or son’s trumpet practice at 10 p.m. that’s disturbing the peace, well that’s something that might lead me (depending on who the neighbor is and my relationship with that person) to go over and ask if it’s possible for lawn mowing or practicing to happen at a different hour. “Hi, Jim, I was just wondering if it would work with your schedule to mow the lawn later in the morning or even afternoon or evening?”

It never hurts to ask, or at least to let your neighbor know that the activity is affecting others. Jim might respond, “Oh, I like to get it out of the way so that my day is free.” You can reply, “I totally get that; it’s just that it’s waking me up each morning long before my alarm, and I was hoping there was a solution that might work for both of us.” This can at least get the conversation rolling.

This covers the basics of dealing with unwanted noise in your building or neighborhood. With most amicable neighbors, you should feel confident discussing this issue.

And remember that you can always proactively check in with your neighbor. “Hey, Mike, I just wanted to let you know I’m working on a new project, and the chipper shredder is going to be making a lot of noise. Let me know if you need a break from it. I know it can be intense sometimes.” I bet Mike will think you’re a very considerate neighbor, and it may inspire him to return the kindness in the future.

Originally Published on HOUZZ by Lizzie Post

5 Decorating Tips for Getting Scale Right

“Have you ever struggled to determine if something was too big, or too little to fit appropriately in a space? Well here are some tips on how to figure it all out.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Having a firm grasp on scale is one of the most important aspects of designing a room that looks and feels right. Scale is the visual representation of size and how objects interact with one another in any given space. For example, the size of a chair relative to the lamp and table beside it can make or break the composition of the pieces. Knowing how to layer in items of varying widths, heights and weights is less about science and design rules, and more about instinct and an understanding of aesthetics. Here are five tips for getting a grip on scale and creating visual harmony in your home.

SoJo design

1. Remember that bigger is better with large or long walls. A common decorating dilemma is the large or long wall. A big blank expanse can fool you into thinking that you need a hundred pieces of art to make it work. Although creating a gallery wall may seem like an obvious solution, it isn’t always the best one. Depending on the style of the furnishings, the proportion of the room and the amount of visual space you want occupied, a single statement piece can solve a multitude of challenges.

2 Lovely Gays

When it comes to large art, consider the following:

Does it work with the space or overpower it? This can depend on the subject matter or colors and how they relate to the furnishings. The gold-and-white art pictured above the console fills the expanse perfectly, doesn’t compete with the room and doesn’t overwhelm the smaller objects in front.

Gentry Raines Interior Design

Does the art fit without seeming crowded? A large piece (or pieces) should hang on the wall while leaving plenty of negative, or empty, space around it. Height is just as important as width when it comes to scale. Higher ceilings call for taller pieces that anchor the space and the objects around it. A lower, longer wall can support a triptych or a single horizontal piece.

Niche Interiors

2. Select seating for the size of your space. Just because your space is small doesn’t mean your furniture has to be, with the exception of the sectional sofa. Determining the right sectional for your room depends on the room size as well as complementary pieces (lamps, side tables) you want to add and whether they’ll all fit comfortably together.

A sectional can be used in a diminutive space, but to scale it properly, you should ensure that it doesn’t take up the whole room, obscure the bottom half of windows, bump up against the fireplace or overflow into other spaces. Accompanying pieces should be more visually spare —think open legs, glass tops, thinner frames — to keep the space feeling more expansive.

Eleven Interiors

When choosing your seating, consider how you use your space. Most guests won’t mind sitting together on a sofa, but it’s always good to have chairs, a bench or a large ottoman as an alternative. When you have a sectional or large sofa, visually and physically pared-down accent chairs work well because the scale of the sofa makes it the most powerful piece in the room.

Found Design

If your sofa is more petite (say, love seat size), you can — and should if you have the room — up the scale of your accent seating by going for pieces with broader arms, taller backs or more width. In this kind of an arrangement, all pieces are on a level playing field and should stand up to one another visually.

Contemporary Living Room Contemporary Living Room

3. Think of your coffee table as a puzzle piece. Imagine how all the pieces are going to fit together in the room. This is especially helpful when choosing a coffee table. Visual scale is a key element in finding the one for your needs. If your seating takes up a great deal of space, look for coffee tables that are visually less weighty, such as ones that are glass, open underneath or in an unexpected shape like round, soft triangular or oval.

West Chin Architects & Interior Designers

Your coffee table should fulfill its function as a place to set a drink, stack books or display beautiful items. Ideally, it shouldn’t be more than an inch lower than the seats of your sofa and chairs to allow for ease of use. It should also cover enough floor space to allow for everyone sitting on the sofa to reach it. You’ll need drink tables for optional seating that’s located farther away.

Contemporary Bedroom Contemporary Bedroom

4. Choose a lamp sized to complement its surroundings.Picking the right-size lamp can be mystifying. There are many types, and each serves a different purpose: task lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, desk lamps. So first and foremost, look for the lamp best suited to your situation.

In an entry, you may want to add a little ambience, so a visually clean lamp with a small base, like the crystal lamp shown here, is the perfect scale. The powerful vignette created by the large art, little but luxurious lamp and wide console is a great example of varying the scale of different pieces for an attractive arrangement.

LAURA MILLER Interior Design

Lamps add height and balance to the overall look of your bed and night tables. They should provide the amount of light you need to either read in bed or gently illuminate the space. Ideally, you shouldn’t be able to see up under the shade when reclined in bed, and the base shouldn’t take up most of the tabletop. Although the corbel used as a nightstand in this photo has a small top, the bedside lamp is long and thin with a simple shade. It’s scaled perfectly for the classic and elegant style of the room.

Sylvia Martin

Also, you don’t need to have two identical lamps on either side of anything. You can have any sort of lamps you like as long as you scale them properly to work with the furnishings surrounding them. A smaller table lamp to add warmth paired with a tall floor lamp to add uplighting and overall brightness works when the shades are kept simple and similar in form. Having two tall floor lamps or two small table lamps isn’t wrong, but neither combo works as well against a rich accent wall like the one pictured.

Design House

5. Let the headboard help frame the bed. Think of a headboard as the finishing touch for your bed. Without one, the blank wall behind your pillows looks sort of, well, unfinished. Whether you go for upholstered, metal, wood or woven, it’s important to consider your ceiling height, your wall space and what look you are going for — dramatic, refined, feminine or modern.

Good to know: Add visual impact to even the most understated headboard by using special fabric and adding luxurious details like nailhead trim, tufting, borders or contrasting piping.

Dana Wolter

An oversize headboard installed in a room with a ceiling higher than the U.S. average (8 feet) adds balance by creating a feeling of grandeur. Putting a king-size bed in a room with tall ceilings would still make the bed seem smaller than it is. Adding an oversize headboard gives a bed presence.

Wick Design

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You may not have a lot of wall space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a headboard. To add the illusion of width to a wall, consider something long, low and upholstered, rather than something traditional. Add a piece of art, keep the bedside tables on the small side and pair them with wall-mounted sconces or unexpected pendant lights. You’ll have a beautifully dressed room you’ll never want to leave.

Originally appearing on HOUZZ, by Melisa LaBlancz-Bleasdale

Myth-Buster: The Right Way to Test Paint Colors

“It’s amazing how you can see the difference when paint is actually on multiple walls in a room to test out how light hits it and the impact of shadows.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

It’s a common image: Someone selecting a wall color paints several sheets of paper or sample boards and hangs them on the wall to compare colors. It looks artistic and even a bit hip, but it may not be the most accurate way to vet wall paint. We talked to five pros, including painters and designers. Here’s what they suggest instead.

INVIEW Interior Design

Paint Directly on the Wall

This is true for interiors as well as exteriors: You’ll get the best sense of how the color will really look if you paint it directly on the wall. Each of the five pros we spoke with agreed. “If they use a board, I feel like it just doesn’t saturate the same way,” says interior designer Keith Wardlawof Plus Modern Designs in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kelly Porter, an interior designer in the Washington, D.C., area, explains the problem with using boards: “The texture is really not representative. It’s not the same as what’s on your wall, and that can really affect the look,” she says.

In this image, the colors are not samples, but intentional horizontal stripes in a finished room. The paint colors are Benjamin Moore’s Arctic Blue, Palladian Blue and Blue Bonnet.

Alex Amend Photography

Tip: If you’re hiring a paint company, see if it will provide free sample cans of the colors you’re considering. Many companies do. Remember, once you’ve had the paint tinted (mixed), you can’t get your money back. Even if you have to pay for them yourself, sample cans (typically $3 to $8) are well worth the expense.

Jeanette Lunde

Paint Two Coats

That’s the amount of coverage you’ll typically need on any wall. The second coat usually makes a big difference in the way the paint reads. Also, paint large swaths — at least 1 foot by 1 foot, and even larger is better. The 2-inch swatches won’t give you a good sense.

Here, in a white room with white floorboards, the designer used a plain white base.

Color Guide: Myth-Buster: How to Test Paint Colors the Right Way

For Certain Rich Colors, Use a Primer

A small selection of deep paint colors can be created only in conjunction with specific primers. The paint deck will show which colors are in this category. (Pictured here are four by Sherwin-Williams, clockwise from top left: Lemon Twist, Hyper Blue, Daredevil, African Violet.)

For these specific colors, you probably won’t be able to get a sample size in the paint, though you may be able to in the primer, says J.T. Trainor, owner of Freshcoat Painting, a paint company in the Phoenix metro area.

Terracotta Design Build

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Paint Multiple Walls

The colors you’re testing will read differently depending on the amount of light that hits them. “We recommend you paint on a wall that doesn’t get direct sunlight and one that does,” Trainor says.

Екатерина Владимирова

In the above photo, notice how much darker the gray on the right side of the room is than on the left. In the photo of the orange room, the color appears much deeper at the back wall, where it is in shadow, and less intense on the left and right walls, where more light hits.

Also, landscaping outside a window can color the light streaming through it and change how a paint looks on the wall as well. In the above photo, where the green trees can be seen through the window, they’ve tinted the gray on the right side of the room a greener hue. See it, in the corner?

As you view the colors, make sure you consider what time of day you’ll most often be in the room. You want to like how the color looks at that time.

Leslie Saul & Associates

Place Lighting Before You Test

It’s simple, but true: It’s better to use the lighting that fits your needs than try to select your lighting to complement your paint colors. “You wouldn’t want to pick a lightbulb that looks good with your paint color, but you can’t read in the room,” saysJennifer Ott, a San Francisco-based color consultant and interior designer.

Here, the overhead lighting is casting a yellow glow throughout the room, warming the color of the off-white paint toward a pale shade of honey.

Make sure your lighting is in place as you’re considering colors. They may look quite different in bright bulbs that you prefer for nighttime use — or softer yellow-hued ones, if that’s what you’re going for — than they do during daylight hours. Having the right fixtures and bulbs in place can help you decide which shades will work for you.

If you’re not yet sure what lighting you prefer, you can use the time examining your samples to experiment. “Even changing out lightbulbs is a good thing to do,” says Carl Mattison, an interior designer in Atlanta. “Like any color in the world — just like your eyes or your hair or your skin tone — things will change in different light.”

Polhemus Savery DaSilva

Here, the yellow light from the chandelier and sconces warms up the cooler white of the walls.

Originally Published on HOUZZ by Erin Carlyle

How to Make Your Kitchen a Sociable Space

“When you entertain, you almost always end up in the Kitchen. Why not decorate and design with that in mind?”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Do you want your kitchen to be the heart of your home and more than just a place to cook and eat? Here are the key ingredients for creating a welcoming space where family, friends and guests will love to spend time.

Contemporary Dining Room Putney, Loft Conversion

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Keep it cozy. On the whole, people aren’t keen on hanging out in stark rooms. If your kitchen feels comfortable, it will draw people to it and make everyone in it feel at ease.

Here, generous seating, an array of comfy cushions and a rustic wooden table with a big bowl of fruit help to give the room an inviting, lived-in feel.

Flik Design Ltd

Include a casual seating area. Once people flop down on a comfy sofa in your kitchen, they won’t be in a hurry to leave. Whether it’s in your main living space or part of an extra seating area, a sofa creates a welcoming atmosphere, and you don’t need a huge kitchen to fit one in.

Here, putting the sofa perpendicular to the peninsula subtly divides the cooking, eating and chill-out zones.

Compass and Rose

Combine kitchen and dining areas. If the kitchen includes your dining area, it’s more likely to feel like the hub of your home, especially when you’re entertaining. You may be surprised at how many people you can accommodate even in a relatively small space.

Here, the kitchen cabinets run along one wall, freeing up the opposite wall for a large table that’s ideal for entertaining. Bear in mind, though, that you’ll have to be a confident cook and not get distracted by your guests’ banter for this arrangement to work!

Morph Interior Ltd

Build in a breakfast bar. If you don’t have space for a dining table in your kitchen, you can still create a spot where family and guests can perch and chat to you while you prepare a meal.

A breakfast bar at the end of an island or a peninsula is the ideal solution. The overhanging lip of this counter provides a comfortable place for people to tuck in their knees as they sit, and the bar stools can be neatly pushed under and out of the way when not in use.

Fancy having a kitchen island? Find out if you have room

Fine House Studio

Make it a room with a view. When you’re planning your kitchen, think carefully about the view you’ll have when working and eating in it. An attractive one will make it much more inviting.

Try to avoid having to do the dishes while facing a brick wall, and don’t position the dining table so that it looks directly at your washing machine. If your kitchen has windows or glazed doors that look out on your garden, terrace or balcony, try to ensure that this is, for the most part, what everyone will see.

Kitchen Stori

Go for an island combo. If you have young children who are out of highchairs but not yet tall enough to climb and sit safely on a bar stool, consider lowering one end of your island to create an informal seating area that little ones and their friends can sit around comfortably.

Different levels identify the different functions of this island, and the standard-height table area is perfect for children to eat supper and do their homework.

Cayford Architecture Ltd

Open onto the garden. If your kitchen opens directly to your outdoor living space, it will feel like the center of your home. Here, bifold doors open the entire room to the terrace, blurring the distinction between the outdoors and inside.

Higham Furniture

Brighten it up. No one wants to spend time in a dark and dingy room, so make your kitchen feel as light and bright as possible — you want people to feel uplifted as soon as they enter.

Painting the space white or in a pale shade is one way to do this, but think about your window treatments too. Here, shutters cover only the lower part of the windows, allowing natural light to flood in at the top.

Also consider whether you can open the space by removing walls, and include a mirror or two, as these can be useful in reflecting light around a room.

Empire Builders (London) Limited

Focus on the TV. You may not want to admit it, but the TV is probably a big draw when it comes to your home’s social spaces. In this kitchen, it’s unashamedly out on display, but if you don’t want the TV to be a distraction all the time, conceal it behind the doors of a purpose-built unit.

Originally Published on Houzz, by Anna Tobin

8 Budget-Friendly Ways to ‘Fun Up’ Your Patio

“Outdoor Living Spaces is something that we all love. If you’re struggling for ideas on how to make yours more fun, take a look at these.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Is your outdoor space more drab than fab but you don’t have the inclination (or budget) for a big makeover? Whether your space is big or small, here are eight easy-on-the-wallet ways to make it more alluring and comfortable.

M.U.D. Landscaping

1. Opt for circular tables over rectilinear shapes. If you’re in the market for an outdoor table and chair set, consider a circular or oval-shaped table over square or rectilinear. Rounded tables are easier to navigate around and can better accommodate another guest in a pinch. No one likes to sit at the corner during dinner.

Sarah Natsumi Moore

2. Maximize your garden walls. Most gardens concentrate on the ground surface, but fences and walls also offer design opportunity. This homeowner repurposed what appears to be vintage mailboxes into planters. It’s a great use of space on a small patio.

JHLA | Jennifer Horn Landscape Architecture

Don’t forget about the top of your garden wall, either. This one sports a layer of wood planters. Consider this route if you have a less-than-desirable view you’d like to screen, want more privacy from neighbors or just want more planting space. Keep in mind that you’ll probably need some carpentry work to support the planters.

Pedersen Associates

Here, architectural corbels create a lovely finish to the top of a wall. They’re secured to a wood cap on the wall and support a small trellis running along it.

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

3. Bring some noise. Hopefully your backyard has the sound of chirping birds and buzzing bees; if it doesn’t, incorporating some nature sounds will be good for your mind and soul. The sound of water is not only relaxing but can help mask traffic and other unwanted noise.

Big-budget landscape projects often incorporate water features, but you can enjoy the same benefits with a smaller, free-standng fountain. Margie Gracefashioned this glazed pot into one. Many nurseries sell the components or full kits to create fountains and ponds.

Dick Clark + Associates

If you don’t have space for a fountain or the sound of bubbling water sends you running to the bathroom, a wind chime could be a good alternative. This one, tied to a tree, has an added sculptural effect.

The Cousins

4. Add drapery for privacy, sun protection, softness and drama. Drapery panels are effective at softening the harsh rays of the sun as well as making your patio a bit more private and cozy. They’re also more flexible than shades, allowing you to shift them left to right as needed.

Use an indoor-outdoor fabric, such as Sunbrella, particularly for areas that are exposed to the elements. Also look for panels with weighted bottoms so they don’t blow into your barbecue if it’s a breezy day. You’ll need to anchor them to an overhead structure, like the underside of this patio overhang.

Sheers are semi-private and soften the hard lines of pergolas and overhangs. While they don’t protect from sun and rain, they can help keep bugs out and add a sense of drama and romance to a backyard space.

Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

5. String up lights for an inexpensive transformation. String lights can make the saddest of spaces look upbeat. Cost varies from about $10 to $175 per string, depending on the quantity of lights, material, bulb type and whether they’re heavy-duty-rated for commercial outdoor use. Most are in the $20 to $40 range. Design options abound, from small to large globes and with or without decorative shades.

MTLA- Mark Tessier Landscape Architecture

My favorite is strung paper lanterns. While paper isn’t an ideal choice for outdoors, you can find these in nylon and in a rainbow of colors and patterns. For maximum longevity, install them in a covered area.

Chris Snook

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A string of flags is always a festive addition to a patio, whether it’s someone’s birthday or not.

Archiverde Landscape Architecture

6. Personalize your outdoor space. With some creative thinking, you’ll find ways to express yourself beyond your choice of flowers, plants and shrubs. Here, vintage glass marbles have been epoxied to the top of a wrought iron railing.

LESLIE SCOTT DESIGN

A Southern friend of mine introduced me to bottle trees, a favorite Southern garden ornament. Bottles are inserted on the branches of a dead tree or larger limbs tied together. According to folklore, the bottles capture bad spirits roaming in the night. Cobalt blue is the most sought-after bottle color, but green and other colors are popular too.

Author Felder Rushing wrote a book about bottle trees (Bottle Trees and the Whimsical Art of Garden Glass) and shares interesting historical backgroundabout the tradition.

Etica Studio

In this backyard space, homeowner Carla Karsakis painted a mural to show off her affinity for Art Deco illustration.

Lévy Kohlhaas Architecture

If you plan on staying in your house for a while, take that jar of collected rocks, shells and mementos and make it part of your patio wall or floor.

Sarah Greenman

7. Nix neutrals — weave in pattern and color. Decking material, pavers, fencing and home exteriors tend to be neutral, so without some pattern and a punch of vivid color, your space can look lackluster. These days, indoor-outdoor carpet and area rugs come in a bevy of patterns and colors, like the one shown here.

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Throw pillows are another easy way to introduce pattern, color and texture without a lot of commitment. Here, the pillows are actually what you notice first. Pillows also make sometimes stiff outdoor lounge seating more comfy. Make sure the fabric and insert are appropriate for outdoor use if they’re not going to be covered.

Donna Lynn – Landscape Designer

8. Reuse what you already have. Check your attic, basement and garage for underused pieces that might find new life outdoors. This tiered plant stand spent a previous incarnation as a candle holder.

Hanging baskets often come with too few holes, but that’s not the case here. These colorful kitchen colanders have been cleverly repurposed.

Singing Gardens

This vintage Pepsi crate, meanwhile, became a charming planter for a checkerboard of succulents.

Originally Published by Karen Egly-Thompson on HOUZZ

10 Home Hacks for Every Room in Your House

“Everyone can use some ‘Home Hacks’ around the house. It’s amazing all the little things we should have thought of before.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

Our list of top home hacks will help you organize your home and get the most out of each room.

Photo by: Shutterstock

Life is a lot less hectic when you find ways to keep your home organized, simplify storage and find DIY solutions that are affordable and easy. Here are some of our favorite clutch tips for your home.

via The Sweetest Occasion

1. Kitchen

Add personality to every meal with customized dishware that you can make yourself in minutes. You don’t need to be an artist or have special art supplies. Just grab a Sharpie® and draw your design freehand (or use a stencil for more intricate patterns) on your dishware or mug. Clean, white enamelware works well. You can personalize your creation with a name, signature monogram or even a favorite quote. To make it permanent, bake your finished design at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Tip: Start with a cold oven to allow the dishware to gradually come up to temperature. Also, hand washing will help your artwork last.

via Storage Talk

2. Family Room

Family rooms often have to do double duty as a playroom and entertainment hub. But finding room to store all your playthings without compromising your sophisticated style can be challenging. This hack meets that challenge head on: Simply store your puzzles, dice and other game pieces in decorative jars. They’re even fun to look at and provide a unique storage solution so you don’t have to make room for bulky game or puzzle boxes. Choose jars in different sizes, shapes and colors to add visual interest and to match your decor. Mason jars, apothecary jars, etched glass jars or pressed glass jars are all great options.

via Buzzfeed

3. Bedroom

Seems you can never have enough storage, especially in the bedroom. This hack lets you add storage and a decorative wall detail at the same time. Just create instant shelves from old drawers. Vary shapes and sizes for an eclectic look. Line the bottom of the drawers with patterned paper or paint for added color. Look for dressers with unusual curved drawer fronts or undulating profiles. Tip: You can often find reasonably priced dressers/drawers at garage sales, resale shops, vintage stores or estate sales.

via Make Space

4. Clothes Closet

It can be frustrating fighting to find your favorite jeans in a cluttered closet. If you’re not ready to slim down your wardrobe, have no fear. This hack lets you retain all your perfectly worn-in pairs, but in a more organized manner: Hang your jeans on shower hooks. Saves a ton of closet space and makes finding your favorite pair a snap!

via Buzzfeed

5. Bathroom

Sure bathroom hooks are essential for hanging wet towels or robes, but no one says you have to use standard hooks that are purely functional without any decorative appeal. Instead, use old doorknobs as hooks. This super simple hack adds a ton of character to your bathroom while it maximizes wall space. Tip: For a cool shabby-chic vibe, use a grouping of vintage doorknobs that have finishes with a little wear and tear.

via Green Idea Reviews

6. Laundry Room

Bet you didn’t know that you could easily conquer dryer static with just some ingenuity and aluminum foil. It’s true! It turns out balled-up aluminum foil can minimize dryer static. Here’s how: When you’re ready to dry your washed laundry, just throw three aluminum foil balls (about 3 inches in diameter each) in your dryer and tumble dry your load as normal. These anti-static wonders are easy to make, economical, reusable for up to 6 months, recyclable and help you avoid toxic chemicals found in dryer sheets. Tip: Heavy-duty foil works best. Wrap a tennis ball in foil. This will help you use even less foil to make a sizable ball and the tumbling tennis ball helps fluff your laundry as it dries.

via Mashable

7. Home Office

Smartphone accessories, like a phone stand, can be kind of pricey…unless, of course, you know how to make it yourself with inexpensive office supplies. This hack makes good use of binder clips, which you probably already have at home. When positioned in just that right way, your binder clips can make a quick and functional phone stand. When you’re done using your ingenious phone stand, just slip the clips back in your desk drawer. Job well done!

via House Logic

8. Garage

Rusty tools are the bane of any true handyman or handywoman. Here’s a great way to make sure you won’t have to worry about that: Use blackboard chalk to prevent your tools from rusting. Just place several pieces in your toolbox. The chalk traps dampness, which helps keep your tools rust-free, giving you one fewer excuse to not be handy around the house.

via Childhood 101

9. Playroom

Playrooms can be a messy prospect, but they don’t have to be with this awesome household hack. Just use an over-the-door shoe organizer for toys or art supplies. The clear compartments make for easy access and easy clean up. So simple, it’s like child’s play.

via Olives ‘n’ Wine

10. Dining Room:

Chances are if you’re hosting and elegant party in your dining room, you’ll want to break out the good china and silver. That means making sure your silver sparkles and shines. Here’s how with just some baking soda and hot water. Line a pot or your kitchen sink with foil. Fill it with very hot water and mix in about 1 cup of baking soda. Add your tarnished items and let soak for about 30 minutes or until you see the black residue lifting off the surface. Then just rinse and dry (or first clean with a mild dish detergent) to use right away! Et voilà, dinner is served!

Originally published on AHS.com (American Home Shield)

10 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Entryway

“Been wondering how you could dress up your foyer or entryway? Lighting, colors and light decor may just do the trick.”

Denise Buck & Ed Johnson – DC Metro Realty Team

You have only one chance to make a first impression. So it’s important that the entry to your house is welcoming to guests, reflects your personal style and makes you feel happy and comfortable as soon as you walk through the door. This space sets the tone for the rest of your home.

KuDa Photography

1. Layer in light. In this relatively small space, a beautiful lantern, table lamp and sconce create different lighting options for different moods. The Moroccan lantern, chinoiserie lamp and iron sconce each add a unique style to the space in addition to the glow.

Mendelson Group

2. Provide an artful story. In most apartments, the entry space is small, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a big statement. This home is bold and chic right from the entryway. A Jackson Pollack-like wallcovering, plush stools, a statement mirror and a geometric rug welcome guests and let them know they are entering a stylish home.

Hudson Interior Design

3. Get the scale right. A grand foyer with one tiny table is a sad state of affairs. In this beautiful entryway, a large console table, a bench, a mirror and sconces stand up to the large space and architectural elements such as the columns. In addition, accents like the antique crock, bin of flowers, umbrella stand and throw pillows add personality.

Jeannie Balsam Interiors

4. Foreshadow your home’s style. Interior designer Jeannie Balsom used wood, iron and other rustic textures throughout this relaxed retreat. Using this mix at the entry sets the tone and lets visitors know exactly what they are walking into from the front door.

Echelon Interiors

5. Add a rug. Sometimes the dimensions of an entry seem tricky for a rug. But the floor is a great place to add pattern, color and softness. Because an entry is a high-traffic area, pick a rug that’s durable enough to stand up to heavy use.

Fox Design Studio

6. Go bold. Primary colors provide an exciting entrance in this Vancouver beach house. While a basket of oars nods to nautical style, the geometric rug and bright colors are unexpected and playful.

Taste Design Inc

7. Dazzle with wallpaper. This entryway to a circa-1900 house in Providence, Rhode Island, needed to respect the architecture but also to suit the homeowners’ chic personal styles. The designers at Taste Design chose a bold grass cloth wallcovering with vertical lines of acanthus leaves, giving the classical ornament a modern twist. The wallcovering also suits the client’s art collection and easily transitions from the foyer up the staircase.

Susan Nelson Interiors

8. Provide a place for stuff to land. A dresser, chest or console table with drawers will help you keep the entry from becoming cluttered whether you need to ditch mail, keys or gloves.

Dan Ruhland Designs LLC

9. Provide a transition. In this entry, plants, a stone floor, outdoor furniture and rich wood provide an easy transitional zone between indoors and out.

Herlong & Associates Architects + Interiors

10. Add local flavor. In this Kiawah Island, South Carolina, home, the spectacular staircase railing depicts local flora and fauna. While I usually try to avoid writing the overused phrase “bring the outdoors in,” this is the epitome of accomplishing that in a beautiful and unique way.

Originally published on HOUZZ, by Becky Harris

DC Metro Info – Events, Info & Real Estate Trends

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Tag Archives: Organizing

10 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill This Summer

1. Use ceiling fans to help cool your room

2. Use off peak energy on your appliances

3. Plan no cook dinners for hot days

4. Use a thermostat-controlled attic fan

5. Maintain your air conditioning unit

6. Clean your freezer coils

7. Take energy conservation measurements before leaving the house

8. Use your bathrooms ventilating fan

9. Line dry your clothing

10. Learn alternative eco-friendly methods to reduce energy costs

7 Ways to Rethink the Shrub

10 Small-Scale Agaves Just Right for Containers

The Polite House: How to Deal With Noisy Neighbors

5 Decorating Tips for Getting Scale Right

Myth-Buster: The Right Way to Test Paint Colors

How to Make Your Kitchen a Sociable Space

8 Budget-Friendly Ways to ‘Fun Up’ Your Patio

10 Home Hacks for Every Room in Your House

“Everyone can use some ‘Home Hacks’ around the house. It’s amazing all the little things we should have thought of before.”

Our list of top home hacks will help you organize your home and get the most out of each room.

1. Kitchen

2. Family Room

3. Bedroom

4. Clothes Closet

5. Bathroom

6. Laundry Room

7. Home Office

8. Garage

9. Playroom

10. Dining Room:

10 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Entryway

1. Use ceiling fans to help cool your room

2. Use off peak energy on your appliances

3. Plan no cook dinners for hot days

4. Use a thermostat-controlled attic fan

5. Maintain your air conditioning unit

6. Clean your freezer coils

7. Take energy conservation measurements before leaving the house

8. Use your bathrooms ventilating fan

9. Line dry your clothing

10. Learn alternative eco-friendly methods to reduce energy costs

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“Everyone can use some ‘Home Hacks’ around the house. It’s amazing all the little things we should have thought of before.”

Our list of top home hacks will help you organize your home and get the most out of each room.

1. Kitchen

2. Family Room

3. Bedroom

4. Clothes Closet

5. Bathroom

6. Laundry Room

7. Home Office

8. Garage

9. Playroom

10. Dining Room:

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