Carmichael CA Realtor| Davis CA Realtor| Craig Diez

Craig Diez - Diez & Sigg Properties

10 Ways To Upgrade Your Home’s Style…Without Breaking The Bank

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So you’ve got a new house – congratulations! There’s just one problem…It’s not quite your style. But with all the money you just dropped on closing and moving and new furniture, you don’t have a lot of cash to spruce it up.

Or, maybe you’re just about to sell your house and you wish you could spruce it up a bit before putting it on the market, but you don’t want to spend a ton. Basically, you need a lot of look for not a lot of dough, right?Don’t worry! These quick and usually DIY upgrades will make your home look and feel like a million bucks (for just a small chunk of change).

You can upgrade your home’s style with these easy projects.

1. Remove The 90’s Ducks

Maybe your home doesn’t have literal country blue ducks all over the kitchen, but if you have an older home, chances are good there’s some equally cheesy decor hanging around. Just removing the wallpaper or covering up the hokey paint — will make your home look and feel much fresher.

2. Get Rid of Grime

Take a close look at the surfaces that often get ignored. Places like the base molding and window sills often have a layer of grime that needs to be removed or even repainted. Get your elbow grease on and try a Magic Eraser on these surfaces. If that doesn’t work, fresh caulk and a new coat of bright white paint will go a long way to help make your place look bright and clean again.

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3. Paint!

A new coat of a light, neutral paint will make any room look and feel invigorated. Not sure what to choose? Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige works just about anywhere if you like neutrals. Not into beige? That’s ok. Agreeable Gray is a great cooler neutral, and Alabaster is the perfect white but not TOO white.

4. Highlight One Wall

If you’re already working with a neutral palette, you can add in some personality and pizazz. Add an accent wall in a fun spot like your breakfast nook or powder bath. You can use wall stickers or removable wallpaper for a low commitment look, or go simple and slap on the paint. Just this one simple addition will make you smile whenever you walk in the room.

5. Add Art

Adding art to your home is a great way to add style. But not just any art…Add some large scale art that you LOVE.

What does large scale mean? Well, think of the biggest piece you have, and then find something bigger. If you LOVE it, it belongs on the wall, and a big piece will set the tone for an entire room. This doesn’t have to cost a fortune, either. You can get great pieces at Living Spaces or IKEA for around $100.

Want to spend a little more? Scroll around Instagram. You can find fantastic original art there AND you’ll be supporting small business owners. Win / Win.

6. Show The Ones You Love

When you’re moving into a new place, it can be a little unsettling. Nothing will bring a sense of home like the faces of your loved ones. You can add professional portraits if you like, or you can share your happy memories of more candid moments in a big ol’ grid like the one below. Again, this doesn’t have to break the bank. Mixtiles will ship you ready to hang photos for $12 apiece (sometimes even less)! Best of all, these babies don’t damage your walls, and they can be moved again and again.

7. Change Out The Faucets

Now that we’ve fully addressed the walls, let’s turn our attention to other areas. Those “crystal” faucets? They’ve got to go. Luckily, replacing them is a pretty easy project AND you can get some much better looking alternatives at your local Home Depot. This super simple faucet is a huge upgrade… and it’s less than fifty bucks! Watch a couple of YouTube videos, break out the wrenches, and kiss those acrylic cheapies goodbye.

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8. Swap Out Light Fixtures

Now we’re getting a little more technical. if you don’t have a ton of knowledge in this area, you might want to bring in a pro. Don’t worry, though. You can find an electrician who will give you a reasonable rate for this task, and if you’ve got a couple lights to replace, they can help you with all of them at once. No matter who does the installation, you can find great looking lights to replace the brass builder basics. This alone will make a huge transformation in your space!

9. Change Your Light Switches, Too.

While you’ve got the electrician there… (or if you’ve decided you can DIY), change out your switches and outlet covers. There are so many options nowadays; there’s no reason to have yellowed, cracked switches. Also, the sky’s the limit on this. You can stick with simple new plates or you can add dimmer switches or switches with smart features.

10. Bring The Outdoors IN!

Adding plants brings a vibrant, happy energy to any room, and they can be super cheap, too. So, head on down to your local nursery and stock up on succulents and shade lovers.

There you have it — some great ways to spruce up a house that won’t cost you a fortune. Which one will you try first? Fair warning: Once you get started, it’s kind of addictive.

The Home Improvement Decisions that You will Never Regret

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When I think about home improvement decisions for the house, I tend to see what my wife has up next on her major home to
do list. Of course, then I check the budget to see what we have available for funds.

Lidia Staron gives us some insight on decisions we make that are just right.

When it comes to home improvement, homeowners have a myriad of options at their disposal. However, this is not to mean that all of these options are the best. While some fixes and renovations in a home can turn your home into a perfect setting, others end up causing more harm than good. Right from landscaping to wiring and kitchen renovation, home remodeling needs careful consideration to avoid future regrets.

What to Avoid
While some home remodeling options may look trendy on the surface, they may not be ideal for a long term engagement. For instance, one of the trends you would not want to get involved in is specialty finishes on hardware. While most homeowners find specialty finishes on the bathroom or kitchen trendy, their relevance does not last long. Furthermore, they are expensive to have them installed or changed. So considering their up-charges and the fact that they are a thing of the moment, it may not be worth the effort.

In most cases, homeowners would try to do all they can to improve the overall outlook of their bathroom. However, some of these additions may be unnecessary. For instance, while adding a veined marble wall to your bathroom is a beautiful endeavor, going overboard can prove overwhelming since, in a few years, it will look outdated. The same applies to graphic tiling that seems trendy at the moment. At this age, Pinterest and Instagram, soon everybody will be going for it, and it will not be desirable in a few years to come.

What to Focus on in Home Remodeling
So you have everything figured out and are set up to make your investment in home renovation. Before starting your renovation project, make sure to budget all your expenses. With a detailed budget, you will know, whether is it better to consider a personal loan for home improvement or to use your savings and pay with cash.

Where do you start? With funds ready, you ought to go for priority aspects of your home remodeling. The following are some of the notable areas to lay your emphasis.

Storage
Come to think of it; a building is essentially meant for storage apart from being home. This fact explains why one will go to great lengths to create several rooms of various storage purposes. Over time, we accumulate a lot of stuff, and it only makes sense to create enough space for the same. Consider both your current and future storage needs when creating these spaces. This applies to both the interior and exterior storage.

Infrastructure
Apart from location, the home’s infrastructure can become a make or break point for your home remodeling design. By building a custom home, you have the autonomy to decide where each of the main features will be located. This is in addition to the assurance that whatever is used under the floor and behind the walls is high quality. Some of the notable infrastructural considerations in home remodeling include electrical systems, cooling systems, siding, plumbing, insulation, and windows. Work hand in hand with your architect or designer to ensure each of these works to improve the overall performance

Is it Time to Renovate Your Home

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To me, sometimes this answer is pretty obvious. If everything in the house is still from 1986 when you bought it, change is due. When all homes around you seem to capture your eye with something fresh but yours doesn’t, then it may be time for some renovation help.

Here are some tips from Anna-Maria Sanders to help you know that it is time.

Renovating your home requires a significant investment. To make the most out of each penny you spend, you must renovate only when it’s needed.

So how do you know if it’s high time that you renovate your home?

Check out these tell-tale signs:

Your Home is Deteriorating

The rate at which your home deteriorates depends on many factors, such as the quality of its construction, the materials used, and the type of climate you live in. Deterioration is a major reason for renovating a house. However, it isn’t always easy to spot deterioration because not all signs can be seen directly.

So what are the signs that your home has gotten substantial wear and tear?

• The tiling system in your home starts to detach. This is most common in areas like the kitchen and the bathroom.
• The roof is leaking.
• The wall paint is chipping, plumbing fixtures are damaged, and the floors are creaking.

As mentioned, other structural problems are not noticeable. It’s a great idea to enlist the help of a professional home inspector at least every year to spot problems early on and have them repaired.

You Have Enough Funds

Every renovation project – big or small – requires money. According to Home Advisor, the cost of home remodeling ranges from $18,466 – $75,350. Yes, it can be very expensive that’s why you need to be financially prepared. To save on the cost, consider tackling necessary projects first, such as home repairs. Note that a lot of times, you might go overboard with your budget. It’s inevitable. But you want to at least keep the unexpected costs at a minimum. If you have sufficient equity in your home, you can use that to finance your home renovation project.

You Need More or Less Space

You could be expecting an additional member in your family soon, your teens wanted a little more privacy and ask to have their own bedroom, or your grownups may have decided to move out. Renovating your home is a great way to meet the changing needs of your family.

You Lack Enough Storage

Is your kitchen looking crowded? Do the contents of your cabinet fall out whenever you open its doors? Has it come to the point when you rather order takeout because cooking at home has become incredibly difficult? Renovating your home to add more storage space can make you stay organized and keep your home clutter-free. Thankfully, modern designs of cabinets and storage systems are not only stylish but also space-saving. Examples are hanging cabinets, multifunctional furniture, built-in wall shelves, and the like.

 


Rise of the Colorful and Cultural Kitchen Backsplash

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I admit to watching a lot of the flipping homes shows just to get some new ideas on changes to make to the inside of the house. One of those changes has been adding value with the kitchen backsplash. There is something about this that tends to make a home look on the high-end side depending on what kitchen backsplash is chosen. We are looking at new designs now and are all in on something that is popular for 2019.

Elliot McGowan offers up some of the different choices and varieties of kitchen backsplash.

Kitchens of today strive to be as sleek and simple as possible. They are not a room of the home that we tend to decorate extravagantly. Instead, we stick to minimalistic and monochromatic decor that modern kitchen design advocates. Muted, neutral colors like pastoral whites and creams are the go-to options and bright, vibrant colors have become taboo choices. Today kitchen designers don’t recommend anything more complex than a two-tone kitchen that contrasts a light shade with a dark shade. But that is not to say that decorative design and splashes of color should be eradicated from kitchen design entirely.

One area we predict a surge in popularity is in the kitchen backsplash — an often overlooked feature of modern kitchen design. Historically, backsplashes are an extra layer of tiling placed on walls behind worktops, sinks, and stoves to protect them from food splashes and spillages. They have always been an integral part of the kitchen but not just for their practicality and hygiene — they are also a fantastic way to inject color and character into a kitchen. Tiles have a decorative prowess and with many different styles originating from all over the world, there is a multitude of stunning options at our fingertips. Here are some extravagant backsplashes inspired by cultures around the world, from Mexico’s Talavera tiles to the Netherlands’ famous Delftware blues.

When talking about tiling and backsplashes, Portugal’s Azulejo tile is one of the first that springs to mind. Anybody who has visited Portugal may recognize the style. Tiling is extremely common in the Mediterranean as tiles don’t retain heat so help to keep places cool in high temperatures. They are also, however, an important part of Portuguese culture and identity. Azulejo tilework actually dates as far back as the 13th century and was brought to the Iberian Peninsula when the Moors invaded what is now Spain and Portugal. Azulejo in Arabic means “small polished stone” and originates in northern Africa.

The last few centuries saw an explosion in Azulejo popularity. Today, it is common to see Azulejos adorning churches, palaces, schools, restaurants, bars, and train stations, as well as regular homes. They are also used extensively in interior decoration. In the kitchen below the Azulejos inject a perfect degree of character into the kitchen. The pastel blue, beige and yellow colors are soft and modest, rather than overpowering. The mandalas are decorative but not excessive, they complement surrounding neutral walls without creating a busy effect.

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Upgrade Your Home Office

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It is always good to have a professional appearance to your home office. For me, I like it to stay like home. I keep a neat area for me and my clients to meet but still maintain a relaxed atmosphere. Normally, the dogs come out and help relax everyone.

Mikkie Mills adds on some tips to help create the right atmosphere in your home office.

Whether you’ve just moved into your home, or you lived there for years now, you might be looking to improve your home office. Your home office is where you can focus without distractions and work in an environment where you feel comfortable. To help you achieve the perfect aesthetic for your home office, here are some ideal updates that you can make that will help you focus, and stay on task for as long as you need to.

1. Natural Lighting

One of the most important things that you can do for your home office is to have natural lighting. Natural lighting helps people to stay more focused and is easier on the eyes than artificial lighting. Artificial lighting has a tendency to fatigue the eyes fast and can even cause headaches for some people. Natural lighting has the opposite effect. It helps you to stay alert and focused for as long as you need to since it regulates your natural circadian sleep cycle. If you want to focus in your home office and get the most out of your work day, the very first thing that you should do is enhance the amount of natural lighting that you get in your home office. If you’re currently looking for a home, find one that has large windows in one of the smaller rooms (a room that you’ll likely turn into a work office). If you already have your office set up, pull the blinds away from the windows and allow the sunlight to stream into the room all day long.

2. Clear Up Space

The last thing that you would want to do in your home office is put so much stuff in the room that you feel cramped. Clutter is the notorious creative jammer. It’s hard to focus when the office is messy, disorganized, or it just feels “full.” To avoid this feeling, make sure that your office is clean and clutter-free. Don’t use it as a storage closet. In fact, move everything out of the office so it’s nearly impossible for it to get full of clutter. You want the room to feel open like you could lie down on the carpet and stretch in the middle of the workday if you felt like it. The carpet should be clean and free of junk, the windows washed, and the desk wiped down before you sit down for the day.

3. Set Up Mobile Printing

You might want to set up mobile printing to avoid any extra equipment in the office space and to help you better access and organize your home office. Mobile printing is one of the easiest things to set up and it can help you to organize your materials, create a breathable workplace, and allow you to have access to your work through the ease of your phone. If you’re on the go and need to quickly print something from work, you can simply connect to the nearest printer through your phone and print the material.

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8 New Tricks for Keeping Mosquitos Away

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There is something about mosquitoes. When you see just one, you feel that you just have to start scratching an imaginary itch. If a mosquito gets in your car, you spend more time trying to kill it than driving.

Jaymi Naciri has eight good summer tips to help keep the mosquitoes away.

Mosquitos. They’re universally despised, and there’s not much we wouldn’t do to keep them away, right? Personally, we’re always on the hunt for a new serum or device or prayer that will help keep them away of the yard so we can actually enjoy our time out there without coming back inside covered in itchy welts.

So, behold the latest list tricks and tools to keep them at bay.

Repel them

This Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller is said to provide 12 Hours of DEET-free repellent and is also scent-free and cordless. Reviews are mixed on Amazon, but, at under $25, we’re willing to give it a shot!

Wipe them away

Actually, these Repel Insect Repellent Mosquito Wipes with 30% DEET keeps them away, and, they’re much easier to use (and less messy) than bug spray. If you’d prefer DEET-free wipes, you can find them, too.

Dab on the essential oils

This was the winning strategy during a recent trip to a very humid, very mosquito-prone land. Liberal amounts of peppermint and rosemary with reapplication about every 30 minutes did the trick.

Burn your coffee grounds

“Reusing coffee grounds offers benefits from fertilizing plants to repelling mosquitoes,” said Hunker. “Coffee grounds have a smoldering effect after you light them that keeps insects at bay. Mosquitoes, like other insects, are repelled by the odor created from the coffee grounds burning.”

Plant some lavender

It smells lovely to humans (and is beautiful to look at, too), but mosquitos hate it. Lemongrass, lemon balm, and marigolds are a few more plants you can add to your garden to keep the mosquitos out.

Grow some herbs

Add basil, garlic, and rosemary to your garden for another potent anti-mosquito punch. One of the best is something you might want to grow for other, tastier, reasons as well.

“Basil is so effective at repelling mosquitos (and adding a delicious flavor to Italian fare!) that you’ll want to grow it all around your house,” said POPSUGAR. “Windowsills, porches, the garden…the possibilities are endless!”

Plug in the fan

In a Consumer Reports test, a standing fan proved more successful at keeping away mosquitos than several other “tried-and-true” methods. “CR has tested three methods for controlling mosquito activity in a large area: citronella candles, an oscillati

ng pedestal fan, and a battery-powered area diffuser that emitted geraniol, a natural repellent derived from plants,” they said. “We found that the fan was far more effective than citronella candles or the geraniol diffuser. In fact, our tests showed that the fan reduced mosquito landings by 45 to 65 percent for folks sitting nearby.”

Grab a dryer sheet

These little wonders have more uses than eliminating static cling. “Turns out, there’s actually science behind this age-old myth,” said Buzzfeed. “Dryer sheets contain two chemicals that keep gnats and mosquitoes away: linalool, which is toxic to some types of insects, and beta-citronellol, which is found in citronella, the ultimate mosquito repellent. So, yeah, keep one in your pocket, or if you’re really committed, rub one on your arms and any other exposed skin.”

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Craig Diez

916-425-5884|Contact Craig