home improvements Archives - A Million Lives

May 8, 2019 by Greg Underwood

4 Quick Ways to Increase Your Texas Home Value

There are several quick upgrades you can do that not only add to your home’s value but allow you to achieve a decent return on investment when it’s time to sell. Here is a look at four quick upgrades that will be worth the time and money.

1: Replace the Old HVAC System

Image via Flickr by Jeremy Levine Design

Buyers want a home with an efficient heating and cooling system. If your current HVAC system is more than 20 years old, you should consider replacing it with a ductless system. This type of system is especially beneficial because it can be integrated with zoned heating and cooling, which allows families to heat and cool their homes according to customized comfort settings.

There are many affordable ductless systems to choose from when doing an HVAC upgrade, including the F High Wall Ductless System, P High Wall Ductless System, and the R*D Ducted Ductless System, to name just a few. Even though you will likely recoup only about 30 to 35 percent of what you invest in a new HVAC system, the value it adds in the eyes of buyers may be the reason they choose to purchase your home for asking price.

2: Redo the Vinyl Siding

The exterior of your home is going to play a major role in how well your home attracts the attention of buyers. If your home doesn’t have curb appeal, many buyers won’t even consider what the inside has to offer. This is why redoing the exterior with new vinyl siding can be a great investment.

According to CNBC, you can expect an astonishing 89 percent return on investment at resale when you add new vinyl siding to your home. This means if you spend $10,000 on new vinyl siding, this will increase your home’s value by $8,900. You won’t find many other quick upgrades that have such a high ROI.

3: Install New Windows

Another quick way to increase the value of your Texas home is to replace old windows with vinyl ones. Isoldmyhouse.com has a nifty chart that outlines how much of an ROI you can expect on various upgrades. The chart details that a vinyl window replacement has an average ROI of 85 percent, meaning if you spend $12,000 on new windows, you can up your asking price by $10,200.

4: Finish the Basement

Last on our list of quick ways to add value to your Texas home is finishing the basement. Not only can this add to the living space of your home but you’ll enjoy a 79 percent ROI, too. Many home buyers these days prefer basements with at least one bathroom, one guest bedroom, and a theater/media room, so make sure you keep those ideas in mind during the upgrade.

Performing upgrades to a home you’re going to sell is an excellent way to add to its value. You will want to be careful, however, in deciding which upgrades to perform. Your goal is to add to your home’s value while making sure you can recoup as much as possible regarding the money you invest.

April 27, 2019 by Greg Underwood

Tips to revamp your home on a budget

Sometimes you may look around your house and feel no longer inspired by the interiors. Maybe some of the elements in the house don’t look as fresh as they did before or perhaps the wall paint you once adored now feels out of place. Regardless of the reasons, it is obvious that at some point you may need to refresh your house with new interior décor updates. Most people think they need a lot of money to renovate and spruce up their homes. On the contrary, there is a rich selection of ideas to refresh and modernise your house on a budget.

If you are looking for a house, there are numerous new real estate projects in Dubai, such as the upcoming Port De La Mer community by Meraas. You will also find a wide selection of apartments for sale in Downtown Dubai, which is one of the most thriving parts of Dubai.

Here are some tips to renovate the house:

Replace the hardware

You will be amazed by how small changes such as a door handle can improve the overall aesthetic of your house. The options are limitless and very affordable. For instance, you can add trendy brass pulls and matching faucet. The possibilities are limitless.

Feature wall

Adding a feature wall in your living room is a great way to make a significant change without spending much time, money and effort. A feature wall has the ability to spice up your design to look more rich and dynamic. You can consider a playful pattern or simply paint one of the walls with your favourite colour. Apart from painting the wall, you can opt for a removable wallpaper instead.

Declutter

Cluttered living space does not look appealing at all. Less stuff means you will have more space and less stress on how to arrange them. Take a bag and get rid of anything you haven’t used in the past six months. You will be surprised at how your house will brighten up.

Clean the house

When was the last time you gave your house a good deep clean? After getting rid of the stuff you do not need, you should thoroughly clean the house. Make sure every part and element of the house looks sparkling clean. This can make your house look like new.

Let there be light

You can completely transform and modernise your house by using appropriate lighting. Upgrading your lighting can make dingy spaces feel warm, amplify the colour scheme or even make a room appear bigger.

March 11, 2019 by Greg Underwood

Top Ways To Inject Some Life In Your Home

We all want to have a great home to return to at the end of a long day at work, after a long holiday or even just being out for the day, but just how can we create the perfect spot for ourselves and our families that we can look forward to returning to time and again. While some people might want to go for the big changes and have an extension, a conservatory or a new deck built, there are numerous other ways you can inject some new life in your home. Here are just a few of those easy, inexpensive ways.

Change Up The Decor

Changing the decor in any room of the home – namely those commonly used rooms – is a great way to create a whole new vibe in the space. By changing furniture around or even replacing it entirely you can change the entire feel and look of a space. Not in the market to do so? Consider getting an existing piece of furniture reupholstered with new covers can be a more affordable way to change up the look of a room. If you don’t already, try adding a carpet or rug to your living space to bring more cosiness in. If you’re looking for something even easier, www.purelywallclocks.com.au has a wide variety of amazing wall clocks you can add to your living, dining or kitchen space – the perfect big and bold addition if you’re looking for something quick, easy and inexpensive.

A Lick Of Paint

Painting a room is always one of the fastest, cheapest and easiest ways to create a new breath of life in any space. Whether you go for something drastic in your colour choice and change or you’re going to stick with just a fresh coat of the tried and tested, one thing is for sure and that is the fact that painting can really help brighten a room. Be sure to check out this year’s on-trend colours and plan accordingly. Want something different? Consider the installation of a feature wall using wallpaper or different coloured paint.

Textiles Make It Easy

Need something truly quick and easy without much work or effort? Get yourself some great new textiles – curtains, throw blankets, cushions or cushion covers (but don’t overdo it), bedspreads and more to create a whole new look with just changing a few quick things. This is a great option for those who don’t have the time for a larger job or for those who might find themselves a bit cash strapped for changing floors, painting or redoing the house in other ways. Many shops offer textiles for great prices – they definitely don’t have to be expensive!

Easy Floor Upgrades

Place and click flooring has made changing your flooring easier than ever. Many people are opting for this choice when doing up their homes due to the simplicity in the execution of this particular type. One or two people can often complete a job in a day or two, and no special tools or professionals needed. Available in stone, hardwood and other linoleum style finishes, this is an increasingly popular option for those who want new flooring for less.

So if you’ve been looking for an easy or inexpensive way to create a great new space for the coming months, hopefully one of these suggestions will provide an ideal starting point for you with some fantastic inspiration.

October 23, 2018 by Greg Underwood

A Portrait Painting to make your House more Fashionable

I guess you may not have heard it often enough but your home is an important part of your personality.

That means that the way you treat and keep your house says a lot about yourself and your innate characteristics.

Get a portrait painting and create a lit ambiance inside your home.

Make it a place where all your colleagues and friends are just startled and in awe of your house’s intrinsic as well as extrinsic beauty.

Imagine a huge custom portrait painting hanging on your wall.

Isn’t it the perfect showpiece there is for your humble abode!

Since ages art has been a great way to showcase and portray several different emotions.

Painted portraits have great visual appeal and thus are sure to grab many eye balls.

Many a times we overlook or simple neglect the state and look of our house and only tend to it on really special occasions such as festivals or birthday parties.

Don’t you think that your home deserves something more, something special?

Well turning photo to painting is a great way to not only relieve some awesome memories that have gone by but are also a great way to make your home more stylish.

Your beloved memories put on canvas in an artistic way are bound to capture anyone’s imagination and touch their heart.

It is therefore a great way to show your love towards your home.

A home is not built only by bricks and mortar rather it is built by the many memories, moments and happy times that one has spent in that particular space.

PortraitFlip is one e commerce site which sells authentic handmade portrait paintings that too at some unbelievable prices.

They offer a wide array of mediums to choose from such as oil portraits, charcoal portraits, watercolor portraits and more.

All of this accompanied by some great customers service is surely one of the reasons why I would recommend PortraitFlip to everyone.

Home is where the heart is for it has watched you grow up first hand.

In a manner of sorts it has seen your good as well as bad days, it has seen you evolve from a baby to a teenager and eventually to an adult.

It has and will always continue to protect you from a world which can seem very cruel and terrifying at times.

Convert picture to watercolor painting and watch as it takes a beautiful form of its own.

A painting especially a custom portrait is really special because it is a story written by you and directed by the painter himself in which the canvas and paints are the medium.

The audiences are all the people who view it much like your normal movie.

It is almost poetic in a way.

This is a great analogy to understand the talent and creativity that it takes to actually create a real masterpiece.

A portrait painting is not just a collection of strokes of paint on a canvas but is something really special for the painter as well as the receiver.

It is a story, a poem, a speech or an essay minus the words but it still has the ability to captivate the audiences.

It is certainly a great way to capture one’s attention and keep them occupied for a while.

Hence take a close look at all the memories that you have stored up in your camera reel and turn pictures to paint.

It is a great way to make your home come alive to the special moments and times that you have had in your life.

September 24, 2018 by Greg Underwood

5 DIY Energy-Saving Projects to Complete This Weekend

It’s safe to assume that cutting down on energy costs is likely something we all have an interest in. Unfortunately, folks either believe that the only ways to save energy are overwhelming, time-consuming projects or that they require hefty out-of-pocket funds. Here you will find five of the best low-cost and simple DIY energy-saving projects that you can complete in a weekend!

Lower Your Water Heater Temperature

Lowering your water heater temperature by 10 degrees can also lower your energy costs by up to 5 percent! Regardless of how much hot water you use, your water heater is designed to maintain the water inside its tank at whatever temperature you have it set for 24 hours a day. So, while it doesn’t seem like a lot, it is most definitely a start. Learn how to adjust the water heater temperature to be sure you’re doing it safely and efficiently.

Change Your Lightbulbs to LED

Image via Flickr by D Coetzee

Simply installing LED lightbulbs can cut your energy usage by an average five times. A standard 60-watt bulb produces the same amount of light as a 13-watt LED bulb. This will lower your watt usage by 47 watts per hour, and that’s just one bulb! Service all your light fixtures in this way and watch your energy costs steadily decrease. Another perk to this hack is efficiency comparison. LED bulbs have a significantly longer life expectancy than standard bulbs.

Seal Window Frames With Caulk

Older windows can most certainly contribute to energy loss in your home. An easy way to resolve this issue is by using caulk to fill in the gaps around your windows and your door casings. Doing this will help to seal off any air leaks that may be causing energy loss, forcing your HVAC system to run more than necessary. Caulk is available at your local hardware stores and is reasonably inexpensive. With a little research, you’ll learn how to caulk like a pro in no time!

Change the Air Filters in Your HVAC System

Changing the filter in your home’s heating and air-conditioning system is important for a couple of reasons. One is air quality in your home, but also, a dirty filter can drastically affect the efficiency of the HVAC system. A dirty air filter decreases the flow of air through the system, forcing it to work harder and for longer than it would with a clean filter.

Landscaping

Landscaping is an easy way to save bucks on your energy bill, and there are a number of ways to do so. Creating shade on the sunniest side of your home by planting trees not only will help deflect heat in the summer; it will help to block out the wind in the colder months.

While there are many simple and inexpensive DIY projects to help you become more energy efficient, these five are a great start and surefire ways to decrease your energy consumption — all while creating a cleaner and more comfortable atmosphere in your home!

September 18, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Freshen Your Home the All-Natural Way

When our homes aren’t smelling fresh, many of us reach for air fresheners. However, these products contain lots of chemicals that aren’t good for our health. To freshen your home naturally, use these five tricks instead.

Open Your Windows

Letting some fresh air into your home can make a big difference in your indoor air quality. Periodically open your windows to cycle out stale air, and expel lingering odors.

Have Your Ducts Cleaned

Hopefully, you’re changing your HVAC filters regularly to keep the air clean in your home. But you also need to have your air ducts cleaned professionally. An HVAC expert can use special vacuums and tools designed for this task to reach places you can’t on your own. Also, remember to vacuum out your dryer vents and ducts a few times a year.

Use Natural Air Fresheners

Image via Flickr by comment-economiser.fr

Don’t reach for an aerosol spray when you need to freshen the air in your home. Instead, use natural solutions that won’t trigger asthma symptoms and contribute to other serious health complications. Baking soda, for example, absorbs odors naturally, which is why people typically place an open box inside their refrigerators. Essential oils, which are made using plants and herbs, are also a safe natural alternative to aerosol sprays and other fresheners laden with dangerous chemicals.

Pour Some Vinegar in Your Washing Machine

Mold requires moisture to grow, so even though you’re constantly running detergent and clean water through your washing machine, you need to periodically clean the appliance to avoid mustiness and prevent mold and mildew growth.

Fill up your washing machine without a load and let it sit with just hot water and two cups of vinegar. Scrub and drain to clean the washer. You can also mix some vinegar in with a normal wash to give your clothes a better clean and a fresher smell. Use baking soda to clean and freshen your washer and dryer as well.

Target Odors Using Natural Cleaners

Sometimes, opening the windows or using essential oils won’t cut it. When you need a deep clean to freshen your home, try these techniques to keep things natural:

Citrus peels in the garbage disposal:When you eat oranges, grapefruits, lemons, or other citrus fruits, don’t throw out the rinds. Instead, freeze them in ice cubes and throw them down your garbage disposal to clean your sink.
Cornstarch, baking soda, and lavender:A DIY mix of cornstarch, baking soda, and lavender (or your favorite essential oil) can be used as a natural room freshener or be sprinkled on fabric and vacuumed out for a deep clean.
Essential oils in your vacuum filter:You can also add a few drops of your preferred essential oil in your vacuum filter before cleaning. This will spread the wonderful scent throughout your home as you clean.

Spraying harmful chemicals around is the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to freshen your home. Instead, open your windows and try some of the above recipes and tips to tidy up the all-natural way.

July 11, 2018 by Greg Underwood

How to Embrace Wabi-Sabi Design in Your Home

For ages, symmetry has been a synonym of good taste, aesthetics and positive visual stimulus. However, applying it in an interior design is, more or less, restrictive and unimaginative. This is due to the fact every move you make conditions you to make a separate move in order to “put things into balance”. Instead, why shouldn’t you embrace this imbalance and make it into your ally? This is so-called wabi-sabi, an ancient Japanese philosophy of embracing the imperfection in life and learning how to enjoy the beauty hidden in it. Designing in this trend can be incredibly liberating, yet, also challenging in more ways than one. Here are some suggestions and examples.

1. Declutter

The first thing you need to understand is the fact that there’s a thin line between imperfect or imbalanced and outright messy and careless. Your wabi-sabi design may be imbalanced but it isn’t random. However, if you let all the unnecessary items, thrash and old furniture pieces you’re yet to store devour the room, you’ll make it look just outright chaotic. Keep in mind that your ultimate goal here is harmony, therefore, you need to heavily invest in transparency and directness of communication. With that in mind, any process of preparing a wabi-sabi design needs to start with decluttering.

2. Simplicity

Another thing you should focus on is the simplicity that’s not unlike what you’ve encountered in minimalism. In fact, these two trends have much in common. The phrase less is more also applies, yet, you also need to understand that this is not just about the simplicity of the layout but of the form, as well. This means picking simplistic furniture pieces and fixtures, like a plain wooden stool for your bathroom and a freestanding stone bathtub.

3. The raw form of materials

In theory and by exploiting numerous logical syllogisms, one could argue that all materials (even synthetic ones) are, in one way or another, obtained from nature. After all, the raw materials used for their making are natural, so wouldn’t that make them natural, as well? In practice, on the other hand, this doesn’t translate that well, seeing as how you aren’t aiming for a compelling reason to prove why you’re right but a sensation of being in touch with nature. The above-listed two fixtures (tub and a stool) can achieve this through their natural texture, which is what we were aiming for from the very start.

4. Natural landscape

Creating natural landscape is yet another challenge you’re bound to encounter, ranging from a way to implement adequate houseplants into your home and make them fit the landscape around. To achieve this, you need to think about the palette that you use for the interior of your home. We’re talking about hues you’re able to encounter in nature, which means that bright colors are off (for the most part).

In order to make your home stand out, you need to think past the traditional indoor plants and consider getting a real bonsai tree. The downside of this idea lies in the fact that such a tree takes quite a bit of maintenance. The fun part lies in the fact that you can make your own bonsai tree from a starter pack.

5. Clay is your friend

Metal, especially copper, is all the rage nowadays. However, when it comes to accessorizing, especially if we’re talking about bowls, planters and similar items, you might also try going with clay. The most compelling aspect of this is the fact that you get a completely new way of DIY decorating terracotta pots. While this is a trend that most commonly takes place outdoors, there isn’t a single reason why you shouldn’t start using it indoors.

6. Outdoor furniture

To carry on with this trend, you might also want to turn towards an outdoor seating solution inside of your home. Nonetheless, not every option is as available and applicable. Keeping things simple is your first goal. However, if you could embrace furniture made from reclaimed wood, it would be even better. Wabi-sabi is all about the natural cycle of life, death and growth. Naturally, reclaimed wood fits this idea perfectly due to the journey that the tree the furniture it’s made from had undergone to reach you.

7. Wooden floor

Lastly, while tiles (especially stone tiles) are also an option, it’s much safer to go with wood. Here, we’re not talking about laminate or engineered hardwood. What you need to go for are more natural-looking options like cork, bamboo and real hardwood. In this way, you can achieve a harmony with most of the above-listed trends or even combine this method in any other way possible. When choosing a floor finish, going for matte is by far the best choice.

Conclusion

One guide online described wabi-sabi design as shabby chic’s less flamboyant sibling and, based on the above-listed trends, this much seems to be true. Despite its dependence on organic and high-end materials, it wouldn’t be fair to describe wabi-sabi as expensive. Minimalism and dependence on DIY projects alone make it much more budget-friendly. All in all, it’s one of those low-effort high-impact trends that isn’t likely to get outdated in years to come, seeing as how it’s both efficient and beautiful.

June 7, 2018 by Greg Underwood

8 tips for choosing patio furniture

After going through months of enduring the cold winter days, everyone is looking forward to the warmer weather. People are now coming out to the outdoors to enjoy the sun. Instead of entertaining their guests indoors, hosts are shifting to the patio to entertain their guest with hot tea and snacks. It is a wonderful place to get the warm of the sun, and to enjoy the blooming flowers in the garden. So, the first thing we should do is to invest in high quality outdoor furniture to make our patio a comfortable place to entertain our guest.

There are many options to choose from and since patio furniture can be a big investment, we want to make the right choice. Here are 8 tips to help us make our choice.

First, we need to take stock of our patio space, whether we are planning for a comfortable, shaded space to relax and read, or a space to enjoy our tea or coffee with family and friends. Look out for great ideas online by Palm Springs interior designers and others.
Before shopping for our patio furniture, make sure to take measurement of the patio space. We wouldn’t want to get an oversized furniture to make the patio appear crowded. If the patio space is big, then we will need substantial pieces of furniture to fill the space.
Always do our homework first before we start to shop. Check out the websites selling outdoor furniture to see the different styles, materials and compare the prices. Read customers’ reviews about the quality of the products and their services.

Plan carefully and try to keep to a theme for your outdoor furniture. Be consistent in your style of choice. Examples of outdoor theme can be found online such as shared by the Los Angeles interior designers, etc.
Make sure to select the most durable furniture as most quality outdoor furniture can be expensive. Consider the materials use and the cost of maintenance required.
Check out the quality of the materials and the workmanship. Make sure the joints are fitted tightly with no gaps. All metal furniture should be painted and power coated finished to prevent rust. Wood furniture should be sanded to a smooth surface. Wicker should be loosely wound on the frame. Tables should not be wobbly and the chairs should be sturdy and comfortable.
For more comfort, comfortable cushions with appealing colours and designs will be great. Choose fabrics meant for outdoors, especially fabrics that can resists mildew, fading, or staining.
Choose outdoor table with a hole in the centre to hold an umbrella to provide shade from the sun.

June 4, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Tips to Decorate Your Home to Make it More Pet Friendly

If you have a pet in your house, you would always think of making the house a bit friendlier to the pet so that the pet loves it. The main intention behind this is nothing but keeping the pet happy and healthy at the same time. If you want to put in some decoration in your house especially for the pet, it would not be a very bad idea at all. However, you might be confused regarding what all to do and what all not to do. In this situation, it would be ideal if you follow some of the important decorating tips for making the house more pet friendly by nature.

Avoid expensive rugs

If you are looking forward to decorate your house for the pets, it would be best if you do not buy expensive rugs since it would be a waste of money. Instead of this, you can go for the inexpensive ones which are easy to clean. Moreover, you should be choosing the rugs which are quite durable in nature so that they are able to withstand the pet traffic with ease. You can also go for the disposable rugs in this regard but it would be a bit expensive one.

Do not go for wall to wall carpet

Carpets absorb pet hairs, odors and also soak up the inevitable stains that are related to the pets quite similar to a sponge. Hence, it would be a better idea if they are avoided as a whole. However, still if you want to include carpets in the decoration, then you should always make sure to avoid wall to wall carpeting which is even more difficult to clean and maintain. Some of the popular pet websites such as Pets Are The Best would act as a good guide for you during the course of decorating the house with the purpose of making it more pet friendly.

Choose hard surface floors

When you have a pet in the house, it would be better if the floors are bare. However, keep in mind that bare floors need not have to be boring. You can simply paint it concrete which makes it not only lovely but also durable. Hard surface floors would just be ideal in this situation. Ceramic tile flooring would be a very good option here since the tiles are very easy to clean and maintain. Moreover, they are resistant to all sorts of stain and toe nail proof.

Bring in attractive treats and toys

When you decide to make your house pet friendly in nature, it would be a very good idea to give your pets some attractive treats and toys which will be a lot of fun for the pets. However, you should also keep in mind that the toys should be tidy and pet friendly so that they cause no harm to the pets.

Deciding to make your house friendlier for your beloved pet is indeed a very good idea. Follow these easy tips and get going!

May 29, 2018 by Greg Underwood

Gary Friedman on Accessories and Furnishings for Luxurious Properties

Living a life of luxury means having a life in which nothing is lacking and money is no object. When someone has a luxury home, they live a wealthy life in which they have the finest collections of accessories and furnishings from all over the world. Gary Friedman is someone who can help people find those furnishings.

Gary Friedman on Luxury Home Decor

Someone who lives a luxurious lifestyle can have a truly unique collection of items to furnish and decorate their property. Indeed, some of these items could be classed as treasures considering the value they have on the regular market. Mostly however, these items allow people to create a unique style that expresses their own personality. They include:

Accessories and art. A lot of people would like to have original pieces of art but these are incredibly rare. That said, good art reproductions are of equally high-quality and interest, making a home look more graceful and eminent.
The floor is one of the most vital part of the home and must be beautiful and elegant. Luxury homes often have hardwood, stone tiles, and wall carpets. Solid hardwood is perhaps the ultimate in luxury living comma I haven’t been used as an essential element in home construction for hundreds of years. At the same time, high quality drugs can also be added.
Natural fibres, silk, linen, and wool are by far the fabric of choice in luxury homes. It feels royal and exclusive. While synthetic fibres are available that look almost the same, a true connoisseur will be able to tell the difference.
A luxury home must have a luxury bed and this bed must be fully reflective of the individual’s personality. The luxurious sense however, comes from the linens you use on your bed. Consider that you will spend about a third of your life in bed so do make sure it is comfortable as well. Think about silk,velvet, cashmere, and so on.
Luxury bathroom fixtures. The bathroom is the place to go to refresh and relax. Most people feel that our bathroom was an error that is reflective of their own personality. Naturally, it must be sparkling clean. What really provides the sense of luxury however, is the amount of space that you have available. Additionally, you can have special bathroom accessories, tiles, taps, and a top to make it look even more special.
It is difficult to choose furniture for a property because this speaks volumes about your lifestyle. You could opt for beautiful antiques or luxury furniture brands to show just how wealthy you are but it is important to remember that your furniture must also be functional.
Last but not least, including clever placement of lighting is incredibly important as this helps to draw the eye to the most beautiful part of your home, while at the same creating the atmosphere you would like. Proper lighting is absolutely essential to creating a stunning, luxurious home.