Are you planning to buy a house but aren’t sure where to start?

Buying your dream house is always a special and sentimental experience. However, it can quickly turn stressful when not planned carefully.

Thus, the first and most crucial step before investing financially in a property is to hire a professional realtor.

Experienced agents act as guides to help you find a perfect home within a preferred budget. Since they are familiar with the technicalities of the process, they ensure smooth and quick navigation for the clients.

However, finding a realtor that fits your preferences can seem highly daunting. Therefore, seek the help of online services, ratings, and recommendations to hire a desirable agent.

Get Referrals

Seeking referrals from a close network of family and friends is an old and proven method of hiring a realtor.

Since there is a wide range of options available at our disposal, it is natural to feel lost when shortlisting an agent. Thus, it is recommended to get authentic references of potential candidates that fit your budget and requirements.

Furthermore, inquire about their skills, behavior, and client service before interviewing the agents.

Do Background Research

When finding a realtor, it is mandatory to do a preliminary check of their work and credentials. Thus, make sure you explore their website and social media accounts to track past performance.

Also, ensure to look at online reviews to further verify your facts. While an authentic realtor has a mixed set of opinions posted on their website, one-sided reviews are a huge red flag.

A desirable realtor is a certified and licensed candidate with no record of disciplinary complaints. Therefore, do not forget to ask for license details and references before making a final decision.

Prioritize Local Market Experience

Knowledge of local market trends is an underestimated factor that must be considered when shortlisting a realtor for your home.

A realtor familiar with the nuances of the local real estate market can help you find your dream house in no time.

Since experienced professionals stay up to date with the newly listed homes and average sale prices, they can further help you get better deals and impressive discounts.

Focus on Communication and Compatibility

Buying a house is a complicated process that can be highly strenuous especially for first-time buyers.

Thus, it is advisable to opt for a compatible agent you can easily communicate your vision to.

Additionally, finding a realtor who can answer all your queries and ensure you don’t feel overwhelmed is an essential part of the home purchasing journey and shouldn’t be rushed.

 

It’s Christmas Eve Eve! Time for me to finish wrapping the last of the presents and celebrate! I’ve got a light menu planned during the day since we’re going out to eat on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We will be driving around looking at Christmas lights and popping in to see a few friends.

I’m feeling extra nostalgic because this is likely the last Christmas we will celebrate in this house. We’ve raised the family here but now we’re ready to move on. My daughter is off to college next year and my family will be looking for a fresh start.

This has been our home for twenty years so it’s bittersweet to be celebrating the season one last time in this space.

I want to say thank you to all of you who visit this blog and remain regular subscribers. You inspire me to keep writing and creating and I’m so grateful for all of you. Even though we’ve never met, you are all very special to me. I appreciate the comments and the encouraging words you share.

For those who celebrate, I wish you the merriest Christmas with your family and friends. I’ll be taking a few days off but I’ll be back next week with a roundup of lessons learned from 2021, it was an interesting year for sure!

Sending much love and feeling so much gratitude for all of you.

At the last minute I decided to embellish my tree with a dozen of these chunky yarn and bead tassel ornaments. I spied wood beads on sale at Michaels at 50% off and paired them with two colors of blanket yarn to create these ornaments with a boho vibe.

Each one takes just a few minutes and ten simple steps.

Supplies include chunky yarn of choice , 25mm wood beads, a variety of 10mm decorative beads, floral wire, scissors, a piece of 8×10” cardboard.

I’m sharing a video on Instagram Reels today to show the step-by-step process of making each one.

Written instructions below!

1. Wrap the yarn around the cardboard about 30-35 times. 2. Secure the tassel at the top with a 1 ½ foot piece of yarn to create the hanging loop.

3. Trim the bottom of the yarn with scissors to remove it from the cardboard. 4. Using tape to secure the end of the loop piece, insert it through the large 25mm wood bead.

5. Create a loop by inserting the yarn in the other direction through the wood bead. 6. Blend the end of the loop into the other yarn pieces.

7. Make a knot at the top of the wood bead to secure it in place and create the hanging loop. 8. Tie the top of the yarn with a separate piece of yarn to create a tassel shape.

9. Using floral wire, create a strand of decorative beads and wrap around the tassel. 10. Trim the bottom of the tassel so the yarn is even at the bottom.

Super easy! I finished a dozen in 2 hours while I watched a movie.

I love the combination of the yarn and wood bead textures!

You can use these as ornaments, as gift toppers, or make a beautiful boho garland with them too. 🙂

 

This time of year I always look around for weekend winter getaways and cozy cabins always come to mind. How lovely it is to escape to a little cabin in the woods! In winter, nature is mostly dormant and invites us to slow down and recharge in anticipation of new seasons of growth. How lovely it would be to explore outdoors by day and sit and read by the fire by night in these featured homes.

Last year I featured cabin getaways and desert getaways. Today I’m back with even more cabins available for rent across the USA. These cabins offer appealing interiors that are just as lovely as their outdoor views. As much as I love a classic log cabin, it’s refreshing to see unique twists on traditional style or more contemporary looks on display in these getaways. They’re fun to glance at for design inspiration but you can rent them too! Click on the header links to explore more images and check out their availability calendar.

Sky Cabin | Washington

Coastal Hilltop | Oregon

Big Bear Lake | California

Lake Arrowhead | California

Mountain Chalet | Montana

Modern A Frame | South Dakota

Blushing Beaver Cabin | Oklahoma

Long Lake | Wisconsin

Frame | Pennsylvania

Fairytale Cabin | Vermont

Tiny Home | Tennessee

Catskills Cabin | New York

Modern Mountain | North Carolina

Lake Hartwell | Georgia

I finished decorating my staircase today, I was in the mood to deck the halls. We’ve had a few weeks of sunshine and my yard was so happy so I was inspired to use what I’ve got! I chose non traditional yard clippings to layer over my faux lighted pine garland that I reuse every year.

A few years ago I layered big bunches of eucalyptus, but this year I mixed boxwood clippings from the huge hedge in my front yard with blooms from my Mexican orange flower plant. These stems will stay fresh over a week in small floral tubes.

The blooming florals are unconventional and give it a slight wedding-ish vibe but I love them mixed with boxwood clippings and matte green ornaments.

Both staircases and mantels offer up so much opportunity to get creative with trimmings. I gathered some other ideas I found on the internet for your staircase too. Notice how you can mix in a group of different objects and create a statement staircase!

Bright Ornaments + Pinecones + Eucalyptus + Berry Sprigs

better homes & gardens

Faux Magnolia + Berry Springs + Metal Bells

rambling renovators

Shiny Ornament Garland + Striped Ribbon + Paper Tags

liz marie blog

Classic Red Berries + Burlap Ribbon

midwest living

Eucalyptus + Dried Flowers + Colorful Ornaments

first sense interiors

Mixed Garland + Stockings + Ribbons

better homes & gardens

rtificial Sprays + Dried Citrus

melanie lissak

Multicolored Ribbons + Burgundy Leaves

Ribbons + Berries + Pinecones

at home in arkansas

Twigs + Pinecones + Oversized Bells

pottery barn

Juniper + Earth Tone Ornaments

southern living

Magnolia + Twigs + Ribbon

hgtv

Olive Leaves + Ribbons

the identite collective

Simple Swags: Ribbons + Mini Bells

i spy diy

White Paper Stars + Star Cutouts

layered lounge

 

Finally took the photos and videos for this post and I can’t wait to share it because it changed our house in such a major way. Introducing… the area that we affectionately call our kitchen porch. Aka: the grillin’ spot with all the greenery.

grill | outdoor table | outdoor stacking chairs | large white planter

If you followed along on Instagram Stories for the last few months, essentially this side porch always existed, but after we closed off doors number 7 and 8 from our bedroom which led out here (yes our bedroom had 8 exterior doors & still has 6 of them – more on that here), it was just a floating porch without any door leading to it. Here’s an old photo to show you what we essentially were starting with (this is after the exterior stairs came down from the upper deck, but before we painted the house, got new railings, etc, etc).

Continue reading Our New Kitchen Porch at Young House Love.

 

If you are looking to spice up the aesthetics of your interior space, then you may be forgiven for focusing on obvious avenues to pursue, such as a new wall color, furniture, artwork, or a cohesive theme that you can use throughout your house.

While all of these points are worthy of consideration, and can certainly transform the look of your home’s interior, you should not neglect the details which are often forgotten—but actually tie the whole space together.

For example, anyone who has renovated their home will tell you how difficult it is to choose new doors for each room.

This is because they are such a foundational piece of the house—both aesthetically and practically. Your doors have to match the color and theme of each room, while looking cohesive and minimalist enough to stay standing for years (or even decades) to come.

Furthermore, given how much you use doors on a daily basis, a dated or awkward one can become a regular annoyance, and even affect how you feel about your house as a whole.

This is what you need to know about fitting new doors in your interior space.

Avoid squeaky or ugly hinges

The most fundamental aspect you need to consider when fitting doors to your house is whether they function correctly. This might sound blindingly obvious, but it can be all too easy to become caught up with choosing particular colors, trying to match them with particular rooms, or searching for examples that come in on budget, that you can forget to buy quality items that will function for years to come.

For example, there is nothing worse than a squeaky, warped, or stiff door. Some of your guests may not even be able to use them properly, and it can make living within your house on a daily basis an annoyance.

Therefore, it is crucial that you source the constituent parts from a reliable supplier such as Tradefix Direct

They can keep a draft out

Doors have a far wider-reaching purpose than you might imagine. They are intrinsic in keeping each room at a certain temperature, for instance, which is particularly obvious if you live in a poorly insulated home.

Not all doors are good at fulfilling this purpose, so it is key that you find examples which block drafts out effectively. To do this, they must sit close to the floor, without any noticeable gaps between the door and the frame.

High-quality doors give your home a more upmarket feel

Another reason why doors are so intrinsic to your home interior is that they can make or break your perception of the wider space. If you have spent a lot of money on a new kitchen, for example, but the doors are cheap, dated, and don’t match the overall theme, then the rest of the room will be dragged down with them.

Contrast that with high-quality doors which feel good to touch, look in keeping with the rest of the space, and won’t date easily, and you will soon see the influence that doors have on interior design

They match the aesthetic of the wider space

Leading on from the previous point, the doors you choose need to match the aesthetics of the wider space. This sounds easy but is actually incredibly difficult to do, especially if you use bold colors in your interior space.

Like any utilitarian item, it is best to opt for an inoffensive color, such as a white, light gray, or black.

 

Not all doors are the same, and the quality of the door will make a difference in durability and appearance. Iron doors have been around for ages; however, modern iron doors are trendy in most parts of the world. Iron doors are heavy, sturdy, and with attractive decorations. There are many iron doors to choose from depending on your taste, budget, and intended use.

Consider The Style and Design You Want

The type of door you choose is essential for your home. Doors are like clothing in that they can send a message. Iron doors have beautiful patterns that speak style and sophistication. With the variety of options in iron doors, you can create different effects with unique looks.

The style of door you choose will be the first step to creating the image you want for your home. The type of iron doors you choose can indicate what you want your home to say about itself, whether it’s Classic, Colonial, or Contemporary. You can contact Universal Iron Doors for quality and customized iron doors for your home or garage.

Iron doors are very customizable, and they can be plain, etched, or fancy. In recent years, ornate iron designs have come into style again. You can customize iron doors to match any theme or style you might want to fit with the house.

For example, exterior bi-fold iron door designs will easily fit any space and are elegant and versatile. They allow easy movement in and outside your home. You can customize the steel bi-fold doors to rhyme with your home style and taste.

The key is to think about what style would suit your home best, and at the same time, make the best first impression on visitors. Cast iron doors are also available in various colors, including bronze, Verde Gris, antique grey, and white.

Also, remember that you can have hundreds of designs to choose from and further customize these designs to meet your goals.

Choose Iron Material: Wrought Iron or Steel Iron

A wide range of door styles, sizes, and designs are available in wrought iron or steel. Both steel doors or wrought iron doors are suitable for decorative and security purposes. However, you can choose the essential material that will provide the best fit for your home’s architecture, design, durability, and ease of maintenance.

Both wrought iron and steel offer a luxurious look that can enhance the beauty of a home. And depending on your personality and the area you live in, either one can be a choice for your new front door. However, Wrought iron doors may offer a unique texture and design that few other materials can match.

The shape of The Iron Door

You will find Iron doors come in different shapes and sizes, from arches to half-rounds. The door shape you choose for your home is fundamental when planning the functionality of your home.

For example, an arched door might not fit well in a tight hallway. However, if you have a large house and want an arched doorway to pull out and surprise your guests, an iron accent will give your home aesthetics and history.

There are different types of shapes to choose from;

The semicircleThe fan-shapedThe Roman archThe paneled doorThe arched or curved shapeThe gothic-style pointed archThe wedge-shaped pointed Roman arch.

You can consult with your doorman to determine the best iron door shape for your home.

Iron Door Handles

The handle refers to the mechanism you use to pull open the door; generally, this will be a finger grip or finger hole with a trigger latch. You can select your iron door handles from the antique, traditional, chunky, craftsman, ornate or modern.

The hinges and handles on doors act as functional as well as decorative features of the door. It is essential to understand how they work and what options are available before making your choice. Aesthetics may come into play here, but also consider the difficulty of repair and long-term durability.

Two common types of handle styles are single turned and center turned. Single-turned handles are attached to the doorway with screws, while center-turned (or drop) handles are attached to the door with hinges.

Conclusion

The popularity of iron doors is growing as it is a very functional door for any home or business. Iron doors provide security and value to your commercial or residential property, but choosing the right door for your home is the most important thing. With proper care and maintenance, iron doors can last for centuries. An iron door combines the most important aspects of your home: aesthetics, security, and durability. Each entry has its unique characteristics, so it is essential to have iron doors that indicate your home’s unique charm, safety, beauty and are ready to welcome your guests.

A kitchen remodel can significantly disrupt your day-to-day life. So, before you start dreaming about improving your kitchen with the perfect kitchen color palette, it makes sense to declutter and organize before a kitchen remodel.

Making this kind of effort before the remodel will allow you to approach the renovation in carefully planned out stepsYou will be able to dismantle everything before the construction work starts, but also organize everything perfectly after the kitchen renovation. So, let’s take a look at a few organizational tips to make your kitchen declutter as effective as possible

Remove the kitchen utensils first

A good kitchen declutter may start from the kitchen cabinets and drawers. Interestingly, people usually associate decluttering their home with paring down their clothing or family belongings. As a result, kitchen utensils and appliances tend to pile up without you even noticing. This happens mostly because they seem less expendable than for instance clothes or toys.

However, just think about the number of old or useless appliances you keep stacking up in your kitchen cabinets. There is really no need to keep holding on to your old bread toaster when you have bought a new one.

Throw away anything you have not used in a while.

The same goes for kitchen utensils and silverware. Yes, they are an essential part of your household, but you just might have too many to ever find use for. And now is the time to figure out what stays and what goes out. What should you do with those items? Organize a yard sale or a charity giveaway for the items you decide are just superfluous.

Declutter and organize all kitchen items separately into labeled boxes

Once you finish the decluttering of the kitchen utensils and appliances, organizing them and packing them into boxes should be a breeze. So, instead of throwing everything into a single box, it makes more sense to have smaller boxes with appropriate labels.

Hence, designate a single box for pans, another one (with three or four compartments) for utensils, a third one for your mixer.

At this point this might seem unnecessarily complicated, but you will be thankful to yourself in the end. This kind of organization allows you to find anything you may need while your kitchen is being remodeled. In addition, you will be able to just pull everything out of a box and restore everything to its designated spot after you finish the renovations. Nothing mixed up or lost – less stress for you.

With proper organization, you will be able to use your kitchen right after the remodel.

During the home renovations, you may even rent a storage unit if you do not have enough space to keep the boxes in your kitchen or your home. In this case, a short-term solution might be good since you will be able to free up the kitchen and let the workers do their job without any obstructions or distractions.

As for family silverware and other items you might attach certain emotions or memories to, you can pack them securely in an air-sealed box to avoid exposing them to moisture or mold.

Make categories for similar items

Just as with kitchen utensils and appliances, it helps to have clear-cut categories for other items that you keep in your kitchen. For instance, you may have a cereal box or spices category, or one for canned foods and sauces.

Of course, you may not have to do this if you have a well-organized pantry or a kitchen island. However, decluttering and recategorizing your foodstuff before a kitchen remodel can be extremely helpful. There are simply no more excuses not to throw away expired food that has been laying in the back of the drawers for ages.

Also, you may decide to temporarily store your kitchen items in a storage unit. This is something many homeowners make use of when they are remodeling their kitchen. If you decide to do the same, take note that some things shouldn’t stay there for more than a few days or weeks. So, some foods should not be kept in a storage unit since they may rot. Since you surely want to avoid having to clean or pay damages to the storage service provider, make sure you know what you can and cannot store in a storage unit.

Designate one box for frequently used items

So far we have mainly discussed how to declutter and organize before a kitchen remodel by focusing on the phases before and after the remodel. However, what if you plan to stay in your home during the renovations?

Essentially, it helps to have a single box for items that you use on a daily basis. Rummaging through boxes to find your vegetable peeler might destroy all of your previous efforts to declutter and organize your kitchen. When you have such a box or cabinet, you will know where to find what you need immediately. This will save you a lot of trouble since it eliminates the need to surround yourself with boxes.

You will probably need many items from your kitchen, but you might not be able to enter the kitchen while it is being renovated. That is why it makes sense to pull everything out of the cabinets and other storage spaces.

Empty the kitchen cabinets completely to make things easier for you during and after the remodel.

Also keep in mind that your appliances or items might get damaged if they remain in the kitchen during the remodel. So, if you drink coffee on a daily basis, you should place the coffee maker in your living room.

All in all, we hope this short guide will be helpful when you start to declutter and organize before a kitchen remodel. We strongly suggest you take the time to do so since it will make organizing your newly renovated kitchen much quicker and enjoyable.

 

Every homeowner craves for that beautiful-looking home. And this is why most people undertake home improvement projects. This may involve installing a new furnace, painting, updating lighting fixtures, and more. The furnace is one of the essential accessories for all homeowners and comes in handy in winter. If you’re seeking to repair or install a new furnace, there are various things to know.

Check out furnace repair and installation tips for a better-looking home:

Prepare adequately

It’s easy to call a technician when you have issues with your furnace. But, have you ever thought of preparing for repair or installation services? Well, this saves time and may save you a lot of money. For instance, if your furnace runs at the wrong temperatures, you may need to replace the thermostat.

To understand the cause of the issue, go through the user manual, and acquire the necessary parts. Learn of the essential components of a conventional furnace and, if possible, have some spare parts at home. Once done, contact the Air Makers furnace repair team for a quote.

Your choice of repair company matters!

There are different furnace installation and repair firms. All offer various services, and it’s best to find one that suits your needs. Look for professionals extending a wide range of services and furnaces. If seeking to install a new furnace, engage a company with a wide variety. This makes it to choose what you need and get something to match your budget.

Also, the experience and reputation of the company is of the essence. Hire one that has been in existence for a long duration; this is why most homeowners hire furnace repair Toronto services. The firm has received good reviews from former clients and has a vast team of technicians.

Think of the cost

If installing a new furnace as part of your home improvement project, know that the success of the upgrades relies on your budget. Therefore consider the costs and do your math carefully. There are different units, and it’s best to go for one that you can afford. In case of repairs, acquire high-quality parts to ensure durability and saves on repair costs.

Also, be keen on furnace repair companies that charge hidden costs. Get quotes and compare this among different service providers. Get to know all the pricing details before engaging the team. Additionally, seek a company offering follow-up services; this saves a lot in case things go wrong.

What are the common furnace issues that require fixing?

Multiple signs may indicate a faulty furnace. For instance, there may be low airflow from your systemsignifying issues with your motor or blower. Strange smells are also common. These indicate a dirty filter or a failing burner.

The burner may also not ignite properly, which may be a sign of a broken thermostat. Other issues include strange noise and the furnace running when it shouldn’t, and all require furnace repair services.

Final thoughts

Furnaces are great additions to any home. A furnace will not only enhance the look of your home but will also raise its value. To install or repair the old one, only engage professionals and endure that the company is licensed. Also, avoid cheap parts, and purchase superior components to lower t cost of repairs.