Posted By admin on March 16, 2011

The last couple weeks have been particularly cold ones. My friends on the East Coast mention temperatures that don’t even exist in this California Girl’s nightmares.   Heating bills are up sky high. Whether it’s gas or electric, it’s a lot of money spent to stay warm.  But what can you do?

There are many things you can do that beautify your home and also will help both your heating and cooling bills.
1. For those of you that don’t like drapes, there is a film that you can put on the window that blocks sunlight.  This is particularly helpful in the summer as it will literally prevent the sun from heating up your home as much.   There is a section of our kitchen that is all windows and very impractical to put fabric there, so putting this film on the windows took the kitchen from being unbearable to comfortable.  Do NOT get the stuff at your local home store and put it on yourself.  It doesn’t stick well and it’s not as good as what the professionals have.  In the winter it is another layer on the window to keep damp out.  It’s not as effective in winter but anytime you put a layer on a window it helps.

2. Drapes -  This is why they were invented. Yes, they are pretty, but first and foremost they are practical.  They are great for old houses especially where the windows may be drafty because they block the cold air coming in.   Adding inner lining (flannel) to your drapes really does a great deal in keeping out the cold.  Not to mention it creates a lovely, rich and elegant look.

3. Weatherproofing – This is so easy to do yet it goes undone so often.  Weatherproofing is inexpensive at your local home store and easy to install and can be a big help when cutting out the cold air coming in.

It takes a little bit of time or a little bit of money but all these are well worth it and you will save money!  These things will pay for themselves in one season.

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Tags: energy saving, home cooling, home heating, money saving, money saving tips

Posted By admin on February 11, 2011

This weekend I went to a possible new client to give a presentation.   The wife was all excited about the changes I proposed but the husband was hesitant.  There were many reasons for this, most of which I can only conjecture.  However, the words the wife kept saying and kept ringing in my ear were “It’s your turn, you deserve it.”  The man was clearly a good husband and father and loved his family very much. He really wanted his own space though and had been hesitant to take it because the house was relatively small and he knew his family needed every inch. Yes it was a small space but there was a ton of wasted space in it!   With a little tweaking, I knew we could create  a little bit of space for everyone.

I gave them some ideas that allowed them to look at their home in a whole other way and asked them to dream big.  I told them when we set down to do the first interview to discover their needs for the home. I wanted them to dream.  Tell me all your desires, all your dreams.  I may not be able to give them all to you but the more I know, the more I can incorporate.   I find that too many people don’t dream big enough when working on their homes.

So many people replace inefficiency with more inefficiency because that’s all they know. Who said that kitchen counters should be 36″ high.  There’s no RULE for that.  Maybe you need it shorter or taller.  Make it so you are comfortable.  Odds are the next person will gut it anyway, no point in building for them.  I actually loved the fact that my kitchen was so old that the counters were a little lower.  When we redid it, we incorporated an area that was lower just for me.    Who says you need a shower and a bath, add in a roll in shower and increase the accessibility of your home, that is  quickly becoming one of the features people look for in a home.

Your home has to fit you.  It has to fit your size. Are you tall? Stop hitting your head on that cupboard.  Are you small?  Stop feeling kidsize in a grown up size world.   Do you like to bake?  Do you like to grill?  Do you like to make salads?  One size kitchen does not fit all.  What if you could have something that fit how you cook?  Each room is as individual as you are and should reflect how you use it, and your personality.

So go ahead and dream.  Dream big.  YOU DESERVE IT!

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