Top 10 Best Bang for the Buck Remodleing Projects

The size and cost of your project matter as well. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University advises that smaller or midrange jobs overall will tend to recover a higher percentage of their cost than larger, higher-end projects.

For example, replacing old windows will generate a higher payback ratio than adding a high-end kitchen with all of the bells and whistles and it costs significantly less, according to Stephen Melman, an economist with the National Association of Home Builders.

Maintenance-related projects, such as siding and window replacement, are especially popular because they are repairs that are seen as needed, but can also help improve curb appeal at fairly low costs in relation to other projects.

The top-ten midrange projects cited in Remodeling magazine’s “Cost vs. Value Report” that provide the highest percentage return are:

1. Deck Addition (wood) - 81.8 percent

2. Siding Replacement (vinyl) - 80.7 percent

3. Minor Kitchen Remodel - 79.5 percent

4. Window Replacement (wood) - 77.7 percent

5. Window Replacement (vinyl) - 77.2 percent

6. Major Kitchen Remodel - 76.0 percent

7. Bathroom Remodel - 74.6 percent

8. Attic Bedroom - 73.8 percent

9. Deck Addition (composite) - 73.7 percent

10. Basement Remodel - 72.9 percent

These numbers represent the national average and percentages may vary in your region. To get information on projects that are the best investment for your area, check out the Remodeling magazine’s “2008-2009 Cost vs. Value Report” published by Hanley Wood online at http://www.costvsvalue.com/.

ACCESSORIZE

If you learn how to accessorize successfully, you can easily change the look of a room from season to season. Pick objects and colors that reflect the theme you are trying to create, then use these quick tips to arrange them.
Arrange objects with a common theme in clusters.
Odd numbers such as 3 or 5 work better than even numbers in creating a visually attractive group.
For a more formal look go symmetrical, but beware of making it boring.
An asymmetrical look is more informal, can be more interesting, but beware of making it too chaotic. Step back and look at the group from different angles.
Don’t arrange everything at the same level, instead add interest by varying heights. You can do this by choosing objects that differ in height, or by simply placing some of them on blocks, stands, or even books.
Scale is important too, as objects that are too large will tend to crowd an area that is not big enough. On the other hand, if the objects are too small they will tend to get lost.

RUGS

Rugs come in many different fibers, and there are many options if you want to consider materials for rugs. A rug’s fibers can play an important role in how the rug looks, how long a rug will last and how stain resistant it is.
Rugs are widely available in both natural and synthetic fibers. Generally speaking natural fibers, especially wool, are a better choice, as they last longer and are better quality. Synthetic fibers have the advantage of being easily affordable and now offer a wide range of choices.
When you consider what kind of material you want for your rug, there are a few things you will need to take into account:
Consider Rug Placement
Where will you be placing the rug? Will the rug be placed in an entry, or will it be placed in a corner of the living room? Will it be placed on a wall? Where you place your rug will determine how much use it is going to get. Placing a very expensive wool or silk rug in the entry might not be a good idea.
Determine Rug Use
What kind of use will your rug be subjected to? Is it a heavy traffic area? Are pets and children going to be using it? If it’s going to be in for rough use, consider a synthetic fiber. If your rug will be placed in an area that gets subjected to moisture, you might want to look into a mildew resistant synthetic material such as acrylic.
Decide on the Look and Feel
What kind of a look are you striving for? What kind of a texture do you need? This should determine how and where you want to use your rug. Although synthetic fibers, especially nylon, do offer a lot of variety in color and texture, the look and feel of a natural fiber rug will be different. Even within natural fibers, a sisal rug would offer a very different look from a silk rug.
Select Rug Quality
And very importantly, what kind of quality are you looking for? Do you want the rug to retain its value over a period of time? If so, you might be better off with a wool or silk rug. If high quality and a long life is not a consideration, you could buy rugs in less costly natural fibers such as cotton or jute, or go for synthetic fibers.
Decide on a BudgetConsider your budget. Are you willing to invest in a quality rug? A natural fiber rug such as wool or silk, could cost you considerably more than a synthetic rug. If you just need an attractive floor covering and are not going after very high quality at the moment a synthetic fiber would be a better choice. Less costly options in natural fibers such as cotton, sisal or jute are also available depending on the look you desire.

What's In and What's Out

O.K. It's a new year and with it come new trends in decorating and design.
Based on the articles and furniture shows we have a few observations of
what's in and what's out for 2009.


Mix & Match: Matching sets for dinning rooms and/ or eat in kitchen areas or old news. You
don't have to buy the chairs that come as a set with the table you like.
It's OK to have different styles of chairs around your tables as long they have
similar heights and color and/or patterns (try this: use different chairs and even
benches but tie them together with coordinating fabrics and colors.

Color: Gray is the new neutral. Smoky tones of white, blue and of course gray.
(try this incorporate punches of color using coral and plum)

Don't Do This- Painting one wall as an accent wall. Very passe'
Do This: Paint your ceiling. The "5th wall" in tall rooms the ceiling can painted
the same color of the walls to cozy the room. Normal sized rooms should
use variation of white or ceiling paint tinted a slight variation of the walls.

Appliances: Retro is now the rage. Mixing your new appliances with the
retro ranges, fridges and double ovens is very in. You can find these treasures on
e-bay and in your local thrift stores. If you really want to spend the money you
can visit your local high end appliance dealers for the retro look.

Exterior: Garage Doors have come a long way. If you are updating your look on the outside
think old world - carriage house style doors that look like the wooden style doors of that era are available thru the local home improvement chains and your specialty
contractors.

Furniture: Heavy looking overstuffed furniture is out. Lighter looking styles are now
mainstream and hearken back to the modern era of the 50's, 60's and 70's. Hint you
search local antiques and thrift stores for these finds.

Eco Lux: Green is mainstream, affordable and luxurious. Gone are the rough and
bland selections for the eco friendly. We recently purchased sheets made
of bamboo that rival any silk sateen.

Hotel Suave at Home: Why travel when you can copy the look and feel of a five star resort at
home. You achieve the look in your master bedroom by using lots of
accent pillows. Hint invest in sheets with a high thread count.

Recessed Lighting: One the most often overlooked ways to update your look is the overhead
lighting. Track lighting is great (if you are making a 70's movie).
incandescent light saps the life at of room and washes it in sterile light.
The Fix: DIY can easily remove those old "rectangular boxes" and your
kitchens and replace them small chandelier style fixtures. If you have a
large hole in the ceiling cover it with ready made ceiling medallions.
Pendant lighting is also a good idea. If you are not electrically inclined
consult a local LICENSED electrician to install recessed lighting.

Eclectic Look: Don't be afraid to combine era and cultures. Use modern or contemporary
art in your traditional furnished home. Buy pieces of furniture that speak
to you and mix them in with your brand new items.


Use some these ideas to create a look that stands the test of time and easy to update when your tastes change.

Battling the Winter Blahs

Now that the weather is too cold for outdoor activities we have turned our atention to the interior once again. The winter blahs can sometimes be overcome with small changes in your decor. Here are some quick fixes that you can try out today.

1. Room Shuffle: Rearrange the furniture in your rooms, swap out accessories such as lamps, vases, throws and area rugs.

2. Color infusion: Assuming that you have a somewhat neutral palette in your room(s), you can easily change the mood by adding punches of color. The best bang for the buck are throw pillows

and flower arrangements. We usually troll the local stores for pillows and quirky decorative items, but you can sometimes find these items on the internet. Stay local though use your paper's website and/or craiglists.

3. Painting: You knew we were going to mention it eventually. Don't start pulling out all those samples you have in your purse just yet. Sometimes a fresh coat is all that you need or touching up the trim around the windows and base boards.

4. Window treatments: If the room is the woman, then window treatments are the necklace and earrings. There so many options and price points for ready made panels it can be overwhelming.

We suggest spending some time looking through magazines (Elle Decor, Domino and Southern Accents are good examples). Once you see something you like, look in the back of the magazine for the buyers guide and look that fabric or that company up on the web. Our point is do your homework. We looked at many different options for our living (too many)but in the end we found pre-made panels and did all four windows for less than $600.00.