Vinyl Flooring, hot new trend!!

Vinyl flooring is the hot new trend!  With all the different styles and colors, it's easy to see why. But that is not the only reason, it can be completely water proof or water resistance!!

Gone are the days when vinyl flooring was something you would find in grandma's house. Todays vinyl flooring comes in planks that look like wood. They are beautiful, long lasting, and best of all, water proof/resistance. 

There are three different types of vinyl flooring:

1. Vinyl planks click and lock. Simply click it and lock in place. Water resistance. Easy to install.

Best Laminate

2. Self-stick Plank flooring. Self-stick edge tabs adhere to one another. Water resistance. Easy to install.

Bargain Outlet

3. Loose lay vinyl plank flooring. Simply lay next to one another. No glueing, no clicking. no adhesive!! Very easy to install. Best of all, water proof!!

efloors

Vinyl flooring have come a long way since we saw it on grandma floors. Today vinyl flooring are so realistic, they can pass for real wood!! They are easy to install, making it easy for anyone to install. They are ideal for basement, where moisture can reside. And they can go be installed over most existing floors!!

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At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, we believe any home can be beautifully transformed. We believe in delivering a custom-made look, but without the custom-made price tag! Call us and let's get started today!

Up and coming color trends!!

What is the up and coming color trends? According to Pantone, there are 4 color palettes that are emerging strong. So what are they?


1. Ephemeral. We are going to see a lot of pastels.  There is a move towards softer colors. The world has become a much more stressful place. People are looking for a way to destress, and color is one way to achieve that. Rooms that are painted in pastels have a quiet, calming, relax effect. Pastels will be seen in just about everything, from fashion, to accessories, to appliances.

Pinterest

2. Bijou. Think jewel tones, amethyst, violet. Metallic finishes, think sheen, iridescent, pearlized finishes. This is just about finishes and the material being used will have a great impact on the finish. 

Ralph Lauren

3. Footloose. This is a palette about nature. It's about kicking back, relaxing and bring the garden indoors. Think flower colors, blue, green, yellow, orange, taupes.

Sunlight Heritage Homes

4. Mix Bag. Technology today has made the world a smaller place. Cultures are blending. Think bright bold colors. This isn't just a trend, this is life and it's here to stay. Global eclectic mix. A good global mix is almost unidentifiable. You shouldn't be able to identify the culture.

iDesignArch

HGTV

What do you think of this up and coming color trend? Can you see yourself doing any of these palettes? Which one is your favorite? One thing for sure, people are being bolder then ever. Gone are the days when you would buy furniture and keep it 20-30 years, like our parents and grandparents did. We have become a disposable generation, which may not be a bad thing when it comes to design and color! It keeps our design young and fresh and I like that!!

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What material should you look for when buying an area rug?

When buying an area rug, the material is the most important decision you have to make. Are you looking for durability? Softness? A more casual look? Or a more formal look? What are the pros and cons? So many factors to consider when choosing an area rug. Here are some helpful tips!

Wool

Pros: Great for high traffic area, repels water, pleasant to walk on, excellent insulator. Formal

Cons: Tend to absorb moisture, shed fuzz, and can be costly, depending on the quality.

Chenille
Pros: Luxurious soft pile, incredible soft. Looks amazing. Has a sheen to it. Formal look.
Cons: Not suitable for high traffic areas. Can be expensive. Can't use a rotating brush vacuum as it will tangle the fibers. May not be color fast.

Bamboo

Pros: Organic, durable,  great for allergy sufferers. Great for high traffic areas, easy to clean. Casual.

Cons: They don't offer any cushion or softness. Not recommended for humid areas.

Cotton

Pros: Natural product, inexpensive, easily washed, strong and durable. Casual.

Cons: Because they're cotton, they can easily soil and stain. They are found in flat weave, so they tend not to be plush.

Leather
Pros: Soft, stain resistance, easy to clean, incredible unique pieces. Formal.
Cons: Leather does not do well in damp or humid rooms. They tend to be somewhat masculine in natural due to their consistence. Very expensive!

Polypropylene
Pros: Very durable, easy to clean, can be used outdoor, great for kitchen and dining areas. Casual
Cons: Can be crushed or retain a fold, sensitive to heat over 300 degrees.

Sisal, Jute, and Seagrass
Pros: Natural fibers, very strong. Casual, great for beach cottages.
Cons: Impossible to remove stains, coarse, not comfortable.

Sheepskin
Pros: Incredible soft, luxurious, great accent piece. Very warm. Formal.
Cons: Difficult to clean. Need sheepskin specialty cleaner. Stay away from sunlight. High maintenance.

Silk
Pros: Luxurious, incredible soft, has a sheen. Formal.
Cons: Expensive, not as strong as wool, sensitive to moisture.

Synthetics
Pros: Easy to clean, durable, stain resistant, very inexpensive, mildew resistant. Casual or formal.
Cons: Not as pleasing as natural fibers.

As you can see, different material for different uses. At one time or another, I have had just about every type of area rug mentioned in this blog. With the exception of sheepskin and leather!! But who knows, that may change soon enough!!

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Building & organizing my shed

Building and organizing my shed was a time consuming project, but well worth the time and effort. I needed a shed to put all my tools and yard items. So, I brought one of those pre-fab shed and had my contractor, New Island Remodeling, put it together. They did a great job as usual!!

Reading those instruction was time consuming!!

We're almost there!!

Construction is done, now the fun begins! A lot of work on my part, but worth it. I painted the inside and the outside. Why you ask? Because it  brightened up the inside, and protects the outdoor against the elements.

This shed came with two shelves! Very handy, it allowed me to store my tables and outdoor area rug. I added hooks to hang items that were large or bulky.

I added a peg board and even added a table. This allows me to use it as a small work station. 

I labeled all my items. This way when my CHILDREN use the items, they know where to PUT IT BACK!! No excuses!!

I brought these white storage cubes from Home Depot. They are great because they are plastic. I brought  six of them. They come 2 in a pack.

I brought these fabric storage bins from Target. They're called Threshold Fabric Cube. They come in different colors. They fit perfectly in those white storage cubes.

I use PVC tubing and cut them on an angle, then nailed them to wood. This allowed me to store my long items, without taking up space!

Lastly, I use these hooks to hang my ladders, hose and eventually my snow shovels!!

It's not done until I add some piazza to it!! Couldn't help myself!!

Now it's all done. It gives me lots of storage space. I'm very proud of what I accomplished on my own!! But I'm not done yet. I will be adding cement (no I will not do it), sometime in the fall. This way, there won't be such a big step getting in or out of the shed.

#AbellaHomeStaging

Think outside the box!!

Think outside the box, that is what I'm always telling myself. How can I repurpose this?  What can I use this for? So when I had three empty Harry & David Moose Munch Canisters, I decided to repurpose them.

Here is what they looked like. Nice size canister.

I sprayed painted them silver gray.

Next, I use rub-on calligraphy. I used three different styles, but you can use one style, if you prefer. I also used stickers to add some glamour. These were simple swirl stickers. It look nice enough, but it was missing something. 

Color, I wanted to add some color!! So I use this colorful scotch tape. Comes in different sizes and colors!!

This is what the finish product looks like. Not bad!! I will be putting this on my shelf in my new home!!

What do you have that you can repurpose? Remember to think outside the box!!

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Why it's so important to stage a vacant house.

The number one reason a buyer purchases a home is because it “felt home.”  It was warm, inviting and the buyer made an emotional connection with the home.  When have you ever heard of an empty room described as warm and inviting?  Sterile, cold and uninviting are the three most popular words to describe an empty room. That is why staging is so important.

What feelings does this room convey?

Warm and inviting!

Can you imagine buying a new Mercedes without a paint job? Do you think people would notice the beautiful car or the missing paint? It's so much easier to notice that crack in the wall, or the chip in the tile when there is nothing else to look at. Home staging capitalizes on the positive aspects of a home, while de-emphasizing negative aspects in order to position a home that will make an emotional connection with the buyers.

Would you spend 1 million dollars to purchase this home?

This home will connect with buyers on an emotional level!

Nine out of every ten people walking in your home have no imagination of the wonderful possibilities your home has to offer them.  They just can’t picture it.  Don’t let a simple thing like no furniture or limited furniture ruin your sale.  Don’t take those odds; they will hurt you in the price significantly!

With no frame of references, buyers can not see how the room can look!

Staging gives buyers the WOW factor they are seeking!

According to the Census Bureau the vacancy rate of homes is at the highest level they have ever seen since they started tracking it 40 years ago!  Your home needs to differentiate from all the empty homes on the market that will continue to stay there without considerable price decreases.Give the buyers the wow factor they are looking for, stage your vacant house!! 

All photos provided by Abella Home Staging & Redesign

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The Impact of Color!!

The impact of color in a room's design is critical. Choose the wrong color, and your design will fail! May seem like a simple statement, but color is that significant in a room's design. As a certified color specialist, I have done a tremendous amount of color consultation. Many times my clients will pick the wrong level of saturation (intensity),  rather then choosing the wrong color!! This is where a color specialist can help.

In today's market, I am seeing bright colors being painted on walls. Many of my clients are tired of beiges, and want a change. Colors can dominant a room. Cool colors are striking and intense. Warm colors tend to be calm and soothing.


Cool  colors are especially popular among children and young teens. They love the vibrant colors!!

Adults tend to gravitate towards warmer colors.

As you can see, colors are being used in room designs. And when you choose the right colors, like this photo shown below, you can see how well it works. This design uses a warm color palette. Works beautifully!!

When choosing colors, make sure you stick to one palette, either warm tones or cool tones. And if you have problems choosing colors, consider hiring a color specialist. Besides it's less expensive and time consuming to hire a color specialist, then to paint the room and decide you DON'T like the colors!!

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