It is 2010, wow. When I say the words twenty ten it sounds like Star Trek or The Jetsen’s space age. Am I dating myself with the Jetsen’s cartoon? That was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. Loved Astro the dog. Maybe that is where I first got my love of large dogs and why I have owned St. Bernard’s for 26 years. Hmmmm….hadn’t thought about that.

The year is starting out great, even with the extremely cold weather. I arrived back from Florida on Monday and was shocked, but Florida is having record breaking cold temperatures too so we are all in the deep freeze.

I am so optimistic about 2010. I am an optimistic person by nature but I seem even more so this year. Maybe it is because I had major surgery in November and had the chance of hearing some very bad news when I woke up. But I didn’t! It was great news and I feel like I was given a new life. I am sure many of you that have had a health scare or have recovered from a serious illness know that feeling. I don’t let the little things bother me quite as much.

So, here is to 2010, to you and your family. May you have a blessed and healthy year.

One question I get a lot relates to color. The answer depends on whether you are selling your home or looking to change the look for yourself. If you are selling, neutral does not mean white!! You need color to sell a home but of course it cannot be taste specific.

If you are refreshing your own home for personal enjoyment, don’t be afraid of color. Color is powerful and it can calm your mood after a hectic day or energize you in the morning. Paint color sets the immediate feel of a room. You need to think about how you use a room and what feeling you are trying to convey or want to experience while you are in that room. Is the room for rest and quiet time? Is it for cozy family and friends gatherings? Or is it where you want to be uplifted and energized.

One look I love right now is black and white. You can do so much with these two basic colors and combine it with almost any style. It can be extremely elegant, funky, or art deco. From black on white toile fabrics to popping it with hot pink, lavender or lime accents, there is no limit to what you can do. Use seasonal colors to change it throughout the year. Warm wood tones of furniture or flooring will ground and balance the room. And don’t forget about texture. This can be done with the fabric in linens, throw pillows, or sofa throws.

If you are nervous about using black and white, start small. I recently changed the look of my guest bathroom. Previously done with a fun kids theme for my visiting nieces, they have grown up and I personally needed a change. I kept the basic light café latte wall color, added a black and white classic patterned shower curtain with velvet, a couple of fun new prints and inspiration woods on the walls and black, white and tan towels. I LOVE those three colors together, very classy. What a transformation and I did it all for under $200.

Be inspired. Take a risk. Have fun.

I love these as we have probably all heard them, or done them ourselves!

1)     Any Remodel is a Good One. Not the case. As I discussed in my last blog you need to check out and consider many things before considering ANY improvement.

2)   “I CAN DO IT MYSELF”. Sure you can. :-)  All of us have seen the “DIYP” – The ‘Do it Yourself Project’ when our best friend or spouse is so proud of their work but they really should have let a professional do it.

3)    ADDING A POOL ALWAYS ADDS VALUE. Not so. Pools only add value if they are in a climate where they can be used year round. In many cases a pool can reduce the value of a home.

4)   I SHOULD FOLLOW THE LASTEST DESIGN TREND. The key word here is “trend”. That’s what it is, it’ll be on it’s way out before you even get it done. That is fine for $8 throw pillows, not for major improvements.

If you have more myths that you have seen, done or heard, please add to my list!!

In my last three blogs I discussed the top 20 ways to improve the value of your home. Now a couple things to consider before you do any improvement:

1)     Look at how long you are going to be in your home. Some improvements are imperative to make to get your home in sellable condition. Other improvements should only be made if you plan on being in your home for a while.

2)   Check out your Neighborhood. You never want to improve beyond the value of your neighborhood. Being the biggest or best house on the block is not the best thing for resale.

3)   Check out your Market. What is the current housing market in your area? Who is the potential buyer of your home when you do go to sell?

4)   Don’t design yourself into a corner by being too specific. You don’t want to limit who you can sell to. Personalize your home through paint and accessories that are easy to change rather than having to replace walls.

5)    Balance your style and area. Again, keep in mind what will sell in the future if you choose to do so?

If you are planning to make improvements and potentially sell in a shorter period of time, check out the statistics listed on my website on the return on your investment for certain improvements. It can be found at: http://roomswithstyle.com/reasons.html

If you have made any mistakes in your home improvements that you would like to share with others so they don’t make the same ones, please do so. What is your horror story in home improvements? Or, what was your biggest success? I’d love to hear.

In the next blog I am going to talk about MYTHS in home improvements.

In my last blog I discussed in more detail improvements #20 – #11, now let’s look at the top 10!

#10   Basement Remodel – Basements do not have to feel like basements. No one enjoys being in a dark dungeon or a 1970’s paneled room with orange shag carpet. Make it a room your family will love to be in.

# 9    Add a Deck – You don’t want your deck to be more than one-third of the square footage of your house. Bigger is not better in this case. You normally get only a 76% return on this investment so you must plan on living in your home awhile to consider this improvement.

# 8    Major Bathroom Remodel – This means all things torn out, walls knocked down and pushed back. Basically starting from scratch. If your bathroom is outdated and cramped, especially if it is the master bath, time to get going.

# 7    Paint! Paint! Paint! – The easiest and usually most inexpensive way to change the appearance of your home. If you cannot afford anything else but want a new look, paint. If you are selling and need to freshen up the house, paint. Color choice is important, especially if selling. And no, neutral does NOT mean white!

# 6    Renovate the attic (or the space above the garage) – This is square footage that many times gets forgotten and can be great space for a family. A bonus room, an exercise room you have always wanted, a place for the teenager and their friends to hang out…….

# 5    Add a Second Story Addition – Obviously this is an improvement for when you are sticking around for a while and you love your house, your lot, your neighbors but need more space. This addition usually costs 50% of the cost of the first floor so not a cheap improvement.

# 4    Don’t over Customize Rooms – Especially if you are selling soon or if the customization means knocking down walls and creating a room so specific for your hobby that only one in a million other people can use it.

# 3    Minor Kitchen Remodel – These are the easier things that don’t entail knocking down or pushing back walls. New appliances, change the handles on the cabinets, paint, add a back splash.

# 2    Minor Bathroom Remodel – Here you are keeping the basic footprint of the room but may need to replace the sink, stool or flooring.

And the #1 Best Way to Improve the Value of Your Home…………………………………..

#1     Replace Old Siding – This sets the tone for the house. Yes, you can judge a book by its cover in this case. And as they say, First Impressions, First Impressions, First Impressions.

Now that you know the dos, you really need to pay attention to the don’ts.

In my next blog I am going to talk about being careful with the improvements you make.

In my last blog I listed HGTV’s top 20 ways to improve the value of your home. Now for a little more detail on ten of those items.

#20   Home Office Remodel – A large percentage of the population work at home full time or at least spend off hours doing work at home to catch up. Home Office Space is valuable square footage. If at all possible it shouldn’t be part of another room and it definitely shouldn’t feel like a dungeon to be in it.

#19   Add a Sunroom – Everyone loves a sunroom. A place to read, have quiet time, enjoy a cup of coffee, and unwind with family and friends.

#18   Create or Renovate a Master Suite – Next to the kitchen, the master bedroom with adjoining bath is the most important area of the house. Adults want a place to escape at the end of the day. Think the best five star resort you have every been in. Aaaahhh. This area of the house is always a draw for buyers.

#17    Renovate or Add a Family Room – It is where all families spend the majority of their time. Make it warm, inviting and cozy.

#16   New Roof – Maintenance on a home is key and the roof is the best place to start.

#15    Landscape your Yard – Not always the best return on your investment but definitely the best for curb appeal to get buyers into your home and it may make for a quicker sale. Not to mention the enjoyment you will get out of a perennial garden in the mean time.

#14   Major Kitchen Remodel – Kitchens are the heart of the home and can always make or break a sale. Major kitchen remodels are great if you are not selling immediately. Do the major remodel, enjoy it, then it is ready for sale down the road.

#13   Add a bathroom – If you have fewer faucets than beds, adding a bathroom can not only add value but save family arguments.

#12   Make sure Additions Match the House – If you have a traditional home, don’t add on a contemporary addition just because that is more your taste. If your addition doesn’t match, then change the look of the house at the same time.

#11    Replace Old Windows – Save energy and dollars now. Reap rewards at selling time.

The next blog will go into more detail on improvements #10 – #1. Stay Tuned!

A while back I saw a show on HGTV regarding this subject. I loved everything they had to say and agreed with most items. …………..And the countdown begins at #20 and works its way to the #1 improvement!

#20 Home Office Remodel
#19 Add a Sunroom
#18 Create or Renovate a Master Suite
#17 Renovate or Add a Family Room
#16 New Roof
#15 Landscape your Yard
#14 Major Kitchen Remodel
#13 Add a bathroom
#12 Make sure Additions Match the House
#11 Replace Old Windows
#10 Basement Remodel
# 9 Add a Deck
# 8 Major Bathroom Remodel
# 7 Paint! Paint! Paint!
# 6 Renovate the attic (or the space above the garage)
# 5 Add a Second Story Addition
# 4 Don’t over Customize Rooms
# 3 Minor Kitchen Remodel
# 2 Minor Bathroom Remodel

And the #1 Best Way to Improve the Value of Your Home…………………………………..
#1 Replace Old Siding

So, which of these are you wanting to do? Or maybe more importantly…….. needing to do! Hope they at least got you thinking.
In my next blog I am going to talk about these improvements in a little more detail and share some thoughts on what I have found through my experience.