When you get it together and finally are able to buy your first home, most of us are so excited to create the home of our dreams. I would like to share some tips on how to design on a dime, and plan for resale.
This is your first home, not your forever home. A good mantra, write it down.
The decisions you make need to take into account the people who will purchase your home within the next 5 to 10 years.
Now let's start with appliances.
If you need to buy appliances, buy middle range. They look great, will last during the duration you own the home and will be energy efficient. Also you may want to think of brushed steel. It shows no fingerprints and goes in most any decor.
Another important subject is paint, here are a few of my
color tips. Bright or deep colored might be a sweet song in your heart but a high percentage of future buyers do not have the ability to see past a Tangerine kitchen or a Cranberry Great room. So here are your painting tips.
First, always prep and prime your walls. Second buy a high quality paint with a bit of a luster finish. Your paint job will still look great after five years and because you chose a luster finish, you can easily wipe of scuffs and marks without damaging the paint.
House Beautiful
Magazine is very big on color. They have partnered with Benjamin Moore and have a vast collection with an easy application that takes the guess work out of how a room would look when painted in your chosen color.
I think for easy living and for resale the compromise is simple, lean towards the lighter versions of the colors that speak to you.
Instead of a deep Tangerine for a kitchen, how about a light Cantaloupe? It is the same warm family, just not as intense. Save your deep or bright splashes of color for your Art, Mixmaster, Toaster, Towels and Dishes.
Are you thinking a deep Blue for a library. Wow, yes that would look dramatic, however your room would feel smaller and absorb the light, not reflect it. Also for resale, a neutral Taupe or Griege (Grayish Beige) is not only very popular but quite lovely.
I am a fan of subtle reflective colors that change with the weather and the light.
Sherwin Williams Paint company has a palette that I use consistently. My top favorites are Frostwork, Copen Blue, Opera Glass, Relaxed Khaki, and Sea Salt. These colors work well with different trim colors and all react to the light, making the room color, different at all times of the day. I have used these colors in Homes and Offices on both coasts. I am asked often about these colors and others who use them seem to be as happy with this simple palette as I am.
The fun part is choosing the art and accessories that can make a room POP.
Furnishings. A great sofa is an investment. An okay sofa can be $1200 and will last about 10 years. A great sofa will last 20+ years and cost $1800-3000. Find a sofa that is comfortable, neutral, well made and if you can swing it has down wrapped cushions.
Choose a fabric that will work with many colors. Preferably a textured fabric that will be comfy and hold up well as your family grows. Your taste will change over the years, a classic sofa will change with you. Another beautiful aspect of a high end sofa is that you can have a new slip cover made to reflect your next homes style.
Remember it is better to have one fabulous piece of furniture than a room of furniture that is poorly made and not attractive. Less is fine, you can always save and buy the matching chair next year and for the time being make do with a few of your other pieces, or none at all.
Curb appeal. It is important to drive up to your home and have it feel as beautiful as you had dreamed it would. Some easy fixes can be a paint job, shutters, a colorful door and fresh plantings.
Planting beds that are in good condition and have some nice mulch with no dirt showing will looked well cared for and save you big money on your water bill!
Perennials and foundation plantings are less expensive than bright colored annuals in the long run. If you choose your plant material wisely they will also require less care, water and maintenance. Consider a garden, front and back, that features tall perennial grasses and the various varieties of sedum mixed with some low maintenance Carpet Roses. If you live in a warm climate plant a few trees such as fruitless Olives or Pepper Trees. They will provide shade, will not require much water, care or trimming. They also have smaller root systems that do not get into the sewer and water pipes. This is really important advice.
My own Maine garden has an Apple Orchard, Wild grasses, some perennials, and Rosa Rugosas. We were also blessed with a wide variety of trees including for 200 year old Maple trees and Woodland areas with fantastic varieties of Moss and Fern.
Lets talk garden color.
Keep it neutral, with a bit of a flair and lots of texture and contrasting leaf colors.
If you would like to learn more, google Garden Design Magazine, they feature many lovely examples of gardens for your area of the country that will thrive. You can also click and go to my "
Garden Portfolio" Design site. There are alot of great ideas to borrow. From Hardscape to Garden Structures and Pools. You may also want to take some time and walk the neighborhood or the local Botanic gardens and see what plants and trees are growing with little effort and much ease. Take the time to google Drought tolerant and Eco-Friendly or Green and Sustainable Gardens. Click on images and then go to the sites that interest you the most.
A great tip is to hire a designer to walk your property with you and give you tips, tricks and ideas about what you can do. Expect to pay around $300.00 for a consult. You will save much more by not making mistakes and doing it right the first time. One last tip. Use great
compost, lots of
Bone & Blood Meal, ground
Sea Kelp &
Rock Phosphate.
These simple items used consistently will make for a high PH balance, healthy plants and bugs in balance. We live in the natural world and the full spectrum of insects and birds is
very important. Strive to keep the circle unbroken, everything depends on each other, really.
Enjoy your home. Have fun feathering your nest. Make sure you include your partner, they really do like to be part of the process. Welcome to home ownership and may your next home be your forever home.
This has been a very snowy Maine Winter. In February we measured 49 inches of snow. A Winter Wonderland indeed! The Pergola in the Orchard Garden added drama and Structure to the Winter Garden Views. The Blue is the signature color of this property and is used as an accent throughout. In the Spring we will be planting Hops Vines on the Pergola. They are rapid growers and the Lime Green color of the leaves and cone shaped flowers will pop against the blue!
When you get it together and finally are able to buy your first home, most of us are so excited to create the home of our dreams. I would like to share some tips on how to design on a dime, and plan for resale. This is your first home, not your forever home. A good mantra, write it down.
If you need to buy appliances, buy middle range. They look great, will last during the duration you own the home and will be energy efficient. Also you may want to think of brushed steel. It shows no fingerprints and goes in most any decor.
I think for easy living and for resale the compromise is simple, lean towards the lighter versions of the colors that speak to you.
I am a fan of subtle reflective colors that change with the weather and the light. Sherwin Williams Paint company has a palette that I use consistently. My top favorites are Frostwork, Copen Blue, Opera Glass, Relaxed Khaki, and Sea Salt. These colors work well with different trim colors and all react to the light, making the room color, different at all times of the day. I have used these colors in Homes and Offices on both coasts. I am asked often about these colors and others who use them seem to be as happy with this simple palette as I am.
Choose a fabric that will work with many colors. Preferably a textured fabric that will be comfy and hold up well as your family grows. Your taste will change over the years, a classic sofa will change with you. Another beautiful aspect of a high end sofa is that you can have a new slip cover made to reflect your next homes style.
Perennials and foundation plantings are less expensive than bright colored annuals in the long run. If you choose your plant material wisely they will also require less care, water and maintenance. Consider a garden, front and back, that features tall perennial grasses and the various varieties of sedum mixed with some low maintenance Carpet Roses. If you live in a warm climate plant a few trees such as fruitless Olives or Pepper Trees. They will provide shade, will not require much water, care or trimming. They also have smaller root systems that do not get into the sewer and water pipes. This is really important advice.
If you would like to learn more, google Garden Design Magazine, they feature many lovely examples of gardens for your area of the country that will thrive. You can also click and go to my "Garden Portfolio" Design site. There are alot of great ideas to borrow. From Hardscape to Garden Structures and Pools. You may also want to take some time and walk the neighborhood or the local Botanic gardens and see what plants and trees are growing with little effort and much ease. Take the time to google Drought tolerant and Eco-Friendly or Green and Sustainable Gardens. Click on images and then go to the sites that interest you the most.
These simple items used consistently will make for a high PH balance, healthy plants and bugs in balance. We live in the natural world and the full spectrum of insects and birds is very important. Strive to keep the circle unbroken, everything depends on each other, really.
Summer is the season we all wait for, especially in the state of Maine. In October of 2008 we moved into our home in Topsham Maine. Unfortunately the gardens had been managed chemically. This was a very quiet property, during our first garden season of 2009 . Very few birds or butterflies graced the landscape. On our property we have adopted a policy of "All living things matter." I believe it is important to welcome Birds as they will eat alot of the bugs. 
Spiders not only bring good fortune (they say) but also take care of many flying insects who get caught up in their webs and later become a meal for those web spinning spiders. We planted liberal amounts of Bee Balm, Echenecia, Cleome, Cosmos, Joe Pye Weed and Day Lillies as well as Apple Trees and Blueberry Bushes to encourage and attract all of our winged friends. We let the formally mowed lawns go wild and cut paths that now meander through these meadow gardens. We now sport an Upper Meadow and a lower Woodland Meadow.
Today I would like to talk a bit about the upper meadow garden. It has a wide range of Grasses (5 varieties), Clover, Equisetum, Millet and Wheat. Within the meadows we have walking paths and a scattering of blooming Rudibeckia, Verbena Borenesis, Cosmos, Bronze Fennel, Milk Weed and a few Artichoke plants. Full sun, organic amendments and periodic big rains have brought this part of the garden to an officially ALIVE status. Birds, Butterflies, Bees, Spiders, Moths and other various flying and crawling creatures show up and add to the beauty of this now thriving, organically managed Meadow. We feed with Bone and Blood Meal and Seaweed Compost and wowza the difference is palpable from that first "Silent Spring" of 2009.
Rodales, As the publishers of Organic Gardening Magazine they are the old time experts. Their breadth of knowledge and online resources that are unmatched. Rodale Publishing is in the business of selling the idea of living in absolute harmony with the earth.
This is the time of year I wistfully contemplate the garden. What area will I choose to tackle this year? Do I need to think about paths, patios, walls, sitting areas or am I just going to enjoy a field of Sunflowers, perhaps. The possibilities are endless. I always study the area that is about to be transformed. I like doing the work one time! I carefully consider the end use and ask myself the following questions. Will the area be used for entertaining or is it a quiet spot on the north side of the house that is only viewed from a window? Possibly it is an area that would make a perfect kitchen garden later to be filled to full with Herbs, Vegetables, maybe a focal point of a henhouse for fresh eggs and other treats to be incorporated into Summertime meals.
Maybe this is the year a pool or water source is seriously considered and will be integrated into a meditation garden or a main family area. In the end it boils down to several factors.
1. Resale, will you be in this space long enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
The question is how to embrace this philosophy of Aesthetic as a lifestyle. The answer although simple takes discipline.
6. I keep myself on track by not settling for something, but waiting until I can afford or find exactly what it is I see in a room or in my personal space, indoors and in the garden.
Indeed these are not the carrots of our youth or even the produce aisle of the supermarket!
This is excellent with some grilled, Fish, Chicken or any roasted meat.
Here is the deal, they love morning sunshine or a bright, bright light filled room. In nature they grow in steamy jungles attached to sides of trees, catching streams of sunshine and rain filtered through the canopy of leaves from above. The best part is this, at home the only required effort is to put them in the sink every few weeks, soak them with warm water and gently water the leaves. The rest of the time they hang out just enjoying the day and look lovely. I have never had bug problems or mysterious die backs. I believe it is because I do not "over love" them, I give them their space and pay attention to them only a few times a month. They are the perfect choice if you travel and like to come home to flowering beauties.
