La Quinta, California

La Quinta, California
Desert Luxury

Desert Luxury Realty

Thank you for visiting my blog. When you choose Mary Williams, as your real estate agent, you are working with a team of seasoned professionals who cater to your every real estate need. Buying or Selling your home does not need to be full of hassels or needless pressure. Take it easy and enjoy the luxury of the desert. I look forward to assisting you with your search or sell of your home. Contact me today!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Home Makeover Planning Tips

makeoverThere’s something about the start of a new year that inspires a fresh start. Many homeowners will choose to give their homes a facelift in 2015. Whether you’ve budgeted all year long or are planning a splurge with your tax return, it’s important to plan ahead when making major changes to your decor. Use these tips to make sure the transition to your home’s new look goes smoothly.

Determine Your Priorities

Are you just revamping or going for a major overhaul? Are you going to start with the living room, the kitchen or the master bath? Deciding what you want to do helps you set a budget and is the first step toward creating your makeover plan.

Measure Everything

Have you heard the saying, “measure twice, cut once”? There’s good reason for it. The last thing you want is a piece that won’t fit through your doorway. Measure the room’s dimensions and each door and window at its smallest point. While you’re at it, take the measurements of your existing furniture too. Those figures will come in handy for the next step.

Put it on Paper

Use the measurements you took to map out the room on graph paper. Use a second piece of paper to draw approximations of your current furniture pieces (drawn to the same scale) and cut them out. Now you can rearrange with minimal effort. While it won’t be quite the same as the real thing, you can get a good idea of how things will look without moving your giant entertainment center for the tenth time.

Create a Lookbook

Paint chips, fabric swatches, printed web pages and magazine photos should all go into your lookbook. Not only will it help you stick with a clear vision of the room’s intended purpose and ambiance, but you can take it with you to the home improvement store or furniture showroom for comparison. If you include your floor plan and mock-up furniture pieces, you’ll also have a better sense of scale when you’re considering specific pieces.

Make a Budget

A lot of people don’t like the word, but a realistic budget is your friend. Without it, even a simple makeover can venture into thousands of dollars or more. Allocating specific amounts to painting, window treatments, furniture and artwork gives you the freedom to choose where to spend your hard earned cash. Don’t think of it as being written in stone either. If you can cut corners and save a bundle in one area, you can reallocate funds for big ticket items in another category. Similarly, if you see a must-have couch or kitchen table that’s just a bit out of your price range, finding less expensive DIY options for window treatments may free up the needed funds.

Practice Makes Perfect

Planning ahead doesn’t lock you into rigid guidelines, but frees your time and resources to be spent in the way that best benefits you and makes your home look great. Once you’ve decided on the look you want, your budget, and the correct scale for new pieces, it’s much easier to make your selections. Not sure if you should remodel, refresh or stage your home?  Give me a call and together we can go over your options. A little or a lot, I will be able to walk you through the process. If you’re coming back to the desert this winter, why not start refreshing your Desert home now, so it’s all ready for your arrival!!

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