Interior Design

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8 Easy Decor Updates That Will Invite Positive Energy to Your Home This Year

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Now that it's officially 2025, it’s the perfect time to turn your home into a space you truly love.

It's a fresh start after all! While this might sound intimidating, there’s no need for a full-scale renovation or a total redesign. Small, simple changes can truly make a major difference. Here are eight easy decor updates to welcome positive vibes into your home for the new year.

Clear the Clutter

Designer Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow says that simply decluttering your home can make a big difference. It not only makes the space feel less stressful, but it’s also the best way to evaluate if you want to make bigger changes. “It's usually difficult for homeowners to refresh a space because they can't see past what's taking up all of it,” explains Guyton. “Remove unnecessary items so you can truly see the blank canvas in front of you and better imagine updates that can be made to enhance the space." This may equal a new area rug or wall paint, or even something as simple as new lampshades and throw pillows.

Not sure where to begin? Interior designer Becky Shea suggests starting by putting away those holiday decorations. “For me, as soon as the holiday season comes to an end, I immediately put away all the decorations and give the house a thorough tidy-up,” she says.

Bring in Plants

Bringing more nature into your home can bring about positive energy. Designer Shauna Jones of Shauna Glenn Design is a huge fan of doing this. “You'll see them all over my house, and I'm lucky, because my husband is an awesome plant parent," she says. "There really is just something about being surrounded by nature that brings a calming energy to a space.”

Not a good plant parent? It’s okay. The designer suggests the “fake it until you make it” approach. “If you are not the best plant parent, there are great fake plant options, but perhaps this is the year your green thumb finds its calling,” she says.

And if you simply aren't a plant person, bringing in flowers can have the same impact. “It's a simple yet transformative way to breathe new life into a space, creating an atmosphere of renewal and tranquility," explains Shea. "Fresh flowers not only brighten up a room visually but also infuse it with vibrant, positive energy."

Install Dimmer Switches

When it comes to creating a calm environment, being able to customize light can make a major impact, according to Teresa Mack Noval of A Design Company. “Dimmable lighting is a must for adjusting the mood throughout the day, and a sound system can amplify soothing music or calming nature sounds to transform the atmosphere," she says.

If you rent or can't install dimmer switches in your home, consider buying lamps with dimmers as an alternative. 

Edit Your Bookshelves

Even if you don't have a budget to buy new things for your home, you can always edit and re-style your bookshelves. “Thoughtfully styled shelves can act as a visual centerpiece in a room, showcasing your home's aesthetic and your own personal style," says Ashley Macuga of Collected Interiors. "But without being carefully curated, they can also feel messy and overwhelming to look at."

She recommends starting with a clean slate by removing all of your existing items, then editing out books and objects that no longer bring you joy.

Update Your Picture Frames

We all take so many photos and post them online, but we should really be incorporating them into our real lives instead. So, consider reliving those moments by printing those photos and updating your picture frames. “Freshen up picture frames with up-to-date photos, and then rearrange for a new fresh perspective and a visual clean slate,” says Macuga.

Swap Out Your Hardware

Changing out hardware is an easy, affordable DIY that can instantly update everything from a kitchen to a bathroom or even a piece of furniture like an old desk or dresser. “A pop of color or an interesting shape can instantly bring new energy and personality to a space, whether it's on cabinet hardware or drawer handles," says Kyle Kurtenbac, owner of ROUS Hardware. “Best of all, it's a DIY-friendly update that doesn't require a lot of tools or time—just a few simple swaps can make a significant impact.”

Buy a New Doormat

It's the first thing you see when you enter your home, and if your doormat is looking less than welcoming, it's a quick and easy replacement. So, feel free to treat yourself and make your home a happier place.

Treat Yourself to New Curtains

New year, new curtains. We are so here for it. Curtains are a fantastic way to add color and texture to any space. So, feel free to experiment and change yours up. Another thing to consider is how sheer or opaque you want your curtains to let more or less light in. 

Read more at Real Simple

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No View, No Problem: How to Improve The View From Your Property

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Compensating for a lack of view is not insurmountable. Here are some clever ways to create your own. 

Prestigious addresses in desirable neighborhoods may suggest apartments and townhouses that check all the boxes, but sunlight and views are not guaranteed. It is a simple matter of geometry: Each building may be a square or rectangular box, or a series of boxes, with a front, two sides, and a back. While the front of the building may boast park or river views, the two sides most likely abut another building or a courtyard, and the back may have no view of any kind.

While everyone, whether renter or owner, may prefer an open view, as opposed to a partial or obstructed view, it is clear that lovely homes exist in charming neighborhoods at affordable prices, but without a view.

Compensating for the lack of any view is not insurmountable. Urban living offers many options, particularly in New York City, and views may be the first amenity to fall by the wayside. The density of construction and the need to utilize every square inch of land virtually guarantees that views will be less than ideal, if not entirely expendable.

Buyers are willing to pay for a favorable view, particularly of a landmark building, skyline, park or river. Units on a building's lower floors, or its rear, while they may receive ample light and air circulation, can benefit from innovative ways of manipulating space.

Create a Tropical Feeling

I have rented apartments to individuals who come to New York from warm, sunny countries near the equator, with courtyards and fountains in the center of their homes, looking to recreate the same ambiance in an urban setting. I recommend using bright, warm colors, lighting, mirrors and plants to evoke a tropical feeling in the middle of a concrete jungle.

Light fixtures with higher wattage and warm bulbs can provide a sunny atmosphere. Plants of varying heights, both live and artificial, grouped with light shining onto their leaves, casting shadows on the walls and ceiling, can add a sunny feeling, especially if combined with a small water feature or recirculating fountain and maybe even a live bird in a cage.

Get Window Treatments and Stained Glass

Large expanses of glass that look at nothing, or worse, look out onto garbage dumpsters or HVAC systems offer greater challenges. Window treatments consisting of sheer fabric can soften these non-views. Colorful antique stained-glass windows, modern reproduction colorful glass, or beveled glass windows suspended both in front of and behind the fabric will distract the eye. Lighting will again play an important role: In spotlights or track lighting, focus on the jewel-like glass to create the suggestion of sunlight.

Wooden shutters and blinds of light wood or composite materials can do wonders to disguise a depressing view. Other options include lighting behind window treatments that can be dimmed to prove subtle effects or dialed up to the maximum to create a sense of sunlight.

Window treatments, from the minimal to the most elaborate, can help detract from a less-than-inspiring view. To add the illusion of an additional window or to create symmetry, it is possible to hang a curtain rod opposite or next to an existing window and add draperies or curtains with a bamboo or translucent shade in the center. Only you will know that it is not a real window.

Use Mirrors Strategically

This brings us to mirrors, a tried-and-true solution to dark and viewless apartments. A wall-hung framed decorative mirror, opposite a sunny window, with or without a view, easily expands a space and reflects exterior interest. If it reflects some sunlight, a wall of mirrors will make your home feel more expansive.

A mirrored three-panel folding screen, which is angled, can reflect exterior light, adding sparkle and energy. Caution! Overdoing mirrors can create a fun-house effect that can be disconcerting.

Clear mirrors, as you see in any bathroom medicine cabinet or department store fitting room, are not the only option. Rose-colored mirrors provide a warm, healthy glow, gray or smoky-toned mirrors evoke a mysterious mood, and crackled or veined mirrors provide an atmospheric feeling that will make one forget the absence of a view.

Antique mirrors can be both dramatic and historically accurate in a period setting. The lack of a view is mitigated if a statement crystal chandelier is reflected in the antique mirror.

Distract With Artwork

Artwork is another solution to no view. I listed a very large apartment, a combination of three units in a former hotel in a historic landmarked district of Brooklyn Heights. Despite being on a high floor, with ample light, there was no view to speak of.

While I used plants and mirrors, I placed dramatic "statement" art to distract from the lack of a view. The artist who loaned me the art was willing to part with her paintings, and they were so effective that several sold to the couple who ultimately bought the apartment. A landscape or ocean view, as depicted in a framed poster or print, can substitute for a view. I had to catch myself when looking at the artwork out of the corner of my eye, as they appeared to be a real window with a view.

Make Your Own View With a Projector

If the view from your window is a completely bland brick wall, there are clever ways to compensate or even "create" a view. A projection camera on the windowsill can use the blank wall as a screen for an image of a Venetian canal or Alpine mountain.

Your neighbors may be fascinated by your changing choice of projected images, that you can select according to time of day, season or your mood. Your virtual "view" is limited only by your imagination.

Create Interior Interest in Your Home

Apartment dwellers and house owners alike get very excited about exterior views and sunny exposures, but every residence has desirable and less desirable aspects. Views and sunlight may be expendable when the location, price, size and resale value are right.

A less-than-perfect kitchen or bathroom can be rehabbed, ugly paint colors can be replaced, floors refinished, closets added and light fixtures or moldings changed or enhanced. But a drab or nonexistent view cannot be altered.

Creating interior interest in a home, as mentioned, with artwork lighting or plants and disguising a flawed view are possible solutions to this dilemma. Each space, even the least desirable, has potential and can be transformed into a welcoming environment with imagination and creativity.

Read more at U.S News

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Everything You Need to Know About Alternative Fireplaces

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No chimney, no problem! Alternative fireplaces are hotter than ever. Learn which one could be right for your home.

A fire makes every room feel cozier, and now you can have one pretty much anywhere you want one. Fireplaces powered by alternative fuel sources, such as gas or electricity, don’t require a chimney — or a major renovation. Some are freestanding and just plug into a regular outlet. Keep reading to find out which type is right for you and start shopping!

Gas Fireplaces

Choose this option if you want the look and feel of a wood-burning fireplace without all the hassle.

The Pros:

  • Real heat-emitting flames turn on and off with a switch, remote or app.

  • Fuel doesn’t require refilling. Units connect directly to your home’s gas line.

  • No need to store and transport real logs. (Faux logs or stones should be dusted.)

The Cons:

  • You need to hire a pro to install; the cost could run from a few hundred to more than $1,000.

  • There are two main types: direct-vent (pulls air from outside) and ventless (pulls air from the room). The ventless systems are illegal in some areas, so check local laws.

Electric Fireplaces

This is the clear winner if you want to do the job yourself. Take it out of the box, plug it in, flip a switch!

The Pros:

  • The most common models are 120-volts that plug into an outlet like any other appliance.

  • Many designs let you customize the brightness of the flame and turn off the heat.

  • There are no fumes, smoke or soot.

The Cons:

  • Flames look fake, but some designs lean in with fun flame color choices (like green and purple).

  • Running it for several hours daily on high could cause an uptick in your electric bill. Occasional usage shouldn’t cost more than a dollar or two.

Bio-Ethanol and Gel Fireplaces

These are typically freestanding or wall-mounted. The fuels burn cleaner than wood.

The Pros:

  • Freestanding models are easy to set up and can be placed almost anywhere, even in the middle of a room.

  • They offer the combo of a real smokeless flame and sleek modern design.

  • Venting is not required.

The Cons:

  • You have to manually light and extinguish.

  • Fuel refills are more expensive than natural gas. You’ll need a liter of bio-ethanol or a can of gel for every two to three hours.

  • They don’t provide much heat.

Wood Pellet Stoves

Consider this if you love the look of old-school wood-burning stoves but want to set it and forget it.

The Pros:

  • Wood pellets burn cleaner and more efficiently than logs.

  • Most have easy electric automatic ignition.

  • They give off strong heat that can warm a room nicely. Some have thermostats to set the temperature.

The Cons:

  • A fireplace pro must install a proper vent system, which can cost thousands.

  • You’ll need to refill pellets (a 40-lb bag lasts 8 to 12 hours).

  • Most run on electricity, so it goes out if you lose power.

Read more at HGTV

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If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

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