Home Improvement

Thinking About Updating Your Home? Here Are Some 2021 Design Trends to Consider

August 23, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

When you redesign your home, you want to design it in a way that feels timely and on-trend. But what does “timely” and “on-trend” look like in 2021? The 2021 Houzz Emerging Home Design Trends Report outlined some of the year’s most popular home design trends, including:

Dedicated activity spaces. Forget craft closets. One of 2021’s biggest trends is creating an entirely dedicated room or space in the home to house the family’s favorite activity—whether that’s an art studio, a home theater, or a wine cellar.

Living room refreshes. Updating their home in general is a priority for many homeowners this year—but the room homeowners seem to be most interested in refreshing? The living room. According to Houzz’s data, searches for living rooms (which can provide homeowners design inspiration) are up 52 percent compared to 2020.

Luxury colors and materials. This year, homeowners are embracing luxury in their home design—with velvet, gold, and crystal accents all in high demand.

Your August Newsletter is Here!

August 19, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

Summer may be winding down but there’s still lots in store for residents and visitors alike! Soak in the last of summer with an exciting lineup of concerts, food festivals, River Cats games, airshows, and more. This month, we also explore the current real estate market where things are (finally!) starting to look up for buyers. Last but certainly not least, we’re sharing 2021’s top fall decor trends to get your home ready for the new season…because it’s never too early to stock up on seasonal candles and cozy blankets right? Read on for the full scoop.

Click on the below links to see what local events are taking place now through the end of September!

Sacramento:

River Cats Schedule
Sac Republic FC Schedule
August 20th (And Select Days): Live Music at Crawdads on the River
Now-September 31st: Front Street Water Carousel & Waterfront Wheel in Old Sacramento
Select Weekends (Friday-Sunday): Old Sacramento Underground & Time Travel Tours
August 27th: Tahoe Park Food Trucks
August 28th: 22nd Annual Race for the Arts 5K, Kids Fun Run & Arts Fest
September 5th: Chalk it Up 2021
September 9th-18th: Farm to Fork Festival (In Person)
September 9th: Legends of Wine
September 10th: Joe Rogan @ Golden1 Center
September 11th-12th: Sacramento Grilled Cheese Festival
September 11th (Every Second Saturday): Dance on the Edge @ Old Sacramento Waterfront
September 11th: Alejandro Fernandez @ Golden1 Center
September 12th: Tower Bridge Dinner 2021
September 18th: Country in the Park 2021
September 18th-19th: 2021 Crawfish & Catfish Festival
September 24th: Tahoe Park Food Trucks
September 24th-26th: California Capital Airshow
September 29th: Gold Over America Tour: Starring Simone Biles

Carmichael:

Every Sunday: Carmichael Farmers’ Market
Every Sunday: Carmichael Cars and Coffee
August 21st & 28th: Concerts in the Park
September 25th: Founders Day

Fair Oaks:

August 26th & September 30th: Concerts in the Park
August 27th: Comedy Under the Stars
August 28th: Theatre Under the Stars

Rancho Cordova/Gold River:

Every Saturday: Sunrise Light Rail Station Farmers Market
August 18th (And Select Days): At at City Hall: Abstraction
August 20th (And Select Days): Movies at the MACC
August 20th (And Select Days): Friday Night Concerts

Folsom:

August 19th & 26th: Twilight Concert Series in Historic Folsom
Every Saturday: Cars and Coffee Show at Folsom Palladio
August 21st: Health & Wellness Fair
August 27th: Rick Esterling Piano & Vocals
September 2nd: Ryan Hernandez & Band
September 17th-18th: American Pops Social
September 19th: 2021 Peddler’s Fair
September 25th: 5th Anniversary Jazz Celebration
September 26th: The Wedding Expo Experience

El Dorado Hills:

Every Sunday: El Dorado Hills Certified Farmers’ Market
Every Thursday: Live on the Boulevard at El Dorado Hills Town Center
September 19th: Gold Country Run & Sport 5K

Elk Grove:

Every Thursday: Neighborhood Market
Every Saturday: Farmers Market
August 20th & 27th: Hot Summer Nights Concert Series
August 19th (And Select Days): Diversity Month
September 1st: Food Truck Mania
September 4th: R ead to A Dog
September 30th: Cultural Connections: Hispanic Heritage Month Storytellers

Roseville:

August 19th: Food Truck Mania
August 20th & September 17th: Friday Flicks at Vernon Street Town Square
August 21st & September 18th: Concerts on the Square at Vernon Street in Roseville

Rocklin:

Now-September (Select Days): Concerts at the Quarry
August 27th & September 24th: FREE Farmers Markets at Johnson-Springview Park

Low inventory in markets across the country have been driving up prices and creating bidding wars, making it extremely difficult for many potential buyers to successfully find and purchase homes. But it looks like things are (finally!) starting to look up for buyers.

According to realtor.com’s Monthly Housing Report for July 2021, while inventory is still low, more homes are starting to hit the market. New home listings were up 6.5 percent nationally year-over-year—and up even more (11.1 percent) in large metro areas. The more homes that become available, the more options there are for buyers—and the more the market shifts in their favor. In Sacramento, the active listing inventory went up 23.5% from June to July of this year according to SAR!

“July housing trends show a market still working its way back toward some version of normal. The feverish pace of home sales is beginning to follow historical seasonal patterns, while new listings grew at an unusually high rate for the summer months, further helping the inventory crunch,” Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com, said in a recent press release. “This is shifting the housing market balance in a more buyer-friendly direction.”

So, what does this mean for you? If you’ve been struggling in your home search, the new inventory hitting the market could make it easier to successfully find and purchase a home—so get out there and start looking!

If you’re thinking about doing a bit of re-decorating to get your home ready for fall (which officially starts on September 22nd), make sure you’re on-trend by embracing all things cozy! Here are some of the top fall decor trends for 2021.

Velvet: It’s time to bring on the velvet! As far as upholstery is concerned, fall’s biggest trend is velvet – and we couldn’t be happier since this texture is perfect for creating a cozy, fall-ready ambiance. Think in terms of velvet layers, like the pillows and sofa pictured above. And don’t be afraid to embrace bold, cooler colors.

Leaves & Textures: Fall is synonymous with warm colors and cozy textures. Consider adding pumpkins and fall leaves to dining tables and family rooms to help bring that fresh fall feel into all areas of the home. You can also get creative with textures – from textured pillows, blankets, and even tabletop items such as figs and cotton – the sky is the limit!

Tarnish Accents: Cozy goes beyond fabrics and upholstery. When redecorating your home, consider incorporating distressed metals into your design to bring that soft glow into your home. Think accent tables, wall shelves, candle holders and centerpieces.

Candles: It’s hard to imagine with the recent heatwaves, but once the wind picks up and the leaves start to fall, candles will be sure to bring that warm and inviting feeling into your home – they also serve as beautiful decor and fill the home with cozy scents. Place a few votives on the fireplace, entryway table or outdoor patio to illuminate your home and add a touch of elegance.

Chunky Knits: It should come as no surprise that the arrival of fall will bring knits in every form– from sweaters and scarves to throw blankets! Knit throw blankets and pillows are a fall design favorite, but they can also work year-round when kept in neutral shades like creamy white or soft brown. You can also layer rugs, throws, and pillows along with warm colors to bring coziness into all areas of your home.

Pumpkin + Chocolate: Step aside pumpkin lattes because sweet is taking on a whole new meaning for your fall decor. Consider incorporating touches of orange and brown, in shades such as pumpkin and chocolate, to warm up any room in your home.

The Most Popular Landscaping Trends for 2021

April 28, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 pandemic kept many people home for the majority of 2020. And while things are definitely looking up, many are still spending more time at home in 2021, which is driving an uptick in home renovations—including landscaping.

So, the question is—what are the trends homeowners are embracing to spruce up their outdoor space?

A recent video from realtor.com outlined the most popular landscaping trends of 2021, including:

Vegetable gardens. The pandemic saw many people start their own vegetable gardens, both as a way to stay busy and a way to avoid any unnecessary trips to the supermarket. With spring planting season around the corner, vegetable gardening is, once again, poised to be one of the year’s biggest landscaping trends.

Views from the inside. Obviously, you want your landscaping to look great while you’re outside. But as people have been forced to spend more time at home, it’s become increasingly important for your landscaping to also look great from the inside. As the pandemic stretches on, this trend of landscaping with interior views in mind is expected to stretch right along with it.

Backyard playgrounds. Many parents have been uncomfortable bringing their children to play in public parks. As a result, creating play spaces in the backyard has been a big landscaping trend since the pandemic hit—and with summer coming up, that trend will just continue to gain popularity.

Five Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Warmer Weather

March 30, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

Spring is in full swing, and you know what that means: the days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and in a couple of months we’ll be heading into summer.

Summer is one of the best times of year; children are out of school, it’s the perfect time to explore the great outdoors, and of course, everyone’s favorite: good ol’ summer vacation. Most of us are ready for summer, but the question is: is your home? Here are five tips to get your home ready for warmer weather.

1. Get your A/C checked

The summer heat is great for lake days and splashing in the pool. But when you’re done enjoying the sunshine, you’ll want to open the door to a nice, cool interior. The best time to get your air conditioning in working order is before summer hits. Start by changing out the filters. Dirty filters make it harder for your A/C unit to do its job, lower the efficiency of your air conditioning system and waste energy. After you replace the filters, let your air conditioning system run for an hour or so to see how its cooling; a test run will give you insight into any potential problems you need to have serviced.

You should have an HVAC professional service your air conditioning system once a year. Even if you don’t notice any obvious problems, servicing your A/C annually will keep it running longer. Spring is the best time of year to get your A/C service; once summer hits, most HVAC companies are booked solid through the summer months, and the last thing you want is to find yourself in the thick of summer with a broken air conditioning system and no relief from the heat.

2. Switch out your gear

Each season requires a different set of tools, gear, furniture, and decor. To avoid clutter, it’s best to store these items when they’re not in use. If you’re storing your seasonal items, you’ll need to switch everything out as summer approaches so you have everything on hand you need to enjoy the season.

Put your patio furniture out in the backyard so it’s ready for when you entertain guests. Check your grill to make sure it’s in working order and ready for summer BBQs. Switch out those heavy winter comforters with lightweight quilting that’s more appropriate for summer weather.

3. Get your lawn up to speed

One of the best parts of summer is getting to enjoy time outside, often in your own backyard. But if you’re like most people, your lawn could probably use a bit of TLC after the cooler months. Add a few new plants or flowers to add visual interest to the landscape.

Your backyard will play host to many celebrations, playdates, and lazy evenings with your family this summer. In order to enjoy all the fun of summer fully, you want to make sure your lawn is in the best shape possible.

4. Plant a garden

Speaking of the backyard, there’s no better time than summer to plant a garden. The warmer weather is the ideal time for a rainbow of vegetables to flourish, including beets, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, peppers, and squash. If you’re new to gardening, pick up a few raised garden beds and plant your seeds now. Before summer hits its peak, you’ll be enjoying fresh vegetables straight from your garden – perfect for a refreshing summer salad.

5. Get painting out of the way

You may not want to paint your ceiling yellow, but don’t be afraid to deviate from plain old white. Painting the ceiling a color can make a small room seem bigger, or a room with a high ceiling seem more intimate. Plus, it’s just more interesting. Ask at any full-service paint store for help in choosing complementary wall and ceiling colors, or search online for examples of rooms you like.

If you’ve been thinking about painting the interior of your home, now is the time to do it. If you do decide to paint, consider some seasonally appropriate hues, like gold or sky blue, to bring the feeling of summer indoors.

Summer will be here before you know it. And with these tips, your home will be ready for it.

Designer Picks for 2021’s Biggest Kitchen Design Trends

March 5, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

Whether you’re planning on buying a new home or redesigning your current home, when it comes to the kitchen, you want the space to feel fresh, new, and on-trend. But what, exactly, does that look like in 2021?

In a recent article, realtor.com asked interior designers for their insights on 2021’s hottest kitchen design trends, including:

Extra-large islands. 2020 saw homeowners using their kitchens as not only a place to eat and prep food, but a place to socialize with their family, work, and enjoy leisure time—and, as such, the demand for larger kitchen islands is on the rise.
Handleless cabinets. While hardware can add a look and feel to cabinetry design, so can a lack of hardware—and the sleek, futuristic look of handleless drawers and cabinets is set to be a big trend for 2021.
Dark colors. All-white kitchens were a major trend for years—but in 2021, expect homeowners to opt-out of all white for the more organic look of darker, deeper hues (like charcoal gray, deep blue, and dark green).

The Design Trends That Are Going To Be Big This Year…

January 29, 2021 by rteague Leave a Comment

As we look to the year ahead, many real estate experts are also looking at what the upcoming year will look like through the lens of home design trends.

A recent article from realtor.com predicted some of the trends that are poised to take over the home design space in 2021, including:

Clearly defined rooms. Open floor plans had a definite moment—but in the midst of COVID-19, it’s become more important than ever for homes to have clearly defined rooms and spaces (and plenty of space for privacy). Expect homes that provide a sense of separation between spaces to be more in demand in the upcoming year.
Wood-grain kitchen accents. Organic, natural materials are becoming a go-to in home design—and especially in the kitchen. Wood-grain kitchen cabinets and countertops are poised to be a major kitchen design trend for 2021.
Playgrounds. In 2020, many people spent the majority of their time at home—and for parents, that meant finding ways to entertain their kids. And in case that trend continues into 2021? Expect epic playgrounds—complete with slides, swing sets, and other in-demand kid amenities—to become a must-have design trends for parents/homeowners.

1. Get your A/C checked

2. Switch out your gear

3. Get your lawn up to speed

4. Plant a garden

5. Get painting out of the way

Russ Teague