Entire Sacramento Region Real Estate

Russ Teague - Diez & Sigg Properties

Five Tips To Get Your Home Ready For Warmer Weather

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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

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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…

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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.

These Are The Most In-Demand Kitchen Trends For 2021

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Renovating your kitchen can not only make the space more functional and enjoyable for you and your family, but it also can make your property more appealing to buyers if you decide to sell.

But if you’re planning to renovate in the upcoming year, what kitchen trends should you plan to incorporate to ensure your kitchen renovation feels timely, functional, and on-trend?

The 2021 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study surveyed 2,014 homeowners who were planning or in the midst of a kitchen renovation to identify the upcoming year’s top kitchen design trends. According to the survey, some of 2021’s biggest kitchen trends include:

Added storage. A whopping 94 percent of renovators performed at least some work on their cabinets. The driving force behind these upgrades? Additional kitchen storage; for example, of the 31 percent of homeowners who partially upgraded their cabinets, 28 percent added more cabinetry—almost four times as the previous year.

Kitchen islands—and, more specifically, kitchen islands with built-in appliances. 55 percent of homeowners either added a kitchen island or upgraded their existing island—and of those kitchen islands, 55 percent featured a newly installed appliance.

Tile backsplashes. Backsplashes are a must if you want to protect your kitchen walls—and in 2021, the go-to material for kitchen backsplashes? Ceramic or porcelain tile, which was featured in 54 percent of the kitchen renovations surveyed.

The Most Popular Home Upgrades Of 2020

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2020 saw people spending more time at home than ever—and, for many homeowners, all that time at home drove them to tackle a variety of home upgrades.

But which upgrades proved the most popular over the past year?

A recent article from Apartment Therapy asked designers and contractors to share their most-requested home upgrades of 2020. Some of the year’s most in-demand upgrades include:

Kitchen banquettes. Homeowners spent most of 2020 cooking and eating at home—and, as such, kitchen banquettes, which make for a stylish, personal, and cozy space to share meals, were among the most requested home upgrades this year.

Sanitizing stations. Because proper sanitation was so important in fighting COVID, 2020 saw many homeowners requested “sanitation stations” in their entryways—complete with storage for hand sanitizer, gloves, mask, and other sanitation essentials.

Functional closets. With many people spending the majority of their time at home in 2020, no one wanted to stare at a messy, disorganized closet—which is why renovations to make closets more organized, functional, and streamlined were among the most requested home upgrades in 2020.

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re thinking about upgrading your home, these in-demand upgrades are a great place to start—and if you’re thinking about buying a property in 2021, make sure to keep an eye out for these upgrades.

Hardwood Flooring Trends You’ll See In 2021

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When it comes to renovating your home, there are few renovations that have as much of an impact as hardwood floors. But if you want your hardwood floors to feel stylish and on-trend in 2021, what kind of flooring should you install—or, if you’re renovating existing flooring, what kind of updates should you be considering?

A recent article from realtor.com outlined 2021’s biggest trends in hardwood flooring, including:

  • Natural colors and stains. 2020 was a challenging, hectic year (to say the least!). In 2021, homeowners are looking for homes to inspire feelings of relaxation and tranquility—which, for hardwood floors, translates to natural colors and stains.
  • Rift-cut floors. Thanks to its unique-yet-functional style, rift-cut floors are poised to be everywhere in 2021. With rift-cut floors, planks are milled in a way that’s perpendicular to the wood’s growth rings, creating a floor that’s equal parts clean and uniform and unique and eye-catching.
  • Longer boards. Longer hardwood boards create the illusion of a larger space—and because people are spending so much time at home, this visual trick is going to be a go-to for floor renovations in the upcoming year.

Russ Teague

(916) 206-9902|Contact Russ