Blog
3 Celebrity Color Schemes to Covet and Copy
Folks who are in the spotlight often love to surround themselves with dramatic colors and furnishings. See the shades three celebs chose for their homes, and learn how you can get the look, too. Zooey Deschanel: ship-shape navy Photo from…
Color Quiz: Test Your Design Instincts
It’s no secret that wall color can dramatically change the look and feel of a room. And the same color can have very different effects in different rooms. Dramatic dark walls can make one room feel cozy and another seem…
Designer Lookbook: Janie Molster's Colorful Guest Quarters
Interior designer Janie Molster astutely mixes color and pattern to create sophisticated and vivacious spaces. She recently transformed the third floor of a stately residence – located along Monument Avenue in the historic Fan district of Richmond, VA – into a…
5 Tips to Declutter Your Closet in a Day
I recently had a closet collapse. I came home from a day at the office to find heaps of once-neatly-hung, color-coordinated clothes in one giant, messy mound on the floor. Worse than picking up the pieces of chipped drywall? Admitting…
Design Trend: Shiplap All Over the House
Shiplap may be overtaking subway tile as the wall accent everyone’s talking about. There’s just something about those clean, orderly boards that makes people swoon. Many credit Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” with popularizing the look, which they…
Spring Cleaning 101: Make It Fast, Easy and Effective
Spring is the perfect time to open up the windows in your house and clean every surface inch. But don’t waste precious hours of spring sunshine while you stay in and clean. Use these 10 tips to quickly get your home spic…
Before & After: A Lighter, Brighter Southwestern Home
Territorial architecture and the Southwest go together like deserts and sunsets. But for one partially retired couple in Phantom Hills, AZ, the syle of their mountainside home felt more dated than charming. The couple enlisted Ernesto Garcia, an award-winning interior designer based…
Is Your Home Trying to Kill You?
Home is where you feel comfortable and safe. It’s where you tuck your kids into bed and lazily watch hours of Netflix on the couch. Without your care and vigilance, however, your home may develop conditions that can make you…
Winning the War on Pet Hair
Spring offers plenty for us to enjoy, from blooming flowers to sunny days. But, in terms of dogs and cats, it’s also the start of the fur-shedding season – nature’s attempt to get rid of thicker winter fur. Fortunately, there are…
7 Tips for Maintaining and Repairing Wood Decks
It can be a cookout space, lounge area complete with a brightly colored umbrella, or a display of potted plants. For whatever purpose you use your wood deck, it requires regular maintenance and upkeep to be able to provide you…
Contracts and Contractors.
In this day of stricter regulations on mortgages, there are many pitfalls that can cause much frustration on behalf of buyers, sellers, and agents alike. One thing that I’ve started to see more and more is the requirement of all…
Philastate – Trust your Realtor!
The internet can be a great source of knowledge and advice. So can your neighbors, coworkers, friends and family members…well, most of the time anyway! However, when it comes to buying or selling real estate, the best advice you can…
Philastate – Echos in the Marketplace.
With all of the bad publicity we hear about our recovering, though sluggish economy, it’s easy to see why consumer confidence is very low these days. Bad news is beaten into our psyche every time we turn on the TV,…
Don’t Forget These Selling Points
Sure, touting that recent kitchen or bathroom renovation will surely attract the attention of potential buyers. But are there other qualities about your home that might entice someone to take a closer look? Here are some selling points that many…
Strategies for Unpacking After Your Move
You did it! You packed up all your belongings, loaded them onto a truck, and unloaded them into your new house. That is no easy feat. But the work isn’t quite over yet. If you’re staring at piles of boxes…
Selling Your Condo
Is it time to sell your condo? While you may think that selling a condo is the same as selling a house, there are distinct differences that are important to know before putting yours on the market. Check out these…
Painting Walls 101
Whether you’re staging your home to sell or updating the look of a home you just purchased, chances are you’ll be painting some walls. While painting seems easy, there are some steps you should take to make sure the finished…
Easy Garden Projects for Spring
Spring is finally here! There is no better way of getting through the last few grueling weeks of winter than knowing that you’ll soon see spring flowers dotting an otherwise grey landscape. But what if you have no time to…