Real Estate Information Archive

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to home decor, and window dressing is no exception. While most of what we see in magazines and home websites are windows covered in draperies, that may not be what we have in mind for our own home. What are the alternatives? There are plenty of different ways to dress up our windows without forgoing privacy or style.

• Using shutters instead of curtains give you privacy while allowing light to come through when you have adjustable louvers on the shutters. Most are made of wood and can be painted or stained to match your room’s decor or make a statement.
• A pelmet or cornice covered in fabric and paired with plain sheer panels is a simple way to draw the eye up, and make the room appear larger.
• Shades are simple and are mostly used for light control and privacy. Shades come in three main styles:  rolling, cellular, and Roman.
  • Rolling shades are much improved from the days of the plain white; they come in decorative fabrics and colors to coordinate with the room decor.
  • Cellular shades are great for insulating the windows the cover, and softly filter the light coming in.
  • Roman shades can be made of fabric or natural materials, such as bamboo for a casual look.
• Covering a window with a piece of art is nothing new:  vintage stained-glass windows can be found in flea markets and tag sales. If you’re feeling crafty, make your own “stained glass” with paints, and hang the piece over your window.
• For a simpler craft, use the “stained glass” paint in clear to make the window look like wavy antique glass.
• A sunny window is a perfect place for plants, so use them as your window treatment! Purchase shelving and install, or make shelves for your green thumb display.
• Laser-cut metal panels can be installed over windows, and are becoming increasingly popular. Pattern choices are seemingly endless and can be easily purchased at online home decor sites.

Gone are the days when everyone’s home interiors were almost cookie-cutter identical, and good riddance! Our homes should reflect our unique style, and windows are no exception.  Whatever you choose for a window treatment, you will not have a problem finding the right product for you, your family, and your home.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500! 

Photo credit: DIY Plantation Shutters

Do you love treasures from days gone by?  Whether you have a collection of family heirlooms passed down through generations, or you’re simply a fan of antiquing and have acquired pieces that you want to enjoy in your home, here are some tips for decorating with these timeless treasures:

Go Retro

 The easiest way to decorate with antiques is to give your home a retro vibe. Instead of having one or two antiques in a room, give the whole space a makeover with a retro theme.If you have a piece of furniture that you want to highlight, utilize other things from that era to accent it.They don’t all have to be antiques. You can find many vintage-like things from lamps to art to fabrics that will add to the ambiance while maintain adherence to the time period your furniture is from.

Combine Old With New

If you have just a few antiques that you want to incorporate into your home décor, it’s definitely ok to insert them into your modern or transitional design.  For example, you can hang old photos on the wall or put them in unique frames on your mantle or shelves. Using modern frames allows you to combine the old with the new.  Collectibles like Victorian teacups can be placed in a modern curio cabinet to be displayed in an updated way. How to Mix Antique Modern Decor Styles

Be Careful With Placement

One of the most important aspects of decorating with antiques is placement. You can make the antique the focal point of the room and work around it. Another option is to place items in more inconspicuous areas where they can be accent pieces. Placing small heirlooms on a bookshelf is a great way to display items that bring happy memories without them intruding on the overall aesthetic of the room.

Create New Pieces With Old Ones

If arts and crafts are your thing, there are a lot of options for creating art with antiques.For example, people are taking old, rustic window frames and making photo collages with them.Another option is refinishing a door and using it either as art or as a functional addition to your home. 33 Ways to Elevate Vintage Doors into Art

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: veranda.com

If you are preparing to sell an older home, you might have some cringe-worthy home décor that needs to be updated to get the best price for your home, especially if you are a selling a starter home.  Buyers looking in the starter home category are looking for move-in ready homes that won’t require a lot of money to fix up.  If you have any of these home décor styles that have fallen out of favor in your home, you may want to makes some changes before putting your house on the market:

1. Shag Carpeting

If you still have shag carpeting in your house, it’s way past time to bid it adieu.Shag style rugs hit their peak during the 60s and 70s.Back then, wall to wall carpeting was still relatively new and people were excited to incorporate the deep piled rugs into their home décor. But as early as the 1980s it was already considered dated and passe’. So, if you still have it in your house buyers will likely not be impressed. Cheap Flooring Ideas: 8 of the Cheapest Flooring Options with Style

2. Wall Paneling

Another 1970s staple was wood wall paneling. With exaggerated wood grain and fake wood knots, they made dark rooms darker and gave a truly dated appearance. You don’t have to remove it though. There are many ways to update wood paneling for a lighter, more modern aesthetic. An Easy and Cheap Way to Update Wood Wall Paneling

3. Green & Gold Appliances

If you still have “avocado” and “mustard” colored appliances, congratulations!Because they have lasted a LONG time!But seriously?It’s time to let them go.They might be deal breakers for buyers who can’t afford to buy a house and immediately replace appliances.

4. Country Kitchens

The 1980s brought with it an influx of “country” décor.Think cornflower blue, ducks and geese, ribbons and bows.Wall paper border embellished with cute little farm animals frolicking in flowering fields accented by dark wood cabinets was quite popular.But now it is dated and buyers probably won’t be thrilled with the idea of having to live with it if they couldn’t afford to change it right away.

5. Pastel Bathrooms

Back in the 1950s pastels became de rigueur for bathrooms across the country. Bathed in floor to ceiling pink, powder blue, or mint green, they looked like confections fit for Barbie’s dream house.While it might be a large undertaking, you may want to consider a bathroom update to get a more interest from buyers and a bigger profit on the sale of your home in the long run. But if your home is what you'd call "contemporary" or Mid-Century modern, leave that pastel bathroom alone because your buyer will love it!  

If you are in the market to sell or buy a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: pinterest.com

So, you think you like modern décor, or is it contemporary?  You may think the two styles are synonymous, but they are quite different.  If you are decorating your home, or if you’ve hired a decorator to do it for you, terminology matters!  It’s important to know the correct words to describe the look you are going for!  Here is how to tell the difference between modern and contemporary home décor styles.

Modern design was developed in the early to mid-twentieth century.  Highly influenced by Scandinavian and German Bauhaus Design, it created a distinct style focused on simple form and function.  Then, Mid-Century Modern  was developed in the 50s and 60s. But for most interior designers, the word “modern” covers both styles.  Modern spaces tend to follow specific style formats that emphasize balance and lean toward natural and warm neutral colors for decorating.

Contemporary design doesn’t refer to any specific time-period. It is dynamic, changing to reflect current popular trends.  It borrows from other styles including modernism, Minimalism and Art Deco. There are many variations in contemporary interior design and color palettes of brown, taupe, cream and white are featured, with splashes of color sometimes found on a single wall, rug or piece of art.

While the main differences between modern and contemporary are significant, there are similarities as well, which is why people often confuse them.  They both embrace simple, clutter free spaces with smooth, clean lines.  Furniture in both styles feature exposed legs, and reflective surfaces such as exposed metals and glass are popular in both. Neither utilizes ornate designs or dramatic elements.

Hopefully this has cleared up some confusion, but if you like elements of both styles, don’t despair.  Mix it up and have fun with it, because at the end of the day, the only style that matters is YOUR style!

If you are in the market to sell or buy a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: interiorzine.com                      
Photo Credit: thespruce.com

The new year is around the corner and with it will come new home décor trends.  If you are thinking of redecorating in 2018, here are some styles that are not so trendy anymore:

• Open shelving - Open shelving appeals to minimalists because there is nowhere to hide clutter, but they aren’t the most practical of designs. Unless you have perfectly matching items, it might just end up looking like a bunch of random “stuff” piled on shelves.
• Painted brick - Natural brick painted white has been popular, but before you pull out your paintbrushes, stop and think about whether it will still be popular in a few years. Natural brick is classic and provides a warm, cozy ambiance. Once you paint it white, it’s almost impossible to make it look natural again.
• Open floor plans - Everybody is knocking down walls!  Nobody seems to want walls or doors between rooms anymore.  Living spaces that are entirely open have been all the rage for a while now.  But sometimes having separate rooms makes more sense.  Thanks to technology, more people are working from home and need a private space.  Don’t be surprised if walls make a big comeback!
• Barn doors - This farmhouse inspired home décor trend is still very popular, but like any very popular trend, its time is sure to run its course.  If you must add a barn door in your home, just don’t add one to every room.  Otherwise, you might find yourself replacing them all in a few years.
• Granite countertops - For a long time a kitchen hasn’t even been worth looking at if it didn’t come with granite countertops.  But the truth is there are a lot of other attractive options that are more durable, less expensive and not in every kitchen you see.  Make your kitchen stand out with something different, like quartz, butcher block, concrete or marble
• Shiplap - If you watch any home renovation shows, chances are you have heard of shiplap…and chances are you have added it to your home.  But like wood paneling of the 70s, shiplap is going to run its course in popularity.  And when that happens, you’re going to have to figure out how to get rid of it.  So, do yourself a favor if you haven’t added it already, and don’t.

So, if you’re going to be redecorating in the new year, you may want to avoid these trends…unless of course you still like them. Because at the end of the day, your home should be decorated in a way that makes YOU happy!

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The kitchen is a place in the home where many hours are spent preparing meals and spending time with family.  If the kitchen is boring and not ecstatically pleasing to you or your family, no one is going to want to spend any time there.  Below is a list of a few ways in which you can spruce up your boring kitchen and make it a place where you really love to be.  

1. One of the first ways you might think about to spruce up a boring kitchen is buying new appliances.  The typical type of appliance these days is stainless steel.  Another type of appliance that folks are using these days are the ones that look just like cabinets.  Whatever type of appliance you decide to buy, you will be helping your kitchen look as good as it possibly can.
2. Another way to spruce up your kitchen is by changing the paint color.  If your kitchen is older, it is possible that the paint has gotten worn over the years and adding a pop of color with new paint can make all the difference in the world.
3. Yet another good way to spruce up a boring kitchen  is by changing the cabinets.  You can choose to have all new cabinets put in or you could just change the way they look by painting them.  Antiquing is a popular way to refinish and spruce up furniture.  Antiqued cabinets are very beautiful and can make a kitchen look really nice. 
4. Buying some new lighting for your kitchen is an easy way to spruce it up.  You can get as crazy as you want with lighting when it comes to making your kitchen an exciting place to be.  Go to your local hardware or lighting store to see what all is available for you to choose from. 
5. New flooring in the kitchen is another way to make it look updated.  If you currently have laminate you may want to change it to tile, or you could choose to extend the hardwoods from the family room or whatever room adjoins the kitchen into the kitchen.   

These are just a few ideas for sprucing up a boring kitchen.  Hopefully they will get you started in the right direction for making your kitchen a room that everyone wants to congregate in.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

It’s during this time of year that many of us start to put our fireplaces into use.  Since fireplaces are used typically to burn wood, those of you who have a fireplace that is just for looks may not know that you can decorate it to make it stand out and look very nice.  Below are a few ideas for decorating your pho fireplace  this season. 

1. If you want your fireplace to look like it has some sort of warm glow like a fire can add, you should put a few candles inside of the fireplace during the winter months.  You can choose to use real candles to give a very warm firelight glow or you can even use battery operated candles to add a similar effect.  Ether type of candle you choose will be sure to add a touch of class to your fireplace this winter. 
2. Another way to decorate your non working fireplace  is to use it for something other than it is designed to be used for such as a bookcase.  If you have students in your household and you find they like to spend a lot of time in the main room of the house, (where the fireplace can typically be found) using the space as a bookshelf is very beneficial not only for decorative purposes but also as a way to get your students to pick up a book or two and read it. 
3. A great way to decorate your fireplace is to add some sparkling lights to it.    A few glass ornaments with some lights draped around them is a great way to liven up your fireplace during the holiday season. 
4. If you have a special piece of artwork that you have no idea where to display, you may want to use your fireplace for this.  Typically a fireplace is the focal point of a room and adding a piece of art to this will only make it stand out that much more. 

These are just a few ideas on decorating your pho fireplace, there are many more ideas out there you just have to be a little creative and open minded in using the space for something other than fire.  When you think outside the box you never know where your decorating ideas may take you.   

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Decorating your home can be fun but no other room is more fun than decorating the nursery for the arrival of a new little one.  Nothing brings more happiness than welcoming a new baby into the world and what better way to welcome your new bundle of joy into your home than by fixing the nursery up for them.  Below are a few nursery decorating ideas to welcome your new little one. 

1. A little baby is nothing more than a miracle from above so why not decorate your new baby’s room like the royalty that they are.  Decorating the nursery  in a royal theme is a perfect idea whether you are welcoming a tiny prince or a princess.  You can keep the décor unisex by adding some rich colors to the wall or adding a chandelier to the ceiling.  Adding a few decorative pillows maybe in the shape of a crown might be a good idea as well. 
2. Another cool idea for decorating your nursery is to make it extremely colorful with balloon décor.  This type of room can be unisex as well if you stick to the primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red.  If you want to get really creative you could paint a balloon mural on the wall and perhaps an outdoor scene to go along with it. 
3. If you like country décor you could use painted pallets to add a touch of southern sass to the room.  This type of country décor can be unisex if you want or you can make it more of a cowboy feel or a cowgirl feel depending on which you have been blessed with. 
4. Yet another great decorating idea to welcome your new little one into their new room is a Hollywood glitz and glam room.  Sheer curtains hung throughout the room with walls painted pink is a great way to get this particular look and feel.  Yet again, a chandelier may be appropriate for this type of room. 
5. If you want another gender neutral idea for your baby's room  you can use colors such as grey and yellow.  These colors are not only unisex they are timeless as well.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

Decorating your home can be fun but no other room is more fun than decorating the nursery for the arrival of a new little one.  Nothing brings more happiness than welcoming a new baby into the world and what better way to welcome your new bundle of joy into your home than by fixing the nursery up for them.  Below are a few nursery decorating ideas to welcome your new little one. 

1. A little baby is nothing more than a miracle from above so why not decorate your new baby’s room like the royalty that they are.  Decorating the nursery  in a royal theme is a perfect idea whether you are welcoming a tiny prince or a princess.  You can keep the décor unisex by adding some rich colors to the wall or adding a chandelier to the ceiling.  Adding a few decorative pillows maybe in the shape of a crown might be a good idea as well. 
2. Another cool idea for decorating your nursery is to make it extremely colorful with balloon décor.  This type of room can be unisex as well if you stick to the primary colors of yellow, blue, green and red.  If you want to get really creative you could paint a balloon mural on the wall and perhaps an outdoor scene to go along with it. 
3. If you like country décor you could use painted pallets to add a touch of southern sass to the room.  This type of country décor can be unisex if you want or you can make it more of a cowboy feel or a cowgirl feel depending on which you have been blessed with. 
4. Yet another great decorating idea to welcome your new little one into their new room is a Hollywood glitz and glam room.  Sheer curtains hung throughout the room with walls painted pink is a great way to get this particular look and feel.  Yet again, a chandelier may be appropriate for this type of room. 
5. If you want another gender neutral idea for your baby's room  you can use colors such as grey and yellow.  These colors are not only unisex they are timeless as well. 

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Realtor Sandra Nickel, Sandra Nickel Hat Team!