The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Gardeners
The Daily Green
“Gardening for the first time? You can’t go wrong with these time-tested techniques.”

Making tax time a little more bearable
Design*Sponge
Maybe these tips will help you be more efficient next year: “Confession: this year I’ve become a total tax failure. It’s April 12, and I still haven’t filed. I’m only halfway through my receipts and feel like I need to psych myself up. In an attempt to rally, I rounded up just a few things that would make tax time a little more bearable.”

The Worst Paint Colors for a Home Exterior
Charles and Hudson
“We’ve all seen them. Maybe you’re out for a leisurely stroll, or a relaxing drive. You decide to check out some of the nearby neighborhoods. And then, without warning … you encounter one of THOSE houses. You know what we’re talking about–a home painted with a color so garish, so horrible, that you can’t help but admire the homeowner even as you laugh and question his or her mental reasoning skills.”

5 Examples of Bigger Being Better (In Small Spaces)
Apartment Therapy
“Bigger is better for many circumstances in life. Take umbrellas for example or how about bank accounts or a theoretical big heart? When it comes to small spaces it’s easy to scale back on size, but we’re here to reassure you that these 5 things arealways better bigger when it comes to home decor!”

Renovating your home can be one of the great joys of home ownership. You get to put your own personal stamp on the space, but what happens when you want to sell? DIY Life lists five projects that are most likely not going to be worth your time and money. Here they are, along with our thoughts.

• Too Much Taste: DIY wisely points out that even if you think brightly colored walls look stylish and unique (no argument there!), other people might not think so. Should others’ opinion matter? Probably not…unless you want them to buy your home. If you plan on staying put a long time, you might as well paint your bathroom orange. Painting can be a pain, but it’s a fairly cheap and easy fix. If you think you will be selling soon, do yourself a favor and go with beige.
• Budget-Friendly Fixtures: We think that you should buy the highest-quality items that your budget will allow. After all, you can’t change out your flooring the same way you would some cheap throw pillows. Again, we think this decision will have a lot to do with how long you will be in the house. Cheap fixtures might be fine for a few years but bother you after 10 years.
• Big Ticket Items: DIY Life mentions a pool as a prime example. In that case, we say it depends on the climate. In a northern environment like Minnesota, where Marvin is located, pools are rare and might not add to resale value. In a place like Arizona or Florida? Buyers might welcome the chance to take a dip. But any big ticket home item must be weighed by the enjoyment you will derive from it vs. how much of its value you can recoup. Maybe your future buyers won’t be impressed by that expensive steam shower you put in the master bath.
• Reinvention of Space: Our opinion is that this depends how easily you can swap things out. Let’s say you use your third bedroom as a crafting room. When it comes to selling, buyers probably want to envision it as a bedroom, but that’s a fairly quick fix to stage. More permanent room re-dos, like turning that bedroom into a bathroom (to give DIY Life’s example) might not be so wise.
• Unfinished or Poorly Done DIY Work: If you’re handy, do it yourself. If you’re not, or don’t have the time to finish what you started, PLEASE just hire someone to get it done. You’ll thank yourself for it later.

What other home renovations do you think are an unwise use of time, space and money?

Image courtesy of freefotouk on Flickr

High-Tech Bins Will Fine People for Not Recycling
Inhabitat
Cleveland has a new solution for reluctant recyclers: “The city’s officials plan to implement a smart recycling bin program city-wide that will fine residents up to $100 for not recycling. The smart bins will eventually cover all 150,000 households and will monitor how many times residents take their recycling bins to the curb. If it is noted that a household isn’t bringing their recyclables out, their regular trash will be sorted through and if more than 10% recyclables are found, they’ll be fined.”

Don’t It Yourself
Curbly
Not every DIY project has a fairytale ending. For anyone who’s relied upon bubble gum and duct tape for a quick fix, these photos are for you.

5 Factors in Kitchen Pricing
Kitchen + Bath Business
Wonder why the final costs of a kitchen remodeling project often differ so greatly from the initial estimate? Here’s a breakdown of where your money goes once the project launches.

5 Ways to Make Colors Pop
Curbly
Here’s some helpful hints from the folks at GE on how to make the colors your home come alive.

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Color: It’s one of our favorites ways to change up a room. It can make a dramatic difference, it’s fairly inexpensive, and with just a little elbow grease, you can get a whole new look.

But this made us think. When we choose to paint, is our color palette dictated by the season? In these warm, sunny months, perhaps people are choosing clean whites, sky blues and cool pale greens. In winter, perhaps there’s a rush towards cream, royal blue and mallard green.

Of course, this only takes into account people’s decision-making process at the time of painting. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands and truly love to paint your walls, that eggplant wall won’t suddenly turn into lavender every summer. The most important thing with choosing color is to make sure that you love it and that it fits the room–in whatever season.

Calfinder has some photos of bright, bold colors that manage to look season-less. Here’s one for your enjoyment and please check out their post for more paint inspiration!

Photo courtesy of Calfinder

We recently talked about some (supposedly) passé decorating trends. According to The Nest, there are seven big mistakes you can make when decorating–even if you avoid the aforementioned trends. In no order of importance, they are:

1. The unanchored rug–nothing on top of it? Then why is it there? We’ll make exceptions for small rugs used by doorways to avoid tracking dirt in.

2. Really big furniture. If it takes up most of the room, it will look ridiculous.

3. Bad paint. It can’t be said enough–test your paint in various lights and sleep on your decision. Maybe in the morning that tangerine accent wall in the living room will seem less kicky.

4. Too much of everything. The article evokes the old Coco Chanel adage that says that before a woman leaves the house, she should take one thing off (e.g. a piece of jewelry or a scarf). The same is true for homes. If course you want it to look lived in and not empty, but too much stuff=clutter. Fast.

5. Decorating from a single era. Yes, you want your furniture to fit your home. And you don’t have to go completely crazy, but don’t be afraid to put a piece of African art in your Cape Cod, a Ligne Roset chair in your Victorian or a piece of chintz in your modern house. After all, you don’t live in a museum.

6. A BIG TV. Look, we all like the idea of a home theater. but consider your room’s proportions. Also look at the pattern of use. For a basement rec room, a very large TV might be just the thing. For a living room used for multiple purposes, such as gathering after dinner and entertaining guests, don’t let your television become the focal point.

7. Bad lighting. It’s unflattering and causes eyestrain.

Of course, this is all opinion, and in the end you should do what you are comfortable with. But the thread that runs through all these “donts” is a lack of consideration for living and for human interaction. Clutter, TV, distracting walls and bad lighting will detract from the warm human element that home should bring to mind.

What are your decorating donts?

Image courtesy of Chris Campbell on Flickr.

One of the most fun things about redecorating is studying all the latest trends. When it comes to execution, go lightly, though: Go too far and it starts to look like a newbie designer did your living room.

MSN Lifestyle recently listed some trends they think have gone too far. They include:

• Antlers and taxidermy
• Inspirational sayings
• Buddha sculptures
• Ghost chairs
• Poufs
• Accent walls
• Boutique hotel chic
• Black chalkboard paint

Does your home have any of these “passé” trends? We say that, in and of themselves, none of these are wrong. If you like it, go for it! It’s your home and your space. You should like what you look at. But one (or maybe two) at a time, please.

Consider context, too. Antlers and taxidermy will seem more in place in a rustic hunting lodge then they might in a suburban home. Chalkboard paint can work well in children’s bedrooms and on kitchen doors (somewhere to write the grocery list!), but is probably out of place in the dining room. And as the article notes, Buddha statues are religious pieces, not eclectic home decor.

Tell us in the comments if you or disagree with these and what decorating trends you choose to skip.

Photo courtesy of jawcey on Flickr

While they say you can’t judge a book by its cover, a house could be a totally different story.

The exterior of your home is an investment. Whether you are a new buyer, seller or holding on to your home, your home’s exterior greatly affects first impressions as well as market value. By building an exterior that you could be proud of and is beautiful to look at, you are maximizing that investment.

As a builder, many of my homebuyers make their decisions within seconds of arriving at the new home.  Believe it or not, even before people take that first knock on that beautiful oak or mahogany front door, the decision has been made.

Tackling the Exterior Color:

Both the condition and color of a home’s exterior affect buyers’ impressions. Choosing the exterior colors of your home may sound limiting and a bit overwhelming, but today there are so many choices that your exterior colors can be.  And, with a little imagination and some terrific accent colors, you can make your home stand out from the rest of the neighborhood and make Ms. Johnson down the street even more envious than she already is.

How to Choose that Exterior Color:

Many of you may be familiar with the term “Painted Lady, ” which refers to older Victorian homes that can have as many as 25 different colors on the exterior. While most homeowners do not live in a home that may require this type of painting style, it’s very easy to get a beautiful looking home with minimal maintenance requirements as long as you consider the following tips:

• What’s your style? Figure out what you like. The right color choice can make all the difference in the look and feel of your home. Keep in mind that light colors make a house look larger, while dark colors tend to make the house look smaller. Also consider the color of houses nearby and avoid copycat or clashing colors.

• Consider the color combination. We’re not all Vincent Van Gogh when it comes to choosing the most complimentary color combinations, but I recommend applying a clay color to the exterior siding and, instead of using the normal white trim, apply a cameo color to the trim.  This is a softer white with a little cream in it.  Then, on the sashes of the windows (the part that goes up and down), paint these two shades darker than the siding.  This effect gives your home some depth and can be done with almost any color combination.

• Think small accents. They can go a long way in making your home pop out from the rest and make you feel great every time you pull up in front.

• Give it a test drive. Don’t be afraid to test out an area first before you paint the whole home. Spend a little time and money on test cans to make sure you are making the right choice. Also, leave the sample up for a couple of days and view the choices under different lighting conditions, like in the morning, afternoon or evening.

• Consider the grounds. Another thing you should also consider are the materials for your sidewalk, driveway and patio. Whether it is brick, concrete, tar or pebbles, you want the accents colors in your grounds to complement the final color of the home.

• Remember, this isn’t just a beautiful exterior – it’s an investment. Always go with the highest quality paint that you can afford. Avoid “bargain” or discount paints. For a bargain price without compromising quality, price-shop name brand paints at sale time, usually around midsummer, with major paint sales coming just after the 4th of July and again in the fall.

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Incredible Textured Kitchen Countertops
CalFinder
According to CalFinder, “Cosentino North America has quarried and extracted semi-precious stones like amethyst, jasper, quartz and more… And their commitment to green manufacturing is impressive: Cosentino’s ECO line uses 75% post-consumer/industrial recycled materials, including mirrors, porcelain, stone scraps and glass bottles.” And they look great.

Before & After: Kati’s dining room + Dominique’s hall
Design*Sponge
Some inspiration for great, creative paint jobs. Take a room from OK to awesome with a clever idea and some good weekend work. Be sure to scroll down to see the photos of Dominique’s staircase.

First-Class Cabins
Dwell
“From the familiar log model to Swiss chalets and Swedish friggebods, cabins are the simplest of structures, made from local materials in forms that respond to climatic and cultural needs. However, these no-frills wilderness escapes no longer require giving up modern comforts and aesthetics. Today’s cabins synthesize traditional typology with present-day design know-how and allow architectural explorations in a way traditional homes rarely do. Here we highlight five modern retreats that might give you cabin fever of a different sort.”

House with Enclosed Internal Garden
DigsDigs
This is direct from the “eye candy” category: We’re sharing it mostly because this house looks amazing. Most homes with gardens put them on the outside, but this house is built around a garden. And it’s stunning.

“What’s old is new.” It’s a saying that has become more relevant lately in home decorating. That’s right: Redecorating with things you already have around your home is not only cost-efficient, but it may be just what’s needed for a new, fresh look this season.

Consider using a fluted champagne glass or a round cocktail pitcher as a vase or centerpiece. Put some nice seasonal flowers in them and set them atop a mantel or fireplace. Add candles; be creative. Find some baskets, bowls or jars and create fruit displays to decorate a table.

How about putting unexpected art on your walls? Tear out a nice picture from a glossy magazine, put it in a frame and hang it up on a wall that seems a little lonely. Take that small oriental rug you never found a good use for and hang it on a wall. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination.

A related point: When thinking of ways to redecorate rooms in your home, you may need to do nothing more than reposition your furniture or remove clutter. Here are some easy ideas that can really change the look of a room:

• Take everything away from a wall —  furniture, artwork, bookcases — then give it a new coat of paint
• Rearrange the books on your bookshelves by color
• Let more natural sunlight in from your windows

Photo courtesy of One Good Bumblebee on Flickr

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a source of stress. You can use the opportunity to freshen up your house in ways that go beyond shaking out carpets and mopping floors. The season that brings Easter, daffodils and longer days can also bring a new vibe to your home.

When your mundane cleaning checklist is complete, reward yourself by livening up the house with new colors — perhaps a new coat of paint on bedroom or family room walls. Consider swapping out those throw pillows on the couch for lighter shades. Buy new comforters for the beds or incorporate new seasonal flowers into the home. Add a tiled, mosaic-themed surface to tired tables.

These easy, fun changes can make a big difference in the feel of your home. Now, open up those windows, let the sunshine in and remember that April showers bring May flowers.