For most of us, this type of scene has moved onto the grey and brown that starts winter weather. For others, we only see the seasons change in photos or on television, because we live in warmer climates.

If you love this look and wish you could capture these colors year-round, you may want to consider painting a similar picture in your living or family room by using a fall color palette.

Gold, red, green and lots of browns can replicate the feel of this view. Take a look at the room in this photo. It provides the same layers of color and warmth.

The wood paneling is a far cry from what was popular in the 1950-1970’s, with framed panels and a grain that assures you that this is real wood. The lighter wood flooring helps keep the room from feeling dark despite the richly-toned walls.

With the browns well covered, the rug and furniture bring in the gold and red so critical to the glow of autumn. Fall is not without its greens, and the trees in celadon pots and additional accessories in that specific Asian green tone bring the color in as a muted but important element.

A mushroom-toned sofa and the warm cream of the fireplace surround finish the room, with a few brass touches to show the spark that fall has when its colors are the brightest. Add a fall-colored fire in that fireplace and you can celebrate the best of autumn all winter long.

Are you building a new home, doing an extensive remodel or just updating your kitchen? Fulton Homes offers a fabulous design center to help you get it “just right”. They say a man’s home is his castle and at Fulton Homes we want to help you create your own palace, especially when it comes to one of the most used rooms in your home – the kitchen.

While many of you have already have ideas about your countertops, paint and flooringwe can help you add those few extra touches that will make your kitchen a chef’s showpiece.  They say the devil is in the details and here are a few that you may not have considered….hoods, wood, side by side refrigerators and ceiling fans. Yes, this seems like a lot of miscellaneous information but by paying attention to these details your kitchen will be a dream.

With the popularity in range hoods, some homeowners are choosing wood hoods. These hoods can be matched to selected cabinetry from both Timberlake and Karmen.  As the hood becomes a focal point in many kitchens, adding the warmth of wood makes an exciting statement.

Along with wood hoods, you may want to consider a wood panel refrigerator. Using the wood motive again and again gives the kitchen a very integrated look.  Both the GE Monogram and the GE Profile have a wood panel option. You can view these products at Envision, otherwise known as Fulton Homes Design Online™, an online portal into the Fulton Homes Design Center. Use the design checklist on the right to begin browsing products and options.

For those you who want a state of the art kitchen, GE has recently come out with a new option from Monogram that be can used as an extra refrigerator for a large kitchen or other area, as well as taking two of them and placing them side by side. The refrigerator features a top section for refrigeration, a middle section for ice and a freezer and a bottom section that is convertible to either freezer or refrigerator.  It takes about six hours to convert back, making this an extremely versatile appliance.

How about installing a water lineup for both reverse osmosis and soft water systems?  We carry both DuPure and GE as they offer an instant hot reverse osmosis system and a salt-less soft water setup.

And while you may be busy thinking about wood hoods and refrigerator paneling, water systems and state of art refrigerators, don’t forget that the kitchen is a great place for a ceiling fan. Fulton is proud to offer a large fan selection from Kitchler.

With over 30 years of homebuilding experience Fulton Homes has been helping homeowners get that “castle (or in this case) the kitchen of their dreams”. Please visit our design center to get started.

You offered and everyone accepted. You’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  Stop with the blood curdling screams. You’re not worried about the dinner; you’re worried about your dining room. Here are a few simple tips to update and restyle your home. Follow our directions and your guests will be calling you Martha.

Have a personal focal point. Your home is YOUR home. Display artwork that you love.

Paint your walls. This is the perfect time to update your color palette. Have you dreamed of a bold color accent wall? This is the time to go for it – or add some wallpaper. Wallpaper is an elegant way to change any room.

Lighting! Even if you don’t replace your light fixtures (which you could totally do!) you can also go an easier route and replace lampshades. Or skip electric lighting altogether and buy dozens of candles to light the room.

Remember your fifth wall – the ceiling. Paint the ceiling the same color as your walls, or paint it a contrasting color. Pay an artist to paint a mural or add decals to add another dimension to your room.

Seating – Add slipcovers to your dining room chairs. This is an economical way to change the feel of your dining room for each season of the year. Don’t feel like new slipcovers? Decorate chair backs with garland or ribbon. Add new and decorative throw pillows on your sofas and armchairs. Tapestry, hound’s-tooth and plaid are all good options.

Replace your area rugs. Pick rugs that are warm and rich in color. Remember that area rugs can be used to define a room or separate a space.

Don’t forget your powder room. Plush towels in seasonal colors and scented soaps are nice. Or go big and hang a chandelier, paint the ceiling gold or add a velvet curtain.

Our designers are full of great holiday decorating ideas. Just ask!

I have several dogs – should I really install hardwood floors?

And the answer is: it depends.

How large are your dogs? Do they run through the house at full speed, drop toys and roughhouse?

Are you ok with seeing a few dents and scratches on your floors? Keep in mind that some floors can be re-sanded or screened before they need to be replaced. Some people are ok with the natural process of floors getting scratched and dented – after all it looks rustic and distressed.

What are your alternate options and your budget? Carpet traps animal dander, odors and urine spots can be difficult to clean well. Laminate floors can also be dented and dinged and can bubble if liquids (accidents) are not cleaned up right away.

Do your animals shed? If you have light colored animals hair will show up quickly on a dark wood floor and vice versa.

Hardwood flooring and animals can get along. Here are some tips for helping to maintain your hardwood flooring should you decide to go that route.

Trim your pet’s nails frequently!

Place area rugs in high traffic areas and at the entrance and exit of your home. This will help reduce the wear and tear on your floors as your pets zoom in and out of the door. Just be sure that they are made for hardwood floors.

Put mats down under water bowls to prevent spills and splashes on floors. After all, some dogs slobber.  With these tips, your hardwood floors will stay in great shape!

The temperatures are starting to drop. The leaves have turned beautiful colors of rust and gold. Cozy evenings by the fireplace, braised short ribs, roasts, harvest vegetables and red wine are starting to sound just right. It’s fall and it’s time to tidy away the patio furniture, carve some pumpkins and polish the silver for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s easy to celebrate this season in your home with a few simple and inexpensive decorating ideas.  Bring the outside in – A few boughs with dark red leaves make a brilliant centerpiece for a hallway or dining room table.

Exchange your summary throw pillows for ones in rust, chocolate brown or hounds

tooth – the trendiest fabric this season. Fill your favorite vase with pumpkin colored roses or mums. Pull up your braided summer area rugs and fill your home with richly colored ones.

Pumpkins and gourds brighten up an entryway. Use miniature pumpkins and gourds for

a mantle piece. Add autumn leaves or harvest vegetables for more color.  It’s fun and easy to make over your home for the fall season.

Is your garage a useful addition to your home or a hodgepodge of left-over supplies with just enough room for a couple of cars? For some people, the garage is too full to even fit a car inside. It might be time to make your garage cool, even if you don’t have a garage band practicing in it regularly.

Clearing out a garage is much like cleaning out a closet only bigger. Think of it as a four-step process. Don’t plan to finish it all at once. If you can get it done over several weekends you’re in good shape. This is also a time to solicit help from friends and family to make the process easier and faster.

To start, do you have a corner of your garage that looks like thIs photo? We’re not talking about just clutter here – storing paint, solvents and gasoline can be dangerous. Contact your municipality’s local waste disposal department to discover your options for disposing of hazardous waste. Then get this out of your garage as soon as you can.

Next, working with one wall after another, clear out the garage and give or throw away anything that you won’t be using again. Look for ways to store what’s left on walls or even hanging from the ceiling. Think in terms of organizing for easy retrieval and minimal material on the floor.

Take a look at this simple approach to storing tools. With just some pegboard and hooks, you can find everything immediately. To make the process even easier, use a sharpy to define each tool’s position on the wall, so you can see when something is missing and where it belongs when it’s time to put it back.

Larger wall hooks can hold bicycles and bins for sporting equipment. The more you can take off the floor, the better your garage will look.

Finally, once you’ve straightened everything out, consider either painting or resin-coating your garage floor. This will reduce cement dust on your home’s floors as people walk in from the garage. It also makes oil and other spills easy to wipe up. When you’re done, you ‘ll have a garage to make you proud.

Is it time for new furniture? Perhaps you’re moving into a home with more space, or it may be time to upgrade from family hand-me-downs to choices that more closely match your own style.

You have important decisions to make when furniture shopping. Here are a few suggestions to make your choices easier to make.

To start, figure out which pieces of furniture you need and set a priority list. When in doubt, start by purchasing the largest pieces such as a sofa or dining table. Then you can fill in with other elements as you have time and your budget allows.

Measure the space you have available. Remember to provide room for traffic and consider the proportions of the room. You don’t want the space to look crowded.

When you head out, bring your measurements and the tape measure with you, along with any flooring or paint samples from the room to be furnished. Be sure to measure every piece of furniture before purchasing it. The large space and high ceilings of most furniture stores can fool your eye into thinking something is smaller than it actually is and you don’t want to be surprised when you bring it home.

Test every piece of furniture before making a decision. This means sit on any chairs and open drawers and doors. Furniture has to be more than good looking, it has to work for you.

Most upholstered pieces are available in a variety of fabrics. In a number of cases, swatches of other choices may be attached to the floor model. Some stores have their own design departments with a rich selection of upholstery fabrics. This gives you the flexibility to find just the right color and fabric combinations for your home.

With a little planning and some careful shopping, your furniture purchases can be successful and the experience can be fun!

Does your bedroom closet resemble this one? Do you waste time every day looking for a specific blouse or pair or shoes? Take the time to redesign your closet to make the most of its space and allow it to work well for your needs.

To start, determine what needs to be part of your wardrobe and what should be given away, tossed or stored elsewhere. If your closet space is limited, look for another location for out-of-season or rarely-worn clothes. Let your bedroom closet hold only current wardrobe items and accessories.

Next, look for wasted space. This closet photo shows clothes that are a bit crowded, while there is a wealth of unused space underneath. This space could be used for a second clothes pole or low drawers or even shoe storage. Think vertical as well as horizontal when you’re arranging your closet.

While it would be nice to hire a closet design company to redo your space, you can also purchase additional storage elements and shelves from home improvement and discount stores. Just be careful not to make the mistakes shown in closet number one. All the storage solutions in the world won’t fix a closet that isn’t managed well.

Finally, organize your clothes in your space. Sort by purpose: for example, work clothes and casual clothes. You can also sort by color or organize outfits for a quick selection when you’re getting ready for work. Once you have your closet in shape, you may find yourself as happy as the man in the last photo, with a closet that relaxes rather than stresses him.

If you are like so many of our other clients, you may have stripped your home of carpet and installed hardwood, cork , tile or laminate. Pets, kids and our busy urban lifestyle may have made that the best choice for you. But, many of you wonder how do you add warmth and comfort into a room with all hard flooring surfaces? The answer is area rugs.

Area rugs can add a pop of color, a major design element or just a comfort factor to any room or hallway. Area rugs are the only flooring option that you can pick up and move around to suit your mood.  They can be used to define a space, bring out accent colors in a room or be the design centerpiece. For the now popular open floor plans, an area rug can create a conversation area, designate an eating space, welcome one into a foyer or usher your guests down a hallway.

Luckily, area rugs come in all different colors, sizes, styles and price points. They work for a modest design budget but they can also be incredibly expensive. It just depends on you. They can be an investment that becomes your family heirloom and is passed down from one generation to the next, or they can be practical and fun.

Area rugs can be a simple, beautiful, fast and effective answer to many of your flooring needs.

Urban Chic – it sounds so cool, doesn’t it? What is Urban Chic and what kind of lifestyle is it geared for?

Urban Chic is for those of us who hate clutter. We want a cool, streamlined, uncomplicated and unfussy kind of décor. While, we want our homes to look like this we may not actually live that way. Urban Chic Décor utilizes lots of storage and organizational pieces so that your counter tops, kitchen table and living spaces can look as though there is never a stray piece of paper laying around or a pile of bills that you meant to get to. If you hate low tech, high maintenance and kitschy knick-knacks than Urban Chic is for you.

Urban Chic originated during the Bauhaus art movement of the 1920’s and has also been called Contemporary. Its heritage can be traced to the 1930’s German and Scandinavian design schools. The look is a unique combination of industrial masculinity and refined elegance.

Urban Chic involves simple surfaces, clean colors and geometric shapes. The look is linear, pared down and polished.  It balances form, shape, color and texture – texture from rough and smooth to glossy and matte. Think glass mosaic tiles, dark wood, stainless and lots of black and white.

Bring the Urban Chic out in YOU!