Category Archives: Home Tips

Pinterest Power

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14817814_SHow well do you know Pinterest? It’s an online application that allows you to sort and store information and images from all over the Internet.

Well, whether you’ve vaguely heard of it or you’re an active pinner with followers in the hundreds, you may want to start following the Fulton Homes Pinterest site.

First, it has multiple photos of various Fulton Home models and neighborhoods, which can help you remember various homes after you’ve visited.

Next, the number of overall suggestions to decorate your home, entertain, engage in crafts, cook, get organized and more keeps growing weekly. The focus is providing pins for current and future Fulton Homeowners.

Don’t stop there – take a look at the Pinterest people Fulton follows and discover an amazing selection of ideas, images, and thoughts focused on the needs of people and families.

If you haven’t yet, you might want to consider creating your own Pinterest boards. It’s an easy way to keep track of the kind of information that you used to tear out of magazines and file, never to look at again.

Instead of cluttering your home, you can store literally thousands of good ideas on Pinterest, taking advantage of other people’s discoveries and sharing yours.

If you haven’t explored the possibilities of Pinterest, simply type the word in your search engine and you’ll find yourself jumping into a fascinating world. And while you’re doing that, how about visiting http://pinterest.com/fultonhomes/, and seeing what the Fulton Homes Pinterest site has to offer

Transforming your Garage

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5214697_SDoes your garage look something like this? A recent U.S. poll showed that less than 60 percent of respondents use their garage to park their car.

If you tend to use your garage as the largest walk-in-closet in your home, the Fulton Homes garage options can change all that.

Let’s take a look at some of the choices available to you.

garage floor coatingGarage Floor Coating: This epoxy painted flooring keeps your garage floor looking fresh, and its durability can withstand years of parking your car on it. The easy-clean surface turns your garage into a functional and attractive space. Please note, however, that the motorcycle does not come with…

Rubbermaid Garage Storage: Professional organizers say one key to making a space attractive and organized is to keep everything off the floor. Rubbermaid’s flexible unique FastTrack® rail-mounted system does that, and can be customized using modular storage units to meet the needs of your household

tip-get-it-off-the-floor-largeRubbermaid Garage Cabinets: If you dream of having a workshop in your garage, or even some enclosed storage, take a look at the Garage Cabinet options that Fulton Homes offers. From a single cabinet to a wall full, Fulton Homes and Rubbermaid can meet your needs.

For more insights into how to make your garage more than a hiding place for clutter, visit the Fulton Homes Online Design Center. Who knows; you could end up proud enough to leave thegarage door open for the neighbors to see!

Fulton Homes Super Browse Night

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Design20Center20074 kitchen 4Would you like a chance to explore kitchen and bath ideas, talk with designers and product-knowledge specialists, and see some of the latest home design options available?

Fulton Homes invites you to join us this Thursday night, March 21st 2013, for Super Browse Night at our design center in Tempe. With 13,000 square feet of kitchen and bath vignettes, a rich variety of product displays, and our team of designers ready to answer your questions, this is an amazing opportunity to see the newest home products in a comfortable and inviting setting.

Desig20Center20071-doors-2-300x199From countertops to carpeting, cabinet doors to front doors, appliances to area rugs, you can browse every kind of home interior option set up in inviting and exciting displays.

Whether you’re considering a new home, purchasing a new home, or just want some good ideas for your current or future home, you’re welcome to join us for this exceptional event. We’ve invited our trade partners to join our designers and sales associates to share their insights into the best ways to make your home as special as you want it to be.

Design 20Center 20015 listellesJoin us Thursday March 21st 2013 from 5-8 p.m. at the Fulton Homes Design Center, 1241 West Warner Road, #106, Tempe, AZ. To find us turn south on Beck between Priest and Hardy. Turn right in the second driveway.

As an extra incentive (Maybe to help get your spouse to join you?) we’re giving away a 40 inch Samsung flat-screen TV to those who attend our event, with no purchase necessary to win. We look forward to seeing you there.

Post-Holiday Organizing

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You can make next year’s holiday season easier if you think through the process of clearing up after this year. Here are a few organizing ideas for this week.

Put next year’s holiday card list together: Go through all of those envelopes to make sure no one has changed their address in the past year, and see who you may need to add or subtract from your mailing list. You may also want to pick up some cards on sale so you’re ahead next year. If you’re not up for the post-holiday sales, check online for discounts on holiday products.

Let go of unused holiday items: Are you finding that some things in those holiday boxes never get out? If you are not using some of your holiday finery – whether it is home decorations or that snowman sweater that makes you feel stupid every time you wear it – get rid of it rather than packing it up for another year.

Consider a light upgrade: LED lights are safer, very pretty, and use much less energy. On top of that you can string many of them together without creating a fire hazard. It may be time to move on to this newer light technology. The cost of these lights keeps dropping, which means that there’s a good chance that the warehouse and discount stores will have even more reasonably-priced options next year. You may even be able to pick up some that change color – quite a sparky option for your front yard!

Pack and label holiday items: Do you have to sort through the ornaments to get to your holiday plates? Is it a struggle to untangle your favorite bead garlands every year? It may be time for a holiday intervention. Consider containers, packaging and effective arranging to bring you holiday cheer next year when you unpack everything again.

Make next year’s holiday a little bit easier by planning ahead this year, creating a merrier season for you in 2013.

Design Inspiration – Coffee

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Interior designers, and clothing designers, often find inspiration from things that are totally unrelated to homes and fashion. Colors, shapes, images and ideas can lead to unique design thinking.

In this week’s blogs, we’re going to take a look at three different types of design inspiration and how they turn into room designs. By the way, this week’s blogs were inspired by the kind words of one of our subscribers in Winnipeg, Canada.

This designer chose the photo of a steaming cup of coffee shown to the left as the basis for creating several hotel rooms. With a limited budget, he was still able to make an impact. The colors reflect the rich brown of the coffee beans with the flooring. The walls and bedding are represented by the warm light browns and creams of the stoneware coffee cup and saucer.

The designer also used the shapes of the steam rising from the coffee cup as an inspiration for the curving wall murals in each room. The furniture also curves to coordinate with the rounded cup as well as the oval mirror shaped to resemble the top of the cup in the photo. Even the chair looks like a cylindrical coffee mug missing the handle.

Although there is no actual image of the photo in either of the rooms, if you have the opportunity to compare them, the source of inspiration is clear.

What else would you add to this room to make the coffee imagery stronger? How about a jar filled with coffee beans or a do-it-yourself small coffeemaker?

Take the time to look at photos on the Internet. Do any of them inspire you to design your own space?

Warm Up your Dining Table

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With autumn bringing family holidays, adding some special touches to your dining table or buffet can turn a simple dinner into something special. A fall-themed centerpiece or other elements also provide additional warmth to your home. Here are a few ideas.

Table runners: Catalogs, home shops and even discount stores all can be great resources for lovely table runners. Place a runner on your table and add a couple of candlesticks and brighten up your dining room very simply. Add placemats and dinner is ready. Table runners also work well to embellish simple tablecloths. Switching a runner is one of the fastest ways to change a room’s mood.

Flowers: Chrysanthemums – either in a pot or a vase – say fall easily and inexpensively. Place a few pots on either side of your buffet or one large vase in the center of your dining table. For a simpler and easy look, cut flowers shorter and put in a series of juice glasses. Use rubber bands to hold the stems together – making the small flower arrangements appealing and organized.

Centerpieces: Don’t limit your ideas to flowers and candles. Gourds, a bowl of mixed nuts, fall leaves – real or silk – and some apples or pears can be combined with baskets or pottery bowls and platters to create a tablescape that catches the eye. Just add place settings and you’re ready for a party or family gathering.

Candles: Whether you choose tall tapers or small votives, candlelight adds warmth and charm to any room. if you are concerned about fire and small children, look for battery-powered LED lights that mimic flames.

With just a few minutes and a little thought, you can turn your dining room from a place to eat to an inviting and appealing space. Take the time to make your dining table special and your family and friends will appreciate the result.

Fall Home Maintenance

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For those of us who live in the Sonoran desert, our fall maintenance requirements are much simpler than for people in colder areas. However, it still pays to tackle several areas now that temperatures are starting to drop. Here are a few suggestions:

Check your home’s exterior. We had quite a bit of rain and wind in this summer’s monsoon. It’s smart to pop up on the roof and make sure everything is still in place. This is particularly important with an older home. While you’re up there, make sure your gutters are clean and operational. Finally, take a walk all around your home to look for signs of termites or other home challenges.

Test your heat. We will eventually get to an evening cold enough that we’ll be ready to turn the heat on again. It pays to check your heat before then to make sure it’s working well. Also, if you haven’t changed your filter recently, do so. The summer’s air conditioning demands really take their toll on filters and you will have better energy efficiency if you stay on top of them.

Trim your landscaping. In the heat of summer, it’s risky to trim bushes and trees because of the risk of sunburn on previously-protected foliage. Now that it’s cooling off you can start trimming back those plants that have gotten carried away this summer. For some plants such as citrus and roses, wait until December or January for serious trimming.

Paint your home’s exterior. The best temperatures for exterior paint are between 50 and 85 degrees. Because of our significant temperature variations between day and night, there is a small window when painting is ideal. The next month should be a great time for getting your house looking its best with a new coat of paint.

Now that the weather is nicer, outdoor maintenance feels like less of a chore, so take advantage and make sure your home looks and performs at its best.

Build your Dream Room, One Piece at a Time – Accessories

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The fourth and last piece of this series on building your dream room focuses on the smaller elements. Now that you have your main pieces of furniture in place, it’s time to add the extras that make a space truly yours.

Think about the larger accessories such as lamps and side tables first. These require attention to function as well as aesthetics. Make sure every seat has a table nearby and that your lamps light up any darker corners. Create a comfortable place for reading with a floor lamp behind an easy chair.

Now, consider the pure design elements. This may include a few books on one corner of your coffee table, candlesticks and photos on a mantel or just a simple glass bowl on a side table. If you have accumulated unique pieces on your travels, they can make a room more intriguing. Or if you have a collection of small objects, they can gain new importance by grouping them on a table or shelf. Vary size, color and height where you can to add interest and personality.

If space and accessories are limited, you can display one or more of your serving bowls or platters. Combine with a vase for flowers or a few candles and you have an appealing look using things that you can borrow from when you have guests.

Accessories are the best opportunity to showcase your personal taste and interests in your home. They give your guests a chance to get to know you better. Take advantage of your choices to represent ideas, places and choices that you love. Once your accessories are in place, your dream room is finished.

Build your Dream Room, One Piece at a Time – Sofa

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So you have a new home with a large and inviting living room, family room, or open-concept space and you want to create the space of your dreams. Right now the room might be empty, or you may have a few pieces of unmatched or not very appealing furniture that you picked up for a song or inherited from family.

If it’s time to make that room beautiful but you’re not sure where to start, let’s take a look at your options. As the largest piece of furniture, a sofa helps define your space and provides a sound basis for developing a room to match your vision for your home. When choosing your sofa, here are some of the things to consider.

Style: Sofas can be formal, casual, classic or contemporary. Your sofa will set the style for your space, so it’s a good time to make those decisions.

Construction: Perceptions of comfort vary from one person to another. Would you like a tightly-constructed piece with springs in the cushions so that your sofa provides a lot of support, or are you drawn to a comfy down-stuffed choice that is better for sprawling than sitting? Take a look at your family’s lifestyle and be sure to try out a number of choices to see what suits you.

Size: Be careful to check to make sure a sofa fits well into your space. Too large and the room will immediately look crowded. Too small and it won’t have the presence you want.

Fabric: Issues such as the probability of spills and the amount of usage can help you define your best choices. This is one place where a good furniture salesperson can be extremely helpful.

Color: Since your new sofa will be with you for a long time, choose a color you can live with comfortably. This may be a neutral tone, or a color choice that can almost play as a neutral such as dark green or denim blue.

Whichever sofa you select, be sure to take your time and shop all of your choices Spend as much as you can easily afford. You may have this sofa for a long time so think of it as an investment in your home.

 

Brighten up a Room with Splashes of Color

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We’re lucky here in Arizona to get so much sunshine. Grey days are the exception here. But it’s easy to let our homes go grey or beige inside because of the fear of committing to colors. If you have neutral walls, sofas, flooring and chairs, you can still add bold color to your home. Here are some ideas for brightening up any room.

Rugs: No matter what your flooring choice, a rug can add color, warmth and focus. Look for color that you love that will work with your furnishings. Since rugs are not permanently attached to your home, take the opportunity to be more daring with colors.

Art: A large painting or print in vivid tones can light up a wall. You can find options at one of the art shows around town, or in a shop that sells posters and prints. If you love good photography, visit the National Geographic website and you can select a photo to enlarge among their rich collection that is ready to purchase. Or maybe you’re a good photographer yourself. Warehouse stores will enlarge any print you have and even create a version on canvas for very reasonable prices.

Throw Pillows: This simple update can connect other color splashes in your home with your furniture. They’re also easy to change out if you get tired of them. If you’re still nervous about color, buying a bright throw pillow is a great non-threatening start.

Accessories: A red glass vase or blue pottery bowl can add a colorful element to any room. Consider textiles such as a table runner or placemats in your dining room. Pick things you like but watch your tendency to go with more neutrals. Neutral accessories in a neutral room will disappear into your space.

So take a chance with color. Start with one piece, then two, and before you know it your home may be colorful as well as inviting!