Red continues to be one of the hot colors for interiors as we leave winter celebrations behind and look toward Valentine’s Day, though this much loved and much maligned color is not just for the holidays. Red in your living environment can be exciting and invigorating. For the daring of the world, walls can be steeped in a brilliant scarlet or floors can be covered in deep red carpet. But, those broad swaths of such a bold hue are not for everyone.

This more sedate, yet lively contemporary dining space uses red in contrast to the white and black elements of the room. The red leather chairs are a perfect balance to the six white side chairs, showing how beautifully small pops of color can work in a design.

Another bit of red in the center of the dining table is also a good addition which could also be achieved with a piece of art glass or two quirky red candelabras. The simple white hanging pendant light over the table is great in white, but an adventurous soul might choose deep red for the shade.

With such an expanse of white painted walls and ceiling, a large abstract painting or print with lots of red would also be stunning in this space, as would a contemporary mirror with glossy red frame.

It’s not too late to make a New Year’s resolution to give one of the beautiful vibrant reds a try. Whether you use just a few small splashes or go for broke and paint an accent wall, red might turn out to be your 2011 color of the year. Could red your color for 2011?

Do you love your Fulton home? If you do, shoot a 30-60 second video (use your phone, a flip or any camera) telling us why you love your Fulton home or community. Then upload to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/FultonHomes (choose the video button next to status update on our page) and you could win  a GE Profile Harmony Electric Washer and Dryer in Platinum that talk to each other.  ($2000 retail value.) Contest has been extended to end on 1-31-11.

Here are more details about the prize.
With this GE washer, you get a King-size, 4.0 cu. ft. stainless steel wash basket — one of the largest-capacity washers available — for washing up to 24 bath towels or 50 T-shirts in a single load. Plus, the GE Harmony washing machine uses as little as 17 gallons of water for a small load and 24 gallons for an average-size load. **Please leave a comment if you need help uploading the video to our Facebook page. Good luck!

Here at Fulton Homes, we like our prospective and current homeowners to be able to see the different communities that are offered.  On our homepage, you’ll see a “Visit The Community” box.

Once you click on this link, it will take you to a page where you can “View Neighborhoods & Community Layout”.  With this tool, you can view all of the different neighborhoods and lots available from Fulton Homes.

This feature is a great way to become familiar with the different neighborhoods we offer!

What makes this bedroom’s design feel cohesive and inviting? To create a cozy environment, it’s important to think inside the box.

Every room has six surfaces: the four walls, the floor and the ceiling. You need to take all six into account when you’re planning a space.

This bedroom has every element needed to make a room feel comfortable. The oak-brown carpeting is almost an exact match for the warm brown walls. Cream and brown bedclothes stay in the same color family while using texture and pattern to keep the room interesting.

The most exciting design decision, however, is the ceiling. By choosing a very dark brown combined with the cream-colored wide crown molding, the sixth surface moves from an afterthought to a powerful design feature.

This is an old fashioned room, from the plates on the wall to the furniture and accessories. But the ceiling is daring and takes the space out of great-grandma’s house to a bedroom that would work in an expensive country inn.

Look up. Are your ceilings white and forgotten? Next time you redo a room, work with all six sides of your box.

For many people, the best part of winter is over, and now there’s a long hard wait until spring. This is a great time to think about updating a room. A new coat of paint and new flooring can make a space feel fresh and exciting.

Traditionally, winter is not the best time to paint or carpet a room. The smells required several days of open windows to dissipate. But with the paints and carpeting that are available now, those powerful odors can be a thing of the past.

Volatile organic compounds, often called VOCs, refer to chemicals that are often part of the contents of various products. They release into the air over time, a process called off-gassing. If you remember the concept of the “new car smell,” the bad news is that you’re talking about inhaling VOCs with every new vehicle. Those chemicals created the smell we connect with new paint and carpeting.

The good news is that many of today’s home products have no or low VOCs as part of their makeup. You can actually paint or carpet a bedroom today and comfortably sleep in it tonight.

For more insight into the products that offer this feature, ask us for more details. You’ll find that choosing a low or no-VOC option won’t limit your choices. And you can keep your windows closed!

For many people, getting ready for the New Year involves setting up a calendar. Whether you use Outlook or another computer-based system, or prefer the classic print calendars, now is the time to prepare for next year by inserting key birthdays, anniversaries, and other personal holidays and events.

While planning your new year, how about including your house? Your home requires a number of annual maintenance events, and now is a great time to schedule them.

Do you have wood floors that need a new coat of wax or stone floors that need sealing? Are your granite countertops due for another coat of sealant this spring? When did you last have your heating and air conditioning system checked? How often do you have your carpets cleaned?

To make your life even easier, add in the phone numbers of any contacts you need for each project right in your calendar so you’re ready to make arrangements as each event comes up this next year.

Instead of counting on your memory or reminders from others, take a few extra minutes as you set up your calendar and plan your home’s care requirements for 2011. Then relax and have a happy New Year!

Are you someone who makes resolutions every year? Many people do – lose that extra 20 pounds, exercise regularly, keep your temper when the dog makes you crazy. But while you’re making personal ones, how about adding in a few to make your home safer for you and your family?

Here are a few ideas that can make a difference.

Read Safety Instructions: Every product manufacturer provides safety instructions to go with installation or use manuals. Take the time to read them. You may find that some of your assumptions of safety measures are misguided or outdated.

Bath Safety: Consider installing safety bars in your showers or baths. For children, older people, or anyone at any age, the bars can help avoid accidents on wet slippery floors. Make sure they are drilled into the studs, so that they stay where they’re supposed to when you use them.

Fire Safety: It’s tempting to burn those after holiday stacks of boxes and gift wrap in the fireplace, but sparks and an overheated fire can create real safety problems. Stick with standard fireplace fare and put boxes in recycling instead.

DIY Safety: When working with tools, always use safety glasses. Make sure your tool box also includes a first-aid kit, work gloves and ear protection gear. Depending on the project, you may also need a dust mask or respirator. Read instructions and plan for safety when you plan to do it yourself.

When you’re making your resolutions, include one or more designed to keep your home and family safe and secure. And have a happy 2011!

Are you ready to wrap up the holiday season? The following tips will help you start the next year right, and prepare you for the next holiday.

Check the lights: Both your indoor and outdoor lights are designed for limited life. Check your lights for frayed wires, cracked sockets, or burned out bulbs. Discard the doubtful strings, and use the original packaging or purchased light holders to keep them from tangling before packing them away. You may want to consider buying replacements at after-holiday sales. The new LED lights have beautiful colors and are much more energy efficient.

Plan your post-holiday pack up: Are your ornaments packed safely? Are your holiday candles protected from the summer’s heat? Also, pack backwards based on how you want to unpack your decorations next year, and label the boxes. Now is the time to discard any decorations that you no longer want, so you don’t waste storage space.

Read installation and safety instructions: Did you receive any exciting electronic or other gifts that have installation or use instructions? Take the time to read the safety information, and make sure you follow installation directions closely. Set any electronic equipment up immediately – you generally only have about two weeks to return them directly to the store if there is a problem.

Don’t take a chance on that HDTV: If you want to wall-mount a television, hire a professional or purchase a special mounting system and follow the instructions carefully.

Keep the rest of your holidays happy by taking care of the details and keeping your home and family safe, and have a wonderful 2011!

We love receiving testimonials and letters of thanks from home owners! We received this note and wanted to share it with you.

“We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Geneva Estates Salseman Tom Lacher and Customer Care Superintendant John Martin for their courtesy, kindness and professionalism in helping and advising us with any and all questions and or problems.”

Have you had an experience with Fulton that you would like to share? We’d love to hear from you!