How would you like to automatically and easily add value to your home? What if it hardly cost more than a little sweat equity and a weekend? With a bit of effort, neighborhoods may not only increase their property value but also enjoy the aesthetic rewards. You may have heard the real estate term “location, location, location” when defining the value of property. But one does not need an ocean, a manicured park, a city skyline, or a landmark like the Golden Gate Bridge to be
the wasted space beneath them? Your open stairs lead me to a few open-ended questions. What is the style of your house? Is your staircase an architectural focal point and, if not, do you want it to be? Do you need more storage or additional space to meet other needs? How nimble are you on your feet? First, a few words about the advantages of open stairs. Since there are no risers (the vertical pieces that connect two horizontal treads to each other), you can see through your
the future. We lost it in the Napa fires. In the meantime, we’re renting furniture which is expensive to do (and uncomfortable). Can you guide us in starting over when buying new furniture? My heart goes out to you and I’ve given this some extra thought. Since you don’t know the sizes or configurations of rooms in your future home, keep a few things in mind: When it comes to upholstery, don’t invest in a sectional. It’ll take up a lot of space and, at this point, you don’t kn
These rooms are actually one big room. I know the rugs should not match, but what do I look for so that the two coordinate? Also, are draperies out of fashion? (Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) I have a bit of insight into these questions as they come from my friend, Margie. When we were out walking the other day, I told her that I didn’t have any “ask” questions for my upcoming column and wondered if she had any. She did. Since I know exactly what her dining
(Originally published in the Napa Valley Register) Did you happen to catch the recent 10-part series, “Genius”, on the National Geographic channel? The series spanned the life of Albert Einstein from his early days as a patent clerk in Bern, Switzerland to his death in Princeton, New Jersey. It focused more on his life, loves, struggles, and theories than math and physics, although, there were a few fascinating animations to help viewers visualize what he was thinking. At one