Nicholas Yount, REALTOR

If you’re looking to elevate your painted walls, the options for alternative wall treatments are nearly limitless. Covering your walls with more than just paint can upgrade your home to new proportions, whether you use wallpaper, tile, textiles and more. Here are seven unexpected wall treatments that will impress your guests and make your home feel truly personal to you. Wall Murals A large-scale wall mural can be hand-painted directly onto your wall, or you can use a wallpaper mural that is custom-cut to the size of your wall. Wallpaper murals are typically created by hand, so both options will offer a completely custom look. Regardless of the size of the room, a mural will add interest, depth and dimension. Textile Wall Coverings Walking into a room that is adorned with textile wall coverings feels like a hug is enveloping you. From leather to velvet to upholstery, textile wallcoverings are a luxe alternative to wallpaper and add elegance and warmth. Plus, they are great for soundpro...

A wine room is a place of both function and aesthetic. While the climate is the most essential factor of a wine room, it can also be a place to entertain and relax. As a result, the potential spots to install a wine room can be endless. Whether you live in a sprawling estate or have a penthouse in the city, wine rooms can have a place in every home. Read on to find out what goes into having a luxury wine room in your home. Forget the Size If you don’t think you can fit a wine room in your high-rise penthouse, think again. Building a wine room comes down to creativity. Whether you’re converting a closet, transforming a pantry or making a glass front wine pod in the corner of a room, a custom wine room can be designed in any size home. The size of the wine room doesn’t matter as much as the temperature and humidity within the chamber. Make it the Focal Point A wine room doesn’t need to be relegated to the basement. Instead, a beautifully designed wine room can be the focal point of a roo...

For many people, golf is more than a game: it’s a lifestyle. If this sounds like you, then you’re probably well aware that nothing beats living behind the gates of a golf community with an immaculately maintained private course at your disposal. The reality, however, is that’s not the only benefit to be found when residing in these exclusive enclaves. If you’re not sold on the idea just yet, here are a few additional perks that can be enjoyed in these communities. Natural Beauty You don’t have to be a golfer to soak up the picturesque views over the links. Anyone who appreciates being surrounded by nature and beautifully landscaped grounds will find a sense of serenity in these neighborhoods. After experiencing the hustle and bustle of the city for years, an abundance of peace and quiet is always a welcomed change for an urban dweller. The only sounds you’re likely to hear from the terrace are the birds chirping.   Privacy and Security These days, privacy can feel like the ult...

A surveyor is a professional who determines the exact location of a property line. Many homeowners don’t know the boundaries of their yards and operate under erroneous assumptions. That can lead to disputes between neighbors that are stressful, costly and preventable.  You Need to Know the Location of the Property Line Before You Build If you’re thinking about building an addition or constructing a fence, you need to know exactly where the property line is so that you don’t accidentally encroach on your neighbor’s land. If you don’t have your property surveyed and you inadvertently build in your neighbor’s yard, you can find yourself in legal and financial trouble. You may be required to move a fence or have an addition torn down, or you may have to purchase a piece of land from your neighbor to rectify the situation and avoid a lawsuit. Local zoning laws typically require that additions and other structures be located a minimum distance from a property line. You’ll need to know pr...

When having your home remodeled, communicating effectively with the contractor is critical. A simple misunderstanding can cause a project to be delayed, go over budget or leave you feeling disappointed with a result that isn’t what you expected. You should speak with the contractor about what you want your home to look like after the renovation, but words alone may not be enough to clearly convey what you mean. That’s why photos can be extremely helpful. You May Have Trouble Explaining Exactly What You Want Even if you can clearly envision how you want your house to look, you may have difficulty explaining it in words. It can be challenging to describe how you want a room to look or how you want people to feel in a space. You may not be able to pinpoint and describe every detail the way you see it in your mind, or you may find it difficult to explain how you want all the features to fit together. Providing photos that clearly depict what you want can help the contractor understand your...

A luxury bathroom can be the ultimate escape from daily stressors. Equipping your bathroom with the latest in innovative technology can enhance this experience even more. Incorporating the latest in smart home technology can add comfort, efficiency and enjoyment to your bathroom. Read on to find out what tech trends you can incorporate into your bathroom so you can turn your bathroom into your own oasis. Toilet Technology As the most utilitarian element of a bathroom design, it can be easy to overlook any upgrades to your water closet. However, there are many luxury toilet features you may be missing. For example, smart toilets come with built-in seat warmers and touchless toilets have the technology to let you open and close the toilet lid by waving your hand. Smart toilets also come with antimicrobial seats and have self-clearing and self-deodorizing technology. Vanity Technology Imagine getting out of the shower, opening a drawer and wrapping yourself in a cozy, toasty towel. A towe...

Painting the walls and ceilings in your home isn’t as complicated as a lot of other home improvement projects, but there are still plenty of ways that things can go wrong. Don’t make these mistakes when tackling a DIY painting project.  Not Choosing the Right Color and Sheen The paint strips in a store may not accurately indicate what paint will look like on your walls. Get a small can of paint, apply it to one area, then see how the color looks at different times of day. Figure out if that’s the right color before you paint the entire room. Don’t use glossy paint on walls with imperfections. A high sheen will make imperfections more noticeable. Failing to Prepare the Walls Paint won’t attach well to dirty walls. Clean the walls before you start painting, even if they don’t look dirty. They probably have a lot more dirt, dust and oil on them than you realize. Let the walls dry thoroughly before you begin painting.  If any paint is peeling or flaking, remove it. If the room has...

Sustainable homes are unquestionably better for the planet, and because the materials used to maintain them are typically stronger and last longer, they also offer opportunity for cost savings. Environmentalists suggest a few simple and budget-friendly ways to make your home more sustainable. Use Fewer Disposables  - Take inventory of the single-use items you use regularly, like paper towels and plastic bags. Then commit to using sustainable alternatives; reusable rags instead of paper towels, glass or washable silicone pouches in place of plastic storage bags.  Save Your Jars  - After a good washing, all those jam, pasta sauce and pickle jars can be used to shake your salad dressings and/or store anything from leftovers to homemade favorites, or even as impromptu flower vases.  Invest in Glass Containers  - Think of the savings. The lidded glass food storage containers you buy today will outlast dozens, maybe hundreds, of disposable plastic containers over the ...

As every parent quickly learns, toddlers are notoriously curious. They reach, they climb and they fearlessly taste whatever they stumble upon. Parents and grandparents need to take extra steps to keep little thrill-seekers from harm. Health and safety professionals provide some tips for toddler-proofing your home.  Cook on the Back Burners  - Keep simmering pots and pans on the back burner of your stove with handles facing away so toddlers can’t reach them.   Lock Away Cleansers and Bags  - Store all house cleaning products and plastic grocery bags in a locked or latched cabinet your toddler cannot open. Safely Stow Medications  - Don’t leave medications on the counter. Instead, keep them in cupboards high enough that a toddler cannot reach them.  Plug Unused Electrical Outlets  - Use plastic outlet covers in unused outlets to keep curious fingers out of them and be sure not to leave dangling cords anywhere. Use Bumper Guards  - Bumper guards...

The key to creating a designer-inspired space lies in the art of layering. Regardless of the material, layering textures and tones creates an intentional and inspired look. Mixing wood tones is an excellent way to design with depth and prevent the room from falling flat. Here are some go-to designer tips to seamlessly blend wood tones throughout your home. Select a Dominant Tone Identifying a single dominant tone is the first step in mixing wood tones. Selecting the primary tone creates the base on which to layer different wood tones, textures and colors. Depending on the space, the dominant wood tone will likely be the largest surface area, such as the dining room floors, the living room entertainment center or the kitchen cabinets. Coordinate the Undertones With the dominant wood tone selected, it’s time to layer in other wood tones. To ensure a cohesive look and feel, it’s important to choose complementary wood with undertones in the same family as the dominant tone. For example, if...

Preparing to move can be confusing and stressful for kids, in part because they generally have little or no involvement in the process. Including your children in house hunting can calm their nerves, and your own, and help them get excited about relocating. Discuss the Upcoming Move With Your Kids Tell your kids where you plan to move, when and why. Explain that you need to find a new house and ask what features are most important to them. When you look at houses online, focus on critical factors such as the number of bedrooms, layout and price, but also keep an eye out for the things your children mentioned. Narrow the List of Houses If you’re moving locally, it might be a good idea to visit several houses without your kids, narrow the field to a handful of top contenders, then take your kids along for a look. If you will be moving a long distance and will need to travel for two or three days to look at homes, do your best to limit the number of home tours so your kids won’t feel over...

Doing the dishes may be a dreaded chore for many, but that chore has been made much less difficult with modern dishwashers. If you are ready to make your dishwasher as effective as possible, there are a few tips you can use to make nightly clean-up a breeze.  Don’t Pre-Wash Your Dishes You may think you are making the washing cycle easier for your dishwasher by rinsing or pre-washing your dishes. If you have a newer dishwasher though, this may not be the case. Guarantee the most optimum clean from your dishwasher by removing any large debris and allowing the soap to do the rest. Your dishwasher detergent has enzymes that can break down food, however, it may damage your dishes over time if there is no food to break down. Modern dishwashers will also sense the cleanliness of your dishes; if you pre-wash them, you’re not likely getting your dishwasher’s most powerful setting. Make Sure Your Water is Hot Your dishwasher relies on hot water to clean effectively. If your water heater is ...

Weatherproofing your home can be an inexpensive way to make your house more eco-friendly and to ensure that your pocketbook isn’t getting lighter unnecessarily. While proper weatherproofing does require an investment of time, the payoff can be larger than you would expect. Save on electricity and keep your home more comfortable throughout the year with these weatherproofing tips. Install Door Sweeps The gap under your door may seem small, but it can have a surprising impact on your home’s overall efficiency. Stop letting in the outdoor air during inclement weather by installing door sweeps to add a layer of protection from the outside. These are inexpensive and relatively easy items to install on any exterior doors, making them the perfect weatherproofing item to put at the top of your list. Add Weatherstripping Small cracks, gaps and holes by windows and doors can wreak havoc on your heating and cooling efforts. Using caulking and weatherstripping can eliminate this issue with ease. P...