Stair Case Crazy

This week has a been a busy one. I recently checked out a home for one of my clients that had one of the most beautiful staircases I've seen in a home. Since then, my team and I have been a little "Stair Case Crazy!"

Since we're heading into the weekend, here's a little bit of stair case heaven I wanted to share with you! Check them out and tell us what you think by leaving a comment below!

Your Local San Diego Real Estate Expert,

Ways to Enhance your Entryway

Are you looking to add some fizz to your foyer? First impressions matter so when you’re ready to re-design your entryway, look at it from the viewpoint of someone who has never seen your home before.

Define the space with a bold color to exude a warm welcome. Be sure that the color ties in with the rest of the adjoining rooms. Try to keep the space clear of any type of furniture so that the space has a feeling of openness and feels larger.

Accessories are important. Be sure that lighting is prominent in the area by adding a fun chandelier or table lamps on an entry way table. Add a mirror on one of the walls to open up the space and make it feel larger. If you have a few mirrors you love put them together in a fun cluster to make the space more inviting.

Buffet and console tables are in right now for entryways. Add a small three-drawer chest or console table against a wall to add depth to the space. Or if you have a large entryway, add a round table in the middle of the room. You can then put a floral piece in the center.

There are so many different ways to enhance your entryway. Take a look at more inspirational photo’s we just love and see more on our Pinterest Page – www.Pinterest.com/NissouRealtyGroup.

Your Local Real Estate Expert,

Unbelievable Views in Jamul!

15397 Isla Vista Rd. Jamul, CA 91935

Looking for unbelievable views in Jamul?! Listing Courtesy of #KWRealty - this beautiful 3229 Sq. Ft, 5 bedroom, 3 bath home is energy efficient with 10 acres for planting, animals, etc. Huge kitchen with skylights! Priced at $725,000! For more information, call Stephen Nissou at 619-250-4541 or e-mail me at Stephen@StephenNissou.com. 

#StephenNissou #NissouRealtyGroup #KWRealty #KellerWilliams#SanDiegoRealEstate #SDRealtor #SanDiego

Things to Buy After Buying A Home

Congratulations! You just purchased a new home! The biggest hurdle is now over. What’s next?

Keys and Locks – The first thing you need to do after buying a new home is changing all your door locks, or re-key the home. If the previous sellers gave sets of keys to family, friends, neighbors, etc. then chances are that you need to re-key the house. This is solely for your own protection. Check out your local hardware store to re-key. You can buy all new locks, but sometimes it gets to be a little expensive.

Lawnmower – Unless you plan to hire a gardener you will definitely need to buy a lawnmower. Many homes in California have no lawns, and the back yards are dirt, so this doesn’t always apply.

Garden Supplies – Like I previously stated, California back yards are primarily dirt. Consider purchasing plants and trees to fill. Every home needs a garden hose.

Tools and Repair Items – Every house needs a well-stocked tool box. Hammers, screw drivers, pliers, wrenches, nails, and tape measures are just a few of the essentials every house needs.  If you’re looking to do some remodeling, don’t forget paint brushes, paint scrapers, mixing paint containers, rollers, drop clothes, and sandpaper.

Outdoor Entertaining – Lawn chairs, umbrellas, patio furniture and a BBQ grill are just a few things you need to entertain family and friends.

Window Coverings – Blinds, drapes, Roman shades, scarves, toppers, and shutters/ sheers are just a few ideas for window coverings. IF you’re low on budget, try self-adhesive paper blinds with clips.

Appliances – Depending on how much you want to spend, look into having a refrigerator, washer and dryer, and cooktop/range. Consider buying used appliances if you’re on a strict budget.

Linens, Towels, and Floor Coverings – Try Bed, Bath, and Beyond or Linen-n-Things!

If you’re not quite sure the color scheme you’re going for, or need some help with designing your home, look into hiring a personal Interior Designer to work with you.  Try Living Solutions Interior Design for help! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Living-Solutions-Interior-Design/206050699430476

Your Local San Diego Real Estate Expert,

Making Your House A Home

Decorate your home without breaking the bank. Here are easy ways to personalize your home and tips I've learned from my team. 

1) Try throwing some color around. It allows your home to be more inviting and reflect your personal taste. Try not to get sucked into having your entire living room beige or white. By adding a dash of color like blue accents, colorful throw pillows, or some red decorative art, it allows the living room to become more inviting and personalized. You're the one living in your space. You want it to reflect what you love best about the room.

Remember: Mix, don't match! Is your favorite color green? Don't make all the throw pillows the same. Try different hues of green or pair it with blue to have some contrast. If you want your entire living room furniture to be white and black, paint one adjacent wall a deep red. This will add some variety to the space!

2) Go to new heights. Allow decorative accents, like vases to vary in size. Don't put them all in a straight line either. Sometimes it's okay to cluster them together. It allows it to be mroe appealing to the eye and offers more room on your fireplace mantle or sofa table.

3) Rearrance your furniture. This tends to the be the easiest, most cost effective way to make your house feel more like your home. Don't push all your furniture against the walls. Instead, rearrange the furniture into conversational groups to allow the room to become more inviting. If your sofa is in the middle of the living room and you don't want people to see the back of it, put a nice table behind it with a lamp. You'll be amazed at how different your space looks by simply moving a sofa, table, or dresser. It will allow the room to feel larger, fresher, and won't break the bank.

4) Freshen up the linens. This is the easiest way to feel more comfortable in your bedroom. Give curtains, sheets, pillows and bedding a new look by adding ribbons, borders, and pompoms. You can purchase in-expensive fabric at your local Joann’s or Michaels store, or any local fabric store. If you are looking for more elaborate designs, check out upholstery shops in your area, or your local Ethan Allen. (They also offer FREE Design Consultations with a purchase.)

5)  Mirrors are all the rage. Add oversized mirrors to your space, like above your fireplace. Mirrors open up your space and enhance the room’s natural lighting. You can’t go wrong with adding several mirrors either. Remember, odd numbers are important!

6) Pull out the photo albums. Dust off old photos and display them proudly in your home! Not only will you be able to reminisce, laugh a little, and allow your room to be more inviting and calming. Create a gallery by displaying photos on book shelves, book cases, tables, dresses, and desks. If you’re hanging them on a wall, create a fun cluster using different shapes and sizes of frames.

Your Local Real Estate Expert,

Furnishing your New (or Existing) Home!

Moving into your new home or renovating your existing home is a liberating feeling. Come up with a plan for turning your empty shell of a house into an inviting home. Here are some suggestions for pulling it off, even if you are on a budget!

Start with the bedroom:
This is where you spend the majority of your time in your home. If you're on a tight burdget, buy as much as you can afford to spend in this area. It makes a huge difference. Paint the bedroom walls to compliment your new bedding and add coordinating window treatments. Choose a light palette of colors and translucent window treatments, which has been proved to make you feel calmer and sleep better at night. Don't forget to buy the bed you've always dreamed about, which should mirror both your personality as well as fit into your space comfortably. If you're having trouble planning the space of your bedroom, or any part of your home, use a room planner to help you create your space. 
http://www.planyourroom.com

Don't buy everything all at once: 
Live in your home for at least two months before making any type of significant purchase. Think of how you're going to use your house and live in it before spending money to renovate or buy furniture. 

Don’t make it match: 

Furniture stores love to make you think everything has to match. Don’t do it! Buying a few pieces with the same styles are fine, but any more than that and your home will begin to look like a furniture showroom rather than your home. Make your style show through the furniture. Not ready to take it there yet? Choose decorative accents, rugs, lamps, and artwork that reflect you and your personal style. Be sure to proportion, scale, and balance your furniture and accessories in each room. Think of odd numbers when picking out accents. It’s more visual appealing to the eye. 

Tie everything together with color:

If you've moved into your first place with furniture that spans the 1960s to now, don't worry. The easiest, most economical way to overcome this seemingly insurmountable problem is unifying through color. Let's say you have a sofa that has only one thing in common with the furniture in the rest of your living room: a tiny bit of the color in the fabric is the same as the less dominant color in the rest of the room's upholstery.  Solution? Play up that similarity and make it your living room's unifying wall color. If that's too much hard labor for you, find curtains, rugs or accessories in this common hue and see how the pieces begin to complement each other.

Solve your problems inexpensively:

If you don’t quite have the budget for an entire kitchen remodel,  choose the inexpensive approach and freshen them up with paint, and change out the hardware for something more modern. In the bathroom, something as simple as changing the lighting can make an improvement to the appearance of the room immediately. 

If you don't have a creative eye and aren't quite sure where to start, look into hiring an Interior Designer to help you! 

Here's a start: http://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designer/san-diego

Happy Decorating!!

Your Local Realtor,