5 Decor Hacks To Brighten Your Home This Winter

Posted on November 19, 2021 by author

Winter is approaching, and you may find yourself spending more time inside with earlier sunsets and longer nights. Here are five decor hacks to help make your home brighter and cozier this winter.

Decor Hack #1: Paint Walls Bright and Warm

For a quick change, consider repainting one of the walls in a room you tend to hang out the most in, like the living room or kitchen. A neutral color with warm undertones will create a bright and cozy atmosphere in the area, and a vibrant color will help uplift a space while also looking great year-round.

Decor Hack #2: Incorporate Live Plants

Bringing some greenery into your home will add color and life to a room. Some of the health benefits of owning plants are lower blood pressure and reduced anxiety. Start with easy-to-care-for house plants that will most likely survive all year long, like a Chinese Evergreen, ZZ Plant, Moth Orchid, and Snake Plant.

Decor Hack #3: Change Light Bulbs

There’s no way around it–winter means less sunlight and colder weather. To counteract the lack of light and warmth, try LED lights. They’ll make your home bright and sunny, and these bulbs emit the most light while using the least amount of energy. Soft white LED lights will brighten the room without an intense contrast.

Decor Hack #4: Let In Light

With what sunlight we do get during the day, embrace it with a curtain change. Sheer curtains and stylish pullbacks are great alternatives for letting in light. If there is decor blocking the window, relocate them to maximize the light.

Decor Hack #5: Add Color

Winter is known for being dark so early in the day, but it doesn’t have to be dark inside your home! Try adding pops of color with colorful throws, pillows, dish towels, or rugs. Warm colors like reds and oranges will add warmth and energy to the room.

If you need help styling your investment property this winter to sell or are wanting to buy a home, contact us today! Reach out to TALK Property Management– We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

2022 Color of the Year: Evergreen Fog

Posted on November 15, 2021November 15, 2021 by author

Evergreen Fog is the 2022 Color of the Year. Next year’s color is a mid-tone grey-green.

Why Evergreen Fog

Sherwin-Williams chooses the color of the year by researching design trends around the world. The trends they found were warm neutrals, sustainability and organic living, and organic textiles and natural materials. The color is found in the following color collections:

Pottery Barn – Fall/Winter 2021
Pottery Barn Kids – Fall/Winter 2021
Pottery Barn Teen – Fall/Winter 2021
West Elm – Fall/Winter 2021

Sherwin-Williams found that people are leaning into using more color in their homes. From Pinterest and Google searches, there’s been more interest in greens. Green varies from rich and diverse colors that can appeal to everyone. The color adds depth and interest to a space while also mimicking nature and providing a calming hue.

Where and How to Use Evergreen Fog

Evergreen Fog works excellent when paired with natural materials like textural linen and wool. It would be a great splash of color in a home office, living room, or bathroom as a subtle statement shade. It could also be used in a bedroom, as a soothing color to promote relaxation. All in all, it’s the perfect shade of grey-green that feels elegant yet comfortable. 2022’s color of the year pairs best with other earthy neutrals like white, beige, a room with light wood tones with darker elements like matte black fixtures or bronze fixtures. It coordinates best with these Sherwin Williams colors: Neutral Ground, Dried Edamame, and Ethereal White.

When you work with TALK Property Management, we make your investment property ready and can help you remodel. We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

Photo credit to Sherwin-Williams website.

Hot Summer Color Trends for Austin Investors

Posted on July 13, 2021 by author

If you’re looking to spruce up your home for summer or need some summer inspiration for decorating your investment property, check out these hot summer color trends from HGTV.

1. A Touch of Spring Green

Spring Green is a vibrant mix between turquoise and sea green. This color works best as an accent when surrounded by primarily neutral colors. It can be just a pop of color like pillows or larger by choosing a furniture piece with this color.

2. Regal Purple

Regal purple can easily be used all year round for decor, but it especially pops during summer. You can even incorporate outside when you use fresh lilacs or liatris to accentuate the purple in the room.

3. Blue

Blue is a great accent color as well since it can have a masculine and feminine appeal. If you don’t want to commit to painting with this color, let accessories do the job for you. A blue rug with matching pillows and accented table settings is a great option.

4. Sunny Yellow

Mimic the sun’s bright hues with a shade of daffodil to brighten up any all-white room. This color pairs great with white, black, or navy and can quickly transform a space into a cheerful room.

5. Turquoise

We already mentioned blue, but we need to mention this particular shade of blue: turquoise! This color complements mid-century modern furnishing to help give the room a retro, urban feeling. The beauty of this color is its versatility in using it by itself or toning it down with muted hues.

6. Slate-Blue

The opposite of turquoise is slate blue, and it’s also a great color for summer too! While not as bright and cheerful as its blue cousin, slate blue can represent coastal inspiration and ocean waves, making it a hot summer color style. This color works best when paired with neutral furniture and accessories.

7. Yellow Green

If you’re looking for another color to make your home pop, yellow green is the color for you! This bright color pairs well with browns and creams and can be combined with darker shades of greens as accents. Yellow green will add a whimsy, graceful touch to your room.

If you need help with your rental property, contact us today! Reach out to TALK Property Management– We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

10 Popular Decorating Styles for Austin Investors

Posted on June 10, 2021 by author

If you need help decorating or furnishing your property for future tenants, try one of these popular decorating styles!

Transitional

Transitional can be defined as an elegant combination of traditional and contemporary looks. Because of its simple style, it can appeal to people with different design styles. This style featured sophisticated furniture, serene hues, updated classics, and materials like marble and quartz. It works well with coastal or farmhouse styles too.

Traditional

Tradition is a blend of history, heirloom antique, rich woods, plush carpets. A traditionally designed room should feel warm and welcoming. A traditional design style will have antiques, a refined color palette, intricate architectural details, and materials like marble and wood. This style works best with these styles: rustic, coastal, or Mediterranean.

Contemporary

This style is whatever is current and new. This style is the complete opposite of traditional style because it embraces negative spaces, strong shapes, and clean lines. Contemporary style is defined by current trends and designs, open space, and minimalism. This style works best with rustic or coastal styles too.

Modern

A modern design style focuses on form and structure like smooth surfaces, glass, chrome, and black leather accents. This style has an emphasis on ample negative space, a clean color palette, and minimalism. This one works best with industrial, midcentury, and farmhouse styles.

Midcentury

This style emphasizes strong shapes and clean lines and combines the past with the present. Decorate with a midcentury style by having clean, uncluttered spaces, natural wood, graphic patterns, and organic shapes. Modern and industrial styles work best with this one.

Farmhouse

Farmhouse combines rural architecture with modern comforts by utilizing hardworking furnishings and natural materials. This style features wall paneling, sliding barn doors, natural and historic colors, and simple, functional furniture. It works best with modern, rustic, industrial, and transitional styles too.

Rustic

Rustic is inspired by Mother Nature’s woods, plains, rivers, and lakes. Popular features of this style are exposed wood beams, brick and stone, natural hues, and rugged furnishing. This style works well when combined with farmhouse, traditional, contemporary, or industrial styles.

Industrial

Industrial is usually seen in urban lofts and converted industrial spaces but can be used in a home when you use industrial finishes and decor. Typically defined as gritty, industrial is also characterized by salvaged and found elements for decor, wide-open space, exposed raw materials, and a neutral color palette. It combines well with modern, rustic, farmhouse, and midcentury styles.

Mediterranean

Just the word itself makes people think of sandy beaches and vivid oceans, and the goal is to recreate those cool and breezy or rich and warm locations in a property. Key elements of this style are a rich, earthy color palette, natural materials like wood, brick, and stone, and colorful tile. It works well with traditional and coastal styles.

Coastal

Don’t get Mediterranean confused with coastal! Coastal style is inspired by the beach and utilizes natural light, natural materials, and a casual tone. You don’t have to live by a beach to make coastal work for your property. If you decorate with coastal colors, whitewashed surfaces, bare wood floors, natural materials like linen, cotton, and wicker, you’ll get the theme across. Coastal style works well with traditional, transitional, contemporary, and Mediterranean.

If you need help with your rental property, contact me today! Reach out to TALK Property Management– We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

The Top Kitchen Trends of 2021

Posted on February 5, 2021February 5, 2021 by author

With a significant amount of time spent inside over the last year, homeowners are more discerning when it comes to kitchen preferences. In fact, Houzz surveyed over 2,000 U.S. homeowners to see what projects they’re tackling in their kitchens this year. So, if you’re looking to revamp your kitchen, these ideas make the cut!

COVID-19 Trends

Storage

94% of surveyed homeowners said storage was their priority. They’re expanding their storage by replacing their kitchen cabinets (63%). And those who did a partial cabinet upgrade (31%), almost 30% of them added cabinets to their newly renovated kitchen. This is four times the amount compared to last year! For those who partially replaced cabinets, the number one improvement was refinishing the exterior (60%), then adding cabinets (28%).

Pantries

46% said they are adding or upgrading their pantry to include more space. This is up by 3%. There’s also an increase in walk-in panties by 3%.

Changes in Open Layouts

Open-concept was a popular layout in the past, but it has decreased by 10% compared to 2019’s percentage of 53%. People are no longer wanting to renovate their open-floor plan by opening up their kitchen to other interior spaces.

Outdoor Connection

One in 5 homeowners wants to open the kitchen to an outdoor space. 22% of homeowners are more open to outdoors, with the majority choosing to open via double doors or having a row of doors.

Design

Backsplashes Extended

Homeowners are increasing their backsplash to include from the countertop all the way to the upper cabinets or range hood (68%). White is still the number one choice for a backsplash color (37%). Still, multicolored is second. 54% of homeowners chose ceramic or porcelain tiles are their preferred material.

Flooring

Ceramic or porcelain tile ranked number one for flooring (24%). Hardwood is second at 23%, and vinyl continues to grow in popularity at 19%, which is 6% higher than the previous year. The top flooring color for renovated kitchens was wood at 51%. The second place was gray (14%) and beige at third (10%).

Island Cabinet Colors

Almost half of homeowners renovated their kitchen to have a different color island cabinet from the rest of the kitchen to make it pop (41%). The top color choices are blue and gray for their contrasting island cabinets.

55% of homeowners chose to add an island or upgrade their current island. The popular layout choice is to add an island to create an L-shaped layout (38%).

High Tech Faucets

Many homeowners want high technology in their kitchen, and a faucet is one of them. More than half of upgraded faucets have high-tech features. 26% claimed to be water-efficient, 22% said there’s a no-fingerprint coating, and 21% are touch-free activation.

Neutral Colors

Gray, white, and beige colors continue to dominate in the kitchen. But a small percentage wants to mix it up by including blue walls (7%), gray flooring (14%), colorful backsplashes (18%), and black appliances (16%).

Why They Remodeled

In this survey, Houzz also asked why they decided to remodel. The majority said they’ve wanted to do it all along, and now they finally have the means to do so (40%). 35% said they could no longer stand the old kitchen and 30% said their old kitchen was deteriorating or broken down. 28% said they wanted to personalize their newly purchased home, and 14% were inspired to change certain items.

The most popular renovation was countertops at 88%. The second was backsplash at 83%, and the third is 80%. Other popular renovations were faucets (78%), light fixtures (74%), flooring (65%), all appliances (51%), wall finish (46%), some appliances (33%), windows (28%), exterior doors (19%), interior doors (17%), and electronics (10%). Upgrades to light fixtures, appliances, wall finishes, and interior doors decreased compared to last year.

When changing the kitchen layout, 44% opted to change the kitchen layout: 38% and 34% upgraded systems and modified walls. Al little more than two-thirds kept their kitchen the same size, where almost 30% opted for larger. Over a quarter opted to make it up 50% larger, and 7% chose more than 50%. 200 square feet or more accounted for the renovated kitchen’s final size for 51% of homeowners.

After their kitchen renovations, 97% reported their number one activity is cooking. Dining and eating are second at 70%, a tie with 2020’s percentage. Third place was baking at 69% (remember all the bread we baked at the beginning of 2020?). Besides cooking and baking, the top activities after their kitchen renovation were eating and dining (52%) and entertaining (50%).

As we can see from the data, homeowners want a space with a closed layout to personalize. If you need help deciding what home designs increase your rental property’s ROI, reach out to TALK Property Management– We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

4 Timely Home Design Trends for Rental Property in 2021

Posted on January 11, 2021January 11, 2021 by author

If 2021 is the year you become an investor, or if you’re already one and looking for ways to increase ROI on your investment, these four home designs should factor into your portfolio decisions in 2021. With the pandemic, people are spending significantly more time at home, and this influences home layout preferences and needs. Here are some home design trends you should look for in your next rental property.

Separated Spaces for Multigen

Open floor plans are not as popular if multiple people are sharing the same living space. Homeowners are looking for areas to do work, place video calls, exercise, and learn remotely, and you can’t do that all in one room. Think of the chaos! This is especially true with the rise in multigenerational families sharing a home, where each individual needs space and privacy for themselves.

Wood-grain Elements in the Kitchen

Increased time spent indoors is influencing home materials. Homeowners are craving the outdoors indoors, and this includes materials that are organic and natural. This home design ties interior elements to nature and can be accomplished by adding wood-grain cabinets and wood countertops.

Outdoor Solitude

The backyard has become a break room of sorts for adults and children, so homeowners are looking for entertainment. The items that gained popularity during the pandemic are fireplaces, fire pits, patios and decks, screened-in porches, and outdoor kitchens. While an outdoor kitchen can be expensive, it can be as economical as adding an outdoor refrigerators and dining areas to your rental property.

Smarter Bathrooms

Touchless appliances and self-cleaning appliances gained traction last year in smart technology. Motion sensors for lighting and smart temperature control for bathroom floors are some ideas that can increase ROI.

Contact us today to begin your investor journey. If you need help deciding what home designs increase your rental property’s ROI, reach out to TALK Property Management– We are here to help: (512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.

7-Day Plan For an Organized Home Office

Posted on December 15, 2020December 15, 2020 by author

The new year is almost here, but you don’t have to wait until it’s 2021 to change! Start the new year with an organized home office. With sudden changes in shutdowns and everything else that 2020 has brought, working from home might not have been in your original plan. Now is the perfect time to finish this year strong and start 2021 with an organized home office.

While this is written as a 7-day plan, the time required may vary, depending on your home office size and organizational needs.

Day One: Paper

Get your recycling can out and get ready to declutter the paper on your desk. Don’t feel defeated if your desk initially looks messier than when you started. It’s part of the organizational process!

Ask yourself, “Do I need to keep this?” Sometimes we keep things because we’re unsure of how long we need to keep them. So, this step might require some additional research to discover what to keep and for how long.

Once you’ve answered that question, it’s time to sort and stack paperwork. Use quick, temporary labels for your categories as you work. If you have documents that don’t belong in your office, return them to where they belong immediately.

Day Two: Space

Day two is for increasing available space. With your now newly stacked and organized paperwork, review it once more to remove duplicates. Consider scanning the documents to the cloud–if you haven’t become a paperless home office yet, today is an ideal day to make the switch!

Day Three: Organize

Day three is all about discovering an organizational system that works for you. Some ideas are clipboards on the wall, wall-mounted cups containing office supplies, labeled, open-top baskets on shelves, or traditional files.

Day Four: Clean

Now that everything has a home and is organized (the hardest part!), it’s time to clean so your office is a more pleasant place in which to spend time. Cleaning tasks typically include vacuuming the floor, window treatments, high corners, and lampshades, wiping down shelves and surfaces with a damp cloth, cleaning your computer monitor, and using a keyboard duster or cotton swabs to remove dust in between the keys on your keyboard. Plants are also a great way to help freshen the air.

Day Five: Comfort

You’ve cleaned and organized. Now you need to assess the comfort level of your office. Your home office should be comfortable and inviting. Does your chair have proper support? Consider upgrading your lighting or adding a stool under your desk for a footrest.

Day Six: Decor

Let the creativity begin! The beauty of a home office is the location, your home. Personalize your office with photos, treasures, fabrics, or office supplies that really express your style. Add flowers or candles for fragrance. Make it truly, uniquely yours.

Day Seven: Maintenance

Now that the hardest part is finished, focus on upkeep. Handle paperwork as soon as you receive it rather than letting them pile up, note documents with their life cycle, schedule a weekly time to empty your inbox, and remove any cups or other kitchen supplies daily.

Now you’re ready to tackle 2021 with a spotless and organized office! If you need help lightening your workload, contact TALK Property Management to see how our services can help you as an owner, property manager, or real estate investor. We are here to help–(512) 721-1094 or dbrown@talkpropertymanagement.com.