I am a Broker/Realtor and the COO of RE/MAX Precision, a premier upscale real estate firm with offices in Clive, Adel, Altoona, Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, Grimes, Johnston, Knoxville, Norwalk, Perry, West Des Moines and Winterset, Iowa. I have 30+ years in the real estate industry and specialize in new construction and residential real estate.
Friday, January 29, 2016
2101 32nd ST Des Moines, IA 50310
Thursday, January 28, 2016
4 approachable modern home design ideas
Incorporating metal
Metal accents often serve as the focal point of modern design. When incorporating metal into your space, start with the basics: hardware, faucets and fixtures. If you gravitate toward warm finishes like bronze tones, choose accents with clean, minimalistic silhouettes. Conversely, if you opt for modern finishes with cool blue undertones like chrome and stainless, look for hardware with organic shapes like the Delta Tesla bath faucet that boasts a gentle silhouette inspired by curves found in nature. The faucet also provides modern convenience, with optional Touch2O.xt Technology that activates the flow of water with a simple touch or via hands-free proximity sensing.
Complementary accessories
To maintain a modern feel, simplicity is the key with accessories. Look for a few small items to work within modern and organic schemes. For instance, geometric shaped mirrors work well across from windows to enhance natural light and a touch of greenery can come to life in a minimal, white pot.
Balancing color
Choose a neutral, like grey, white or beige, as the primary color in your home to enhance a minimalistic, contemporary feel. To take a next step and elevate a home's color palette, incorporate organic materials such as wood or slate in dark, rich tones to create warmth and texture.
Let there be light
Often overlooked, the right lighting is critical when creating a space that channels modern design and homeowners have a number of options to consider, such as recessed, wall mount, chandelier and pendant lighting. Remember quality of light and placement are key. If you wish to highlight certain room features, spot lighting can be incorporated, whereas skylights work well for added natural light.
Connect to color through your passions
"If a hobby or activity lifts your mood, surround yourself with things that remind you of it," says David Bromstad, HGTV star and celebrity designer. "I always look to a homeowner's passions when helping them decorate. And if you start with an established palette of coordinated colors, it's easy to follow your instincts."
Bromstad recommends the HGTV(R) HOME by Sherwin-Williams color collection, offering eight paint palettes that evoke many favorite pastimes, with colors that create room-to-room harmony throughout the home. He offers these tips for using color to express your passions.
Head-for-the-beach colors. If you are inspired by the sea and sand, use maritime blues and dune grass greens to create a fresh, breezy feeling that beckons barefoot comfort. Create an indoor seaside retreat using rattan furniture, Sea Salt (SW 6204) pale aqua walls and a table painted Rapture Blue (SW 6773), both from the Coastal Cool collection. Complete the look with accessories such as seashells and clear vases that evoke sea glass washed ashore.
Pick colors fresh from the garden. Let the colors of your favorite flowers, fruits and vegetables guide your color choices throughout the home. Evoke beautiful pink flower petals with Exuberant Pink (SW 6840) on a bathroom accent wall; paint a desk in a fresh, Frolic (SW 6703) green; or bring out citrus colors in the kitchen with orange Tango (SW 6649). Reference the Color Pizzazz collection for more bold inspiration.
Cook up some color excitement. Make your kitchen the ideal gathering place with deliciously warm and inviting colors. Spice it up with rich, saturated tones of Peppery (SW 6615) orange and Grandeur Plum (SW 6565), found in the Global Spice collection. For room-to-room harmony, use Garden Sage (SW 7736) or Edamame (SW 7729) in an adjoining dining room.
Design around your collectibles. If you are an antiques aficionado, choose colors that celebrate the retro hipness of repurposed objects. Use colors like Bold Brick (SW 6327), or Urbane Bronze from the Urban Organic collection, to add substance to kitchen cabinets. Give a mudroom an eclectic twist with Armagnac walls and a Parakeet (SW 6711) green bench.- -
For additional inspiration and information on HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, visit sherwin-williams.com/hgtv.
Bring new life to your kitchen on any budget
Kitchens are a reflection of personal style. Just as you add new pieces to your wardrobe when the seasons change, kitchen updates keep spaces fresh and current. The following three tips, inspired by fall/winter interior design trends from design duo Blazys Gerard, offer splurge versus save ideas to bring a unique flair to your kitchen and entertaining space.
1. Go glam
Splurge: Streamline your layout to evoke a sleek and sophisticated vibe. Integrating built-in appliances, such as a Jenn-Air(®) 30" single wall oven in Floating White Glass, adds polish and maximizes under-counter space. For entertainers, an open-concept living space with an over-sized island creates a central hub at parties. The addition of an under-counter beverage center is always a hit with guests and wine lovers alike. For texture and elegant contrast, select a high-gloss stone countertop and dark-stained floors.
Save: Back splashes are a blank canvas and offer the opportunity to create a big impact. Whether you embellish the space with mosaic tile, glass, or even stylish marble, a show stopping backsplash creates a feature wall that is as beautiful as it is functional. Another option is to install a statement light fixture, whether architectural or ornate, to shine new light onto the space.
2: Turn up the heat
Splurge: Take inspiration from a modern gastropub and incorporate a fireplace into your kitchen. While this is a significant design commitment, a fireplace is a modern addition to the kitchen and unites living spaces, particularly in open concept homes. Richly stained cabinets exude further warmth and provide a restaurant-at-home feel. Keep the lines of the cabinets and countertops slick and you'll have a contemporary, eclectic space.
Save: If you live in a condo where the addition of a fireplace isn't an option, bring in warmth through accessories. Cookbooks, cozy throw pillows, and banquette seating will soften the space and create a relaxed atmosphere. A vintage settee in place of two chairs at the table is another way to add a touch of luxury and comfort.
3. Add rustic charm
Splurge: Create a chic space with rustic touches: butcher-block countertops, a reclaimed wood dining table, and wide wood plank floors. Clean cabinetry with built-in stainless steel appliances provide the ultimate base and maintain the focus on your overall design.
Save: Adore the look of a built-in fridge but not ready to splurge? Jenn-Air(®) offers cabinet depth refrigerators that appear built-in and are mounted flush with the cabinets; custom overlay panels can even be added to further blend with surrounding cabinetry. Bring in additional rustic elements through thoughtful accessories: a reclaimed wood plank is a beautiful table runner, especially when stained to compliment your kitchen, and a vintage milk jug doubles as a statement vase.
As a final tip (and the quickest and most simple of all), stop by your local farmer's market or flower shop-fresh blooms add visual interest and bring instant life to any space.
So whether you choose to do a major renovation or some quick revitalizing, keep these design trends in mind as you update your kitchen this fall to bring new energy, warmth, and style to your home.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Simple ways older drivers can save money on auto insurance
* Comparison shop. You don't need to stay with the same insurance company forever. Prices vary from company to company. Just be sure you discuss the identical coverage with each company representative. Also, don't go by price alone. Consider the company's reputation, customer service and available discounts. Look online at customer reviews to get a better picture.
* Combine policies with one carrier. You may save money if you insure all your vehicles on a single policy. Your premium may also go down if you have life or homeowners' insurance with that company, too.
* Consider asking about higher deductibles. In some cases, if you increase your deductible, you could lower your premiums. Of course, that means you'll have to pay more money out-of-pocket if you're in an accident.
* Take an AARP Driver Safety course. Available both online and in the classroom - in English and Spanish - this course teaches valuable defensive driving techniques and provides a refresher about the rules of the road. When you complete the course, you could qualify for a multi-year discount from your auto insurance company (check with your insurance agent for more details). Visit www.aarp.org/drive to find a course in your area.
* Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage. It may not make financial sense to pay premiums over many years to maintain collision and comprehensive coverage. If your car is worth less than 10 times the premium, purchasing the coverage may not be cost effective, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). But don't drop your liability coverage, which can help cover expenses for property or bodily damage you cause while driving your car.
* Take advantage of low-mileage discounts. Some carriers offer discounts to drivers who put less than a predetermined number of miles on their vehicles each year. If you're only using your car to drive to your kids' houses, the grocery store, the mall and the gym, this could be a money-saving opportunity.
* Ask about car-safety discounts. Some insurers give discounts for having certain safety devices in your car, such as air bags, automatic safety belts, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, or even an approved alarm system. In addition to lowering your premium, these features will help keep you safe on the road.
* If you're in the market for a new car, consider purchasing a low-profile vehicle. It's more expensive to insure a vehicle that's expensive to repair, popular with thieves or known for not having a good safety record. To find out vehicles' risk levels, visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website.
Everyone's trying to save money these days. By following these tips, you'll be in the driver's seat when it comes to auto insurance premiums.
Ideas for small bathroom remodeling
While you plan to re-work the bathroom space, the first thing you need to consider is its design. While working on bathroom remodeling ideas for small bathrooms, try not to change the existing layout and plumbing. You can either add or reduce the elements, but avoid shifting the major elements. If you have a bathtub then you can consider adding a shower enclosure. With the required shower fixtures and a classic shower curtain, you can enjoy the soothing shower as well as the relaxing bathtub. Apart from this, add a wall hung vanity to the basin. Corner, wall hung basin is best to be added instead of pedestal basins that occupy a lot of space. Utilize the corner space as much as you can. If you are adding a shower stall consider using glass as this will not give a blocking effect.
Add Storage
Once the basic design is worked over, you need to add some extra storage here. Remember that lack of storage is sure to make your small bathroom look cluttered and messy. As mentioned above, add wall hung bathroom vanity that will not occupy the floor space. Make arrangements to place your towels, bathrobes, etc. Have a vertical mirror over the basin and add small shelves on either sides of the mirror. These shelves will help you place the toiletries. One of the best small bathroom remodeling ideas is to add more shelves and closed cabinets on a side wall where you can keep grooming essentials and other bathroom accessories.
Color it Fresh
Giving a fresh coat to your bathroom needs no mention while you remodel it. Browse through the remodeling ideas for small bathrooms and you will find a lot of lively colors covering the bathroom walls. While it is best to paint small spaces in lighter shades like white, peach, lemon yellow, you can consider adding spicy element with a hint of flashy shade. Go for wall texturing or add a dark shade between the light colors. If bathroom walls are covered with tiles, make sure you clean them and the grout thoroughly and make them anew.
Spice it Up
Once you have finished implementing the basic bathroom remodeling ideas for small bathrooms, it is time to spruce up the area. Add decorative accent pieces like potted plants near the entrance and empty shelves. You can use decorative show pieces, wall hangings and frames to play up the bathing area. Use colorful, scented candles and decorative candle holders to further brighten up the small bathroom remodeling designs.
With the aforementioned bathroom remodeling ideas for small bathrooms, get ready to have a great looking bathing space. Make sure you maintain uniformity in terms of colors to get the best effect while bathroom remodeling for small bathrooms. With latest bathroom fixtures that area available in classy finishes and designs, you can give a grand touch to the area. Fresh and bright colors will help give a lively look to the bathroom designs for small spaces. So when are you remodeling your small bathroom?
by: Mamta Mule
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_7148.shtml