Fall is one of my favorite times of year to decorate for.  The Harvest setting, bright colors and different textures make it an easy way to make your home extra gorgeous, particularly on the outside.  Decorating your front stairs or porch is a great way to change your home seasonally, add in some color and some fun!  

Pumpkins, hay, mums, kale, cabbage, and baskets are all popular and fairly inexpensive ways to decorate for the season.  I pulled some inspiration from Pinterest:

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

via

You can follow me on Pinterest here.

Pinterest

Have you joined Pinterest yet?  I just did, and I am loving it!  It is an amazing resource for home decor, design inspiration, paint colors, tips and tricks, DIY projects and more, just to name a few in the home arena.  It's also a great space to find recipes, activities for children, fashion inspiration, quotes, and much, much more.  It is also great for saving things you find around the web; a true pin board for the interwebs.  

Follow me on Pinterest here!

Fall Home Maintenance

Can you believe Fall is just around the corner?  The beginning of Fall, like any changing season, is a great time to do some home maintenance.

+  Clear out gutters
+  Do a check over your roof
+  Have your chimney cleaned
+  Check for any leaks and drafts around ceilings and doors and fix them
+  Have your furnace serviced
+  Change out screens for storm windows
+  Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

Doing this things can help save you money and catch any problems before they arise.  Maintaing your house can be a chore, but in the long run, it will do your home good.


*source:  Buffini & Co.

Keeping Your Family Safe in the Summer

As Summer winds down and we have one last holiday weekend ahead of us, it is a great time to remember some great Summer safety tips.

While a pool is hours of fun for the entire family, it is very important to follow several important rules for safety:

+ Never leave children unattended
+ Stay away from pool drains, pipes and openings
+ Learn and know CPR and First Aid
+ Do not swim when there is a broken drain or drain cover
+ Always check pool and hot tub covers to ensure they work properly
+ Use self-closing and latching gates

Some great safety tips for around the house and yard:

+  Always supervise children outside
+ Keep children inside while mowing or trimming
+  Grill in an open, well-ventilated space, keeping kids and pets away from the grill
+ Keep paint, fertilizers and bug killers out of reach of kids and pets
+ Put away all lawn and garden tools and out of reach of children
+ Put ladders and tools away and out of reach of children
+ Keep emergency numbers posted (911, police, fire department, poison control, etc.)

Enjoy the rest of your Summer and stay safe!




*via Buffini and Co.

Decor: Soft Neutral Paints

One of the biggest trends in paints and home decor over the last few years has "greige" colors - the blend of a soft grey and a light beige.  These colors are very flattering, neutral, and soft, allowing for a lot of room to explore in furnishings.  Some of the most popular colors are by Benjamin Moore Paints, my brand of choice.  

Here are some of my top choices right now:

Wisp of Mauve

Gray Wisp

Rodeo

Smokey Taupe

Edgecomb Gray

Stonington Gray

Classic Gray

Abalone

Have a wonderful day!

Cars

Let's talk about a non-home large purchase we all usually make at some point in our lives:  a car.  We need and depend on automobiles to get around in most places in our country.  While we spend most of budget and effort on home maintenance, it is equally important that we maintain our cars, in order to keep them running like new for as long as possible.  

Here are some tips to help keep your car in tip top shape: 

1.  Follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule - it's in your glove compartment, most likely!

2.  Check your fluid levels and tire pressure regularly - oil, steering, etc.

3.  Have any noises checked

4.  Drive like you want your car to last 

5.  Keep your car clean 

A few easy steps to help ensure that your car will last you longer than you hoped!

*source: Buffini and Co. 

Paying it Forward for the New Year

It's 2015 and a great resolution or goal for this year (and any) is to pay it forward.  This is a great way to help your community and neighborhood, and a great way to meet your neighbors and other local residents.  

A few ways to get involved:

+  Volunteering in community organizations (schools, churches, town projects)

+  Mentoring/tutoring a young person

+  Donations to a local charity

For more information, please email me at cheryl.newton@foxroach.com to join my newsletter mailing list and find out more.