http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88

Appalachian Trail?  Blue Ridge Trail? Heck no. These photos were taken just a few miles east of Charlotte, NC, on the McAlpine Creek Greenway, part of the Carolina Thread Trail. Don’t ever think you have to sacrifice nature to buy a home so close to the big city. Just outside the Livewell Homes Springbrook Neighborhood off Sardis Road North and Sardis Road. Walk out the back side of this full brick new home community and you can access over four miles of paved & gravel greenway. Built in 1978, the McAlpine Park Greenway was the first public greenway trail ever acquired and built in the western piedmont of North Carolina.  I did a little research and found out on the Mecklenburg County web-site that there are over 188 species of birds that have been documented on this trail, the second highest total in Mecklenburg County. Also from their site: “Though surrounded by urban development , McAlpine Creek Greenway and the James Boyce Community Park are the only greenway/park combination where you can see river otter, beaver, and mink all in one general area.” How cool is that in the middle of a big city?

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This week on the blog I just wanted to post what I will refer to as a “Before” video. Remember I have been blogging about a special Livewell Home being built next to me in the Springbrook neighborhood near Matthews, NC It’s actually now finished and ready for immediate move-in. I took this video about six weeks ago and didn’t do anything with it. I shot the video in one take although I did about 5 or 6 trial runs to practice beforehand. I was very surprised at just how hard it is to balance the camera, walk, and talk, all at the same time. No doubt the video is a little shaky. The landscape was not yet in. What I would like to do is make an “After” video soon to show you the true finished product. I have furniture on the way to show you what some of the possibilities might look like for you. I can then really show you how beautiful this home really is. As always you can visit the home anytime at 7917 Sardis Creek Lane in Charlotte, NC. Are you the special homeowner we are looking for? Stay tuned. www.livewellhomes.net

http://www.homearamabaxtervillage.com/the-411-homearama-details/

http://www.elledecor.com/home-shopping/articles/cool-cribs

This one from giggle.com was one of my favorites, but I’m not sure how practical it would be.

Here a couple other options – maybe you will find one perfect for your “bundle of joy”.

Argington Sahara Crib,  $495 www.fawnandforest.com

babbyletto Merco Crib, $399.99, www.target.com

Bloombaby Alma Mini Urban Folding Crib, $399, www.modernnursery.com

Storkcraft Mona II, $239, www.simplybabyfurniture.com

 And to finish off the perfect crib with the perfect bedding, check out this website that does custom bedding (you can design your own too!):

Gray Zoology Crib Bedding set, $369,  www.babybedding.com

But then you pass by a sign for a LiveWell Homes neighborhood and decide to stop in and see what they are offering. Then you walk through the front door of their model home and you feel right at home – your home. Aside from the fact that it is clean and not cluttered (I can’t seem to get rid of that darn pile of papers on the kitchen bar!), you see a spacious, well-laid out home with great features and just enough decorations to see how the home would really live. Like if you and your family moved in tomorrow. There’s not too much nor too little; it is just right. And it looks inviting, colorful, cozy, and your can’t believe the value for your $$ (that is a shameless plug for our great pricing and well-thought plans). But where did they get that fabulous couch? And the sectional sofa in the bonus room is the perfect size and color!

Oh yes – we have come to save the day! LiveWell’s decorating secrets are finally revealed!

1. We use local talent – not someone from corporate in four states away. Local talent means that we save on shipping costs and they know where the deals are.

2. We have a budget. Your probably do, so why shouldn’t we? We think our floor plans are fantastic, so we put just enough into our models so that the furnishings and decor accent what is already there. And we also bargain shop. Doesn’t it feel great to find that perfect one-of-a-kind piece that is 40-65% off? We think so too!

3. Our sales team also knows where most of the furnishings. Since they work closely with the decorator, the sales team has first-hand knowledge of where pieces came from and can help share that information. For example:

Riverwood Model Homes Living Room

 And here is the sofa featured in the family room:

Conrad Grey-Brown Sofa, Rooms to Go

And the Chair:

Conrad Red Chair, Rooms to Go

And the accent chair that we feature in the room too:

And check out the dining room:

Look at the chairs we featured:

Granby Oval Chair, Rooms to Go

 And what about the accessories? Local finds too: Ross, Sears, JC Penney, Home Goods – you name it and we probably feature something from that store. So maybe you don’t want to pick out everything you find in our model homes, but this is a good start. Take one or two pieces, fit it into what you already have and add on to it – or add your own personal flair for decorating! A house isn’t a home just by its decor, but rather by the memories made in that home. So check out LiveWell’s model homes and get inspired - and be sure to Live Well!

Have you checked out the most recent copy of the Horchow Catalogue? Looks like they’ve added a new Lilly Pulitzer Home Collection, offering furniture pieces and linens that feature bright and cheery colors. Colors that I have never used in my home and in my poor attempt to decorate. But somehow, for some reason, I am so drawn to these fresh and festive colors.

So my question to everyone is “What colors do YOU decorate with?” Are you a red person or maybe more of a blue person? I went through my house this morning and it turns out I decorate mostly with Beige. And now I am thinking that this is pretty boring. Our beige couches match our beige carpet and the beige walls. So, I have decided to step out of my color box and do something different with the guest room that we are “redoing.” I went to Calico Corners a couple of months back and found a collection that helped me step outside of my beige comfort zone and add more color.

Okay, so I didn’t add grass carpet to my guest room, but I think the finished product is going to look great (and give my house some much-needed color!). The coral printed ottoman definitely made it into the new room – how cool is that? The sea-breeze buffalo check will do nicely on the bedskirt and standard pillows on the bed. The bird print will be featured on the duvet cover and the euro shams. I’ve also ordered some extra fabric to make a trim for the curtains already in the room, and then a couple of accent pillows. I can’t wait to show off the finished product and am so proud of my expansion into the coral and blue-ish realm of colors.

So, what colors do you decorate with? Are you willing to step out of your comfort colors when it comes to decorating? I hope so! Good luck and be sure to look everywhere for inspiration: in a model home, at a furniture store, a friend’s house, HGTV - the possibilities are endless!

2011 Color of the Year

  So, the big question is what do you do with this color? You could paint an entire room this color – like a little girl’s room. Or even better, try it in a bold pattern on a wallpaper print, like this:

(From Northwest Herald)

Or, If wallpaper isn’t your thing, try adding pillows or pops of fabric in Honeysuckle into a room. Here is what I am thinking:

(From House Beautiful)

Of course, don’t be afraid to bring it into the kitchen – with placemats, cloth napkins, decorative accents, the list could go on and on. And if the weather is perfect for a picnic, I’m thinking a huge honeysuckle-colored quilt would be a great backdrop for a yummy nibble in the park. Or a great nap outside….The point is that you don’t have to just paint the walls a certain color and then try to make everything else go with it. You can easily work with what you have and just add a little Honeysuckle into your life. I’m sure by November when the cold weather settles in, I’ll be craving this warm and energetic color throughout the year into the next. Now get coloring!

Don’t just dive in without doing a little research. Get a second, or a third opinion too. Of course you have to de-clutter, and it is okay if you go overboard on this. Actually you almost can’t go overboard in this area. Think of it this way: you want to move, and you have to pack up your stuff anyway. Just think of it as getting an early start on preparing for the big move. And don’t worry – once you get into your brand new house, with everything new, clean, and working just the way it should, you can bring out all of your favorite photos, kid’s toys, knick-knacks, etc. and have them just as you did before you make the momentous decision to sell your old home and buy a new one. Remember – once you put your house on the market, it no longer becomes your home. It is a product for sale and you must do everything within your powers (or abilities) to get it sold!

So, a couple of tips to get you started. I found this article from a Realtor Magazine and one key thought really caught my attention:  how seemingly small defects in a home can drastically affect the home’s final sales price and how just a few small staging upgrades–like throw pillows–can actually increase the value.

http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/2011/04/11/real-estate-math-what-increases-and-decreases-a-home%e2%80%99s-value/#more-2143

(Keep in mind these are based on New York rents so the prices reflected below are higher than many other markets.)

WHAT CAN DECREASE A PROPERTY’S VALUE

• Chipped plaster or broken bathroom tiles: Knock $500 to $5,000 off an offer
• Dirty rugs: Subtract $5,000
• Clutter: Subtract 5 to 15 percent from sales price

WHAT CAN INCREASE A PROPERTY’S VALUE

•  Fresh towels and throw pillows (estimated cost: $700): Add $25,000 to sales price
• New lights (cost: $2,000 replacing lighting fixtures and $250 for a professional lighting designers expertise): Add $32,500
• Professional paint job (estimated cost: $10,000): Add $50,000 to the sales price
• Replacing cabinets (estimated cost: $20,000 on new kitchen cabinets and paint): Add $107,000

Now I definitely think in markets in North and South Carolina (Where we are; LiveWell Homes, that is.) the cost of these simple things would be far less to fix than those hefty NYC prices. But imagine what would happen if you took two or three weekends to get your house in tip-top shape before you put it on the market for sale. You might get your asking price or close to it. Even better, you could sell your home in less time!

So this was just a teaser to get you started on your journey to buying your brand new home, but I’m officially dedicating Tuesdays to decor and home staging – everything you want for your new home and everything you need to do to your old home to sell it. So, until next week – Happy Staging and make sure each day you LiveWell!