Design Trends for 2021

It is hard to believe that 2021 is 80 days away. With a new year approaching quickly, now is the time to start thinking about how you want to update your space. If you’re wondering how the design trends are looking for the new year, here is a great place to start! 

Less Is More

After Marie Kondo took over last year, there is no surprise that the idea of ‘less is more’ is trending in the decor space. Take the time to check each space in your home and ensure your decor is intentional. Make sure all of your belongings have a place and that they all serve a purpose.

Scandinavian and Japanese style

Both cultures celebrate minimalism while also encouraging functionality. With white shades dominating spaces in this style, you will also find natural woods and materials in large spaces that are open and bright. 

Personalization

One of the most marked trends in interior design is focused on the personalization of your space. Take into account what you already love when creating spaces in your home without worrying about what others consider stylish or up-to-date. Let your creativity shine through your space. 

A Touch of Color

Neutrals are great in most settings, but a pop of color allows you to add personality to your space. Yellow shades add warmth while blue shades give a sharpness and can be used to enhance certain elements of a room. If you want to introduce a little color, use colors inspired by nature. 

Is Your Home Ready To Show? Here's Some Quick Tips!

While it might be your goal to keep your home show-ready at all times, that isn’t always possible. It is completely normal to have a home that feels lived in - especially if you are living in it! This isn’t a major issue, but something to be aware of if you are getting ready to list your home.

If your house is already for sale, you may have already experienced the stress of last minute showings. Of course you want your home to appeal to a potential buyer, but you also want to be able to maintain some normalcy while you are still living at home. Here are some tips to help you show your home in a way that potential buyers will love and you can actually manage!

Create Routine

Create an easy maintenance cleaning schedule for each member of your household. Rather than having to worry about cleaning the entire house all at once, this allows you to maintain order and cleanliness - making show-ready living easy to achieve!

Decide On The Necessities 

Once you decide to put your home up for sale, you should do a walk-through of your entire house. Decide what items you’ll need and use while your home is on the market, and start to make a packing plan for the rest. If you have the room, store items in-house, or consider renting a storage unit. Either way, you will have much less to worry about packing when it is time to move!

Quick Fix Containers

Thankfully, decorative baskets and bins of all sorts are all the rage right now. If you don’t already use containers to organize and store toys, clothes, shoes, or other items - now is the best time to start! You will then be able to toss those items quickly into their storage space before a showing.

Maria Zendejas & Team (805) 465-2000

How Often Should I Check My Roof?

While you may not think about your roof every day, you want to make sure that your roof stays in good shape and remains leak free. To do so, regular inspections need to be performed. But how often should that happen? According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, you should check your roof at least twice of year, during fall and spring. The mild weather of those seasons can help make inspecting the roof easier and it also allows you to ensure that your roof will be prepared potential seasonal weather hazards. While it may not be easy to complete an inspection as often as recommended, doing so will help prevent minor roof damage from leading to serious problems.

Preventing minor problems from turning into major ones will also save you money in the future. Your bi-yearly check can be done yourself unless you find reason for concern. Here are some things to look out for when doing a DIY inspection:

• Broken or missing shingles
• Cracked or curling caulk
• Patches of moss/lichen
• Worn or peeling plastic rubber boots around pipes or other roof projections
• Cracked or rusted spots on metal flashings 
• Shingles that are blistering, cracking or buckling
• Loose, cracked or rusted gutters
• Crumbling or missing chimney mortar
• Tree branches or other large debris

If during your own inspection you notice any cracked or rusted flashings or gutters, crumbling or missing chimney mortar, sunken spots in the roof, or several shingles that are buckling, cracking or missing, you should call a roofing company. A professional roofer can inspect both the inside and outside of your roof and give you peace of mind about the safety of your roof and your home.

 Maria Zendejas & Team (805) 465-2000  | Lic. 01522044

 

Painting mistakes to avoid

     

DIY interior painting can be a money-saver if you know what you’re doing. While saving a few dollars is definitely worth trying out painting yourself, it is important to avoid mistakes often made in the process. Here is how to avoid them!

Mistake #1: Not Using The Correct Applicator

If you are willing to pay for premium paint, you should be willing to invest in a good applicator. Invest in good brushes or rollers up front to avoid hair on the wall or lumps of roller lint under the paint.

Mistake #2: Not Preparing Correctly

You always want to do repair work first so that your walls are smooth, clean, dry and free of loose debris before you begin painting. A repair will be much less obvious if it is done before a new coat of paint!

Mistake #3: Overextending Your Brush Dips

One of the most frequently made mistakes by DIYers is that they often continue applying a dip of paint until the brush or roller is dry. When you overextend each dip, the paint can dry in the brush bristles, and the fabric on rollers can mat down. You want to maintain a smooth line of paint. Once you can see the paint starting to break up, it’s time to re-dip.

Mistake #4: Breath Interference

Your breathe when painting can impact the steadiness of your hand. When cutting in near edges or other times when you need to be precise, you should hold your breath or breathe out to limit your movement as much as possible.

Mistake #5: Allowing Paint To Dry Out

Touch-ups are not ideal if your paint has dried out. To extend the life of water-based paint, place a piece of clear plastic wrap directly on the surface of the paint, then reseal the container. For oil-based paint, add about a half-inch of water on the surface before resealing.