Upgrading to the house of your dreams

Upgrading to the house of your dreams


Many homeowners staying in place and looking for ways to make their current abode the most comfortable it can be. Because they're not selling, homeowners are looking at remodeling rooms, changing out decorating schemes and in some cases, even adding on to the home.

Incorporating a new look into the home - whether it's in the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom - can really change the feel of the house. Upgrading a bathroom is a great place to start, because it's a smaller room and is used by both occupants and guests.  A remodel can also help you save money on your utility bills. With a new bathroom adding a spa-like feel to your home, you may even rethink your desire to move when the housing economy turns around.

Here are some tips to changing the bathroom of your home into a beautiful and comfortable space:

* Vanity: Used for hand washing, preening in the mirror and brushing teeth, the vanity is one item in the bathroom that is the center of activity. Add an artistic - and economical - touch to your vanity, characterized by refined good looks. When on, this budget-friendly, universal design faucet runs a mere 1.5 gallons of water per minute, earning it the green WaterSense label. In addition to the faucet, consider upgrading your mirror with a model that combines beauty and elegance in the room.

* Walls: A fresh coat of paint can go a long way in changing the look and feel of a room. Don't forget about the ceiling. Even if you only give it a new white coat, the fresh look can make all the difference. Choose a paint that handles high humidity well to give your upgrade a longer lifespan.

* Toilet: The toilet tends to be the largest water consumption appliance in homes. But replacing your older toilet with, a one-gallon per flush ultra high-efficiency toilet, can really affect your utility bills. This gravity-fed toilet uses Double Cyclone Flushing technology to provide excellent performance and exceptional bowl cleansing action to create a green, clean flushing system that saves you money, water and time cleaning the toilet, always a thankless task.

As you upgrade your toilet, don't stop with just installing a high-efficiency, self-cleansing toilet. These new additions to the Washlet family use eWater+ technology, which is applied after each flush and once every eight hours when the unit is not in use, disinfect the bowl, reducing the need for harsh chemicals during cleaning, which saves money and is better for the environment.

* Flooring: High humidity often found in bathrooms can quickly age the flooring, causing peeling and even cracking of dated linoleum. Plus, modern flooring products are much higher quality, and are built to withstand more traffic and high humidity environments. Consider using ceramic, clay or stone tiles, or laminate in stone or wood styles to modernize the look of your bathroom.

Upgrading a bathroom will transform your entire house with a new look and feel. And if you love the change enough, you might decide to continue the upgrade to another room, like the kitchen or master bedroom, turning your home into the beautiful house of your dreams. (ARA)

Newest Homes for Sale in Keller

Looking for new home in Keller, TX?  Review newly listed homes below!

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For more information on any of these homes or others in the area, contact the Grove Team, Keller Williams and their team of buyer specialist to begin your home buying experience today!

Grove Team, Keller Williams
(817) 337-0000
info@groveteam.com
www.groveteam.com

Video Tour - 4817 Campfire Crt., Fort Worth

New listing offered by the Grove Team, Keller Williams

4817 Campfire Crt., Fort Worth Coventry Hills Addition

Custom four bedroom, 1-1/2 story home on a cul-de sac lot in the Coventry Hills Addition. Ample amounts of storage, 100% bricked, full sprinkler system and large covered porches on the front and back. Recently updated - including installation of radiant barrier, additional insulation, fixtures and so much more.

Call the Grove Team today to schedule

a showing of this fantastic new listing!

(817) 337-0000

info@groveteam.com

www.groveteam.com

Need a style lift? Begin with neutral flooring for ultimate design versatility

Do you pin your favorite bathroom makeover ideas on Pinterest, look for inspirational kitchen designs or dream about new decorating styles for your home? If so, you're not alone. Many homeowners are opting to makeover their homes this year instead of upgrading to a new one.

According to a recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens magazine, consumers rank "style upgrades" as the most important component of their upcoming home improvement plans, followed by storage. For future projects, consumers said their top style upgrades include flooring, countertops, faucets and fixtures.

Laminate flooring experts suggest beginning a style upgrade project by installing neutral-colored flooring. Neutral floors create the perfect canvas to help tie all of a room's design elements together.

What is a fresh, new and widely-popular neutral color within interior design circles? That would be grey. Some of the hottest hardwood flooring designs for 2012 offer traditionally American brown tones that are delicately infused with a grey influence.

Grey is the new brown
Grey is no longer viewed as a trend color in design circles, but is now viewed by professional designers as the new neutral.

"Grey is the new brown," says Erinn Valencich, L.A.-based interior designer and blogger for HGTV's Design Happens. "I used a grey-based floor in my new design studio because it goes well under a myriad of other wood tones. You don't have to use grey-based furniture on top of it - grey looks great with all wood tones." Another benefit to grey-based flooring, Valencich adds, is that it's very forgiving.

Just look to large furniture retailers to see how their offerings now highlight grey-based tones. The bleached-out, weathered Scandinavian look is very popular right now, Valencich says. It's perfect to pair with a new grey floor.

Colors that complement
Don't be afraid of color when designing a room with a grey-based floor, Valencich says. She suggests one of these color palettes to make a room shine:

* 50 shades of blue - Grey looks beautiful with any shade of blue, from soft powder blue to vibrant turquoise to charming daisy blue.

* Bananas Foster - A favorite color trio of Valencich's is yellow, chocolate and cream on top of a grey-based floor. The subtle flooring highlights the rich colors for a bold, decadent look.

* Lovely with lavender - Lavender is one of this year's hottest colors and a long-time partner for grey. Valencich suggests adding any color of purple to a grey floor for standout results. "Consider creating a focal point around a muted lavender wall and add some deep, rich, regal purple accents to bring it all together."

Getting started
When beginning a room makeover project, the first step is choosing a clear color palette. Wall color is a great place to begin, Valencich says, but any object - a rug, chair or artwork - can serve as your inspiration.

Next, think of the design process in layers - the trick is to coordinate and contrast. "If your paint, accessories, furniture and flooring are all the same color, the room will feel flat," Valencich advises. "So create drama by using a pop of color or by layering varying shades of the same color for a refined tone-on-tone look."

A well-executed color palette can transform any space with great results. (ARA)

Video Tour - 11008 Swift Current, Fort Worth

Listed by the Grove Team, Keller Williams

11008 Swift Current, Fort Worth Offered at $234,500

New construction, never been lived in! Well appointment finish out includes hand-scrpaed wood floors, crown, granite counters in the kitchen and bath, massive covered patio complete with second fireplace. Popular 1-1/2 story floorplan with full bath upstairs.

Call the Grove Team, Keller Williams today to schedule a showing of this awesome new listing.

(817) 337-0000 or at www.groveteam.com

** This home will be open this coming Sunday, July 8th from 3:00 - 5:00 **

Grow beautiful landscapes with less water

Hot and dry weather provides reason enough to think about simple ways to save water while still enjoying beautiful yards and gardens. You may even find that your efforts to be water smart may improve the health and appearance of your plants.

During the summer, an estimated 30 to 70 percent of household water use takes place outdoors, depending on your local climate. Up to half of the water used to irrigate yards and gardens is unnecessarily lost due to evaporation, wind drift, watering non-plant areas due to poorly aligned sprinklers and simply overwatering.

With some easy steps, you can reduce your water bill, foster attractive spaces for you and others to enjoy and help protect water supplies for future generations. Do something good for your bank account, your yard and your planet by following these smart tips.

Plant smart

* Landscape to suit your lot and your climate. Choose grass or plants with low water requirements that will thrive in your local climate. Consider sun and shade areas, slopes and plant sizes for optimum growth. Group plants with similar water needs close together and separate lawn areas from planting beds.

* Keep soil healthy. Aeration helps improve water penetration and adding compost or fertilizer maintains plant health so they use water more efficiently. Mulch well around plants, bushes and trees. Two to 4 inches of mulch reduces evaporation, moderates soil temperatures and helps control weeds that compete for water.

* Maintain your yard regularly. Weed, prune and mow as needed. A well-maintained yard uses water more effectively.

Water wisely

* Set sprinklers to only water plants, not your driveway, sidewalk, patio or other hardscapes.

* Water at the best time. Watering during the heat of the day causes high evaporation loss. Watering early in the morning when winds are calm and temperatures are cooler minimizes evaporation by as much as 30 percent.

* Adapt watering to the season. Adjust how much you water based on seasonal weather and changing conditions. Weather-based timers are available and can make such adjustments automatically.

Maintain and upgrade automatic irrigation systems

* Inspect the system regularly. Check for leaks that can waste water and cause other problems. Also look for broken or clogged sprinklers that no longer operate efficiently.

* Check the pressure. Proper water pressure encourages more uniform water distribution and better sprinkler operation. Fixed spray-type sprinklers work well around 25 to 30 psi while sprinklers with moving streams of water work well at 40 to 45 psi. Water pressure regulation devices are easily added to valves to control a whole irrigation zone or can be part of individual sprinklers.

* Install a rain shutoff device. Rain sensors prevent irrigation systems from running when irrigation is unnecessary. These devices can reduce irrigation water usage by up to 35 percent and help extend irrigation system life. Sprinkler systems should never run in the rain and rain sensors can put an end to those wasteful situations.

* Utilize "smart" technology. Climate or soil moisture sensors and controllers evaluate weather or soil moisture conditions and automatically adjust the irrigation schedule so your landscape always receives the appropriate amount of water. The water savings can be significant and the convenience of these self-adjusting controllers is another great benefit.

* Consider drip or micro-irrigation for shrubs and ground covers. Rather than spray large areas with above-ground sprinklers, drip irrigation utilizes emission devices to deliver desired volumes of water to particular locations at or near plant root zones. Water drips slowly from emitters either onto the soil surface or below ground. Less water is lost due to wind and evaporation as a result, and weeds can also be reduced.

* Look for rebates. Many water utilities offer rebates for certain water-efficient products. Before upgrading your system, check with your local water provider for opportunities for free and discounted products.

Consider an irrigation professional

* Have your irrigation system audited. Hire a qualified professional to conduct a system review and uniformity test to ensure areas are being watered evenly and appropriately, and make necessary adjustments.
* Upgrade or invest in a new irrigation system. A water-efficient system requires a good design, quality components, proper installation and maintenance. Licensed and certified professionals can offer expert advice and services.

Although July is officially designated Smart Irrigation Month by the Irrigation Association and a number of states, it makes sense to promote smart irrigation every month of the year. Each individual effort makes a difference that results in more beautiful, productive and water-efficient landscapes for everyone to enjoy while conserving one of our most precious natural resources. (ARA)

Video Tour - 13085 Fencerow Road

Just listed by the Grove Team

13085 Fencerow Road, Fort Worth

Highly sought after David Weekly story and a half floorplan on a corner lot! Featuring four bedrooms, three baths, located in the Harvest Ridge Addition this home is a must-see!  Large covered patio in back offers a great place to unwind and kick back. 

Call the Grove Team today to schedule a showing, (817) 337-0000 or find it online, www.groveteam.com.