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Q. What are last minute property tax deductions I can make for my 2020 federal tax return in the U.S.?

A. For homeowners, property-related income tax deductions are limited.

Former President Donald Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 reduced the amount of state-and-local taxes filers can deduct, according to Harvey Bezozi, a CPA and president of the Boca Raton, Florida-based company Your Financial Wizard.

“Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, homeowners were able to deduct on their personal tax returns the property taxes paid for their personal residences,” he said. “[It] significantly reduced this deduction, along with the deduction for state-and-local income taxes withheld from wages, and now limits these combined deductions to a cap of $10,000.”

Politicians from states with high property taxes such as New Jersey, Illinois and California have made several attempts to work around the cap or get it repealed, but to no avail. It is set to expire at the end of 2025.

For investors, there are more options, Mr. Bezozi said.

“Rental property owners…can deduct a variety of business expenses against rental income from their properties,” he explained.

That includes everything from advertising for tenants to cleaning, maintenance and repairs, plus expenses like insurance, legal and other fees, mortgage interest and real estate taxes.

Depreciation of a rental building can also be deducted, Mr. Bezozi noted. Owners can deduct the cost of the building over 27.5 years, which can lead to tax savings.

In addition, if a rental property operated at a loss in 2020, there could be further deductions.

“If a property generates a net loss, there are rules to follow regarding whether the loss is currently deductible on the owner’s tax return, or if it must be suspended until the property is sold sometime in the future,” Mr. Bezozi explained.

These passive activity loss, or PAL, guidelines are subject to an investor’s passive income, but there are exceptions. It’s best to consult a tax expert to help navigate these rules.

This article first appeared on Mansion Global.

Even if you are not planning to sell your home anytime soon, a fresh and welcoming exterior is a wonderful thing to come home to each day. From front doors, house numbers and porch furnishings to color schemes, landscaping and basic repairs, this smorgasbord of ideas will hopefully inspire a few changes around your own home.

Add big, bold house numbers. It’s so easy to swap out house numbers, and this one thing can make a huge impact. Echo your house style in the numbers you choose — a clean sans serif font for a modern house, hand-painted tiles for a cottage, aged copper for a Prairie-style home etc.
Paint the front door. A front door that pops can be hugely cheering.
Add fresh porch furniture. A pair of matching rockers, Adirondack chairs or a cozy glider is a must when you have a front porch that is visible from the street.
Swap out porch lighting. Try replacing tiny sconces with a big, statement-making pendant light, add recessed lighting beneath the eaves or install solar lights along the front walk
Add a hot-red accent. Red has such vibrancy; a little goes a very long way. Try a bright red bench, planter or mailbox to add zing that can be seen from across the street.
Do some hardscaping. Built-in concrete planters, a low stone wall or new paths are all great ways to add structure to your front yard that will last for many years to come.
Spruce up the side yard. Camouflage an eyesore with attractive fencing, clear out weeds and lay out a neat path to the backyard.
Add depth with a fence. A low fence around a property not only adds a welcome boundary between a hectic street and a private space, but it also makes the front yard seem larger.
Replace a lawn with flowers. Dig up part or all of your front lawn and plant perennials instead for a lush landscape that sets your house apart.
Repair the driveway and paths. Cement, stone and pavement all can split and crack over time. Repairing or replacing damaged areas can do wonders to freshen up your home’s street view.
Create curb appeal even in the city. When you live in the city, it can be hard to personalize your home’s exterior. Work with what you have by adding neat window planters, glossy black shutters, good lighting and clearly visible house numbers.

This article first
appeared on houzz.com

12 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look and Feel Bigger

A kitchen of any size can feel roomy if you know a few tricks. Sticking to white cabinets and walls is a good start, but there are many other ways to create extra room in your kitchen, or create the illusion of a bigger space than you have, all without sacrificing a sense of personality. Here are 12 of my favorite ways to balance storage, style and long sightlines to get a functional layout with a spacious vibe.

1. Consider Shallow Cabinets

Here’s some outside-the-box thinking: Not all of your lower cabinets must be the standard 24-inch depth. Most cabinet lines (even stock cabinets from big box stores) also come in a 12- or 15-inch depth usually used for upper cabinets.

Using slimmer lower cabinets for one area has its advantages. It opens a bit more floor space, which can make a big difference in a tight kitchen. It also reduces your storage slightly, but often the backs of deep cabinets are hard to reach anyway, so the shallower cabinets can be just right for everyday items.

2. Reduce Your Hardware

It’s a no-brainer that eliminating counter clutter is important for keeping a kitchen looking open and breezy, but you can take this a step further by removing the hardware.

Using cabinet doors with touch-activated latches or integrated reach-in pulls reinforces the clean lines of your new kitchen, which subtly helps it appear bigger. It also gives you fewer little items to bump into or get caught on your clothing, so the space will feel easier to move in too.

3. Rethink the Double Sink

Clients often request a double sink — sometimes before anything else. Large double sinks have their uses, but if you’re willing to compromise and choose a single sink (or even a one-and-a-half sink with a slim second bowl), it can open up better storage options and more unbroken counter space.

This applies especially to stock cabinet lines, which include a limited number of size options.

If your sink is centered on the window, without a ton of room on either side, this can create a “dead zone” next to it that can’t accommodate anything. Using a smaller cabinet for the sink frees up room on either side, which can open up new options for adjacent cabinets.

For example, switching from a 36-inch sink cabinet (for a double sink) to a 24-inch cabinet (for a single sink) frees up 6 inches on both sides. This can turn 6 inches of adjacent space into 12 inches, which is enough for a usable cabinet.

If you don’t think you’ll use that second sink bowl frequently, it’s worth exploring what else that space could be used for.

4. Choose a Compact Dishwasher

Most standard dishwashers come in a 24-inch width, but compact or “condo-sized” dishwashers in an 18-inch width are growing in popularity.

Saving that 6 inches can give you a bigger cabinet elsewhere. Naturally, a smaller washer also fills up faster, which means you can run a full load more often instead of waiting a day between washes or running the machine while only half full. For smaller households this can be a perfect option.

5. Put Your Fridge on a Diet

Speaking of saving inches, choosing a slimmer refrigerator can really open up your kitchen as well. Clients usually want the largest fridge they can fit, but these large 36-inches-and-up models often end up full of clutter or simply remain half empty.

If you don’t cook often, or frequently shop for fresh produce, try slimming down your fridge to 30 inches or even 28 inches and leaving more room open for other essentials.

6. Use Panel Appliances

Not prepared to choose compact appliances? You can still get a much lighter look.

Panel-ready appliances (usually fridges and dishwashers) are designed to be able to receive a door front of your choosing so they can blend into the look of your kitchen cabinets. The resulting look is more fluid, which creates an overall larger, airier appearance. It’s usually not an inexpensive upgrade, but it definitely creates a look of sophisticated luxury.
Toronto Interior Design Group
7. Mirror Your Backsplash

When you’re tucked into the kitchen working away on dinner, that’s when the space usually feels the smallest.

Using a mirror for the backsplash opens up the sightlines, making the room seem much bigger, especially from close up. For a smart, moodier effect, use a tinted glass so the reflection is more subtle.

8. Use Shelf Uppers

In a small kitchen, removing all the upper cabinets may not be a practical option, but you can always use as much or as little as you like to house just your most attractive everyday items.

A few open shelves on one wall will perfectly hold daily-use tableware, storage jars and bins, and cookbooks, and give the room a much more open feel. It can also give a beautiful window a little more space to breathe so the whole room feels less stuffed.
Toronto Interior Design Group
You don’t even have to fully commit to shelf uppers. Try simply removing the doors from a cabinet to simulate this breezy look. You can always put the doors back on later if you want to.

9. Add Glass Door Cabinets

Here’s another way to lighten your uppers, but without actually changing your storage. Switch out typical solid cabinet fronts to doors with glass inserts to make the look much airier.

Use this cabinet to display attractive drinkware, or use frosted glass so you only get a faint peek at the mishmash of items stored within.

10. Install Cabinet Lighting

The importance of good lighting cannot be stressed enough, and in kitchens especially the lighting is often insufficient, coming just from ceiling fixtures in the center of the room. Add lighting under, above and even inside the cabinets to make the room feel much brighter and bigger, as the dark shadows around the cabinets would otherwise visually shrink the space.

For a quick fix, add plug-in LED strip fixtures or battery-powered tap lights under the cabinets for extra brightness.

11. Use a Short Backsplash

So you’ve carefully configured your storage, and now you’ve got some beautiful open wall space. To make that wall look 10 feet tall (even if it’s only 8), try using a short, minimal backsplash in a color that blends with the wall. The lack of an obvious dividing line between where the tile stops and the plain wall starts keeps the planes of the wall looking taller, so your open space looks positively vast.

Alternatively, if you have the budget, you can take tile all the way to the ceiling or use a chic slab backsplash for a truly unbroken appearance.

Try a stainless steel backsplash to present a subtle sheen that almost acts like a mirror (as discussed above), giving the room a sense of depth and echoing the finishes of steel appliances or fixtures.

12. Unwrap Your Hood

You may not want to eliminate any true upper cabinets, but the partial cabinets that wrap around a hood fan usually have little function other than hiding ductwork. Choose a beautiful range hood that is meant to be seen, and let it create a little visual break from the upper cabinets. Even this small bit of depth can make a kitchen feel less claustrophobic.

This article first
appeared on houzz.com

Freshly made bed with throw pillows. February Checklist

February is a time of year to indulge in home comforts like cooking big-batch meals, reading in the afternoon and watching movies with the family. Here are a dozen ideas to add to your to-do list this month, from the necessary (clearing sidewalks of snow and ice, say) to the just-for-fun (treating yourself to weekly flowers).

Things to Check Off Your List in an Hour or Less

1. Rotate your mattress. Before you put on a fresh set of sheets, take an extra minute to rotate the mattress if you haven’t done so recently. Rotating your mattress every few months will help it wear more evenly and extend its life (and comfort).

2. Pack up a bag of old sheets and towels to donate. If you bought new sheets or towels during January white sales, make some room by letting go of an old set or two. Homeless shelters and some churches will accept donations of bedding and towels in good condition, and animal shelters are often in need of towels. (Check that donations are being currently accepted.) Really worn linens can be cut up and used as rags or dropped in a textile recycling bin.

3. Clean entryway floors. If winters are cold where you are, road salt and melting snow can mean entryway floors take a beating. Pick up clutter and give the floors a good mopping.

To keep floors looking their best between cleanings, stash a few old towels in a basket near the door to wipe up messes.

4. Keep sidewalks and entryways free of ice and snow (even while you’re away). Ice and snow can make walkways dangerous for visitors. Aim to shovel snow promptly, and sprinkle gravel, straw or wood chips to provide traction. Frequent light shoveling is better than letting the snow build up. And if you plan to be away during an expected winter storm, hire someone to clear the sidewalk and front steps of your home while you’re gone. Your neighbors and mail carrier will thank you.

Tackle These Tasks Over a Weekend

5. Cook to stock up your freezer. A few hours of cooking on a weekend can produce major dividends if you focus your efforts on big-batch suppers that can be frozen and reheated later.

Knowing that you have homemade soup, stew, chili or casseroles in the freezer makes facing weeknight dinners much less stressful. Just add crusty bread and a simple salad and dinner will be ready in no time.

6. Organize bookshelves. Pull out volumes that you didn’t enjoy or are finished with and sell or donate them, leaving a bit of extra room on each shelf for new titles. And if you get distracted by beloved old books you had forgotten about, just roll with it. After all, there are few better places to spend a winter afternoon than in a comfortable chair with a good book.

7. Refresh your movie-watching zone. Winter is a good time to catch up on movies you missed in the theater or to binge-watch your favorite shows. So why not make your movie-watching zone as comfy and cozy as possible? Start by vacuuming the floors and upholstery (using a vacuum attachment) and by clearing away clutter. Next, assess your collection of movies and games, donating extras to charity. Finally, make sure there are plenty of comfortable pillows and throws and lighting that can be dimmed.

8. Boost warmth. Stay toasty and save on energy bills by blocking drafty doors with door sweeps or door snakes and warming up with rugs, throws and duvets. For even more energy savings, shut doors to unused rooms, move furniture away from heating vents and close the chimney flue when it’s not in use.

9. Check bathrooms for moisture, mildew and mold. It can be hard to give bathrooms enough ventilation when the house is closed up tight for winter.

Unfortunately, that buildup of moisture can lead to mildew or even harmful mold. Give the bathroom a thorough cleaning, paying special attention to grout, the ceiling and any other areas showing signs of excess moisture.

10. Clean the dryer vent (and check for blockages outside). Having the buildup of lint cleaned from your dryer vent at least once a year is essential to keeping your dryer working efficiently and preventing a potential dryer fire. In winter, snow can block the exterior vent, so take a walk outside your home to inspect the vent and remove snow or debris if needed.

Maintenance and Extras to Budget for This Month

11. Start planning for a spring or summer home sale. If you’re considering putting your home on the market this year, it’s a good idea to start the process now. Set a timetable, interview potential real estate agents and make a list of projects that need to get done to help your home show well.

12. Indulge in weekly fresh flowers. With Valentine’s Day happening this month, the markets will be filled with fresh flowers at good prices. Treat your home to a bouquet of fresh-cut blooms once a week to add a little cheer — spring may still be a ways off, but that doesn’t mean your dining table can’t look like a garden in bloom!

This article first
appeared on houzz.com.

With an entire new year ahead of you, decluttering your home may not seem so hard. But after January, when that new year energy begins to wane, the prospect of tackling such a big project tends to overwhelm.

Enter this month-by-month guide to clearing the clutter from every room of your house. I’ve zeroed in on areas of the home that I find fit with certain events, such as back-to-school or spring fashion, but feel free to reorganize as you see fit to tackle specific areas of your home that need attention sooner.

No matter what, by the end of the year, your home should be feeling more spacious and, perhaps more important, you should be feeling more capable of maintaining a clutter-free space.

Getting Started: Turbocharge Your Decluttering

If you’re feeling inspired and motivated by the new year, take advantage of that energy and spend a few weekends clearing clutter throughout the house. Making noticeable headway will help motivate you to keep up the decluttering effort in the coming months. Try to get the other members of your household onboard — but if they are not interested, don’t try to force it. Hopefully they will see the positive changes happening around the house and change their tune!

Habit to cultivate: Keep an empty reusable bin in a closet, and use it to corral items you plan to give away.

January: Kitchen and Pantry

Give yourself a fresh start for the new year with a clean kitchen, decluttered cabinets and a healthy pantry and fridge.

Toss worn dish towels or cut them up to make rags
Sell or give away specialty small appliances and tools you seldom or never use
Recycle or toss freebie cups and Tupperware containers without lids
Toss expired food and spices
Take stock of cookware and dishes; give away or sell pieces you do not need

Habit to cultivate: Clean out the pantry and fridge each week before shopping.

February: Home Office — Digital Documents and Papers

Get a jump-start on tax time by getting your files (paper and digital) in order.

Sort through random stacks of paper; file, shred or recycle everything
Streamline your files, shredding any documents you no longer need
Use one calendar to keep track of all events
Switch to paperless bills and statements if possible
Clean out computer files and back up everything, using cloud-based storage and an external drive

Habit to cultivate: Sort your mail at the door, tossing junk immediately into a recycling bin.

March: Clothes and Accessories

The seasonal transition is a good time to sort through clothing. Sort through winter clothes before storing, and pare back spring and summer clothes as you begin to wear them.

Donate or sell clothes, shoes and accessories in good condition
Have winter clothes laundered or dry-cleaned before storing until next year
Try on all clothes for the upcoming season and give away or sell any items that do not make you feel good

Habit to cultivate: As soon as you wear something and notice it doesn’t fit, has a hole or doesn’t flatter you, toss it in a bag in your closet. When the bag is full, donate it.

April: Bath and Beauty Products and Medicine Cabinets

Give your daily routine a spring cleaning by sorting through all of those bottles and jars hiding in medicine cabinets, on counters and in drawers.

Toss expired makeup and skin-care items, as well as anything you do not use or like
Clean drawers and shelves before returning items
Store heat- and moisture-sensitive items (medications and some skin-care products) away from the bathroom

Habit to cultivate: Keep a list of your favorite bath and beauty products and order them online rather than shopping in person. This helps avoid overshopping and impulse purchases.

May: Laundry Room, Linen Closet, Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning routines are much easier and more pleasant when the supplies you need are neat and orderly. Sheets, towels and other household linens do not last forever — go through them this month and make some space.

Recycle worn-out and stained towels, washcloths, sheets and tea towels at a textile recycling center.
If your child has graduated a bed size, donate the old bedding to charity
Clean under sinks and in any cupboards where cleaning supplies are stored. Get rid of empty containers and products you tried but did not like

Habit to cultivate: Don’t downgrade old towels and sheets to “guest” status. Only keep linens you would personally want to use — get rid of the rest. Your guests deserve better!

June: Family Room, Playroom, Media, Art and Schoolwork

The end of the school year is a good time to review collected artwork and school papers, and choose a small number of special pieces to save in a portfolio or document box.

Edit schoolwork and art from the past year
Gather a bag of DVDs, books and CDs to give away or sell
Sort through toys and games; get rid of those your family no longer enjoys, as well as anything missing key pieces

Habit to cultivate: At the beginning of each school year, pick up a simple art portfolio. When your child brings work home, enjoy all of it for a while, but choose only a few special pieces to put in the portfolio.

July: Yard, Shed, Garage and Tools

Being outdoors in midsummer makes this a good time to get outdoor tools and equipment in order.

Get rid of broken tools and those you no longer need
Sort through gardening supplies
Toss worn-out outdoor furnishings and decor
If you’ve been collecting items to sell, hold a yard sale this month. At the end of the day, take unsold items to a charity donation center

Habit to cultivate: Keep everything in your garage or shed on shelving, not on the floor. This helps prevent accumulating a pileup of junk and keeps your gear cleaner.

August: Photos

Photos seem to be one of the most problematic items for many people to keep organized. Use the lazy days of August to sort through old photos and make books or prints from new ones.

Choose a few favorite photos from this year and have them framed
Edit digital photos and back up using a cloud service as well as an external drive
Make a photo album or book from recent photos
Sort through any bins of loose photos and put them in acid-free photo boxes or simple albums

Habit to cultivate: Take a few extra moments to tag favorite digital photos each time you upload. Then when it’s time to print or make an album, you can go straight to your favorites.

September: Mudroom, Entrances and Junk Drawers

Embrace the back-to-school spirit (whether or not you have kids) by getting the busiest zones of your house clutter-free this month.

Put away stray items in entrances that belong elsewhere
Add extra hooks or shelves if you need them to help corral items
Sort through junk drawers, baskets, trays and any other spots that accumulate random junk
Invest in drawer organizers or a wall-mounted organizer to keep small items neat

Habit to cultivate: Do an end-of-day tidy-up of the entryway, putting shoes, coats and random items back where they belong.

October: Dining Room and Entertaining Supplies

With the big holidays coming up over the next few months, October is a good time to get ahead of the curve and sort out your entertaining arsenal.

Get rid of worn-out and stained tablecloths, placemats and napkins
Count your dinnerware and serving pieces and consider whether you have enough, too much or too little for the amount you entertain
Get rid of decor, table linens and serving pieces that you don’t like or that no longer fit your lifestyle

Habit to cultivate: Just like creating a wardrobe with lots of pieces that work together, think of creating an entertaining wardrobe that you can mix and match, rather than having lots of distinct sets of dishes.

November: Hobbies and Crafts

Get ready for holiday crafting and gift wrapping by clearing out your stash and organizing supplies this month.

Clean out gift-wrapping supplies, tossing empty tape dispensers, out-of-ink pens and shreds of gift wrap and ribbon
Downsize your craft stash by donating spare fabric scraps, yarn, scrapbooking paper and other materials — many organizations (schools, retirement centers and the like) are happy to accept donations of craft supplies, and there are even some craft-specific donation centers, like Scrap in San Francisco
Keep works in progress together in bags, bins or boxes

Habit to cultivate: Take the time to put away your craft supplies neatly when you are done working. A messy stash makes it more likely you will buy something you already have simply because you couldn’t find it!

December: Holiday Items and Decor

With so much going on around the holidays, it’s wise not to expect too much of yourself when it comes to clutter-clearing. That said, with all of the new gifts coming in, it does make sense to do some paring back to preserve balance in the house.

Give away holiday ornaments and decor that you did not use this year, or that you no longer love
Toss broken ornaments and recycle strands of lights that no longer work
Exchange or give away gifts you received but know you will never use, and do not like — don’t keep things out of guilt. The one exception to this rule may be hand-knit sweaters. The knitter will never forgive you; that’s just how it is.

Habit to cultivate: Tell friends and family who ask (in advance of the holidays) that you and your family would prefer gifts that are experiential or edible. Most people honestly want to give you something you will like, and are happy for the guidance.

This article was originally published at houzz.com

living room with white furniture and view of hills

As we (thankfully) turn the page on 2020 and welcome 2021 with hope, optimism and renewed energy, change is on the horizon. With every new year comes a chance for a clean slate, and perhaps never before has your home needed a refresh more than right now.

After staring at the same walls for almost a year, chances are you’d like a paint job, a décor tweak or maybe even a total makeover.Influenced by everything from popular fashion to ways of living, interiors take their cues from the collective pulse. New design trends are emerging every day based on necessity and circumstance—as we all learn to navigate this new normal. To make your interiors feel (un)like home in the best way possible, find inspiration from what’s new now.

The Multifunctional Home

Home has become all things to all people in it, multi-hyphenate spaces are the new norm, and especially when the design is an open-plan concept.

“The role of the home has evolved and adapted drastically—not only do we live in our homes, we now also work, exercise and even holiday in them,” said Oliver Deadman, design and product manager for the London-based Clive Christian Furniture. “No longer is the home a sacred space where one simply relaxes and unwinds, now a home must work in a multifunctional way, allowing our whole life to take place within its four walls.”

_{Distinctive zones in a home designed by Janet McCulley create multiple living areas. Credit: Neue Focus Photography}

With spaces having to take on dual, even triple functionality, multifunctional design is more important every day. s

“This means having an office chair that is both comfortable enough for long days but aesthetically pleasing enough that it could double as a dining chair or a dining table with slim drawers that are perfect for stowing a laptop,” said Janet McCulley, of McCulley Design Lab in San Diego. .

Because most people are spending more time at home and needing a more flexible, adaptable space, Charu Gandhi, founder and director of Elicyon interior design firm based in Kensington in London, is working frequently with decorative screens that can be used to break up an open-plan space and create rooms within a room.

“Cleverly designed and placed, a screen can create layers of privacy without closing off a space completely,” she said. Screens are also a great way to add a decorative pattern or movement into a home. Ms. Gandhi is working with a variety of materials, from rich fabrics to mirrors and textured metals to create screens and dividers that double as décor.

Having a kitchen that doubles as a beautiful space to entertain family and friends is certainly a key requirement now, Mr. Christian said. “With home entertaining an increasingly popular option, our homes are required to feel warm and welcoming as well as functional,” he said.

The Statement Office Space

Working from home is all but a mainstay for most people, and as a result the idea of the home office is evolving.

“Previously people would work occasionally from the kitchen counter or a nook in other rooms, but now they are looking to have a dedicated space for a fully functioning home office,” said Eilyn Jimenez, founder and creative director of Sire Design in Miami. These full-fledged home offices are including spaces for multiple workstations and hidden storage. “Additionally, people are now looking to have their home offices evoke a sense of calm, therefore, design has changed substantially, as we are placing greater focus on ambience and mood.”

_{Hidden by a sliding door, an office nook is cleverly placed in a unit at One 57 in Manhattan designed by Jeffrey Beers. Credit: Photography by Eric Laignel}

Dedicated spaces for home offices allow for clear separation between working hours and family time, Ms. Landino said. “At the end of the day, it’s working from home and not living in the office that we want.”

Clients are looking at ways to repurpose and even reconfigure the spaces within their homes to once again fit in a dedicated home office.

“Tech capability combined with smart design is the ultimate requirement; clients want a room that is smart, presentable and a different tone from the rest of the house, while being equipped and highly functional,” Mr. Christian said. “They want it to feel different to aid them with balancing home and work life in the same building.”

To add depth and interest to an office, Ms. Gandhi looks to libraries and gallery settings for inspiration. She uses interesting textures such as parchment or eglomise mirror and veneers with varying tones and lacquer finishes as the backings for units. She also opts to use heavy wool fabrics for curtains. “Window dressing means you can control the daylight coming into the room, particularly if the study is south facing, so that bright sunshine doesn’t affect your screen or reading,” she said.

Ms. McCulley is designing office concepts that allow for high-functioning office areas to integrate within a variety of existing home designs—under a staircase, for example, or behind a hidden bookcase that opens to reveal a retractable desk, shelving and other elements. She also suggests creating portable home office “kits” that can easily stow away when they need to be out of site. “This consists of a mobile desk on casters with filing units on wheels, laptop storage with cable management, mobile screens, et cetera.”

Setting a “Zoom” Stage

Virtual meetings are now as common as phone calls and as a result, the stage you set for your backdrop matters.

“This year, many people found themselves crafting aesthetically pleasing backgrounds for video conferences,” said Mitchell Parker, an editor with Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design. “Through the help of Houzz inspiration photos and pros from the Houzz community, people are discovering the art of a good vignette.”

Some of the key elements include well-hung artwork, pops of color, good lighting, a little greenery and objects of different sizes that can create a stylish setting for a meeting, but also make the home office more enjoyable to be in, Mr. Parker said.

Lighting is another important consideration—and soft lighting is the most flattering on screen. Ms. Gandhi opts for a table lamp or floor lamp close by the computer. She also notes the power of the “shelfie”. “Clients are dressing their shelves with interesting objects and books that show their personalities during video calls,” she says. She also sets the scene with a brightly painted accent wall or artwork and considers the symmetry of it all. “If there is a spot in the home with wall lights or artwork which frame the scene, that can work very well; fresh flowers are also a great addition.”For one client who tends to do live TV segments in his office, Ms. Jimenez included a marble shelf and suiting-inspired wallpaper. “Backdrops were never a request until now and we love being able to really create unique designs in offices rather than having clients just seeing it as a space with storage and a desk,” she said.

Laid-back Living

All this quality time at home and layouts are becoming increasingly informal, Ms. Gandhi said. “People are moving away from traditional entertaining or dining spaces in favor of more laid-back living arrangements, where curved, sculptural and playful furniture works particularly well.” Sculptural furniture helps to break up a space and creates a more fluid ambience, she said.

Because of this more relaxed way of living, materials and finishes are following suit. Organic has largely replaced glam. Natural woods, industrial metals and unfinished stone are in and high-gloss brass and lacquer is out, Mr. Buckner said. “The more they live on them, the more people want their pieces to be highly functional and not precious. Comfort is key in upholstery as well as durability,” he said.

_{A living room designed by Charu Ghandi features soothing tones and plush furnishings. Credit: Courtesy of Elicyon}

Ms. Gandhi is utilizing a lot of textured fabrics such as suede, wool and bouclé for upholstery pieces, which lend themselves to rounder, softer furniture.

“It’s also all about the placement of those pieces—a curved sofa, for example, can draw the eye to a particular view or lead you through to another room,” she said.

New neutrals composed of ivory base notes and a scattering of additional tones including rust, pink, beige, mustard and burnt orange are taking hold. “These are very liveable colors and, considering that we are all spending much more time indoors, are very fitting to the new ways in which we use our living spaces,” Ms. Gandhi said. “The new neutrals allow you to build interest and focus with highlight pieces such as cushions, rugs and chairs in bolder colors, which can be changed or rotated as required.”

Blending Inside and Out

“Clients continue to request spaces designed in a way that brings the outdoors in and often don’t want there to be a distinction between exterior and interior,” Ms. Jimenez said. “In my own home, for example, we are using bifold sliders that bring the outside indoors for a seamless transition.”

Biophilic design, a way of connecting the interior of a home to nature, is a necessity rather than just a trend, Ms. Landino said.

“People will incorporate more glass into the interiors of their home and use sliding doors rather than solid walls to give the feeling of the outside coming in. This will also give people more access to natural light, which is something we have come to appreciate more after lockdown,” she said.

“In good design there’s a harmonious dialogue between the exterior environment and the interior space,” said Jeffrey Beers of Jeffrey Beers International in New York. “It’s about taking inspiration from the architecture and surrounding environment and paying close attention to layout: how each space flows into the next while also ensuring the space adheres to its purpose,” he said. Mr. Beers recommends carefully chosen key materials that are timeless and durable.

Outdoor furniture used to always be an afterthought, but now, there is a huge demand for outdoor spaces to reflect the same design caliber and utility as inside the house, said Julian Buckner, CEO of Vesta Interior Design in California and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“Gone are the days of just a table and chairs. People are looking to maximize their outdoor spaces with dedicated areas for dining, working, lounging and entertaining. It must evoke the same design language as the interior of the home and be just as comfortable,” he said.

Making Rooms

While open-plan living has reigned supreme, homeowners are now seeing its limitations.

“Many people are suddenly experiencing the downside of that concept: With little privacy, and even less noise control, the wall-less great room is anything but as our homes transform into multi-hyphenate spaces where we work, homeschool, exercise, cook and more,” Ms. McCulley said. “People are seeking spaces that offer the ability for quiet concentration, but the aesthetic benefit of open-flow living where light, views of the outdoors and a sense of expansiveness should not be sacrificed either,” she said.

_{A sophisticated living room designed by Eilyn Jimenez makes relaxing its sole purpose. Credit: Courtesy of Sire Design}

Mr. Christian believes there’s been a return to distinctive living spaces.

“The idea of traveling to different rooms in the home—where different aspects of your life can take place—is reminiscent of physically traveling in our ‘normal’ lives—to the office, out for dinner, to the theater. And so now we want to reflect these journeys in our homes,” he said.

Designating separation means creating a sense of occasion when preparing a feast for friends in a spacious show kitchen with an adjoining dining room before retiring to the sitting room for after dinner drinks. Or perhaps we’re leaving the home office for the day to “travel” to our home gym before ending the day with a family dinner around the kitchen table, Mr. Christian said. “While we may be stuck indoors for more time than we’re used to, it isn’t to say we can’t feel free and able to live like normal,” Mr. Christian said.

This article was originally published on mansionglobal.com.

Holiday lights undoubtedly keep the season (and spirits) merry and bright through the beginning of the new year—it’s extra cheer we can all use right about now. But there’s a difference between a tasteful presentation and being the only home on the block that stands out like a disco ball gone awry.

To outfit your home in the sparkle of the season to its best advantage, follow these tips from the design pros so it’s dressed to impress in the chicest, brightest version of itself.

Make a Singular Statement

“Stick with a consistent methodology for installing the lights by following the branches on the trees with lights or by wrapping only the perimeter of the trees. Try to keep the method consistent for all the trees or bushes.

“I love white lights; they are perfect and simple. However, there are choices when it comes to white lights because string lights are now made in LED form. I always recommend using warm whites as they are closest to old-school string lights. Cool white often reads really blue and super bright. Colored lights are beautiful as well, but just keep the look consistent and follow one path rather than mixing them all together.

“If you have one show-stopper tree on your property, I always like going for it by hanging all the lights on that one tree. Pick the biggest and nicest shaped branches evenly around the tree and wrap those branches generously. You always wind up needing more lights than you think, so stock up.

“Everyone expresses their joy differently. I love a tastefully done white light display, but I also love big colorful bulbs, too. I usually change up our display from year to year and sometimes I hang colorful Moroccan lanterns in our trees and use string lights with retro large color bulbs. The key, I have found, is to pick a central pair of trees or a hedge and do a big moment there rather than scattering the lights and the applications around every hedge and tree in your yard.

Keep Things Consistent

“Lights are all about scale and proportion. Don’t hang them at random or it will look unintentional; finish whatever scale you start. If you only want to do your entryway; do just that. Next step would be another complete thought, like all your rooflines or soffits. It’s all about not leaving something halfway done. I like to hang Christmas lights on roof ridges, hips, valleys and soffits. A tasteful display around your driveway and sidewalk is always a winner if you have the entire house lit up as well.

“I prefer the classy nature of all-white lights and mixing different sizes of bulbs. I like bigger bulbs on the roof lines and smaller lights everywhere else. I like static lights for sure, but if you do use blinking, don’t put them everywhere; space them out in an even distribution.

“Lighting control is one of the easiest ways to ensure your holiday lights stay looking the way you want them to without having to plug them in every day. I use the Legrand Smart Outdoor Switch with GFCI. This Wi-Fi-connected device is perfect for managing your holiday light displays. You can control your lights with an app and set up certain schedules to your desired on and off times.”

Think About Scale

“Stick with a theme; make sure all the lights you use are the same type. Mostly it’s about making the display look tidy and not like a mess.

“Use the scale of your home as a guide and if you can’t afford to light the whole thing, think about special points of interest like a lit wreath or lit garland around the front door. Better to go bold in one or two places than to have tiny strings of lights on your eaves that don’t work there. And think about proportion—if you have a large house, for example, go big.”

Strike the Right Balance

“Holiday lights are like frosting. If you use too few, you’re left wishing there were more, or it looks like you never finished. Use too many lights and it is overwhelming. If you can strike just the right balance, they will highlight the beauty of your home and its exterior.

“I love lights intertwined with garland on the front door or draped across the front porch. This way you are using the lights to illuminate the decorations you see during the day and bringing them to life at night.”

This article first appeared on MansionGlobal.com.

When Ric Bucher, a tv and radio basketball commentator and author who’s a well-known face on Fox Sports activities, completed a roughly $40,000 workplace rework in his Half Moon Bay, Calif., house, he questioned if it was value it. His workspace, accomplished about three years in the past, was soundproofed, professionally wired, attractively lit, and rigged with professional-grade cameras and microphones. The concept was that if he ever wanted to file a podcast or tape a tv section from house, he might.

“It was a really costly proposition, and we requested, ‘are we doing the suitable factor?’ ” Mr. Bucher, 59, stated of conversations together with his spouse, Corrine Bucher. Then the pandemic hit. Now Mr. Bucher is ready to tape and file studio-quality segments for nationwide Fox Sports activities reveals and for his podcast. “There isn’t any query that it has been an enormous profit to my profession,” he stated.

Mr. Bucher’s renovation, with its concentrate on making him look and sound good on digicam, could have as soon as appeared particular to his distinctive occupation. However as we speak, builders and residential builders imagine that the longer term, even after the virus is below management, will contain much more earn a living from home, videoconferencing, and distant collaborating.

To accommodate this new panorama, they’re crossing out blueprints that allotted house to film theaters, recreation rooms, or lounges, and are utilizing the sq. footage for co-working areas, Zoom-call rooms, podcast recording areas and TikTok studios. They’re wiring backyard areas and pool decks with commercial-grade Wi-Fi and USB ports, and designing in-home places of work with separate entrances, soundproofing and souped-up air filtration.

And whereas some metropolis denizens are abandoning multiunit dwelling for the second, builders are betting that those that stay, and people who return, shall be drawn to a package deal of work-from-home facilities.

In downtown Los Angeles, developer Behzad Souferian’s firm purchased a 606-unit rental constructing a 12 months in the past and rebranded it because the flagship of his new BeDTLA model.

Mr. Souferian’s constructing is 95% occupied, with rents starting from about $1,800 to $3,500 a month, he stated. However he’s rebranding it to replicate what he believes are the wants of this technology of renters. By the tip of the 12 months, he’ll launch a TikTok Studio, a roughly 100-square-foot room with camera-ready lighting, tripod stand and mirrors. The small house shall be ultimate for one or two individuals to entertain themselves making TikToks—all of the extra essential “now that bars and nightlife are closed,” Mr. Souferian stated.

The constructing may even have two podcast studios. An area that was a social lounge shall be transformed into 5 to 10 work stations the place individuals will be socially distanced from others, he stated. There shall be no further cost to make use of the work-from-home facilities, he stated.

“It’s not that now we have so many podcasters and influencers in our group now, however we wish to create the services for these individuals” to draw them, Mr. Souferian stated.

Because the pandemic has developed, many constructing facilities have been closed—typically by state or municipal order, and typically by constructing managers themselves. Actual-estate corporations stated that they may adjust to rules and observe the science to find out when widespread areas can open or what sort of mitigation—equivalent to limiting capability—is smart.

Co-working house, an idea devised in a pre-Covid world, could sound ill-suited to as we speak’s surroundings. Builders stated that whereas the virus is in full power, distancing, plastic dividers and different mitigation will be deployed to make it protected.

In August, Kassie Meiler, 25, moved into the Society Las Olas constructing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which opened in Could. The founding father of a social-media company, she calculated that $1,895 a month for a junior one-bedroom was an excellent deal as a result of she wouldn’t should spend as much as $350 renting an workplace in a co-working constructing.

In Las Olas, Ms. Meiler leaves her unit every day to make use of a convention room for hours of Zoom calls, she stated. To date, nothing has been too crowded and she will be able to at all times discover house. She then ascends to the constructing’s Sky Garden, which is a 3,000-square-foot out of doors workplace with desks and electrical hookups on the 26th flooring.

This article first appeared on apkmetro.com.

If you’re scratching your head over why the decor in your home leaves you feeling slightly underwhelmed, a remedy — or at least an improvement — may be just a few moves away. Whether it’s a bland room, a paint color you’re not quite sure about or throw pillows that refuse to sit right, here are some tweaks that can help turn your questionable decorating decisions into resounding wins, along with examples of rooms that do it right. And remember that a good interior designer can help you pinpoint issues and come up with creative solutions as well.

1. Your Dark Walls Need a Lift

Inky indigos, gunmetal grays and midnight blacks have never been more popular. If you’ve been tempted by their elegance and drama, but they’re making your room feel a little closed-in, here’s how to dump the dungeon feeling.

What to do: Good lighting is essential to reveal the tonal complexities in deep, saturated darks. Multiple light sources allow you to control the ambiance and light direction. Combine uplights and downlights as in this bedroom and don’t let the ceiling disappear into gloom.

Also, bear in mind that an over-furnished room will seem more cave-like than one that’s simply furnished. Clear out clutter and nonessential furniture.

“The darker the night, the brighter the stars,” Dostoyevsky wrote. Your bold move gives you the perfect excuse to indulge in rich, theatrical color contrasts. Play up dark walls with jewel tones, natural wood, reflective metallics, greenery and dramatic artwork, as in this Houston living room by Chandos Interiors.

Far from restricting a color palette, dark walls come to life when used with shades such as pale aqua and mint, silver-gray, teal, mustard, dusky pink and pumpkin yellow. And you can never go wrong with white.

Another approach is to simply surrender to your dark side and go moody and monochrome, as in this understated Scandinavian bedroom. Texture and layering are key to nailing this look. Think dusky velvets, slubby linens and sensuous silks.

2. Your Shelves Are Bursting at the Seams

Putting every ornament you own on open shelves often leads to a distracting mishmash of nondescript items. Serious sorting is needed to create some focus.

What to do: I recommend organizing-expert Marie Kondo’s life-changing advice of honoring items, then letting them go. Another motto may be “Beautiful, interesting or out.” Empty your shelves and create “yes” and “no” piles. You don’t have to throw items away, but this is a good chance to do the Kondo. The shelves seen here in this room by CAVdesign make clever use of space in a way that enhances every object.

Once you’ve reduced your candidates to the beautiful and meaningful, let them shine. You might want to paint the back of the shelves to emphasize lovely shapes and colors among your chosen collection; white items against a dark shade really stand out. Avoid highly patterned or textured backgrounds since they can be confusing to the eye.

Rather than lining books up soldier-style, stack some to form bookends and mini shelves, choosing intriguing titles and spines that coordinate with your display.

3. Your Sofa Is Pale and Interesting but Totally Impractical

You somehow forgot that a dog, a cat, two toddlers, sticky fingers, raspberry cordial and pet hair just don’t go with light sofas.

What to do: Have the fabric professionally cleaned and treated. Be aware that no stainproofing is infallible and that its effectiveness depends on the fabric. Modern formulas penetrate fibers and enable most liquid and other residue to be removed. DIY aerosol sprays are a short-term solution, but they only coat the surface and wear away after one cleaning.

We’re loving sofa throws at the moment. Drape them casually and pile on big pillows to deflect the worst of spills and grime. Another solution is to opt for slipcovers that can go in the washing machine when dirty.

If you want to leave sofas bare, vacuum often with a spotlessly clean brush attachment. In the event of a spill, blot carefully and never rub.

4. Your Vignettes Look Like Bargain Tables

Vignettes like this are a lovely way to show off treasures and create character. They’re pocket-sized portraits of your personality, so if you haven’t mastered the knack, read on.

What to do: Start with an anchor piece and build from it. Asymmetry avoids a stiff, formal look. Contrast shapes and textures. Connect with a theme, color or mood.

In this elegant vignette, angles contrast with curves, shiny and matte textures are juxtaposed, and a black-and-white palette anchors the scene. The setup is asymmetrical but, thanks to a careful arrangement, still manages to feel balanced. Best of all, it draws the observer in for a closer look.

5. Your Living Room Doesn’t Feel Friendly

We want guests to be impressed by our home’s public spaces, but often style takes precedence over comfort and we end up with a dressy living room that feels stiff and unwelcoming.

What to do: The problem may simply be in how the furniture is positioned. Seating should be arranged in a way that encourages social interaction as in this room by ACM Interiors. When deciding where to put sofas and armchairs, imagine how sitters will communicate with one another. Put seating close enough to encourage conversation rather than back against the walls, which can leave you with a no-man’s land in the center of the room.

This article first
appeared on houzz.com.

New York and San Francisco are seeing the largest number of residents looking to leave the city, according to Redfin.

U.S. homebuyers are looking to flee expensive coastal metropolises such as New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and are instead turning their attention to smaller, inland cities, according to a report Friday from Redfin.

Though migration away from major cities has been prevalent for at least five years, the coronavirus pandemic and the increased time spent at home that has accompanied it has exacerbated the trend, the estate agency said.

“People who can work remotely are re-examining where they want to live, and for most of them that means they’re looking at places that are less expensive,” Veronica Clyatt, a Redfin agent in Pleasanton, California, a city roughly 40 miles east of San Francisco, said in the report.

“Everyone wants a bigger house and a bigger yard, and they want to pay less. A lot of people moving away from the Bay Area have had it in the pipeline for awhile, and remote work is accelerating the process,” she said.

Such is the exodus from the Bay Area, that close to a quarter of sellers in San Francisco are having to discount their asking prices to temp buyers, Mansion Global reported this week.

For those looking to relocate to a new metro area, Sacramento, California, was the top destination in July, the report said. More than 50% of people searching Redfin.com for homes in the city last month were out-of-towners.

The net inflow of searches to the city—how many more people are looking to move to the area than leave—hit 8,070, up from 4,497 at the same time last year.

Phoenix and Las Vegas ranked as the next most popular areas for buyers to search for a new home, according to the report.

“It’s a feeding frenzy in Las Vegas right now, with low inventory and tons of interested buyers. We’re seeing mass migration of people from other states moving into Nevada,” Las Vegas Redfin agent Marco Di Pasqualucci, said in the report. “The lack of state income tax, warm climate and the relatively low cost of housing—you can buy a nice home for around $300,000—make Las Vegas an attractive place for people looking to move away from expensive areas.”

New York saw the highest number of those seeking homes outside the city. There, 26,584 residents were looking for homes in other areas in July, compared to 21,692 last year. San Francisco came a close second with a net outflow of 26,247, up from 17,052 in 2019.

View Homes For Sale In Murrieta, CA

This article was first published at mansionglobal.com.