If you’re buying real estate in Davie, Florida, there may be a Home Owners Association (HOA) in the area, regardless of whether you’re buying a single family home or a condominium. A Florida HOA will have an impact on your enjoyment of your home and your pocketbook. Therefore, it’s important that you investigate the HOA before making any final decisions about your purchase. Here’s what you need to know.
If you live in a community that has amenities used by everyone in the neighborhood, such as swimming pools and security gates, you probably will have an HOA that is responsible for maintaining the community’s assets. If you live in a condominium or townhome communities, there is usually always an HOA.
A board of directors consisting of volunteer property owners runs the HOA. Other property owners in the community elect the board members. The HOA itself is regulated by the Florida Homeowners’ Association Act. The board of directors must ensure that the operation of the HOA complies with that legislation.
Other responsibilities of the board include protecting the value of the homes and community common areas, enforcing the covenants and restrictions that are in effect, and collecting HOA fees.
The covenants and restrictions are written rules that all the homeowners have agreed to and will follow. The fees are used to do regular maintenance of the common property, and a portion is put aside as a cash reserve for more major repairs.
Before purchasing a home in a community that has an HOA, you want to be sure that you trust the operation of the HOA and can abide by the covenants and restrictions that are in place.
Recurring Fees: The most common HOA fee is the regularly assessed fees. Typically, these fees are due on a monthly or quarterly basis. Find out what the fee is, how it is determined, and how often the fee has been raised in the past. In addition, make sure you understand what the fee covers and what it doesn’t!
Special Assessments: When the HOA needs to spend money that isn’t in the budget, the Board may call for a Special Assessment. For example, let’s say that your community pool has a major problem that is going to require a major repair. If the money isn’t in the budget, a special assessment might be the only way to make the repair in a timely fashion. Find out how often special assessments have been used in the past, what the amount was per owner, and whether there are any special assessments currently under consideration.
The Reserve Fund: Some repairs or unexpected expenses can typically be paid using the Reserve Fund. Find out how the HOA manages that fund.
If recurring fees are raised often, be sure and ask why. If the board isn’t managing costs well, they’ll need to raise fees more often. If special assessments are used frequently, it may indicate that the HOA isn’t managing its reserves well, or is not planning ahead to be prepared when more major repairs are going to be needed.
You need to know what the rules are and whether you can abide by them. Does the HOA prohibit the fence you want to build for your dog? Can you paint your home any color you choose? You may be surprised at how unreasonable some of the rules may seem. But, you can’t underestimate the unreasonable things that some homeowners might do if there weren’t a rule against it.
Find out how the HOA enforces the rules. For example, ask if they have the right to fine you or put a lien on your home. If the HOA doesn’t currently allow fences, for example, is there a process for asking for a variance? Can a majority vote by the homeowners change the rules?
Keep in mind that most HOA rules are there to protect the value of all of the homeowners’ property. You may agree that you don’t want to live beside a hot pink home. But, if it looks like you can’t abide by the rules, you need to search for homes in another community.
There’s nothing worse than moving into a new home only to discover that it doesn’t follow the covenants and restrictions of the HOA. In that case, you’re the one who would be responsible for making the required changes.
Don’t assume that the Florida HOA in the area where you want to buy will be the same as the one in the area where you live currently. Each HOA has its own personality. If its personality and yours don’t get along, you won’t be happy with your new home. Always take the time to research an HOA carefully before you finalize a home purchase.
Speaking of purchasing a home. . . If you’re looking for a Broward County REALTOR®, we hope you’ll give us a call at 954-242-8030 or send us an email. Our team is knowledgeable, experienced and passionate about working with buyers and sellers in the area. We’ll make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions. Just take a look at what our clients say about us!
When you first purchase Davie Fl real estate, you may think that the amenities in Fort Lauderdale are too far away to visit easily. What you’ll find, however, is that you can visit many of the fun things to do in Davie Fl by driving just a few miles into Fort Lauderdale. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is one of those things.
You may be surprised to learn that the Center is just 11 miles from downtown Davie. It’s not much of a trip to visit a theater ranked among the top ten theaters in the world in terms of number of visits. In fact, the Center hosts more than 700 performances a year to over 700,000 patrons.
Here’s what you’ll find at the Center:
Besides all of those things, the Center offers arts-in-education programs that serve more than 150,000 students each year. It is among the largest programs of its kind in the United States.
The Center opened in February, 1991. That opening was the culmination of the efforts throughout the 1980s by government, business, and the private sector. The Center now serves as the foundation for a dynamic cultural district. It was reimagined starting in 2009 and by 2014, the theaters were updated, new dining options were added and all the public areas were refreshed.
Downtown Fort Lauderdale offers a wide variety of restaurants for your dining pleasure before or after you attend an event at the Center. There is a select group of restaurants that participate in the Center’s Preferred Restaurant Program.
Restaurants that participate in the Program offer discounts and offers to patrons of the Center. These partners include some of the best dining in the city, and they are all located within easy reach of the Center. Simply present your ticket for the day’s performance and the offer will be yours. Here are just a few of the partners you can visit:
Have you ever wondered if you had the talent to entertain? You can find out at the Center. Adult programs for individuals 18 and older include things like Comedy Improv, Acting, Singing, and Broadway Dance.
Get your senses ready for the performance you’ve chosen with pre-concert presentation that will give you an overview of the program for each event in the Broward Center Classical Series, the Gold Coast Jazz series and the Symphony of the Americas Series. The presentations are free, but you will need a separate ticket.
The Special Stars program accepts people 16 years and older who have physical or intellectual disabilities. The theater techniques the students learn help them to expand their verbal skills and build self-confidence in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Programs are also available for classes, schools and teens. In addition, your kids may enjoy a day camp or summer theater camp to hone their skills. You can also take advantage of Workshops and Intensives that continue to build skills and confidence.
There are several ways to get involved with the community through the Center.
Finally, if you’re planning an event, consider the unique event spaces that range from cozy gatherings to grand receptions. For example, it’s an extraordinary place to hold a wedding reception, baby showers, and any other wedding-related event. The Center has a professional catering and event staff that will handle all the details and make your even one to remember.
There are many reasons to choose Davie homes for sale. Davie is a heavenly place to live and it’s very close to the big city amenities in Fort Lauderdale. If you’re making a move to or within Davie, we hope you’ll choose the Teri Arbogast Team, too. The local experts on our team treat every client like family.
Give us a call at 954-242-8030 or send an email for more information today. Also, take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say!
If your garage looks similar to the photo at the left, you know you’re not getting as much as you could from your Davie real estate! Besides that, no one likes to open the garage door after a long day at work to a messy garage. If you haven’t looked into garage makeover alternatives lately, you may be surprised to learn that you can make your garage a place you’re glad to park or play in.
With any luck, the walls of your garage were finished with drywall. If not, that’s the place to start. It gives the garage the potential for looking like it should be something attached to your home.
After the walls, the next thing to tackle is the floor. Bare cement is usually unsightly and stains easily. Today, a number of coatings and coverings are available to make your garage floor shine.
The biggest problem with messy garages is that it’s impossible to find anything. You can change that quite easily with organizers made for garage storage. For example, cabinets are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to meet your storage requirements. They’re typically installed a few inches off the floor to make it easy to sweep or use a hose to clean the floor without needing to go around the cabinets.
If you’d like to do projects around the house, you’d need a work space and other types of organizers such as wall systems where you can hang tools, use tool racks, small baskets and more to keep your hardware and other small items easy to find and reach.
Other organizers are made for hanging your bicycle or kayak. In addition, you can even make use of the area above your head with handy overhead storage and shelving units.
Most garages don’t have enough lighting to make working in the garage, or even finding things feasible. Many people will install new lighting fixtures to take the garage out of the dark ages. You’ll be surprised how much more welcoming being in the garage will be when the lighting eliminates those creepy dark corners.
Take a few minutes to review the before and after photos of a couple of amazing garage makeovers.
If you need a bit more space, you could move, or build an additional room or two in your existing home. However, if you don’t like either of those options, consider alternative uses for your garage.
It is possible to convert your entire garage into a home office, a second living area, or a fun play room – and those are only a few ideas.
Other homeowners don’t want to give up their garage altogether, but they realize they can use the space they have more effectively. Many garages are outsized and you can update them to provide space for things like:
One great way to clean out the garage is just to move. But, most people don’t use that as a garage renovation approach. However, if you’re thinking of putting your home on the market, or you’re looking for a new home in the Davie area, keep in mind that the Teri Arbogast Team is composed of local experts who know the market and provide exceptional service.
It doesn’t matter if what real estate stage of life you’re in, you’ll find the help you need with the experts on our team. Give us a call at 954-242-8030 or send an email for more information today!
P.S. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say.
P.P.S. Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever made over a garage, and what your experience was!
Want to get out on the water? Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County. Its nickname is the “Venice of America” because of its complex canal system that puts many residents on waterfront property. Many of the day cruises dock less than 15 miles from downtown Davie. Therefore, while Davie is landlocked, you’re never too far away from the Atlantic Ocean and a variety of water activities.
This company runs a variety of cruises, including 90 minute sightseeing cruises, evening cruises with dinner and a show, and afternoon cruises, including a stop at Jungle Queen’s private island.
If you want to spend a fun few hours, try the half-day tour. The Jungle Queen looks like an old-time double deck river cruiser. You’ll travel quiet waters in and around Fort Lauderdale, and see Millionaire’s Row where the mansions of the rich and famous grace the shores of the river.
A stop at the company’s tropical island will let you safely get close to the state’s famous alligators. Catch the alligator show, hold a baby alligator, and wander among a group of jungle animals that include exotic birds, lemurs and monkeys.
If you only have a couple hours, the 90-minute cruise is your best choice. It covers a lot of the same area as the afternoon cruise, but you won’t stop at the island.
Looking for someplace new to go for dinner? The evening cruise still lets you see Millionaire’s Row and other sights around Fort Lauderdale. You’ll also have an all-you-can-eat-dinner, and enjoy live entertainment before you finish your cruise.
This cruise is an adventure for the entire family, especially if you have children or grandchildren from the ages of three to 10 years old. You’ll cruise the calm Intercostal Waterway around Fort Lauderdale. Children can dress like pirates, with appropriate face painting to add scars, beards and mustaches, of course.
During the one-hour cruise, the kids will search for treasure and fight off rival pirates with water cannons. The adults can watch the kids in their new roles, and at the back of the boat, the Captain gives a tour of local landmarks. Reviews on Trip Advisor are outstanding.
The Fort Lauderdale Water Taxi is an excellent way to travel along the Fort Lauderdale coastline and leave the traffic behind. You can purchase a 12-hour ticket for the Taxi, then get on and off as many times as you want all day.
You can visit the Las Olas Shops, 15th Street Fisheries, Birch State Park, Esplanade Park and the famous Broadwalk (no, that’s not a typo) in Hollywood, Florida. There are 15 stops in total, so there are many activities and locations to choose from. You can even have a drink at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar at the Margaritaville Resort!
Broward County is a treasure trove of fun and interesting things to see and do, especially in the eastern area of the County near the ocean. Davie is centrally located to let you take advantage of all of it!
If you’re looking for Davie real estate, or you’re a resident who want to sell your home, talk to the local experts. The members of the Teri Arbogast Team are knowledgeable, know the local market, and are proud to be Broward County real estate agents. They love helping people buy and sell real estate in the area. The next time you or someone you know needs real estate assistance, call us at 954-242-8030, or send an email!
If you’re buying Davie real estate, you need to keep an eye out for basic problems when you look at a home for sale. You certainly can’t do a complete inspection – it’s not worth your time since you’ll have a complete inspection if you get serious about a house, and you don’t have the skills.
However, there are some things you can be on the lookout for to help you evaluate a home. If you find something you think is a problem, that may not be a reason to eliminate the home from consideration, but it gives you a clue as to the questions you should be asking.
Electrical problems are one of the most common things found in regular home inspections. The types of things you want to look for during a showing include:
It’s difficult to evaluate a roof from the ground, but some things might be visible as you look at the home, including curled or missing shingles and stains.
Look for places where new paint is obvious. If the homeowner has recently painted just one wall of a room, or part of a wall or ceiling, that might indicate that the homeowner needed to cover a problem.
Stains often come from water leaking. If you see stains on walls or ceilings, it’s a good idea to ask about the cause.
Any unpleasant odor in a home is a red flag. The cause could be pet damage, mold, water leaks, smelly hobbies that were done indoors, and the list goes on. On the other hand, if there is a very heavy scent in the home, the possibility exists that the homeowner is trying to cover up an odor.
One of the things that can cause big headaches after you’ve purchased a home is when the former owner was a self-appointed Do It Yourself expert. Look for things like tile in the bathroom that isn’t straight or has different-sized gaps in between the tiles.
Look for rooms that look like additions that weren’t done very well – maybe the floor isn’t level or the door won’t close. You need to find out if a permit was pulled to do the addition. If not, you’ve got a few problems.
Fixing structural problems can be very expensive. Look for large cracks in the walls on the interior and cracks or crumbling construction material on the outside. Other indications include uneven floors, doors or windows that won’t open and close properly. Don’t be afraid to open a window in different parts of the home just to check how well they operate.
Florida is often hot and damp, providing the perfect environment for mold to grow. Black mold can cause health problems, and it’s very expensive to remove. Not all mold is as harmful as black mold, but it’s worth looking under sinks and in places where ventilation is poor such as crawl spaces.
Florida’s lush landscape grows so well due to the abundance of rainfall in the state. Proper grading is required to keep all that water out of the house. It’s difficult for a homebuyer to evaluate the grading around a home. However, you can look for things such as standing water, overflowing gutters, and flower beds where it’s obvious that the mulch has been shifting position.
Your home is probably your biggest investment, and it’s important that you schedule a home inspection before your closing. When you work with a top Davie real estate agent, you won’t need to worry because your agent will help guide you through the due diligence period after you’ve signed an offer.
For example, you can trust the professionals on the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
If you live in Davie, you’ll see a wide range of kitchen designs. Some are all about coastal or Florida design, while others could be kitchens located anywhere. If your kitchen is feeling a bit stale, customize it in a way that puts your personal stamp on it. Look for ways to use textures, patterns, materials and unique colors.
Many cooks prefer to have neutral walls and clean lines in their kitchens. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t create an accent wall with a splash of color. The 2018 color of the year is purple. If you’re brave, you could use that as the color for an accent wall, or find another color you really love to break the neutral color palette. If you like purple, you can be trendy by using it as an accent color in towels, flowers, and other accent pieces.
Blue kitchen cabinets are still popular. Some designers are pairing blue lower cabinets with white upper cabinets. Using two different colors for cabinets is still a popular trend that you might want to try. Besides that, some people are sanding down their painted solid-wood cabinets and staining them with a soft green or gray. Others are using stains in deep reds and browns to achieve the look they want.
White cabinets have been popular for years. However, some designers are making a change; they find that light wood cabinets give a warm, clean look without making the kitchen dark.
If you’re tired of your kitchen counters, you’ll find that updating them will give your entire kitchen a facelift. When solid counter top materials came into wide usage, granite and marble were the preferred materials. Unfortunately, cooks have found that type of material too labor-intensive to maintain.
Today, quartz is popular because it can look like marble if you want, but it’s much easier to care for. Another alternative to consider is concrete. Concrete can complement an industrial look. However, if you pair it with other style choices, it can work well with a number of designs.
Open shelving is still popular, but many people are moving away from that trend. Some cooks are finding that while open shelves are pretty, they require that you have decorative pieces to display. It also causes some discomfort because you need to dust your plates before fixing lunch.
Extra-large kitchen islands are not as popular as they used to be. An often-used alternative is a rolling island. If your home has an open floor plan, an island on wheels can often give you more ways to use the space.
If you can’t decide between copper or brass kitchen fixtures, you’re in luck because mixing metals is quite common in today’s kitchens. Done well, you can mix polished chrome and stainless steel, or use any of a number of other combinations depending on your taste.
Farmhouse sinks give a splash of old world style, and if you like the look, adding one to your kitchen would give it a new look. Materials for farmhouse sinks vary. One unique approach is to use soapstone. It’s heat and stain resistant and repels germs. Many people love the patina that builds with age, giving the soapstone a distinctive look.
Range hoods are functional in a kitchen, and many people are making them the focal point of the room. You can choose from a wide range of materials, colors and finishes. In addition, the trend toward installing a microwave oven right over the range is waning, which gives you more options for the hood.
Since everyone in the family uses the microwave, its position over the range doesn’t make sense for many families. Think about other places where you could build in a microwave that are easier to reach; under the counter is a popular location for easy access.
Freshening your kitchen is a fun project whether you’re planning to sell your home or not. However, if you’re thinking of hiring a Davie FL real estate agent, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
Living in Davie Florida gives you a world of things to see and do. There are so many things to do in Davie, you’ll never get bored. But, you’re also very close to the big-city amenities of Fort Lauderdale. For example, the Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale is only 11 miles from downtown Davie. If you’re not familiar with that district, here’s what you need to know!
The Riverwalk is a waterfront park along the banks of the New River in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. Some people call it Florida’s most beautiful mile. You can walk along the promenade along the New River and stop at boutiques, restaurants, and museums all nestled in lush tropical scenery. This map of Riverwalk shows you around the area.
The arts and entertainment district along the Riverwalk consists of:
And, don’t forget to check the District events calendar for more information on special events.
The mile-long Riverwalk offers a variety of activities. For example, you can:
You can make specific plans to attend one of the Riverwalk events. The events include a Jazz event the first Sunday of each month, a Summer Social Celebration in July and a Fall Festival in September, to name just a few.
One of the things I love about living in Davie is that I can live in a laid-back, outdoors-oriented small town, but it’s easy to get to all the things to see and do in Fort Lauderdale. Living in Davie is really the best of both worlds.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling Davie real estate, feel free to call us at 954-242-8030 or send me an email. The Teri Arbogast Team is composed of professional, well-educated and caring Davie real estate agents who will make sure your next real estate transaction is a rousing success!
Photo: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens
Attribution: Leonard J. DeFrancisci
Spring is here and many homebuyers are going to be looking at Davie real estate over the coming months. If you’re going to be looking for a new home, there’s one thing you’ll soon discover if you didn’t know it already: The home of your dreams isn’t going to meet all your needs and wants.
Unless you build a custom home, every home you look at will likely be missing something on your list of needs and wants. You’ll find that you can adjust your list, but some things aren’t worth the compromise. The tips below will help you make the best choice.
Sometimes it’s easy to fall in love with a house before you consider if it’s in the best location for your lifestyle. You can change many things about a house, but location isn’t one of them!
If you had your heart set on a walkable neighborhood, you’ll get frustrated over time if you buy in a sprawling suburb. If you talk yourself into the fact that you’ll get accustomed to the noise of airplanes taking off, you’ll start to resent your location. Remain firm on what you want in terms of location.
People look for turnkey homes for a number of reasons. Some people wouldn’t recognize a hammer if they saw one, and they know that renovating isn’t their forte. Other people may have done renovations before and know that they hate it.
You may talk yourself into thinking that a renovation won’t be that bad, but you may change your mind. Unfortunately, once you’ve purchased the home, changing your mind isn’t really an option.
If you’re comfortable with a 30 minute commute to work, don’t even look at homes that would require an hour of travel time each way. The typical justification here is this: The commute won’t bother me because of all the great things I’ll see in this house when I get home. That state of euphoria isn’t going to last forever, and may not last after the first few weeks.
If you wanted to buy a 2000 square foot home, don’t be tempted by one that is 1600 square feet. Sure, the kids would be able to share a room, but will they do that without killing one another? And, what about as they get older and privacy becomes of prime importance?
On the other hand, if you fall in love with a 3000 square foot home, you may not think about the time required to maintain it, the cost of heating and cooling, or the high property taxes. However, those things can quickly turn into burdens once you move in.
It’s easy to justify going over budget. You could calculate how much more it would cost you per month. And, while an extra $100 per month may not sound like much initially, it often makes an uncomfortable difference later on.
People with that philosophy often find themselves “house poor.” They may have things they want to do or purchase that won’t be possible with a higher mortgage payment. In addition, a more expensive home often costs more to maintain, and property taxes will be higher.
Make sure you find the best home for you and your family by starting out with a list of needs and wants, and finalizing a pre-approval for a mortgage. Once you have that foundation, make sure you stand firm on your “needs” and only compromise on things you want, or that would be nice to have.
If you’re planning to buy Davie real estate, you’ll find that there are a lot of things to do in Davie, including the Everglades Day Safari, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, nature centers, and much more. Make sure you get the guidance you need to find your dream home. The local Davie real estate agents on the Teri Arbogast Team know the market and can help you stand firm on those issues you really shouldn’t compromise on!
If you’re not a rock star, you can get as close as you’ll ever be when you visit the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. It’s a mere five miles from downtown Davie.
The casino covers 140,000 square feet of space and contains 2,000 slot machines, over 100 table and poker games, a high-limit table room, high-limit slot room, a smoke free room, a VIP lounge and over 40 high stakes tables for poker. The décor centers around music memorabilia.
If you want a staycation, you can stay at the hotel. You can even bring your pet. The hotel is rated by AAA as Four Diamond, and offers 469 suites that contain signature furnishings. It would be a true adventure close to home.
And, they’re not done yet! A 450-foot tall guitar-shaped hotel tower is under construction, scheduled to open in the summer of 2019. Take a look at the sketches! Nothing like this exists anywhere else in the world! There are also plans to replace the existing Hard Rock Live center with a newly constructed center with 7,000 seats in a theater-style configuration, and the existing casino will be expanded.
You’ll find many different ways to satisfy your hunger while you’re at the Hard Rock. The Council Oak Steaks & Seafood is one of the two fine dining restaurants. Its specialties include steak, fresh seafood and an outstanding wine list in a sophisticated atmosphere.
The other fine dining experience is offered by the Kiro restaurant. If fine Japanese cuisine is your favorite, you’ll love the balanced bold flavors the chefs create using local and imported ingredients.
Contemporary dining is the key at The Bol, which serves high-quality Pan-Asian dishes that are highly rated by the Sun-Sentinel. The atmosphere is modern, but incorporates Fen Shui principals and traditional Asian styling.
The Blue Plate restaurant serves something for everyone, including everything from soups, salads and sandwiches to filling entrees. It’s the place to get a New York style Reuben or Steak and Eggs. And, the deserts are something you really need to experience.
The Hard Rock Café is the traditional destination for good food and lots of fun. It’s an authentic American diner inspired cuisine in a high-energy atmosphere. If you’re a night owl, you’ll like the late night live music and entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Beach Club Bar & Grill and the Food Court provide casual dining. If you’re in the mood for a croissant or a gooey pastry served with a great cup of gourmet coffee, head for the Constant Grind.
Gambling isn’t the only thing that attracts people to the Hard Rock. The Beach Club hosts a live DJ Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. After that, you can visit the Center Bar and rock out from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
If you’re looking for live bands, the Hard Rock Café will be your favorite spot. Friday and Saturday night you can hear an eclectic lineup of bands from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The Hard Rock Event Center: The Hard Rock Event Center hosts well-known bands, artists like Harry Connick Jr, comedians, and in June you’ll even have a chance to see Tyler Henry, the Hollywood Medium! The Center hosts a varied offering of music, comedy and special events.
If you don’t feel like a rock star after you’ve sampled everything the Hard Rock has to offer, you need a second trip! And, if you’re ever thinking of hiring a Davie REALTOR®, please consider the Teri Arbogast Real Estate Team. Take a look at our Google reviews, and you’ll see that our clients have lots of good things to say. We’d love to make you our next successful client! Call us at 954-242-8030 or send an email today.
It’s spring, and many people are starting to think about refreshing their home décor. If you’re in that group, here are some tips for regarding design trends you might want to incorporate into your home. Some trends are going to be “out” very quickly, but these trends will have more staying power.
Lots of people like neutral walls, and those colors are best if you’re thinking of selling in the near future. But, if you just want a change of pace, you’ll see much more color on the walls this year, especially in rooms with lots of sunlight. Think about dark blues or greens. If deep wall colors aren’t for you, try using sage as a new neutral.
If you watch shows like Fixer Upper, you’ve seen some of these trends for kitchen islands. Cooks and their helpers are getting a bit more practical about kitchen counters. Many are turning away from the heavy maintenance materials like granite and marble.
Quartz is becoming a very popular alternative for a number of reasons. It’s a manmade material, but can have the rich and varied look of granite and marble. Quartz isn’t porous, therefore, it doesn’t need a sealer and it can’t act as a home for bacteria. Cooks also love that it’s resistant to stains and chipping.
Kitchen islands are also being used to house built-in appliances. Rather than taking up valuable upper cupboard space with a built-in oven or microwave, the kitchen island can handle those appliances while keeping the easy to reach upper cabinets free.
Other trends include using the kitchen island for easy seating for family or guests to keep the group together while food is being prepared. In addition, using different colors for upper and lower cabinets, or one color for cabinets and another for the base of the island is also popular.
Designers are using more geometric patterns in accent pieces. For example, a geometric patterned accent wall can be a real attention-getter and set off a room’s more subdued décor. Pillows are another place for geometric designs if you don’t think an entire wall will work for you! And, subway tile is sometimes being replaced with tile with geometric patterns as a backsplash in the kitchen.
Traditionally, ceilings haven’t been a big part of home design, but that’s changing. You can try using a unique paint color for the ceiling, wood or shiplap, and even wallpaper.
Pantone is the organization that chooses a Color of the Year. That color usually shows up in clothing, appliances and home décor. The color of 2018 is called Ultra Violet. This color is intended to represent what’s needed in the world in 2018 – “originality, ingenuity and visionary thinking.”
If you’re ready for a change, try some of these trends when you refresh your home décor in 2018. You may find that these tips will give you an entirely new outlook on the year, compliments of the top Broward County real estate agents!
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