The 12 Paint Colors You're Going to See Everywhere in 2017

What's on the horizon for paint colors in the year ahead? Industry experts are predicting an embrace of warmer, more comforting hues that create a visual retreat from the fast pace of everyday life. "Home decor trends for 2017 reflect society's urge to find space apart from constant connectedness," confirms Dee Schlotter, color marketing manager for PPG and Olympic Paints. Whether you're drawn to soothing pastels, bright colors, or classic neutrals, look for shades with warm undertones to revitalize both your home and your mood. Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, says that homeowners "yearn for spaces that feel welcoming and hug them as they enter." We couldn't agree more! Here are the 12 top picks poised to do just that.

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10 Sneaky Ways to Store Winter Gear

Winter weather lovers make the most of the season with outdoor activities like sledding and snowboarding. It’s all fun and games—if you have the right gear. But once inside, the same coats and boots that make cold weather bearable can be almost too much to store. If your cluttered coat closet is groaning under winter's weight, fear not. Take a hint from one of these clever storage ideas to coral your winter-gear quicker than you can catch a snowflake on your tongue.

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5 Ways Clogged Gutters Are Destroying Your Home

There’s a long list of maintenance tasks that homeowners hate to do. At the top of the list? Gutter cleaning. The chore is mundane and time-consuming, not to mention messy and unpleasant. Plus, there's the fact that cleaning your gutters can be downright dangerous, not least because the work usually requires that you climb a ladder all the way up to the roofline. Under the circumstances, it's perhaps understandable that so many people procrastinate, or even choose to ignore their gutters altogether. However, make no mistake: If you fall behind on maintaining your gutters, you may as well never have installed them in the first place. Without regular, thorough cleaning, leaves and debris accumulate, eventually causing clogs that prevent gutters from doing their job—that is, channeling storm water a safe distance away from your home. In a clogged gutter system, with nowhere else to go, the water that should have been discharged leaves the home vulnerable to slew of extensive, expensive-to-repair problems, ranging from mold and pests to leaks and flooding. Click through now to find out what's at risk and how you can solve this critical issue once and for all.

This content has been brought to you by LeafGuard. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

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All You Need to Know About Indirect Water Heaters

Because they're typically out of sight—in the basement or a back closet for instance—water heaters are largely out of...

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All You Need to Know About Roof Inspections

Your home’s roof is its first line of defense against storms and extreme weather, be it a foot or more of snow droppi...

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How To: Clean Bamboo Flooring

Thanks to a harvest time of as little as five years, bamboo is an environmentally sustainable, increasingly popular f...

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16 Iconic American Homes Torn Down Before Their Time

In desirable neighborhoods across the United States, the razing of a tear-down is a familiar sight. But this market-driven trend actually has a very long history. Consider this list of 16 eye-poppingly palatial homes, built with great care and at huge expense, that later fell victim to the wrecking ball.

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6 Ways to Make Your Home (Almost) Maintenance-Free

We used to frequent brick-and-mortar shops and keep hard copies of every document; today, we buy our groceries online, stream our favorite videos, and store everything from personal photos to paperwork in the cloud. Well, when it comes to home maintenance, technology moves just as fast: It seems like every time we turn around, there’s a new development designed to reduce our workload—a very welcome trend, given the unrelenting attention a home requires. Fortunately, the building materials industry continues to improve upon durable, low-maintenance products that can reduce or eliminate the time spent on upkeep and repair. If you’re tired of sealing that wood deck, painting that picket fence, or climbing up on that ladder to clean your home’s gutters—and, let’s be honest, no one relishes those backbreaking tasks—maybe it’s time for an upgrade! Take a spin through these 6 advances in building and home improvement materials that can help you speed through your to-do list so you can spend more time doing the things you enjoy.

This content has been brought to you by LeafGuard. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

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DIY Lite: Build a Clock that Displays the Time—and Your Plants

Clocks may be less a necessity than they were in the days before cell phones remained attached to consumers' hips and...

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5 Things to Know Before You Invest in New Siding

The blistering heat of the Southwest. The bitter cold of the Northeast. Every region faces a set of unique climate ch...

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All You Need to Know About... Plywood Floors

Once reserved for subfloors and sheathing, construction-grade plywood is now making a splash as affordable residentia...

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What 11 Ordinary People Paid to Live in Your Favorite Movie Homes

Ever wished you could live in the home of Harry Potter, Royal Tenenbaum, or Kevin McCallister? For 11 buyers, movie magic became a reality when they scooped up the real-world residences of these and other iconic silver screen characters. Read on to catch a glimpse of the homes that inspired Hollywood—along with their surprising price tags.

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Abstract Art in the Family Room

Disclosure: I received this art for free from Minted, and this post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Last week I showed you our family room makeover, and there are so many details that I want to share with you. One of them is the beautiful art above our mantel. When I was coming up with the design plan for the room, I knew these three limited edition prints from Minted would be perfect. I even included them in my initial moodboard! They are from 3 different artists, but I chose one main color scheme (blue/indigo) and had them placed in matching gray frames so that they would coordinate with each other and work together in the space.

From left to right, they are:

• “Mister” by Katie Craig
• “Indigo Forest” by Sonal Nathwani
• “Capri Waves” by Erin McManness

Whenever I’m on the lookout for new art, Minted is my go-to source. Their marketplace is full of designs from independent artists, so I can always find something unique. Not only do they have an amazing art selection, but they also have beautiful stationery, invitations, holiday cards, fabric, and more.

You can see some of the other art I’ve chosen from Minted in the past featured in our master bedroom here.

For more information and inspiration, be sure to connect with Minted on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS:

• Master Bedroom Makeover
• Family Room Makeover
• Home Tour
• Project Gallery

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Abstract Art in the Family Room appeared first on Erin Spain.

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12 Things Never to Put in Your Dishwasher

The dishwasher is truly a miracle worker in the kitchen. Instead of having to wash plates, pots, and cutlery by hand, homeowners can give them a thorough cleaning in their trusty machine, saving a tremendous amount of time and labor. Unfortunately, all this convenience comes with a few drawbacks. High water temperature can damage your dinnerware, as can the corrosive alkalies, bleaches, and other chemicals in dishwasher detergents. This doesn’t mean you should start slaving over a sink of soapy water, though. Just be sure to wash the following 12 items by hand to keep your kitchen utensils—and your dishwasher—in tip-top shape.

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The Lazy Homeowner's Best Weapon in the Fall

An unsung hero of the home, gutters quietly perform the critical function of capturing storm water and carrying it away to a safe remove. Unfortunately, the consistent performance of your drainage system comes with a big catch: If you expect your gutters to do their job, then you have to do yours. If not properly maintained, it's only a matter of time before conventional gutters clog and overflow, allowing water—the natural enemy of any home—to go where it doesn't belong. Frankly, if you don't stay on top of maintaining your gutters, you may as well not have them at all. According to experts, the wise course is to inspect your system and remove any built-up debris twice a year at minimum, and perhaps even more often if you live on a heavily wooded lot. But the real problem isn't that homeowners don't know what to do, it's that they they dread doing it. After all, gutter cleaning isn't only messy, laborious, and time-consuming, it can also be downright dangerous, considering the fact that it does involve scaling an extension ladder all the way to the roofline. Sure, there's always the option of hiring help, but for a twice-yearly task, the costs can mount up quickly. Unwilling to do it themselves and unable to afford the services of a pro, countless people neglect their gutters every year and put their homes in harm's way. So what's the solution here? Click through right now to find out!

This content has been brought to you by LeafGuard. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila.com.

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Bob Vila Radio: How Old is Your House?

You might not think of yourself as much of a detective, but piecing together the history of your house is easier than...

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How To: Paint Popcorn Ceiling

The popcorn effect—so called for its resemblance to America’s favorite fluffy snack—is the result of loose particulat...

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Coffee Bar One Room Challenge Week 4 Update

Is it really week 4 already? That is terrifying. Ha! We still have SO much work to do. Things are falling into place though so I’m definitely getting excited. If you’re just joining me, be sure to check out our updates here: Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3. We are converting our old school 80s wet bar/butler’s pantry into a modern coffee bar. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Let There Be Light

We swapped out the old plain-jane light fixture for a new amazing one from Lucent Lightshop. Sarah and her crew create amazing Mid Century inspired artisan lighting, and this is our third fixture from their shop. I can’t get enough! She is basically Superwoman and I can send her inspiration photos and explain the general idea of what I want, and she brings it to life, creating gorgeous custom lighting. This time, we wanted a semi-flush mount (we couldn’t have anything that hangs too low since the space is small and the ceilings aren’t very high), Sputnik-style but with larger white globes. She nailed it with this one! Love it. I can’t wait to show it to you in the space when it’s finished since these photos can’t possibly do it justice in this unfinished little space. (And ignore the textured ceiling. Someday we’ll smooth it out.)

 

 

 

Rug Predicament

Another thing happening in the room is a whole lot of rug indecisiveness. So far we’ve ordered two rugs (one ended up as a doormat inside our back door since it was a tad small). We aren’t loving either one for the space. Well, Chris likes the second one — a vintage Persian rug, and I like it too, but I’m just not sure if the colors are right for in here.

Rug Source

This room connects to our family room which is full of blues, and I was hoping the navy in this rug would pick up on that but I just don’t think it works. Maybe it will grow on me. I know what I want (a navy Persian or Turkish vintage rug with hints of rust or peachy coral), but I’m not finding anything in the size and price range we need. Boo. Stay tuned…

Here’s what we still need to accomplish:

• Tile the wall behind the sink
• Install new sink and faucet
• Paint cabinets
• Install new cabinet hardware
• Make and hang floating shelves
• Find art
• Swap out old almond colored outlets for white

I’d say we have our work cut out for us. Wish us luck!

• Week One
• Week Two
• Week Three

Stop by Calling it Home to see what all of the other participating bloggers are up to!

You Might Also Like:

• Master Bedroom Makeover
• Family Room Makeover
• Home Tour
• Project Gallery

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Coffee Bar One Room Challenge Week 4 Update appeared first on Erin Spain.

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Indigo Shibori Fabric in the Family Room

Disclosure: I received free fabric from Spoonflower, but all opinions are my own. 

Last week I shared our family room makeover reveal, and one of my favorite things in the room is this stunning indigo shibori inspired fabric from Spoonflower. It’s called “Tie Dyed Triangle Squares” fabric and the designer is Laurie Kent Designs. I used it to make curtains for the room, and I had enough left over to re-cover our wish bone chairs too.

I opted to use the Eco Canvas fabric since the colors print so vibrantly on it and it’s a good weight for drapery, but the linen would be beautiful too. Spoonflower offers a variety of different types of fabric. If you’ve never used Spoonflower before, basically you choose a design (or upload your own, which you can also sell), then choose your product (fabric in whatever material you choose, gift wrap, or wallpaper), and then you submit your order. The thing that I really love about it is that their marketplace includes designs created by people all over the world, and their independent artists earn commissions on sales. I love supporting artists and “small business” folks, so this is a great way to do that. Spoonflower also uses eco-friendly printing with water-based pigment inks and dyes. There’s no minimum order, and you can also get bulk discounts.

When I was searching for the perfect fabric for this room, they were automatically my “go to” source because I knew they would have exactly what I was looking for. And obviously they did! I absolutely love this fabric.

For more information or to see all of the gorgeous designs available, be sure to visit Spoonflower or connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest!

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Indigo Shibori Fabric in the Family Room appeared first on Erin Spain.

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Oliver Work Boots

Oliver Safety Footwear began in the mid 1800s with James Oliver, who was a boot maker by trade. We’ve spent a few days wearing their Oliver 45 Series work boots, and we found them to be lightweight, with a sole that absorbs shock and provides plenty of support.

The 45 Series is constructed with liquid-resistant leather and features non-metallic eyelets for a truly non-metallic boot. The composite toe offers high-impact protection and is 40 percent lighter than traditional steel toe caps for less fatigue when worn throughout the day. 

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Saws for a Cause: Win a Pink Husqvarna 450 Rancher Chainsaw

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we’re helping Husqvarna and Living Beyond Breast Cancer in their quest to raise awareness of this disease.

Now through November 15, 2016, you can enter to win this pink Husqvarna 450 Rancher chainsaw as well as a pink toy chainsaw. Husqvarna will donate $3 to Living Beyond Breast Cancer for every limited-edition pink toy chainsaw that is purchased (only available at Husqvarna dealers). You can enter to win the pink 450 Rancher as well by visiting their website.

We’ve had friends and family members fight through this disease, and are aware how much organizations like Living Beyond Breast Cancer do to help survivors and their families. Please do what you can to raise awareness this month.

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What 11 Ordinary People Paid to Live in Your Favorite Movie House

Ever wished you could live in the home of Harry Potter, Royal Tenenbaum, or Kevin McCallister? For 11 buyers, movie magic became a reality when they scooped up the real-world residences of these and other iconic silver screen characters. Read on to catch a glimpse of the homes that inspired Hollywood—along with their surprising price tags.

from http://bit.ly/2eICchA;

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Genius! Chop Down Heating Bills with This Fireplace Hack

As temperatures dip, nothing feels better than thick fleece socks and a seat next to the fire. But, between uses, an ...

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10 Area Rugs You Can Actually Afford

Budget furniture, homemade curtains, DIY paint jobs. Furnishing a home can be done on the cheap, if you know a few classic tricks. When it comes to purchasing floor coverings, however, many homeowners have had to face a simple choice: break the bank buying a beautiful rug, or go without. In today's world, there are myriad choices for affordable rugs, many of them conveniently available online. We've pulled together some of our favorites to inspire you to put the finishing touches on the cold, hard floor in an almost-perfectly furnished room.

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Fireplace Makeover

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Zibra. Paint was provided by Behr. All opinions are my own.

I’m so happy to finally be done with our family room makeover. (If you missed the reveal, you can check it out here.) Today, let’s talk about the fireplace makeover. This was actually the second makeover I’ve given the fireplace. Let’s take a walk down memory lane… (Oh, and stay tuned for a Zibra Paintbrush gift set giveaway at the end of this post!)

This is what the fireplace looked like when we first moved in. The red brick didn’t do anything to brighten up this drab space.

Shortly after we moved in, I whitewashed the brick, which did help brighten the room, but after living with it for a while we decided we wanted it even brighter.

I decided to play around in Photoshop to see what our fireplace and mantel would look like. I wanted the brick to be brighter, and I wanted the mantel to be a dark charcoal not-quite-black-but-dark-gray shade. This is what I came up with when I designed the moodboard for the room.

To bring this vision to life, I painted the brick a more opaque bright white (Behr White 52 is the color, in an Eggshell finish) using my favorite paintbrushes by Zibra, and I also primed and painted the mantel (Behr Cracked Pepper in Satin finish).

Since the brick had previously been painted, it only took one coat to achieve the coverage I really wanted. If you’re painting raw brick though, you may need a couple of coats since the brick is porous and it will absorb some of the paint. I used my Zibra Chiseled Wedge brush for the main part of the brick, and my Angled Brush for the edges. I used Behr Marquee paint in White 52.

I absolutely love the Chiseled Wedge brush. It holds a TON of paint and gives amazing coverage.

Here’s a look at the difference between the new paint job (top) and the whitewashed brick (bottom).

And here it is completely painted.

As for the mantel, I used my Zibra Angled brush for most of it, my Zibra Triangle Brush for corners and trim, and a few cotton swabs to get in the tiny crevices between the moulding. I primed with Zinsser first, and then painted with Behr Premium Plus in Cracked Pepper.

And here is the final result.

I’m loving the new, bolder look, and I wasn’t afraid to take a risk with the paint job since eventually we’d like to reface the whole fireplace and add a new mantel anyway. I figure since this isn’t “forever,” it’s not so scary to try something different. Plus, it’s just paint anyway. It can always be changed. (See the entire room makeover here.)

ZIBRA PAINTBRUSH PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY!

Now, for the fun part! You could win a set of my very favorite paintbrushes. Zibra paintbrushes are truly the best quality brushes I’ve ever used (and I’ve tried many). They hold a lot of paint which saves time (no need to dip it in the paint as frequently), and there are different styles of brushes for different paint applications and purposes, so you’ll always have the right brush for the job.

For more information, be sure to connect with Zibra online and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

To enter the giveaway, just wait for the Rafflecopter widget to load below and then follow the instructions. The giveaway ends on Monday, October 31 at Midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can also connect with me here:

Thanks for visiting!

-Erin

The post Fireplace Makeover appeared first on Erin Spain.

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