Eye-catching Ways To Decorate With Plants

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Using plants as décor is a great way to add a little color and a natural, bright feel to any room. There are endless types of plants to choose from and various ways to display each one, but here are a few of our favorite combinations.

Geometric pots. Find geometric pots or planters of various sizes and plant small succulents of different styles and colors in each one. Then group a few pots together on a window sill or shelf or use them individually to adorn a side table or center of the dining room table.

Long, hanging plants. Purchase a larger, draping plant like eucalyptus, fern, or ivy and hang it from the ceiling using a macramé plant hanger or place it on a high shelf or ladder. These plants are perfect for the corner of your living room or room with a large, plain wall that is in need of a little pop of color.

Plant corner. Have a large corner in the dining or living room and need ideas on how to fill it? Consider turning it into a small plant sanctuary. Select plants of all different sizes, heights, colors, and style and purchase either matching pots or a mix of designs. Consider the use of a stool or small table to create additional levels and strategically place each one in the corner.

Air plants. Air plants are universal and can be included in DIY wall art, hung from the ceiling or on the wall inside geometric metal prisms, or placed inside beautiful glass terrariums alongside other plants and colorful rocks or sand.

Sale Pending In 4 Days In Tracy!

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1971 Bayberry Ct, Tracy, CA 95376

$549,900 | 4 beds | 2.5 baths | 2,032 SqFt

Fabulous updated home with court location and owned solar! Resort style back yard is set up for entertaining! Sparkling pool with waterfalls (with an energy efficient variable speed pool pump) and a 12′ x 12′ Pergola with roll-down sun shades allows you to relax in comfort. The home has an easy, flowing floor plan with high ceilings and a delightful ambience. New LVP wood style flooring throughout downstairs, new carpeting upstairs and freshly painted interior as well. Kitchen has new cabinets with granite counters, new oven, new dishwasher, new garbage disposal and a nook. Family room is off the kitchen with an elegant marble gas fireplace. Bathrooms have new vanities with granite. Master bedroom is spacious, with vaulted ceilings, large bathroom and walk-in closet. Multiple ceiling fans throughout. Updated lights & fixtures. First floor was re-piped – no galvanized under the slab! Windows are equipped with 90%+/- solar screens. Oversized driveway for RV/boat.

FULL LISTING

Sale Pending in 5 days in Blackhawk!

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3491 Country Club Pl, Danville, CA 94506

$3,199,000 | 5 beds | 5 baths | 6,038 SqFt

Striking contemporary estate with awesome views! Views from inside and out to take in and enjoy! No expense was spared in creating this spacious property which provides for a lifestyle reserved for the select few. An easy, flowing floor plan with soaring ceilings and a delightful ambience. New carpeting and freshly painted as well! Beautiful designer front doors welcome you into this truly special home with class. Walls of glass permit lots of natural light to enhance this elegant home. Many quality amenities including a spacious kitchen, wine closet and a lavish master bedroom suite on the main floor with a retreat and its own laundry area. The grounds are expansive with an inviting sparkling pool and have a wonderful tropical feel. You will also enjoy the breathtaking views of Mount Diablo and the Tassajara Valley. Wonderful location in the heart of the Blackhawk Country Club community. Conveniently close to The Falls Clubhouse. Be sure not to miss this truly special opportunity!

Happier Hardwood Floors

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Tips for cleaning your beautiful hardwood floors and keeping them looking great.

Hardwood floors make for a beautiful, stunning addition to your home. However, they can bring new cleaning and maintenance challenges that aren’t present with carpet. Here are some tips for simple, efficient, and thorough hardwood floor cleaning.

Make the job easier
Place mats on either side of your exterior doors and always remove your shoes before entering your home—and make sure your guests do the same. Protect the floors by placing felt (or similar) protectors on the feet of your furniture, and use area rugs to designate play areas for the kids. This will reduce extra dirt, dust, and floor scratches.

Weekly cleaning
Sweeping with a standard broom will remove some dirt and dust, but not as much as a mop, wipe, or broom that’s been treated with a dusting agent such as a Swiffer. You could also invest in a vacuum that is designed for hardwood floors. Just be sure that the vacuum won’t leave scratches!

Deeper cleaning
Regular sweeping will remove most dirt and dust, but occasionally you’ll need to give the floors a deeper cleaning to remove the dirt and grime that builds up in your floors’ seams. Use a wood-cleaning soap to thoroughly mop your floors, but make sure the mop isn’t sopping wet—you don’t want to leave standing water.

Spots and scuffs
Most of the marks that occasionally show up on your floors, such as scuffs from rubber soles on boots and shoes—can be wiped away with a rag or very fine steel wool.

Five Tips For Selling Your Home In A Hurry

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There are a lot of factors that will determine how quickly your house is sold, and it’s important to tackle the factors you can control. If you’re still living in your home while trying to sell it, these are a few simple ideas that can help speed up the home sale process.

1. De-clutter

Buyers want to step into a prospective home and imagine the possibilities. That’s a lot easier to do when a space is airy and clutter-free. Get rid of the clutter that’s just taking up space in your home, and it can totally transform how a buyer sees the property.

2. Offer an incentive

Don’t break the bank for add-ons that don’t make financial sense in the long run, but there are some reasonable expenses you can use to entice buyers, such as offering a home warranty.

3. Focus on flow

Now that you’re working toward a new home, it’s important to position your furniture for easy movement through the space, rather than how you personally like it arranged. Position your furniture so that it’s natural to flow from one room to the next.

4. Take care of your to-do list

There’s probably a list of small repairs that you’ve been putting off for a while, like fixing a dripping faucet or touching up paint on some walls. Make those repairs so that the home is more move-in ready for buyers.

5. Commit to cleanliness

Just like removing clutter, keeping your place clean can go a long way toward appealing to buyers. It’s especially true in the kitchen—no dishes in the sink or coffee rings on the countertops!

Revamp Your At-home Workspace

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Nothing ruins a workday like not having a designated, comfortable place to work from. And when you are working from home, whether it be temporarily or indefinitely, setting up a great workspace gets even tougher. However, your productivity and body will thank you if you take a few steps to upgrade your desk setup. Here are some ideas!

Seating

Purchase a chair that offers great spine support and has adjustable height, armrests, and back. If a new chair just isn’t in the budget, there are many seat pillows and cushions available that are designed to attach to an office chair and encourage you to sit properly and help support your lumbar.

Desk

Adjusting your desk height to fit your specific needs can be tricky, but necessary. If you are able to, investing in an adjustable-height standing desk is ideal because you can adjust your desk for different tasks, such as typing, writing, and reading documents. If you are unable to make that purchase, consider installing a keyboard tray to lower your keyboard or raising your chair to ensure your wrists are above your keyboard. If you are experiencing neck pain, that may be a result of your monitor height. Purchase a laptop or monitor stand or use normal household items like books or a box.

Lighting

Poor lighting can cause a lot of strain on your eyes and may decrease energy levels. If you are unable to work in an area with natural light, find a LED desk lamp that can be adjusted as needed. These come in all shapes and sizes and LEDs bulbs have a long lifespan and are energy-efficient.

Give Your Deck A Facelift

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Hanging out with your family or hosting friends on your old, dingy deck is not very appealing. Lucky for you, refreshing it doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. Try your hand at the makeover ideas below!

Restore your decking. Depending on the shape it’s in, sometimes all your deck needs is a little love. If it’s still fairly new, your deck might just need a deep cleaning and a new coat of sealant. There is a multitude of deck finishing and cleaning solutions on the market to choose from to achieve this. However, if it’s more worn down, the rejuvenation process may be a bit longer, including searching for larger repairs, tightening any hardware, giving it a good cleaning, applying a stain, sealant, and paint, and more.

Add lighting. Ambient lighting can completely transform your outside space into a relaxing, cozy oasis. Consider adding solar lights that don’t require a plugin or battery replacement. The lights turn on automatically when the sun sets, making your deck come alive. You can also consider paper lanterns, rope lights, mason jar lamps, or small twinkle lights, depending on the style and mood you’d like to set.

Build a privacy screen. Privacy screens come in all styles, shapes, and sizes. Consider purchasing and installing bamboo fencing or lattice panels for a quick and easy solution. Or, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, you can build a wooden frame and grow climbing plants or vines or stretch outdoor fabric in between. Whichever route you end up choosing, make sure you get the most out of your efforts by evaluating all lines sight before building.