8 Staircase Makeovers That Most Any DIYer Can Tackle!

June 8, 2018

By: Nancy Mann Jackson

For when you want to exercise your imagination, not just your legs.

Unless you get an unusually deep thrill from doing calf exercises, climbing your staircase is typically more about function than fun. But a little DIY can change that (and maybe boost your home’s future desirability).

These eight DIY staircase projects can get you started.

#1 The Look of Tile Using Stencils:

There’s no look as classic or as crisp as black and white — and no material more dignified than tile. You could take out a second mortgage to cover each riser in custom, monochrome tile, or you could grab some paint and a stencil for the same effect. But much thriftier.

If you have a longer staircase, consider following the lead of this homeowner and stencil every other riser. You want to delight climbers, not make them dizzy.

#2 A Rainbow on the Stairs:

If you love color, why choose just one? This soothing spectrum adds interest to an otherwise neutral space, and the pastels keep the effect soft, so it doesn’t take away from the soft, farmhouse aesthetic.

With the natural light from the window above the stairs, this look is like a constant ray of sunshine.

#3 A Pretty Pattern With Chalk Paint:

You can like the idea of a personalized staircase without needing it to be the focal point of the whole house.

This soft, subtle look was pulled off with chalk paint and a stencil. The pretty pattern is unique enough to feel custom, but the light colors and chalky finish prevent it from overpowering the room.

And here’s a tip for any time you’re painting a staircase: Consider leaving the banister unpainted for a nice pop of contrast.

#4 Ombre Effect Going Up the Stairs:

A short set of stairs can be the perfect place to try an ombre look (if you haven’t read a design magazine in the last decade, it’s a progressive shading effect).

The homeowner who did these stairs recommends starting by painting the darkest shade first and gradually going lighter and lighter by adding white.

Make sure you make each batch large enough to cover a full step — and all the necessary coats.

#5 Classic Black and White (With a Useful Chalkboard Wall):

Another classic black and white pattern, along with a chalkboard wall, gives this short set of steps a modern, inviting update.

This DIYer used painter’s tape and a v-shaped template made of foam board to prep the chevron pattern — and paint, patience, and very slow tape peeling to execute it.

#6 A Way to Show Off Your Reading Obsession:

Have a specific obsession? Decals are a great (read: easy) way for your staircase to share your fandom.

Peel-and-stick decals can be customized with your choice of words or images. Bibliophiles can choose book titles like these, but thanks to the wide world of available decals, you can also find favorite sayings, patterns, characters — you could even create a “The Walking Dead”-themed staircase if zombies are more your thing.

When working with decals, just make sure to read the fine print. These decals, for example, are just the lettering of the book titles, so painting the risers is a project you’d need to take on first.

#7 An Eclectic Look With Real Tile:

We’ll say it again: There’s just nothing like tile. It’s incredibly durable — great for hardworking staircases.

Creating alternating sets of pattern and complementary colors on each riser makes for a one-of-a-kind staircase that’s anything but redundant.

While trimming tile to fit stair risers might be above some DIYers’ pay grade, this personalized look could be worth flagging down an expert to pull off.

#8 A Stair Runner Out of Floor Runners:

Standard stair runners are as snooze-worthy as the stairs they cover. Don’t settle if you can’t find one that makes your heart dance.

One clever homeowner found a floor runner she loved, bought four of them, and installed them one after the other to make this wild look shimmy up the whole stairway.

It took some creative trimming and rug positioning to make this alternating pattern look seamless, so to replicate it, order more length than you think you’ll need.

Price reduction in Southbridge!

June 8, 2018

Your next investment is here! This limited time offering of TWO multi-family buildings in Southbridge. Each building contains three units that each have 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living room and eat-in kitchen. Each building has updated electrical, recent roof, gas heat, parking. 37 Thomas St (MLS 72326724) is fully rented and delivered with tenants under leases. 23 Wardwell Ct (MLS 72326725) will be delivered with 1st and 3rd floors vacant and ready for renovation. Great in-town location for future advertising exposure. These two buildings are a great addition to your current portfolio or start your real estate investing this year with them! Now listed for $285k!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Price reduction in Rutland!

June 7, 2018

Are you looking for a move-in ready home in Rutland that is just the “right size” in just the “right neighborhood” with the “right upgrades”?  Are hardwoods, wood burning fireplace, updated kitchen with granite counters, finished lower level family room and nice back yard on your list?  Your search ends here!  This is a great house that has been cared for and updated so that you don’t have to do anything but pack your boxes!  Featuring an open concept main living area with sliders to the newer deck and easily managed back yard.  3 great sized bedrooms with ample closet space.  Updated bathroom on the main level with additional half bath off the finished family room in the lower level.  Newer roof, windows, doors, central air via mini splits and furnace with town water and sewer. Now listed for $279,999! Open house on Sunday 6/10 from 12pm-2pm!

Check out the full listing HERE!

‘I-Really-Can’t-Deal!’ Patio Problems Solved!

June 6, 2018

By: Leanne Potts

Size problems. Shade problems. The wind-is-blowing-our-cocktails-over problems.

Summertiiiime and the living is supposed to be easy — but not if you live on a hot mess of a patio.

Whether it’s dying plants, a view of your neighbor’s garbage cans, or mosquitos that threaten to drain you before you can drain a beer, patios tend to develop some chill-disrupting problems. Here’s some of the more annoying ones, and how to fix them.

#1 My Patio Is Too Small:

Train a vine to grow up a wall, hang plants from the roof, or set potted plants on shelves on the wall. “Anything that draws the eye upward makes the space feel larger,” says Brian Patrick Flynn, designer from “HGTV Dream Home.”

Tying the patio space visually to your yard will also make it feel larger, too. Layer plants around the patio’s edge — short ones at the front and taller ones as you get farther from the patio. Don’t have planting beds? Use containers of plants to get the same effect.

#2 My Patio Is Near a Busy Street:

Nothing kills a patio buzz like a swarm of noisy traffic. A masonry wall is the best way block the car horns and sirens, of course, but that’s a large and expensive project.

A cheaper, simpler option: Make a living wall of plants. A dense planting can cut noise by as much as 10%.

Or create your own noise. Try installing a fountain. Even though the sound of gurgling water won’t drown out all the street sounds, it will mitigate them and soothe your noise-battered soul.

Playing music or white noise over an outdoor Bluetooth speaker can also knock down noise. Try some rainforest-themed white noise to make your patio feel like it’s surrounded by jungle birds, not a highway of V-6 engines.

#3 There’s Too Much Shade — I Can’t Grow Anything:

Yes, you can. You can grow plants that like shade. Ferns, hostas, palms, banana trees, and a gaggle of other plants will adore your shady patio.

They have nice leaves, but don’t bloom much. If you must have flowers, plant them in containers and place them in sunny spots in the yard. Move them on the patio when you have guests over.

If moving 25-pound containers of begonias isn’t your thing (fair), go with fake flowers.

Put a bouquet of iron or wooden yard-art flowers in a pot, hang some flower-themed art on a wall, or upholster your furniture in a botanical print to add color to a patio or deck that’s overcome by shade.

Note: Never use silk flowers. Ever. They’re perfectly suitable for cemeteries, but that’s about it. Unless you’re going for a uniquely morose patio theme, steer clear.

#4 There’s No Shade:

A sail shade is the simplest, fastest, and cheapest solution to provide shelter from the sun. It gives you shade where you want it, when you want it.

If you can wait a year for shade, train vines to grow overhead on a pergola, which is a more permanent (and value-adding) solution than a shade. Not only will the vine shield you from the sun, but also it will lower the air temperature, thanks to the magic of transpiration.

When the air heats up, the vines’ leaves release water into the air. It’s nature’s air conditioning. The best solution: Keep that sail shade up until the vines have covered the pergola.

#5 My Neighbors Are Too Close:

If your neighbor’s gaze is an uninvited guest at every patio party, put space between you and them with plants.

Install a sheet of lattice on the side of your patio closest to the neighbors, and train a fast-growing, leafy vine like ivy or jasmine to climb up the side of it. Looks like a garden, acts like a privacy fence.

How’s that for polite but effective? If you want privacy faster, line up a row of big planters filled with tall evergreens along the patio’s edge. Outdoor drapes work, too. Close them when you want some peep-proof outdoor time.

#6 The Wind Is Blowing Our Cocktails Over:

See above. A lattice wall or row of heavy planters filled with tall plantings can make a great windbreak as well as a privacy screen.

If your nuisance wind comes from varying directions, put the containers on rolling plant stands and move them so they block the wind as needed. Another solution: Heavy-duty outdoor curtains made of marine-grade fabric with weighted hems.

#7 My Patio Has No View:

In a perfect world, a knockout view is just part of the patio package. In reality, you might be gazing at the neighbor’s swing set or the side of their garage. If painting a sunset mural on the garage is out of the question, adjust your gaze inward, rather than out with a focal point on your patio.

“Hang an outdoor mirror, install a sculpture, or water feature, or create a wall covered in unique materials like stacked stone or painted a bright color,” Flynn says. Even stringing twinkly party lights around the edge of the roof, or on your oversized plants, will make your patio more scenic and give you something to look at.

#8 We’re Being Carried Off by Bugs:

Your gentle breeze is an insect’s hurricane. Make your patio a permanent Category 5 for pests with an outdoor fan. At night, use an LED bulb with a Kelvin rating lower than 3,000. It produces a yellow light that’s less appealing to bugs.

Or battle nature with nature. Invite bats and birds to your yard. They’ll eat the bugs that are trying to eat you. Hang a bird feeder and a bat house, and provide a source of clean water for them to drink. (Use a fountain to keep the water moving, so mosquitos won’t breed in it.)

And don’t be silly. Bats won’t hurt you. Scare the bejesus out of you, maybe. But you’ll get used to them. The bugs won’t.

Make Your Cramped Outdoor Space Feel Like Versailles…

June 5, 2018

By: Jamie Wiebe

These backyard ideas will make your small space look and feel BIGGER.

Don’t think of your microscopic yard as a curse. So what if it’s technically a small concrete slab that baaarely accommodates a half-sized Weber grill? Or if your flagstone patio is just big enough for you, a lounge chair, and a good book? Your tiny outdoor spot is actually an opportunity to get creative.

To live large with a small footprint, try these functional tweaks to make your minuscule outdoor space feel like a palatial retreat.

1. Divide the Space:

Wait, what? That’s right. Even if your square footage is relatively small, dividing your outdoor space into two areas can actually make it seem bigger.

“Creating a space within a space makes it seem larger because it gives you a separate experience,” says Joy Diaz, chief marketing officer at Land Care Inc.

Diaz recommends a small wood pergola, which you can purchase at home improvement stores or even build yourself without too much effort. You can also use walls to divide the space. We’re not talking about bulky concrete barriers here — try using short trellises, arbors, or vine-covered wooden fences to separate your loungers from your patio table.

“It says, ‘I’m in one place, that’s another place, and if there’s room for two places it must be big,’” says J. Scott Williams, a landscape architect at YardApes in New Milford, Conn.

As an added bonus, walls prevent visitors from walking in a straight line from one end of the patio to another, instead creating a winding path that makes your small space feel expansive.

2. Plant a Privacy Screen:

A peaceful space always feels roomier than one crowded with noise and other distractions — like the pressure to strike up an awkward conversation every time you lock eyes with the nice lady next door. Keep your evening soirées and morning coffee blissfully secluded with a few cleverly positioned plants.

There are a few ways to achieve this goal. Along the very edges of your space, plant a tall, wide bush, like the purple smoke bush, a fantastic, easy-to-care-for container plant that can grow six or seven feet every year. Just be sure to keep on top of trimmings to keep it from overgrowing your patio — you want it growing up, not out — but as long as you do so, it makes an excellent privacy screen.

“A larger plant in a small space is dramatic,” says Williams.

You can also privatize your patio without sacrificing any square footage with the oldest trick in the book: Install some climbing vines on a trellis to clearly tell your neighbors, “This is my special space.”

3. Add a Water Feature:

A dramatic focal point can really add some intrigue to a mini yard. And a water feature, like a bubbling birdbath or wall fountain, can do just the trick.

Williams suggests choosing an element with a black bottom, which will create a darker surface that reflects sky and trees, making your outdoor space feel bigger. Just make sure your water feature doesn’t overwhelm your porch — you can skip the long, vanishing edge-style pool.

“I wouldn’t put a longer element in a small space, which might make it look smaller,” Williams said. “Add a smaller water element into a small space, and make it seem larger.”

4. Use Vertical Space:

Distract from your lack of horizontal yardage by really maximizing your outdoor space’s most abundant dimension: vertical space.

Use your walls, fence, or railings as extra space by adding vines or a living wall filled with flowers, herbs, and other eye-catching greenery. For a simple change, prop an attractive ladder — think barnyard chic, maybe? — against the wall and use its rungs as shelving for plants or other decor. The internet is bursting with other vertical planter and shelving ideas, too, using everything from pallets to chicken wire.

“It draws the eye up and outwards, and gives it a green and completely different look,” says Diaz. “It can change the atmosphere of the area. You’ve walked into a different experience from your home — it’s a psychological and emotional change.”

5. Expand Space with a Mirror:

“Mirrors really make space feel more expansive,” Williams says. On a small porch, place a tall mirror on the ground behind a portico or a patch of greenway, which “makes it look like a doorway into another garden.”

You don’t need to go huge on the mirror to have a huge impact. Even hanging a normal-sized mirror, like one you might find over a dresser, can make a tiny space feel much larger. But whichever you choose, make sure to weatherproof your mirror first using a mirror edge sealer (you’ll also want to add sealant to the frame, especially if it’s made from wood) to prevent moisture damage — unless you like the weathered look, that is.

Small spaces don’t have to be limiting. With a little bit of creativity — and perhaps a reflective surface or two — there’s no reason you can’t feel like you’re living in your very own Versailles.

Open house in Rutland on Sunday!

June 5, 2018

Are you looking for a move-in ready home in Rutland that is just the “right size” in just the “right neighborhood” with the “right upgrades”?  Are hardwoods, wood burning fireplace, updated kitchen with granite counters, finished lower level family room and nice back yard on your list?  Your search ends here!  This is a great house that has been cared for and updated so that you don’t have to do anything but pack your boxes!  Featuring an open concept main living area with sliders to the newer deck and easily managed back yard.  3 great sized bedrooms with ample closet space.  Updated bathroom on the main level with additional half bath off the finished family room in the lower level.  Newer roof, windows, doors, central air via mini splits and furnace with town water and sewer. Listed for $284,999! Open house on Sunday 6/10 from 12pm-2pm!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Unique home for sale in Hopkinton!

June 4, 2018

Are you looking for something out of the ordinary?  Unique?  Filled with character and ready for your interior design dreams?  This colonial in the sought after Ravenwood Neighborhood in Hopkinton is looking for you to make it shine again!  Excellent floor plan with over 3400 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, hardwoods throughout and finished lower level.  Open kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, pantry, island and wet bar.  Soaring cathedral ceiling family room with skylights, fireplace, mud room entrance and sliders out to the wrap around deck overlooking the large private fenced back yard.  Formal dining and living rooms and main level laundry room.  Spacious Master bedrooms with tray ceiling, walk in closet and private bath with Jacuzzi tub and double sink vanity.  Lower level walk out with finished space! Gas heat, central a/c and garage. Listed for $544,500!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Two multi-families for sale in Southbridge!

June 4, 2018

Your next investment is here!  This limited time offering of TWO multi-family buildings in Southbridge.  Each building contains three units that each have 3 bedrooms, one bathroom, living room and eat-in kitchen.  Each building has updated electrical, recent roof, gas heat, parking.  37 Thomas St (MLS 72326724) is fully rented and delivered with tenants under leases.  23 Wardwell Ct (MLS 72326725 will be delivered with 1st and 3rd floors vacant and ready for renovation.  Great in-town location for future advertising exposure.  These two buildings are a great addition to your current portfolio or start your real estate investing this year with them! Listed for $689,999!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Move-in ready house for sale in Rutland!

June 4, 2018

Are you looking for a move-in ready home in Rutland that is just the “right size” in just the “right neighborhood” with the “right upgrades”?  Are hardwoods, wood burning fireplace, updated kitchen with granite counters, finished lower level family room and nice back yard on your list?  Your search ends here!  This is a great house that has been cared for and updated so that you don’t have to do anything but pack your boxes!  Featuring an open concept main living area with sliders to the newer deck and easily managed back yard.  3 great sized bedrooms with ample closet space.  Updated bathroom on the main level with additional half bath off the finished family room in the lower level.  Newer roof, windows, doors, central air via mini splits and furnace with town water and sewer. Listed for $284,999!

Check out the full listing HERE!

Just listed on Arrowwood Drive in Shrewsbury!

June 2, 2018

Just listed! 49 Arrowwood Drive, Unit 49 in Shrewsbury! This 2 bed, 1 full/2 half bath condo is listed for $334,900 by RE/MAX.