THIS HAS BEEN ONE HOT SUMMER
Help your home Survive with these Creative(Contracting) Tips
Timely Tips –
1. The hot sun and heavy rain can really take a toll on your exterior trim. Make sure it’s weather tight with a good coat of paint to prevent rot from occurring.
2. Keep the cool air in and save on energy costs by making sure your windows and doors are properly maintained and in good working order.
3. Check your air filters! A dirty filter slows down air flow making the system work harder to cool your house. Change them every 1-3 months to properly maintain your HVAC system.
4. Check your attic! Make sure all roof ventilation is clear, working, and has the proper R-value of insulation. If it’s “knock-you-down” hot, call us to start saving money!
Guest Room Design Tips
All of us would hope that the guest room is more than just a place to torture our friends and families who love us enough to suffer through a visit with us. We hope this article gives some practical guidance to increasing the comfort of your guests. This blog post is inspired by recently reading some of Sarah Susanka’s design books.
As our family’s grow, change, move, return whatever the current or anticipated situation is, your home may need to change as well. For the occasional visit (long, short or really long term) let us offer these suggestions:
1. Many guests are very uncomfortable having to walk through public spaces to get to the bathroom. Is it possible to add a small guest bathroom or private access to the hall bath? If not, supplying an oversized robe that can be thrown on quickly as a convenient option.
2. Stay in your guest room every once in awhile. Is it comfortable in both summer and winter? Is it quiet at night?
3. The top of the bed doesn’t have to be the place you put the suitcase. The floor is an awkward place to access a suitcase. A desk area could be a perfect place to open up luggage, or a bench or chest at the foot of the bed. After all, if you’re only spending 2 nights, who wants to unload all your clothes into the 2 dressers (unnecessary) in most guest rooms?
4. Bedding – I prefer my home very cool, but not everyone does. Have layers on the bed or available in the room for your guest to make themselves comfortable. Don’t forget a fan or alternative heat source if it’s not a normally comfortable room.
5. Think like a hotel – what is your favorite hotel to stay in? Copy some of their practices. Supply a bedside water carafe and glass. Make sure there is an alarm clock that is set properly. Fresh flowers and a few treats of candy or fruit lets guest know that you really value their visit.
6. Offer different thickness of pillows in the room and don’t have hand-me-down pillows. Throw out the pillows from the 90s and buy new ones.
7. Two twin beds is roughly the same as a king sized bed so if you have to displace the kiddos for guests consider pushing together twins to make guests comfy.
We love having guests in our home. These tips will help demonstrate our love more fully to those we invite into our homes.
Send us your Design Challenges!
New Opportunity – September is design challenge month with the Creative Contracting Design Team! Send us your most unique design challenges – big or small – at this link or call us at 215-661-8581!
