Hello, Horse

This picture was taken in the fall of 2009 on a farm in Mer Rouge. We were feeding the horses there for awhile and when dusk set in, we were blessed with a beautiful sunset. This horse came up to me as if wanting to have a little chat. Maybe he wanted to thank me for all the apples. Whatever his sentiment, he stopped long enough for me to capture him against the canvas of a Mer Rouge sunset.

Dusk on the Bayou

Hanging out on the pier, watching the sun go down...it's not the dock of the bay, but it was workin' for me.

Fire in the Sky

Farm

Funny how the horses knew we were coming...did they know we had bags of apples?

The 3 Amigos

3 friends hanging out on their farm in Mer Rouge, Louisiana

Green Tip

Tis the season for holiday lighting!

Try switching your holiday lights to LEDs this season.

Check out the benefits of using light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs for short)

LED bulbs use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

If you switch over to LED holiday lights, you'll save an average of $50 over the holiday season on your energy bills.

LEDs last about 6 times as long as CFLs and 60 times as long as old-school incandescent bulbs, so you have to change them less often.

They're less likely to cause fires (as much as 90% of the energy consumed by incandescent lights is given off as heat).

Unlike CFLs, LEDs contain no mercury.

Information provided by Ideal Bite

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas

Fall Leaf

Pink Berries

Oh the wonderful Cross

Question of the week

This week's question comes from V.S. in Liverpool, NY.

Any ideas for storing a sewing machine so it's accessible but not intrusive? All we have is the machine - no table yet.

An armoire would be a nice option. Install a pullout shelf to put the sewing machine on and bring in a comfy side chair.


Another option - keep it on a rolling cart or table in the corner of a room. Hide it behind a decorative screen that can be moved when you want to access your sewing corner or pull out the cart.



Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas

House Highlight

Our house highlight for this week is a gorgeous 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on Broadfield Road in Manlius, NY. New construction with one floor living, beautiful hardwoods, stone fireplace, and open floor plan. See here for additional real estate info on this home or to contact the agent.

Staging highlight for this home - we created a restful atmosphere using a palette of browns, blues, and taupes. With an open floor plan, keeping the same color scheme throughout provides a cohesive flow.

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.

Waiting for the call...

We had the opportunity to tour the local fire department...nothing like getting up close and personal with big red trucks.

The New and Improved Tax Credit

Good news - The extension to the home buyer tax credit has been approved. Yesterday, the Senate voted 98-0 in favor of the tax credit extension. It is up to the President now to put his signature on the bill for approval. The tax credit is $8000.00 for first time home owners and has been extended to June 30, 2010. Purchase offers must be in by April 30 with a closing date of no later than June 30.

Better news - The new bill has been expanded to include existing home owners. Those who have owned a home for at least 5 years can receive a tax credit of up to $6,500 when they purchase their next home. There are income limitations of $125,000 for singles and $225,000 for joint filers. The maximum purchase price of a home is $800,000 and vacation homes do not qualify. The same date deadlines above will apply.

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.

Green Tip

Looking for a way to warm up your toes this winter and keep them eco-friendly at the same time?

Consider rugs that are made with natural fibers (cotton, hemp, jute, and wool), are formaldehyde-free, and then lay them down on grip pads that are not made with carcinogen PVC.

The following are some nice green alternatives.

Prairie Rugs at Target

Felt Rugs at Peace Industry

Jute Rugs at West Elm

Cotton Chenille Rugs at Amazon.com

Information provided by Ideal Bite

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.

Question of the Week

This week's question comes from J.R. in Buffalo, NY

What paint should I use in my shower to keep mildew away?

Sherwin William's Bath Paint and Benjamin Moore's Kitchen and Bath Paint are both excellent.
The absolute best mildew resistant paint is Zinsser's Perma-White. It has a 5 year mold and mildew proof guarantee. The only drawback is, it's only tintable to off-whites or pastels.

Besides mildew proof paint, there are other things you can do to keep mildew under control.

Turn on the bathroom fan.

Fans will help pull moisture from the air, preventing the growth of mildew. If your bathroom doesn't have a fan, use a dehumidifier, air conditioner, or open a bathroom window. In the winter, turn on the heat. Heat will help dry the bathroom faster and remove excess moisture from the air.

Turn on the lights

Turn on lighting before, during and after a shower or hot bath. Mildew doesn't grow in well-lit areas. Leave lights on an extra fifteen minutes after showering.

Clean

Mildew feeds on body oils and soap scum trapped on painted surfaces, grout, shower doors, curtains, and tiling. Scrub bathroom shower walls and doors with a solution of bleach and water (1 cup chlorine bleach to 5 cups hot water). Bleach kills bacterias like molds and mildews. You can use regular household bleach or cleaners containing bleach. Wash the shower curtain regularly in hot water, adding a cup of bleach to the water.

Keep the area dry

Wipe down the shower and bath area after bathing to help remove moisture. Use a squeegee or sponge. Wet towels and washcloths are also hot spots for mildew growth. Hang towels, clothing and anything that can collect moisture.

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.

House Highlight

Our house highlight for this week is a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch located in Fayetteville, NY. It is listed for $174, 900. This home boasts hardwood floors, a newly renovated kitchen with breakfast bar, updated baths, a wood burning fireplace and 2 new exterior decks. See here for additional real estate info on this home or to contact the agent.

Staging highlight for this home - we defined spaces with area rugs and furniture while maintaining the open feel of the home.

Smart Move Design is a Home Staging and Redesign company located near Syracuse, NY and serves the Central and Northern New York areas.

Trees and Paths and Leaves, oh my.

Some nice paths, trees, lots of leaves (and a very odd branch). Fall in Sewanee, Tennessee is hard to beat!

Templeton Library

Concrete Ladybug

Inside Chapel

I so enjoyed photographing this chapel. The natural light coming through the stained glass windows was soft and ethereal and contributed to the wonderful atmosphere of the location. The rich history of the University of the South, including the chapel pictured below, is well worth reading about. You can find that information by visiting their website.

View photographs of the chapel/university grounds from outside here.

Chapel

The rich history of the University of the South, including the chapel pictured below, is well worth reading about. You can find that information by visiting their website.

Take a peek inside the chapel here.

 

I believe this picture is not of the chapel, but an adjacent building

Library Lake

The lake in front of the Templeton Library.  Sewanee, Tennessee