Real Estate Is Still The Best Long Term Investment

According to Bankrate’s latest Financial Security Index Poll, Americans who have money to set aside for the next 10 years would rather invest in real estate than any other type of investment.

Bankrate asked Americans to answer the following question:

“What is the best way to invest money you wouldn’t need for 10 years or more?”

Real Estate came in as the top choice with 28% of all respondents (3% higher than last year), while cash investments – such as savings accounts and CD’s – came in second with 23% (the same as last year). The chart below shows the full results:

The article points out several reasons for these results:

“After bottoming out at the end of 2011 following the worst housing collapse in generations, home prices have gone gangbusters recently, climbing back above their record pre-crisis levels. Prices jumped 6.6 percent during the 12 months that ended in May, according to CoreLogic.

Toss in persistently low interest rates, tax goodies that come with owning a mortgage, and the psychological payoff from planting your roots, and maybe it’s no wonder real estate remains popular.”

The article also revealed that:

“Bankrate’s Financial Security Index — based on survey questions about how people feel about their debt, savings, net worth, job security and overall financial situation — has hit its third-highest level since the poll’s inception in December 2010.”

Bottom Line

We have often written about the financial and non-financial reasons homeownership makes sense. It is nice to see that Americans still believe in homeownership as the best investment.

4 Storage Ideas For Your Kitchen Island

A lot of attention goes into selecting the right storage for an island’s main base cabinetry. But don’t forget about the ends of the island. Depending on which way your island faces and how much space you’ve got in relation to the drawers and cabinets you select, you’ve got plenty of options for display and storage. Here are four ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
1. Drawer DisplayDesigners: Bob Shelton (architect) and Danielle Zimmermann (interior designer), both of Shelton Design/Build
Location: Pittsburgh
Size: 230 square feet (21.3 square meters)Homeowners’ request: A 16-by-16-foot addition with a new kitchen and mudroom.

Island storage: Cabinets painted coastal blue with a marble-looking quartz countertop. Four glass-front drawers on end with glass cup pulls. The drawers have a false back with storage behind so the homeowners can display colorful fruit, candy, pasta, cookbooks and more.

Other special features: Twelve-foot vaulted ceiling. Stainless steel apron-front sink. Dark stained bamboo wood floor. Custom pine shelves flanking the range hood, which help establish a clear end point for the backsplash tile.

“Uh-oh” moment: During construction, the clients were concerned that the windows were too small and too few. But once the light gray paint was on the walls and the white cabinets were installed, the space felt like it had ample natural light. Pendants with 8-foot-long cords help keep the light unobstructed.

Paint by Sherwin-Williams: March Wind (walls) and Pure White (trim); pendants: Elementary Schoolhouse cord-hung light, Barn Light Electric; flooring: Portfolio in Paris Black, Teragren; countertop: Cambria in Brittannica; cabinets by Medallion Cabinetry: Maple Islander with Coastal finish (base cabinets) and Maple Cottage in white finish (upper cabinets); appliances: Jenn-Air; backsplash tile: South Beach subway in Linto, 3 by 6 inches, Ken Mason Tile; faucet: Beckon single-handle electronic pull-down sprayer in polished nickel, Kohler; range hood: Euro in stainless steel, Cavaliere; island hardware: round glass cup pulls, Restoration Hardware; contractor: Shelton Building Associates; photographer: Laura Petrilla of MissLPhotography

2. Party FridgeDesigner: Erin Jones of Erin Interiors
Location: Brooklin, Ontario, Canada
Size: 200 square feet (18.5 square meters)Homeowners’ request: A fresh look with more functional space and a layout that would work for a busy household.

Island storage: A transitional-style island features a bar fridge that perfectly fits the available end space.

Other special features: Shaker-style white cabinetry with an accent of charcoal gray (Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal). Large-format porcelain floor tile. Glass tile backsplash.

Floor tile: Duomo in cream, Midgley West; backsplash: Cristallo glass subway tile in Dove Gray, Olympia Tile; countertop: quartz; pendant lights: Union Lighting; bar fridge: Vinopazzo, AG International

3. Cookbook Call-OutDesigners: Hayer Builders Group and Kleen Design
Location: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Size: 144 square feet (13.3 square meters); 16 by 9 feet (4.8 by 2.7 feet)Island storage: A quartz-topped island features a slim built-in cookbook holder that puts front covers on display. There’s also a wine fridge on the other end of the island.

Other special features: Four-by-12-inch Carrara marble tile backsplash. Laminate flooring that looks like wood. Cutout over the sink that overlooks a downstairs living room.

Perimeter cabinets: Concrete Groovz, Woodgrain TFL collection, Prism; island cabinets: flakeboard flat-panel in Diva, TFL collection, Prism; cabinet hardware: Richelieu; faucet: Moen; flooring: Esperanza II collection in Denia, Beaulieu; pendant lights: C53701MB in matte black, Capitol Lighting Gallery

4. Deep DisplayDesigner: Leo Chester of Kerr Construction
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, CanadaHomeowners’ request: A spacious renovated kitchen that would focus on surrounding mountain views.

Island storage: A 4-by-10-foot rift-cut white oak island is topped with a Caesarstone counter (with pop-up electrical outlets) and bookended by two deep display shelves.

Other special features: Blond wood cabinets. Porcelain tile backsplash.

Designer secret: “With the decision to use glulam beams, we were able to hold the structural loads as well as create a more open space,” designer Leo Chester says.

Bar stools: Scan Design; cabinetry and millwork: HF Custom Cabinets; backsplash tile: Ames Tile & Stone; fridge: Sub-Zero; range: Wolf; hood: Thermador; pendant lights: Norburn Lighting & Bath Centre

6 Ways To Get Over A Fear Of Color

When clients say to me, “I just don’t like color,” what I most often find out after just a few minutes of poking and prodding is that, more accurately, they are unsure of how and when to use it in their home.

Clients often assume that they need to slap color on every wall in the house to make an impact, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although painting your walls in a vivid hue is a simple, inexpensive and highly effective way to alter the vibe of any space, some of the most striking approaches to incorporating color can be much subtler than taking a roller to your walls. You can use color in many awesome ways — both subtly and overtly — to give your home a fresh, vibrant look.

1. Begin With Things You Love

Finding a special piece that you really love is a great starting point when you’re looking to add color. If you love an item — if you feel energized, inspired and joyful when you see it — chances are that it’s the perfect jumping-off place for designing your space.

Buy a Moroccan basket you love, an abstract piece of art that makes you feel happy, a romantic French vase or a vibrant Indian tapestry. Whatever it is, go find that first piece that inspires you. It can set you on the path to discovering the ideal color palette for your space. Once you have that first piece, you can expand on the color scheme and overall design from there.
Picture-perfect color inspiration:This jewel-toned velvet chair makes a big, bold and fabulous statement. Paired with these vibrant yellow lamps, the color impact is even more amplified. The mix of warm neutral wall tones and rich, vibrant pieces adds even more depth to this sophisticated color scheme.

2. Use Nature as Inspiration

Nature is always the perfect inspiration when it comes to design. Being outdoors makes us feel relaxed and at ease, which is often exactly how we want to feel in our home spaces. Does the ocean make you feel free and happy? Do you love the sweet smell of pale purple lilacs or fluffy pink peonies?

Maybe you’re drawn to a cool green, the color of the trees in the yard where you grew up? Whatever it is, these colors can be a smart place to start when designing a room you want to feel terrific in. Whether you use them for a jolt of color in a throw pillow or for a bold and vibrant feature wall, nature’s colors never fail to inspire.
Picture-perfect color inspiration:Throw pillows printed with tropical palm leaves add a splash of color and an easy, breezy vibe to this sitting area. The bits of nature and color are more than enough to add visual interest and good vibes to this bright and lovely living space.

3. Realize That Mishmash Is the New Matchy-Matchy

In my experience, too many of us get caught up in the matchy-matchy trap when it comes to design. Maybe it’s the influence of family homes of times past, where grandma’s pillows matched the drapes and the couch and the china. But whatever the reason, one thing I love about this awesome age of design we’re in right now is that matching is no longer the only way. Although it’s true that in some spaces, matching can create a beautifully curated look, I encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to adding color.

Try focusing more on individual pieces that make you feel something, and let the design evolve from there. Clashing doesn’t exist anymore and a mishmash is the way of the future, so if you want red and pink cushions, go for it. Want an emerald-green couch with a purple club chair and a sunshine-yellow lamp? Anything goes!
Just keep in mind that you may want to have something to tie them all together in the end. A rug, a piece of art or a few throw pillows can easily do the trick. So let’s all go bold, be authentic and think outside the matchy-matchy box.
Picture-perfect color inspiration: This bright and airy bedroom illustrates the impact of savvy color and pattern mixing in fun and vibrant hues. Complementary patterns in the throw pillows and lamp base, as well as the abstract print and solid colors of the lampshade and bedding, help this bedroom design capture the mishmash vibe with playfulness and ease.

4. Make Fabrics Your Friend

Textiles like fabrics, wallcoverings and rugs are a few of the most effective design elements that can add color, make a statement and set the tone for any space. Vibrant throw pillows and simple patterned rugs are an easy, interchangeable way to add energy and visual interest.

Finding your own fabrics for custom throw pillows, chairs, headboards and other custom or refurbished pieces (or hiring a designer to help) is a wonderful way to create a space that captures your personal vision. Do you like nature patterns, geometrics, florals or solids? Once you’ve chosen the color palette and vibe, select two to four fabrics that give you various amounts of color.

Textiles can be as adventurous as you are. For those who are more daring, explore vibrant wallcovering options for a feature wall, or large-scale patterned fabrics for custom drapery (or to mix with throw pillows). These can add a whole new life and lushness to your space.

Picture-perfect color inspiration:A raspberry velvet chair, chartreuse satin dining seats and a feature wall in House of Hackney wallpaper create both drama and whimsy in this otherwise traditional space.

5. Upcycle the Unlovable

You don’t need to break the bank to add much-needed color in your life. Upcycling old or unused pieces with a vibrant makeover is an easy way to create new colorful design pieces without having to invest too much.

Try recovering a drab chair (or chairs) in a fabric of your choice, or paint an old side table or lamp in a bold and contemporary hue. With upcycling, you can test your color tolerance without having to spend a lot.

Picture-perfect color inspiration:A vibrant vintage-inspired kitchen hutch lends interest to this soft and simple dining space. Adding bold and contemporary colors to pieces from any era brings character and charm to your room’s design.

6. Add Fresh Flowers

By far the quickest and easiest approach to incorporating color in any room is with cut flowers. Decorating your favorite home spaces with seasonal florals is a simple way to add a quick and powerful dash of color and to diversify your palette from week to week.

Your favorite flowers will add some serious good vibes to any room while enhancing your sense of peace and overall enjoyment of your space.

My home just doesn’t feel the same without the whimsical petals of some fresh, lush and vibrant flowers. It’s truly the easiest (and prettiest) way to bring life to any space.

Picture-perfect color inspiration:Some of the best places to add a vase of fresh flowers include the entry, dining room table and kitchen counter.