A Terrific Holiday Aroma for Your Home

Jill’s Seasonal Simmer

1 Orange sliced
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
3 Cinnimon Sticks
1 tablespoon of Alspice
1 tablespoon of Clove
Put all ingredients in a small saucepan (I keep one just for this purpose).  Add water.  Simmer.  Voila, it smells wonderful!

Excuse how horrible my saucepan looks, it’s sole purpose is to simmer until Christmas is over…  I chose one that had clearly seen better days and I no longer used for cooking.  The last thing you want is to have your saucepan simmering on the stove and realize you need it immediately while cooking dinner.  I learned that lesson the hard way…
Enjoy!

Jill V. Abernathy

An Introduction to Your Home…

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jill Abernathy with the Abernathy Cochran Group http://abernathycochran.com/blog/index.php/an-introduction-to-your-home/    

“An entryway is an introduction.

Like the opening pages of a book, it leads us in and welcomes us to the world inside.”

~Rose Tarlow~

This quote was found on my favorite blog, for the love of a house.  An entryway or a foyer is an introduction to your home, I honestly believe that to be true.  When the front door opens, you only get one chance at a first impression.  Make it good!  Naturally, the entryway varies in size and design from house to house.  Keep it neat and inviting!  You can use a table or a chair, use art or mirrors, and use lamps or eye catching entryway/foyer lights to make your introduction.  I’ve added some great entryway photos below.  For more ideas, use helpful sites like Pinterest and Houzz.

PAINT..........

Let’s paint…

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Jill Abernathy with The Abernathy Cochran Group http://abernathycochran.com/blog/index.php/lets-paint/

  

Today I was going to write about choosing paint colors…  However, when I sat down to start I just kept thinking about this blog I read not so long ago.  I decided to share it with you.  Kristin at http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/ often has great suggestions and offers inspiration.  You should take a look at her site, she uses photos from real bloggers and their finished product.
As for my advice, if you are a seller, you should choose a neutral wall color.  Light neutral tones make a space look larger.  The light also gives your home a crisp, clean feel.  Now how can larger and clean be bad?  Well, it can’t…

White, cream, taupe, gray, and biege tones are great options to update your look.  There are many added benefits to repainting the interior before putting your home on the market.  It is part of my advice when “neutralizing” a house for buyers.  You have tons of neutrals to choose from:



And now for, the new IT colors – Greige!  Yes, the gray/beige combo is the hottest decorator choice.











Bleeker Beige is one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular neutrals!







You have so many options!  Be sure you are careful with creams, beiges, and taupes.  They can go on the wall pink.





Shades of Gray…

 




This kitchen is white, bright, crisp, and clean!





 




Paint color can transform a house into a home.
The problem is that there are thousands of colors to choose from, and the picking the perfect color can be the hardest part of the process. Do you go neutral or bold, dark or light, cool or warm? Here are a few tips for choosing the best color for you:
Where are we?  Ask yourself some questions. What is the purpose of the room you are painting? Is it a dining room that will entertain guests and gather your family in each evening for dinner? A master bedroom that you want to make your “sanctuary”, or a laundry room that you want to be bright and colorful to make the time you spend there more pleasant?
Gather your favorites.  Once you’ve decided your purpose and how you want yourself and others to feel in your room, pick a color palette. Look at your room. Are you picking a color that’s going to go with everything in your room (more of a neutral), or are you picking the color first and then working around that? Are you going to add color to your room by accessorizing (curtains, painted furniture, décor, etc.) or do you want the paint to be the main accessory?
Start small and inexpensive: Go to your favorite paint store, pick a few colors you like and have sample sizes mixed. Most paint stores sell them for around $3. This is the best way to find the right color without having a whole gallon of paint mixed up and then deciding when you get it home that you hate the color.
Seeing is believing: Paint the colors you’re considering onto white poster boards. Put it next to your cabinets, trim, carpet or furniture. Paint can look a totally different color in various lighting, so make sure you look at it for a good 24 hours. Move your poster boards to different places in the room. Look for any color undertones it might have during bright daylight hours, rainy days and at night in artificial lighting.

Go for it! If you love the way the color you’ve chosen looks in all conditions, then go for the kill. You have just completed the hardest part of the process.
Happy painting!
Full article available on:
http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/2013/04/how-to-pick-out-perfect-paint-color.html

Remember, sellers should choose neutrals! (Had to add the reminder…)