Tag: decor

Home Upgrades: DIY Projects to Improve ROI

Posted on Noah Ryan
man in a workshop with tools, wood, a laptop, and a book
Courtesy of Ivan Samkov
  • From small DIY projects to major overhauls, there are many upgrades homebuyers can do to elevate ROI:
    • Improve Curb Appeal
    • Install Metal Roofing
    • Refinish Hardwood
    • Switch to LED

We look back at old homes and like to think of them as well-loved, but houses tend to reflect the scars of time. From dents in the wall to oil spots and scuffed hardwood, most properties desperately need a facelift. So grab the caulk gun and sanding paper as we discuss four DIY projects to improve your home’s return on investment (ROI).

Improve Curb Appeal

home with dark blue accents, asphalt shingles, and and siding
Courtesy of Westlake Royal Building Products

Curb appeal is the attractiveness of a home derived from its aesthetic value. Put simply, what does the average passerby think of your property from the street view? Are your hedges trimmed, your exterior freshly painted, and your flowers blooming? Curb appeal encompasses more than these few ideas, but most upgrades bring at least 50% ROI. Landscaping improvements such as planting new trees or garden beds can yield a 50% ROI and a jump in resale value by 14%. Power washing your driveway removes the grunge and costs less than $500. Not all upgrades cost a fortune; new light features, doorknobs, and small porch plants can cost under $200.

These don’t always work out, though. Not all buyers are looking for an intricate garden to tend to, and not everyone desires the maintenance that a pool requires. Costs associated with curb appeal changes depend on the property and modifications made, and you can check out some of our ideas INSERT INTERNAL BLOG LINK HERE.

Install Metal Roofing

person with glove cleaning a gutter of a metal roof
Courtesy of Sheffield Metals

Our next DIY project is no small task. Over the past few decades, the popularity of metal roofing has risen exponentially, and the market expects to hit $33.5 billion by 2030. The low-maintenance alternative boasts longevity well over the classic asphalt shingle lifespan of 12–20 years, as metal roofs last up to 70 years. Of course, depending on local conditions and weather events, homeowners must also replace asphalt shingles often. But metal roofing, whether shingles or trays, helps homebuyers in the long run with its energy-saving properties. By its nature, this product reflects UV rays and, on average, saves between 10–25% on cooling costs. Likewise, lightning strikes upon a metal roof drastically reduce the risk of nature-borne house fires. And for those concerned with sustainability, most metal roofs are constructed with at least 25% recyclable materials.

Costs of swapping to a metal roof range between $5,000–$20,000 but average a 61% ROI alongside added benefits.

Refinish Hardwood

diy brushing hardwood with a varnish
Courtesy of BuildDirect

When installing flooring, hardwood and tile instantly elevate any space as long runners tend to increase perceived depth. In fact, Professional Builder suggests that hardwood floors increase a home’s ROI by 70–80% and a 2.5% boost to the overall sale. But over the years, scratches and knicks formed in the hardwood degrade its luster. More cost-effective alternatives exist, such as vinyl or laminate, but many homebuyers prefer genuine hardwood. Don’t just take our word for it. In 2019, the National Association of Realtors conducted a Remodeling Impact Study revealing that 27% of realtors suggest refinishing hardwood before putting your home up for sale. If you want to do a DIY project for your refinished hardwood, expect to spend between $800–$2,000, dependent on quantity and desired finish. Still, this remains more cost-effective than replacing the flooring entirely — often at three times the price!

Switch to LED

person screwing in an LED bulb into a light fixture
Courtesy of Inch Calculator

LED bulbs are a cost-effective lighting choice with several benefits. Americans spend, on average, at least 15% of their electricity bills on lighting, per the U.S. Department of Energy — but LED bulbs slash those numbers. Because they put off minimal heat, energy spent on cooling is reduced, and households retain an average of $225. Like many of the other DIY projects on this list, switching to LED bulbs is an investment in longevity. LED bulbs last approximately 30,000 hours, whereas incandescent bulbs only last 1,000 hours.

These DIY upgrades to improve ROI on your home only scratch the surface of potential ideas. So, whether you’re a DIY expert or just starting, there’s always something you can do.

Tips for Hosting a New Year’s Eve Party at Your Lake House

Posted on Lacey Spear
Fireworks over the lake at night as a crowd of people watch from the dock.
Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock | Danny Iacob

Contributing Author: Holly Dunn

With the new year comes the promise of hope, growth, and prosperity, it’s exciting to celebrate with your loved ones as the clock ticks toward midnight. Whether you’re looking for a laidback evening or an elegant cocktail hour, we’re here to give you the best tips for hosting your New Year’s Eve party. Featuring the picturesque backdrop of the lake, your celebration is sure to be remembered for years to come! 

Setting the Scene

Table setting for a New Year's Eve party, complete with clock décor, gold cups, greenery, and silverware.
Photo Courtesy of Cottages & Bungalows

When you’re hosting a New Year’s party with a background as stunning as the lake, you want to think classy and chic. Although this holiday centers around time, your decor should emanate timelessness. To accomplish this ambiance, incorporate a few key items:

  1. Silver and gold: These two colors rule New Year’s Eve decor. Opt for silver and gold plates, cups, centerpieces, balloons, and more. Plus, you can repurpose suitable Christmas decor. If you like leaving your tree up well into January, remove the red ornaments and integrate silver and gold embellishments.
  2. Bar Cart: Your lake home may already have an at-home bar. But if not—or if you’re looking for an extra wow factor—purchase a bar cart. Make sure to select a cart with wheels so that you can move around the room to serve your guests their beverages.
  3. Doorway Decor: Make an impression on your guests right when they enter your lake home. By adding a New Year’s banner or balloons to your entryway, you can enhance the festive spirit of the night.
  4. Fire Pit and Blankets: A New Year’s Eve party at your lake home is not complete without watching fireworks over the lake. Make sure to have a fire crackling and plenty of warm blankets if you venture outside with your guests. Sparklers can also be a fun activity for the party’s outside portion.
Firepit by lake with a sunset in the background.
Photo Courtesy of Wolf Cove Inn

Cocktails and Mocktails

New Year's Eve cocktails on a festive plate with glittery sugar around the rims.
Photo Courtesy of The Effortless Chic

When you think of New Year’s Eve, you probably imagine fireworks, friends, and of course, drinks to toast the new year. In addition to Champagne, Chocolate Martinis, French 75s, Old-Fashioneds, Cranberry Mimosas, and Moscow Mules pair well with a New Year’s theme. Additionally, you can use unique ice molds to create circular, star, diamond, or large square cubes. If you want to add some extra flavor to these cubes, you can freeze fresh fruit and herbs inside.

Large holiday ice cubes with cranberries and rosemary frozen in them.
Photo Courtesy of KrazyKitchenMom.com

You might also want to have a few mocktails available. Vice President of Market Operations at Bellhop, Nick Valentino, suggests “offering non-alcoholic options for designated drivers and those who don’t drink” to make everyone feel included. Additionally, at events like this, it isn’t uncommon for a few guests to spill their beverage or crack the glassware entirely. To remedy this, we suggest using Govino’s shatterproof wine glasses. Whether you choose to offer these as a party favor or reuse them for celebrations yet to come, you won’t have to clean up the shattered glass at the end of the evening.

Festive Snacks and Hors D’oeuvres

Photo Courtesy of TasteofHome.com

And while everyone is sipping away at your delicious cocktails and mocktails, don’t forget to set out some delectable snacks and hors d’oeuvres. Although some may wish to prepare a formal dinner, many New Year’s Eve hosts prefer concocting an assortment of snacks. Appetizers and hors d’oeuvres grant an air of elegant convenience to your party—especially if your guests are moving between the indoor scene and the lakeside fire pit.

Photo Courtesy of TasteofHome.com

We also recommend preparing a mixture of sweet and savory snacks. Taste of Home‘s list of 40 New Year’s Eve appetizers features Swiss Sweet Potato Puffs, Mini Fruitcakes, Toasted Ravioli, Holiday Meringues, Mini Cheeseballs, and more. These snacks are rich and filling but also easy to grab and take to the patio of your lake home.

Photo Courtesy of Our Love Language is Food

You may also consider combining these snacks to craft a classy charcuterie board for your festive New Year’s evening. To add a special touch, you can even use fruit, cheese, crackers, and other items to spell out the coming year!

Three, Two, One…Happy New Year!

Hands clinking glasses of champagne together with sparklers in the frame.
Photo Courtesy of Living Tours

At Lake Homes Lifestyles, we believe that any celebration can be amplified by the lake lifestyle. With these tips, you can host a New Year’s Eve party that your guests will remember fondly in the years to come. 

From our lake home to yours, Happy New Year!

DIY Holiday Lake House Decor

Posted on Lacey Spear
Christmas tree at a lake home in a living room decorated for the holidays.
Photo Courtesy of Styled With Lace

Contributing Author: Madeline May

No matter how fast-paced and automated our world gets, there’s something about the holidays that makes us want to take it slow and go the homemade route. Whether you’re making grandma’s pumpkin pie recipe or creating your own garland, you can’t replace the feeling of doing it from scratch. Of course, you could go buy these items from the store and save some time and effort. But imagine your family and guests visiting for the holidays. You are sharing the joy of the season together—and perhaps cups of apple cider or hot cocoa. Then they look over at your pumpkin centerpiece or handmade wreath and ask, “Wow, where did you get that?” And you respond, “Oh no, I made that.” If this is your idea of an ideal holiday, check out our top picks for DIY holiday decor!

Pretty and Pumpkin

DIY pumpkin centerpiece, made from pine cones and a variety of fall stems.
Photo Courtesy of A Pumpkin & A Princess

Crisp fall leaves, bright berries, soft flowers, textured pine cones, and a smooth pumpkin—this centerpiece is the epitome of the fall season. Plus, you can add variations to it throughout the season to adapt it to any holiday gathering. It’s the ideal finishing touch to your autumn table setting.

Materials

  • Styrofoam block
  • Fall stems
  • Faux pumpkin
  • Hot glue

Instructions

Using a knife, cut the top stem off your pumpkin. Make sure the hole is large enough to fit your styrofoam inside. Glue the styrofoam inside of the pumpkin, then arrange your fall stems inside. For variations and more pumpkin centerpiece ideas, visit A Pumpkin & A Princess.

Thankful and Timeless

DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece with fall stems and a sign that reads "thankful."
Photo Courtesy of Eighteen25

The holidays are a time to set aside our everyday stresses and remember the reasons we have to be thankful. With playful fall stems and an elegant script, this DIY holiday mantelpiece will complement any decor style. Plus, it will remind guests of the real meaning of the season.

Materials

  • 18” x 27” embroidery hoop
  • Mustard spray paint
  • Fall stems
  • Sign
  • Hot glue

Instructions

First, spray paint your embroidery hoop and allow it ample time to dry. Then, glue your stems around the sides near the base. Secure your finished hoop on the mantel, then place your sign in front. Enjoy your new mantelpiece!

Classy and Chic

DIY holiday wreath filled with pine cones, lights, and greenery.
Photo Courtesy of A Piece of Rainbow

Pine cones are a great way to bring the outdoors in and emphasize the winter season while still granting your lake home a timeless aura. This pine cone wreath complements numerous decor styles, from farmhouse to modern. Plus, you can customize it to go with your fall, Thanksgiving, winter, or Christmas decor. Talk about a four-in-one!

Materials

  • A 14″ wire wreath
  • Door wreath hanger (optional)
  • Hot glue and hot glue sticks
  • Battery-powered LED fairy string lights
  • 60-75 pinecones, sorted into 3 even groups of large, medium, and small

Instructions

First, wrap the wreath form with twine until it is completely covered (this will help the glue stick). Next, glue the large pine cones to the outside ring of the wreath form. Then glue the medium pine cones to the next circle, closer to the center. Finally, glue the small pine cones on the most inward ring of the wreath. Creative variations include adding evergreen cuttings, red berries, string lights, and more. For more details, check out A Piece of Rainbow.

Repurposed and Rustic

DIY hanging Christmas tree, made from repurposed wood and rustic ornaments.
Photo Courtesy of Pinterest / Julie DIY Darlin’

Do you love putting a twist on an old classic? This DIY holiday tree can serve as a unique alternative to the traditional Christmas tree, and its rustic look wonderfully complements the lake home aesthetic. Plus, you can use sticks and logs from your own backyard to create the tree, making it an eco-friendly option.

Materials

  • 7 Silver Birch logs (30-40 mm diameter)
  • 6 meters of jute rope
  • Ornaments

Instructions

Arrange the logs in a tree shape and keep space between them. Knot the middle of your rope onto the top log. Then, keeping it taut, tie it onto every log at the ends of the log, forming a triangle. Hang your tree onto the wall and add your ornaments and decorations.

Expensive and Elegant

Elegant DIY Christmas garland, filled with gold embellishments and ribbon in front of a living room with a Christmas tree inside.
Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Lane

Calling this garland expensive might seem like a misnomer since you can create it for a low price. However, when your lake home guests take in its sparkle, elegance, and glam, they will hardly think it was crafted on a budget. Although it looks complex, this Christmas garland is quite easy to make and will transform your home into a mini Hallmark movie in no time.

Materials

Instructions

First, spread your garland out on the floor. Secure all your embellishments to the garland by using wired wood picks. Then, wrap the ribbon around the garland. Feel free to wire some loops together and cut shorter pieces to tuck into certain sections. Leave some ribbon hanging on each end. Secure to the wall with two large anchor hooks and some command strips on the side. For more details, visit 11 Magnolia Lane.

We hope these pieces enhance your holiday gatherings with friends and family. Cheers to all things merry and bright—and from our lake home to yours, Happy DIY Holidays!

Brighten Up Your Lake Home with Dried Florals

Posted on Maggie Keith Gerakos
living room lake house decorate ideas - dried florals flowers ideas arrangements
Photo courtesy of Botanical Tales.

In most parts of the country, it may not be warm enough to keep fresh flowers thriving. That doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the joy of decorating with florals in your home. Dried flowers can add a beautiful spring-like touch to your lake home, even when the weather hasn’t quite caught up yet. It would help if you didn’t have to compromise when it comes to spring florals, and by drying your flowers and stems, you don’t have to sacrifice your aesthetic. We have some advice on how to select, dry, and arrange your dried florals to add an element of joy to your lake home that will carry you through to summer.

Continue reading “Brighten Up Your Lake Home with Dried Florals”

Fall Décor and More – Getting Your Lake Home Ready for Autumn

Posted on Staff
Photo courtesy of Beach Pretty.

The leaves have begun to change, pumpkin spice lattes are back and it’s time to pull out your plaid and scarves. Fall has arrived, which means lake season is officially over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your lake home in the autumn! And, you can start by updating your fall décor.

It’s often difficult to choose just how to decorate your lake home for any other season but summer, especially in a way that reflects your personality and the latest trends.

However, there are a few basic guidelines you can follow to help get you started decorating for fall on the lake.

Color Comes First!

To begin, consider what color palette you want to work with.

Incorporate on statement color; this should be most prominent in your design. Popular statement colors include wine tones and emerald greens and burgundy. Also popular in the fall are navy and muted oranges.

Next, you will want to choose accent colors. These will complement your statement color and add depth to your design.

Generally, you will want to pick at least two accent colors, but be cautious of the number of secondary tones you choose to incorporate.

Photo courtesy of Scheme Color.

An excess of secondary colors could result in a loss of cohesion in your design, meaning your vision will no longer be clearly present.

Rather than having a cute, well-put-together door decoration, the end result might start to resemble something along the lines of abstract expressionist art… or something a toddler threw together.

A base of three colors, one statement, and two accent colors, is a good starting point for beginning designers. At the lake, a great combination would be a base of navy, accented with silver and perhaps orange.

Add in the Accents

Once you have decided on a color scheme, you should begin thinking about how you will accent these colors in your design.

One thing to consider is patterns. Plaid, gingham, houndstooth, and paisley patterns not only add to the color in your design but also give it texture and dimension.

A textured design has more impact, and is more aesthetically pleasing, than a flat one. Different materials, such as lace and burlap, also help with texture.

Photo courtesy of Hobby Lobby.

Additionally, think about what iconic autumn symbols you want to feature. Pine cones, pumpkins, acorns, hay bales, and leaves are all common accents. If your lake home is located in a wooded area, you could easily find a few items in nature to use for free!

A wreath of pinecones, pumpkins resting on hay bales and garlands of acorns can all add depth to your décor.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns and accent pieces. Just because they don’t match doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t work well together.

Putting it All Together

Photo courtesy of At Home.

After you have your accents, patterns, and colors determined, now comes the task of putting them all together.

If you have no idea what you want the final product to look like, start by looking up fall décor for ideas on Etsy, Google, or Pinterest. Here you will find pictures of what other home decorators have done in the past, so you can see what works together and what best resembles your lake home’s style and personality.

For a log cabin-style lake home, you could choose to feature red, greens and black plaids, burlap, and metal accents.

Additionally, you could incorporate twigs, pinecones, and small logs into your outdoorsy design. Adding a pop of gold, with ribbon or beading, can give your decorations a little extra pop, as well.

If your home is more modern, houndstooth, silvers, and burnt orange might look best. Pumpkins would look good with this color scheme, as well as fall leaves, acorns, and brushed metals.

Should you not find any leads worth pursuing online, you can always just find your style through trial and error.

Since you’ve already decided on colors, textures, and accents, you can try a number of different design combinations until you find the right one.

Don’t get discouraged if your vision doesn’t come through on your first try. Your perfect fall décor design is in there somewhere.

Sometimes some distance will teach you to love your first try. And if it doesn’t, waiting a few days can often show you exactly where your problems with the designs lie.

Finishing Touches

In the future, you can think about adding extra features beyond that which you already have. This might include changing porch lights to different colored bulbs, adding a bench or bike to your porch. Or, incorporate string lights and colorful mums or other living decorations.

As years go by you’ll learn what works and what doesn’t, and you can add to your decoration cache over time. Eventually, you will find the perfect balance for your fall décor.

And when in doubt, just keep it simple, as lake living should be.

For more tips and ideas, enjoy our other seasonal decorating articles here.