the season is in

We're not quite ready to put away our rain jackets, mukluks, and heavy sweaters but on the other side of the continent, in the Hamptons, this weekend heralds the start of the summer season.

If you haven't lined up your Southampton rental than you're most likely out of luck-it appears Seattle is not the only market on fire! Check out what $375,000 gets you for a three month rental in the Hamptons.

Not ready to spend $85,000 and up for a month on the beach? Then consider these options.

1) Buy a coastal inspired home right in your own back yard! Check out this 4 bedroom/3 bath home priced at a cool $985,000 - much more affordable and you own it!

 

  

2) Invest in a little redecorating. Whether you go serene or vibrant there are plenty of ideas to be found on sites like Pinterest and Houzz. Here are a few of my favorite color palettes:

Adding wicker, pillows and accessories can be fun - here are a few shops that specialize in the gorgeous, the funky and the serene of a coastal feel.

Sesame and Lilies

Circa Who

Stores and online sites like Pottery Barn, One Kings Lane and Target offer tons of merchandise as well.

3) Subscribe to the many coastal/beachy inspired magazines. My two favorites are Coastal Living and Veranda. Other magazines like  Southern Living and Martha Stewart Living have some great ideas to inspire your own coastal cottage.

As we turn our attention to this coming Memorial Day weekend and all that it holds - I leave you with this quote,

"A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card."

the magic of paint

It was the summer of '93 when I first realized how a can of paint can transform a space. 

Finding myself in NYC for a few months, a dear friend opened her doors to me. And what doors they were. Located on the upper east side, her building was outfitted with a starched doorman, swanky lobby and fast elevators. Her apartment was spacious (for Manhattan). But for everything it had going for it there was one thing that just wasn't right. The stark white walls left you cold. 

So, while Tanya was off to Oslo, I picked up a brush and a few gallons of butter cream paint and over a long weekend her apartment was transformed into a space that was warm, inviting and simply delicious! 

I haven't put down a paint brush since. In fact my father swears the only thing holding my house together is layers upon layers of paint. He's probably right. In fact, I am currently interviewing three neutrals (see below), with the winning one being the new color on our walls (sorry honey). 

Overcast by Benjamin Moore

Misty Air by Benjamin Moore

Stoneware by Color Stories at Benjamin Moore

Paint not only transforms spaces it is perfect at fixing flaws. Check out how you can use paint to your advantage. 

1. Make a small room look larger

Paint is a master of optical illusion and can appear to increase a room's square footage. Painting the walls and ceiling the same dark color blurs spatial lines and makes the room's smallness less noticeable. 

2. Make a dark room look brighter

Paint is the go-to source for style in a can, but the right color and finish can also add light to a cavelike room. "A high-gloss oil-base paint can be almost as reflective as a mirror," says interior designer Miles Red. One caveat to consider before you pick up your brush: the paint job has to be pristine, since a high-gloss finish will highlight any imperfections. 

3. Camouflage an eyesore

Ever wonder what the builder was thinking when he placed a radiator on the only wall that would allow art or in the most conspicuous spot in the room? Painting the wall and the radiator the same color helps to make art pop and the appliance to recede.  

4. Give floors an update

If your wood floors can't withstand another round of expensive refinishing, or if you can't bear the look of stain for another minute, consider painting them instead. You'll need to rough up the boards with sandpaper, damp-mop, cover up with a few coats of porch, floor or marine paint, then seal. 

5. Give cabinets and bookshelves a lift

Add a shot of color to any room by painting the backs of cabinets or bookshelves. The boring white backs of these dining room cabinets got a rousing shot of aqua. I love how that ties in with the dining room chairs. 

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

Special thanks to Tanya Lochridge for introducing me to paint 20 years ago! 

real estate report card for 4th qtr

Just in....Matthew Gardner's 4th quarter 2012 report on the real estate market in Western Washington.

Read the full report here: Gardner Report - Western Washington 4th quarter 2012

Highlights from his conclusion:

"I remain in somewhat befuddled awe when I think of the resiliency of the United States economy and how we, as a nation, are emerging from this recession bruised but, for the better part, intact. Inasmuch as the government has tried, hopefully unwittingly, to hinder our growth with various budgetary issues and the like, we are doing our best to adapt to our environment and grow the economy. 

I started out this piece with  quote from George Orwell which inferred that our job recovery, although occurring across geographic board, will be unequal. I certainly expect that the power centers that accommodate a majority of our businesses in the state (Washington) will expand at a faster rate than counties that are more removed. That said, the overall picture is a positive one and I expect that 2013 will be another year in which our regional economy outperforms the nation as a whole.

From a real estate standpoint, it is clear that we are now well removed from the days when home prices were hemorrhaging. Home values have stabilized and a recovery in values is underway. The credit markets have thawed and getting a mortgage is easier now than it has been since the housing "bubble" exploded. Interest rates remain at historic lows, and although I believe that they will rise in 2013, the increase should be modest. 

The outlook is getting clearer. Home values will appreciate in 2013, but not all markets are created equal and some will fare better than others."  Matthew Gardner

Matthew Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics and is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest. 

Mr. Gardner shared his outlook for 2013 to a group of my clients on January 30th. If you would like a copy of that presentation, please let me know-I will see that you receive a copy quickly!

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

potager garden

Potager is a French term for a type of kitchen garden where vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown together in traditional rows or blocks.  The goal is to make the function of growing food aesthetically pleasing (oh how I love the French). Plants are chosen as much for their functionality as for their color and form.  A well-designed potager can provide food, as well as cut flowers and herbs for the home with very little maintenance.

With increased interest in organic and sustainable living, many people are turning to vegetable gardening as a supplemental to their family's food source. Food grown in the back yard consumes little, if any fuel and the grower can be sure of what exactly was used to grow it.

How the plan comes together

Location -  You will want to choose a flat, sunny spot. If you intend to grow vegetables, you'll need six to eight hours of direct sun a day. Shade problems? See if you can do a bit of tree pruning to allow more light to reach the beds.

A typical potager can be found at the rear of the house close to the back door. However, sun might dictate a different spot for your garden.  Check the side and front yards for continuous sun.

Design - Potagers can disguise their function of providing for a home in a wide array of forms - from the carefree style of a cottage garden to the formality of a knot garden.

The key to creating a true French feeling for your garden is to use formal lines and clearly delineated beds which will give the plants space and dignity.

Raised Beds - The raised beds are the work horse of this type of garden. Raised beds are essentially boxes without bottoms filled with topsoil and compost. The beds can be made from cedar or non pressure-treated fir planks (12' fir boards $15/each at homedepot.com) attached at the four corners.  For efficient drainage, the beds should be at least 8 inches deep.

Dimensions - The number of beds and their length are up to you but the longer the beds, the bigger the garden. The width of each bed however, shouldn't exceed four feet-you want to be able to reach in from either side without stepping into them. Leave paths at least two feet wide between beds for wheelbarrow access.

Line the paths with pea gravel ($5 for 50 lbs at lowes.com), brick, walking stones, grass or wood-chips. 

Perhaps what is best about a potager is that it needs minimal maintenance. And because the beds offer superb conditions, you can let your imagination run wild when it comes to choosing what to grow. Simply know your sun and shade conditions, and then plant what you love.

I ran across this lovely cookbook - Potager, Fresh Garden Cooking in the French Style. Currently available through Amazon, this is a wonderful cookbook for any gardener/cook seeking to create the freshest meals!

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

flooded basements

A LITTLE WATER IS A SEA TO AN ANT

                                          -- An Afghan Proverb

Thanksgiving was approaching and with the usual baking, cooking, cleaning and decorating that comes with a holiday like this so you can imagine my words when I discovered 2 inches of ice cold water streaming through our finished basement a few days before.

The water was rushing through faster than I could vacuum it up. Even with my husband and our tile installer helping, we weren't making a dent in what appeared to be the sinking of our home.

It turns out a drain fed by one of our downspouts was clogged. What neither of us realized is that our local plumber who re did our sewer line two years ago also changed the drain for our gray water run-off (aka rain water).

Lucky for us, we were able to connect with a local plumber at once and within 30 minutes they were on-site and able to identify the cause via a drain-scope and fix the problem by using a hydro-vac to clear the drain.

As we waited for the water remediation company to arrive, we continued to vacuum up gallons and gallons of rain water. Removing the water as quickly as possible will limit your damage.

Whenever you see signs of water it is important to act quickly. Keep these tips in mind if you find water infiltrating your home:

REMOVE WATER
The first step is to get rid of the water. If it isn't too deep you can usually suck up the water with a wet-dry shop vacuum.

DRY THE SPACE
To prevent mold growth and additional damage, you must dry out your basement as quickly as possible. Dehumidifiers are your best option, because they remove moisture from the air as well as the walls, carpet and other items. Renting industrial strength dehumidifiers from a restoration company is best. Have several running at once for several days. If your basement has air conditioning, turn it on, it acts as a dehumidifier as well. Set up several fans to keep the air moving - this will help to dry the space out more quickly. Depending on the severity of the flood, it may take up to two weeks for the basement to fully dry out. Be sure to leave the dehumidifiers and fans running to move this process along.

HIRE PROFESSIONALS
Depending on the water damage, it might be best to hire a restoration company, which helps restore homes that have suffered flood, fire and other serious damage. These companies have heavy duty equipment that can remove the water and dry out your basement as quickly as possible.  If you have a finished basement, and there has been damage to the floor, walls, or other areas, a restoration company can also replace or repair these items.

DISINFECT THE AREA
While rainwater flood isn't as dangerous as one due to sewage backup, there may be dirt, debris and other contaminants in the water that pose health risks. When the basement is dry, disinfect all areas and items that were exposed to the floodwater. Dilute chlorine bleach with water to create a disinfecting wash, and use a sponge to apply it to all surfaces. Rinse the bleach mixture off, and let the basement air-dry again.

CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY
Depending on the type of homeowner's insurance policy you have, you may be covered for water damage in your home. In our case it did not. If you are covered, the insurance company will likely send an agent to examine your basement and determine the extent of the damage before they process the claim.

I hope you never have to use these tips but if you do be sure to act quickly and call in some qualified professionals to help you. Here are a few who have earned my trust.

Plumbers:
Action Jackson, Fischer Plumbing
Damage Restoration Companies:
Servpro, 911 Restoration Seattle

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

real estate report card for 3rd qtr

Just in ... Matthew Gardner's 3rd quarter 2012 report on the real estate market in Western Washington.

The full report here: Gardner Report - Western Washington 3rd quarter 2012

Highlights from his conclusion:

"The economy and real estate market in Washington continue to exhibit positive growth, but the rate of growth has started to taper. 

Now, some of this can certainly be attributed to seasonal fluctuations, as well as the current political environment, but it is important to put this into context. Our region continues to outperform not only all other West Coast markets, but also the United States as a whole.

The headwinds that do exist, mainly in the form of low levels of housing for sale, are likely to be temporary."  Matthew Gardner

Mr. Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics .
He is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest.

SAVE THE DATE

Matthew will be presenting his annual kick-off presentation

at a private event hosted by myself and colleagues

January 30, 2013

Montlake Community Center

This will be a great opportunity to ask Matthew questions on his view for 2013!

To be placed on our invite list please email me at darcy@windermere.com

Thanksgiving Trivia

I firmly believe it is the memories we create in our house that make it our home. With two teenage daughters, I am always looking for some fun conversation starters to introduce at the dinner table. In my search I ran across some great trivia. I plan to stump them all at our Thanksgiving dinner..right!

What is the name of the famous rock where the pilgrims landed?
          Plymouth Rock

The Indians invited to the Thanksgiving feast were?
          Wampanoag

What is the name of the ship the pilgrims came over to the United States on?
          Mayflower

What is the name of the Captain of the Mayflower?
          Christopher Jones

Who was instrumental in declaring Thanksgiving Day a National holiday?
          Sarah Hale

What is the original name for pilgrams?
          Puritans

What part of the turkey that is broken that is considered good luck?
          The wishbone

Indian corn should only be used as decorations and not for cooking?
          True

What year did the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
          1924

What year was the first Thanksgiving?
          1621

Who was the first President to pardon a Turkey?
          President Harry Truman

Name the first balloon in the 1927 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
          Felix the Cat

How many pilgrams came over on the Mayflower?
          102

How long did it take the pilgrams to travel from England to the United States?
          66 days

What was the Mayflower originally designed to carry?
          Wine

How long did the first Thanksgiving Day last?
         One week

What football teams played in the first Thanksgiving Day game in 1934?
          Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears

President Bush pardoned two turkeys in 2005. What were their names?
          Marshmellow and Yam

Of the 102 pilgrams that came over on the Mayflower only half of them survived to attend the first ever Thanksgiving dinner. We have much to be thankful for.

Wishing you a fun and festive holiday.

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

Sources: history.com