Holiday Home Decor Ideas for 2019 [Infographic]
Home is where the heart is, and when the holidays roll around, it can also be where lots of family and friends come together. This year, put your creativity to the test by decking out your home with traditional Christmas decorating ideas—or those that are a little bit outside of the box. We've found a few ideas to help give you some inspiration.
Christmas Decorating Ideas 2019
Be Blue
Forego the traditional reds and greens of Christmas in favor of blues and silvers. This year, homes all over the world will look like their own winter wonderlands, with silvery flecks of shine that bounce off bluish backgrounds. Think midnight blues with aquamarine hues. Bring in a touch of the cool side of the crayon box, accented by whimsical shades of brilliant whites and silver-coated focal points.
Go Au Naturale
Bring shabby chic into your Christmas decor by inviting the outside into your home. Utilize pine cones, bark, feathers, moss, and other elements Mother Nature already provides. You can find plenty of DIY tutorials online to help bolster your inspiration, or if you're feeling crafty, you can go it alone and create your own innovating decorations.
Don't Skimp on the Lights
Lights are a magical part of the Christmas season, and this year, people will expect to see them just as much inside your house as they would outside. Light up your home with candles, Christmas tree lights, and glittering messages that make people feel welcome as soon as they walk in the door.
Christmas Window Decoration Ideas
Whether you're saying hello to passersby, or giving your guests something to look at when they're looking outside, your windows offer a great opportunity to spread a little Christmas cheer. Here are a few window decorating ideas you might not have thought of:
Put Up the Plaid
Plaid curtains offer a fun, spirited approach to everyday living spaces. Red, green, and gold plaid plays well against the traditional colors of the season. However, if you're opting for the blue Christmas we noted above, consider going for blue and silver plaid curtains to draw out the whimsy of this magical season.
Place Poinsettias on the Sills
Poinsettias are a quintessential Christmas item. You're probably used to seeing them as centerpieces on tables, but if you give them the responsibility of showcasing their beauty from the comfort of their own window sills, your home will be instantly filled with Christmas delight.
Make Miniature Presents
Wrap tiny boxes in an assortment of wrapping paper and bows, piling them into the window when you're done decorating them. You can use all sorts of household items to hold the shape so your window sill holds a bit of intrigue and excitement when people pass by. You can wrap empty toilet paper rolls, empty juice boxes, and plenty of other items you'd otherwise toss or recycle.
Outdoor Holiday Decorating Ideas
The outside of your home is just as important as the inside, especially when this special time of year arrives.
Create Lantern Garland
Lantern garland is a fun way to illuminate your outdoor space in a way that doesn't detract from the other decorations you might have around the house.
Bring Rudolph Along
A chalkboard buck head might seem silly at first, but think about the conversations it'll start when someone walks up to your door. Since it's a chalkboard, it's super simple to change the messaging depending on your mood or the events you have going on at the moment.
Make Faux Moss be Boss
Use fake moss to spread a message of joy or kindness across your front door.
At RWC Windows, Doors & More, we want to see your holidays succeed. Reach out to us if you need to spruce up your doors or windows before the busy holiday season gets under way!
Window Replacement Options: Energy Efficient Windows for Older Homes
Although older houses can be quite charming, they often need renovations to meet modern expectations for function and efficiency. It doesn't take much thought to replace appliances with new ones of a style you like, and you probably have an idea of what modern bathroom renovations the house needs, but replacement windows for old homes can be a more difficult decision. Fortunately, there are plenty of window replacement ideas and options available so you don't have to choose between either the most energy efficient replacement windows or windows that look great in the context of how well they suit the home.
Window Replacement Options
Energy saving replacement windows come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. They can be custom fit for older homes that may not have what is considered modular sizes by today's construction contractors. Styles include the most common double hung window, which can have either a center rail or three quarters split in order to meet the cosmetic intention of the house's original design. Although vinyl is the most common material, wood sashes are available and might be a better choice for some houses as they can appear more in line with how the original windows were built while providing the insulation needed for heating and cooling efficiency. Other types of windows are available as well, such as emergency egress windows as local code might require, block windows which allow natural light in while blocking vision can be great for a bathroom, or windows that crank open on hinges rather than lifting were common in certain types of older homes and might maintain the style of your house.
Interior Storm Windows
If you just can't part with the old windows because they continue to look great and function properly, another option to consider is adding an interior storm window to raise the window's efficiency without disrupting the exterior view of an older home. These windows are custom-built to fit your existing windows and are hardly noticeable once installed. They include several layers of heat reflecting glazing to raise the R-value of the window by keeping heat outside in the summer or inside during the winter months. They aren't going to be as efficient as a triple pane replacement window filled with argon gas, but they maintain the appeal of the older windows while lowering your monthly heating and cooling expenses.
Choosing New Windows
There is further consideration needed when choosing the best replacement windows beyond the look you want to maintain and the efficiency you hope to achieve. Windows can be relatively inexpensive, or they can cost as much as you're willing to spend. Although price is always something a homeowner has to be aware of, the cost to replace windows in old house shouldn't be the only basis for the final decision. There are two perspectives toward window cost. One, if it's an investment home you're flipping, or a house you plan to live in for a few years before moving, the amount you spend on the windows will repay itself in the home's resale value and curb appeal when the house goes on the market. On the other hand, if you plan to live the rest of your life in the home you want the windows you'll never have to replace again because you didn't cut corners the first time.
Takeaway Points
- Consider what options are available when it comes time to replace windows.
- Think about whether you have to replace the windows or can upgrade them with interior storm windows.
- Take the time to choose the windows you're going to be happy with, even if it winds up costing a little more than you had hoped.
- Replacing windows in an old house is a specialty of RWC. We’ll help you discover ideas for the right window design for your home!
Conclusion
If you're ready to update your windows and want to know more about energy efficient window replacement, give us a call at RWC Windows, Doors, and More. We'll be happy to swing by at your convenience to discuss your home window replacement options and handle all installation of your energy efficient replacements!
Functional Kitchen Layouts for Holiday Hosting
Introduction
Your kitchen is probably setup according to how you and your family use it throughout the year. Unfortunately, that might not be the best plan as the holidays approach if you plan to entertain guests. There are simple things you can do to prepare the kitchen for hosting friends or a dinner party as kitchen update ideas, but it's also a great time to conduct renovations you may have been postponing in order to have a functional kitchen for holidays which also serves your daily needs throughout the year.
Making a Kitchen Functional and Efficient
The first step toward making a kitchen functional when guests are coming is to remove the excess clutter. As an example, you might enjoy television when preparing food on a daily basis, but that TV is just going to take up space when friends come by. That space might be better used as a place for drinks and snacks so people don't have to get in the way of food preparation to refill their glass or get a plate of prepared hors d'oeuvres to take to everyone else. Depending on the layout of the kitchen and countertops, you might want to remove the kitchen table you eat at daily to allow for the heightened traffic, or you might want to add an extra table to provide more food prep areas.
Kitchen Renovations
Planning to host a holiday party or to have overnight guests during the season is a great reason to have certain renovations you've always wanted. You certainly don't want an “older but still working, barely” fridge, oven, or dishwasher to have a major failure while friends and family are there. Likewise, if you've always wanted new counter tops or a floor, why not have it done in time to impress your friends before you continue to enjoy it throughout the years?
You might also realize it's a good time for pricing on such renovations. Summer outdoor construction projects are winding down and contractors are finding their indoor winter work. Contractor employees want the work, so they can buy presents and prepare for their own holiday festivities, so you're actually helping them out by hiring their services at this time of year. It's a winning situation for everyone involved.
Kitchen Updates on a Budget
There's more than one way to upgrade kitchen for holiday entertaining; nobody would suggest you conduct a full kitchen renovation with new floors and cabinetry to entertain guests. As a matter of fact, you probably won't be a good host if you take on more than you can be expected to handle with a major construction project while planning a holiday party. There are fairly simple things you can do to update a kitchen, perhaps a new paint job and cabinet hardware, or perhaps adding some lighting, or changing out the faucets to look new and provide better performance.
Takeaways
- Consider how your kitchen functions for you and your family on a daily basis and how that might be different when hosting guests.
- Think about what kitchen renovations would make the area more pleasant and efficient to work in, both on a daily basis and when friends and family are visiting.
- Don't take on too much at a time. Be realistic about what upgrades you can make to your kitchen and still be ready to host guests.
Conclusion
If you need to upgrade your kitchen in preparation for the holiday season, give us a call at RWC: Windows, Doors, and More. We'll be happy to come talk to you about what renovations you want for your kitchen and how we can fill those needs. We understand the holidays can be hectic, so we're willing to work with your scheduling needs and get your kitchen in tip-top shop so you have one less thing to worry about.
How Often Should You Replace the Weather Stripping on Doors?
Everybody understands the importance of maintaining an energy efficient home in today's world, both to save money on electric bills and to be environmentally responsible. New homes are built to code and therefore meet energy efficiency requirements, older homes night be updated by adding insulation or replacing windows to lower power bills and become more efficient. One thing homeowners tend to overlook is the importance of replacement weather stripping for exterior doors as a means of preventing drafts and the use of excessive heating and cooling to counteract their effects.
How Often to Inspect and Change Weather Stripping
Inspecting weather stripping is a simple enough task to be conducted several times throughout the year, or at least in the autumn as the weather turns cold and again when it begins to warm up in the spring. The inspection shouldn't wait until there is a noticeable draft coming in around the door. You can regularly feel around the door to check for any air leaks. Check both sides, if you feel outside temperatures coming inside or if you feel inside temperatures leaking to the outside, it's time to replace the weather stripping for a front door. An even better way to inspect the weather stripping is to light a candle, or perhaps a piece of incense, and move it around the edges of the door. Even the slightest of drafts you are unable to feel will blow the smoke either into or away from the door.
Different Types of Weather Stripping
Over the years, there have been different styles of weather stripping according to the technology of the time. The best weather stripping for old doors might be to replace it with the exact same as what was there originally, or there might be a newer style made of a better material for that particular door. There are going to be different sizes, shapes and contours, and attachment systems for different doors, so make sure you know what you need before purchasing the replacement if you plan to do it yourself. Speaking of doing it yourself, it's a fairly simple task most homeowners are capable of, but a reputable local contractor will be happy to do it as well if you don't enjoy such activities or don't feel comfortable with it.
How To Replace Weather Stripping
Again, there are different types of weather stripping, so the first step is to cut off a small piece of the old with either a razor knife or scissors so you can take it with you to the store and purchase a compatible replacement. Most styles have a mushroom shaped ridge which wedges itself into a kerf in the door frame, a “kerf” being a small groove the width of a table saw blade cut into the door frame. Simply pull out the old to remove it and you'll see how to install the new by cutting it to length pushing it back into the groove.
Another style of weather stripping is simply a piece of foam with an adhesive backing. The advantage is that it's universal, but it isn't designed for any particular door style and therefore doesn't fill all the gaps and eliminate drafts. It's better than nothing as a quick fix, but if your door is so old that's all you can find your door is old enough to start considering a new one.
Takeaways
- Check your door regularly for drafts, and at least twice a year conduct a thorough inspection.
- When replacing weather stripping, make sure to use the right kind for your door.
Conclusion
If you need help with weather stripping or any other maintenance and remodeling projects, give us a call at RWC Windows, Doors, and More. Our representatives will be happy to meet with you and discuss any concerns or needs you might have for your home.