You can refresh your traditional-style dining room without sacrificing cozy familiarity. Find out how to make your traditional dining room more interesting.
5 Awesome Kitchen Renovation Ideas to Design Your Dream Kitchen Are you planning a kitchen remodel? If yes, you may know that it is a time-consuming process and may prove challenging if you are running short on ideas. Here are 5 practical ideas to inspire you to design your dream kitchen. You don’t have to shell out a lot of money for a kitchen renovation – all you need…
by Roberta Murphy In Praise of Black Appliances Several years ago, we sold a luxurious oceanfront condo in San Diego. The buyer, from Palm Springs, loved the views, the spaciousness of the remodeled unit and the highly upgraded kitchen. The only thing she couldn’t stand was the stainless refrigerator (which the seller was happy to take with him). In fact, she wanted to replace everything with black appliances. I asked why…
by Roberta Murphy I’ve loved the idea of a treehouse since a young kid. Never had one, but imagined how I might climb up to my hideaway and maybe stay there forever. Am still fascinated with ideas of small homes and a treehouse, but not quite ready to actually live in such a primitive abode. Until now. Check out this Italian treehouse, appropriately called 25 Verde–and discovered on Australia’s Outdoor Design….
by Roberta Murphy We’ve written about luxury closets in the past, but these days some are spending up to $500,000 for a luxe master closet that might include a champagne refrigerator, sound system, glass-enclosed display cabinets, wet bar or even a breakfast area. Gone are the simpler days of a luxurious dressing room. The master closet area has become a destination room. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday on four…
by Roberta Murphy We once lived in Big Bear Lake and had a redwood-stained deck that meandered as a set of platforms through the pines. During the warm summer months, we would dine outdoors and savor the quiet setting. The only problem with those decks and the harsh winters that buried them in snow is that we had to have them refinished every couple of years. It was no easy…
Soak the Rich? Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that millionaires are fleeing their luxury homes in New York to establish residency in less-taxing states. As a result, New York is receiving far less revenue than was expected from the wealthy since these wealth taxes were enacted last April. Call it the law of unintended consequences. To be fair, many of these losses come from scaled-back salaries and layoffs on…
by Roberta Murphy If I could be President Obama’s Mortgage Czar for just one week, the first thing I would mandate is that all existing mortgages become assumable. When starting my real estate career in Houston, Texas during the last century, it was not uncommon for buyers to assume or take over existing financing. In fact, it was a perfect way for the self-employed or those with dinged credit to…
by Roberta Murphy Earlier today, a client emailed my husband Mike about a great deal on a red Mercedes 500 SL convertible available on eBay. It was a 2004 model with only 7000 miles and offered a three-year warranty to boot. Located in Florida, this two-seater beckoned with a red price tag of around $28,000. Ever the bargain hunter, Mike grabbed the San Diego Union Tribune’s Sunday classified section for…
This is a continuation of last week’s discussion with real estate and luxury home legend Bob Dyson, who has a radical proposal that is being quickly embraced by Realtors, lenders and local Real Estate Boards. Why resort to radical resolutions? Because, says Dyson “This is a real estate depression–a serious, serious issue.” He sees an immediate need to stabilize real estate markets and neighborhood values. He also believes the motgage…
