New Home Trends in 2017

What design trends are going to be popping up in your Elite Built home in Louisville in 2017? Check out what styles are starting to make their way into homes as the year ends, so you can start planning your new home for the New Year!

·      COLOR. After years of stark whites and cool greys, the biggest trend for 2017 is color. From warm pastels, to earthy terracottas, to vibrant jewel tones.

·        METALS. Whether you’re mixing brushed silver accents with shiny chrome fixtures, or indulging in the warmth of rich copper, metals are a hot topic.

·      ORGANICS. Natural materials such as wood, cork and stone are increasingly popular for finishes. For example, cork walls, stone counters, salvage

d wood doors.

·      PORCHES. Whether for sheer nostalgia value or as a modern family gathering space, homes with porches are high on everyone’s list.

·        READING NOOKS. People are searching for quiet spots to “unplug” from their noisy digital worlds. Comfy corners for reading and unwinding are just the thing.

·        UPHOLSTERY & LUXE MATERIALS. Soft, furry and velvety are absolutely trending. From upholstered headboards to velvet pillows, faux fur rugs to down comforters, people love luxuriating in softness.

Making the Most out of a Neutral Room

Solid, continuous wall colors can make a room seem larger, but too much of the same muted tone can make your décor fall flat. Neutral shades will give you a lot of flexibility as you choose how to decorate the room, but too much of it can make the space feel cold and uninspiring.  The beauty of neutral colors is your ability to mix and match any style, so here are some ways to ensure you’ll never hear the word “boring” describe your home!

Try Layering.  You can still create a peaceful ambiance without using all the same color.  Utilize different tones of beige, cream or grey, for walls, drapery and furniture to create more depth and versatility.  Likewise, choosing all the same fabrics will make the room fall flat, while drapes on a wall of the same color will stand out much more if that wall is paneled or textured.

Emphasize Architectural Details.  The architecture of you home could present a lot of character and individuality on its own. Highlight rustic exposed wood framing or painted wood walls & ceilings. Allow unique molding and built-in shelves and cabinetry to become focal points of the room.

Play with Accent Colors. Whether it’s one or two furniture pieces that make a bold statement, or little pops of color throughout small, personal touches, these additions can make all the difference! Just remember that the vibrancy of color is amplified against a neutral background, so choose wisely.

Define with Accessories.  When going for an earthy feel, a shiny metal side table or wood-framed chairs are nice touches, while faux fur rugs or cow-hide throws can accomplish a totally different look.  Or simply mix prints and patterns in pillows or wall hangings for a more subtle, but unique touch. The possibilities are endless.

Let Nature In. If tranquility if what you’re aiming for with your neutral room, plants are the perfect way to achieve just that while adding interest and color to your overall scheme.  Small houseplants are great, but large planters with jungle-like greens and twigs improve the mood and purity of the whole room.

Five Gift Themes For A Holiday Housewarming Party!

In Louisville, we know how to throw a party! This time of year makes throwing a relaxed and welcoming party even more fun, especially housewarming parties!

Housewarming parties are always a good time. You get to inspect your friend’s new digs! There’s music and food! Add in the festive spirit of the holidays, and you have lots of opportunity for a great time.

Be a gracious guest and find a fabulous housewarming gift… maybe one with holiday flair! Here are five fun gift themes for any holiday housewarming party, and some suggestions too!

1.)  Festive décor:

·      Festive door wreath

·      Plant or mini Christmas tree

·      Scented candles

·      Picture frame

·      Bouquet of flowers

2.)  The hostess with the mostest:

·      Coffeemaker or tea pot

·      Nice bottle or wine or spirits

·      Wine glasses

·      Cheese board

·      Serving tray

·      Homemade goodies (Cookies, pie, cake)

3.)  Warm and cozy:

·      Fuzzy blanket or throw

·      Monogrammed pillows

·      Cotton or silk bathrobe

4.)  Media geek:

·      DVD

·      BOSE speakers and headphones

·      Digital picture frame

5.)  Bookworm:

·      Kindle or Ereader

·      New bestseller
·      Barnes and Noble giftcard

Spice up your kitchen with some of these ideas!

As you'll probably be reminded tomorrow, the kitchen is always one of the busiest rooms in the house. A little imagination and some smart details can steer this room toward a look filled with personality...

1. Add a dash of copper. Copper is a hugely popular material, with a long history of use in the kitchen. Often it shows up in pots and pans, but it can make a real splash as a sink. With its nicely artisanal feel, a copper sink is an unusual, stylish choice.

2. Get a handle on things. Switch up your cabinet handles and pulls with metal, wood, glass, leather or ceramic. It’s an easy way to give your cabinets a fresh look.

3. Shine a little light on it. While kitchens often feature integrated overhead lights and task lighting, they aren’t particularly attractive. Try adding a more decorative table lamp to a work surface or sideboard to give the room a different feel.

4. Hang some art. While the kitchen is a practical room, it can use a bit of style, too. Hanging art in the kitchen can extend the style found in other areas of the house, and make the kitchen feel part of the whole.

5. Never underestimate the value of paint. A kitchen can be the perfect canvas for a creative paint job. Use paint to create the illusion of a backsplash, or a chair rail or paneling. It can make the room feel bigger or cozier, depending on the color.

Elite Homes builds beautiful garden home communities perfect for baby boomers 55+ - featuring, single-family, low-maintenance homes, in a relaxing and convenient locations around Louisville.

Tips for hosting Thanksgiving!

You look forward to Thanksgiving each November. Your mom, aunt, or even your sister always seem to pull it off without a hitch. But now you have your own home, and you've been picking up some subtle vibes that maybe, just maybe, could you host this year? Well, don't sweat it. You can do it – and make it look effortless.

Invite early

The key to a stress-free Thanksgiving is to plan early. Once you commit to hosting, the first thing you need to do is invite every single person you want to come. Even if your friends and family are spur-of-the-moment types, they very likely commit to Thanksgiving dinner plans by the first week of November, so start putting feelers out there ASAP. And don’t make assumptions, actually invite. Invite anyone you would want to have at dinner, and then let them tell you if they can make it or not.

Be organized

Planning and organizing isn't just nice, it's imperative to make sure you don't find yourself with missing ingredients, a house that’s a mess, and three hours of cooking still to be done when your guests arrive. That means making lists of everything you need to do for your dinner, preparing a schedule for the weeks leading up to dinner, and writing shopping lists before you head to the store for ingredients and supplies.

Plan your menu sooner rather than later

Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, and you need a plan of attack. The first step? Figure out what’s on the menu. And decide if you’d like your guests to bring something. Chances are your guests will want to bring things… you just have to tell them what you need. And when your vegan friend asks what you’re going to be serving, you can show her the menu and ask if she would like to bring a vegan dish to share with the group.

Cook in advance

Don’t stress out by trying to cook everything on Thanksgiving day. Create a timeline, and figure out what can be made ahead of time. Casseroles can be premade. Vegetables can be chopped and ready to steam. Obviously some things can’t be cooked early, like the turkey, but almost everything else in the meal can be prepped and ready to just pop on the stovetop or into the oven.

Serve what you really love

Turkey and mashed potatoes are classic Thanksgiving dishes, but aren’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. Why not start your own tasty tradition? If everyone loves Aunt Betty’s lasagna, then serve lasagna alongside the turkey!

Set the table(s) in advance

As long as you don't have to worry about pets or small children destroying your dining room table, set it several days before the holiday. That way you won't be scrambling to find the best china that's somewhere in the basement; cleaning the dust off the wine glasses that are on that high shelf in the kitchen; and counting the flatware only to discover you don't have enough right before the first guest rings the bell.

Offer snacks before dinner

Tasty appetizers benefit the cook as much as the guests. They stay busy munching while you finish up in the kitchen! Try nuts, crackers and cheese, crudité or hot apps.

Keep the kids busy

For children, it seems like Thanksgiving dinner takes foreveeeer to land on the table. Keep 'em occupied with cute and crafty projects they can assemble with a favorite relative.

Move the decorations off the table.

Free up prime dinner-table real estate by moving oversize arrangements to the buffet. And don't bother with elaborate floral fantasies. Just go "shopping" in your backyard for branches of holly, crab apple, or bittersweet berries. Then bring in-demand items — butter, gravy, cranberry sauce — to the middle of the table.

Elite Homes builds beautiful garden home communities perfect for baby boomers 55+ - featuring, single-family, low-maintenance homes, in a relaxing and convenient locations around Louisville.