Updates Category: Advice

Try this today: Get in touch with us for more ideas about how to keep your home warm this winter!

When the first snows start to fall outside, you know it’s time to make sure your home is all set for the winter and holidays. Whether you’re double checking that everything’s set for the winter or looking to spruce up your home decor, we’ve got you covered. It might be chilly outside, but these top tips will help you stay cozy indoors!

1. Keep in the heat. Amp up your indoor comfort this winter by keeping your home warm and cozy. Add soft blankets, fuzzy rugs, heavy curtains and oversized pillows to any chilly part of the home. These small changes make a big difference when it’s freezing outside.
2. Keep out the cold. Worried about that thermostat bill this winter? It could be time to update your home insulation. Start small by replacing old windows and doors. Ready for a bigger renovation project? Contact us at FBN to get a quote on your home renovation.
3. Warm up your decor. Small decor adjustments, like adding candles and soft lighting, can make a great impact on your home’s comfort this winter. We love these winter candles and this great collection of candlestick holders. Out with the cold and in with the cozy!
4. Check the thermostat. With the temperatures dropping, it’s finally time to turn on that thermostat. But, before you turn it all the way up, make sure you’ve double checked that your home’s heating system is all set to withstand the winter.
5. Get ahead of the holidays. Beat the holiday rush and start prepping your home early for your holiday guests and events. Spruce up your guest room with these cozy sheets and get excited about holiday meal planning with these best holiday dinner sets.

Cover photo by Sweta Meininger

Try this today: Visit pinterest for fall decorations inspiration and start board to keep track of your fall decorating ideas.

Fall is in the air. The trees are changing color, temperatures are dropping, and we’re pulling our sweaters out of storage. As the seasons change, it’s a great great time to think about redecorating your home. Maybe you’re looking to spruce up an old corner of your house, or add some festive fall flare to your usual decor. Either way, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top home decorating tips for how to revamp your home for fall, inspired by the autumn colors outside that we love.

• Make it warm and cozy. Invest in soft throw blankets and pillows. They’ll instantly cozy up any nook around the house! Think about adding some colorful pillows to your couches or draping a few throw blankets over your dining room chairs. We love plaid blankets like these and super soft decorative pillows like these ones.
• Bring your favorite fall colors inside. Make a wreath from found leaves, or invest in fall-themed natural decor like this garland.
• Keep things warm and bright. As the sun sets earlier, your home lighting becomes even more important. Think about investing in some statement lamps like this one and accenting dining room tables with candles.
• Bring the fall harvest inside. Decorate your kitchen and dining room with gourds to add character to any dinner party. Look for them at local farmers markets and grocery stores!
• Invest in fall-themed dining ware. Fall foods look even better when they’re served on beautiful china! Check out this line of dining wear for some great inspiration.
• Feature vintage and rustic accessories. Check out Etsy for some great home-made options.

 

Try this today: Write down the top 3 goals for your next project, and prioritize them as your go through the remodeling process.

Have been dreaming about remodeling your condo for months and want to jump right into it? Learn several things first to get the most out of your condo renovation.

First, know who you’re remodeling for. When designing for yourself, personal enjoyment might be top priority, but still consider how long you will be in the space and decide what to renovate first accordingly. When renovating for resale, you usually get the best return on investment (ROI) by focusing on a few key areas and skimping on the pretty but unnecessary details.

When reaching out to contractors, it’s important to express a clear vision of what you want to accomplish and a sense of what you can spend. Should your first choice be over your budget, ask your contractor for suggestions on how they might tweak the job to lower the price with minimal impact.

Most importantly, stay flexible and be creative with your plan. Going for a smaller fridge instead of insisting on that large one can free up a lot of space. Also consider building up instead of tearing down: the old metal door frames might not be easy to remove – then, adding a layer over the existing frame may be a better idea. In the end, remodeling your condo can give you many surprises that were not planned.

 

Try This: Want more kitchen remodeling ideas? Check out #FBNbuilt kitchens. 

Kitchen and bathroom remodeling can increase your home value drastically. You also know whether it is a condo or a palace, kitchen is the heart of our homes.

We dedicate ourselves completely to all remodeling we do.  And we give our 110% when it comes to kitchens.

It makes us even happier and extremely grateful to be recognized as one of the top kitchen remodelers in Boston by Boston’s design Community.

The kitchen is the central hub of your household.  If your kitchen is feeling tired and old, consider a renovation to pump some life into the space and revamp your home.  FBN is here to inspire you with 7 of our favorite home and condo kitchen remodels. Take a look!

 

1. Timeless Balance
Stunning faux wood cabinetry is the centerpiece of this eye-catching condo kitchen remodel.  Wood finish of the cabinetry gives a traditional feel to this otherwise seamlessly ultra modern kitchen, creating a perfect timeless balance. Just like the Boston skyline seen through the full height windows.  

 

2. Detailed Warmth
This kitchen elicits feelings of warmth and homliness with darker cabinets, hardwood flooring, copper fittings, further accentuated with colorful rugs. Surely you noticed the details, in everything. The backsplash, the faucets and everything else. The enormous island in the center of the space is perfect for preparing meals and spending quality family time together, only adds to this already warmth filled kitchen.

 

3. Natural Light Paradise
Almost dual-colored cabinetry modernizes the classic color scheme in this kitchen. The lighter tones only add to the lightness and freshness of this already well-lit kitchen. All season dining area, open for perfect weather and closed for those New England winters, brings more of an outside nature in without affecting the basic functionality.

 

4. Modern Luxury
A built in bar creates a luxurious vibe in this Rowe’s Wharf condo.  Matching the wood tone of the floor to the cabinets makes the space feel slick and brand new. Even in a condo provides enough room for fully loaded bar, a must for those who love to host!

 

5. Bright and Robust Comfort
Adding personal touches such as this refurbished wooden bureau make a kitchen feel homey and warm.  Plus, don’t miss that amazingly detailed apron-front rock sink.

 

6. Spacious Convenience
Open cabinets expose all in this Belmont home and create a sense of order and freedom.  Uncovered equals to uncluttered. And transparency is the most welcoming aspect you can add to your life. All that together with extra seating at the island makes serving and hosting a breeze. And everyone always feels at home in this welcoming space.

 

7. Minimalism.   
For all those Marie Condo fans. Minimalism at its best. “If it doesn’t give you joy, get rid of it” kind of a kitchen. Uncluttered spaces used with unified white color scheme instantly feel futuristic and clean.  Even in the picture you can feel the calm of this kitchen. What a zen space to decompress and rejuvenate.

Our space around us shapes us. It has a power to create happiness or sadness in our lives. If you aren’t yet ready to create that happiness with remodelling your home and creating perfect spaces for you, there are easier options available too.

You can check out this New York Times article and find quick quick fixes on how to bring positive energy and style into your home, based on NYT’s talks with Justina Blakeney, the designer behind the Instagram hit Jungalow and the author of “The New Bohemians Handbook: Come Home to Good Vibes”, until you set aside time and a budget for a remodelling project.

Cover photo by Lesly Juarez

Spring weather got you feeling antsy for a remodelling project? Bathroom remodelling might be the perfect point to start from. After all even minor bathroom renovations typically have one of the highest return on investment (ROI) , they will pay you back for a long time and can completely change the feel of your home. Check out these 7 FBN bathroom remodels for some renovation inspiration of your own.

1. Elegance and Simplicity:

This complete bathroom turnaround decluttered and updated the second floor of this home in Weston.  The light walls are complemented by the abundance of natural light flooding in through the single-pane windows, and the dual sinks allow for harmonious usage of the space. Elegance with deep simplicity. Perfect right?

2. Contemporary with Clean Lines: 

This designer bathtub creates a light and ultra modern feel without taking up too much room, adding that wow factor to your favorite space.  And check out the glass pane separating the your dry and wet areas, perfectly designed to the right size, further adding to the openness of this light filled bathroom.

3. Floating-feel-minimalistic

We love this floating-feel-minimalistic bathroom. Elegant and yet functional with space for hanging a towels underneath creating ease of accessibility while simultaneously saving space. Not to mention power of  gentle addition of right accessories, notice the light fixture, picture frame with the spiral staircase and porthole window and how they are all bound together in one consistent feel?

4. Your Personal Spa:

Would love to go to a spa everyday?  This is your bathroom. From a built-in bench to dual shower heads to waterfall faucets spraying from three directions, this bathroom’s many amenities will never cease to amaze, completed with the ultra calming perfect shade of aqua marine blue.

5. Colonial Luxury: 
This colonial-style bathroom is the peak of luxury.  Imagine drawing up a bath in the exquisite centerpiece tub, and take a look at all that cabinet space to tuck away your toiletries. A bathroom out of Downton Abbey, with all contemporary amenities. Perfect for those with duke or duchess kind of an elegant taste.

6. Splash of Color:

Bathrooms don’t have to be all neutral to be elegant. A splash of color can always give it an extra personal touch. This seafoam green paint is contrasted by crisp white accents and ties together with the refreshing vertical glass tile backsplash on the opposing wall. One of our all time favorites.

7. Be-Your-Own-Royalty:

Freestanding tubs are all the rage and will take your bathing to the next level. Plus, these dark mahogany cabinets add a rich feel to the clean space. Another one with be-your-own-royalty theme. The timeless elegance fit for a luxurious side of you.

Try this today: Check out some of these free or inexpensive home design apps to inspire your next project. We especially recommend this one.

Building a new home or starting a remodel can be a daunting task.  Who knows if that sectional you picked out online will fit in the living room or how the paint color you loved in the home improvement store will actually look on your walls?  

Close your eyes and imagine a way to lessen the feeling of intimidation about the unknown in your home improvement process.  Now open your eyes and thank us, because we have a solution for you!  Using home design applications on your mobile device, tablet, or computer allow you to visualize a complete space without lifting a finger.  A variety of apps can give you project ideas and inspiration, let you visualize paint colors on your own walls, and even allow you to create a 3D mockup of an interior design scheme.

So before you throw your hands up in frustration, remember that home design apps can help you explain your imagination to your contractor better.

Cover photo by John Schnobrich

Try this today: Considering a renovation in your own house? Check out some of FBN’s home remodels for inspiration on projects that will pay off in the long run.

Wondering if your desire to remodel will have Return on your Investment (ROI)?  Toss aside those doubts, roll your sleeves up, and get to work because the renovation will be worth it.

If you’re planning on staying in your house for a few more years (or forever!), go ahead and choose a style that you personally love.  But if you’re looking to put your house on the market, beware of “stylistic depreciation” – you’d be better off sticking with classic finishes and colors than splurging on the latest trend.  

Remember, remodeling decisions aren’t solely aesthetic.  In order to maximize your return on investment, consider the long run appeal of your new installations and how they’ll be viewed by future buyers.  Kitchens and bathrooms are most closely scrutinized, so a renovation in either of those spaces can go a long way.  Maybe you don’t need to undertake the entire home makeover as yet, consider doing only kitchen and/or bathroom for an astounding 100% ROI.  Small changes can truly have a big impact.

Cover photo by Jarosław Ceborski

Try this today: Create a list of your top three home improvement projects and make a board for each one on Houzz.com.

Is your home improvement wish list growing steadily? Is your Pinterest or Houzz.com board filled with DIY project ideas for you home? Make your New Year’s Resolution a home improvement resolution and start tackling these projects today!

With a fresh year ahead of you, take the time to decide on the one or two projects that are most important to you. Then, carve out specific time in your schedule for the next few weeks to start working on them.

Most importantly, set yourself a budget and a timeline that you want to follow so that when things get busy you already have a plan. Looking to start a large-scale project or find a contractor? Don’t forget FBN Construction is always here to help!

Like most New Year’s Resolutions, there’s never a better time to start your home improvement projects than right now!

Cover photo by Ian Schneider