Sponsor spotlight: Five burning questions about fireplace safety

Fireplaces provide a generous amount of warmth and add a special ambiance to your home. Before you relax and enjoy your fireplace during the fall and winter months, here are answers to common questions about how to safely enjoy this unique home feature. How do I know if my fireplace needs repairs? Before the first…

Irons Brothers Construction Project Showcase of the Week: Bothell kitchen and bath remodel

From drab to fabulous. This spectacular kitchen, with pops of blue, is now a bright and cheery living, eating and entertaining hub. The reimagined kitchen has reinvigorated our clients’ lifestyle, allowing them to spread out along their new 12-foot quartz-topped island with custom-painted cabinetry in Regatta Blue, taking the place of a traditional table and…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Taking interior design online

The internet is forever evolving how we access goods and services, so why should home décor be any different? Homeowners have a plethora of resources they can look to when searching for décor inspiration online, including blogs, online magazines, and YouTube channels — but the newest fad is online interior design consultants. These online businesses…

Spring cleaning tips for your home and yard

Spring is finally here, and it’s time to put away the sweaters, scarves, and boots and get your home in tip-top shape. Here are some spring-cleaning tips to help you get the most out of your chore list: First, inspect your home from top to bottom. Now that the weather is temperate, you will want to…

Local companies at Seattle Home Show Feb. 23-March 3

Several local companies are among those exhibiting at the Seattle Home Show, the nation’s oldest and largest consumer home show, Feb. 23 through March 3 at CenturyLink Field Event Center. Everything from a new “smart” induction burner, with its own smart pan and recipe app, to a new “collapsible” tiny log cabin that lets you…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Turning a bedroom into a luxury room

For most of us, our bedroom is little more than a place to sleep and relax. However, just because it’s always been that way doesn’t mean that we have to settle for drab and dreary. One trend that’s gaining steam these days is converting your current bedroom into a luxury suite (or something comparable). If…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Big ideas for small spaces

Smaller rooms can be difficult to decorate, because if you don’t know a few important tricks, the space can end up feeling a little claustrophobic. Here’s how you can keep a room feeling airy and spacious, even if it’s just a studio apartment or an attic. Breathing room Your first inclination might be to arrange…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Choosing the right paint finish

It can be intimidating to stand in front of the paint swatches at the paint or hardware store and try to make a decision. Picking a color can be difficult enough—and then you have to choose the finish. Choosing the color is up to you, but here’s a simple guide to choosing the correct finish…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Five tips for maintaining houseplants

Adding plants to your home will give it a fresher and brighter feel and will also improve your home’s air quality. Although it does take a little bit of work and consistency to maintain your plants,  it’s well worth the effort. Here are a few tips for keeping your plants looking great. 1. Use leftover…

Home and Real Estate Weekly: Hot home trends

Ready to mix up your home décor this year? Here are the top five hottest trends homeowners are loving right now! Industrial stylings. From pullies to Edison bulbs to vintage furniture to bare concrete installations, industrial pieces are a favorite among homeowners. Whether they are mixed in among modern décor or used as the theme…

Home and real estate weekly: Ideas for accent walls

Publisher’s note: Please enjoy this new weekly feature focused on home and real estate topics. An accent wall can totally transform a room, taking it from boring and drab to bold and exciting. Accent walls create a new focal point for your space, add liveliness and contrast, and are typically a very inexpensive DIY project….

Five reasons to stage your home before buyers visit

Sellers seem to have mixed reactions when they hear the word “staging.” Some go all-in, while others are somewhat resistant to the idea. The more reluctant homeowners ask questions like: Why would anyone bother staging a home before selling it? It sounds like a lot of extra work for me. What do I get out…

Reader recommendation: Merrittes lampshades

Sometimes you stumble on a business so well run in the old-fashioned way that it just makes you feel good. I recently discovered just such a business, and although it’s not an Edmonds business — and its product is a bit off the beaten track — it’s worth reporting on. I own a wrought iron…

The benefits of staging when selling a home

Seller’s market conditions persist in cities across the country, as inventory continues to fall short of demand. Under these kinds of conditions, sellers typically enjoy competing offers from buyers. But that doesn’t mean sellers should skimp on the home staging. By staging your house for buyers, you can increase the chance for a quick sale…