The Patina of the Country Living Fair

Definition of Patina: A surface appearance of something grown beautiful especially with age or use. Or a green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially (as by acids) and often valued aesthetically for its color.

The 3-day Country Living Fair in Rhinebeck has become my annual trek. The fair is filled with antiques, vintage, flea market, rustic and handmade items. The pages of Country Living Magazine come to life beautifully.

Summer Real Estate market heats up

Summer has finally arrived and the Real Estate market has heated up. The savvy seller has been prepping their home for sale and not waiting till the last minute. This time of year also brings out the buyer for second homes. Location is everything, especially waterfront properties especially in the summer.

Operation Cleanout to Move Out!

The spring Real Estate market has bloomed. Whether a seller takes their time preparing their home for sale or waits till the last minute, it is difficult to deal with a house full of years of accumulated content as part of the moving process. That is where a clean-out service can help.

Marty McDermott and Robyn Yearwood, owners of Warwick’s fun upbeat antique showroom, Retro Modern Antique, are always asked, “How do I get rid of a house full of stuff” or “I am downsizing and my kids don’t want my stuff.”

Are you ready to refresh your home?

The weather keeps teasing us with warm days turning to cold, rainy days. Are you ready to refresh your home? I am!

Shop local products online!

CatskillMercantile.com is an online shopping hub featuring products inspired by the Catskill and Adirondack regions of New York. They travel throughout New York and surrounding areas to identify premiere small to midsize artisans as well as up and coming makers.

Mission Spring-Clean

Spring is trying to spring and then it snows. Just like the warm weather, I start and stop the spring-cleaning process. In my last column cleaning tips and suggestions of places to donate items in good condition were featured. Here are more.

Tax Deductibility of Home Staging costs

According to current IRS guidelines, home staging qualifies as an advertising expense for homeowners selling their primary or secondary homes. Rob Unger, a certified public accountant with Judelson, Giordano & Siegel, CPA, P.C. in Middletown explains how this works.

Mary Tyler Moore’s design influence

Mary Tyler Moore passed away this week causing a flood of memories of her characters from her TV shows. As Laura Petrie, her home was Mid Century Modern eye candy. As Mary Richards, her stylish studio apartment was dreamy. Her Minneapolis sunken living room had a pull out couch that turned into her bedroom.

Feng Shui: Change your space, change your life

Feng Shui literally means Wind Water. Wind represents the energy we cannot see but can feel. Water represents the energy in our physical spaces we can see.

Feng Shui is based on principles based on the cycles of nature that have transcended various cultures for over four thousand years empowering people to facilitate changes in their lives. It creates balance in our lives as we connect to our environment, supporting us to shift, evolve and grow.

Fabulous Flip of a Home

The definition of a “Real Estate Flip” is as follows: Profits from flipping real estate come from either buying low and selling high, often in a rapidly rising market, or buying a house that needs repair and fixing it up before reselling it for a profit as in “fix and flip.”