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Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough professional painting company, Acento Painting says your home puts up with a lot. It withstands inclement  weather, endures the occasional stained carpet, clogged drain or broken  window, and it even tolerates the smell of your burnt popcorn. So it  deserves a little love once in a while, and there’s no better time to  show it than now. 

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on new appliances or  significant renovations to show your home that you care. There are many  simple ways to show your home some love. Here are a few suggestions. 

Shed Some of that Extra Weight Do you really need to hold on to all of those 1980s leisure suits  you’d hoped would come back in style? You don’t have to wait for spring  to roll around to get rid of the junk that may be piling up in your coat  closets, basement or garage. Lighten the load throughout your home and  it will seem bigger and significantly cleaner. Plus, spring cleaning  won’t be nearly as intimidating when that time comes. 

Get Some Sun Winter doesn’t have to be dreary. Sure, the trees may be bare, but  that just means less foliage is blocking the sun. Do your home and  yourself a favor and let the sunlight in. Pull back (or take down) the  drapes, wash the windows, and maybe even swap out dark lampshades for  brighter ones to make the inside of your home cheerier.

Scrub it Down Your appliances work hard for you every day so it’s time to give them  a thorough cleaning, especially if you haven’t done so recently.  Refrigerators especially need a little extra attention on a regular  basis. Start by taking everything out, then, be selective about what you  put back. Also, check to see if any of your appliances might still be  under warranty with a service plan to cover any maintenance that will  keep them running smoothly. 

Spruce it Up One of the most economical updates you can give your home is paint.  Whether it’s a bold new color, or just a fresh coat, painting a room or  even just an accent wall can breathe new life into any space. Winter  months can sometimes limit interior painting opportunities if it’s  consistently too cold outside to open windows for ventilation. Plan  ahead by checking the weather reports to find a day that might work. 

Buy a Bouquet If you’re not doing any gardening on the outside of your home, bring  some flowers inside. A blooming bouquet instantly warms up a room during  cold winter months. Check out the flower section of your local grocery  store to find festive flowers at reasonable prices. 

Below are some of the newest trends in home design that buyers will  see in the coming months and years, based on submissions from this  year’s BALA winners. 

Some of these elements are sure to inspire your next design project. 

Intimate Outdoor Spaces. Many single-family custom  and production homes include intimate outdoor gathering spaces, complete  with outdoor fireplaces or fire pits and cozy seating. These spaces are  geared toward smaller gatherings, instead of the extended family-size  backyards of the past. 

Mid-Century Modern Detailing. Mid-century modern is  now 21st century chic in furniture, elevation design and detailing.  Particularly in the western United States, this style has become  increasingly popular. 

Indoor-Outdoor Convergence. What was once a distinct  line between two living areas – indoor and outdoor – has been replaced  by floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls and screens. Families can  both visually and physically move between these areas. 

Troughs and Spouts. Outdoor tables with open,  trough-like water channels add interest, often culminating in a delicate  waterfall off the edge of the table into a pool or water feature below. 

Interior Board and Batten. More often used as  exterior cladding, board and batten is now being featured inside a large  number of homes as well. This technique adds a three-dimensional layer  to interior finishes and provides an interesting alternative to paint  and wallpaper. 

White with Exotic or Repurposed Wood Accents. Many  winning interiors feature stark, modern white paired with rich wood  accents, a striking combination in flooring, ceilings and cabinets. 

Modern Industrial Accents. Making its strongest  appearance in multifamily projects, this trend combines sleek lighting  and furniture with the brick, glass and steel elements of a building’s  shell and skeleton. Vibrant pops of color offset the cooler color  palette of metals and whites. 

Barn Doors. Barn doors are appearing everywhere,  from kitchens to mudrooms to closets. These offer an alternative to  traditional left- or right-hung doors and become a design feature of the  home, unlike pocket doors that tuck away. 

 Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough professional painting company, Acento Painting is ready to bring these exciting new trends to your new home or remodeling project! 

Acento Painting (Painter Chapel Hill NC) notes that even if you aren’t trying to sell your existing home but  merely want to spruce it up, there’s a definite benefit to enhancing and  preserving your home’s curb appeal. 

Exterior upgrades consistently rank among the best home improvement  projects for their strong return on investment. That’s because many of  these strategies are fairly simple and relatively affordable solutions. But all homes are certainly not alike. While some are in need of  large-scale improvements like a re-paved driveway, for example, yours  might benefit most from some colorful flower beds and a fresh coat of  paint. 

The first step is to assess your home’s appearance, but this time,  look at it from a home buyer’s perspective. Try to pretend you’re seeing  it for the first time, and then make a list of which characteristics  stand out immediately, and which ones you want to highlight. 

To help get you started, here are some areas to evaluate:  

Clutter – Getting rid of any excess items and lawn  ornaments is a great place to start. Stow away—or consider throwing  away—old furniture, bikes, knick knacks or any other personal items  visible from the front yard that do not add to the aesthetic of the  home.

Digits – Possibly the simplest project on the list  is to upgrade the address numbers on your home, especially if they might  be considered too small, dated or broken. Installing larger, bolder  numbers can instantly make the home seem more modern.

Illumination – A dimly lit walkway is not only  dangerous, it’s also uninviting. Pathway lighting products are available  in a wide variety of designs and price ranges, but even some of the  more economical options can be visually appealing at night.

Grime – You might think a heavy rainfall is like a  shower for your home, when in fact, it’s probably only making things  dirtier. Invest in (or rent) a high-powered pressure washer and give  your driveway, front steps, walkways and vinyl siding a once over.  You’ll be amazed by how much cleaner they can get.

Paint – A fresh coat of paint on the front door,  garage door and window trim can make a huge difference. However, if your  front door has seen a lot of use and abuse over the years and it’s  beyond repair, it might be time to have it replaced. A new door can be  sometimes be costly, but it’s a surefire win when it comes to instant  curb appeal, especially if you select a bold color.

 Durham, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough professional painting company, Acento Painting is ready to help with your next project. House painter Hillsborough NC | Hillsborough painter