Winter Design Trends

Is there a room in your house that’s screaming for a makeover? This winter, there are a few surprising colors that are trending – so perhaps consider trying one of these color schemes for your next redesign.

Tangerine. Yep – tangerine! Try starting with an accent wall if you’re afraid it’s a little too bold. The happy, rich shade will certainly brighten the room and pair well with dark hues like blue-greens or indigo. Toss some other orange accents around the room (vases, wall mounted frames, chairs, etc.) and you’ll find yourself gravitating to the room due to its cheerfulness! 

Photo Cred: housetohome.co.uk

Mustard Yellow. Known for its positive emotional and psychological responses, yellow is a perfect smile-inducing color to add to any room. Pair yellows with blacks, greys, and whites for a classic look, or with jewel tones like burgundy or teal for a more modern, fun look.

Burgundy. In sharp contrast to mustard yellow and tangerine, burgundy and cranberry are some of winter’s hottest colors. Mixing cranberry metallic gold and silver pairs shine with a deep, warm color, or you could pair it with mochas or golden browns for a more rustic look. Bust out the old burgundy leather chair and toss up a neutral wallpaper accent wall and you’ll be in business.

Gold. Gold isn’t just for accents anymore! Using gold as the base color for your next room, it will become your new neutral. It’s fun, classic, and pairs well with nearly any accent color scheme. Try grays and blues for a cleaner more masculine look, for opt for red and be a little more dramatic.

Grape. HGTV selected grape as December’s color of the month a few years back, and it’s making its rounds again this winter. Use it in smaller doses alongside various shades of gray, or pair it with light blues and metallic for a classic-chic winter look.

Which palette will you try in your next design?

Hosting the Holidays

The holidays are crazy, there’s no doubt. Especially if your house hosts the family for a big meal. There’s so much to prepare, from decorations to place settings to the meal itself, if we don’t lose our marbles at least once it’s not been a success.

To cut through the clutter this season, we’ve assembled our favorite list of ideas and festive recipes that will be sure to get your mind buzzing before the big day.

Photo Cred: flickr.com

Table Settings

1.     Dip (or spray) pinecones in silver or gold paint and tie a nametag to each. Fold a napkin and place the napkin on top of the plate and the pinecone will just rest on top! Easy and elegant.

2.     Grab some extra cinnamon sticks from the store, cut to a size you desire, and tie a festive ribbon around the sticks to harness a nametag. The cinnamon will add a festive fragrance to the dinner table, and your guest will leave with a small parting gift!

3.     Extra ornaments lying around after decorating the tree? Place a couple on each plate! Keep it monochromatic for a classic look, or spice things up with colorful bulbs.

Centerpieces

1.     If you cut your own tree this year, snag a few branches from the back of the tree and lay them down along the center of the table. Add some candles and ornaments for a little extra color. If you don’t have a real tree, a faux garland will do!

2.     Pick up a big silver or glass bowl from the Christmas Tree Store or dollar store and load it up with your favorite ornaments. Pile them high for drama, or mix in pinecones and tiny wrapped presents to keep it fun.

3.     Tall styrofoam cones can be painted any color, so pick your favorite and decorate them and place them along the table. Varying sizes will bring a different look to the table. Stick with silver, gold and white for a classic look, or opt for green, red, blue, or even purple for a warmer look.

Perfect Cocktails

1.     No table is complete without a delicious holiday drink to share. Prep pumpkin pie martinis for the adults and have them ready to toast for dinner. Mix pumpkin spice liqueur, butterscotch schnapps, Kahlua, and half-and-half. Crumble graham crackers and tip the rims before you fill!

2.     Mix up your normal glass of champagne by trying this yummy spiced pear sangria. You can make it the night before so it’s a quick pour and serve when dinner is ready.

3.     After dinner drinks are always appropriate. Make the kids some hot chocolate, and for the adults: add some raspberry liqueur and crème de cacao and top the glass with fresh whipped cream. Yum.

Easy Holiday Cookie Recipes

Do your cookies always seem to turn out burnt, lacking flavor, or just… blah? Perhaps you don’t even bother with holiday baking because you feel it’s too time consuming. Never fear. We’ve collected a couple easy recipes that will have your guests thinking you bought a platter at Wegmans this year.

Photo Cred: fanpop.com

Classic Sugar Cookies

With just six ingredients, we promise this one’s super easy.

·      3 cups all purpose flour

·      1 cup unsalted butter, softened

·      1 cup, plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar

·      1 egg

·      1 tsp vanilla extract

·      a pinch of salt

1.     mix butter and sugar together until just incorporated

2.     add egg and vanilla extract on low speed

3.     in a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then add butter and egg mixture on low speed

4.     as the dough clumps around the mixing paddle, remedy crumbles with ice cold water 1 tbsp at a time until all dough is combined

5.     line two baking sheets with parchment paper

6.     turn dough out on wax paper, place another sheet of wax paper on top of the dough ball and roll to a one quarter to half-inch thickness

7.     refrigerate rolled dough for one hour, then remove and cut out desired shapes

8.     refrigerate cut outs for 30 minutes to help cookies stay crisp while baking

9.     bake cookies at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes

10. cool after baking, and frost as desired!

Mexican Wedding Cookies

·      2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp

·      ½ cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies

·      2 tsp vanilla extract

·      2 cups flour

·      1 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped

1.     preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.     beat butter until light and fluffy

3.     add ½ cup powdered sugar and vanilla, blend well

4.     turn mixer to a low setting, add flour

5.     fold in chopped pecans with spatula

6.     divide dough in half and wrap in plastic

7.     chill in refrigerator until cold

8.     working with one half at a time, use floured hands to roll a tbsp.-sized piece of dough into a ball

9.     arrange balls on parchment-lined backing sheet ½ inches apart from one another

10. bake until golden brown on bottom and pale golden on top (15-18 minutes)

11. cool on baking sheet and then roll in additional confectioners’ sugar to coat

Little Gift List

Your coworkers, boss, kid’s teachers, distant relatives. Not getting them something for the holidays is out of the question, but what do you get them? Never fear. We’ve compiled a list of some easy-to-make food gift recipes so you can jar up some holiday spirit and check off those little gift list members.

Brownies. Easy and delicious. Crumble up a few dozen candy canes and drizzle the pieces on top of the pan of brownies about 10 minutes before they’re done baking. It will infuse some of the peppermint flavor and look totally festive when they’re done. 

Photo Cred: firstlookthencook.com

Grab some cute little cardboard boxes, stuff the bottom with festive tissue paper or burlap, toss some cinnamon sticks in for scent, and bake some cinnamon biscuits. It’s an easy breakfast for an on-the-go mom or busy worker. Add a little jar of hot chocolate mix in there and they’ll be hugging you before 9:00 a.m.

Make your own hot cocoa this season and can up the mix in little mason jars. Use festive fabric and layer it over the seal before screwing the lid on and you have a cute little hot chocolate to-go gift that anyone can enjoy.

Speaking of canning things, marmalade is easy to make and lasts for many months, making it a great little gift idea. Here’s a recipe for a tangy citrus blend that is delicious on toast, croissants, and scones.

Fudge? How could we not add fudge to the list. This recipe uses only five ingredients and is very easy to make. Toss half a dozen bars in a holiday cellophane bag and we have no doubt friends and family will be asking for more next year.

Chocolate dipped anything. Pretzels, peanuts, popcorn. Grab a couple bags of melting chocolate and a few of your favorite snacks and go to town. Divvy up by type or mix it all together for a chocolaty trail mix perfect for snacking.

Did we miss one of your favorites? Comment your go-to food gift recipes here!

Cleaning Couches

Right now is a great time to get those pesky stains out of your couch, especially with the holiday season so near. Wouldn’t want your mother-in-law making snide comments, would you?

As a good first step, vacuum off cushions or use a brush to dislodge dirt.

For red wine spills, grab a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Blot up as much as you possibly can with a paper towel and then mix in a teaspoon of your favorite dish soap with another cup of hydrogen peroxide. Blot the mix, then blot again with a dry towel. This method also works wonders on carpet, clothing and other fabrics as well. Wine-o’s rejoice!

For coffee stains, mix an egg yolk with luke-warm water and rub on the spot. Pat dry and vacuum the rest away.

For other stains caused by life (i.e. children, cats, dogs, husbands, etc.), make your own whipped detergent. Create a froth using half dish detergent, half water, and then use a whisk to mix it all together. Using a rag, rub the froth into the spot and then rinse away with water.

You can also use shampoo to wash away stains and yucky scents from upholstery. Still can’t get the stain out? Try steam cleaning the spot first to help lift stains before treating with detergents.

Do you have any other stain removing tips to share?

Best Winter Houseplants

Don’t feel like tending to outdoor winter plants this season? No worries. There’s plenty of flowering plants that do well in your home. Here are some of our favorites.

Lavender. A famous plant and go-to herb for aromatherapy, soaps and other yummy things, lavender is one of the best indoor plants to grow in the winter. Lavender will grow from a seed if you wish to start from scratch, or you can pick up a young plant. Clearly, the benefit of a young plant is that you get to instantly enjoy the fragrance and pretty purple-blue flowers. You’ll want to place your lavender plant in your home’s sunniest window.

Jasmine. Originating in Asia, jasmine is very simple to care for if you keep your home’s temperature in the high 60’s to low 70’s. Make sure to place this starry-flowering plant in an east or south-facing window and don’t let the soil dry out. Also, jasmine will climb a trellis, so stake one in the pot if you’d like!

Citrus. Yes – really! You don’t need to live in Florida to enjoy citrus fruits such as grapefruit, lemon, or oranges. All you need is a very bright spot in your house, and follow these easy directions from HGTV on how to properly care for your citrus plants.

Geraniums. Are you a fan of lemon, lime, rose, ginger, or even chocolate? Who isn’t? Geraniums are available in all of these fragrances, but did you know the fragrance comes not from flowers but from their hairy leaves? Your local nursery can tell you which they have in stock and which would work best for your home.

What’s your favorite indoor plant for the winter?

Composting 101

Composting isn’t just for farmers and country-dwellers. Here’s a list of ways you can compost in your backyard and do your part to contribute to our environment.

First off: what is compost? Compost is a mix of decaying vegetables, grass clippings, leaves and other organic matter. If you’re a gardener, compost is a fabulous fertilizer for your beds because it’s rich in yeast, fungi, and bacteria, and best of all – it’s free!

Photo cred: howtocompost.org

So let’s get started. Compost is just a mixture of brown matter and green matter. Shredded leaves, straw and twigs make up the brown matter, and grass clippings, veggies, fruit scraps, and even coffee grounds make up green matter. Mix it all together and add a little water and soil. That’s it.

Every week or two, rotate the pile and keep adding materials until the pile reaches three to five feet. Your pile will be good to use around six months – so get started now!

The biggest question we see is: what do I put compost in? You don’t have to buy one of those fancy compost bins (unless you want to!). You can grab a big compost bin at Lowe’s or Home Depot – they’ll be the ones with a sealed lid and little door to add materials.

Don’t forget: everything you put in your bin should be organic, so absolutely no herbicide treated grasses or plants. If you want to add manure, feel free, but be sure the animal it’s coming from was not fed meet (that also means no meat off your table should enter the bin as well).

Are you an experienced composter and have a tip to share? Do so below in the comments!

Winter Garage Checklist

It’s so easy to let your garage get out of control. After all, you went through the whole thing during spring cleaning (right?), so why tackle it again before next spring? Here’s just a few things we recommend taking care of now.

Store summer vehicles like sports cars, ATVs, and motorcycles (even the kid’s mini RVs – don’t you wish you had one when you were little? Anyway…). Now is also a great time to have them serviced—then they’ll be ready for you to take them out on the road when the weather is nice again.

Pull out the winter equipment, as much as it may pain you. Make sure your snow blowers are serviced and working properly, and grab some tanks of gasoline so you’re ready. Rochester weather is unpredictable, so be prepared.  Make sure shovels are useable, too. Loose handles might need some glue, or replaced entirely.

Have a generator? Test it out now before you need it. Did we mention buying extra gasoline?

Organize. Organize. Organize. You’ll thank yourself later. Clean off spring yard tools and box up toys before the cold comes. Storing yard tools in a big bucket of sand will help eliminate rust (and the need to replace them when spring comes).

Quick Halloween Decorations

Is your front porch lacking in the Halloween department? It’s easy to lose track of time to decorate for the holiday, but you don’t want your house looking unattractive to trick-or-treaters, right? After all, the more trick-or-treaters you have, the less candy you’ll be left with (oh, darn) when the night is over—so recruit the kids and try some of these fun Halloween decorating ideas from HGTV.

Cat Pumpkins

This one is super easy. Grab some medium sized pumpkins, black paint, a white Sharpie, craft foam and a hot glue gun. Paint the pumpkins black, cut out black ears, pink nose and white whiskers out of foam, and glue them on. Spooky.

Cookie Cutter Pumpkin Carving

It’s as easy as it sounds. Dump the tarp, various blades, and impossibly difficult stencils. After you gut the pumpkin, grab your favorite cookie cutters like ghosts, cats, stars and moons, and use a rubber mallet to make your way through the pumpkin. Done!

Pumpkin Totem

Head to the store and grab the following: 3 faux pumpkins of the same(ish) size, black craft ribbon, black and white acrylic paint, a paint brush, and a glue gun. Take your first pumpkin and set it on the ground. Take the middle pumpkin and cut a hole in the bottom and place it over the first pumpkin’s stem (we’re stacking here – following?). Do the same for the third and glue the pumpkins together. Next, grab that ribbon and paint and create fun faces.

Trash Bag Spider Webs

Chances are, no shopping is needed for this easy decoration if you have black plastic bags, scissors, and Scotch Tape on hand. Making these involves quite a bit of folding a cutting, so here is the full set of directions.

Do you have any other fun and easy ideas to share?

Fall Home Checklist

As much as we hate to admit it, the warm days have gone and fall is upon us. While the temperatures are still tolerable, now is the best time to prep your house for cooler days (rain, sleet, and – yes – snow). We know how quickly the weather can change, so get out there and use this maintenance checklist

Exterior List

Number one on the list should be a roof check. Grab some binoculars if you can’t see well enough from the ground and a trip up is out of the question.  While you’re out there, do a perimeter check of all siding. Look for cracks and holes and repair the damages you see (or hire a contractor to help you out).

If you have a chimney or fireplace, have them inspected and cleaned. The same goes for your gutters. Fallen leaves from trees can build up and cause major backups when the rain and snow (there’s that S word again!) comes.

They’re a pain to wind up and store, but you should really stow away your sprinklers and hoses. Make sure they’re not full of water first, and toss them in the garage until next year.

It’s important to take a look at your landscaping, too. Loose branches on trees can cause serious damage if they fall around (or on) your home, and piles of leaves can cause outside mold very quickly.

Interior List

Check for drafts around your home on the edges of windows and around doors. Can’t tell if there’s a draft? Grab a candle and run the flame around the window or door and if it flickers, there’s a good chance you need to replace a seal or repair caulking.

Hire an HVAC contractor to test your furnace for leaks and check heading efficiency. The last thing you need is for your furnace to need a tune-up when it gets really cold. It’s a good idea to run a CO2 check at the same time.

Invest in a programmable thermostat if you do not have one already. When you’re not home, set the temperature lower so you can save money on energy bills.

Stock up on batteries and replace all batteries in smoke detectors and CO2 devices and make sure they work properly.

Things To Do In Rochester This Fall

It’s starting to get a little brisk and rainy, but there’s still a ton to do for families in Rochester. Whether you’re just moving to the area or have been a resident for many years, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite fall activities to keep you busy this season.

Wayne County Apple Tasting Trail

Location: Apple Tasting Trail, Lyons, NY

When: October 1-31

Taste delicious, locally grown apples, and delicious cider.

Barnyard Adventure at Brown’s Berry Patch

Location: Brown’s Berry Patch, Waterport, NY

When: Now through November

Ride farm tractors, watch duck races, adventure through a rope maze.

ZOOBOO

Location: Seneca Park Zoo

When: 10 AM to 4 PM Saturdays and Sundays (Oct. 18, 19, 25, & 26)

Take the kids trick-or-treating and support orangutan conservation.

Holiday Hollow

Location: Just off exit 48 (Darien Lake Exit) off the 90

When: every weekend in October (http://holidayhollow.com/Holiday_Hollow/Show_Times_and_Prices.html)

Check out the haunted parlor, shop for pumpkins, and watch various plays.

Fall Sky Ride

Location: Bristol Mountain

When: 12 PM to 4PM Saturdays and Sundays in October (Oct. 18, 19, 25 & 26)

Ride the scenic Comet Express chairlift to the summit of Bristol Mountain.

And here’s a list of our favorite places to pick apples:

G&S Orchards – Walworth, NY

Lagoner Farms – Williamson, NY

Morgan’s Farm Market – Marion, NY

Countertop Materials

Choosing the right countertop material for your kitchen or bathroom is an important decision. After all, it’s where you clean up and prepare food, and also has an effect on your home’s value.

Photo Cred: interiordesignable.com

 

Granite. Granite countertops are among the most elegant materials available. They’re also among the most expensive. But if you are up for it, the natural stone has outstanding strength and other beautiful qualities. Granite is highly resistant to scratches and heat, making it an asset to cooking. One downside to granite is that it must be sealed because it is a porous stone and absorbs fluid. If not sealed, it can harbor bacteria. This only needs to be done every 10 to 15 years, however. Granite can run between $100 and $225 per square foot.

Quartz. Known as “engineered stone,” quartz countertops are made from about 90-93% quartz crystals, but are fabricated instead of cut from solid stone. Quartz countertops maintain all of the advantages of natural stone, such as durability, hardness, and beauty, in addition to overcoming stone’s natural weakness. They are not porous so they will not harbor bacteria, and come in a wider range of colors compared to granite. Less per square foot next to granite, quartz will run about $100 to $190 per square foot.

Laminate. Laminate countertops are among the most popular surfaces because of their affordability ($20 to $50 per square foot) and widest range of colors and patterns. Comprised of hard particleboard core and layers of plastic laminate bonded over top, laminate surfaces are tough and fairly durable.

Butcher Block. Rising in popularity in recent years are butcher block counter tops . They are excellent surfaces for food preparation and are often used in conjunction with other surfaces like granite and quarts. Many choose to surface an island with butcher block, while countertops under cabinets remain another material. Because of the wide variety of woods available, prices range anywhere from $30 to $200 per square foot.

It’s important to consider how much maintenance you’re willing to accommodate when selecting a countertop. Families with young children often opt for less expensive surfaces, while avid foodies require more elaborate options.

Saving for a Down Payment

Saving for a down payment takes major commitment. It can be difficult to find ways in your current budget to make cuts, but with a little bit of discipline and the support of your spouse and family, you can get it done. Here are ten tips we collected from our experts here at Faber Homes:

 

1. If it’s just you, or you and your spouse, consider moving in with family for a couple years.
2. Not a fan of living with your in-laws? Find a less expensive, one bedroom apartment. You’ll give up a bit of space, but smaller apartments are generally less expensive.
1. Are you living in the western-Rochester area? Consider building with Faber Homes and we’ll set you up with an updated apartment in Chili. We incentivize renters for each year they reside in our Blueberry Apartments with cash towards your brand new Faber Home.
3. Have a couple extra hours to spare during the evenings or weekends? Picking up a second job for a short period of time can really you help save cash quickly. Consider picking up a shift at Home Depot or Lowes, so when you’re ready to build, you can also enjoy an employee discount for furnishings!
4. Do you really need that extra outfit? Probably not. You also don’t need to eat out as often as you are now. Cutting back on these expenditures can really go a long way.
5. If you’re contributing to your 401K at work, consider scaling back a percent or two just while you’re saving. Instead, boost contributions to your IRA. The first-home exemption rule allows individuals to use up to $10,000 in IRA funds toward the purchase of a first home without incurring the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.
6. Open a separate savings account. This will help you track your savings toward this one, specific goal.
7. Paying off debts is definitely a good thing, but if you can spare that extra monthly payment towards your balances, toss that money into your new savings account until you have enough for a down payment. Then go back to paying off those debts.
8. Inherited money and tax returns should go straight into savings accounts to earn interest. Keep those dollars out of sight so you aren’t tempted to use them!
9. Can you go without cable, Internet, or perhaps a smartphone that requires a data plan?
10. Don’t rule out going without a car for a year or two. It might seem drastic, but it will save you thousands. If you have two cars, consider making due with one.

These are our top ten tips for saving money for a down payment. Do you have any others to share that are working for you?

Henrietta Highlights

Considering moving to Henrietta? Home to every major retail store and restaurant you could possibly need, Henrietta is also home to fabulous schools, churches, community centers and more. If you build with Faber in our growing Berkshire Park development, here’s a quick list of some nearby amenities.

 

Shopping & Dining

Applebee’s

Ashley Furniture

Babies R Us

Bed Bath & Beyond

Best Buy

Buy Buy Baby

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Chipotle

Christmas Tree Shops
Dairy Queen

DiBella’s

Dicks Sporting Goods

Famous Footwear

Golf Galaxy

Home Depot

Kohls

Lowes

MacGreggor’s

McDonalds

Mighty Taco

Olive Garden

Palmer’s Food Market

Peppermints

Petsmart

Red Lobster

Red Robin

Taco Bell

Target

Texas Roadhouse

Tops

Ulta Beauty

Wegmans

Wendy’s

Worship

Henrietta United Church of Christ

Good Sheperd Church

Calvary Community Church

Guardian Angels Church

Pinnacle Road Baptist Church

Ridgeland Community Church

Parks & Activities

Bally Total Fitness

Bounce Aerobics

Breese Park (in Berkshire Park!)

Curves

LA Fitness

Lookup Dog Park

King’s Bend Park

Planet Fitness

Tinker Nature Park

Veteran’s Memorial Park

Media Room Must Haves

It’s the room in your house for relaxing, dishing up some popcorn and watching movies. Some may call it a man cave, others: a family room. No matter what you call it, every home needs a comfy media room. So get ready to design… here are some tips to make your perfect media room.

 Photo Cred: homeit.com

For basement entertaining, consider light-colored flooring like laminate wood or vinyl. This will help brighten up the space void of natural light, and make the room look larger. For a more masculine look, paint the walls a dark blue, grey, green or even red.

A variety of seating options will allow you to move things around and constantly update your space. Couches for lounging, bean bag chairs for tossing around, and even high-top tables for cocktail parties or watching the football game.

Lighting is another important feature to consider. If you have low-hanging ceilings, consider building fluorescent lights into the paneling, or even track lighting for a more modern look. For taller ceilings, tray lighting can add a special ambiance.

If you’re going for a movie theatre-inspired room, opt for dark furniture, blackout lights, and red window treatments. While a 60-inch television is everyone’s wish, high definition projectors (onto a white wall) can be a better alternative. Toss a starry-night sky mural on the ceiling, a popcorn machine in the corner, and movie posters on the walls and you’re in business.

Don’t forget the kids. Without a designated play area in your home, toys and games tend to pile up everywhere, so square off a section for the kids and keep everything away and tidy so you can enjoy your media room space.