Category: The Home Front Cincinnati

When it comes to first impressions, the paint you choose for your home’s facade matters. “Refreshing, changing, or brightening up the exterior can make a huge difference,” says Cara Woodhouse of Cara Woodhouse Interiors in Roslyn Harbor, N.Y.

A muted roof and facade complement each other in a house using Benjamin Moore white Chocolate OC-127. Photo Credit: Benjamin Moore

It’s not just about the color; the type of paint you choose is vital. “With exterior paints, durability is key,” says Rick Watson, director of product information and technical services at Sherwin-Williams. “The best exterior paints hold color longer and resist peeling and blistering. Look for paints formulated to resist chalking, mildew, and dirt, which will save you money and time in maintenance,” he says. The company’s new Emerald Rain Refresh, has a self-cleaning technology that washes dirt away upon contact with rain or water, requiring minimal maintenance, Watson says.

But painting your home isn’t a one-and-done kind of thing. It requires upkeep, which can depend on where you live. “It’s all about the weather,” says New York City architect Kevin Lichten. “If you live on the coast of Maine or North Carolina where your house is pelted with salt spray, sand, and wind in the winter, you may need to touch up every spring and repaint every three or four years. In more mild climates, you may only need to repaint every 10 years,” he says. “And remember that the sun can be brutal.”

CUE THE COLOR

When considering the hue, your selection should be driven by the home’s character and architectural style, says Vancouver-based designer Stephanie Brown. “Generally speaking, a simple color palette of one to two colors helps modernize most homes and more complex color combinations of three or more lend themselves to more traditional homes, especially if you are trying to highlight various details and moldings,” she says.

The secret to painting your home’s exterior is more than just finding the right color; it’s finding the right color combination, says Mike Mundwiller, end user product experience manager at Benjamin Moore. “To narrow down your color choices, build an exterior palette around the elements of the house that won’t change, such as roofing materials and stone or brick components,” he says.

Color choice can also be a product of your surroundings. Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, recommends first looking at the colors your neighbors have chosen for their homes and avoid using those exact same shades. “Choose a color that complements—a curb appeal trick that will benefit you and your neighbors,” she says.

 

 

Photo Credit: Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams’ Georgian Bay SW 6509

And look at the location. “A dark brown house with green trim would not look great near the beach, but would be very happy in the mountains or a forest,” Lichten says. “Likewise, a gray-shingled house with white trim would not fit into a wooded area but it’s happier by the ocean,” he says.

Grays, whites, and beiges are classics that help the siding of a house look prim and freshen up the curb appeal, Wadden says. But there are other choices too, of course. “Charcoal gray, navy, and hunter green are more popular in areas with pine trees, mountains, and sea access, while terra cotta, burlap, and rust colors dominate areas of the country in the desert,” she says.

Dark, saturated hues, such as Tricorn Black, Iron Ore, and Urbane Bronze, have been trending for exteriors in recent months, Wadden says. “Not only do these colors pair beautifully with a home’s surrounding greenery, they also help create a focal point when used on a front door or shutters.”

And you don’t even need to paint a whole house to make an impact. “Painting your front door is one of the easiest and quickest ways to boost curb appeal.” For a classic and elegant look, Wadden suggests a bold navy blue, or, for a door that really stands out, a jewel-toned blue/green or even a deep pink.

 

Naval SW 6244 are both bold options for the outdoors. Photo Credit: Sherwin-Williams

ALL THE TRIMMINGS

Trims are an important finishing touch—much like an accessory is to an outfit. “They add a layered look to your home,” Woodhouse says.

Wadden advises making sure your accent, trim, and siding colors are varied enough to discern them from each other, unless you’re purposely going for a monochromatic look.

The shades you choose can also impact how big a house feels.

To make a small house seem more substantial, Lichten suggests keeping the walls and trim the same color. “Likewise, a massive hulking house can be made lighter and more delicate with a contrasting trim,” he says.

Homes with the most curb appeal tend to have opposite hues of paint and trim, Mundwiller says. “If your home’s exterior is painted in a lighter hue, consider a trim in a darker color, and vice versa,” he suggests.

PREP TO PERFECTION

The outcome of any painting project is only as good as the preparation you put into it. Everything needs to be washed, cleaned, and sanded and any loose paint or damaged or rotten wood should be replaced before starting.

“A good primer will render the surface more uniform and, because of this, the topcoat has a better chance to adhere to the surface, which ultimately results in longer coating life expectancy,” Watson says.

Timing of the work is important, too. “Check the weather forecast. Paint dries faster in warmer temperatures, lower humidity, and when it’s sunny,” Watson says. For best performance, avoid painting in direct sun, and try for a material temperature above 35 degrees Fahrenheit, Watson says.

Original post:
https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/creating-curb-appeal-february2022

St. Patrick’s Day or not, Guinness beer has a long rich history stretching back to 1759 when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease for an abandoned brewery in Dublin, Ireland named St. Jame’s Gate.

As told by the company its self, here is how a pint of Guinness gets to you…

A Heritage Craft

From where it all began—with one man and £100—to where we are now, we’ve been honing our craft since 1759. With over 20 world-class beers in production, and a wealth of exciting new brews being dreamed up daily by our ever-enterprising brewers, it’s no surprise that the Guinness name is known and loved in 150 countries. But, no matter where it is brewed or served, you can be sure your Guinness is still inspired by the pioneering batches of our legendary stout, crafted at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, over 200 years ago.

Hold your drink to the light
Roasted barley gives our stout it’s rich taste and ruby-red hue

It’s all about the barley
We’ve got bonds with farmers spanning three generations

It all begins with barley grains, which are malted and form the foundation of our beer. It’s not an easy grain to grow. That is why we have links with farmers that span three generations.

This malted barley forms the foundation of our beer, carefully crushed by our brew house mills then mixed with water from Poulaphouca Lake in County Wicklow. Water that’s heated and added to the freshly milled malted barley before the mixture is mashed to extract the brewing sugars. This mash then drops down into a kieve—or mash tun—that separates the grain from a liquid we call ‘sweet wort’.

It’s now that our unique dark-roasted barley comes into play. The precision of the roasting process is what gives our famous stout its distinctive rich taste and dark, ruby-red hue. Raise your pint to the light and you’ll see how it glows. 232 degrees Celsius. That’s the temperature that transforms our barley into a black state of perfection. That’s the temperature that makes Guinness taste like Guinness. Any cooler and the beer won’t be as flavorful, any hotter and the barley catches fire.

And then for another key ingredient: hops. These combine with the roasted barley to give Guinness its perfectly balanced flavor. After the hops are added, the sweet wort is then boiled for 90 minutes before leaving it to cool and settle.

Hops: You’ll find twice the amount in Guinness compared to most beers. Double the hops means double the flavour

 

Next comes the Guinness yeast, a strain that’s been handed down from generations past. It’s so precious that we keep a reserve amount under lock and key, just in case anything should happen to our main supply. The yeast captures the full freshness of every one of the painstakingly sourced ingredients, ensuring our beer is perfectly fermented and charged with the flavor that’s made us famous across the globe.

And then? Nothing. We stop. Just to let everything slow down and mellow. Maturation allows the beer to develop its perfectly balanced taste and consistency. After all, we’ve never been ones to rush a good thing.

Now for the nitrogen, the groundbreaking innovation that brings our draft beer to life, creating the inimitable Guinness surge and settle and the iconic creamy head. This is added in the packaging process, after which there’s a ‘head height test’ to ensure we have the correct amount of bubbles in every pint.

…Roughly 3,000,000, in case you’re wondering.

Making sure our beers are up to standard
So you can enjoy a better brew

 

 

 

 

And finally, before our beer can pass out through those impressive gates—be it in a keg, can or bottle—every single batch of Guinness is tested by a Sensory Panel to ensure nothing leaves the brewery unless it tastes precisely as our expert brewers intended. Some would say it’s the best job in the world. We’re inclined to agree.

A BEER WELL TRAVELLED

With that first batch of Irish stout there began a legacy of innovative brewing that’s since been upheld all over the world. Over 20 different beers now bear the Guinness name, and we’re proud to have gone to unprecedented lengths to set up 18 breweries across the globe. From kick-starting the barley-farming industry in Uganda to bringing a whole new dimension to American Lager, we’ve stopped at nothing to bridge cultures and cross continents.

And, no matter where it’s brewed or served, every single pint, bottle or can of Guinness adheres to the lofty standards set at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, the original birthplace of our beer. To do this, every brewer in every brewery is meticulously trained to make beer the Guinness way.

Making beer the Guinness way
Adhering to our lofty standards

 

 

And that’s not all. Batches of our legendary brews are sent back to Dublin each month where our Sensory Panel makes sure that each beer matches up to its unique flavor profile. And expert brewers from St. James’s Gate regularly travel the world to pass on their knowledge and passion to our international breweries. This means you can be sure of an unparalleled Guinness experience, no matter which country you’re drinking in. World-class brewing, the world over.

https://www.guinness.com/en-us/our-craft/art-of-brewing-guinness/

Neighborhoods with the best percentage of sales to active listings (only neighborhoods with at least 10 combined actives and solds are included):

1. Western Hills //  20 sold with 1 active //  2000%
or a ratio of 20.0 solds to each active listing

2.  Symmes Twp.  //  9 sold with 1 active // 900%
or a ratio of 9.0 solds to each active listing

3. Hyde Park  //  14 sold with 2 active // 700%
or a ratio of 7.00 solds to each active listing

Compiled using information from the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for the period 1/1/2022 through 1/31/2022. Information has not been verified, is not guaranteed and subject to change.

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Improving home organization is a common design resolution in the new year, especially as homeowners continue to make their spaces work harder than ever. Whether you’re considering custom storage, looking for decluttering tips, or simply want the motivation to get organized, here are some solutions to help boost order in every room of the home.

San Francisco professional organizer Shira Gill shares tips for clutter busting in her latest book, Minimalista. “A cluttered living space is a universal stress trigger, it doesn’t matter if you are smart or famous,” writes Shira.

The kitchen and pantry are among the most detailed and time-consuming spaces to organize. “People tell me they could never have open shelving because of the cluttered mess hiding behind closed doors. My easy answer is to invest in one nice set of plates, bowls, and glassware that you are proud to display. This goes for bowls, plates, and glassware,” she says.

 

Laundry rooms and storage closets are magnets for clutter and random household items. “It takes far less time to overhaul a storage closet, or any other hidden storage space, than you might think. Turn on some tunes and set your timer for 15 minutes; transformation is on the way,” says Shira.

 

 

 

Mandy Moore’s pantry is truly #organizationgoals. Commonly used appliances are on display and ready for to use at a moment’s notice, spices are organized into categories and placed on Lazy Susans for easy access, and a pyramid of paper towels are ready to go for spills and clean up duty.

 

If you’re renovating your home from scratch, look for innovative ways to integrate hidden storage solutions. In this multigenerational home designed by Ali Budd, the design theme was to blend South Asian tradition with modern functionality. A secret mirrored closet off the home’s entryway is playful, practical, and is the perfect spot to hide jackets, school bags, shoes, and family belongings.

 

Make the most of niches! In this dining room, everything from firewood to artwork has its own place (with extra points for a dramatic dark background). This wall works extra hard with a floating shelf for even more display, which makes it easy to move around the picture frames.

 

 

 

The hook for the 2020 Spring Princess Margaret Showhome mudroom by Sarah Baeumler? Take your pick. As a mother of four, Sarah knows how much gear kids can accrue. The answer is a mix of dedicated solutions: cubbies, drawers, hooks and a wraparound bench that lets everyone get ready for hockey practice at the same time.

 

 

Designer Sam Sacks put an unused wall to good use when redesigning this high-contrast kitchen. A new pantry unit (background, left) provided her clients with the extra storage they craved, while an open bookshelf helped to break up an expanse of white cabinetry.

 

 

 

Large baskets are an inexpensive way to remedy a lack of storage. Here, H&H design editor Kai Ethier placed a trio of bins beneath the sink to store extra towels and free up counter space.

 

 

 

 

For bedrooms with limited closet space, forgo bedside tables in favor of a storage unit that makes the most of vertical and horizontal space around the bed.

 

 

Read the full article from HouseandHome.com here.

Neighborhoods with the best percentage of sales to active listings (only neighborhoods with at least 25 combined actives and solds are included):

1. West Chester //  77 sold with 15 active //  513%
or a ratio of 5.13 solds to each active listing

2.  Deerfield Twp.  //  58 sold with 12 active // 483%
or a ratio of 4.83 solds to each active listing

3. Miami Twp. //  52 sold with 12 active // 433%
or a ratio of 4.33 solds to each active listing

Compiled using information from the Multiple Listing Service of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for the period 12/1/2021 through 12/31/2021. Information has not been verified, is not guaranteed and subject to change.

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As the colder temps spread across the country and the snow begins to accumulate, there are many people who begin to prep gear for the chilly adventures that await.  If you are familiar with the terms “Bluebird Day” or “Après-Ski”, you probably have spent some time racing down a mountain on skis or a snowboard.  But have you ever tried Nordic skiing?

Originally, skiing began thousands of years ago simply as a means for traveling cross-country over snow in areas like Norway and Scandinavia.  People in the region started using long, wooden boards to make traveling across the snowy landscapes easier. The word ski comes from the Old Norse word skíð which means a stick of wood.  Skiers would wear skis of equal length and depend on a single pole to maneuver over terrain until 1741 when two poles were introduced.  This provided greater balance and made moving through the snow much easier.  By the 1800s, skiing evolved as a source of recreation and enjoyment.

Unlike the more traditional Alpine skis many of us are more familiar seeing today, Nordic skis are attached to a boot only at the toe allowing for liftoff of the heel and to give a skier the ability to move both up and down hills. Alpine skis are connected at both the toe and heel thus giving greater control for turning and stopping.

Nordic skiing involves a technique for pushing yourself along on rolling landscapes and on tracks. Nordic skiers are usually seen on specially made courses, often with two grooves cut into the snow, one for each ski. Nordic tracks are situated on terrain that is generally quite gentle when you compare it to Alpine skiing terrain.

The idea of Nordic skiing is to have an easier way of traveling through deep snow. The skating and gliding motion over snow is much more efficient than sinking into the snow on foot or even snowshoes.

The Different Types of Nordic Skiing

There are three main varieties of Nordic skiing: cross-country skiing, Telemark skiing, and alpine touring.

Classic cross-country skiing uses narrow, lightweight skis and poles on designated “tracks” in the snow. It’s a great choice for beginners because it’s fairly easy to learn and the amount of effort required depends on how fast you go.

Telemark skiing, named after the Telemark region in Norway, is more of an “off-road” variety of skiing that uses thicker and heavier skis. The increased stability of the larger skis combined with the loose heel of Nordic skiing allows skiers to make their way up steep hills as well as glide downhill.

Alpine touring takes is a step closer to downhill skiing. Alpine skis are also thicker and sturdier, but they let skiers either bind their entire foot or keep their heels loose. As a result, the skis are quite versatile, ideal for exploration.

 

For those of you looking to work on your New Year’s resolution of exercise, maybe think about taking up this activity.  While it might not look all that difficult, Nordic skiing is possibly the world’s toughest outdoor sport, burning up to 952 calories an hour.

 

Just as the ocean calls to some, so to do the snowy mountain ranges in winter.  Have you ever considered a second home somewhere cold like our featured destination home in Utah? After you move in, seek out one of their Nordic trails to experience it for yourself.

This post was originally published on sothebysrealty.com.

Sam Yo, a London-based Peloton instructor, is the first to say that the months he spent at a monastery when he was 20 years old ultimately had the biggest impact on how he wants to live his life.

“Every day was simple, straightforward, and structured,” says Yo, now 42, who spent his early career in the theater, making his West End debut in The King and I in 2000, before continuing an incredible two-decade career in the theater that ended in 2018. “That gave me the space to have more awareness, to get in touch with my culture, and uncover the answers to some of the questions I had about my identity, what I can contribute to the world, and what I could let go.”

But Yo also is clear on another thing: You don’t have to join a monastery—and shave your head, he says with a laugh—to achieve that same sense of serenity you can get in a place focused on contemplation and prayer.

“We can all agree that there’s a lot of noise and it’s ongoing 24/7,” he says. “But you can find a way around that by evaluating what you have in your life that you can strip back on and I always try to tell people that it’s not so much about stuff. Rather, it’s more about the quality of stuff you have and the quality of people you have around you.”

Read on as Yo shares his tips for resetting, and something he does every day to maintain serenity:

SET GOALS—AND STICK WITH THEM

To feel healthier during a stressful time, break down your goals. “Make your game plan manageable,” Yo says. “The words I always use are motivation, discipline, and structure,” he says. “So if you haven’t exercised [since Covid began], motivate yourself to start small and do it for 10 minutes twice a week and then add more time—that takes discipline and structure.”

Sam Yo, a Peloton instructor, suggests you break down your fitness goals into a manageable game plan in order to stick to them.
Photo Credit: Dominic Marley for Peloton

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

As you age, the way you move should evolve, too. “As I’ve gotten older, my joints have gotten stiffer so I always make sure to stretch during at least four sessions a week,” he says. “I’ll do a five- to 10-minute yoga or meditation session at the end of the night to keep my body mobilized.”

FIND WAYS TO FOCUS

For Yo, this includes tending his 15-year-old bonsai tree named Bruce Tree, a gift he received from a friend a decade ago. “I water and clip the dead leaves first thing every morning and this exercise lets me put my thoughts into focus,” he says. “At the monastery we were told to give merit and service to others. My first action is to give Bruce Tree my attention every morning.”

LEAN INTO ROUTINE

While it’s fun to wake up and cook up a different breakfast every day, Yo has eaten the same morning meal of scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, whole-grain toast, and a cup of tea for as long as he can remember. “I enjoy it, but it also eliminates the need to make a decision every morning,” he says. “Having this sense of clarity about my breakfast gets my day off to a really good start.”

FIND YOUR OWN UNIQUE WAY TO STAY GROUNDED

Ask Yo and he’ll tell you that feeling grounded remains a work in progress. “For me, it’s all about taking time to cut out the noise,” he says. “I focus on my breathing, working out, spending time with family, and there’s always Friday night dim sum and Netflix to look forward to!”