We’re back with more great tips and trends from our designer, Emily Blonigen. This week she gives insight on her favorite home décor shops, her tips for potential homeowners, and her personal in home must haves!
What’s your favorite home décor shop?
E: TJMaxx/Marshalls/Homegoods always have some great finds!
Do you have any tips for potential homeowners as they plan a remodel?
E: I have recently been house shopping myself! The most important thing to look at when you are looking for your future home, is to find a home that has a layout and flow that suites you. I walked into many homes around South Minneapolis (my ideal location) that just didn’t feel welcoming when I walked in the door. You can always change many aspects of a home whether it is changing finishes or tweaking the layout. If the existing layout doesn’t suite you, you are going to have to plan for higher remodeling costs to get the home to look and feel the way you would like.
I actually started a pro’s and con’s list with every home we walked into. I made sure to check my key points and take notes on the spaces that I find most important. My number one concern was the kitchen! My boyfriend is a chef so we wanted the space to feel open and have enough working space. If the kitchen needed some work, we made sure to check if there was room to expand or open the space and added that remodeling into our budget.
I also made sure to bring my tape measure in case I wanted to check any room dimensions! My realtor maybe thought I was crazy but it was very helpful!
Is there something in your house that you just absolutely cannot live without?
E: In my house, I can’t live without…something that I made. I love to be crafty. I need the space to feel like it is mine. Since I am a designer I like to create things! Whether it is a charcoal drawing, hand sewn throw pillows, or even just the choice of color on the walls- making the space personal is key!
If you’re looking into buying a house and have recently graduated from college or know that you have quite a bit left to pay on loans in general, read this great article Denied, The Impact of Student Debt on the Ability to Buy a House
Stay tuned next week as we introduce our February designer of the month, in the mean time be sure to check our Houzz profile. We were nominated as one of their “Best of Houzz” profiles!
Castle