Festive Porch Decorations That Go From Fall to Winter By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Accessorize base pieces
Transitioning into a new season doesn’t mean you have to overhaul your whole porch design. You can make a fall look move seamlessly into winter. One of the best ways to do this is to use staple pieces that you can accessorize. For example, one of Johnson’s favorite tricks is filling oversized iron lanterns with seasonal items like leaves in the fall and switching to colorful ornaments in the winter. You can keep a simple olive branch wreath on the door all year, and dress it up with a seasonally appropriate ribbon. Fill planter boxes with gourds and pumpkins or corn, then replace them with pinecones and evergreen or holly in the winter. If you don’t have a large front porch, that doesn’t mean you can’t still make use of it. Chantal Lamers, the home editor for Sunset Magazine, suggests adding a rustic ladder where you can hang wreaths, garland, seasonal greeting signs, or string lights. Similarly, a vertical wall garden is a trendy way to add greenery without taking up much floor space. Of course, simply using the sides of porch steps as decorative shelving is another option.Pumpkins, post-Halloween
Pumpkins are a staple of fall decor, but you don’t have to leave them in the dust after Halloween (unless you carved them). Leave out variously shaped and colored gourds and pumpkins through November. Johnson recommends decorating in odd numbers for visual interest and asymmetry. Another creative way to use a pumpkin is to create a planter out of it by hollowing it out and inserting a flower pot inside (mums are a popular flower for fall). You can also poke round holes all over the pumpkin to create a non-Halloween lantern. But keep in mind that the pumpkin will start to deteriorate once you cut into it. White pumpkins are a natural way to get a winter look. For a more glamorous feel, spray-paint pumpkins and gourds a metallic color.Fall and winter plants
Design experts agree that adding some greenery to your porch is a must. Container gardens are an easy way to go. “For fall, I like incorporating flowers because it’s the last chance,” says Justin Hancock, plant expert at Costa Farms. A beautiful container garden that’s ready for winter and fits even a small front door area. Image courtesy of Dunn Gardens. Hancock’s go-to frost-tolerant plants include:- Flowering kale. This hardy, showy cabbage can survive even into the 20-degree range. It looks like a flower and comes in a range of colors, including lavender, rose, white, yellow, and green.
- Croton. A low-maintenance fall favorite, it has dark green, orange, red, and yellow leaves that are thick and leathery, so they hold up well in drought conditions (read: they’re good for people who forget to water their plants).
- Ajuga. An herbaceous plant in the mint family that blooms tiny periwinkle flowers, it’s durable and great for containers.
- Pansies and violas. These delicate-looking flowers can survive temps as low as 30 degrees.
Found items
Some of the best design tools for fall and winter are totally free: tree branches and twigs — or “wintry scraps,” as Lamers calls them. In the fall, he adds branches to container gardens to add structure; in the winter, he jazzes up the look by tying on ribbons or spray-painting them, or adding evergreen branches. Red twig dogwood is also a favorite for its purple/red color. “They provide color without having to spray paint, and the color looks really striking in snow,” Hancock says. Pine cones are another versatile found item. Hancock suggests baking them in the oven, which causes natural resins to leak out so they look glazed. Birch logs also add a traditional holiday look. Incorporate evergreen branches, birch logs, and spray-painted twigs into your porch decor. Courtesy of Zillow Digs.Money-saving hacks
Beyond using branches and other found items, there are plenty of other ways to shave some dollars and cents off your decorating scheme. Choose a decorating theme first, Johnson says, so you’re not buying “random things” you won’t end up using. Check flea markets and Etsy for cheaper versions of items you love in pricier stores, advises Lamers. Put your creativity to work, and you can create charming and festive porch decor to take you all the way through to spring. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.21 Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas from Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
For the chef
Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Heart Casserole Make your sweetie’s heart skip a beat with some whimsical cookware. Just like your relationship, this dish is engineered to resist staining and dulling. $200 Imperia Pasta Machine Create a “Lady and the Tramp” moment with fresh homemade pasta. It’s easy to prepare when you’re using the same kind of machine found in kitchens throughout Italy. $80 Bees Knees Spicy Honey Add spice to your love’s life. They’ll think of you each time they top bagels, salad, chicken and more with this delicious, handmade honey. $14For the tech enthusiast
Master and Dynamic MH40 Headphones Luxe and long lasting, this “modern thinking cap” offers your technophile the ability to focus and transport their mind. Wrapped in memory foam, the lambskin ear pads provide your valentine with constant comfort at their desk, studio or home. $400 Ring Video Doorbell For the one who wants to track everything, how about caller ID for the front door? Ring, which comes with an HD camera, allows a user to answer their door from anywhere using a smartphone. It also has night vision that provides a clear view of the front door, day and night. $200 Dropcam Pro Does your love ever worry about what their pet does when they’re away? With Dropcam they can always stay connected with home. The device also offers security, baby monitoring and business features. $200For the entertainer
Hammered Aluminum Tray Cater to your love’s inner party planner. Fashionable bar carts are all the rage, and a hand-hammered tray offers a stylish presentation for canapés and drinks. $59 Never Have I Ever It’s the gift that gives your loved one the most important thing — time — during a party so they can manage other things. The “Card Game of Poor Life Decisions” keeps party guests occupied and laughing about awkward and embarrassing moments. $25 Strawberry, Balsamic Vinegar and Black Pepper Shrub Skip the chocolate-covered strawberries. Some shrubs, or drinking vinegars, will last a lot longer. Your special someone can whip up strawberry cocktails or elevated drinks by adding the shrub to club soda, fresh fruit and sugar. $15For the bookworm
Tiny House Living: Ideas for Building and Living Well in Less Than 400 Square Feet Does your loved one dream of living in 84 square feet? Get practical tips for living in a smaller space or paring down possessions. $27 Our homes can tell us a great deal — even overshare, some may say — about the most intimate parts of our lives. For that special someone who enjoys wacky or taboo topics, this new book tackles questions like whether buying a house will improve your sex life. $28 Decorate: 1,000 Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home Home is where the heart is. But knowing how to update a home can be difficult with an overwhelming number of choices. Top designers, including Jonathan Adler, Amy Butler and Kelly Wearstler, provide decor solutions for every budget. $40For the romantic
Park Wine-Champagne Bucket Nothing kicks off a romantic evening like the distinctive pop of a champagne cork. While you and your loved one sip, nestle your bottle in this graceful Crate and Barrel bucket to keep your bubbly perfectly chilled. $30 Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint Home Candle Heady with the scents of jasmine, lily, orange flower and rose, this candle will fill your home with the aroma of fresh flowers. Snuggle up with your sweetheart, close your eyes and imagine the two of you strolling through the English countryside. $65 Casanova Caramel Collection by Theo Chocolate Indulge your valentine’s sweet tooth with handcrafted caramels in seductive flavors like honey saffron and ginger rose. $20For the spa junkie
Garment-Washed Turkish Terry Robe Your valentine will rule the master bath swathed in Restoration Hardware’s sumptuous Turkish cotton robe. Add a monogram for the ultimate tycoon touch. $49-$79 Malin and Goetz Rose Hand and Body Wash Keep romance alive long after Valentine’s Day with this rich, foaming rose-scented cleanser. Natural glycerin and protein amino acids keep skin soft and smooth. $22 Splash Tunes Pro Bluetooth Waterproof Shower Speaker Pair this easy-to-use Bluetooth speaker with a peppy playlist to keep your sweetie singing in the shower or relaxing to tunes while unwinding in the tub. $70For the hobbyist
3-D Home Kit: Play Architect Put your dreamboat’s dream house within reach – at least in miniature form. This kit contains all the parts and instructions to build a detailed, ¼-inch scale 3-D model Victorian home. $36 Bosch Digital Laser Distance Measurer If your darling digs precision, this handy tool will delight with its instant-read measurements in inches, feet and metric units. $89 Xerographica Kit Nurture a green thumb with an easy-maintenance tillandsia, aka air plant. A beautiful brass mister adds elegance to plant care chores. $89 Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.Happy Thanksgiving From Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
How to Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Valet welcome
If parking in your neighborhood is limited, be sure to reserve your off-street spot for your guests. Go out ahead of time and track down a convenient street spot if you need to — just don’t make your guests spend their first moments at your place looking for a parking space.Prep the porch
This area is the first thing guests see when visiting your home, so make sure it is well lit, freshly swept and outfitted with clean cushions and fresh plants.Grab-and-go
Create a simple breakfast station by keeping fresh fruit, breakfast cereals and other essentials together on the counter for early risers. Give guests a quick kitchen tour the night before so they can get their morning coffee or tea without waiting for you in the morning. If you want to set an extra-special table, adding a monogrammed mug and a small flower arrangement is lovely and doesn’t take much extra effort.Make it casual
Cleaning your home before guests arrive is a must; however, keeping the atmosphere around the house as close to normal as possible will help put guests at ease. Newspapers on the coffee table and a casual playlist in the background set the stage for relaxation.Stock the essentials
Your guest room doesn’t need to be outfitted like a four-star hotel, but certain basics should be in place to make your visitor comfortable. The essentials include fresh sheets, pillows and blankets on the bed, window coverings, a working light, bath towels, a wastebasket and a cleared shelf and hanging area in the closet. Bonus items include a fan, iPod docking station, clock, hairdryer, snacks, mini toiletries such as razors, aspirin and hairspray, and a surge protector for charging devices.Allow for downtime
It’s too easy to over-plan activities for holiday guests. Having a few tentative outings or other visitors on the agenda can be helpful, but avoid the urge to fill every last minute. Most guests will really appreciate some blocks of unstructured time to relax, chat, read, nap or even venture out on their own.Jump right in
When dinnertime rolls around, feel free to have guests pitch in with a few simple tasks in the kitchen. Ask them to set the table, pour the wine, choose the music, or prep greens for a salad, and soon your visitors will be feeling right at home. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.Merry Christmas! from Joe Szabo and the Scottsdale Real Estate Team
Merry Christmas from all of us at Scottsdale Real Estate.
We hope your holidays are unforgettable!