home

www.PamAndSal.com

DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM

Prime location for this updated
townhome. High end finishes throughout
including newer island kitchen with
granite and stainless appliances. Living
room and dining room boast cherry
flooring, fireplace and doorwall to serene
private patio. Master suite with jetted tub
and separate euro steam shower. Finished
lower level with fireplace. First floor
laundry, 2 car attached garage, walk to
everything! $465,000

BLOOMFIELD Gracious French inspired 1st
floor master colonial with views of Kirk In The
Hills. Stunning 40' marble foyer with sweeping
staircase. Spacious Living Room and Dining
Room great for entertaining. Cherry kitchen with
island boasts vaulted breakfast room adjacent
to family room with tray ceiling, fireplace and
French doors to rear patio. 2nd floor family
bedrooms with study area. Complete walkout
lower level with full kitchen, great room with
fireplace, home office, exercise room and 5th
bedroom. A true dream home! $999,000

BLOOMFIELD 5,400 square foot newer
construction on 2.73 acres with ravine setting.
I urge foyer with open staircase and bridge leading
to 6 bedrooms. Living Room with limestone
fireplace centered on French doors to bluestone
terrace. Formal dining room. Custom Amish
kitchen with island, stainless steel appliances and
granite tops opens to double story family room.
Vaulted beamed screened porch overlooking in-
ground pool and spa. Lower level features 10 foot
ceilings and exercise room. 3 car garage. Great
floor plan. Birmingham schools! $1,479,000

BIRMINGHAM Four bedroom renovated
charmer with a huge yard located on a
premier street near town. Living room with
arched entry, fireplace and bookcases leads
to sunny library / solarium. Classic white
kitchen with granite tops, butcher block
island, stainless appliances opens to vaulted
family room with fireplace and custom
built-ins. Upper level features master suite
with walk-in-closet and white marble bath,
finished lower level playroom, beautiful
landscaping. $995,000

Hall

EXCLUSIVE AFF ILIA FE OF

CHRISTIE S

INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

HallanaHuntencom

60 April 28 • 2011

Do It
Yourself

Save time
and money
on your home
improvements.

H

omeowners are increasingly
looking for ways to update
their living spaces and main-
tain the value of their homes without
completing extensive or expensive
renovations.
Whether it's adding a fresh coat of
paint to outdated bathroom walls or
new hardware to kitchen cabinets,
there are many ways homeowners can
improve their spaces without spending
a lot of time or money.
One of the best resources for do-
it-yourself tips is DIY blogs. Bloggers
tackle various home projects and
document their journey online to help
readers overcome their own home
improvement hang-ups. With their
efficient project know-how, homeown-
ers can find stress-free and cost-effec-
tive ways to renovate any space.
The following money saving tips
are provided by Sarah of www.
ThriftyDecorChick.com:
• Give walls a new look with decora-
tive stencils, wallpaper or papered bor-
ders. They are a quick and easy accent
that updates any room instantly.
• DIYers are discovering that energy
efficient homes are not only less
expensive to own and maintain, but
are also friendlier to the environment.
Ways to make the home more energy
efficient include using energy-efficient
light bulbs, installing ceiling fans and
insulating and sealing ducts to main-
tain the air conditioner.
• Cleaning and maintaining the fur-
nace once a year can make any home
more energy-efficient and lower utility
bills. By using washable filters, home-
owners can save even more money by
simply washing and allowing them to
air dry. This cuts down on costs for
replacement filters and is better for
the environment.
• Adding a fresh coat of paint is one
of the most inexpensive and impact-
ful changes a homeowner can make.
With great innovations in paint, like
True Value Hardware's new EasyCare
Platinum Paint and Primer in One,
you can save time and money, making
weekend paint jobs hassle-free. Check
out www.TrueValuePaint.com for a full
color palette.

• Kitchens and bathrooms can be
the easiest rooms to update with a few
small changes. Replacing old, outdated
light fixtures and cabinet hardware
can refresh the kitchen or bath with-
out consuming a ton of money and
time with a complete overhaul.
• Updating an old chair or table
is an easy way to spruce up a room.
If you're looking for new furniture
additions, shop local garage sales and
thrift stores for old pieces that can be
revitalized with a little sanding, paint
and new hardware.
The following time-saving tips are
provided by Brian and Paul of www.
HandyGuysPodcast.corn:
• Set aside time to think through
projects and organize your plan of
attack prior to jumping in. Utilize
great resources for DIY tips on www.
StartRightStartHere.com and shop
online.
• Building a basic utility shelf is a
small project homeowners can do them-
selves to get organized. Planned shelves
will put an end to haphazardly stowing
away and stacking things in the garage
and basement, unable to be found again.
• Old faucets can make a kitchen or
bathroom look dated and dingy. When
choosing a new faucet, be sure that it
will work with the existing faucet drill-
ings, noting whether they're center set,
widespread or single-hole.
• Seasonal temperature changes can
cause asphalt driveways to crack and
dip due to water seepage. To sustain
durability, be sure to routinely check
the driveway and make repairs quickly
to avoid further damage. In order to
prevent future water seepage, consider
sealing the driveway.
• Tears in window screens can be a
frequent and frustrating problem. Before
deciding to purchase a new screen,
assess the damage. If the tears are small,
fix them with screen patches.
Transform any room into a special
haven with these simple fixes. I I

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