6 Ways to Beautify Your Deck

Your deck at the Lake of the Ozarks has many purposes.  For you, maybe its to enjoy a meal on the grill or maybe a place to sit and relax to enjoy the outdoors.  Either way, you want your deck to feel like a part of your home, an extension of your home.  All-Star Home Renovations can put the deck in for you, but then it's your job to make that new space your own.  Here are a few tips we've gathered to help you beautify your deck!  

1. Go Green

Plants are a great way to add a little something extra to your deck area.  Hanging baskets full of natural, vibrant colored flowers can brighten up your simple wooden deck.  Flower boxes are easy to hang over your railings and you can buy special brackets that make attaching them a breeze.  You can also use different sized and colored pots to bring some depth and design to the space.  You could even start an herb garden.  Not only will the aroma accentuate your space, but you can save money with home grown herbs that always taste better than the store bought ones.

2. Lighten Up

Create a whole new ambiance on your deck with lighting.  You can use artificial lighting such as flood lights or natural lights such as tiki torches to set the mood.  Hang strings of lights or lanterns for a romantic feel or use candles on the table for an evening meal.  Now your space is usable not only during the day, but also at night!  You can also use lamps with shades or screens to keep the nighttime illumination at a minimum, mimicking the light typically provided by a full moon.  

3. Create Comfort with Style 

From low chat seats to bar-height seating, you can find deck furniture to suit any style of deck. Consider the use of your deck and find furniture that will best fit that need. Find comfort on your deck by piling on the pillows.  You can find durable, outdoor accent pillows that will stand up to the sun and rain in your local home stores. Remember that color is your friend and cheery, bright prints will liven up your deck area and draw people in.  Accessorize with outdoor rugs.  They can bring a cozy feel and help tie the color scheme together.  They also put texture under your feet to keep things from being tracked inside.  


 

4. Block the Sun

Your deck can be a great place to enjoy the outdoors, but what about when that blazing sun is shining down on your space?  Consider some giant umbrellas for shade and style.  Or if you have wooden panels that go across the top of your deck, you can easily throw some colorful outdoor fabric up there to help block the rays.

5. Add a Fountain

Do you love the sweet sound of water trickling down rocks?  Consider adding an outdoor garden fountain to your deck.  Not only will the fountain provide the beauty you are going for, but it will bring a calming presence to your deck.  You can relax and listen to the water as it cascades down the fountain.  Your deck will become your oasis!

6. Keep out Critters

Now that you have this beautiful new deck, you want to keep it that way.  There are many different things you can do to keep the critters away.  Buy citronella candles to keep the bugs away or consider a bug zapper.  You may also want to consider fencing in the under side of your deck to keep rodents and other small critters from taking up residence under there.

From outdoor art to some simple colored fabric, there is so much you can do with your outdoor space to make it inviting for not only your guests, but also yourself.  If you don't already have a custom deck at the Lake of the Ozarks, consider having All-Star Home Renovations to install one for you. Give them a call today at 573-286-2569 to get a free estimate.  And if your house is on the water, consider having them customize your dock too!

Follow our blog for advice on remodels at the Lake of the Ozarks, minor home repairs and improvements, tips to improve the value of your home, and so much more.

All-Star Home Renovations serves the entire Lake of the Ozarks area. We can handle everything from your most complex home improvement and remodeling projects to the simplest.

All-Star Renovations has 25 years experience and is fully insured!

• Kitchen Remodels
• Bathroom Remodels
• Deck Additions
• Siding, Roofing, Windows & Doors
• Tile & Flooring Installation
• Screened Room Additions
• Custom Trim Finish Work
• ... and so much more!

Request a free estimate on your next project!

Serving the Entire Lake of the Ozarks Area

Adam : 573-286-2569
adam@all-star-renovations.com

Jay: 573-480-4757
jay@all-star-renovations.com

Like us on Facebook
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13 Ways to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home this Spring!

The first impression people get of your home is the curb appeal.  Make it great so passersby, especially prospective home buyers, will be dying to know what's inside!  All-Star Home Renovations is here to help with your home improvements at the Lake of the Ozarks.  Check out these home improvement projects from Better Homes and Gardens that will transform your curb appeal from drab to fab!

1. Decorative Door and Door Step

The front door is the focal point of your homes curb appeal. Consider replacing your doors at the Lake of the Ozarks if they're really old or maybe just splash a new coat of paint on there to make them stand out.  Clean off any dirty spots near the knob and polish up the fixtures. Possibly add a wreath to the door as a reflection of your personality and how the inside of the home looks.  Create a permanent welcome mat by tiling or painting a design that contrasts with the porch floor or front stoop.  Impress your visitors with your creativity and don't worry about replacing that ratty old door mat anymore.

2. Updating Hardware

Hardware elements can add style and interest to your home's exterior.  Consider adding or replacing house numbers, the entry door lock set, a wall-mounted mailbox, and/or an overhead light fixture.  If these elements are out of date, dingy or mismatched, you may not be conveying the aesthetic you want.

3. Upgrade Railings

If not treated properly, porch and stoop railings can deteriorate quickly.  If your railings are past their prime, look for quality wood or metal components to replace the existing material.  Make sure the color, scale, design, details, and material are compatible with the home's main features.

4. Extravagant Entry

You can draw attention to your front door, even with a small budget.  Molding acts like an architectural eyeliner that you can apply around your doorway to make the door pop.  Make your home feel warm and inviting with well-designed walkways.  For a dramatic improvement to a straight concrete path, replace it with a contoured one made of stone or brick. For a simpler upgrade, resurface the old walkway with color, then edge with stone or brick borders.

5. Luminous Lighting and Symmetry 

While providing safety and security, low-voltage landscape lighting makes a huge impact on your home's curb appeal.  Fixtures can illuminate a walking path or add accent lighting to the trees and house.  Solar fixtures are a great alternative if you aren't able to use lights that require wiring. Symmetry is simple to arrange and pleasing to the eye.  Symmetrical compositions of light fixtures and front-door accents create welcoming entryways.

6. Garden Glamour

If you are looking for quick and affordable, container gardens add a welcoming feel and colorful appeal to any home exterior.  For most landscapes, a staggered, asymmetrical arrangement works best to create a dynamic setting.  If you are feeling a little more adventurous, consider creating a new planting bed.  Add contrast and color to your home with flowers and plants at the front corners of the yard, along driveways or walkways, and immediately in front of the house. When creating a new bed, choose features that will frame your home rather than obscure it.  If you already have one, renew it by pruning growth, pulling weeds, planting flowers, and adding new mulch to restore color that was taken away by sunlight and harsh weather.  Clean and reset any stone or brick pieces that are soiled or dislodged from the border of your garden.

7. Window Boxes 

A fast, easy way to bring color and charm to your home's exterior is by installing window boxes. For a traditional look, use boxes made from copper or iron or use painted wood for a cottage-like feel. Mix and match flowers and plants to suit your lighting conditions and color scheme.

8. Art Ambiance

Add weather resistant artwork to your yard for a little spunk.  Some good choices for outdoor art include birdbaths, metal cutouts, sculptures, and wind chimes.  Use your home's natural palette and exterior elements to choose complimenting pieces.  Water sculptures not only function as yard art, but the burbling sounds soothe and make hot days feel cooler.

9. Mailbox Makeover 

Your mailbox is another reflection of your personality and should compliment the home.  When choosing a hanging drop box, pick a box that matches your home's trimmings. Dress up mail boxes by surrounding it with flowers or painting the wooden post to match your home's exterior.

10. Arbors or Fence Panels

Enhance your garden and the value of your home with arbors, garden gates and/or short sections of decorative fence panels.  You can find these in easy-to-build kits or prefab sections you simply connect together. For best results, paint or stain these additions with colors already on your house.

11.  Dress-Up the Driveway

If your driveway is cracked or stained or has vegetation sprouting from it, you can upgrade it without doing a complete redo.  Start by killing any weeds and then repair the cracks and stains. Once its all fixed, dress it up by staining the concrete or affixing flagstones.  You can even widen the drive with stone, brick or pavers for more room to move your car around or park.

12. Paint, Siding, Shutters and Trim

An exterior face lift automatically transforms the look of a home.  Keep your house looking its best with periodic maintenance of the exterior surfaces.  Any obvious defects, such as cracked or rotting material, can downgrade the aesthetic and quickly turn away potential home buyers. For your new siding at the Lake of the Ozarks, call All-Star Home Renovations to install it.  After the defects are repaired, use color, trim or shingles to add personality to the exterior of your home.  Add a welcoming layer of beauty through shutters and trim.  In addition to design advantages, shutters control light and ventilation, as well as provide additional security.   Exterior shutters can be made of wood, aluminum, vinyl, composite, or fiberglass.    

13. Gutters and Downspouts

Older gutter systems that are suffering from peeling paint, rust spots and more, convey a sense of neglect.  You can replace old systems with newer, snap-fit vinyl gutter systems that go together easily and don't require painting.  While pricier, copper systems  convey an unmistakable look of quality.

Whether you are looking for a weekend project or full blown home remodel at the Lake of the Ozarks, there are so many different things you can do to increase your curb appeal.  All-Star Home Renovations is here to help make your dream home a reality.  Give us a call today for a free estimate and you're on your way to a brand new look for your home!

For the full article from Better Homes and Gardens visit: http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/ways-to-add-curb-appeal/

Follow our blog for advice on remodels at the Lake of the Ozarks, minor home repairs and improvements, tips to improve the value of your home, and so much more.

All-Star Home Renovations serves the entire Lake of the Ozarks area. We can handle everything from your most complex home improvement and remodeling projects to the simplest.

All-Star Renovations has 25 years experience and is fully insured!

• Kitchen Remodels
• Bathroom Remodels
• Deck Additions
• Siding, Roofing, Windows & Doors
• Tile & Flooring Installation
• Screened Room Additions
• Custom Trim Finish Work
• ... and so much more!

Request a free estimate on your next project!

Serving the Entire Lake of the Ozarks Area

Adam : 573-286-2569
adam@all-star-renovations.com

Jay: 573-480-4757
jay@all-star-renovations.com

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Connect with us on LinkedIn

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Cure Your Winter Blues with these 5 Home Improvement Projects

Fun, Easy Projects to Keep You Entertained

Is the thought of being stuck inside all winter driving you crazy?  As the days get shorter and the temperature gets colder, many people start to experience what many like to call the "winter blues." The Sioux City Journal has some great home improvement projects to keep you entertained this cold, winter season!

1. Create Walls that Wow.

With a splash of paint, some modern trim work and crown molding, you can create a whole new look to your room without doing a complete renovation.  Winter is the perfect time to add a fresh coat of paint to your walls because the dryness of the winter months allow the paint to dry faster.  Try a new, bold color or even use painter's tape to create designs.  Wallpaper is making a comeback and would be a great alternative to painting.  Another popular trend is replacing typical baseboards with ones that are at least five inches wide.  You can really bring some life back into a room with custom trim and crown molding projects.

2. Add a Splash of Personality to Your Kitchen.

Adding a backsplash is the perfect way to spice up  your kitchen Home Depot even offers do-it-yourself workshops to prepare you for this easy, winter weekend project.  Installation of tile is relatively simple, but can be tedious which is where the peel and stick tiles come in handy.  Not only do these tiles save you time, but they eliminate a lot of the mess.  Two important things to keep in mind are to take the time to prepare and lay out a template so you don't get irregular lines or extra gaps, and to clean off any extra grout, because once its dry, its almost impossible to get off.  And if you aren't up for the challenge, you can call All-Star Home Renovations to help with your home improvement projects at the Lake of the Ozarks.  

3. Lighten Up Your Rooms.

Another easy, affordable way to add style to your room is with new lights, lamps or ceiling fans. New lights are perfect to accent kitchen and bathroom renovations, while ceiling fans are great to help save on your energy bill because they can push the heat back down.  LED-style lights and dimmer switches also provide money-saving options, while allowing the homeowners to customize the ambiance of the room.  Another emerging trend is Steampunk, which is a cross between vintage and industrial designs.  But a crystal chandelier is still a timeless choice if you are looking for that softer feel.  When installing and dealing with electrical issues, its best to hire a professional such as All-Star Home Renovations so that you know the job is done right.  You definitely don't want your ceiling fans loose or wobbly.

4. Turn Dull Doors into Classy Decor.

Sometimes the things you use the most are the home improvement projects that can go unnoticed. After a closer look, you may notice scratches, cracks, old hinges and outdated styles that are now hard to miss.  Replacing your interior doors with unique or more modern ones is an inexpensive alternative to a complete remodel.  Some options that many people don't think about include double doors, a more functional and attractive alternative to sliding doors and bi-fold doors, and French-style doors which can add natural light and architectural detail to a space.  Another big thing right now is updating the hinges and doorknobs with more modern colors such as brushed nickel or aged bronze. Although you can replace doors yourselves, sometimes the task becomes bigger than expected.  Most jobs involve cutting, trimming and shaping the door to size, and sometimes even replacing the molding.  In this case, sometimes its better to hire a professional such as All-Star Home Renovations.          

5. Take Your Bathroom from Drab to Fab.

For a more ambitious project, turn your boring bathroom into a spa retreat.  If you just want to replace a faucet, re-grout the tile or repaint, you can probably easily do it yourself.  But for those larger projects such as replacing the tub or adding tile floor, call All-Star Home Renovations for your bathroom remodel at the Lake of the Ozarks.  Although it is a bigger investment, a complete remodel might be worth considering.  Many older homes were not built using mold-resistant drywall, so that's one of the best places to start.  You also want to make sure the plumbing is done right, because once the walls are closed up, a leak can go unnoticed for a longtime and cause serious damage.  If you are going to make the investment of upgrading your bathroom, its better to do it right the first time.    

When deciding where to start on your home improvement projects, keep in mind those that will increase your property value, save you money on your electric bill and bring a smile to your face. And remember if you need some help with your home improvements at Lake of the Ozarks, All-Star has you covered.  From kitchens to bathrooms, we can handle any home remodeling project you throw our way!  

For the full Sioux City Journal article, click here: http://siouxcityjournal.com/places/offers/home-improvement-projects-guaranteed-to-cure-the-winter-blues/article_20ecd280-6802-11e3-845a-001a4bcf887a.html

Follow our blog for advice on remodels at the Lake of the Ozarks, minor home repairs and improvements, tips to improve the value of your home, and so much more.

All-Star Home Renovations serves the entire Lake of the Ozarks area. We can handle everything from your most complex home improvement and remodeling projects to the simplest.

All-Star Renovations has 25 years experience and is fully insured!

• Kitchen Remodels
• Bathroom Remodels
• Deck Additions
• Siding, Roofing, Windows & Doors
• Tile & Flooring Installation
• Screened Room Additions
• Custom Trim Finish Work
• ... and so much more!

Request a free estimate on your next project!

Serving the Entire Lake of the Ozarks Area

Adam : 573-286-2569
adam@all-star-renovations.com

Jay: 573-480-4757
jay@all-star-renovations.com

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Connect with us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Google+