Elisabeth Stubbs

5 Ways to Match Your Home to Your Lifestyle

BY ELISABETH STUBBS

Chances are, you are using your home differently than you were two years ago. We aren’t entertaining as much, we are spending more time outdoors, and many of us are working from home and homeschooling. With all of these changes, our homes need some updates, including these top five emerging home design trends based on internet searches, recently identified by www.houzz.com.

1. Create dedicated activity spaces. Since the beginning of the pandemic, people have been relying on their homes to provide new avenues of activity and entertainment, and it shows in the emerging search trends, including searches for craft and art studios, home bars and wine cellars, home theaters, gyms and offices. 2. Refresh your living room. The living room has always been an important gathering space within the home. As people have spent more time in their living rooms the past year, they’re seeking inspiration to refresh the space. Searches for living rooms are up 52% this year, compared with the same period of time in 2020. Accent pillows and home accents in general have seen some of the most dramatic increases, along with decorative accents, art, display shelves and chair covers. 3. Choose luxury fabrics, materials and colors. Incorporating velvet, gold and crystal into interior design is trending up. Luxurious textures and warm tones are teaming up to make homes more inviting. 4. Implement flexible design. Many homeowners are turning to design options that offer more flexibility within the existing footprints of their homes. Searches for TV armoires with pocket doors, queen murphy beds and nesting side tables, are all up. These furniture pieces can create dual uses for a room by creatively hiding them away when not in use. Swivel accent chairs also are a great option in open floor plans, and daybed sets offer multiple uses. 5. Bring the outdoors in. The role of greenery in our homes is a trend that seems to be accelerating. Searches for artificial plants and trees, as well as indoor pots and planters, have increased significantly since last year. Window treatments that let more light in, opening our homes to the outside, are also in demand.

Before your next shopping trip, consider how your family lives. The way you use your home has changed, and so have design trends. Multi-function is the new aesthetic.

Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors and More, one of Atlanta’s top-rated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.

Working For Homeowners

Securing Loans to Make Dream Homes Possible

One of the most special moments in Matt Quagliana’s almost 20-year career in the mortgage industry happened earlier this year. It’s memorable because it ties together all the elements of his job that he loves the most, ultimately helping families find and afford their dream home.

“We had been working with a family to help them qualify to purchase their first home. For years they were told (or believed) they simply could not qualify. Our team worked with them for several months to put them on the right path. When they found the home of their dreams, we helped them with the financing, and they were able to close on their new home,” Matt said.

“I try to attend as many closings as possible and because of everything we shared on this journey, I was not going to miss this closing. And I’m glad I didn’t. When they finally signed the papers, both the seller and the buyers gathered in a circle and prayed and cried. One family who raised their kids, had the opportunity to help another family raise theirs. A truly emotional experience that showed why we love the families we serve.”

Each step in Matt’s career has prepared him for his current role as senior loan originator at Homeowners Financial Group (HFG), from underwriting to working with brokers. In his first job, as an underwriter with a mortgage insurance company, he became adept at approving or denying borrowers’ loans.

Next, he was a wholesale account executive with several mortgage lenders, which gave him experience with sales as he helped brokers secure financing.

Currently, as a loan originator with Homeowners Financial, he works oneon-one with clients, using the knowledge he has gained to make each client’s experience the best it can be. Matt is a licensed originator in Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

PHOTO BY MANIAC AGENCY

The Homeowners Financial Difference

1A direct lender. When Matt was involved in the mortgage broker world, he said the biggest problem he faced was not having control over the process. In this competitive market, you need to have confidence that your loan is important. “Additionally, because we are strictly a mortgage lender, this is all we do, so we must do it well. While banks or financial institutions have multiple platforms on which to operate, we are mortgage lenders. Period. Getting you financing for your home is our ONLY job.”

2Access to different products. HFG has a full suite of mortgage products for almost any need. “If you are not in the position to buy right now, it’s OK. We will work with you to put you in the best position for when the time is right,” Matt said.

3Everything is done in-house. “HFG is different because of our people and execution. When you work with us, you are working with a team of experienced individuals. Every client is important, and we treat each client individually to help achieve their unique needs. In fact, HFG is a Best Places to Work recipient, with an emphasis of giving back to the communities we serve,” he said.

Family, Community Investment

Matt and his wife, Sherri, and children, Bree, 12, and Gavin, 9, moved from Canton to Woodstock in 2013. They attend Woodstock City Church, and Matt coaches his son’s South Cherokee travel baseball team, Woodstock Elementary basketball and football teams. When he’s not coaching, he’s cheering on his daughter’s Woodstock Middle School cheer squad.

“As a former athlete I bring a nevergive-up attitude to my everyday life, and incorporate that team mentality into my job,” Matt said. “I try to bring a positive attitude in the workplace and in life. Helping others succeed and grow is as important as any personal growth.”

Homeowners Financial Group | 225 Reformation Parkway, Suite 200, Canton, GA 30114 770-885-6060 mobile | www.homeownersfg.com/mattquagliana @MattQuaglianaNMLS1937747 | @mquagliananmls1937747