Saturday, November 25, 2017 An advertising feature of The Topeka Capital-Journal
HOME TOURS
In the spirit
Homes open doors for holiday fundraisers
page 5 n Adding warmth to your dining room, page 2 n Make rental properties more appealing, page 3 n Poinsettia, amaryllis sale kicks off at K-State, page 5
Metro Creative Connection
2 | Saturday, November 25, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com
As holiday nears, rethink dining room’s look By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press
There’s a lot of home decorating advice out there on how to create the perfect kitchen. But what goes into designing a truly great dining room? As the holiday entertaining season approaches, it’s worth re-examining the dining area. In homes that have formal dining rooms, they often serve double-duty as homework headquarters, libraries or home offices. These rooms are a decorating challenge, especially if they’re directly in view of the front door. Here, three interior design experts offer ideas on designing dining rooms that mix serious style with smooth function, and encourage holiday guests to linger over a memorable meal.
All about the chairs
We notice dramatic dining tables and beautiful tableware. But if the goal is to have long, lovely meals, comfortable chairs are vital. High-end custom dining chairs can be expensive, says Los Angeles interior designer Betsy Burnham. Prices can easily climb above $800 per chair even before you choose upholstery fabric. But they are made for comfort and meant to last a lifetime. Some homeowners opt for less expensive chairs from online sites like Overstock.com, and customize them with better fabrics. This can achieve a great look. But for comfort, Burnham recommends trying out dining chairs in person. Visit stores and showrooms, she says, and ask yourself: Is someone going to want to sit here for three or four hours and enjoy a great meal in my home? “You want them to want to linger,” she said. Comfort means different things to different people, of course. “My least favorite thing is sitting down in a metal dining chair,” said interior designer Jaclyn Joslin, founder of the retail store Coveted Home in Kansas City. “It’s always cold and hard.” You also can get creative with seating. Joslin has an upholstered loveseat along one side of her dining table, and she says that’s perfect at the holidays: “You can pile the kids on there.” And consider adding seating for other purposes, like reading, if the room is large enough. In the Midwest, Joslin says, many homes have a large dining
room and also plenty of dining space in the kitchen. So she encourages clients to add a few larger, upholstered chairs to give the dining room a second identity.
Creative risks
Dining rooms that aren’t used every day can be the perfect spot to take decorating risks. “Frequently, clients will say OK to wallpaper in dining rooms, and that’s a bit of a departure,” Burnham said. “They’re afraid to wallpaper a space they’re in all the time because what if they get tired of it? What if it’s overwhelming?” It’s also a great room for incorporating family heirlooms, perhaps with a style update, says interior designer Abbe Fenimore, founder of Studio Ten 25 in Dallas. If you have a sideboard or hutch that belonged to a family member, what better place to display it than where you’ll have relatives over for family dinners? These pieces are also great for displaying inherited serving dishes or other keepsakes. Creative storage can make your dining room more beautiful, and offer space for things like table linens and holiday serving pieces. Joslin recommends including pieces that offer a mix of glass-fronted display space and closed storage. And Fenimore suggests including a large-scale piece of art on one wall.
Loveliest lighting
“Everybody wants to look good around a dining table, so you want the right amount of ambient light,” Burnham said.
Melanie Johnson/Abbe Fenimore
This dining room was designed by Abbe Fenimore. Some homeowners opt to have no rug in their dining room to avoid worry over spills and stains, says Dallas-based interior designer Fenimore, who added warmth to the dining room pictured here through upholstered chairs and drapes rather than a rug. Ideally, you can mix can lighting embedded in the ceiling with a hanging fixture above the table, and then sconces and perhaps a table lamp if there’s room. “If there’s the opportunity for a sideboard,” she said, adding a mirror and two lamps will create beautiful, warm LOOK continues on 4
homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, November 25, 2017 | 3
7 ways to make rental property more appealing By Cathy Hobbs
Tribune News Service
These days, it’s easier than ever to rent out your home. But with the increased popularity also comes increased competition. How can you help your rental property stand out from the crowd? Those looking to cash in should keep some of these ideas in mind. — Photography. Good quality photography should top your list. In the case of rental properties, potential renters absolutely judge a book by its cover, so you want to make sure your photographs stand out. Some photography tips include: Never have people, pets or clutter in photographs. Don’t take photographs at night. Be sure to showcase your entire property. Oftentimes, if a photograph of a particular space or room is omitted, potential renters may
suspect you have something to hide. — Bathroom improvements. Consider your rental property to be on the same level as the local inn or bed and breakfast. Cleanliness should be first and foremost. Beyond this, making bathrooms fresh and appealing should be part of any improvements. Some affordable fixes include adding additional lighting, such as sconces; replacing a toilet; and upgrading faucets and fixtures. — Kitchen improvements. Many potential renters will likely only be committing to a shorttime stay. As such, the kitchen may not be fully utilized. Some essentials include having a working and clean microwave, a fresh set of plates, glasses and utensils, as well as a fully functioning refrigerator. Looking to upgrade? Affordable updates include replacing door handles and cabinet knobs, add-
ing new flooring and painting cabinets. — Curb appeal. As most potential renters may be looking to rent your property as a vacation retreat, many may be focused on atmosphere, both inside and out. In the winter, potential renters may be looking for outdoor amenities, such as fire pits and hot tubs, while in warmer months, an outdoor grill will have appeal. — Stage your rental. Many potential renters are looking for a rental property that fits a certain aesthetic. The better your property looks, the more it will appeal to potential renters. This is where staging comes into play. Look for ways to properly style your rental property. Ideas include affordable artwork, area rugs, toss pillows and throws, as well as accessories such as vases, coffee table books and blooms. Also, don’t forget good-quality bedding for bedrooms. For those with smaller spaces, add-
ing mirrors can go a long way as far as helping to open up a space. — Paint. Painting remains one of the most affordable home improvements. If you have a space that may have too many custom colors or needs a quick and easy refresher, consider adding a fresh coat of paint. — Clear out the clutter. Once you place your property on the market for rent, it becomes a product that will be compared to other products. To appeal to the largest amount of potential renters and keep them coming back again and again, create an oasis for them by clearing out your space of personal items. — Neutral palette, bright accents. When looking for colors to use in your space, neutral colors always work best. Colors such as black, white and taupe help to create a soothing environment and serve as the perfect foundation colors. Bright accents will help to perk up your space.
4 | Saturday, November 25, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com
Look: A properly deployed rug can complete any dining area Continued from 2
light in any dining room. All three designers agree: Use dimmers for flattering light at any time of day. “People like it dim,” Burnham said, “but not so dim that they can’t see their plate.”
To rug or not to rug
It’s a subject of debate among
designers: Some people see a dining room as unfinished if there’s no rug under the table. Others see a dining-room rug as more of a challenge than a benefit — especially if the home has children. “If you have kids who are out of the house, it’s a luxury. Get a gorgeous rug,” said Burnham. But if you’re focusing your decorating budget on other items, know that nicely polished floors can anchor a dining room on their own.
Joslin sees this logic, yet she’s found some homes where a rug is the perfect addition. If you use your dining room more for work or relaxing than for eating (and if you don’t have little kids eating messy food at your dining table), then a rug carries little risk and lots of potential reward. A rug, she says, “definitely helps create that cozy, comfortable atmosphere.”
TIP OF THE WEEK: STINKY LOAFERS Have some shoes that are stinking up your closet? Here’s a tip to get rid of the odor. Lay a piece of plastic wrap into shoes. Put a drop of clove oil on a cotton ball and place it on the plastic wrap. Don’t forget to take this out of the shoes before you put them on.
Source: heloise.com
homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, November 25, 2017 | 5
’TIS THE SEASON FOR TOURS
Decked out for the holidays The Capital-Journal Several homeowners in northeast Kansas are decorating their homes and opening their doors to the public this holiday season in the hope of raising money for heartfelt causes. Eight decorated homes will be showcased during the 13th Annual Holiday Homes Tour in Lawrence. The tour, which will benefit Health Care Access, will be from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. Health Care Access is a nonprofit organization that serves as a healthcare home in Douglas County for individuals with limited financial means. “My holiday theme this year is the Tree House, as I’ll have two to three small decorated trees in each room of my home,” said Lawrence resident Sally Davis. “I’m looking forward to sharing the holiday spirit with all the guests.” In addition to Davis’ home at 1609 Brandon Woods Court, other homes on the tour and their owners are: — 5601 Villa Drive, Jeanie and Bruce Bundy. — 126 Earhart Circle, Kristin and Chris Piper. — 1754 E. 1200 Road, Karla and Rich Nathan. — 3005 W. 29th St., Barbara Kurtz. — 4729 Woodland Drive, Sarah and Troy Landers. — 504 Blazing Star Drive, Kathleen Kinsler and Frisco Morse. — 5707 Warren Court, Chris and Don Cushing. “The Holiday Homes Tour has become an important part of the holiday season in Lawrence,” chairwoman Kris Marsh said. “So many people say it’s their tradition to attend the tour every year with fam-
Event benefits K-State Gardens Poinsettia, amaryllis grown by horticulture students The Capital-Journal
SUBMITTED
The Holiday Homes Tour in Lawrence also features a Holiday Shop, with a bake sale and basket raffle. The tour will be from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 3, and the Holiday Shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 4730 Brandon Woods Terrace. ily and friends. With our unique mix of homes this year, I think tickets may sell out quickly.” Tickets, which are $20, are available at healthcareaccess.org/holiday-homestour, Hy-Vee customer service locations in Lawrence and from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday-Friday at the administrative offices of Health Care Access in the United Way building, 2518 Ridge Court. Only 500 tickets will be sold. In addition to the home tour, the Holiday Shop, featuring a bake sale and basket raffle, will open be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Smith Center at Brandon Woods, 4730 Brandon
Woods Terrace. The shop is open to the public and doesn’t require a ticket.
Manhattan foursome
Four residencies decorated for the holiday season will be featured during the McCain Holiday Home Tour, a fundraiser for the education and outreach activities of Kansas State University’s McCain Auditorium. The tour will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. Todd Holmberg, executive director of McCain Auditorium, said the Manhattan community enjoys seeing “a snapshot of the homeowners’ holiday tradi-
tions while knowing they are benefiting arts-related education programming.” Selection and coordination of homes begins more than year in advance to allow homeowners adequate time to plan and prepare for the event. Homes on the tour are: — Eryn and Jeff Smith’s home in the renovated former Keats High School building. — Jodi and Larry Thierer’s Southern-inspired home in Wyndham Heights. — Kelly and Tim White’s Craftsman-style home north of Manhattan. — Lori and T.J. Vilkanskas’ modern home in the
Vanesta area. Tickets, which are available at several outlets, are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, contact McCain Holiday Home Tour Committee chairwoman Julie Keenan at (210) 875-7456 or koenigkeenan@gmail.com.
Other tours
— Fort Riley Tour of Homes, featuring homes fully decorated for the holidays, noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 2. Tour starts at the Custer House, 24 Sheridan Ave. For ages 12 and older; not
HOLIDAYS continues on 6
The Friends of the K-State Gardens annual poinsettia and amaryllis sale has already started, but there’s still time to buy some of the red and green plants to decorate your home or give as gifts. The poinsettia sale will be from noon to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 29 and 3 to 5:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in the gardens’ Quinlan Visitor Center, 1500 Denison Ave. in Manhattan. However, because of the popularity of the sale, the plants often sell out before Dec. 1. The poinsettias and amaryllis, grown by Kansas State University horticulture students, are priced at $10 per 6-inch potted plant or six plants for $50. Only cash and checks are accepted. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the KState Gardens and support student worker assistants. For more information, call K-State Gardens at (785) 532-6170 or email ksugardens@k-state.edu.
6 | Saturday, November 25, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal | homes.cjonline.com
Holidays: Regional tour dates set Continued from 5
wheelchair accessible. Tickets: $10 in advance; $12 on day of tour. Information: (785) 239-2737 or fortrileytourofhomes@gmail.com. — Leavenworth Candlelight Vintage Homes Tour, featuring five vintage homes, the Carroll Mansion and the All Nations Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1 to 7 p.m. Dec. 10. Benefits Leavenworth County Historical Society. Tickets: $15 in advance; $20 on day of tour. Information: (913) 682-7759 or leavenworthhistory.org/ Tour_of_Homes.htm. — Abilene Homes for the Holidays, featuring four homes, the First United Methodist Church and the Dickinson County Historical Society, 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 2 and 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. Cost: $10. Information: (785) 263-2231 or (800) 569-5915.
METRO CREATIVE CONNECTION
Several area homes that have been decorated for the holiday season will open their doors to the public in December for charity fundraising. homes.cjonline.com | The Topeka Capital-Journal | Saturday, July 29, 2017 | 9
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