Park City Blog

L.E.D. lighting can make a real difference

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties
May 29, 2015

Most homeowners want to be eco-friendly, yet they worry that making changes in that regard might be costly and time consuming. Incorporating energy-efficient lighting is a great way to make a big impression with green-conscious homebuyers. In fact, studies have reported that 80% of homebuyers identify energy savings and comfortable surroundings as key factors when deciding between listings.

It isn’t just limited to fluorescent tubes or CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps). LEDs are an energy-efficient light source that began growing in popularity around 2007. LED lighting can be used as accents to better showcase the home’s features. From track lighting over the fireplace to under-counter cabinet lighting and recessed lighting in the hall, LED fixtures can cast dramatic light on your home’s best features, while at the same time, remaining cool to the touch and easy on the wallet.

Here are some interesting facts about LED lighting:

  • Offers the same bright white output as incandescent lighting
  • Uses 75% less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs
  • Uses 75% less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs
  • The Department of Energy estimates that replacing regular light bulbs with LEDs could potentially save 190 terawatt-hours annually—the equivalent of lighting over 95 million homes
While buyers can make these changes themselves, savvy sellers know that they will judge your eco-friendly actions in a positive light and may be more inclined to deal with you.

Outfitting Your Home in Utah

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties
Oct 20, 2014

So you have your dream home, now you need to outfit it. Here are our top picks for furniture and decoration stores in northern Utah. From established stores carrying the best in luxury lines to colorful boutiques boasting an assortment of unique treasures, here’s a short and sweet list of where to go to make your home truly yours.

CJ Sparks For rugs and tactile global-inspired accents, CJ Sparks is a great haunting ground.  Every home should have a personality--this boutique will help you find pieces to articulate yours.

Now & Again offers colorful vintage quirk (of the artistic, rather than the rubbish variety) and coveted bargain mid-century furniture. Whether you’re looking for a rustic wood mirror or clean line Swedish platform bed, this cute shop is a good place to start.

Elemente for modern-leaning vintage furniture like Danish oak dining tables and stylish mid-century chairs, Elemente is a gem of a treasure house. We’re always in the hunt for affordable ways of bringing the latest in interior design to our homes…Elemente delivers in a major way.

Urban Vintage Funky. Fun. Urban Vintage is a generation-now antique store with a penchant for find-nowhere-else items that will add flavor and variety to your home. From hip industrial lighting fixtures, to worn maps, linen postcards, unique furniture pieces, and succulent planters, Urban Vintage has your tastes covered.

Right at Home is one of Park City’s treasures. This beloved local shop offers a wide range of antique furniture that includes mountain rustic beds, stunning Asian bureaus, and contemporary glass numbers.

San Francisco Design ranks as one Salt Lake’s most respected high end furniture emporiums. The brand specializes in ultra-modern, predominantly Scandinavian pieces that will bring contemporary to your home. The quality is first rate as is the service.

Madison McCord Interiors will have that one statement opulent piece you’ve been looking for but have been unable to find. From brightly colored velvet upholstered dining room chairs, to luxe covered head boards, items here can’t be found anywhere else.

Ikea : Hate it or love it (most likely a combination of both), Ikea has its time and place, and there is one located in Draper. From those Swedish meatballs, to dirt cheap mod beds, and Strandkrypas (pattered table runners) and other goofy Scandinavian tid-bits, well…you know where to go.

In the Know: Design trends to adopt.

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties
Sep 30, 2014

We are ridiculous design nerds. As big proponents of bringing cutting-edge architecture and design to Utah, we make sure we are on top of all the best trends from corrugated metal, to Scandanvian minimalism, to geometric patterns. Part of Championing Contemporary in our marketplace means informing current residents of what we think are some cool design ideas being put forward globally and locally. Here are some looks we are geeking-out over currently:

 

  1. Dining areas that double as contemporary art galleries.
Food and art just go together. Dining is already a communal activity and art facilitates meaningful discussion. We love the look of this fabulous French restaurant in Hong Kong. The combination of eclectic modern pieces with ancien regime parquet floors and exposed brass ventilation pipes creates a space of vibrancy--one that is both intimate and energetic. Looking for some statement art pieces at low cost to bring this concept to your calorie-consumption zone? Check-out the great online gallery by Austin Texas shop, Poster Cabaret.
  1. Wallpaper.
Wallpaper is having a moment. A big one. And, we could not be more thrilled. We are loving the bold wallpaper illustrations of Columbian artist, Catalina Estrada and innovative floral prints used by Wall&Deco. Wallpaper functions as large scale art and offers a unique way to give a room a mood. This generation’s wallpaper champions have re-invented the industry, incorporating large scale prints, custom illustrations, tactile textures, and brave colors.
  1. Room dividers.
Rather than putting in permanent walls, interior decorators have reintroduced the room divider. Over-segmenting homes and living spaces limits movement and light flow. A divider allows you to define an area’s functions without shrinking your living space. Clever dividers also double as additional storage and art pieces. Win-win.
  1. Frame stacking.
Forget everything you were told about hanging art. The new way to hang art is however you want to. Period. New options to showcase art include not hanging it (simply lean frames against a wall), layer frames, hang lots of pictures together in a group with varying amounts of space between them. Do what you want! It’s not chaos; it’s creative!
  1. Black accents.
Black is always the new black. While the signature shade of the stylish has never gone out of style and never will, it’s having a bit of a revival in the world of interior décor. Historically, black has been mislabeled as a color to stay away from when conceiving of inside spaces. Thank goodness the theory that black has no place on walls or on floors has been de-bunked, and dark features are being included to give rooms more gravitas. From accent walls to black wooden floors, our favorite non-color is everywhere. Hallelujah. For inspiring ways to utilize black to add weight or mood to a room, check out design mavens Roman and Williams.
  1. Bar Carts.
Bar carts are the natural companions of craft cocktails, which are also presently all the rage. So, don’t just stick your High West Whiskey on the dusty top shelf of the pantry. For the non-drinkers, have the fixings to whip up a limeade or a classic Shirley Temple. Either way, you’ll be known in your circle as the consummate entertainer. Plus, pretty crystal glasses and bottles full of elixirs just look cool.

BHHS Utah gives you all the stuff that's Good to Know.

 

 

Prepare Your Home for Winter

By Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties
Sep 22, 2014

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Are you taking your home maintenance seriously enough? With El-Nino coming this winter, it is especially important that you prepare your home for the upcoming winter. While we’re the first to say homeowner maintenance guides can be overwhelming (no, I am not going to seal my driveway 3x a year-whoever does that deserves an award from Home Depot), there are a few basic precautions every owner should take before cozying up to a fire and busting out the long Russian novels.

  1. Clean the gutters. After raking the leaves on your lawn (and allowing the kidlets a few leaf-pile cannonballs), be sure to clear them from your gutters and roofing drainage systems. Clean gutters prevent roof leaks and ice damage in December. Dealing with leaks is always a pain, dealing with one when the entire extended family is in town for the holidays is more than your average pain. It might also be time to invest in quality gutters with built-in leaf guards, which will save you hassle in the future.
  2. Prepare the chimney and fireplace. We are not especially big fans of carbon monoxide poisoning and recommend that you service your fireplace properly before winter. Besides, is there any better combination than a warm fire and a Utah winter?
  3. Service major appliances. Ever had to wait two weeks to get your furnace or water heater serviced in the winter? No good. Set yourself up for success. Get your major appliances looked at, serviced, or replaced in time for winter.
  4. Caulk the windows. Caulking your windows prevents heat from escaping and water and ice from coming in. It’s a simple preventive measure that could be the difference between one comforter and 5 extra-fluffy down numbers. Be smart.
  5. Check for plumbing problems. Again, you don’t want to be dealing with plumbing issues in the dead of winter. Water damage is the number one cause of home value depreciation. The best way to ensure your home’s longevity and re-sell price is to take steps to prevent water damage.
  6. Make sure the snowblower is functional. Ya. We live in Utah. Don’t be caught unprepared by that freak October storm we get once a year.
 

Have a lovely fall. Enjoy your pumpkin spice lattes, trick-or-treating, squash soup, and Ugg boots. We sure are.

 
 
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