Exterior Painting: What House Color Combinations are in Trend?
If you live in the Cincinnati, Ohio region, you know how fast houses are bought and sold. Have you recently purchased a new home that is in need of exterior painting? If you are new to residential painting of a large house, it can be quite overwhelming. One of the hardest things to do is pick the color palette. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top four exterior house color combinations that are trendy right now.
1. Warm
What color is your HVAC condenser? What color are the gutters painted? What hue do you want on the expanse of your new home? When performing exterior painting of a house, you need to think about three distinct areas to paint. These include the siding, which is the dominant color, the trim that is usually a lighter shade, and the accent. The accent can be lighter or darker, but it should draw attention to the home. When painting and remodeling your new house, a warm color can make it feel homey and comfortable. The warm colors include reds, yellows, and oranges. An excellent color combination for the warm palette would be to paint the expanse of the house in red, use bright white on the trim for contrast, and then use a canary yellow for the front door to pull it off as a focal point.
2. Cool
Another color decision you need to process is if you want cool colors for your home. The cool hues are considered to be the blues, the greens, and the gray shades. A lot of homes are doing their residential painting in cool colors. Dark blues are making substantial dwellings look smaller which is a nice addition if you have a large house sitting next to a one-story neighbor’s house. Some trendy color combinations for the cool palette include a pretty aquamarine bluish-green color with the trim done in white to make the color pop and an accent of tangerine, which has a yellow-orange hue. This added warm color gives the home a focal point such as the front door for a mesmerizing effect.
3. Neutral
Neutral colors are another grouping of colors you could choose to use for exterior painting of your house. The neutral colors consist of black, white, browns, and grays. Beige or buttercream yellow gives off a happy feeling when selected as the dominant color for the siding of your home. Combined with white for the trim and the neutral color black for the focal point of the front door as well as the roofing, give this color scheme a trendy factor.
4. Wild
If you are looking to be a rebel and go big or go home, you can choose a wild and bright color to paint your home. Make sure this is following the homeowner association rules of your subdivision if you live in one as you do not want to get fined. Also, maybe tone down your exterior painting hue to match the style of what the neighbors have on their houses. Hot pink is excellent unless everyone else has muted colors, then it is just obnoxious.
Make your exterior painting job shine
As you can see, many combinations of hues would shine brightly on your new home. If you have trouble with exterior painting or have never performed residential painting on a large home before, make sure you call a local and experienced handyman or a professional painting team to assist you with the job. If you follow our advice on the top four exterior house color combinations that are currently trending, you will have the brightest and most fashionable house in all of Cincinnati!
- Published in Cincinnati Exterior painting, Cincinnati Painting, Cincinnati Painting Contractors, commercial painting contractor, Exterior painting, Painting Cincinnati, Painting Tips
Interior Painting: 5 Elements of an Amazing Bathroom Paintjob
Winter is upon us here in Cincinnati, Ohio and this means long days of staying indoors where it is warm. One thing you can do to avoid boredom is house painting, specifically interior painting in the bathroom. Bathrooms do not get much love, so now is a great time to slap a new coat of paint onto your bathroom’s dull walls. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top five elements of an amazing bathroom paint job.
1. Durable paint
The most critical element to an amazing bathroom paint job is the actual paint itself. You need to select a durable paint, especially to go around windows and doors as they get much abuse in the bathroom. Make sure to choose a semi-gloss or gloss paint that is extra durable for bathrooms. Make sure it has humidity control and mold and mildew protection as well since it will be in a moist environment, much like the moisture your gutters and roofing materials experience outside in the rainy season.
2. Great lighting
Another excellent way to display an amazing paint job in the bathroom is with proper lighting, whether it be natural light or human-made lighting. Natural lighting on the walls will give off a lighter color, but natural lighting to the ceiling will highlight any uneven texture, blemish, or flaw. Use a flat sheen on the ceiling to avoid any imperfections on the ceiling. Artificial lighting will cast shadows on the bathroom wall and can sometimes come across as darker than intended. Try to choose a color two shades lighter than your favorite as it will come out the best with artificial lighting.
3. Proper ventilation
One of the most important ways to have an amazing bathroom paint job is to make sure you have appropriate ventilation in your bathrooms. Humidity can cause much damage to interior paint, causing it to peel and the painting to be redone. Humidity can also cause mold on your paint job. It is vital to ask your paint supplier for paint that will be used in a bathroom to get humidity control as well as paint that can resist mold and mildew.
4. Smooth texture
Another way to ensure an amazing bathroom feature is to make sure you start with a smooth surface to the bathroom walls. If you have walls that are uneven, when you paint that area, it highlights the rough space and makes it stand out, showing a pitiful paint job. You can ask your local paint supplier for drywall finish to get a flawless result. You could also see if a local handyman could come out and sand down the uneven finish before you start your remodeling.
5. Accessories
Interior painting can be surprising due to aspects other than the paint. Your paint color and the type of paint are essential, but what can make your paint job ‘pop’ is the accessories that go along with it. If you are looking for elegance, make sure to replace your bathroom countertops with marble or another light natural stone. Add in white flowers to the mix as well. Add in candles, and you have an amazing paint job fit for a queen.
As you can see, there are multiple ways to make the interior painting of your bathroom shine. Interior painting, especially in the bathroom can be quick and simple to master. Whether you install proper lighting, have smooth walls, use durable paint, or add accessories, your bathroom will be bright and airy after a new coat of paint. If you follow our advice on the top five elements of an Amazing bathroom paint job, your powder room will be the most colorful in all of Cincinnati!
Exterior Painting: Make Your Yard More Interesting with Color
With the arrival of fall and winter in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, dreary skies and cold weather can get you down. One way to bring color and happiness back into your life on gloomy days is to complete simple remodeling or perform exterior painting of the house and within your yard. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top five painting tips to make your yard more interesting with color.
1. Utilize similar colors
One of the best painting tips when trying to bring color into your yard is to make sure everything ties in together. You want to make sure that your colors do not clash against one another. If you go to a home store and check out paint swatches in the exterior painting aisle, you will see what kinds of colors go well with one another.
2. Paint your fence
Another great way to bring color into your outdoor space is to paint your privacy fence. Most people stain the wall, but you can also paint it any number of colors that will match your style. If you do not have time to paint, hire a local handyman to complete the project for you. Choose a less vibrant color if you have a long expanse of fence. If you have a short section of wall, you can use a wild color that will match your patio furniture or any artwork you have on the patio. If you have children, try using chalk paint on the fence in an area for the kids so they can draw on the fence for years to come.
3. Sculptures
Another excellent way to bring exterior painting into your yard is with decorative sculptures and artwork. The sculptures can reside on the patio, near the HVAC unit, or in a water feature closer to the garden. Anything that is bright and is original to your personality will work as a sculpture. You can also purchase or make outdoor artwork to hang on the exterior of the home that is both colorful and decorative. It will give your outdoor yard that cozy indoor feel.
4. Plants and flowers
Plants and flowers are a fantastic way to bring color into the yard. Usually, flowers are for springtime, but you can get specific flowers and flowering bushes that will flower in the fall and winter to give your yard a beautiful flash of color all winter. Make sure to properly care for them when you need services such as power washing or roofing repairs completed.
5. Outdoor patio furniture
The last great tip on bringing color to your backyard is with colorful and decorative patio furniture. Make sure you choose a pattern or color that you enjoy. Then add in accessories to the furniture such as throw pillows, a blanket, coasters, or an outdoor rug that match the colors in your furniture. Your patio will be your happy place, and you will be delighted with the color scheme!
As you can see, there are many ways to brighten up your house and yard with color. Whether you choose fence painting, to bring in a sculpture, use patio furniture, or plant flowering bushes, your Cincinnati yard with be busting with beautiful vibrant colors all winter long. If you follow our advice on the top five exterior painting tips to make your yard more interesting with color, you will have the brightest color yard on the block!
How the Weather can Affect Your Cincinnati Exterior Painting Job
If you live in the Ohio or Kentucky area, you know how fast the weather can change. If you plan to perform residential or commercial painting on the exterior of your home, the weather could affect your paint job. Cincinnati exterior painting needs to be done on a mild day when there is no forecast for rain. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top four ways the weather can affect your exterior paint job.
- Moisture and rain
The most critical time not to paint is when it is raining or when it is extremely humid out. If you perform Cincinnati exterior painting with moist conditions, it could cause your paint to soften and swell. What happens when anything swells? It has to dry up and go back to the size it was. When this happens with paint, the coat blisters, cracks, peels, and starts to flake off. You are left with an ugly and unappealing exterior paint job that will have to be redone.
The other issue that arises with moisture and paint is the growth and proliferation of mold and mildew. Make sure you are painting on a dry day and that you watch your home for signs of peeling paint or mold growth and remedy the situation before it worsens.
- Sun and heat
An essential tip in how the weather can affect your residential or commercial painting is the effects the sun has on new paint. UV light can deteriorate exterior paint causing the paint pigment to be released as a powder. This powder is then washed away the next time it rains. Unfortunately, your bright, beautiful exterior can end up looking dull and faded if you paint in the sun. Make sure to paint on a cloudy day with no chance of rain.
- Hire a professional
Just as you would call for a professional to perform HVAC maintenance, chimney repairs, power washing, simple remodeling, cleaning of the gutters, or roofing repairs, you want to do the same when performing exterior painting of your home if you are not comfortable with the task or run into any obstacles. Painting can be difficult, and if you come across any issues with the paint itself or the application of the paint, you may need to call in the professionals. If a local and professional handyman comes to perform the residential or commercial painting, they will know how the weather can affect the paint job, and they may ask you to reschedule if it looks as though it will rain or there are showers forecasted.
- Extremes of temperature
The last tip on how the weather can affect your paint job is the effects temperature fluctuations have on new paint. When you go from hot to cold or cold to hot, the surface of your home can contract or expand, especially if you have wood siding. This movement can cause cracking and peeling which will require the paint job to be redone.
As you can see, there are multiple ways the weather can affect your residential or commercial painting. Whether it is moisture, the sun, temperature changes, or rain, the weather can affect how the paint adheres and how long the coat will last. If you follow our advice on the top four ways the weather can change your Cincinnati exterior painting job, you will know when to paint your house for the best application and your home will be bright and beautiful for years to come!
How to Cope with Exterior Painting in the Heat
When you are residential or commercial painting in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, you can get overheated very quickly due to the heat and humidity. Exterior painting can take its toll on you, and you need to be conscientious of your surroundings and how you are handling the heat. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top four ways to cope with painting outdoors in the heat.
- Drink plenty of water
The most imperative rule when dealing with exterior painting in the heat is to stay hydrated. Residential or commercial painting of a building is hard work, and it takes a long time to complete. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, as you will be sweating when you are in the hot and humid weather. It may also assist you to have a helper that is constantly coming to refill your water for you. When working, especially in a hot environment, your focus is to get the job done quickly, and you may forget to be drinking. If you have an assistant that is filling up your water jug, you can stay hydrated and alert to finish the job. In addition, if you are sweating, it may be beneficial to drink a liquid with electrolytes in it to replace some of the minerals you are losing through your sweat.
- Apply sunscreen
The next most essential tip in coping with exterior painting in the heat is to wear sunscreen. Even if you are not directly in the sunlight, you can be burned. If you think the tree cover is enough to keep you from burning, you are wrong. UV light can still reach you, and if you have no sunscreen on, you will burn and may not realize it until later that evening. Always wear sunscreen when outdoors.
- Take needed breaks
Another important point when painting outdoors in the heat is to take a break when needed. Your body knows best, and if you are feeling fatigued, sluggish, nauseated, or are no longer sweating anymore, you could be suffering from heat exhaustion. It is pertinent you get indoors to cool air conditioning immediately. If you do not have the knowledge or the time to complete residential or commercial painting on your own, it may be wise to seek help from a professional handyman or painting company. Just like with HVAC maintenance, roofing fixes, power washing, cleaning of the gutters, simple remodeling, and chimney repairs, make sure to investigate the company thoroughly to determine if they are respectable, accountable and insured before hiring them to perform any work for you!
- Wear comfortable and breathable clothing
The last essential way to cope with painting outdoors in the heat is to wear breathable and comfortable clothing. Make sure it is light in color and can absorb and wick away your sweat to help keep you cool. You also want to ensure the clothing is not too baggy to catch on items when you are up on a ladder performing exterior painting. The last thing you want is to experience an injury from falling.
As you can see, there are multiple items to be aware of when performing residential or commercial painting in Cincinnati heat. Whether it is water intake, applying sunscreen, or resting as needed, you need to be aware of what your body is telling you. If you follow our advice on the top four ways to cope with exterior painting in the heat, you will not only have a beautiful new color on your house, but you will be hydrated and safe as well!
How to Estimate a Commercial Painting Project Within Budget
It could be the next project for your company, and your new location is already planned for construction. After all the electric part is finished, you want to be able to move in and start working in that new space as soon as possible. But before you get ahead of yourself and start moving all the new stuff to your new gym in with flying colors, maybe you need to hire a commercial painting contractor.
Steps of a Commercial Painting Project
Before taking any other stepon your commercial painting project, you need to determine what needs to be done to the new space. Anyone can give you a quote, but you need to know what work you need done so you can understand what is estimated in that number. Besides the materials and the wages, there are other factors to consider.
Calculating Materials Needed
You want to be able to define which walls needs to be painted. And not just which ones. If there are several colors, you want to be as specific as which walls should be painted each specific color. Next, calculate the square footage to be painted. This will give you a much better idea of how many gallons of paint and materials you will need. The yield for each gallon of paint is about 400 square feet on smooth walls and 350 for textured walls.
There are some other factors to consider. For example, a textured or rough-textured surface can take up to 10% more paint than the comparable same-sized smooth-textured wall. Built-in fixtures that need to be worked around such as outlets, fans, or high walls have to be considered as well to estimate the necessary time correctly. All these painting tips and considerations are important to keep in mind in case your contractor takes more time than what was estimated initially.
Two coats of paint means doubling up on your paint surface total. Another of the most fundamental painting tips is to make sure you add primer to make the paint job look professional and last longer. If you’re going to invest in this, it should be a job done well. Make sure to include other materials to the shopping list such as scrapers, sandpaper, masks, booties, replacement rollers, painter’s tape, and cleaning supplies.
Hours Add Up
Is your company a grocery store? Is it a gym? Are there additional considerations to the specific place you are planning to run? If there are any, your commercial painting contractor should know these painting tips. Commercial gyms will need additional steps to finish paintwork, such as in bathroom tiles and pools. Aside from the base pay that each worker will receive, factor in and add other expenses such as overhead costs, transportation costs and everything else that gets the day’s work done.
Shopping Time
Now that you’ve added up the surface, hours, and numbers, you can decide to start looking into quotes and different contractors for your commercial painting project in your area and choose one of them. Make sure they are licensed as a company that operates in your area and that they comply with the state EPA regulations on use of and management of hazardous waste.
Keywords: commercial painting, painting tips
Use Painted Accents to Add Character to Your Home
Houses in the Cincinnati, Ohio area have a style of their own. They are known for their vivid colors and exciting styles in some neighborhoods of the area. If you are looking to perform exterior painting on your home, you have come to the right spot. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top four painted accents to add character to your home when doing residential painting.
- Front door/Window shutters
One of the most popular areas to spice up your home’s hue is with the front door. The front door is the entryway to your world. It should be big and bold and inviting. Usually darker colors are better as they can play off the color of the siding, but they also tend to hide dirt, fingerprints, smudges, and other outdoor debris better than lighter colors.
Another favorite area to showcase color on your house and make those accents pop is with the window shutters. Shutters can enhance and complement the color on your home’s siding. It will make it attractive, give it character, and give it a good resale value!
- Dormers
If your house has architectural elements to it, such as a home with dormers, they can be very eye-catching if painted in an accent color. Dormers give your house style and appeal as it is, but when they are paired with a color that is contrasting, it really brings out the detail in the dormers and makes the overall house look quaint.
If you do not want to have to crawl up onto the roof to do the exterior painting of the dormers, fear not. Just call a professional exterior painting contractor that can perform exterior painting as well as other tasks you may need. You may need a Cincinnati handyman for roofing fixes, HVAC maintenance, chimney repair, cleaning of the gutters, simple remodeling, or power washing.
- Painted porch/Fence
One way to spruce up a dull or fading exterior painting job is to give color to the porch. Porches are one of the first things your eye sees when it scans a home. If you use contrasting colors that play off the hue in the siding, shutters, dormers, and roofing of your home, it will make the porch look even bigger than it is and give it lots of character.
Your white picket fence doesn’t have to always be white. Adding color to a wooden fence is an excellent way to add interest and excitement to your home. Don’t go big and bold with this color though because you do not want it to overshadow the home itself. Lighter is better when working with residential painting of fences.
- Upstairs balconies
Last but not least is the option to bring color to the upper balconies. If you have a home that has balconies off the bedrooms, take advantage of that feature and paint them with a fun and unusual color that matches the color palette from the rest of the home. Exterior painting can be fun, and balcony railings don’t always have to be boring black.
As you can see, there are many accents you can use to make your Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky house “pop” with residential painting. Whether you want to spice up the porch or complete painting on the shutters, these accents will add much character to your home. If you follow our advice on the top four painted accents to add flair and drama to your home, you will have the most unique and attractive home in all of Cincinnati!
Make the Most out of Your Exterior Painting Project
You’ve probably been putting this off for a while. A long while. More like several years, but you can’t ignore it anymore. It’s time to do some Cincinnati Exterior painting.
Being the crafty person you are, you are confident you can pull this off and you certainly can. Going the DIY route can be a great way to save money, learn something new, and even have some fun.
Before you get started, make sure you keep these painting tips in mind to make the most out of your exterior painting project.
How hard can it be?
The pitfalls of not really knowing what you’re doing can be pretty big. It will pay off to do the right amount of research. The biggest part may be trying to figure out how much time you need. Since this isn’t something you do professionally, trying to get a clear estimate of how much time it’ll take can be tricky.
How high are your walls? Do you need to use a ladder? How big does it have to be? How much paint do you need? What’s the square footage of the walls you’ll be painting?
Knowing the answer to all these questions is a big deal. Not knowing any of these can cause you to either buy too much paint or not enough. Working on a ladder, besides involving some risk, slows down your progress. Do you own a safe ladder to work on?
As for the square footage, knowing this is pretty critical at the time of buying paint and figuring out how much you can cover in a day. Also keep in mind anything that might make painting trickier such as bushes, access to water, and so on.
The last factor to consider is labor. That means you. You’re going to have to be honest here, because painting a house is a hard job. It might’ve been ok when you were in college, but now it may prove to be a lot more challenging. The last thing you want is to not be able to finish the job because you’ve hurt your back and on you’re on your way to the hospital.
If all that we’ve talked about in this section is an eye opener and leaves you feeling overwhelmed, don’t stress. With proper preparation, enough time, and the right mindset you can definitely tackle this project. The point here is knowing what you’re getting yourself into.
Don’t forget to do this before you start
Before the first drop of paint goes on your house, you need to make sure everything is nice and clean. This is also a great time to see if there are any damaged panels or any major fixes that you hadn’t noticed before.
The fastest route is to use a pressure washer to clean everything up. If you haven’t done any pressure washing before, make sure you read the manuals and take all the necessary safety precautions.
You are now ready to start your Cincinnati exterior painting project. Hopefully these painting tips will make it a safe and fun experience.
5 Tips to Help You Achieve the Perfect Exterior Paint Job
Exterior painting can be a challenge, especially if you own a large house. Usually, a handyman can perform chimney repairs, some remodeling, power washing, and repair damage to the gutters. When it comes to exterior painting though, you want to leave it to the professionals, such as a Cincinnati painting contractor. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top five tips to help you achieve the perfect exterior paint job.
- Use Quality Paint
One of the most critical tips you can use when painting the exterior of your home is to use quality paint. Although quality paint is more expensive than cheaper paints, there is a reason for that. Cheaper paints will not perform as well in the Ohio weather which means your paint job will be ruined after one season. In addition to the harsh weather, a cheaper paint will not protect your home from insects, and other pests as quality paints are known to do.
- Wait for Great Weather
Another essential tip to use when you are painting your home is to wait for good weather. You do not want to start painting on a day when rain is expected or on a sweltering and humid day. Paint will react to factors such as moisture and temperature in an unfavorable way. Your exterior painting results will not be what you expected, and you will have to redo the job, and no one wants that hassle. Mild weather in the spring and into early summer is the best time of the year to perform exterior painting.
- Hire a Contractor
If you want to avoid the hassle of exterior painting altogether, the best tip for you would be to hire a Cincinnati painting contractor. A painting contractor has detailed knowledge of both indoor and exterior painting and repairs. They can give quotes on the quantity of paint that will be needed as well as any other maintenance, caulking, or cleaning that may be necessary. Professionals are also much faster and have all the equipment required to perform the job well.
- Have the Necessary Equipment
If you are going to perform your own exterior painting, it is imperative that you have the necessary supplies and equipment. Quality brushes, rollers, roller extenders, a ladder, and drapes are just a few of the needed materials to paint the exterior of your home.
- Clean & Repair First
Another critical aspect to take into consideration when you are going to be performing exterior painting is to make sure the home is both clean and that repairs have been completed before the painting starts. A clean house will allow the paint to adhere better and last longer. You can have a handyman power wash your house a few days before you are to paint to make sure the dirt and debris have been removed. Many painters will also have powerwashing equipment as well. Make sure all siding and seams are aligned and without cracks before painting commences as well.
As you can see, there is much detail and planning that go into exterior painting, with or without the help of a Cincinnati painting contractor. If you follow our advice on the top five tips to help you achieve the perfect exterior paint job, your home will be beaming with radiant colors and will be the talk of the neighborhood!
7 Tips for Choosing the Best Colors for Your Home
7 Tips for Choosing the Best Colors for Your Home
Most of us like the remodeling of an old-style house or the purchase of a new home. But, sometimes choosing the interior painting color can be the biggest headache of the whole process. How do you even contemplate selecting a color? Just as a handyman or a power washing expert can tell you about the details of their profession, a Cincinnati painting contractor can do the same with the hues, values, and saturation of interior painting colors. In this short guide, you will be informed of the top seven tips for choosing the best colors for your home.
- Use lighting to your benefit
When we think of light, we think of electricity, overhead lights, and brightness. It doesn’t register that lighting can affect the color you choose to place on your walls. One tactic to use in selecting an interior wall color is to know how the different lighting (natural, fluorescent, and incandescent) can change the color. While natural lighting will show the truest color, lighting such as incandescent will modify the color to bring out yellows while fluorescent lighting will cause a fierce blue hue.
- Apply colors from your accessories
When moving to a new house or purchasing items for our home, we usually have a few things that we especially love. One of the best ways to choose a color for your walls is to match the pillow, drapes, rugs, or other similar items, so the entire room comes together. The hints of color in your accessories will make the wall color “pop.”
- Check the mood of the room
One tip to use from a Cincinnati painting contractor when choosing a paint color is to think about utilization and mood of the room. The atmosphere of a place comes not only from the individuals who are in that room but also from the paint color that is on the walls. Dining areas can either be a social sphere or a formal area. If you want a formal setting, then you should go with a neutral color while a more social atmosphere will consist of brighter and contrasting colors.
- Texture adds depth
If you are looking for a soft color that gives your room depth and drama, make sure to investigate colors such as reflective metals. Some examples of these include pewter, bronze, silver, gold, and even copper. These colors will add depth to your room and give your plain-Jane walls interest and flair.
- Utilize accent walls in smaller homes
Apartment, tiny homes, and small houses need to be careful when choosing colors as they do not want to make the space look any smaller than what it already is. Make sure to choose colors that are light and bright to show how open and large the room is. This can be done by using accent walls. Not only are you adding color, but the rest of the room can stay a light color, encouraging depth and expansiveness.
- Color terms matter
When you are shopping for colors, make sure you understand the exact terms, so you are effectively conveying your message to the painting specialist. Color and hue are interchangeable, but did you know the value of a color is how light or dark the hue is? Another term to know is intensity. This refers to the brilliance of a color. An individual color is more intense than a combination of two colors.
- Samples are your friend
Get samples of your top three colors and paint them side by side on the wall. This will help you decide what color you like best as you can see it in a larger area than on a paint chip. Sometimes by doing this process, you can eliminate a color as it will have a value that is too dark for the room.
As you can see, whether you are purchasing a brand-new home or a vintage style house, choosing interior painting colors can be tricky. You can also see from the guide that this is where a Cincinnati painting contractor can come in handy. Let them take the stress off you and give your home the perfect hue. If you follow our advice on the top seven tips for choosing the best colors for your home, you will have the most spectacular and beautiful house on the block!