-
Best Credit Cards for Home Improvement of February 2024
While there are many ways to finance a home improvement project, using the right credit card for your project can help you save money as well as earn cash back, points or miles on your purchases. Or you can apply for a new card offering a 0% intro APR to help you finance the project over a period of time. Many rewards cards offer generous welcome bonuses once you meet a certain spending requirement, which can often be met easily when you’re paying for pricey home improvement projects. Here are our selections for the best credit cards for home improvement of February 2024. Best credit cards for home improvement Why…
-
Inside a ’70s-Style River Island Home Outside Portland, Oregon
Sauvie Island—a river island 10 miles northwest of downtown Portland, Oregon—is a gem of a place to live. Cradled by the Columbia River to the east and the Multnomah Channel to the west, the island is a nature lover’s paradise, replete with farms full of berry patches, roughly 11,500 acres of wildlife reserve, and several stretches of white sandy beaches. Its charming scenery is the reason a family of four chose it as the location for their second home, finding a 1979 fixer-upper to make their own. “You got to one bedroom through the garage,” designer Jessica Helgerson notes of the preexisting structure’s flaws. (Other absurdities included a toilet bowl…
-
A Beginner’s Guide to Home Renovation Loans
Our experts answer readers’ home-buying questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess mortgages). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. “Home renovation loan” is a catch-all term referring to a loan that pays for upgrades or repairs to a home. Personal loans are a popular type of home renovation loan, but you can also use a mortgage to cover renovations. These loans can help you buy a fixer upper or rehab your current home. But it’s important to understand the pros and cons. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on…
-
Shea McGee’s Home: Take an Exclusive First Look at Her Own Remodel
When interior designer Shea McGee and her husband, Syd, built their home outside of Salt Lake City in 2018, they deliberately skipped some features due to budget restraints and to accommodate the timing of their hit Netflix show, Dream Home Makeover. But the celebrity design duo also insisted on living in the house and experiencing it before making final decisions on some of the more expensive design elements. It’s the kind of practical approach the couple often suggests for their own clients. “You can plan and draw up all the ideas you want, but you’ll have a better understanding of what you need after you live in your home for…
-
A crippled housing market has left Americans stranded in 40-year-old properties and unable to afford most home improvements. Now they are turning to ‘home harde…
A home should be a sanctuary, a safe place to feel sheltered against the chaos and threats of the outside world. But with the recent onslaught of record-breaking natural disasters, many Americans are feeling increasingly vulnerable. In the past year alone, we’ve endured the hottest summer on record, devastating wildfires in Canada and Hawaii, flooding in Vermont and New York City, and hurricanes in both Los Angeles and Maine. The situation is especially problematic considering American homes aren’t getting any younger. In fact, 38% of homes in the U.S. were built before 1970–and the median age of homes in America is 40 years. With aging roofs, insufficient drainage, and outdated systems, many homes are in…
-
30 Mantel Decorating Ideas That Bring Style and Warmth to Your Home
A fireplace often serves as a strong focal point in a room, encouraging you to cozy up and while away the hours with company or a good book. Like any element in a home, your hearth should blend into your interior design aesthetic, and decorating the fireplace mantel accordingly is a great place to start. If you’re not quite sure how to begin, let these beautiful mantel decorating ideas spark your creativity. Coastal Details Jennifer Ribek Interior Design; Nickolas Sargent Photography When decorating in a coastal setting, it only makes sense to tap into an ocean aesthetic. Here, Jennifer Ribek Interior Design keeps the fireplace mantel streamlined with two texture-rich…