October 2022 - McNeill Palm

The Finishing Touches for Your Renovation

October 17, 2022 by McNeill Palm Team

While new walls and changed floorplans do have a big impact on your home, its often the little things that make a renovation sing. These smaller finishing touches, like adding motorized shutters to your home, make your house look and feel complete after a renovation. Don’t forget these important renovation finishing touches:

Motorized Shutters – You can’t have a home renovation without some new motorized treatments. Upgrading old treatments to new ones, like motorized window shutters, can make your home look brighter and more welcoming. Shutters offer excellent light control and privacy, making it easy for you to get natural light while maintaining privacy, while shades, curtains, and blinds are simple and traditional. New motorized window treatments can also make your home more energy efficient and save you money on your energy spending in the long run while making it easier for you to control the natural light in your home. While upgrading your window treatments may seem simple, it’s always best to work with a window expert to make sure they are the best they can be.
Light Fixtures – You can’t forget about the light fixtures. Adding new lights or replacing old fixtures can revitalize a space without adding too much extra time or expense to your renovation schedule and budget. Whether you’re adding new lights to a dark corner or changing up the fixtures for fresh new style, have fun when choosing your light fixtures. And you don’t have to be tied to scones or cans, either. Floor lamps are just a stylish as modern track or recessed lighting. Don’t forget about energy efficiency when shopping for new light fixtures. LED strings and fully connected outlets can help reduce your energy spending.
Storage – Clutter can make or break a space. So, if you’re doing a home renovation, take the time to come up with storage solutions that will keep your home looking great and clutter-free for years to come. Built-in shelving is always a great addition, especially if you’re already doing some renovations. However, if you don’t have the budget or the time for built-ins you can also try furniture that doubles as storage. Storage ottomans are great for toys, sheets, and extra pillows, while under-the-bed drawers are ideal for off-season clothing and blankets. You can even find coffee tables with hidden drawers for extra items.
Get Creative with Doorways – Doors are functional, but they can also be incredibly stylish. Especially when they’re used in creative ways. A new door can revitalize any room in your house, while decorative molding can make an entryway really shine. Try trendy door styles like pocket or barn doors or go with a timeless door that will last for years to come.

When you do any home renovation it’s easy for your attention to be drawn to the big pieces and projects. We are here for you if you want more tips for your next home renovation. We offer a range of motorized shutter services. Call today to learn more about what we can do for you.

Window Coverings for Unique Interiors

October 10, 2022 by McNeill Palm Team

Adding the right kind of window coverings with motorization to your home can only enhance your eclectic or unique style. This is because an eclectic or unique interior design needs one common shape, piece, or thing to tie the space together. And that can often be your window coverings.

Window coverings like shutters are often the best window treatments for unique designs as they not only add to the interest with their shape, but they also help ground the space with clean lines and neutral colors. Here’s how to use window coverings like shutters in a unique room:

Add Some Texture – Mixing and layering different textures is a big way to make any room look great, but especially more unique spaces. While most window treatments are soft and easily forgettable, coverings have a straight-edged, stacked texture with clean lines that draw the eye and balance different textiles in the room. You can add even more texture to the space by layering different kinds of window treatments over coverings. Try adding elegance with draperies or dreaminess with gauzy, sheer curtains. You could also add even more texture by choosing a wood grain finish on your window coverings to give them the look of real wood, weathered wood, or adding thicker louvers.
Longevity – The right kind of window coverings also last a long, long time. Since they are hard, they stand up to daily use and general wear and tear more than fabric window treatments. Plus, most brands of coverings these days are scratch, chip, and dent resistant for even more longevity. They resist cracking, warping, pests, fading, and chipping to make your space look great for longer.
Use a Simple Color Palate – A busy or colorful room needs an anchor, otherwise the eclectic pieces will just look like clutter or be overwhelming to the eye. You can use window coverings in a simple color to anchor a space. Pick window coverings in a primary or complementary neutral color and then decorate with that color as a base, because when everything in a room follows the same color scheme it looks unified. Luckily, window coverings come in an array of stylish neutral colors that are easy to build into a modern or eclectic design. If you really want to make your coverings a bold color, you can use mostly neutrals with touches of an accent color.
Function and Style – While style is very important, you shouldn’t sacrifice style for function. Luckily, window coverings like shutters give you both. Shutters bring visual interest and style to a room and they also give you light control, privacy, and energy efficiency. You can open or close the coverings for more light while keeping the louvres adjusted for privacy. Coverings also increase your home’s energy efficiency as they can insulate windows up to 70% more efficiently than other treatments. The best way to add function to a window is with motorization, as this technology allows you to easily open and close your window treatments at the touch of a button of the tap of an app.

We are here to help if you want to learn more about unique interior design and motorization.

Easy Home Updates

October 4, 2022 by McNeill Palm Team

You don’t have to do major home renovations to make a difference in your house. In fact, there are tons of ways you can improve your home without any major construction. From getting new windows to adding motorized shades to your home, here are some home renovations you can do without major construction.

You can start by elevating your window treatments. Old window treatments like vertical blinds and expensive wood shutters only bring your home down. But new window treatments like faux-wood shutters or motorized shades? These add style and function. The right window treatment can boost your home’s energy efficiency and help manage the temperature inside your home. You can also have lots of fun choosing new window treatments that suit your function needs and style preferences.

What about new windows? Getting replacement windows for your home will not only make your house more energy efficient and comfortable, but will also improve your home’s value, curb appeal, and style. The best part? It usually only takes a single day to add replacement windows, making the process a simple, quick, and easy way to improve your home.

Don’t forget about hardware. It only takes a few hours to replace the cabinet knobs, drawer pulls, light fixtures, faucets, and other hardware, but this simple upgrade has a big payoff. Replace the hardware in your kitchen and bathrooms for some new style. Clutter is ugly and makes your life difficult, especially in storage areas like garages and basements. Luckily, you can quickly and easily declutter these spaces by adding shelving. DIY shelving is easy and fun, and many home improvement stores sell various premade shelving options to make the project even easier. You can even add chains and S-hooks to further maximize the space with personalized storage solutions.

Light bulbs make a big difference, too. Old light bulbs are dim. Plus, they use up lots of unnecessary energy and can drive up your electricity costs. Try replacing old light bulbs with new LED models or halogen incandescent to reduce your energy usage, save money, and have better lighting. It’s not as hard as it may seem to replace light fixtures. You can replace your old light fixtures with newer more energy-efficient models or choose new chandeliers, lamps or globe lights that add fresh style to your home. Take it one step further and add track or recessed lighting for a bright new look that’s also energy efficient.

You can also add a new coat of paint. Brand new kitchen or bathroom cabinets are expensive, but a few coats of new paint can work wonders. You’d be surprised how much a new color and fresh coat of paint will revitalize your kitchen or bathroom.

Little changes here and there add up to a stylish and well-functioning home. You can easily change your windows, boost energy efficiency, brighten up a room, and organize your space in one day or less. Are you looking for more tips on home renovation or motorized shades? We are here to help, so call or visit us today.