Focus on: Ciy Park

I have a soft spot for City Park since I live so close to it. Multiple times a week I find myself either walking or running in City Park when I need to clear my head. If you have never been to City Park you are missing out. City park offers up a number of facilitates. It boosts a public golf course, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and an IMAX. There is a small body of water where you can paddle boat or fish. People often play soccer or football games in the park when the weather is nice.

There are paths for walking, running or biking. Two playgrounds if you have the kids and need to get them outside. Throughout the year you will find a number of events from bands playing, 5ks and the Colfax Half Marathon and Marathon. In the summer on Sundays there is City Park Jazz where people come out in numbers to lounge, picnic and listen to music to end their weekend.

 Source

Denver has a number of great parks and I may be partial but City Park is one of my favorite parks here in Denver. It has also become my favorite backyard. Walking through City Park can feel quiet and you can often forget that you are in the city but in certain parts of the park you can look up and catch a spectacular view of the city and mountains.

 Have you been to City Park? If so, do you like it?

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Pink in the Home

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month I thought I would put together some images of pink IN THE HOME. I have never been a huge 'pink' girl, opting for a peach color bedroom instead of a pink even as a young girl. That being said, I have seen some great ways to use pink in the home and make it look good. I opt for using pink sparingly in design as I feel even the softest of pinks can make a huge impression but that does not always need to be the case. A room full of pink can work if done right. 

Since I have never used a lot of pink I thought it was interesting to find out the meaning of the color pink:

"In color psychology, pink is a sign of hope. It is a positive color inspiring warm and comforting feelings, a sense that everything will be okay.

Pink calms and reassures our emotional energies, alleviating feelings of anger, aggression, resentment, abandonment and neglect. Studies have confirmed that exposure to large amounts of pink can have a calming effect on the nerves and create physical weakness in people. Violent and aggressive prisoners have been successfully calmed by placing them in a pink room for a specified amount of time. Exposure for too long can have the opposite effect."

source 

After reading this it is no wonder the breast cancer awareness ribbon is pink. I always thought the reason  itwas because pink was often associated with femininity but rather it is a sign of hope. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The Rise of the Duplex

 In a world where college prices are rising and employment is low many adults are finding themselves living at home with their parents after school. The American Dream of home ownership tends to get delayed as people pay off college loans that are equivalent to a mortgage payment. One solution that my clients came up with for their grown children living at home with them was purchasing a duplex. It offered the best of both worlds: independence but a home for their adult children. 

Buying a whole duplex in Denver can prove to be difficult though as they rarely have just one owner. Currently in Denver there are only 14 duplexes for sale! Many duplexes in Denver have one owner for each unit.  In Colorado the rules and regulations of a duplex are written up in a party-wall agreement. This agreement is similar to a condo's HOA but it is between only two parties. It will outline how bills will be split, common areas, insurance and how structural issues will be handled. This agreement is a necessity since most duplexes in Denver  sit on a lot that once housed a single family home so there is only one sewer line and water line. This means duplex owners typically have to split utility bills.

 The party line agreement makes it a lot easier for a duplex to have one single owner per unit. Although, it makes it a little harder for people, like my clients, who are actually looking to be the sole owner of a duplex. It certainly is not impossible though! If you are working with an agent looking for both sides of a duplex, ask how they will work to find you the right duplex.

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Creative Idea for the bathroom

Do you have a tiny bathroom that does not offer much counter space or storage? Consider this idea....

A stool offers a little more space for things that would typically be on the counter such as lotion, hand wash and towels.

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

DIY Halloween

Halloween is one of the only times where it is acceptable to decorate both the inside and outside of the home with cobwebs, witches, goblins, pumpkins and ghosts for fun. There are so many ways for you to decorate the home for Halloween even if you are not a DIY expert! Here is a roundup of my favorite Halloween DIY ideas for both inside and outside of the home:

Candy Corn. Banana Ghosts and Clementine Pumpkins. Spooky Toilet. Glowing Ghosts. Home of the Wicked Witch. Bloody Shower Curtain. Flying Bats. Donut Pumpkins. Monster Door. Fleeing Ghosts

Do you decorate your home for Halloween? I never have but walking around the Denver neighborhoods and seeing the homes decorated excites me to take on Halloween decorations. What are your favorite Halloween creations? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

One sweet idea

Looking to add some texture to a small space? Consider this idea.....

Not only does it add texture but it creates a bit of storage space. In addition it creates a rustic feel. How do you feel about this idea?

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The Denver Hug

I spoke here about being from the East Coast and how different it can be in Denver. A notable difference are hugs. Sounds strange but I have been a big hugger. It is a running joke in my family that I do not hug but rather give a slight pat on the back. When I left my job of eight years to go to Denver I didn't even hug my friends. Which, truth be told, it's MORE AWKWARD to not hug when there should be a hug. I did not care though, I still did not hug.

But I digress because since coming to Denver I have gotten and given more hugs than ever. People here hug to say "hello", "goodbye", "I am sorry", "nice to meet you" and for a plethora of other reasons. At first I was very taken aback by it because I was so unused to it. It was actually rather suprising the first few hugs I received since they were so unexpected. Since living here for six months, I now find myself going in to give a hug, which is even more unexpected for me. 

Even more surprising was when I went to New Hampshire I found myself giving hugs there and the looks on everyone's faces was complete shock. I never once thought I would be a person to give a hug to just hug. No wonder why the Northeast is considered cold, hugging really isn't in our culture, whereas it seems to be ingrained in the culture here. So yes Denver, you may be on to something with these hugs. I accept your hug and will give a hug in turn. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Polka Dots and Stripes

One of my favorite patterns is polka dots and I have been seeing a lot of them in interiors lately. They have been making an appearance on a number of walls lately. The pattern is simple but also playful and can be a great feature in a room.

Polka dots coordinates well with other prints such as stripes.

Looking to obtain a polka dot wall but not sure how to go about it? You could use a stencil like this one or if you do not trust your painting hand you could use polka dot decals. How do you like polka dots on walls? Would you do it? Do you like the polka dots with stripes? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

#DoorsInDenver

As a real estate agent, I am constantly out in the community. Often times I will find myself in great neighborhoods for an appointment or just introducing myself and one thing I have noticed is there are BEAUTIFUL front doors out there. I consider the front door of a home is like the eyes of a human, it is a way into the heart (or home). Many doors are ornate, unique and eclectic. Over the last few months I have been snapping pictures of the front doors that catch my eye and yesterday I had the thought of sharing them! Going forward I will be posting these amazing doors with the hashtag #DoorsInDenver. Follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see the latest and greatest #DoorsInDenver! 

  In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Closet Space

Plenty of closet space is often something buyers desire. Often closet space is not an option depending on how old the home is. In my previous home - I had a huge master walk-in closet and plenty of other other storage space. It was a greet feature but not originally something on my 'need to have' list in my home when I originally bought. As I search for a new home this time around a walk in closet is at the top of the list. It is a funny thing when you have a lot of closet space, as I did, you subconscious start to fill it. Now I not only have my own closet full in the city but a storage unit in my own complex and across the city. So closet space is a necessity!

 One of the best features of having closet space is the ability to ORGANIZE. Everything could have it's own spot.

Although, living in the city probably would not afford me a walk in closet the size of a room, but a girl can dream, right? 

Where does closet space stack up on your list of things to have in your home? Is it at the top of your list, like it is mine? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with 

Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The Denver Real Estate Market in Review

Nothing could have prepared me for the Denver real estate market this summer. The real estate market in Denver is a stark comparison to the New Hampshire market. I wouldn't even break even if I were to sell my home in New Hampshire but sellers out here can pretty much guarantee making a profit on their home. The demand is high for homes and the inventory was low this summer which drove up demand and prices. So how well was the market 3rd quarter? Well lets just take a look at home many homes were actually listed quarter three and the average price:

Of all those listings on the market during quarter three, most were new listings.

Here are some more numbers to show how great the market was. 

Average days to sell:

July - 25

Aug - 24

Sept - 26

Not only were there a number of listings but things were being sold quickly! Denver's real estate market is one of a kind right now. People continue to move here to raising the demand for homes making it a great time to sell! Did you experience the market recently? What are your thoughts on Denver's real estate market? 

Wondering what your home may be worth? Contact me for a free market analysis of your house! 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Decorating with a View....

Many of condos/lofts downtown Denver have a view and in a lot of cases people will pay big money for it. Often when clients walk into a home with floor to ceiling windows the first question they ask is, "Where will our furniture go?". It can be a daunting task especially when you 'lose' not one but two walls to windows.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you are decorating your condo with a view:

 

Keep the color scheme neutral. The view should be the focal point of the home- paint, wallpaper,  and patterns will distract from the view. 

Furniture should have clean lines. Bulky furniture will deter the eye from the view. 

Move the furniture to the middle of the room. This goes against our natural instinct, we often will use the wall as the parameter of the room. With a view, you have to create a parameter of your own, often away from the wall. 

What other tips do you have while decorating with a view? 

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A Gorgeous Bathroom

How great is all the gold and porcelain white sinks in this bathroom? This may be my dream bathroom! What do you think? 

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The Juliet Balcony

Yesterday I viewed three lofts downtown and all had at least one Juliet Balcony. 

My client originally giggled at the absurdity of the porch- "It doesn't even allow for a chair!" "You just open the doors and hear the street noise". Sure but balconies like those do have a bit of history. Remember this one love story? 

Juliet balconies can be found in many complexes through the city. Although most do not provide the type of space for a lot of outdoor lounging, it is a great option to bring the outside into the home. Juliet balconies in condos are a nice touch because often condos do not have access to the outdoors within the parameters of the unit (with the exception of windows).

 

Of course Juliet balconies don't necessarily need to bring the outside in, they can also be found in the interior of a home. Juliet balconies inside the home can be used to connect different rooms of the home or even different levels. 

How do you feel about Juliet Balconies? Love them? Hate them?

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A Notable Pantry

A pantry is usually one of the must haves in a kitchen. It becomes a place to store all the extra food, canisters, dishes and anything else. What about actually showcasing your pantry like this one? 

 This pantry not only stores the dishes but it allows people to walk in. It can easily become the focal point of the kitchen painted glossy black and with windows on the doors. What do you think, do you like the idea of a walk in pantry? 

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Trusting Yourself in Your Home

So many people tell me they just can't decorate their home. Once they move in they attempt to create a home and then somewhere along the way they stall out. Whether it is a decision that needs to be made about color or furniture position the underlying issue is not trusting themselves.

The one thing that used to drive me crazy about interior design is that it is not a science. As creative as I can be I am also very left brained. I love numbers and analyzing data and I enjoy something CONCRETE. If I am going to put time and energy into something, I want an output. Unfortunately that mentality can not be applied to design. Interior design is subjective.

For me, designing a home is work from the heart and that can never be measured. It just is. That is also what can make designing a home so difficult especially for people that are left brained. But it can be accomplished! I think it can be greatly simplified by just trusting yourself. It is your home and you know what you like best.

When you walk into a department store- what do you end up buying? Do you usually go for the most bold outfit there is? Do you like to go for something neutral that will match with anything? Do you gravitate towards the dress with a lot of frills and lace? These are unconscious decisions you make about your style and the same can be completed with your home. 

  

When facing a design decision notice what your first instinct is. What do you gravitate towards? Try not to focus on what SHOULD work, just notice what you like. Do not over-think it. Keep in mind that design and art, for that matter, are completely subjective. There are no rights or wrongs. Trust yourself that you know what works best in your home for you and your family. Also, keep in mind that design is a PROCESS and it can always been changed as your needs or styles evolves.

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A Living Room to Talk About

The dark teal walls,  mid century modern chair and animal print rug make this one bold room! I am determined to have an animal print rug in my next home. Looking to add some edge into your home with an animal print rug? I have been sourcing animal print rugs so here are a few places online where you can an animal print rug yourself. 

Leopard Rug

Leopard Print By Martha Stewart 

Zebra Print Rug 

...Or Something a little different

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Ode to White Cabinetry in the Kitchen...

I have been working with buyers that are looking for a condo downtown and all the homes have dark wood cabinets in the kitchen. A lot of the places we have been looking at are lofts and the design tends to be more contemporary and modern so it is understandable why the cabinetry isn't white. But it got me thinking, I haven't seen a lot of white cabinetry lately. Am I the only one who really likes the look of white cabinetry in the kitchen?

No doubt white cabinets can be harder to keep clean (especially with kids!) but they can offer a very fresh, airy and crisp feeling in your kitchen.

What cabinetry do you prefer in your kitchen? 

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Adapting to the Mid West Lifestyle

It is a known stereotype that East Coasters can be cold, guarded, mean, fast-paced, high strung, no fun and uptight. And, well, Mid West Coasters are not. They are laid back, live in the moment, spontaneous and fun loving. So here I am - an East Coaster in the Mid West. Hands down it was the best decision for me to me to move out here as I have greatly relaxed. I'm not (such) a control freak. I've attempted to let go. Last weekend I was told I was the nicest East Coaster my new friend had met. I tell you this to prove that I have in fact loosened up since coming to Denver. Let's not talk about the fact that it feel I need to prove to you that I have relaxed.....

I still make an unwarranted attempt, often unsuccessful, to control the outcome of many things. I've realized how guarded I am while explaining certain situations to people in Colorado and then receiving a blank look and a comment about not trusting. I cringe when people say they just "let life happen". What???! How? I'm always five steps ahead of myself.

Which is probably how I found myself on a cement sidewalk on Tuesday morning unsure if I was going to be able to get up. I was rushing to move on to my next task that I missed a step on someone's stairwell and tumbled down to the ground, twisting my ankle on the fall. Finding myself in an ankle brace from the fall seems to be a testament to my East Coast roots. So fine, maybe the West Coasters are on to something. Although, I still find solace in any new friend that is originally from the East Coast. As if we share a dirty little secret of being far too fast paced, uptight and direct in this environment. A common language of short, quick, abrupt statements that brings us together. And, of course.....

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A Perfect Living Room

I found this living room created by LaidLaw Schultz Architects and it is perfection!

The clean lines and white color palette ensure your eyes move to the absolute gorgeous view. Far too many living rooms have the television as the focal point. This room moves the television into your peripheral vision but the placement still allows people on the couch to watch television.

 In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's clients range from first-time home buyers, to sellers, to short sales, to seasoned investors. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The concept of home

Ever since returning back to Denver from New Hampshire I have been a bit unsettled. It was almost like visiting New Hampshire and realizing that it was no longer home accentuated the fact that Denver is not home yet. I have not settled in Denver yet. I have a bedroom and bathroom in one part of the city but boxes of my things in storage units through the city. 

It has made me think a lot about what home is. Is it a physical place or is it where your heart is? For me, home is more of a feeling. A feeling of safety, comfort, order, harmony, family. I do not know if I could ever be at home in my heart without having a physical home. One of my favorite things to do at my home in New Hampshire was to come home to an empty house on a Friday night and catch up on all my shows that I missed during the week. I would relax on my soft microsuede couch with an blanket over me which would always leave me with cold feet. That is home.

Every Sunday I would go to the grocery store early and spend the day prepping my meals for the week. I would cook all day until my feet hurt from standing too long and my hands were raw. In the fall and winter I would stand hunched over the over making chilli or soup and comfort baked goods. That is home. 

I drove past my condo in New Hampshire while I was there. I wanted to make sure it was still intact. I have great tenants but being 2,000 miles away anything could happen. Pulling into the driveway that I pulled into for five straight years was strange. It was no longer home. I was completely detached from a place I called home for years. 

Since New Hampshire was no longer considered home, I was anticipating an intense feeling of 'home

 when I came back to Denver. As I was turning the keys in my door, I didn't get that feeling. I waited all day for that feeling. I went to bed hoping this exuberant feeling of comfort and calm would come over me. It did not. 

I am slowly starting the process of finding a more permanent home for me. A place to call my own, where I can finally unpack all the boxes from my 2 bedroom condo in New Hampshire. It is a weird process though since I physically still have a home in New Hampshire. I am hesitant to pull the trigger on any place here (which in this current market- hesitation does not work in your favor). I am waiting to feel more settled but maybe after a huge life change, you just have to slowly put the pieces back in place to feel settled again.

What does home mean to you? Is it merely a physical place? Or is it emotional for you? Could you call anywhere home?