From cooking to working to entertaining, kitchens are doing triple duty these days. If you have an open floor plan, your kitchen will always be on view. Get the most out of the hardest working room with upgrades chosen at your builder’s design center. Not sure where to start? We have some ideas.

Start with Countertops

Your counters receive the most wear and tear. Upgrading them can mean the difference between a kitchen you love and costly renovations down the road. If granite countertops are standard, consider upgrading to quartz. The material is nearly indestructible, resists staining and unlike granite, never needs to be resealed. It is also antimicrobial.

Move on to Cabinets

Renovating kitchen cabinets down the road is time-consuming and expensive. Why not get cabinets you love now? Invest in cabinets that touch the ceiling. You will get extra storage space, a designer look and won’t have to dust the tops. Splurge for painted cabinets in a complimentary color to your countertops. If you want to display treasured kitchen items, look into glass cabinet inserts.

What About Drawers?

Rummaging through drawers to find your favorite spatula isn’t fun. Ask your builder to install an organization system. Another great upgrade is a pots and pans drawer. These drawers are deeper than standard so storing and locating saucepans is a snap. You can also use them to store small appliances such as coffee grinders and blenders.

Upgrade Your Island

Island kitchens are pretty standard these days, but they aren’t all built the same. Install an oversized island to ensure enough room for prepping food and talking to guests. Waterfall islands add beauty to your kitchen. A tabletop island gives you more dining space.

Check Out the Appliances

Upgrading appliances doesn’t just mean going from regular to chef-quality products. This is the time to add a double oven, undercounter wine fridge or beverage station, second microwave or decorative vent hood. Research the options your builder offers and see what will work best for you.

Stylish Backsplashes

Add some pizazz to your kitchen by upgrading your backsplash. Colorful tile, metal or glass help individualize your kitchen, making it yours. A solid stone backsplash is going to be easier to clean.

Undercabinet Lighting

Undercabinet lighting makes food preparation easier. The glow is subtle and ambient — a good choice for when you are entertaining but don’t want harsh overhead lighting.

Built-in Desks

You could turn a spare bedroom into an extra study, or you could ask your builder to install a planning desk. Built-in desks provide extra office or homework space. They also allow you to work while keeping an eye on the kids.

Design centers can be as large as a warehouse or as small as the builder’s model home. Their size doesn’t matter, but the choices you make there do. After all, you will be living with that subway tile backsplash for years to come. Navigating design centers can be overwhelming, but proper preparation before your appointment will reduce stress and ensure you make the choices that are right for you.

Create a Mood Board

Think of a mood board as a style blueprint. This is how you ensure that your choices create the vibe you want in each room of your new home. Mood boards include photos, Pinterest boards, paint chips, fabric swatches and more. Search Houzz, Architectural Digest and grandma’s attic — whatever speaks to you design-wise. See what the common threads are. Do you gravitate to certain colors, patterns and aesthetics? Finally, make sure everything you’ve gathered is portable as you will be taking it to your appointment.

Think About How You Live

We utilize our homes in different ways. Some people love to entertain, others just want to curl up with a good book in front of the fire. How you imagine living in your new home will influence your design decisions. Think about how your current home could be improved. You will want to add those things to your wish list.

Set a Budget

If you want to deviate from the standard choices, expect to pay. Decide which rooms are the most important. Don’t scrimp on the things that are important to you or you will quickly become dissatisfied with your new home. It’s usually recommended to budget 10 percent of the base price of your home for upgrades, so for a $200,0000 home, you would want to budget an extra $20,000 for upgrades.

Price Renovations

Why would you price renovations? Because you may want to renovate at some point, and you need to know how easy it will be. Most people understand that structural changes such as adding a study room is best handled by your builder. However, pulling up a tile floor to install a hardwood floor later might be more expensive than you think, in which case rolling the cost of that floor into your mortgage makes more sense.

Think About Value

If you have limited funds for upgrades, opt for the ones that increase the value of your home. Your Realtor is a good person to consult. He or she knows what home buyers are looking for and can steer you in the right direction. In general, upgrades to the kitchen, flooring and primary suite retain their value.

Be Candid

When you get to the design center be candid with your designer. Tell them your budget, show them your mood board. Be prepared to ask them to price multiple options for you. Ask if you can take pictures of the design choices you’ve made so you don’t wake up in a cold sweat wondering if the paint color matches the countertop in the kitchen. Ask if you can pay for another meeting in addition to what your builder gives you. If you are overwhelmed, it can be useful to go home, think some more and come back ready to start again.

 

 

A beautiful home at an affordable price. That’s value. But value means nothing if your home doesn’t include the features you need to make life comfortable for your family. That’s where Adams Homes and Plan 2335 come in.

The four-bedroom design focuses on what’s important — comfort and convenience.

The kitchen is spacious with plenty of cupboard and counter space. Serve after-school snacks at the breakfast bar while prepping dinner. A large walk-in pantry keeps you organized. The family room is spacious enough to entertain in. Open the door to the covered lanai so guests can take their wine outside and admire the stars.

The primary suite boasts a view of the lanai through oversized windows. A well-appointed bath features a convenient built-in linen closet, so you aren’t using up valuable closet space to store towels. Speaking of closets, there is a large walk-in closet in the bath. Dual sinks and an oversized glass shower complete the spa-like amenities.

Upstairs, you will find another linen cabinet as well as a storage closet. The second-floor utility room cuts down on the amount of laundry you need to haul up and down the stairs. An entertainment loft is a place the family can gather for video game competitions or just a Friday night movie. Two bedrooms offer walk-in closets where the kids can store toys. A third bedroom is available for guests.

Plan 2335 is one of four designs Adams Homes offers in Vanbrooke. Plans range from 1,915 to 2,335 square feet and are priced from the mid $220,000s. Homes feature spacious family rooms, kitchens with miles of counter space, primary suites with spa-inspired baths and enormous walk-in closets and two-car garages.

It’s the holidays and if you’re like us, you plan to churn out dozens of sweet treats.

The best way to do that is with a spectacular kitchen — like the ones Vanbrooke residents enjoy. What are they cooking up? Everything from cookies for the exchange to showstopping desserts to close out the feast. Check out our favorite recipes.

For the Kids

Many hands make light work, so put your little elves to work creating scrumptious treats with kid-friendly recipes like these easy chocolate-dipped candy canes.  No snow? No problem. The kids can still make snowmen with a little help from Wilton. Turn kids lose without turning on the oven with these adorable, no-bake mini gingerbread houses. With a little help, even the littlest elf can decorate these cute snowman cupcakes.

For the Gift Bags

The sweetest gifts are the ones you make yourself. Help a busy mom get a holiday breakfast on the table with Ree Drummond’s berry-nut pancake mix. Impress the neighbors with your baking skills when you hand them a box of delicious Linzer cookies. Don’t just give the gift of cookies. Give friends the ability to make even more with this festive loaded holiday cookie mix. If quick breads are more your speed, try this lovely lemon-glazed Earl Grey tea bread.

For The Cookie Exchange

Everyone has a favorite cookies recipe they love sharing, but if you are looking for something distinctly different for this year’s exchange, why not try Martha Stewart’s coconut-pistachio biscotti. We think these gingerbread cowboy boot cookies will get rave reviews. Forgot the swap is today? Whip up these no-bake waffle dippers in no time.

For the Holiday Movies

‘Tis the season for watching every holiday movie ever made. And what’s a movie without snacks? Give popcorn a holiday twist serve your family salted pecan caramel popcorn alongside the movie Elf. Rudolf had a very shiny nose and this delicious reindeer chow. Snuggle up with a Hallmark movie and hot chocolate prepared four different ways.

For the Traditionally Minded

Traditions are important, so create some with these traditional holiday recipes. Run, run as fast as you can to bake up these Alex Guarnaschelli gingerbread men. Santa loves a classic so why not bake up a batch of classic sugar cookies? Trifle is a British tradition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it your own. Can anyone eat just one rum ball? We’re pretty sure this fruitcake is a tradition people will actually look forward to.

For the Showstoppers

An elegant dessert should be the highlight of any holiday meal. Your guests may have never heard of a semifreddo but that won’t stop them from gobbling up this brandy and mascarpone one. No matter how stuffed your guests are, they won’t be able to say no to a Black Forest mousse cake with cherry-chile-pomegranate glaze. Yes, Bundt cake can be elegant. Will they be talking about your salted caramel chocolate tart for Christmases to come? Duh.

It’s autumn landscaping season in Texas. Now that the weather has cooled, it’s a perfect time to get outside and get your hands dirty doing what you love and beautifying your lawn and garden.

Autumn in Texas is an ideal time for cutting, cleaning and clearing your lawn and garden. It’s also a great time to fertilize and mulch, as these elements will keep your soil healthy over the winter. You’ll also need to add plenty of moisture, prepare your garden beds and plant your bulbs, winter veggies and other cool weather-loving plants.

If you’re still learning the ropes, never fear. While it may seem overwhelming, there are only five things you need to do to keep your outdoor space in good health over the cooler months. To keep your lawn and garden healthy read more about our five steps to success.

Cut, clean and clear

It’s time to hop on the riding mower or push your favorite push mower on a lower setting. Two and a half inches is recommended this time of year to keep your lawn short and healthy.

It’s also time to clip your flower bed for the following year. Some perennials can’t stand the cold. Check your Farmer’s Almanac or the online Farmer’s Almanac winter weather forecast to see if you’re getting a bad frost in your area this year. If so, you may want to consider clipping back some of your daintier perennials.

Plus, you should take this time to clear out your summer annuals from the garden bed to make room for new plants come spring. You’ll also want to clear the leaves and grass clippings from your lawn to add on top of your compost and underneath your mulch for an extra layer of warmth and fertilizer. Your spring garden bed will thank you.

Fertilize and mulch

Speaking of fertilizing and mulching, autumn is the best time to prepare your lawn and garden for the spring. It’s a great time to flip your soil, dig out dead areas and add a nice layer or two of fertilizer or compost and then a layer of mulch, dried lawn clippings and compost. This layer will help keep your garden soil healthy, keep weeds at bay and prepare for spring planting.

When it comes to the lawn, you should also fertilize while the weather is cool in late October and November. When you aerate in the spring, your fertilizer will already be well embedded into the grass and the rich soil beneath it.

If you insist on removing leaves from the lawn, place them in your garden beds as a natural fertilizer and mulch. You may also leave your leaves (without large branches) in your lawn and run them down with your mower. The bits of leaves will be small enough not to kill your grass, and since leaves naturally fertilize the ground, they’ll leave your yard healthier. However, leaving leaves isn’t for everyone. Sometimes there are just too many. Some people have dogs and don’t want messes to be hidden in a bunch of leaves. If you need to clear them for whatever reason, they can be added to your compost or to your garden bed, away from your lawn.

Water deeply and thoroughly

Now that the sun isn’t baking the ground, it’s a great time to water deeply and thoroughly. It’s also a great time to have your sprinkler system tuned up.

Be sure to allow a longer period of watering so the ground gets plenty of moisture before the weather gets cold. You will want one inch or more of thoroughly wet soil before the winter sets in, especially if you are planting autumn plants. Then, if you are in an area where you need to winterize your sprinkler system, you can go ahead and do so. While winterizing, have a professional check your system for any leaks or any other issues so you can be sure it will work properly in the spring.

Make your beds

Whether you prefer to plant directly on the ground or build a raised garden bed to keep wildlife away, now is the time to make your garden beds.

Garden beds are particularly easy to DIY. Just be sure to choose sturdy, unfinished wood if building a bed with lumber. Small garden beds can be made from unbleached cardboard boxes or small wooden boards. Modular, raised garden beds can be made from many materials including unfinished wood, recycled plastic bins or metal tubs.

Whatever materials you choose, once you’ve raised your garden bed, it’s time to compost and plant.

Plant

Exactly what can you plant in the fall? Many wonderful vegetables, shrubs, trees, bulbs and perennials! Autumn is a wonderful time for planting things that will thrive year-round.

In autumn, you can begin planting your cool weather vegetables. These include garlic, lettuce, onions, spinach and turnips. You can even start your seeds for beets and carrots.

It’s also a great time to plant new evergreen shrubs. If you plant Autumn Sage or Damianita in late autumn, their root systems will establish better than planting any other time of year. Be sure to keep them watered through the winter months to keep them green and healthy.

Late October and November are also perfect for planting new trees in Texas. In cooler weather, the tree’s roots will grow strong, preparing for spring growth and flowering.

October and early November are good months for planting perennials. Cooler weather keeps your plants happier, especially those that don’t do well in the hot Texas summer. You can plant just about anything right now. You might even consider sowing wildflower seeds like Indian Paintbrush and bluebonnets.

And don’t forget about bulbs. Daffodils, tulips, oxblood lilies, hyacinth and other bulbs will bloom beautifully in the spring. Be sure to read the directions when you buy your bulbs to plant them deep enough and keep your flower bed watered. You can even plant annuals now such as pansies and petunias.

Also, don’t forget to sit outside and enjoy the monarch butterflies and migrating hummingbirds! If you have bright autumn blooms, the butterflies and birds will love to visit your garden. Be sure to put out some nectar and a water source for them. And enjoy the fresh air, beautiful views, and autumn colors.