Martin Cooper

There’s a lot of information out there on how to make your home more energy efficient. While it’s all meant to be helpful, some of the advice is not the most practical. Not all of us can afford to install solar panels or to buy all new appliances. With that in mind, we’ve brought you a few budget-friendly ways to save on energy. Read on to learn how to start lowering your utility bills. An energy audit will take stock of your home’s strengths and weaknesses. Image: tommaso79/Shutterstock Get an energy audit If you’re unsure of where to start with making your home more energy efficient , having an energy audit done is a great first step. Also known as an energy assessment, these audits are designed to take stock of how much energy your home is currently using, to identify problem areas where energy might be being wasted and to offer suggestions on how to solve those issues. As for how to get an auditor out to your home, calling your electric or gas utility company may be your best

In the U.S., fire departments respond to one fire every 88 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association . Cooking is the most common cause of home fires and smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths. But there are many other ways that you could inadvertently start a fire. These are some of the hidden fire sources in your home. Don’t store batteries near metal. Image: Mariva2017/Shutterstock Batteries All batteries pose a fire risk, even those with a weak charge, according to Craig Gjelsten, VP of Operations at  Rainbow International , which restores damage caused by fire, water and mold. Gjelsten says that 9-volt batteries are the biggest fire culprit. Since their terminals are in close proximity, they can easily short. “I recommend a battery storage case or just leave batteries in their original packaging instead of lying around loose.” Gjelsten also recommends storing batteries standing upright and placing electrical tape over the ends of each battery —

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. There’s a new stone that’s taking over marble’s popularity — and it’s onyx. Are you wondering what the difference is between onyx vs. marble? Onyx is actually a type of marble  and it has many of the same properties. The difference is the stunning patterns and veining in each slab. Onyx comes in varying degrees of patterns and a rainbow of stunning colors. Many of the most popular onyx colors — like jade, mint, light pink and warm tan — work well with today’s on-trend colors. Dusty pastels and earth tones are the hottest colors at the moment and the warm tones of onyx stone tie in with the look. Image: Philipp Shuruev/Shutterstock An interesting quality of onyx is its lack of opacity. Onyx is more translucent than marble, making it a great stone for lighting or for creative purposes like a backlit wall or surface that casts a glow and enhances the

We hope you like the products we recommend. Just so you are aware, Freshome may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. When designing a home office, it’s common to get completely focused on what you’ll put in it and where everything should go. You might worry about what kind of desk you should get, how many chairs you should have, if you need a sofa and how the shelving will work in the space. These are all important considerations. However, another large part of your home office is the color scheme. The color scheme will define the look and feel of the space, so it’s important to think about it as you plan or redesign a home office. Below, we’ll look at home office color schemes for some inspiration. White is a classic go-to for any room. Image: Photographee.eu/Shutterstock White Monochrome in Home Office Color Schemes If you want your office to look modern, you can’t go wrong with a white monochrome color scheme, like in the photo above. White monochrome color s

The transitional bathroom is the most popular bathroom design style, according to the 2019 Bathroom Design Trends report by the National Kitchen + Bath Association. And according to trend spotter Elle H-Millard , Industry Relations Manager at the NKBA (and also a cast member on season 2 of HGTV’s Design Star), the transitional style is projected to remain the most popular style for the next three years. But what is a transitional bathroom and how can you get the transitional look? Easily accessible spaces are a trademark of transitional design. Image: Dit26978/Getty Images A mix of two styles A transitional bathroom can have several meanings, according to Joan Kaufman, Licensed Interior Designer and President of Interior Planning & Design in Naperville, IL. “Most commonly, transitional refers to the style that is between traditional and contemporary,” she says. “The style would be more clean lines, yet not overly contemporary, with a warm, comfortable feeling that is not to

Don’t let hallway lighting be an afterthought. Use this guide to light your hallway well. Image: Svet_Feo/Shutterstock Lighting is important. Interior designers, real estate agents and staging pros will all tell you it’s true. If you want your home or apartment to feel inviting, it needs to be well lit. That’s pretty straightforward in most of your home. You put a lamp on your nightstand. You hang a pendant above your dining table. But what about the smaller, trickier spaces? Specifically, how do you light your hallway well? Because hallways are so narrow, they present two problems. First, the minimal available floor space necessitates a certain kind of light. And, of course, it’s the harder type of light. You can’t simply place a lamp here. When you need to light your hallway but keep walkways clear, mounted lighting is your only option. The other hallway lighting challenge results, again, from the hallway’s narrow design, which can make it feel claustrophobic. Your hallway needs

Zillow polled their readers and uncovered that “homeowners want a faster, simpler selling option.” Zillow Offers is their answer. The service by Zillow basically buys your home on your schedule in as little as two business days (if you qualify). Zillow wants to make the home selling process fast and simple. Image: PureRadiancePhoto/Shutterstock How Zillow Offers Works The process starts online with a simple questionnaire to answer basic info about your home, like: The number of bedrooms and bathrooms Square feet Major changes you’ve made that aren’t in the public record The date by which you’d like to sell Next, you’ll submit current photos to help the agent price your home accordingly. If your home qualifies, you’ll receive an email offer within two business days. This is a cash offer! You then have three days to respond to the offer or it expires. According to Zillow, you’ll receive an offer via email in two business days. Image: fivepointsix/Shutterstock If you acc

Choosing the right paint color for every room of your barndominium is easy when you’ve already created the perfect color palette. Image courtesy of PPG – Modern Farmhouse Palette . You may be new to the barndominium style, but this pretty and practical home style is gaining in popularity. Barndominiums, nicknamed “barndos,” got their start as a practical living option. Many farmers and ranchers created a loft area above a working barn so that animal caretakers could stay close by. Today, the popularity of barndominiums has evolved into luxury homes and vacation rentals, especially in upscale rural areas with ranch land and vineyards. Fixer Upper’s Chip and Joanna Gaines remodeled a barndominium on their show, creating a social media buzz about these unique homes. Most barndo construction uses a steel shell, then adds tons of interior customization options. Entertaining is a breeze with large doors and windows that flow outside. Image: Mint Images/Getty Images The Advantages of