HomeKeepr Blog

Hooboy. You’ve finally bought a house, but the paint is so, so dark. “It’s only paint,” you told yourself as you walked through the place, and repeated at your walkthrough prior to closing. “It’s only paint.” And while it’s true that it’s only paint, and paint can always be painted over, going over dark walls is a much different story than trying to paint over light colored walls. Reds, purples, browns, and dark grays are particularly tricky, though anything with much pigment can pose a significant challenge if you’re not prepared. But don’t worry, we’ve put our best painting tips together to help you conquer your dark wall challenges.

Radiators have been around for a long time and are a staple of many heating systems, especially in older homes. They often provide heat throughout the winter at a lower energy cost than some other heating options, since true to their name they allow heat to passively radiate into the surrounding air. Unfortunately, some older radiator systems can require a lot of maintenance to keep in service year after year and may not be the best at providing even heat in your home.

Your home’s windows fill a number of important roles. They let natural light into the house, allow you to see what’s going on outside, and serve as a barrier against inclement weather. Unfortunately, your windows aren’t immune to the ravages of time, weather, and various other hazards that can damage or weaken them. You may find yourself in a position where you have to replace one or more windows in your home, especially if you’re hoping to prevent drafts and leaks heading into the winter.

Having access to a sink when you need one is a great convenience. Most people are used to having sinks in their kitchen and bathrooms, but there are other locations where a sink can come in handy as well. Installing a utility sink in these areas can make tasks such as laundry and cleaning easier, while also keeping you from having to dump things like cleaning wastewater into your kitchen or bathroom sink.

Maybe you’re adding an expansion onto your home, constructing a standalone storage building in the back yard, or undertaking some other major construction project. Whatever it is that you’re building, you likely already know that big construction jobs can carry big costs. If you haven’t budgeted for the job correctly, though, you might end up surprised at how big some of these costs can be.

When most people think of flooring, they picture things like carpet, wood flooring, tiles, and other common floor coverings. There are other options available to homeowners though, including concrete floors. While concrete was once seen mostly in places like basements and garages, it’s becoming increasingly common in the main floor of homes as well. Concrete flooring with built-in radiant heating systems is becoming a lot more popular, especially in areas that tend to have more severe winters.

Bathrooms are one of the most important rooms in the house. Despite this, they tend to get a bit less attention than other rooms when it comes to how they look. If you find yourself worrying that you have a less-than-beautiful bathroom, you’re in luck; the bathroom is also one of those rooms where a relatively simple change can make a big difference in the overall look. In fact, something as seemingly simple as changing your faucet can have a major impact on how you and your guests view your bathroom.

Your mailbox likely isn’t a feature of your home that you think about very often, but it can actually have a big impact on how people view your home. This is especially true if your mailbox is rusty, damaged, or otherwise has obviously seen better days. Giving your mailbox a facelift can make a big difference in how your home looks, even if your mailbox is a standalone unit that sits up by the road.

If you’ve been looking for a stylish and durable material for floors, countertops, or other surfaces, there are few finishes more timeless than terrazzo. A material in use in some form for at least 600 years, terrazzo continues to dazzle and dominate in all kinds of locations in the modern home.