San Carlos Made The Top 10 Cities to Live in In California!

I have lived in San Carlos now for 25 years.  It has a small town feel, great schools, a vibrant downtown, and yet is close to three metropolitan areas and international airports making it a great location for jobs and travel.  Who could ask for more?

www.movoto.com/ca/best-places-in-california/

Defend the Trend: Are Mixed Metals Classy or Too Brassy?

by Briana Mowrey January 10, 2014 BRIANA: It’s 2014, which means we’ve got a whole new class of trends to defend…or not. One look that stood out on House Beautiful’s 2014 design trends list was mixed metallics. Our own Brian Patrick Flynn played with different shades of gold in a recent office makeover. So, what do you think? Have you taken a shine to mixing silver and gold or do you think metals should stay solo?

MARIANNE: I am all for it. I don’t decorate with silver or chrome much but I love to mix warm metallics like gold, copper, and brass. I mean, get a load of this glamour kitchen from designer Jean Louis Deniot. Hubba hubba:

CAMILLE: Metallics are neutrals, so it’s always okay to mix them. HANNAH SLAUGHTER: I like mixing metals but tend to stick to small groups of accessories. If you’re going to do it in a whole room, you better have the money to a) pay to do it with the top notch stuff and b) change it – metallics look dated so quickly. GRANT: I can’t mix metals. A while back, I was looking around my house when something horrifying came into focus — all the hardware was different! Kitchen knobs were silver, chandelier was gold — doorknobs to outside were nickel, while interior door hardware was brassy gold. How I missed this for so long is beyond me. But once the issue was on my radar, I couldn’t get that mess corrected fast enough. From doorknobs to door hinges to ceiling fan pulls to cabinetry hardware, everything is now nickel — and I am at peace. ALYSSA: I’ve mixed metals with my jewelry, so I say it translates just as well to home design. KAYLA: Same here, Alyssa. And considering my home is one big room, it’s impossible for me to not mix metals. So I’m hoping I get a resounding “do it!” from the team. NANCY FIRE, Design Director of HGTV HOME: I’m all about the mix. It works in our HGTV HOME Heavy Metal trend story and [we're] getting great feedback from on-air response. Also, anything that BPF does looks fab!! ! KERI: Metallics are my jam. I love any and all of them. I love the industrial look, and I feel like you can’t achieve that without mixing your metals. It’s fun and a lot less stuffy than an all gold or silver space. ALYSSA: Kayla — I feel like Keri’s answer is actually what you wanted to hear. (re: industrial) FARIMA: I’m all about gold, but I love mixing too. You really can’t go wrong with shiny! NANCY FIRE, Design Director of HGTV HOME: I am at Heimtextil in Germany and they are all over industrial mixes with metallic. It looks hip and NOT tacky at all…updated and very cool!! - See more at: http://blog.hgtv.com/design/2014/01/10/mixed-metals-trend/#sthash.69zSCVP3.dpuf

Boomerang Buyers Flying Back

by The KCM Crew on January 17, 2014 in Infographics

Note: “Boomerang buyers” are former homeowners who have gone through a short sale, foreclosure, or bankruptcy in the past few years and are saving up for a down payment to purchase a home again.

https://www.customerlobby.com/reviews/159/the-clarke-team/ 

How to Make the Most of a Tiny Kitchen

By Good Housekeeping | At Home – 01/06/2014 - By Sherry Rujikarn

 
Smart ways our food editor maximized space in her tiny kitchen

Our food editor loves to cook but doesn't have much space to do it in. Here's how she reorganized things to make the most of her small kitchen.

 

When I renovated my small, galley-style kitchen in my New York City apartment, there were some major space issues that I really wanted to address. I had never seemed to have the time or energy to deal with them before, so I seized the opportunity -- and total upheaval -- of the reno to completely reorganize. Here were my biggest small-space concerns and how I tackled them.

Issue #1: Not enough counter space
Counter space is a precious commodity in any kitchen, but particularly in a small one. Without enough room to spread out, cooking can quickly devolve into a stressful nightmare. To free up more counter space, I installed a long, wall-mounted magnetic knife strip, thus eliminating the need for a space-hogging knife block. The magnetic strip also more easily accommodated my eclectic collection of knives (3 chef's knives, 3 paring, 2 serrated, 1 extra long slicer, 1 cleaver, 1 boning knife, and more) that would never fit in one block anyway. If you have small kids, place the knife strip high enough so it's out of their reach or storing your knives in a drawer, if you have one to spare. 

Issue #2: Too many unused tools out on the counter
To pick what I stored on my counter vs. stashed in the drawer, I just had to sit down and viciously weed out tools that I don't use on a daily basis. I wanted to go from three crocks on my counter for holding cooking utensils to two. Potato masher and balloon whisk? In the drawer you go! Wooden spoons and tongs? Stay right where you are. Everybody's list of regular-use tools will be slightly different, so you have to decide for yourself which ones are your countertop essentials.

Issue #3: Limited access to pots and pans
I have so many pots and pans and I love and use them all. But my cookware hoarding meant I also had to store pots stacked in tall towers two rows deep under my kitchen sink. This made it difficult (and loud!) to access all but the ones at the tops of the front-most stacks. When I replaced all the cabinets in my kitchen, I knew I wanted to install at least a couple of deep, wide drawers to hold short stacks of my pots. Now my cookware is super easy to identify and reach. We have similar drawers at the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and they are fantastic. For my skillets, I installed metal shelving from which we hang them in a neat little row -- now they're both part of the décor and within easy reach.
  
Issue #4: Using the oven as storage
Like many who live in a typical, New York City apartment, I use my oven for storage (pans, cookie sheets, etc.), but it made it such a hassle every time I wanted to, you know, actually use my oven. This meant being ruthless once more and actually getting rid of never-used/broken items, like that thermal lunchbox someone gave me 5 years ago, storage containers with no lids, and some splintered bamboo placemats. With a little purging, shifting, and rearranging, everything I really need has its space and my oven is free and clear any time I need to roast or bake. 

Issue #5: Hard to get into lower cabinets
I was so excited when my deep cabinets were installed. Extra storage space, huzzah! The ones that were drawers worked beautifully, but we quickly realized that it would be impossible to access the things located in the back of the shelf-only, lower cabinets; at least not without crouching and pulling everything out. Been there, done that, and hated it. We toyed with the idea of plastic bins/baskets, but those were impractical and hard to organize. Instead, we found these great roll-out metal racks that screw into your cabinet/shelf. They come in sizes/shapes to accommodate both larger items like food processors and mixers, as well as lids. I was able to install these in less than an hour with only a drill and a little determination.

7 Simple Home Makeovers You Can Do This Year

By Babble.com | At Home – 01/06/2014 -By Jacinda Boneau

It might not be spring yet, but that doesn't mean you can't make a few tweaks to freshen up your home. After the holidays I tend to get a little crazy about cleaning. We like to get rid of old toys and clothes we never wear, and do an overall clean sweep of the house. These fresh starts for your home are simple ways that you can make changes without spending a ton. Start out small by bringing in more house plants to liven the house with green. This is especially great if you are feeling covered in snow. Freshen up the bathroom and bedrooms with new sets of towels and sheets. Even just moving photos and furniture around can make a difference. Seeking a little inspiration? Scroll down for 7 simple home makeovers you can do this year! 

1. New Hand Towels - Get a new set of hand towels. 

2. Iron your Sheets - Revive the feel of your room by ironing your sheets. 

3. Bleach Your Whites - Nothing says fresh start like bright whites. Spend the day bleaching all your whites and making your clothes feel brand-new.

4. Change Out Lamp Shades - Change your lampshades. This is a great way to update the look of your house without spending a fortune. 

5. Buy a New Doormat - Doormats are often overused and neglected. Change them every few months to brighten up the house. 

6. Bring Plants Indoors - What better way to freshen up a house with some fresh plants? Just don't forget to water.

7. Paint a Room - Paint a room or even just a wall. A fresh coat of paint can make a world of difference in a house.

The #1 Reason You Should Sell Now

by The KCM Crew on January 13, 2014 in For Sellers

The price of any item (including residential real estate) is determined by ‘supply and demand’. If many people are looking to buy an item and the supply of that item is limited, the price of that item increases.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the supply of homes for sale dramatically increases every spring. Putting your home on the market now instead of waiting for the increased competition of the spring might make a lot of sense.

Buyers in the market during the winter months are truly motivated purchasers. They want to buy now. With limited inventory available in most markets currently, a seller will be in a great position to negotiate.

Monthly Home Maintenance - January – Decluttering and Organizing

• Take down, clean and store holiday ornaments, decorations and exterior lights.

• Put away all of those holiday gifts.
  
• While you are making room for your new gifts, take the opportunity
  to go through your closet and get rid of things you haven’t used for
  a year.
  
• Do end-of-the-year accounting and set-up a file folder for the current
  year’s taxes. 
  
  For a complete list of all 12  months maintenance, please call or email me.
  
  Kelly Clarke
  sold@clarketeam.com
  650-489-5399