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Here are four ideas to keep in mind when designing a home that embodies understated luxury.

Keep It Casual

Above all else, your living area should feel comfortable and functional rather than overly decorative.

Muted Tones

Shades of white and gray or natural earth tones are ideal for a low-key ambience.

Quality Materials

Casual luxury is often conveyed through the careful use of high-end materials that are always in style, like marble countertops or hand-planed wood floors.

Old Meets New

Old world craftsmanship will always be fashionable. But dont be afraid to juxtapose it with contemporary or modern furnishings.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you’re in need of a few more storage spaces, or you’re simply tired of drab walls, these tricks will help you organize and beautify your home.

Fake Built-in Shelving

If you have cubby shelves, give them a flip and watch your space feel roomier than ever. Not only will you be maximizing your storage space, but your eye will also be drawn toward the ceiling, giving your room a taller and larger appearance.

Embrace the Loft

With their space-saving design, loft beds provide a great way to get multiple furniture pieces into a room for your child or teenager. With more sleek designs created for smaller spaces, the loft bed is a trend that even adults can get behind.

Picture or Photo Ledges

A photo ledge may provide extra visual interest and functional storage. Used creatively, photo ledges can be placed in the kitchen to store cutting boards, spices and recipe books. In the bathroom, they can hold a nail polish or makeup collection for easy access and a playful display of color.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Natural stone is prized for its appealing look and impressive durability. For some homeowners, it makes an obvious choice for floors, most commonly seen in kitchens, bathrooms and foyers. The hard part, however, can be picking out the right one. If youre considering installing natural stone floors in your home, heres what you should know beforehand.

Luxurious Options
Chances are theres an option thats right for your home no matter what your preferred style is. Slate floors can work well in a rustic setting but are equally suited to modern interiors with a black or gray color scheme. Marble is, of course, a timeless favorite for a decidedly upscale aesthetic, whereas travertine floors are perfect for creating a look thats formal, yet warm. Limestone and sandstone are two other popular choices that can contribute to an earthy aesthetic with beige- and cream-colored tones. If youre struggling to find the right shade or texture, granite is always an excellent material that comes in a wide range of colors and patterns.

Grading Factors
Aside from appearance, there are a variety of grades and ratings assigned to natural stone that will help you to determine the most practical option. For floors, important factors to consider are strength, abrasion resistance, stain resistance and absorption rating (for your countertops, youll also want to check if the stone is sensitive to acids). Depending on the quality of the stone, these grades can vary, though the most common weakness for different types of natural stone is absorption rating. While granite and slate tend to fair the best in this category, sealants can help to protect other natural stones from absorption and staining.

Outdoor Applications
If youre planning to use natural stone for your new terrace or patio, there are other factors to take into account, such as freeze-thaw cycling. When water is absorbed and temperatures drop below freezing point, the water will turn to ice and expand, which then cracks the stone. Coefficient of friction is another one to keep in mind, as this corresponds to the traction that youll feel, which is especially important when walking on this surface in the rain.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you are looking for a new home and have limited funds, a foreclosed property might be a bargain. Foreclosed homes are often sold below market price. If you find one in good condition, you may be able to get a lot more house than you would otherwise be able to afford, but you need to consider all potential expenses.

Dont Forget About Closing Costs
Closing costs are fees to process a mortgage, perform a title search and satisfy other requirements to transfer ownership of a property. They typically total about 2 to 5 percent of the sale price, depending on the location and the companies involved in each aspect of the process, and are usually paid by the buyer.

When purchasing a house, people sometimes dont think about closing costs or are surprised at how high the total figure turns out to be. Closing costs will still be required if you buy a house in foreclosure, but you might be able to lower or avoid them, depending on the circumstances.

Whats the Condition of the Property?
A vacant property is subject to neglect, vandalism and theft. Homeowners who are facing foreclosure have even been known to vandalize their own homes out of anger before being evicted.

A foreclosed property is sold as-is. A bank may pay for repairs to make a home inhabitable, but other problems are left for the new owner to handle. A bank selling a foreclosed property may not be aware of all problems and may not disclose problems even if it knows about them.

The Seller May Be Willing to Negotiate on Closing Costs
If a significant amount of time has passed since the lender foreclosed on the property, the company is probably eager to get the house off its hands. Every day that a property sits vacant, its condition can deteriorate, which can make it harder to sell. If the lender has struggled to find a buyer, it might be willing to pay some or all of the closing costs as an incentive for you to buy the property.

If the seller wont budge on closing costs, your mortgage lender might be willing to roll them into the total amount of your loan. That means youd have a higher monthly payment and possibly also a higher interest rate. If you are short on cash now, however, you might be willing to accept the greater long-term costs to buy the house you want, especially if youre getting it below market rate.

Get Professional Advice
Buying a house in foreclosure may be a smart move, depending on the amount of work the house needs and the cost. If you decide to purchase a house that has been on the market for a while, you may be able to negotiate an agreement with the seller to reduce or eliminate your closing costs. Discuss the specifics with your real estate agent, and ask for advice on how to proceed.

Published with permission from RISMedia.