Kirk V. Hamlet

You don't have to be an interior design expert to add some flair to your home . Whether the furniture or walls are looking a bit tired or you're still using fluorescent light bulbs, there are numerous easy fixes to bring your residence up to snuff. If your house is still stuck in the 20th century, make 2019 the year that it reflects some of the recent trends. It doesn't have to be costly to add some signature pieces to accent your home. Explore new colors for your walls, replace furniture that is worn or lacking appeal or buy that piece of art you've been eyeing for awhile. Read our interior design tips to help you keep your home up-to-date and looking fabulous.

Improve Your World With These Garden Resolutions We can all do a little more to improve the world. Why not start in your own garden with these very easy garden resolutions. Every little bit helps! Start Composting Composting is easy, reduces waste, and gives you back great soil to put back in the garden. Why send garden and food waste to a landfill, which would waste fuel, emit pollution, and take up valuable space, when you can keep it cleanly tucked away in a corner of your property and re-use it for good. Composting is easy.   Use Native Plants There are so many benefits to using native plants. Chief among them is that they are very tough and resilient. They also look good, have less pest problems and are easy to care for. This all makes sense because native plants are adapted to the local environment. Besides all else, native plants provide food and shelter to wildlife. Check out our blog  Native Plants For Maryland Gardens  for a list of some species you may want to try.     Plant...

Two days ago, I was dropping of flyers at local paint stores about the  2019 Painting Profits Summit. There was a little bit of a line to talk to the clerk, so I got a cup of coffee and spoke to an owner named Brian for a while about what he thought the new year held for painters in general and his business specifically. His predictions were – sadly – spot-on as the conversation continued… Brian was what I call vaguely optimistic and hopeful about good things happening in his painting business in 2019.  He told me he thought his sales would be up and things would be better. He had been in business for eight years in our local Chattanooga market. About this time, I found myself doing something that wasn't really my place to do. You see, I'm a coach and a problem solver by trade. It's how I make my living and I'm really good at getting positive results for painters. So, before I knew it – almost reflexively – I'm quizzing Brian about the things that matter most for 20...

When disaster strikes, there's often an inconceivable wake of destruction left in its path. Trying to rebuild your life in the aftermath of a catastrophe can be an overwhelming proposition for anyone, and reestablishing your daily routine is an important part of the process of rebuilding. If you've lost your car as a result of catastrophic hurricane floodwaters or a destructive wildfire, here's what you need to know. Document the damage Once it's safe to examine your car more closely, take pictures of the damage, including its interior and exterior. Be sure to also take pictures of the odometer, engine, and inside the trunk, if possible. This'll be important in establishing the magnitude of the damage for your insurer. They may also require you to visit a designated inspection site to get an estimate for repairs. See if you're covered If your car was damaged by a storm or other natural disaster, there's a good chance that you'll be covered if you have co...

Classic design and deep color tones anchor a home for new New Yorkers The move to New York from the West Coast landed Jeremy, an advertising executive, and Chris, a nurse managing an emergency department, in a 778 -square-foot co-op in the developing neighborhood of Hudson Yards. A "simple" tiling job that crumbled while living there led the couple to the bigger renovation that they had been saving up for.  With each of their "must-haves" in mind, they posted their project on Sweeten , a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors and found a Sweeten design-build firm. The result? Herringbone floors, an array of new custom millwork-and sound advice to share with future renovators. Guest blog post by Sweeten homeowner Jeremy A first-and obvious-lesson in renovating: it really is harder in New York. When my husband Chris and I embarked on this adventure, we had thought we knew what we were doing. After all, we'd undertaken a remodel of our 19...

Improve Your World With These Garden Resolutions We can all do a little more to improve the world. Why not start in your own garden with these very easy garden resolutions. Every little bit helps! Start Composting Composting is easy, reduces waste, and gives you back great soil to put back in the garden. Why send garden and food waste to a landfill, which would waste fuel, emit pollution, and take up valuable space, when you can keep it cleanly tucked away in a corner of your property and re-use it for good. Composting is easy.   Use Native Plants There are so many benefits to using native plants. Chief among them is that they are very tough and resilient. They also look good, have less pest problems and are easy to care for. This all makes sense because native plants are adapted to the local environment. Besides all else, native plants provide food and shelter to wildlife. Check out our blog  Native Plants For Maryland Gardens  for a list of some species you may want to try.     Plant...