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Real estate is booming in the United States. It seems that everyone is looking to buy or sell right now, which makes it the perfect time to upgrade to your dream home. This might seem unrealistic, especially with the increase in property value, but there are plenty of financial resources like jumbo loans that can help relieve some of the weight that you might feel in your pockets when scrolling through local listings. Lenders can make your dream home a more realistic possibility by alleviating some of the financial stress you might experience in the home-buying process so that all you have to worry about is finding the perfect place to match your aesthetic.
Finding the Right Property
One of the most important things to consider when looking for a new home is what kind of property and location fit your vision for your dream home. If you love the reclusive, cottage-core aesthetic, then you should probably avoid looking for homes in the suburbs, otherwise, the facade might melt away when you’re having tea in your garden and can hear your neighbor next door mowing their lawn. On the other hand, if you’re someone who is incredibly social and loves to entertain, then you likely wouldn’t want a home tucked in the middle of the woods, otherwise, you would create an inconvenience for your guests by making them drive well out of their way to come see you. This would also make it more of a hassle for you to go into the heart of the local city to go out and socialize.
For the Book-Loving Academic
Every academic needs a space in their home that they can turn into an office, study, or their own personal library. The first step in building this space is to pick the right color for the walls. A great way to achieve that classic old-English academic feel is to select a deep jewel-toned paint or ornately printed wallpaper. Some great options are deep shades of emerald, ruby, or sapphire. To complement these colors, you should choose heavy, wooden furniture in darker tones like cherry or mahogany. For any non-wooden furniture, try sticking to classic textures like leather and velvet, and do not shy away from patterned furniture! Arguably, the most important kind of furniture you can include in a personal study is a bookcase, and why limit yourself to one? If you really want to achieve that classic academic feel, then consider lining an entire wall with tall bookcases. If you want to take the design up a notch, then opt for bookcases with glass doors over the front of the shelves to protect your precious books from dust.
In creating the perfect space, details in your decor are just as important as the furniture that you choose. Consider visiting thrift stores and antique stores to pick up decorative pieces like brass candlesticks, cut, colored glass vases and dishes, and crocheted doilies. If don’t have the patience to slowly build your decor through thrifting, then there are plenty of websites that offer vintage-inspired educational posters on topics like nature and anatomy. You can also purchase off-white lace curtains to cover your windows. If you really want to wow with your decor, then consider adding a focal point like a fireplace in your study. Just imagine cold, winter nights when you’re huddled under a blanket by the fireplace with a cup of tea and a good book. Doesn’t that sound perfect?
For the Wild, Cottage-Core Soul
A few words that often come to mind when thinking of the cottage-core aesthetic are sustainability and simplicity. Lovers of this aesthetic dream of spending the day outside in the garden and coming in at night to cook a dinner made completely of things that they’ve grown and harvested themselves. If this is the kind of life that you long for, then the backyard is a very important feature in your home.
To achieve the garden of your dreams, it’s important to do plenty of research and planning. First, decide if you want to grow veggies, fruits, flowers, herbs, or all of the above, and then do your research to find what varieties grow best in the climate that you’re working with, and which plants will support each other’s growth when planted together. At this point, you need to consider the layout you want for your garden. Are you planning to do traditional or raised-bed gardening? Are you utilizing trellises? Are you buying them, or building your own from tree limbs? Would you like to build a greenhouse to grow certain plants? You should also think about how much time you can dedicate to looking after your garden and whether or not you should set up some sort of irrigation system.
Once you’ve planned your crops, you should consider what design elements you would like to include. Will you add stone pathways through your garden? Would you live to have a hidden spot where you can sit and be among your plants–like a swing or a bench? Would you like to add a water feature like a pond? These choices can elevate the overall look and feel of your garden, turning it into your own personal oasis.