The modern farmhouse style is one of today’s hottest trends in residential design. The style mixes classic farmhouse basics with modern, industrial and rustic accents to create homes that are both cozy and uncluttered. Is a modern farmhouse living the life for you?

What defines a modern farmhouse interior

Traditional farmhouse style, with its liberal use of wood, color and vintage furnishings, has long been popular. Several years ago, Chip and Joanna Gaines of the HGTV program Fixer Upper updated farmhouse style with modern, minimalist touches, and the popularity of the design took off.

Today’s modern farmhouse style creates uncluttered rooms with an urban edge. The style is defined by open, spacious rooms with plenty of windows providing natural light. Wide wood-plank flooring and natural wood beams traversing overhead characterize the style, as do barn-style doors and walls covered with plank siding known as shiplap. Light fixtures and other design elements often have an industrial feel.

Contrasts of light versus dark play a significant role throughout the modern farmhouse. Shiplap walls, shaker-style kitchen cabinets and trim are often painted white. White subway tile backsplashes look clean and fresh against butcher block or dark granite countertops. Dark-stained floors and black metal elements such as light fixtures and window frames provide contrast throughout the house. Where walls are Sheetrocked, they are painted in soft neutrals such as cream or gray.

Modern farmhouse kitchens often feature open wood or metal shelving or cabinet doors with divided glass. Appliances are stainless steel. Apron-front sinks are commonplace, and hardware is generally dark.

The light vs. dark contrast continues in furnishings. Light neutral fabrics — no bright colors or bold patterns — contrast with dark or black-painted wood. You might see black barstools cozied up to the kitchen counter, or a white distressed dining table with contrasting black chairs. Textural elements such as rugs woven from natural fibers, chunky knitted throws and rattan or wicker seating add warmth to modern farmhouse rooms. Surfaces are left uncluttered. Vintage pieces contrast with modern metal furniture to create cozy, comfortable rooms that appear to have evolved over time.

The outside look

Modern farmhouse exteriors are usually covered at least partially with plank wood siding or board and batten, often painted white with contrasting black-framed windows. Front doors, painted a muted color or made of contrasting natural wood, pop against the white siding. Gabled rooflines complete the look.

Premium prices

With their surging popularity, modern farmhouse style homes may be priced a little higher than other designs. If you’re the seller, you could reap a premium.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.

CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

The latest buzzwords in home interiors: bright, cheery and simplified. Say “hello” to white cabinets and light gray walls and “so-long” to dark woods and moody colors.

1. Cabinets painted in light, bright colors, often in white, are seeing a resurgence. Another popular trend is the open shelving look. Typically this look is coupled with white subway tile, a farmhouse sink and a gooseneck stainless steel commercial-grade faucet. Cabinets with glass doors also are popular.

2. Dark granite countertops are being replaced by lighter quartz surfaces with more subtle patterns in both kitchens and baths. The effect is a brighter, cheery look.

3. Hardwoods are still in fashion, but with a darker stain and so-called hand-scraped look, providing contrast with the lighter cabinets and counters. In bathrooms, larger tiles in soft grays are popular with white cabinets and quartz counters.

4. Wall color trends are toward light grays and “greige,” a mixture of beige and gray. These colors blend well with owner’s furnishings but have a little more style than the standard “builder beige” that was so often seen in new homes of the 90s and early 2000s.

5. implification is the overriding trend in bathrooms. Garden tubs are out, replaced by bigger showers with seating. Also popular are larger custom tiles with an accent strip of contrasting smaller tile, inset spaces for shampoos and soap, multiple shower heads and frameless doors. Cabinets and counters follow the same trend as kitchen counters and cabinets with brighter looks and simple lines.

6. Lighting. Of course, all the bright colored cabinets and counters in the world can’t overcome dim lighting. Large windows and skylights are the way many homeowners today are letting the sunshine in. In older homes, owners are knocking out walls, opening up the floorplan, and spreading natural window light throughout the home.

CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

Homes built between 1978 and 1995 often have plumbing made of polybutylene, a leak-prone material that is no longer used in construction. What is polybutylene, what problems does it present, and what does replacing it entail?

How poly-b plumbing came to be

Polybutylene, or “poly-b,” pipes and fittings were hailed in 1978 as a terrific alternative to traditional copper plumbing. Copper is difficult to work with and can be expensive, but poly-b was lightweight, flexible and could be assembled with screw-together connectors instead of soldering. Poly-b plumbing systems saved home builders money, both on materials and in labor cost.

Years after poly-b was installed, it turned out that the piping degraded when exposed to the chlorine in treated water. As a result, the joints that connected sections of the poly-b pipe would crack or develop pinhole leaks. Pipe failure happened most often within 20 feet of a home’s water heater, where the combination of heat and chlorine spelled double trouble for poly-b.

Poly-b leaks that occur out in the open are easy to spot and stop quickly. But leaks inside walls or in concrete slabs can cause substantial damage before a homeowner realizes there’s a leak. Once these defects were discovered, class-action lawsuits were filed against poly-b manufacturers, and in the mid-1990s, U.S. and Canadian building codes began disallowing poly-b.

Identifying polybutylene plumbing

Homes built between 1978 and 1995 likely contain poly-b plumbing unless it has been replaced. If you’re considering the purchase of a home built during that era, check the house’s listing ad or simply ask whether it had poly-b plumbing and, if so, whether it has been replaced. A home inspection during the sales process may also reveal its presence.

Poly-b has two identifying characteristics. First, it generally is gray. Some poly-b is white, however, so the second way to spot it is by the coding stamped on the piping. Poly-b is coded with the letters “PB” followed by numbers.

Preferable plumbing options

Copper, which became very popular nearly a century ago, is still a viable plumbing material. Copper plumbing is more expensive than other alternatives, however, and acidic water can cause it to develop pinhole leaks. Cross-linked polyethylene, or PEX, is a lightweight, extremely flexible plastic plumbing that doesn’t have the deterioration issues of poly-b. Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride, or CPVC, is another plastic plumbing that is strong and easy to work with. CPVC is now widely used in construction.

How much does replacement cost?

Now that poly-b has been off the market for more than 20 years, it has steadily been replaced in homes nationwide. But if your house has poly-b, or you are considering buying a home with it, that may affect your ability to obtain homeowners’ insurance. Insurance agents usually ask about poly-b when they learn that a home was built during the relevant period. If the home has poly-b plumbing, the company may require you to replace it before agreeing to ensure your house,  or it may charge an unusually high premium for water damage coverage.

Replacing poly-b generally costs between $3,000 to $25,000 CAD and $1,500 to $15,000 US, depending on the size of the home, the number of stories, the material used for replacement and the number of plumbing fixtures in the home.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. The article was revised from HOUSEOPEDIA’s original article.

Since your bathroom is where you prepare to meet the day, good bathroom lighting is essential to looking your best. Here’s how to illuminate this important part of your home.

Areas to be lit

Three areas in your bathroom need appropriate lighting. The most important is the vanity. Good lighting is crucial here, since the vanity is where you shave, apply makeup, fix hair and brush your teeth. Vanity light fixtures should cast light evenly without creating shadows.

The shower and bath are next in importance for good lighting, followed by the water closet-toilet area. While not essential, additional accent lighting can add ambiance.

Vanity task lighting

If space allows, the ideal light fixtures for the vanity area are wall sconces set on either side of the mirror at eye level. These cast light evenly on each side of the face. If a sconce’s shade opens downward, the opening edge should be positioned just below eye level. If the shade points upward, the edge should be positioned just above eye level. Avoid shadows by using a frosted shade with clear bulbs or a clear shade with frosted bulbs.

Sometimes space does not allow for side sconces in the bathroom. In other situations, sconces on either side of a wide mirror over a double sink vanity will be too far apart. Your best option in these situations is over-the-mirror lighting.

Shower, bath and toilet

The most common bathroom lighting fixtures for the shower and toilet areas are overhead recessed lights. Where the bathtub is separate from the shower, you can illuminate it with overhead recessed lighting or wall sconces. A chandelier over the tub or centered in the bathroom can provide both drama and pleasant ambient lighting.

Light fixture materials

Brass, brushed nickel and chrome are popular choices for bathroom lighting fixtures and work with a wide range of design styles. For the sake of continuity, light fixtures should be made from materials that match or coordinate with other metal finishes in the bathroom.

When choosing bathroom lighting, look for “damp-rated” fixtures made to withstand the humidity of a bathroom.

Fluorescent and LED light bulbs will generate little to no heat, and the cost of using them is less than half that of incandescent bulbs.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.

Safety needs to be the first element in a child’s bathroom design, but don’t forget to add a splash of fun. Knowing how quickly children grow, keep versatility in mind, allowing for quick and easy changes.  From babies to teens, here are some ideas for creating bathrooms kids will love.

Let them have a say

Children often have strong ideas about what they like and don’t like, so take them shopping with you. Allow them to pick a theme or color scheme from among several choices the adults in the house can live with. Go with neutral paint and tile colors, giving the kids a wider range of choices on things like shower curtains, towels, and soap dispensers.

Giving children ownership of some of the design elements will mean they’re more apt to use the space and help keep it tidy.

Bathroom safety features

For babies and toddlers, bathrooms need to provide a safe place to bathe and learn personal hygiene. Install cabinet locks to keep cleaning supplies, medicines, and other necessities out of reach. Consider a toilet lock as well, as some children are fascinated with the water. Since kids can slip and fall in a wet tub, look for a non-slip mat to place on the bottom. A thermometer will help parents avoid too-hot or too-cold baths.

Storage in a kids’ bathroom

Young children typically enjoy bath toys, which can eat up valuable space otherwise used for necessities like towels, washcloths, and shampoos. For small bathrooms, a “toy catcher” that hangs on the wall with suction cups will save space and keep them accessible. Make sure to have a stool handy so little ones can reach the faucet without climbing. Use color-coded towels and storage bins so each child can easily distinguish their items from their siblings.

Transitioning through the years

Young children typically prefer bright, happy colors in bold patterns, while teens may gravitate toward more muted tones. As the bath toys and stools disappear, you may consider adding a book or magazine rack or extra storage for all those skin, hair, and makeup products that come with the teen years.

Changing towels, shower curtains, and rugs are quick, inexpensive ways to update. For bolder, but still affordable changes, consider painting the vanity, and replacing the mirror or light fixture.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.

Technology has accelerated the ability to have a super energy-efficient home. Here are seven must-have ways to slash your usage and cost.

1. Cool roofing. The roof takes the brunt of the sun’s energy and absorbs heat, affecting the cooling of the whole house. Light colored roof shingles were introduced to help mitigate that heat, but now “cool roofs” offer dark colored shingles that reflect the sun’s heat. The Certainteed company offers two lines of these heat-reflecting shingles. 

2. Radiant Barrier.  A radiant barrier is a reflective coating on the underside of the roof decking. It has a plywood sheet with a shiny metallic side that faces into the attic. The house still needs to have proper R-19 or better insulation in the attic floor. A radiant barrier under these conditions can deliver 16 percent to 42 percent heat reduction over no barrier, which would translate to a 15 percent to 25 percent reduction in energy bills.

3. Thermal wrap. Thermal wrap is installed on the outside of the frame of the house to keep the home’s heating or cooling inside. There are different wraps for different types of exterior siding. Some consist of a flexible sheet of plastic while others are a combination of thermal wrap attached to wall board. The wrap is attached to the frame and then the exterior siding or masonry is installed. The thermal wrap also provides a moisture barrier to protect the interior of the walls from water and mold damage. Today’s thermal wraps provide an R5 insulating protection.

4. Low E windows. Double-paned glass has now been surpassed by triple pane, adding another insulating barrier to windows. Low E coated glass allows maximum light in while keeping hot summer infrared wavelengths and damaging ultraviolet rays out.

5. High-efficiency heating and air conditioning.  Heating and air units manufactured in the last five years are far more efficient than previous models, using far less electricity or gas. Examples include new technologies designed to manage the heating and cooling in ratio with humidity levels, multi-speed fans, and improved refrigerant valves. 

6. Smart thermostats.  The latest generation of smart thermostats such as Nest, Ecobee, Wyze and iComfort put fine tuned control in your hand through your phone. These smart systems measure outside temperature to calibrate internally, learn and anticipate your choices and sense from your phone’s location when you are nearing home, adjusting temperatures as needed.

7. Water heater. Heating water for your home is second only to heating and air in energy use. Tank water heaters are more efficient than the past, but still generate “standby heat loss,” meaning that it must be heated continually to ensure hot water on demand. Tankless heaters do not store water, but flash heat it on demand.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. The article was revised from HOUSEOPEDIA’s original article.

Keeping your home warm in winter and cool in summer depends on a whole system of comfort engineering. Chief among the components is insulation, the blanket of material in the walls and attic that resists the flow of heat transference from outside to inside and vice versa. Technology and the move toward greater environmental awareness have brought great improvements to insulating material. Here’s a look at what’s available.

Understanding “R” value.  Stuffed inside the outside walls and covering the attic spaces, insulation serves as a blanket to hold heat in place where you want it. Insulation is stuffed or blown into the spaces between wall studs, beams and joists. Insulation, which varies in thickness and quality, is measured in “R” factor. *See the links below for the accepted standard R-Values for insulation in walls and for attics in Canada and USA.

Fiberglass and its improvements. For three or more generations, fiberglass insulation has been dominant. It has served well but health concerns have surfaced over airborne fibers when it is disturbed. Manufacturers now make fiberglass available in sealed bags. Recycled materials are also now being used. The insulation can be blown in or rolled out like a blanket stuffed between studs or joists.

Cellulose. Made of ground-up newspaper and other paper products and treated with a flame-retardant chemical, cellulose was introduced about 25 years ago. It is inexpensive and has a higher R value than fiberglass. Typically it is blown in with a machine.

Recycled denim.  Cotton treated with fire retardant is also used as insulation — the most neutral material for people with allergy sensitivities. Some of the recycled material used comes from discarded blue jeans. Similar products are being made with sheep’s harvested and cleaned wool, which is treated to be water- and mold-resistant.

Spun minerals. Providing excellent R factor, mineral-based insulations such as basalt are multipurpose insulators. This type of insulation has the added bonus of being impervious to damage from water, fire and termites.

Sprayed foam. Made from a variety of materials, spray foam insulation gets pumped into wall spaces and between studs where it hardens and forms a virtually solid barrier to heat loss. Foam board can also be used for the sheathing on the outside wall studs. These foam panels form both an extra layer of insulation and a moisture barrier.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.

*The article was revised from HOUSEOPEDIA’s original article. 

*You can find the for R-Value ratings in Canada's Province, Cities & Zones on Home Depot Canada: 

www.homedepot.ca/en/home/ideas-how-to/home-repair-and-maintenance/how-to-choose-insulation.html

*You can find the R-Value ratings for the US on ENERGY STAR: Recommended Home Insulation R -Values: 

www.energystar.gov/campaign/seal_insulate/identify_problems_you_want_

fix/diy_checks_inspections/insulation_r_values

How long do you need to own a home before you can sell it profitably? The answer depends on your individual situation, but generally speaking, the longer you own a house, the more you’ll net from its eventual sale. Sometimes life intervenes, however, and you need to sell after owning a property for only a few years. Here’s how to decide whether buying a home for the short term is right for you.

Length of ownership affects profitability

Conventional wisdom says that you always make money in real estate. Decades of steady population growth in Canada and the United States have generally put upward pressure on prices. But owning a home is not always profitable; sometimes it turns out you’d have been better off financially if you’d rented for the same period.

Interest rates and national and local economic conditions affect property values. Another factor determining whether you’ll make money when you sell a home is the length of time you’ve owned it. Conventional wisdom has it that you need to own a home at least five years before selling it. To make money when buying a home for the short term, your costs of buying and selling that house must be less than the equity you’ll accumulate during the time you own it.

Recovering costs to buy and sell

Making money on a property comes from building equity in it. Equity grows in two ways. One is when property values appreciate because of external factors, allowing you to sell the house for a relatively higher price than you paid for it. The other type of equity — called paid-in equity — is the amount of a property you actually own because of the down payment you made and the principal you have paid during your ownership.

To make money on the sale of a home, your total equity at the time you sell must exceed the costs of having bought and sold that home. These costs include:

• The closing costs you paid when you bought the home you’re now selling. You can find these costs listed on your closing statement.
• The interest you have paid on your mortgage during your short-term home ownership. Mortgage payments are the same amount each month, but the proportion of that payment that goes toward interest rather than principal shifts over time. In the early years of a mortgage, most of that payment goes toward interest, not toward the mortgage’s principal. This means that you actually build little paid-in equity through your first few years of payments. Check with your lender to determine how much interest you’ve paid.
• The costs you’ll incur selling the home. These include money spent to ready the house for sale, real estate commissions, and the closing costs you pay as the seller.

For any home sale to be profitable, the total of all these costs must be less than the price you sell the home for.

Improving your chances of profiting in the short term

If you are shopping for a house and think that because of job changes, a growing family or other reasons you may be buying for the short term, there are a few things you can do to improve your financial prospects.

• Buy a home you can more easily afford. Don’t strap yourself buying at the maximum that you can pay. One way to do this is to look for a home being sold by a distressed seller.
• Someone who needs to sell quickly because of a job move, divorce, or other difficult circumstance may discount the sales price to speed things along.
• If you think you may be buying for the short term, find a home that is offered at a discount because it needs fixing up. But research repair costs before you make an offer. If they’re high, you may not be getting a bargain.
• If you put down 20 percent or more on the home when you buy it, you will finance less and save on interest costs.

These tactics can help make it more likely that when you sell after buying for the short term, the equity you recover will offset your costs.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. The article was revised from HOUSEOPEDIA’s original article.

Trees can be the best addition you’ll ever make to your yard, but choose wisely, plant carefully and don’t forget to prune.

When shopping, think about why you want trees. Is it for shade? For pretty color in spring or fall? To block out neighbors or noise? Your answer will help narrow your choices. Next, know your zone. You can find a map of plant hardiness zones on both Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) website and United States Department of Agriculture website. If buying from a local garden center, it should carry only specimens that do well in your climate, but it never hurts to double check. After all, trees are an expensive investment.

Fall foliage and more

For year-round color, consider both deciduous trees — such as oaks, elms, maples, birches and ginkgos — that provide gorgeous fall color before dropping their leaves, and evergreens, which as the name suggests will give you greenery all year long. And to enhance your beds, you really can’t go wrong with a Japanese maple. Varieties range in height from 3 feet to 20 feet tall at maturity and they offer rich colors and interesting shapes.

Shade trees

If it’s shade you need, start with some fast growers such as red maples or tulip trees (so named because their flowers resemble tulips). Both can grow more than two feet in a year. And then there are hybrid poplars, which can grow up to eight feet in one year. At the same time, you should also plant some slower-growing shade trees. They will live longer and develop deeper roots and stronger branches, meaning they are less likely to break in wind and snow storms. Slow-growing types can also be more drought resistant.

Deciduous trees will give you shade in summer and allow sunlight to filter through in winter. Evergreens will provide continuous shade. Plant deciduous trees with high, spreading branches on the south side of your home to shade your roof. Plant trees with branches lower to the ground on the west side and you’ll be shaded from the lower angle of the sun in the afternoon.

Of course, you’ll also want to consider the height and span of each tree at maturity, and its root system. For instance, poplars have deep roots, so don’t plant them too close to your house, sidewalk or, if you have one, septic tank.

Another consideration: utility lines. Pick a tree that won’t interfere with the lines. Good choices include crape myrtles, dogwoods and redbuds.

Wind resistant trees

In areas prone to hurricanes and strong storms, look for a variety that are wind resistant. The list includes live oaks, southern magnolias, bald cypresses and longleaf pines. Each has deep lateral and tap roots and strong trunks. Smaller trees that do well against the wind include dogwoods, Canadian & American hollies, yaupons and crape myrtles.

Other trees act as good windbreaks. Specimens to consider are Eastern red cedars, Chinese juniper and white pines. If planting trees as windbreaks, place them on the north and northwest sides of your home where it gets cold in the winter, and space them far enough apart to allow for growth.

When to plant

Always plant trees when they’re dormant — in the fall after they’ve dropped leaves or in early spring before they bud. Planting when the weather is cool lets the trees establish roots before spring rains and summer heat.

When to prune

If your trees bloom in summer, prune in winter when they are fully dormant. Prune spring-blooming trees immediately after they bloom. Never prune just for the sake of pruning. A good pruning is meant to remove dead branches, improve a tree’s shape, allow light and air to penetrate and to remove any branches that may pose a danger to your home.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.The article was revised from HOUSEOPEDIA’s original article.