Beautiful Homes

Archive for November, 2006

Question: What's the difference between modern and contemporary?

I hired an interior designer for my new house and asked her to show me some pictures of modern homes. She showed me them, but she also set out some pictures that looked nearly the same and said they were 'contemporary'. She argued with me when I said they looked the same apparently they're 'completely different'. So, what's the difference between modern and contemporary decorating?

Answer: I could be wrong which has been known to happen on occasions. But I would of thought that contemporary would mean that you used a certain style by way of materials, colors or arrangement to achieve a look or feel you're after, both would be modern but one could be described as "what's in at the moment"

34th Annual Designer House and Gardens

Question: Should we put our house on the market?

We currently rent out our 4500 sq ft home in TX for $2790, as we temporarily live in AZ...where we pay $1250 in rent for a condo. We do plan to move back to TX, and we'd like to keep our house, but the property taxes alone are $12K per year. It's a beautiful home that we can grow into, but we could definitely live in something smaller. Our area is new an up an coming with a total of 300+ homes for sale right now...being a combo of resale and builders. I feel like we should get out from under the house now, while we're here in AZ. Is it best to put it on the market now, or wait until the market gets better?

Answer: When do you think you’ll be moving back? If you sell now when there’s a lot of competition, you’re not going to get top dollar for your property. If you’ll be buying another home in say 2-3 years, we could be back into an up market. In other words, you could potentially be selling low and buying high.

Additionally, selling with renters in a single family home isn’t easy when it’s a single family home. You have no guarantees your renters would keep the house presentable? Or that they would even be cooperative with showings?

If they have a lease, what person would want to buy a home knowing they can’t move into it until the lease it up? If they don’t have a lease, what’s to stop them from moving out in a month, leaving you with no rental income and being stuck with the house until it sells?

House Plans With Gourmet Kitchens

Question: If Lindsay Lohan was seduced by the Trojans, would the U.S. government launch 1000 ships to bring her home?

Today an elderly gentleman on the rail told me that a long time ago a beautiful woman named Helen was seduced by a man named Paris (a man named Paris, how delightful!), and how all of Greece fought a big war to bring her home, hence she was given the title of the woman with "the face that launced a thousand ships."

Answer: No they would not! Helen was married to a Greek King (one of the city states) so a lot of pull. Second another Greek king wanted her as well so good cause for an alliance. Third this kidnapping was a slap against the honor of the state so was cause for a declaration of war. The Greeks united to fight the Trojans for various reasons of which one was to take Troy out of the trade industry as they competed against Greek traders.

Back then (prior to 400 bc) things were different and a kings wife was kind of important. Note that the Trojan War lasted about 10 years so it was extremely expensive. Today if a woman was kidnapped we would go through diplomatic and legal channels first.

The World's Most Expensive Mansion . . .