What are the hottest new colors for 2023?  

Really, we should say, what colors are making a comeback on the design trending scene!

Warm colors are back!  Grounding spaces are gaining traction and are providing a desired "cacoon" for homeowners.

Depending on your furnishings, color with accent peices are an amazing way to simplify and save money.

For paint and wall colors:

An earthy tobacco shade - this golden hue creates rooms that are rich, warm and inviting 

Mid-brown taupe .....velvety cocoa color for any room. 

Timeless neutrals create warm backgrounds and a blank template for unique art and timeless classics

Consider a dark neutral, earthy brown.  They are timeless and elegant.   

If you currently have light grey on your walls, consider an accent wall with a dark matte brown/ grey.  Then work around with colorful place settings, kitchen accents and fun art pieces.

Natural and organic will be the BUZZ words for 2023!  

Warm is back!

What makes more sense...... tiling a room before adding cabinets or after the cabinets are installed?  

I am asked this question frequently and my response is with the following question..... Are you replacing your current kitchen cabinets or are you keeping them?  

If you are keeping your existing cabinets, it is a huge undertaking to remove your cabinets, counters, appliances and then replace them once the new tile is in.  This would be costly and time consuming.  Not to mention the potential of damage to cabinets and counters.  

If you are replacing your cabinets, then I recommend placing your tile first.  There are several reasons for this decision.  If you place your cabinets first, your tile installers will have more cuts and this means higher labor costs.  Even though you will need additional tile, usually the cost of the tile is less than the labor of cuts. 

Here's a quick example.  If you have a 12 x 12 kitchen with cabinets on 2 sides,  you will need approximatley 65 feet of additional tile.  If you are paying $4 a foot for tile, this is $260.  Chances are the labor for the additional cuts will outweight the cost of materials.  

Also, if you have a water leak, concrete is more pourous then sealed and grouted tile.  In addition, if you need to replace cabinets down the line, you will not need to worry about cabinet size, floor trim or toe kick dimensions.  

Tiling before cabinets holds true for bathrooms as well.  Many new stand alone vanities do not have a base.  Tiling under the bathroom cabinet allows for flexibility in the future.  

When I show properties that may need some upgrades, or what I call "a little loving", I'm quick to point out they will need to be mindful of flooring changes, and the additional costs for the remodel budget.

To Tile or not to Tile, that is the question :)

11 REASONS WHY THE WORLD IS WATCHING TUCSON!

Wow!  If you haven't read the Summer 2022 article in BizTucson, I highly suggest the read!

BizTucson is a regional business magazine published quarterly and it shares what's new, and interesting for Tucson.

This last issue formats 11 Reasons The World is Watching Tucson and here's a quick recap:

1.  UNESCO City of Gastronomy:  Tucson was among the first U.S. cities to receive this prestigious award, with two-thirds of the city's restaurants and bars being locally owned. 

Tucson has GREAT food and the world knows it!

2.  Silicon Desert:  Local technology clusters, Uof A and support organizations are making an impact and being recognized.

3.  Bioscience Mecca:  Biotech and Biomedical Industries are moving here.

4.  City of Wellness:  Great spas, 300+ days of sunshine.  We are a destination for wellness and outdoor recreation.

5.  Aerospace & Defence- Raytheon.  We are now the  5th largest concentration of aerospace and defense.

6.  Space City of the Southwest:  NASA and a growing number of private space enterprises are here.

7.  Cycling City USA:  136 miles of Loop, the longest paved vehicle free path in the US.

Home of El Tour.

8.  Mining, Mineral & Surface Technology:  Caterpillar's  headquarters and many other established companies as support.

9.  Downtown Revitalization:  A now thriving Downtown!  

10.  Optics Valley:  Tucson offers high paying optic jobs and has a $2 billion impact on the state.

11.  World' Largest Gem Show!  

Wow Tucson!  I'm impressed. 

If you would like a hard copy of this BizTucson issue, let me know and I will mail you one. 

Or, online, visit:  https://biztucson.com/

Wow!  That's a big statement to make for indoor plants!  Can something so simple bring you a higher satisfaction with health and mental wellness?

According to numerous studies, Indoor Plants can make a significant change in mood and qualify of life.  

• Home owners pay thousands of dollars a year to clean air ducts, run humidifies and air cleaners.  Research concluded that the roots and soil of houseplants reduced airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly.  Viola!  Clean air! 
• Studies found that plants in a work space can increase productivity and sharpen your attention.
• Plants have been shown to help shorten an illness and hospital stay
• Working with plants can help reduce anxiety and blood pressure

I love indoor and outdoor plants.  Irrigation for the exterior plants makes it a seamless process for care if your busy or travel.  What about the indoor plants......

Care for indoor plants if you travel:

• Tweak light and temperature. The more sunlight your plant receives, the more thirsty it       will be over time. 
• Maintain moisture with self watering spikes
• Forgo the fertilizer.
• Do some light pruning.

Here are some great, easy care indoor plants for air quality and overall health.  

• areca, lady, dwarf date, and bamboo palms
• Boston fern
• rubber tree
• spider plant
• Ficus tree

For more information on health for indoor plants:  https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-home-guide/benefits-of-indoor-plants#safe-plants