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Framing Tips From Boise Homes Realty

on display

Making Your Framed Art More Memorable

As design trends continue to progress, your works of art and the frames that enhance them often follow suit. Today’s homeowners seem to be leaning toward pieces that are more personal than your average poster. Anything from a framed vintage swimsuit to a wedding veil provides a one-of-a-kind look that makes a statement.

With so much mass production in the home decor category, it’s refreshing to see original works that can’t be copied. This holds true for family photos on canvas that can be framed for a finishing touch without protective glass, or an invitation from a special occasion that’s been preserved in a picture frame. Read on for more ideas of how to preserve and display your favorite items and images.

WORKS OF ART

When standard sizes won’t fit, custom framing isn’t the only option. In some cases, adding a mat to a ready-made frame might do the trick. You can also be resourceful with a vintage window frame to showcase postcards or photos, or a rectangular tray as an impromptu frame for a small print.

Framed pieces can have a practical side, like a screen that lets you display your jewelry in a charming way. A chalkboard is a great place for daily messages and a corkboard is perfect for pinning reminders and inspirational finds. Custom mirrors can be made to go above a bathroom sink for a distinctive look.

ART FROM THE HEART

Though a child’s drawings may already be a masterpiece in the eyes of a parent, you can take your little one’s creations to the next level with the right frame. Don’t be shy about mixing different styles for unexpected pairings, like a simple doodle with a more ornate frame.

Framing something you feel connected to goes a long way toward personalizing a space. Whether you have a penchant for wandering that can be conveyed through travel mementoes, or you’re a nature buff who arranges a series of pressed leaves, there are many ways to express yourself through the art you display in your home. Though regular and nonglare glass are readily available, conservation glass helps to preserve your piece and museum glass is a step above the rest.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

What you frame doesn’t have to be flat: think seashells, gardening tools, trophies, and more. You can even commemorate something like your favorite beverage with a bottle inside a shadowbox frame. Always ensure breakables are safely secured by consulting with a professional. While double and triple matting was once popular, single styles with more color and texture are trending now.

Search your home for unique pieces with sentimental value, like a souvenir from your honeymoon or a costume you made for a school play. Covers from your favorite magazines pack a graphic punch when framed and placed together in a cozy reading corner. Consider paying tribute to a beloved pet that has passed away with a framed collar.

“Don’t be shy about mixing different styles for unexpected pairings, like a simple doodle with a more ornate frame.”

SEARCH AND RESCUE

Maybe you just need to revamp what you already have. If a piece really speaks to you but has grown tired over time, update the mat or invest in a new frame. On the flip side, if a custom frame still appeals to you but you’d like to replace what’s inside, the frame can be cut by a professional to hold a smaller item.

Vintage frames are gaining ground and can often be found at flea markets, antique stores, and consignment shops. Their character and beauty is often all you need to prop on a ledge or lean against a wall.

ARTFUL ARRANGEMENTS

Framing multiples with a common denominator creates an instant gallery in a long hallway or a kitchen where you might choose a culinary theme. For a butler’s pantry or bar area, a series of cocktail images or garnish fruit such as lemons, cherries, and limes can set the stage for entertaining.

Placement matters. Experiment with asymmetrical displays on a mantel and substantial art in a small space like a powder room. A little playfulness in your arrangements lets a more formal piece take on a less serious tone. If you’re going to be creative, you might as well have some fun with it. Written by Jeanine Matlow. Photography provided by iStockphoto.com/from2015.

Something To Consider When Purchasing Boise Homes & Land

Fences Make Good Neighbors But They Can Also Create A Legal Boundary Line

 Beware

Caveat emptor is a Latin legal doctrine that has historically been applied to property law after the sale closes.  In the beautiful state of Idaho, there is one more reason for a buyer to be very aware of any adverse material facts regarding a property BEFORE it is purchased because after the sale closes you will have little if any recourse.

The Idaho Supreme court ruled (Cecil v. Gagnebin) that an existing fence that marked a boundary between two parcels of land, was the legal boundary, even though a subsequent survey showed the fence was almost three feet from the surveyed line.  

The legal case involved an old chain link fence that pre-dated 1977 and ran along half of the common boundary line.  Many years after the purchase, the Gagnebin family had their land surveyed and learned the existing chain link fence was actually more than three feet from the surveyed boundary.  Accordingly, they proceeded to tear down the fence and build a new fence along the recently surveyed boundary line.

Not so fast said the Cecil family!  The following year they retaliated by filing a lawsuit against their neighbors alleging that the original existing fence marked the boundary between the two lots, apparently they could care less what the survey said!

Long story short, even though the current property owners had no idea when and why the original chain link fence was erected, the court ruled that it represented a boundary by agreement by the former property owners and would continue to define the legal boundary of the properties into the future, ouch! 

GavelOf further interest was the courts ruling that because the fence ended about half way down the property line it ceased defining the property line where it ended.  Beyond the fence the Gagnebin's survey would define the remainder of the unfenced property line so there was now a jagged property line.

The practical application for Boise Idaho home buyers is obvious; make sure you have a clear understanding of exactly where the property line is, especially when you are purchasing a larger parcel of land.  You should always walk the property line (when possible) and look for anomalies such as old fences, signs, monuments, etc. that defy logical explanation and could potentially represent a line of demarcation, ergo (another Latin term for your reading pleasure) a boundary by agreement.  Although ordering a property survey is not inexpensive, it may be well worth it depending on the property and circumstances of the purchase. 

Invest In Boise Idaho Real Estate
Invest In Boise Idaho Real Estate
Investing In Boise Idaho Real Estate

Is Now A Good Time To Invest In Boise Real Estate

 

Buffett, or The Oracle of Omaha as he is often called says single family homes are a best bet investment given the historically low mortgage interest rates that qualified investors still have access to.  Given that Warren Buffett is considered by many to be one of the foremost voices in the financial investment field one should give pause to what he has to say; in other words when he says buy, a good answer is to ask how many Boise homes should I buy?

 

Buffet advises first time home buyers to get off the fence and purchase because now before the opportunity to cash in passes them by.  Further he opines that home investors who are handy with home repairs should invest in more than one and gain additional financial benefit from sweat equity.

 

The Boise Idaho real estate market is red hot and the Boise economy in general continues to point toward even better things.  Idaho has recently been ranked as one of the best economies with rising economic growth as far as the eye can see.  People from around the country have been flocking to the Boise real estate market for years, often escaping high taxes, crime and more stressful living environments.  

Sandwich Slider Recipes Boise Style

Small Sandwiches

MINI CROQUE MONSIEUR

MINI CROQUE MONSIEUR

Makes 12 mini sandwiches

  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Pinch salt
  • Dash pepper
  • Mini buns or dinner rolls
  • ½ pound very thinly sliced ham
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, Gruyère cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper.

Place the bottom of the buns in a baking dish. Spread half the cheese mixture on the buns. Then top with half of the sliced ham, layering the ham on each bun.

Next, spread the rest of the cheese mixture on the flat side of the bun tops and then place the bun tops on the ham and press down a bit to secure.

Brush the melted butter over the tops of the buns and then cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Place them in the oven and let them heat through until the cheese has melted, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the tops of the buns with chopped fresh Italian parsley and serve.

Tip: To keep the sandwiches together, skewer with party picks. This is especially helpful if the sandwiches are being served as an appetizer or starter.


CUBANO SLIDERS

CUBANO SLIDERS

Serves 8 to 10

    1 pork tenderloin, about ¾ to 1 pound
  • For the Marinade:
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground all-spice
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
  • For the Slider:
  • Marinated pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground all-spice
  • ½ pound sliced baked ham
  • 1 small jar of sliced pickles
  • 10 slices Swiss cheese, halved
  • Yellow mustard
  • 8 to 10 slider buns

To marinate the pork, place the tenderloin in a nonreactive or glass dish. Mix together the orange juice, pineapple juice, sliced onion, garlic, cumin, all-spice, cinnamon stick, salt, and cilantro. Pour this mixture over the tenderloin and cover with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and let it marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To prepare the pork, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Paper-towel dry the pork and then rub it with one tablespoon of olive oil. Mix together the salt, pepper, and all-spice and rub it onto the pork. Place the pork in a baking dish and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F. Remove the pork from the oven and let it cool. Once the pork has cooled, thinly slice the pork and set aside.

Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F.

Slice the slider buns in half and place them on a baking sheet. Add a half slice of Swiss cheese to both the top and bottom of each slider bun. Then add a dash mustard on top of the cheese on both the bottom and top of each slider bun.

Place thin sliced pork tenderloin, thin sliced pickles, and thin sliced baked ham on the bottom slider buns. Place the tops of the buns (with just the cheese and mustard) over the pork and pickles and the press down slightly to keep the sliders intact.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the sliders warm until the cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes or so.

Remove the sliders from the oven and serve.


GRILLED BLACKBERRY, BASIL,
      AND HAVARTI MINI SANDWICHES

GRILLED BLACKBERRY, BASIL, AND HAVARTI MINI SANDWICHES

Makes 24 mini sandwiches

  • 12 slices good quality white bread
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 pint fresh blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons blackberry or apricot preserves
  • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
  • 6 slices Havarti cheese

Butter both sides of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, mix together the blackberries and preserves. Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium heat.

Place 1 slice of cheese on each of 6 slices of bread and then top the cheese with fresh basil leaves. Carefully place 1 or 2 spoonfuls of the blackberry mixture over the fresh basil leaves and then top with the remaining bread slices to make 6 full-size sandwiches.

When the pan is hot, add 2 or 3 of the sandwiches to the pan, or as many sandwiches that will fit in the pan. Brown both sides of each sandwich, being careful to keep them together when flipping. Continue until all the sandwiches have been grilled.

Place the sandwiches on a cutting board, and when they’ve cooled a bit, cut them into quarters to make mini sandwiches. To help make sure the sandwiches don’t fall apart when serving, you can skewer 2 mini sandwiches together with a short skewer or party pick and serve. Recipes and Photographs by Karista Bennett for Boise Homes Realty Keith Vermilyea.

Designing a teenager’s room can be challenging. Teens change their likes and dislikes, current acceptable styles, and which hobbies they are into very quickly. So a teen room must keep up with a teen’s mindset and be easily reinvented when necessary. Ginger Curtis, President of Urbanology Designs in North Richland Hills, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, starts out by interviewing the teen to find out exactly what they want in their room. Then she translates what the teen is looking to do into something wonderful—acceptable to the parents and exciting to the teen.
Designing a teenager’s room can be challenging. Teens change their likes and dislikes, current acceptable styles, and which hobbies they are into very quickly. So a teen room must keep up with a teen’s mindset and be easily reinvented when necessary. Ginger Curtis, President of Urbanology Designs in North Richland Hills, a suburb of Fort Worth, Texas, starts out by interviewing the teen to find out exactly what they want in their room. Then she translates what the teen is looking to do into something wonderful—acceptable to the parents and exciting to the teen.
Boise Bedrooms That Rock

a rockin' room

A Music-Inspired Bedroom Designed for a Teenager

We begin with neutrals,” explains Curtis. “So the room can grow with the teen. Then we add pops of color and style accents to make the room interesting.” These touches can change relatively effortlessly as his tastes change. Curtis wanted the 300-square-foot room for a fourteen-year-old young man to look pulled together, but didn’t want it to be overly theme-y. “A room doesn’t have to be overdone to be creative,” she says. “I advise not giving into the masses, but rather being more intentional by paying real attention to the individual person you are designing for.” In this case, the teen loved music and tech. Curtis was able to incorporate both aspects in a way that was not overwhelming.

Wood is an important element in the room. Curtis installed the wood floors. “They add value to a home and make the room more versatile,” she explains. “Once our teen is grown and on his own, the room can become a guest bedroom.” The bed, designed by Curtis, was custom built by a local craftsman. It is standard height, but incorporates built-in cubbies underneath with tons of storage for books and baskets full of odds and ends. Functionality was a key goal for the design. Curtis found a picture of a vintage microphone by an artist in San Francisco. The frame was handmade and stained to match the color of the bed. Wall shelves were custom built and also stained the same color. The shelves hold several classic album covers, which are some of the teen’s favorites.

The walls were painted a clean white and one wall is decorated with a “blackboard” of dark-charcoal chalk paint. The group at Urbanology used regular white chalk to create the musical notes representing some of the teen’s favorite songs. They also added some fun graphics and comments. “These can be erased and changed at any time if our teen wants,” says Curtis. “Although our teen seems to really like what we did.”

 

A Rockin' Room
 
 

The young client loves the Beatles, so when Curtis found a Union Jack rug and coverlet, she knew she scored. “We found these items late in the design and realized they worked perfectly,” she says. They were relatively inexpensive but were a great fit for this design. The combination of the coverlet and rug make quite a statement and add a nice punch of color. Curtis found a really cool guitar holder and saved a guitar from the closet by hanging it strategically over the bed. Headphones and a microphone casually hang on one end of the headboard, while a light on an orange-red cord hangs on the opposite end. A picture of the design of a guitar is framed to the right of the bed. Prints of musical sound waves hang on the left.

Some of the furniture is from Restoration Hardware’s teen department. The gray sofa is actually a sleeper sofa, perfect for when friends stay over. Accent pillows continue the music theme and add a little color. The side table and the table holding the vintage turntable have somewhat of an industrial feel. The windows have a simple treatment with custom fold-up window shades in dark gray.

Curtis wanted to create something that would be fun and appropriate for her fourteen-year-old client, yet something that would grow with him over time. The furnishings are classic. The colors simple. The theme can be changed with some switching out of pictures and decor items. The room can easily see this young man into his college years and beyond. Written by Carolyn M. Runyon for Boise Homes Realty Keith Vermilyea. Photography by Sesha Smith, Convey Studios.