Inexpensive Home Improvements

You want to remodel, but with the economy still working its way back, it may seem like now isn’t the time to pour your hard-earned dollars into a large-scale project. Don’t despair — there’s plenty you can do to spruce up your home without breaking the bank. Kim, a color consultant at Hirshfield’s Coon Rapids location, has some great tips for inexpensive home improvements — little details that can drastically change the look and feel of your home.

• Lighting: Many homes, especially older homes, don’t have adequate lighting, and making a simple change to the light fixtures can make a huge difference in the tone of your house. Also, choose paint colors that, paired with good lighting, will make the rooms of your home seem lighter, brighter, and full of energy.
• Paint Ceilings & Trim: The ceiling, or “fifth wall,” can often be overlooked. It might sound unconventional, but painting a room’s ceiling is a quick way to create a different feel without having to overhaul the entire space or spend the better part of an afternoon painting. There are plenty of options for choosing the ceiling color — it can be painted the same color as the room, in a different shade of that color, or even a different color completely.

You don't have to be this creative, but adding some color to the ceiling can really light up a room.

• Replace Hardware: This is an easy option for those that want to make changes but don’t want to stretch their budget. Replacing accent pieces — such as making the switch from a flat to framed mirror, changing the knobs on cabinets, or switching the bathroom fixtures — can really modify the overall tone of a room.

Tags: Inexpensive Remodels, Painted Ceilings

M Squared Group to Host Marrow Donor Registry Drive, Aug. 20

Twin Cities data-driven marketing consulting firm M Squared Group will open its doors to add 300 people to the Be The Match Registry during a donor registry drive on Thursday, Aug. 20 at M Squared Group’s office in Eden Prairie, Minn.  Other local marketing firms also are participating in the drive, which is open to the public.  M Squared Group aims to spread the word about bone marrow donation, while promoting the Be The Match Foundation’s annual fundraising event on Sept. 30 in Minneapolis.

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John Hughes Video Tribute is our Video of the Week

Last week film director John Hughes passed away at the age of 59.  If you, like me, grew up on his movies in the 80s you’ll appreciate our Video of the Week. Thanks John Hughes for helping us laugh through our college years!

Tags: John Hughes

Trade Secrets

Painting is easy, right?  Anyone can grab a brush and throw paint on a wall, but there is a significant difference between the work of a master painter and what your teenage son’s room might look like if he completed the job himself.  Perhaps even more important may be the color and design selection process itself – if the color isn’t right, it doesn’t matter how excellent the paint job is.  However, you don’t necessarily need to hire a team of professional painters and designers to produce similar workmanship – our expert staff has come up with its top trade secrets to help your painting projects turn out perfectly:

• Before you change wall colors, update trim and ceiling colors: White trim or ceilings can appear too stark in rooms with dark color on the walls.  “In rooms with very dark wall colors, bring the color of the ceiling closer to the wall color.  The color of the ceiling can really make the room,” says Mark Masica, manager of the Edina location.  When repainting the walls or staying within the same color family, the trim or ceiling may not need to be painted.
• When selecting wall colors, don’t shy away from traditional hues: Painting is the easiest and least expensive way to dramatically change the character of any room, and you can easily repaint a room if you dislike the results; however, don’t choose a wild color to make a statement.  “Choose a color you can live with for several years,” says Kathy Basil of Hirshfield’s Design Studio. “You can’t be too bold or too subtle but the color should reflect your personality and style.”

Tags: Painting Tips, Remodel Tips

Hazeltine National Hopes to Continue Championship Success

In addition to its distinction as a premier championship course, Hazeltine National Golf Club also has earned a reputation for its success as a venue for major championship golf events.  Financial success – combined with strong fan support among Minnesotans – is one of the reasons that tournaments like the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship continue to return to Hazeltine.

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How Do You Know If It’s Time to Leave Your Television Job?

One of the most difficult professional decisions I ever made was leaving the television news business. I had reached a point that I realized that I despised the business, yet was still passionate about much of the work. Specifically, I loved the storytelling and putting together pieces of which I was proud. An overwhelming disenchantment with the contracts, job uncertainty, relatively low salary and what I referred to as the caste system of television news had taken over my attitude towards the industry.

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