With more and more baby boomers swelling the ranks of retirees in the U.S., health-related home amenities are on the rise. Many of the newly retired boomers plan very active retirements and are choosing to live in communities that offer a wide variety of recreational activities. In many cases, they are outfitting their homes and vacation getaways with exercise equipment. The New York Times has an article on the phenomenon.

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Green homes are hot right now, and even if your home wasn’t built green, there are plenty of things you can do now that will make it more eco-friendly and help it appeal more to buyers.

Using natural window treatments and décor items in your staging helps a lot, especially if the window treatments are staying with the house. Using other natural materials makes the home seem more inviting.

If you’re not convinced that green homes are selling better than conventional homes, take this anecdotal evidence: a new construction home near my house was built with energy efficiency and environmental friendliness in mind. While most well-priced homes in this area take 6-8 months to sell, this one was under contract within a month. Buyers care about a home that’s going to save them money in the long run (such as efficient heating and cooling systems, good insulation and passive solar design) and homes with energy-saving features fit the bill perfectly.

Realty Times has an article that covers more of why you may want to stage your home in an eco-friendly way. If you’re planning to upgrade any of your home’s major systems or appliances, it’s probably worth it to spend a little extra for greener options, such as Energy-Star rated appliances.

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There are a host of reasons why many of us are taking a closer look at ‘living green’. As more concerns emerge regarding global climate change, social consciousness is impelling us to examine our habits and behaviors, our ‘carbon footprint’, more closely.

Beyond conscience-driven decisions to adopt more green lifestyles, there is a growing financial advantage that comes with going green. Cost savings that can be realized by driving more efficient vehicles, using energy efficient appliances, increasing insulation, better windows and switching to compact fluorescent lighting all save money and decrease our individual impact on the environment. Overlooked by many of us is that many state governments as well as federal tax provisions are on the books that provide meaningful tax savings to encourage the purchase and use of many green products and technologies. Click here for an article from Realty Times that outlines some of the tax incentives you may wish to take a closer look at.

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As we pass through our mid winter blahs, it’s kind of fun to look at the predictions of where the design gurus are predicting interior design is heading in 2008. If the experts are to be believed, our color schemes and other interior design details are due for some significant shifts in the year ahead. Some of these changes will be influenced by concerns related to global climate change, others are tied to technological advances, such as flat screen TV’s replacing our bulky old cathode ray models.

If you are planning a remodeling project, or building a new vacation getaway, take a look at what interior design pros are saying over at RIS Media about where the new directions in style and gadgets will take us.

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HGTV has a great article with room-by-room dos and don’ts for your vacation home. Here are some of the tips covered:

Dos

• Create an inviting and eye-catching entrance, inside and out.
• Make sure you can see the entrance of the kitchen when you’re cooking.
• Use white plates, as they allow the natural beauty of the food to be the focal point of the meal.
• Put the TV and other electrical equipment in your living room into a cabinet to be hidden from view when not in use.
• In your office, add healthy plants which are beneficial and counter-balance the effects of electrical equipment.
• Replace bedding at least once a year to add a fresh, positive energy to the space.
• Add fire and earth elements in your bathroom.

Don’ts

• Leave broken steps or items in poor maintenance in your entryway.
• Use fluorescent lights in your kitchen, as they’re harsh and unappetizing.
• Have sharp, pointed edges on tables and chairs.
• Place too many pillows on the couch.
• Paint your home office in drab colors.
• Place one side of the bed against a wall.
• Create clutter on the sink, countertop, tub edge or shower stall in your bathroom.

For the complete list of feng shui dos and don’ts, click here for the original article.

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