My tips to make your house feel more like a home

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[00:00:26] Eric Goranson: And if you look at, uh, you know, color and how you react to. But that's probably the worst space for you, but more of a neutral palette. And then taking a look at what you have in that, if it's a living room, for instance, maybe, you know, maximizing the fireplace where you can have a fire in the winter time and relax with it.

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[00:01:07] Eric Goranson: This is where we help you get the most outta your home through information and education. Thanks for joining me today. I'm Eric g. If you wanna find out more about us, head over to around the house online.com. You can find my videos over there from around the House Northwest Television Show. You can stream online.

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[00:01:42] Eric Goranson: And I've had a couple of questions about this and I thought, you know, if I get enough questions on something, it's obviously something we should talk about. And so how do you take a home and make it feel more homey for you? And some of this is really going to come down to your style. Maybe the self awareness of knowing [00:02:00] what you like and to working on those projects.

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[00:02:26] Eric Goranson: That has been hot. And nowadays we've got color is such a big part of things. So, you know, there's a lot of different colors out there. You know, we're seeing some of the seventies and eighties retro colors come back re imagined where, um, there's a new avocado green. That's not the. You know, 1970s appliance, avocado green, but it's a new reimagined version of it.

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[00:03:14] Eric Goranson: I. Y. Project. And you know something if you don't like it in a couple years, you can go back and repaint it and it's not that big a deal. It's not like you're putting tile down or a kitchen where it's gonna have to last a decade or two before you want to do it again because otherwise you're just wasting money.

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[00:03:54] Eric Goranson: You know, I have seen. Some dramatic projects out there. Uh, [00:04:00] there was one, I think it was the Italian embassy in Washington, DC. It had this old classic home. Then he went inside and it was all this very contemporary looking, um, Italian kitchen inside this very old 200 year old home. And to me, that's not my favorite look, but if it's you and it's your home, knock yourself out, but really finding that style.

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[00:04:46] Eric Goranson: Maybe you do some different stuff like that and you're going to be okay. So have some fun with paint. Embrace it, you know, I wouldn't go through an old house and be painting all the woodwork and stuff because that can be such a pain to bring back and restore later, [00:05:00] but maybe doing some walls, maybe taking out some of the old dated wallpaper, even putting new stuff up, a change of color can make it feel like it's more yours.

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[00:05:26] Eric Goranson: You know, we, we, we used to see that there was that Hollywood Regency style that looked like, you know, Liberace's yard sale that has kind of gone away with all the mirrored things. It's not as popular as it once was. And those are things that, uh, you know, styles have come around and, um, whether you're contemporary traditional, there's some cool things to do out there, but really paint color or wallpaper or a wall color is something to sure consider because it can be a game changer for you and your home.

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[00:06:13] Eric Goranson: You know, that's a primer is a good thing. Don't buy into the paint and primer and one it's not optimal. If it's something that you're going over in a big color change, like red to blue or red to white or dark blue to light blue, whatever else I would go through. And prime at first. Now one little trick that I do for painting projects like this, and I, and I talk to my paint store and rely on them, but many times, um, with a lot of the primers out there, if you're changing colors drastically, instead of, especially if you're going to another dark color, tinting that primer can be another good one.

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[00:07:09] Eric Goranson: You can go through and really get that taken a look at and tackle that project. So it's something easy to do. That is a one great way. To make your house feel like a home. Now, the second one here on the list is a big one in this, I think is great for everyone's mental health. I mean, we are seeing all of the chaos in the world right now.

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[00:07:47] Eric Goranson: So how do you create a place to relax? That is your place to turn off all the outside noise for a little bit of self care. And that can be something that really creates [00:08:00] a place in your home for you to enjoy. Now, this could be in a different places, depending on who you are, sometimes creating that master bedroom or bedroom that you can have as your place of solitude that you can go chill, maybe read a book, maybe even watch television like it was a living room.

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[00:08:39] Eric Goranson: So again, Taken that place in your home that makes sense. Where is it that you wish you could hang out? Maybe it's an outdoor space. Maybe it's an outside patio or a side patio or something like that, where you want to make it look like a little bit of a garden. You want to have a place to relax outside, whatever that is creating that place of solace or solitude for you can be [00:09:00] really important.

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[00:09:33] Eric Goranson: And we'll talk about that more just as soon as around the house returns.

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[00:09:59] Eric Goranson: up, this is Dick [00:10:00] and Satchel from steel Panther. And you are listening to around the house with Eric G. We love Eric G and you should too.

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[00:11:04] Eric Goranson: Now, in our first segment here, we were talking about, you know, color, but if you're really trying to create that place to help relax and unwind, maybe it's after a long day at work or whatever, I want you to kind of start. And again, this comes down to preference, but generally speaking. Um, I want you to start with a more neutral palette.

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[00:11:53] Eric Goranson: Maybe you put an electric fireplace in there to give you that feeling of a fireplace. Um, maybe you're [00:12:00] going to put in, you know, sometimes candles or fake candles like a Battery powered ones can be good. Now, here's the thing that I think is really cool. If you can bring the outdoors in to make it feel a little more natural, that is good as well.

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[00:12:36] Eric Goranson: You know, if you're more of a city person and that city life is something, you know, having that brick and embracing it, uh, more of a loft space, you could do something that relaxes you there. So again, this comes down to that. Now, here's one thing I want you to be really careful with. One of the common things is making it smell good.

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[00:13:26] Eric Goranson: Those can really take your VOCs and cram them up through the ceiling and make it an unhealthy space. So that would be something that would not be soothing and relaxing. Even though you go. And that smells good. You could be creating more longer term health issues. So we don't want to do that, but cleaning up, having a place that's scented, that's clean, maybe flowers if you're not allergic, but creating something that's really cool and you could do other stuff in there, uh, as far as sense that aren't, you know, like a, uh, a leather chair can smell good.

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[00:14:15] Eric Goranson: I don't want to see my family. I'm just going to be upset. Great. I understand that because a lot of people out there had a tougher family life. So maybe family photos, is it your answer, but that's really an important one of creating that relaxing space. And you know, the other thing too, is getting organized.

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[00:14:59] Eric Goranson: [00:15:00] And the other thing is, is creating and controlling the light you have in the space. So work with the light that you've got. So maybe taking in there and putting in, like, uh, a smart dimmer or something like that, that you can have it preset to your... Desired lighting. If you'd like it at 25 percent and you can do a preset where you just hit the button and it goes to 25, whatever that is, you can help create that natural space.

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[00:15:48] Eric Goranson: And then, you know, just creating that stress free place as much as you can. Maybe it's something you take your phone and just put it off, you know, cause maybe those work emails and text messages are really [00:16:00] hurting your focus. On relaxation. So doing what you can to create that space around you and, um, you know, plants, greenery, that's good.

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[00:16:45] Eric Goranson: So these are all things, uh, you know, if you get into some of the, uh, yeah. The more Asian relaxation techniques, they say that like sand is a, is a natural, you know, um, way to induce tranquility. So you could have an [00:17:00] hourglass or, um, you know, sand garden, something like that. Uh, but really the other thing you can do, and this is kind of my last one here, is the sound of nature.

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[00:17:29] Eric Goranson: And it just changes how you do it. It just really changes how relaxation is. So think about that and think about comfortable textures as well. Maybe it's a really. Cozy blanket for the wintertime. Maybe it's someplace cool in the summertime. Maybe you've got that's the room that has the window air conditioner in it So you can be calm in that but really creating textures that are comfortable and textures that are calm Uh, maybe it's the the cover over the couch that you just got [00:18:00] Or a blanket or cushions or pillows So anyway, think about all those different things that you can do to make things More comfortable for you.

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[00:18:34] Eric Goranson: And especially as we get into fall and winter, where a lot of us are going to be inside a lot more, these are important things. We'll talk about more of this, of creating your house to be more like a home when Around the House returns.[00:19:00]

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[00:19:23] Eric Goranson: It's trying to do different things are going to make things more comfortable for you. And the next one here I want to talk about is creating comfort. And that can be a lot of different things is depending on how you live your life. But the number one that I say, and this is an important one when you're trying to create something that is relaxation or creating comfort is to get the right mattress.

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[00:20:12] Eric Goranson: I realized that, wow, I was missing out because many times, especially with my body, as much as I've hurt myself over the years with so many different dozens of surgeries, all the different things I've done to my body over the years, I tell you what, having the mattress that works for you is important. Now, here's what I did this last time and I was shocking because, you know, I was, I used to be going here to like Costco and I buy the mattress in a box and that was okay.

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[00:20:56] Eric Goranson: Now, Matt, this company here in Portland, uh, mattress warehouse [00:21:00] USA, lovely people down there. But they make mattresses and it's not your traditional, you know, strip mall mattress retailer. They actually have an old, uh, VW, like 1950s, 60s VW dealership. So they got like three or four bays in the back, just a tiny little.

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[00:21:34] Eric Goranson: They're like, Hey, what texture do you want on it? You can get you this. So, okay, now we have it. What it feels like in a great mattress store like that is where you can walk in. It's almost like going to your eye doctor, your optometrist, where they're like, well, what about this? What about this? A or B, A or B.

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[00:22:12] Eric Goranson: Because all of a sudden your bed now gets changed into almost like a comfortable couch that you can sit there on. Now I don't say you have to be sitting there all day, but just creating another space to relax. And maybe you and your family, or it's just you, You need a place to go hide place to go, relax, read a book, whatever.

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[00:22:53] Eric Goranson: You know, one of those sleep numbers or whatever there, whatever that is, figure it out. You don't have to [00:23:00] spend a boatload of money to get something comfortable for you. And then you get a good night's sleep and there's nothing more you want than sleeping well. Because that's going to change how you look at the day.

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[00:23:34] Eric Goranson: That's another one. And then for many people, they relax by watching TV, watching a movie. And, uh, it helps them turn off, you know, and that's a bad habit that I have myself for creating comfort. I have a busy day. As you guys know, when I go to bed at night, if I'm still thinking about what I'm doing. Okay. I got to do a, b, c, d, e, f, g.

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[00:24:31] Eric Goranson: That's a good way to do it. So don't be afraid to chase down that and find what you need. But really creating comfort for that is going to be really smart. So spend some time, get the right stuff, and it'll be a great project for you. Let me talk about a project that works out really well that I've done around my home.

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[00:25:05] Eric Goranson: And what you do is you... Upload your favorite photos and a frame style around it of what you want. And then they ship them out to you and you can actually hang these on the wall and they're really cool how they work. And so there's lots of different ways to do this. The, um. You know, there's mixed tiles.

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[00:25:45] Eric Goranson: And you can go through and you order them. So you'll take your favorite photos, send them off in a week or two later they show up. And all you do is peel the self adhesive tape off the back, kind of get your laser level up and line them up. And you can create a [00:26:00] space or a space of grids or whatever pattern on the wall you like.

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[00:26:26] Eric Goranson: Whatever you want to do a photos. It could be something funny. It could be something, you know, concert, whatever you want to do to make it your space, but take a look. Um, one of the companies mixed tiles, I think does one of the better ones out there and, um, they're super affordable and then you can create your own photo collage on the wall, but what's cool is you're not like taking them and putting up on a bulletin board where you're overlapping them, this is something where you can make them where they're the, you know, like a eight by eight inch, um, You know, or larger, depending on what size you go to go up on [00:27:00] the wall, and it's really cool how that works.

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[00:27:23] Eric Goranson: And again, not a sponsored piece. They, uh, never talked to him about this stuff. I am a paying customer or actually my wife is a paying customer. So take out, that's a good little one. Mixed tiles. com is probably the best place to go. And, uh, you can go through there. There's other companies that do it. Um, and so, uh, don't, uh, don't be so brand specific, but that's just one of the companies that I've seen out there that has done a great job.

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[00:28:04] Eric Goranson: You can take them and create someplace cool. And right now there's a lot of sales and stuff in the fall. So it's something to take a look at. Um, like, uh, that one last time I was on there, they had a flash sale, but they've always got sales. So if you spend a little time, if you're looking for that deal, you can go through and, uh, and do that and create a really cool space.

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[00:29:03] Eric Goranson: It's the end of the show. They're drinking down people. It's time to go. It's that time again. It's last call. Welcome back to the Around the House show. This is where we help you get the most out of your home through information and education. We've been talking about in this segment about, uh, actually this hour of how to make your house more like a home.

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[00:29:44] Eric Goranson: You know, on a budget, you know, just little things you can do that are inexpensive that, um, don't take a big investment, but can help you do it. So, uh, these are some different tips, uh, of things you can do. So, uh, candles is one, just a great [00:30:00] candle for relaxation. And, you know, here's another one that I thought was really interesting.

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[00:30:29] Eric Goranson: Now here's a basic one you can do. If you're someone that likes to take showers or baths, and that's something that relaxes you, go on and update those towels. Go get some really, really nice ones. And you don't have to spend a ton of money, but get something that's going to do the job. Maybe they're oversized, maybe they're whatever, especially as we get into colder months here in North America, get something that's going to be much more comfortable.

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[00:31:12] Eric Goranson: So I went through and created and built my own headboard. And how this worked was really cool. So I started out and marked out how wide I wanted it to be. So I had a few inches left on either side of the bed. And what I did is I created this herringbone pattern and went out floor to ceiling with it. So I had this wood that matched everything.

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[00:31:47] Eric Goranson: Which was really cool. And then I wired up some lights that were in the ceiling above us. So my wife had a, uh, a light on her side for reading. I had one on mine that I had control of right there next to us. So outside of the normal [00:32:00] lighting, I had those lights up above and that worked out super cool. So I was really excited by doing it that way.

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[00:32:28] Eric Goranson: So that is another one there. Now, uh, You know, we were talking about how I didn't like to have, uh, essential oils and things like that, that are, that are smells, but there are a lot of different like showering products and stuff like that, or bath products you can get that have a more, you know, a smell like that, that give you not something that's super perfumey or something like that, because I don't want to be introducing anything into the air, like an aerosol or One of those air fresheners or things, but really creating something that's going to be healthy.

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[00:33:19] Eric Goranson: I took a Saturday. And went through my entire closet and because I've lost so much weight, I've lost about a little over 60 pounds in the last year, I have really, um, had to go through my clothes in high grade, some clothes that, um, quite frankly, didn't fit anymore in organizing my closet and getting that.

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[00:34:01] Eric Goranson: So really. Creating some spots. If you have places in your home that are stressful, like organizational or things like that. Now, I can't help you if that's your spouse or your significant other, your partner. If they're stressful, then maybe you should get them some help. And there's nothing wrong with that.

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[00:34:41] Eric Goranson: So I want to talk about that for a second is the last bit here of this, because. Remodeling and having contractors in your home or tearing your house up can be one of the most stressful things you can do. Now I think a kitchen remodel is the number one stressful thing in your life that you can do to your house [00:35:00] because you have people coming into your home.

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[00:35:17] Eric Goranson: Yeah, you're cool. But if you're doing a gutted. Remodel. And they're saying they can do that in a couple, two or three weeks, nearly impossible unless you've got something that's very simple or small, but when it comes down to it, the process is the same. So I would not put remodeling in here. Is something now down the road six months from now, it might be very pleasant.

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[00:36:07] Eric Goranson: And by the time you're done, no matter how good that contractor is, you are tired of them invading your space every day. And more importantly. They're invading your personal space. So take some time. Think about that. If you are having relationship issues, remodeling should not be your fix it. It's no different of, of, of my married friends that went out and decided to, uh, Hey, we had a tough relationship, so we're going to have some kids.

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[00:37:09] Eric Goranson: You're renting an apartment for three months. Maybe if you can't afford that, maybe you're going to another part of the house, but create that relaxing space well before you have to go do this. So make sure that you have your space to hide. Your space to call your own, your space to escape. If you're working from home, having noise around the house, maybe you need to go rent a office space for three or four months at your local little place up the street.

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[00:37:56] Eric Goranson: And that's just the plain facts. It's going to be stressful. And those are [00:38:00] things that can make this even worse because I tell you what, every year I saw things go sideways for people just because of the invasion of their space. And that's just the contractor coming over and doing what they do best by remodeling your home.

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[00:38:37] Eric Goranson: That's in our, uh, episode that I put up. That's in our, uh, premium membership and you can get over there. It's only four bucks, so it's not bad. Head over to around the house, online. com and look for the insider over there and you can subscribe right there. All right, everybody. Have a great weekend. Thanks for tuning into around the house.

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