Alison Windham, Author at Windham Construction

Painting the Kid’s Bedroom

January 2, 2018 by Alison Windham ·

Painting your child’s bedroom can be one of the more fun home improvement projects to take on. It’s less mess and stress than remodeling the bathroom or having an addition added, and it’s a way to make your child smile hopefully. The one problem? Kids are constantly growing as they grow up. It’s hard to stay on top of their rapidly changing interests and preferences. Every child is different, so there’s not one formula that works for every child’s bedroom. However, there are certain key ages when it might be a good idea to revisit the bedroom.

Infant – Toddler

The nursery is the easiest child’s room to paint. The nursery decor tends to be more for the benefit of the parents than the kids–babies aren’t all that fussed about eggshell or matte. The standard nursery colors tend to be blue for a boy and pink for a girl, of course, but you don’t have to play by the rules. Maybe you want the baby’s gender to be a surprise, or you’re having twins–a boy and a girl. Yellow tends to be the most common gender neutral color. Maybe you don’t see why a pink nursery shouldn’t be perfect for your baby boy, or you just really like the color green. The best rule to follow her is to keep the decor soft. Pastel colors are the most popular choices for nurseries, because they’re calming for both babies and parents alike.

Ages 3-6

Kids at this age are their most imaginative. Their wacky ideas bounce off the walls, and they should have a fun, colorful room to keep them entertained. Don’t be afraid to get playful with your paint choices for this room. Some parents have even gone so far as to have a mural painted of their kid’s favorite animated movie. However, it’s also important to consider whether your child is likely to have this room long after they’ve outgrown their hobbies at this age. If you’re just going to have to paint over it in a few years, you might want to stick with a simple plan for the paint and then accentuate the wall with fun decorations. Bright, bold colors are best for this age.

Ages 7-11

At this age, the interests your kids develop might be likely to last longer than, well, a week. If they like sports, they’ll probably continue to like sports for a while. If they like space, it won’t hurt to nurture that interest. Again, keeping the room versatile with a solid color of paint and embellishing with decor might be the plan that costs you the least amount of hassle in the end. At this point, however, you should be able to have an idea of your child’s preferences. Try painting the room in their favorite color.

Tweens and Teens

Teenagers are more than capable of developing their own aesthetic–in fact, they’d quite prefer to do so. Your tween or teen might not want a race car shaped bed or stars on the walls, but they can easily tell you what they do want. Mind you, everything should be within reason, but it’s your teen that has to live in this room, so now is the time to ask them what they want. They may already have the plans all drawn up.

Regardless of your child’s age or design tastes, hiring a professional painter will remove much of the headache of the work from you–and your kids from that matter. Windham Construction has served Brazos Valley for over 20 years with a variety of home remodeling projects, including painting a fair number of kids’ bedrooms. We’re happy to help with your upcoming project and even help you find the perfect paint color. Contact us today and tell us what you need for your child’s bedroom.

Filed Under: DIY, Remodeling, Tips ·

Decorating Your Pergola for the Holidays

December 16, 2017 by Alison Windham ·

The Best Material for Deck Building in Central Texas You might not think of making much use of your pergola this winter. While a pergola provides the perfect combination of shade and fresh air in spring and summer, winter tends to be a season for staying indoors. The idea of sitting under pergola in December, even in Texas, just doesn’t sound as good as curling up on the couch. But just because temperatures are starting to drop in College Station doesn’t mean your pergola should go to waste. In fact, it can be the perfect canvas for one of the most fun parts of the season: holiday decoration. Even if you stay inside this holiday season, decking the pergola with boughs of holly can give you something cheerful to view from the window. Here are some of the ways you can decorate your pergola this year:

Lights and Tinsel

The shape and structure of your pergola makes it the perfect place to string lights or tinsel. You can run Christmas lights along the beams or just let them fall in a graceful sheet hanging from the roof. Wrap some garland along the cedar legs or pin the tinsel to a deep red bow in the front center of the pergola. You can even combine the two, wrapping the lights around the tinsel that wraps around the pergola. It’s a simple decoration as most of us have a surplus of lights and tinsel tucked away in storage somewhere, but it can transform your pergola from a summer oasis to a slice of Christmas cheer. Hang a wreath here and there just to add to the feeling. Even on colder nights, your pergola might look so inviting that you won’t be able to help slipping out there for a bit with a wool cap and a cup of hot chocolate.

Holiday Focal Pieces

If your family room is tight on space, you can always move the Christmas tree out to the pergola. A well decorated Christmas tree on its own can transform the look of your pergola. Imagine how much better your Christmas tree will look in a pergola that’s already decked out for the big day. This is a great way to switch up a tradition that might have gotten a little stale for your family. If you’re religious, the pergola is also a great place to put a nativity scene or some hand-crafted Hanukkah decorations. For more general holiday decor, you could place poinsettias at the corners of the pergola or a large, light-filled yard display snowman. There are multiple holidays that can be celebrated in December, and your pergola is the perfect place to decorate for all of them.

Keep Warm

If your pergola is so beautifully decorated that you find yourself wanting to spend time there, despite the weather, keep things cozy with a fire pit. You can gather around with your family and roast marshmallows (or, of course, chestnuts), sing your favorite carols and talk about your favorite parts of the season. A fire pit will not only keep your pergola comfortable in winter, but it will add to that wonderful warm sweater feeling that so often comes with the holidays.

This season, we at Windham Construction hope you have a wonderful holiday season. If you want your own pergola to decorate for the holidays, or simply to enjoy at any time of year, contact us today. Our family has been serving Brazos Valley’s construction needs for over 20 years, whether those needs are deck or pergola construction or interior remodeling. We’d love to explain what we can do for your home this season or any time of year.

Filed Under: DIY, Porches Decks Pergolas, Tips ·

How Color Can Affect Your Home Office

December 2, 2017 by Alison Windham ·

Color has a strong effect on our moods. Brighter colors can make us more energized and alert, while soft or deep colors help us to relax. Warm colors evoke cozy, homey feelings, while cool colors can inspire us and help us to focus. So if you work from home, the color of your workspace matters. It can affect your energy level, your ability to focus, and even how productive you are throughout the day. Deciding what colors are best for your home office depends on the kind of work you do and the kind of feeling you want to evoke. Here are some of our favorite suggestions for home office colors and how they can transform your workspace and help you to get things done:

Green

Green is a color that screams creativity and inspiration. Green is an energetic color that can motivate you and help you to center in on the things you want to accomplish. While a bright green on the walls might be a little too distracting, even a light pastel green can make your workspace seem potent with ideas. On the other hand, you could paint the walls some other color but fill the room with accents of green. A green vase, green desk lamp, wall hanging, or green chair will give the room an extra pop. Houseplants are also a great way to incorporate green into your home office. These themes of green through the office will make your home office a place where you can focus and be more productive.

Blue

Let’s face it, your work can be stressful sometimes. Even when you love it, there are always things that you dread or days that are hard to get through. If your workspace gives the wrong vibe, it can make your workday even more tense. This is where blue can help. Blue is a naturally calming color, one that can help you to feel more at ease, no matter what your day throws at you. There’s a reason why most social media platforms use blue as the main color in their design. Blue draws the eye to it and creates a relaxing atmosphere. Deep warm colors can also help you to feel more comfortable, but usually in a cozy way that dissuades productivity. Blue is a great choice for home offices because it can clear your mind of tension and help you to focus.

Yellow

Sometimes the best way to boost your energy in your home office is to give your eyes a break from the monotony. Painting the walls a cheerful yellow will pleasantly surprise your senses and thus, make you feel more alert and focused. Yellow is also reminiscent of the sun, so a yellow workspace can help you feel energized during the workday, and maybe even sleep better at night. Yellow walls, yellow windowsills around the sunshiney window, or yellow plaques to fill the empty spaces on your bookshelf can all boost your productivity and make you feel a little happier in your home office.

If your home office needs a remodel, call Windham Construction at 979-324-8596. We have over 20 years of experience with home remodel and construction services in College Station and the Brazos Valley area. If you can’t decide on a color, we’ll try out different samples so you can see what you like best. Your home office should be a place where you want to get work done, not a place that distracts you from the work you have to do. We’ll help you realize its full potential.

Filed Under: Blog, Remodeling, Tips ·

3 Benefits to Painting Before You Move In

November 15, 2017 by Alison Windham ·

So, you scored the dream house. You already know that you’ll want to take down that outdated wallpaper and paint in the living room, the master bedroom, maybe even the kitchen. The question is when: do you paint before moving in or after? There are advantages to both options. Many homeowners feel they won’t be able to properly judge what color they want until they’ve lived in the space. Some have a short timeframe in which to move and have to save the paint job until after the move. However, if you can afford to wait, there are several benefits to painting before you move in.

It’s Easier

Painting is one of the easier home improvement projects, but it can still be a pain when you have a fully furnished room. Everything has to be tarped down so that paint doesn’t end up anywhere it shouldn’t (like your new sectional or rug). Things have to be moved back and forth so that you can cover the whole wall. You have to live with the smell of wet paint until it dries. But you can avoid all that by painting before you move in. In an empty room, you won’t have to worry about wall hangings or moving furniture. You’ll even have a little room to make a mess.

The ease of painting before you move in still comes in handy if you decide to hire a professional painter. The easier the job is for the painters, the less time it will take. The less time your paint job takes, the less you’ll be charged at the end of the day.

You Won’t Have to Live With Toxic VOCs

Remember that charming wet paint smell? That actually comes from the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted into the air when you paint, and it can be pretty bad for you. Significant exposure to VOCs cause headaches and nausea, and it can even cause damage to your liver if you’re exposed to it for a long period of time. Fortunately, VOCs dissipate with time. If you paint your house before you move in, your air will be nice and clear again by the time you finally move in. And of course, it will smell a whole lot better.

It’s One Less Thing to Stress About

Moving can be a stressful process all the way through. Buying the home can be stressful, selling your old home and moving out can be stressful, and home remodeling can certainly be stressful, especially if you have to live through the remodel. So don’t. If you have all the painting and remodeling done to your new home before you move in, you can walk into a brand new space that’s already custom-remodeled to your tastes. Imagine walking into your home on move-in day and seeing a fresh, neat coat of paint. All you have to do is unpack and start enjoying your dream home.

You can also ease some of the stress of moving by trusting a professional like Windham Construction to take care of your paint jobs. Windham Construction has 20 years experience providing excellent home remodeling service to Bryan-College Station. They’ll take care of your paint job with ease and quality, so you don’t have to worry about it. Contact them today for a free estimate.

Filed Under: Home Remodel College Station TX, Tips ·

What Causes Window Leaks?

November 5, 2017 by Alison Windham ·

Now that the temperature is finally beginning to drop, you might start to notice that one or more of your windows has a leak. Window leaks can be small and easy to ignore, but they can cause big problems for your home. They can let in a draft and raise the cost of your HVAC bills or give small critters easy access to the interior of your home. In the worst case scenario, the moisture from outdoors can leak through your window and cause damage to your home in the form of mold, mildew, or rot. Window leaks are a pesky issue to have to address. So what causes window leaks anyway? Today we’ll get into a few of the most common reasons why your window might have a leak.

Cracking Caulk

One of the most common causes of leaky windows is caulk that’s past its prime. The caulk around your window is used to give it an airtight seal even in the midst of bad weather. But even good caulk will eventually start to deteriorate. When that happens, draft is able to leak through the cracks. If you notice your caulk cracking, it might be tempting to cover it with newer seal, but that cracking speaks to the structure of your caulk as a whole. It’s better to take the whole thing out when you notice it going bad and simply replace it.

Faulty Glass

Caulk isn’t the only kind of seal that your window should have. You may notice moisture between the glass panes of your window. Even if it doesn’t leak to the other side of your window (in the form of window condensation), it’s still a bad sign for your home’s insulation. Your glass is letting in too much moisture, cold air, and probably hot air during the warmer months. This can cause your HVAC use to spike. If you’re the kind of person who cares about your carbon footprint–or just saving money on energy bills–you may want to consider switching to a more energy efficient window.

Weather Damage

Heavy rains and wind can wear down the insulation of your window. Whether it’s the structure of the glass, the window frame, or eroding the caulk, if you don’t have sturdy windows prepared for extreme weather, you’re going to have leaks. It’s also important to make sure the rest of the house is doing its job to protect your windows. Take a look at your gutters. Are they clogged? Clean them out. Are they broken? Repair them. If your gutters don’t do their part to funnel rainwater away from the house, that storm damage is poured onto your window, causing disastrous effects. But even the extreme heat of summer can have an effect on the structure of the window, so make sure you have a sturdy, energy efficient window.

If you frequently have a problem with window leaks, it may be time to switch to new windows. Windham Construction provides sturdy, airtight windows in a wide variety of tints, colors, and openings. These windows will improve the look and insulation of your home at the same time. Windham Construction has over 20 years of experience providing home remodeling service to the Bryan-College Station area. They’re experts at remodeling and window installation. Contact them today for a free estimate for your window installation.

Filed Under: Tips, Windows ·