By Natalie Weinstien, ASID
 
              Long Island building and rebuilding is on the rise. Homeowners are now, more than ever, inclined to purchase “fixer-uppers” for less money and undergo renovations, especially kitchens and baths, with the help of certified designers, architects, and contractors to improve the value of their investment and get exactly what they want. Homeowners are finding their style on the internet before shopping or seeking design advice. Homeowners have become more inclined to go “green” because green product costs have gone down.
              Because there are so many more over “55 communities”, seniors are staying on Long Island and downsizing as well as buying smaller homes. Many are giving or “selling” their homes to children who couldn’t really afford to live here. (Now seniors are babysitting their young grandchildren so both parents can work to afford a better Long Island lifestyle.) Seniors are also renovating their homes to accommodate returning adult children (and their families) who are not able to purchase a home yet, allowing them to save for one.
              As a new high end furniture consignment store owner, I see young people as well as older people buying good quality previously owned furniture, online and at the premises, to meet their budgets rather than buying new poorly made cheap furniture. But younger homeowners are not interested in keeping the “collectibles” of crystal, china, Lladros, etc. that their parents and grandparents amassed. The value of these items, therefore, has gone down and those who have become collectors are buying these items for a fraction of their original value.
              Unfortunately, there is a trend, today, towards “disposability” - the notion that nothing needs to last. “We buy cheap, have the kids wreck it, and then throw it out and get something else.” Some big box stores promote the savings, but there are no savings because there is no value. Instead it promotes a generation that doesn’t appreciate quality and its worth, and doesn’t care for or take pride in their homes. The role of the professionals in the design world, more than ever, should be to educate the public – to help them know the differences in what they are buying and opt for quality as well as value, understanding the true worth of their homes as a way to empower and nurture all who live there. The good news is – we’re making progress!
 

By Natalie Weinstein, Allied ASID
 
            In all my years as a designer and speaker, January has represented the clean slate and the time to make and try not to break New Year’s resolutions.  The top of the list for everyone, of course, is clean up the clutter and start a diet and exercise program.  For me the first is easy, the second, not so.  While each of us has his own demons, we are all best intentioned.  Then things happen.  Life gets in the way and we drop the ball.
            So as we begin the anew, let’s explore the ways we can keep our new year’s resolutions and reach our goals.

1. Since success breeds success, if we start with a small achievable action like cleaning out one drawer or the refrigerator, our feeling of accomplishment will act as a prompt for the next.  They say that if we repeat a positive action for 30 days, it becomes a habit.  If that’s true, we could actually have a clean basement or lose 15 pounds in a month!
2. Don’t be undermined when we fall off the wagon.  So we ate the brownie (or two) or left all our stuff in the dining room. That doesn’t mean we’re doomed for life and it’s not a license to continue the bad habit.  Starting over is what the New Year is all about.
3. Reward yourself for positive action and not with a hot fudge sundae.  How about inviting friends over to an uncluttered den or buying a new outfit in a smaller size or finding and wearing a “too small” favorite from the back of the closet?
4. Turn the chore into fun.  Join a dance class instead of going to a gym, if dancing makes you happy.  Swap recipes for healthier meals if you love to cook (and eat).
5. Find a buddy for positive reinforcement so you can celebrate achievements and support one another when failure looms.
6. Keep your sense of humor (or develop one if that’s your resolution) and don’t allow negative thoughts to undermine goals.  Put things in perspective and try to feel good about yourself no matter what.
7. Be specific about what you are actually trying to achieve.  Wanting to clean up or lose weight doesn’t cut it.  Think- “I want to clean up and organize my kitchen by the end of the month even if I can’t do a major renovation, or starting today, I will walk every day for a week and play an exercise tape Tuesday and Thursday.”
8. Worry less.  Be happy with who you are and the blessings you have.  The cup ½ full is a better attitude to accomplish anything even if life’s challenges seem to be overwhelming.
9. Let’s spread a little joy and try being really nice to people who may not deserve it and of course, to those who do. The response might surprise and even amaze and the positive vibes will definitely ramp us up.
10. So my dear readers, why not ring in 2016 with a smile and a resolve to do what we can to make things better for us and those we care about?  If we start with ourselves and work our way out, our homes and the world can only be a better place.

 
Here’s a great way to get started at our  FREE EVENTS!

​NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Sunday, January 10, 2016 11am - 1pm
Uniquely Natalie Quality Consignment
176 2nd Street St. James, NY 11780
RSVP:  http://www.uniquelynatalie.com/events--sales.html

Change your body, health, look & home! 

Start the New Year with Natalie and you will not only get help in creating a better environment in your home - but a new and healthier "you" as well.  Natalie's invited some of the best Long Island professionals to show you how to look and feel fit and healthy in the place you love best ~ "your home".
 
RENOVATE AND RENEW YOUR HOME BRUNCH
Sunday, January 31, 2016 10:00AM - 1:00PM
Windows on the Lake
235 Lake Shore Road
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
RSVP:  http://www.uniquelynatalie.com/events--sales.html
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Join us for our annual gathering at Windows on the Lake.  This year’s topic is sure to please.  We will have many of our "go to" sources in the room to answer all your questions.  Nothing is off the table!

However, what will be on the table is YUMMY!  Windows on the Lake always provides us with a brunch spread like no other.  So please join us, have your questions ready and your belly ready for some food!