In The Design Studio: Four Ways To Make Your New House Feel Like Home

This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

Reston real estate was booming this summer, so chances are that you are new to area. So, welcome to Reston!

Maybe you moved from far away or just crossed the river. Either way, this is your new home and you are trying to settle in.

In a survey conducted by The Harris Poll for Redfin, as many as one in four homeowners said they regretted purchasing their current home. But you are already here, somewhere between the wineries and monuments, and you need to make the place feel like home.

Whether it is a brand-new construction or new to you, you want to feel at home: the one place that everything is familiar, comfy and fits your lifestyle. Here are a few easy projects to make you feel right at home.

PAINT: Chances are, the previous homeowners left their mark with some crazy colors that do not fit your style, or the place was painted what I call “Realtor white” — the basic beige.

Paint is an easy way to make the place you own, and you don’t even need to reinvent the wheel. If you have wall colors/color schemes that you loved and that worked in your old house, consider repeating them. You liked them in the first place, so why not use familiar elements to help reduce anxiety in a new space.

Remember to leave some room for that “fresh start,” and try some new colors! Bright colors work well in the kitchen, recalling fresh produce and stimulating the appetite. Make sure to check out the Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne Plaza for fresh veggies and color inspiration.

GET ORGANIZED: Now is the perfect time to get a handle on your kitchen storage. Hopefully, you decluttered before packing. But if not, this is the perfect time.

Walk through your new kitchen and set “working stations” that fit your lifestyle — for example, a main cooking area, coffee station, kids’ snack station or even a cocktail station. Now you can unpack according to those stations.

Organize items in clear boxes so you can see clearly what’s in them and ease of pulling out. Checkout Ayers Variety & Hardware in Arlington for home gadgets.

PLANTS AND FLOWERS: It is well known that the green colors are good for relaxation. An easy way to bring a pop of green into your home are plants and flowers. They bring bright color for just a few dollars.

Plants are also known to help clean the air, and the smell of fresh flowers will cheer you up! How about the front yard?

If you have room for some personal touch, spruce it up. And don’t forget an herb garden for the kitchen. Nothing like fresh herbs with those organic tomatoes from Nell’s Produce market in Alexandria.

GET PERSONAL: How about a chalkboard? Just a small investment and an easy afternoon DIY and you can convert a boring wall in the kitchen to the family communication command center.

You can leave fun notes, write to-do lists, plan weekly menus and keep track of other reminders. Plaza Artists Materials & Picture Framing in Fairfax will have all your decorative DIY needs for great projects.

And if all else fails, bake some cookies! There is nothing that says home like the scent of fresh-baked cookies.

Invite the neighbors! They will be happy to know there is a new baker in town.