This is a sponsored column by Cindy Beyer, ASID,NCIDQ. Beyer is a Reston-based interior designer and Reston Now Best Reston Business Award winner. Find her online at www.CindyLBeyer.com.
What is Faux painting? The word “faux” is a French word meaning fake or false. Faux painting or faux finishing are terms used to describe a decorative paint finish that replicates the appearance of materials such as marble, wood, stone and even raw silk. However, we use it in the interior design trade to describe many finishes done with paint and not necessarily with a paint brush.
Faux finishes can be performed by the common do-it-yourselfer, however it is not as easy as you may think and the outcome may not be what you desired. This is why it is important to hire a professional to create an impressive appearance.
I will recommend a faux artist when my clients desire an appearance beyond strictly paint, wallpaper, or to improve a bad drywall job, cabinet, ceiling as well as to create a mural on a wall. I even had a faux artist create a large mermaid on three walls of a beach house powder room. Faux painting can be used to create impressive appearances for many venues.
Through my experience, I have seen many people attempt to “sponge paint” their walls to create a new look. Often times, the do-it-yourselfer is unaware that preparation of the wall or material to be faux painted is as important as the faux work itself.
My faux artists are skilled in rendering in addition to the technical skill sets of faux finishing. When visiting my home, it is very common for my clients to ask me if the finishes on the walls they are seeing are wallpaper, because a great faux artist will create a natural impression.
My faux artist, Jill Perla of Jill Perla Art, is a fine artist who specializes in faux finishes on walls as well as cabinets and furniture. She can take an old, ratty piece of furniture (some from dumpsters) and transform it into a piece of art.
“To repurpose and reuse instead of replace” is Jill’s motto. Her techniques vary from job to job. When a mottled, soft look is required, she will use a sea sponge; for a crinkled, parchment paper look, she will use plastic bags.
Stripes can add interest to a wall or cabinet. For a wispy look, Jill will use a dry brush. For a distressed look, she will use a bag of nails and hammers to create dents in the finish. This technique is very successful when used on cabinets and furniture pieces.
The advice I give to my clients is to allow us to use our imagination when designing the faux finish. Paint can be a very limited term, but not it’s creativity. If we can design it, we can faux paint it.
If you would like to learn more about creating an impressive appearance to a room or other materials, or to learn more about the many benefits of using a certified ASID,NCIDQ designer, please visit my website at www.cindylbeyer.com or contact me at [email protected].
This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Barkley Von Snauser, an Old English Bulldog who is a real member of the family.
Barkley loves look out the window, nap with our babies, eat snacks, and walk around the Reston paths.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
Reston’s real estate market saw 18 homes go from Pending to Sold in the past 10 days. For all the fretting about a slower market over the summer, year-to-date sales are on track for a very solid 2014 in Reston real estate.
To date, 766 properties have sold–based on our quarterly averages we should see over 1000 homes sold by the end of the year. Here are a few of the ones that sold this past week.
- 11817 GREY BIRCH PL. 3BR, 2.5 BA. List Price, $650,000; Sold Price, $650,000. Seller Subsidy, $3,750
- 2204 COPPERSMITH SQ. 3BR, 3.5 BA. List Price, $379,000; Sold Price, $370,000. Seller Subsidy $888
- 11002 HOWLAND DR. 4BR, 2.5 BA. List Price, $479,900. Sold Price, $479,900. Seller Subsidy $5,000
- 11218 WEDGE DR. 4BR, 3.5 BA. List Price, $760,000; Sold Price, $742,000
- 1599 AUTUMN RIDGE CIR. 3BR, 3.5 BA. List Price, $439,900; Sold Price, $440,000. Seller Subsidy $7000
- 12012 TALIESIN PL #16. 2BR, 1.5 BA. ListPrice, $334,900; Sold Price, $330,000
- 1650 BENNINGTON HOLLOW LN. 3BR, 2 FB, 2 HB. $674,900; Sold Price, $662,000
- 2325 HARLEYFORD CT. 3BR, 2.5 BA. List Price, $385,000; Sold Price, $370,000
- 1717 WAINWRIGHT DR. 4BR, 2.5 BA. List Price, $369,900; Sold Price, $350,000
This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Reston Town Center that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement, and private sector employee matters. They write biweekly on RestonNow.
There are several important issues federal employees should consider when deciding whether to pursue an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaint against a federal agency or supervisor.
Potential EEO claims. Federal employee EEO complaints can involve a range of discriminatory conduct by federal agencies, including discrimination on the basis of age, disability, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, genetic information, and national origin. In addition, EEO complaints can also involve hostile work environment, sexual harassment and retaliation.
Example EEO complaints. Some typical EEO claims brought by federal employees are demonstrated in the following five hypothetical scenarios:
- Example A: Federal employee is sexually harassed at work by her supervisor. When the federal employee refuses her supervisor’s overtures, she then receives a suspension from the same supervisor. The federal employee brings a claim for sexual harassment.
- Example B: Federal employee has previously filed an EEO complaint against his supervisor. A year later, the federal employee discovers that his promotion was denied by the supervisor because the supervisor was upset that the federal employee had filed an EEO complaint. The federal employee brings a claim for retaliation.
- Example C: Federal employee takes sick leave related to treatment for cancer. Upon the employee’s return, his supervisor gives the employee a bad performance evaluation for taking too much time off. The federal employee claims disability discrimination.
- Example D: Federal employee takes sick leave related to a recent car accident and requires a lot of time out of the office for physical therapy. The federal employee is also unable to perform some of her duties as she recovers, including the lifting of boxes for a limited period of time. The federal employee asks her supervisor for modifications to her duties (a reasonable accommodation), but the supervisor refuses to modify the employee’s schedule. The federal employee claims disability discrimination for her agency’s failure to accommodate her serious medical condition.
- Example E: 60 year-old federal employee is competing for a promotion to a GS-15 position. Federal employee competes against two other employees, under the age of 40, for the same position. The 60 year-old federal employee is not selected for the position. He later discovers that the selecting official expressed concerns that may have impacted his decision, namely that the 60 year-old applicant might retire sooner than the other two younger applicants. The 60 year-old federal employee claims age discrimination.
EEO complaint deadline. Typically, a federal employee only has 45 days from the date of discrimination in which to contact an EEO counselor at the federal agency to initiate the EEO complaint process. If a complaint is not timely initiated, the federal employee may be time-barred from filing the EEO complaint. Read More
This is a sponsored post by veterinarian Elizabeth Arguelles, owner of Just Cats Clinic at Lake Anne Plaza. She writes weekly on Reston Now.
Cats love routines and are territorial creatures when it comes to their homes. As a result, they often get stressed when their environment changes in some way. Even slightly different sounds or smells can be upsetting. That is why when you go on a short vacation, it is best to leave your feline friend in the safety of its own home, if possible, instead of taking it with you on your trip or leaving it at a boarding facility.
The problem, of course, is finding someone to look after your little one in your absence. One option is a trusted cat-friendly neighbor or friend who can clean your cat’s litter, fill its water and food bowls, and shower your feline friend with the love and attention you would normally give it. But even if you have network of neighbors and friends ready to help out, there may be times when no one that your cat knows or trusts is available to help care for it. In those cases, you might need to engage the service of a pet sitter.
Most professional pet sitters will stop by at least twice a day to check on your cat and attend to its basic needs. Through training and experience, they should be quite adept at making friends with your feline, but having a new person in the house — coupled with the stress of your absence — could make your cat very uncomfortable.
As we all know, when your cat is stressed, bad behavior such as destroying furniture, inappropriate urination or defecation, and increased aggression become more likely. So it pays to try to prepare your cat beforehand for the pet sitter’s arrival. Here are some simple steps you can take:
- Before you leave, ask the pet sitter to stop by and meet your cat a few times with you present. He or she could offer some treats or play with your cat, which would help the cat identify “good” things with this new person coming over.
- Have the sitter feed and change your cat’s water with you around. Having the person go through the cat’s routine in your presence will make this experience less threatening to your fluffy friend. It will then seem like less of a change when it happens with you not around.
- If your cat is particularly skittish or afraid of strangers, have the pet sitter sit with you in a place where the cat can see both of you. Don’t try to force an introduction or pull your feline friend out of its hiding place. Instead, let your kitty come out and greet the stranger on its own time.
- Leave a piece of your clothing in the area where your cat sleeps. This will give your feline friend an added sense of security, making it feel more comfortable when you are gone.
If after all this, your cat is still very afraid of strangers, talk to your vet about other things that you can do to help your cat feel more secure when the pet sitter comes to look after it.
This is a sponsored article from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
Reston Real Estate saw 31 new properties added to the pool of homes for sale, bringing our total to 288. Activity in the market is on the rise after a very sluggish summer with 85 homes sold in the past 30 days.
Here are a few of the new listings for this week.
This week’s Reston Pets of the Week are “siblings” Stella and Tito. Here is what owner Teresa has to say about them:
Stella (an almost 3-year old-boxer) and her “brother” Tito (a 1-year-old miniature pinscher) are the light of our lives.
When we brought our Tito home in hopes of giving Stella a companion, we never could have dreamed how well they would bond. Stella has taken him on like he was her own and has protected and loved her little brother since he was 7 weeks old, not to mention the HUGE impact she has had on his training!
She is the perfect role model and has showed Tito exactly how to behave. We can’t imagine life without them, or imagine their lives without each other. They sleep in the same crate (by choice) and are never more than a few feet apart at any given instance.
We can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves over time.Two dogs are truly better than one!
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored column by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
I recently posted some tips for getting your home physically ready for the appraisal. Whether you are selling, refinancing, or looking for a home equity loan, the shape your home is in will make a difference in the appraisal. But there are a few more things you can do to make the appraiser’s job easier.
- The appraiser needs to know what kind of improvements you’ve made. So keep a list of anything you’ve done in the last 15 years — the date and the approximate cost. It matters whether your air conditioner is five years old or 25 years old. Something as seemingly small as replacing a toilet also counts.
- Find a plot map of your home. Some HOAs will give you one when you buy your property. The appraiser will go look it up, but they’ll appreciate it if they don’t have to. Regardless, they need to know your property lines and the actual square footage of the structure.
- Find comps and have copies of them. This is also something they’ll do, but if you have already done it for them, it helps — especially if it’s a recent sale that didn’t go through a real estate agent. Those comps can take a while to show up on their databases.
- Make a list of all the improvements in the neighborhood, such as the Metro’s Silver Line coming in, a new high-end grocery store, or a recreation center — anything that makes your neighborhood more appealing to buyers. It’s unlikely that your appraiser lives in your community, so let them know what a great location you’re in!
Once you hand over your helpful information, step back and let the appraiser get to work.
By making your property look it’s best and by giving your appraiser the additional information they need to make a good assessment, you will be well positioned to get the highest valuation of your home.
This is a sponsored article from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
This week in Reston, 37 new properties came on the market. That brings the total inventory of homes for sale to 275 — the highest number in two years but still only slightly more than a 2.5-months supply of homes.
Real estate agents keep a careful eye on the number of homes for sale because it’s the primary indicator of what type of market we are in — is it a buyer’s market, a seller’s market or is it neutral?
Typical of Reston, we don’t adhere to simple labels. If you’ve taken care with getting your home ready to sell by deep cleaning, organizing and de-cluttering and you’ve resisted the temptation to price your home as if it were the very best one ever, you will likely be rewarded with a contract in less than 30 days.
We are seeing a lot more requests for seller paid closing costs in contracts and buyers are being more demanding about home inspection items, all things to keep in mind as you prepare your home for market.
Here are a few of the new listings for this week:
2116 GREEN WATCH WAY.#201, 2BR. 2 Bath, $275,000
11192 SILENTWOOD LN. 2BR, 2 BA, $335,000
1144 ROUND PEBBLE LN. 5BR, 4.5 BA, $998,900
1565 OLD EATON LN. 5BR ,3.5 BA, $839,300
This is a sponsored post by Taylor Ryan of Apartment Showcase.
Consumers today are more tech obsessed than ever. “Tech” products improve and change so frequently, it’s now a struggle just to keep up with what’s new.
One of the fastest growing markets in this industry is known as the “Internet of Things,” or “IOT” for short. This type of technology covers all the things around us, including and not limited to: smart environments, wearables, and smart devices that measure us and react to our every move. Like it or not, the areas around us are going to become responsive and engage us more regularly.
For example, cars are becoming smarter. More cars are equipped with a feature that automatically slows down to avoid front end collisions using advanced sensors and interconnected devices. At this rate, many futurists predict driverless cars will become the standard within 20 years.
What about your apartment in the future? Will the place you live soon be filled with smart products that help you think less and automate more? This new tech craze can bring us closer to living more comfortably or it might do the opposite. Which of these new smart products do we really need? Are we trying to discover solutions for problems we don’t think we have? You be the judge. Below are some of the most interesting and odd products that you might find irresistible in your apartment of the future:
Smart Appliances
Your refrigerator will eventually have the ability to know when products are running low, missing, and expiring. This smart refrigerator may become the standard in the next 20 years, but right now it seems like a rather opulent feature. See more in this YouTube video.
Let’s say you’re pressed for time and you want to know the exact moment that your clothes in the laundry are done. In a world where you need to be as efficient as possible and everything is connected, you can expect to get a notification on your phone from your laundry units. See more in this YouTube video.
Smart Food/Drink
Read More
This is a promoted post from Potomac River Running, which has nine DC-area locations, including one at Reston Town Center.
An assault occurs at least once every two minutes. Recently we’ve heard of attacks on area trails as close to home as Sterling, Fairfax and Arlington. Whether you’re a runner or avid athlete, enjoy a walk in the park, or park to workout at the gym or pick up groceries at the store, you are at risk.
Being prepared could save your life, so =PR= has partnered with Asics to bring the RunSafer presentation to the DC area in September. You’ll learn valuable safety tips and ways to escape dangerous situations from Two-Time United States Olympic Distance Runner and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Black Belt Todd Williams.
We invite you to bring your family, friends, and colleagues to attend any of the more than 10 FREE workshop sessions we’ve scheduled around the DC area between Sept. 11 and 14. Come dressed for activity and ready to learn self-defense techniques and safety awareness tips.
RSVP to the free workshop that works best with your schedule. Additional workshops may be added and will be posted on www.potomacriverrunning.com. We look forward to running safer with you!
Thursday, September 11:
2:00 PM @ Marymount University, Arlington
5:00 PM @ Gold’s Gym, Ashburn
7:30 PM @ Heritage High School, Leesburg
Friday, September 12:
9:30 AM @ Gold’s Gym, Sterling
11:30 AM @ Reston Town Center, Reston
5:30 PM @ =PR= Arlington Store
Saturday, September 13:
7:30 AM @ =PR= Ashburn Store
10:30 AM @ Robinson High School, Fairfax
1:00 PM @ Reston Town Center, Reston
2:30 PM @ Reston Town Center, Reston
4:00 PM @ Reston Town Center, Reston
Sunday, September 14:
10:00 AM @ =PR= Tysons Store, Falls Church
12:30 PM @ =PR= Fairfax Store, Fairfax Corner
This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Ella. She is a 2-year-old Maltese and Yorkie mix. Here is what owner Rachel has to say about her:
Ella was born on March 27, 2012 in the farm country of Ohio. Ella met her parents when she was only two weeks old and has been the apple of their eyes ever since! She may look like a pure Maltese, but just listen for her Yorkie bark.
Her favorite color is pink, which is represented in various collars, leashes and of course clothing. She loves to play in the basement, otherwise known as “Ella’s Playground,” chase squirrels and collect sticks on walks. Ella is known for her stick obsession. But don’t let her size fool you, she can pick up a stick at least three times her size! And when it comes to the squirrels, those little legs move pretty fast, just ask the squirrels. We’ve had a couple close calls.
But her favorite activity of all is cuddling up to her mom and dad. She is the sweetest dog we know. One look at that face and she knows she has you wrapped around her little paw.
Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.
Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.
This is a sponsored column by Cindy Beyer, ASID,NCIDQ. Beyer is a Reston-based interior designer and Reston Now Best Reston Business Award winner. Find her online at www.CindyLBeyer.com.
I want to thank Andrew for prompting me to write about this next subject: Lighting
Most homes do not have sufficient lighting. Lighting is often overlooked or sparingly placed. When this happens, it can result in a lack of functional use for areas within the home. Do not let this discourage you, for in most cases, lighting can be added to fit your functional needs. There are several types of lighting: ambient, task and accent.
General lighting is defined as ambient lighting that provides an area with overall illumination. These effects are achieved with fixtures such as recessed fixtures, wall mounted fixtures, tracks, chandeliers, sconces, etc. A recessed down light, also called pot lighting in Canadian English or called a can light canister, is a fixture installed in a hollow opening in the ceiling.
These fixtures can take a floodlight type of a bulb or a spot light type of a bulb. There are several types of recessed light fixtures such as IC (when in contact with insulation), non IC, IC remodel and non IC remodel. A good contractor or electrician should know which type of fixture to use.
Task lighting is used to light a specific task such as kitchen work, office work, sewing, etc. I always specify task lighting under the kitchen cabinets, cabinets in an office as well as a laundry room. Desk lamps and table lamps are also considered task, but can be decorative as well. In most rooms here there are no recessed ceilings fixtures lamps are used as a task and also as general light.
Accent lighting is usually used to highlight key objects and focal points in the space. It can take the form as track lighting which is highly versatile and can be moved and fixtures changed as needed. It can also be recessed as small spots aimed at a particular object. Wall-mounted fixtures can also be placed above a picture. Where there is no electrical outlet, I use a battery-operated LED fixture.
When working with clients on a renovation, I will draw up an electrical or reflective ceiling plan with all placements of fixture types and switching for the room. I specify dimmers on most of my fixtures, which allows flexibility for the use of the space. Once the ceiling plan is complete, we pick the fixture for the type of lighting we need. These can also be decorative fixtures such as chandeliers, wall sconces, ceiling mounted as well as bathroom lighting. A good lighting plan can really add value to your home.
If you need help with your lighting needs, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or visit me on my website www.cindylbeyer.com.
This is a sponsored column by Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
Tucked behind Reston Parkway and Glade Drive in South Reston is a cluster of neighborhoods perfect for families who want space to grow. Paddock Lane is one of these lovely neighborhoods with something for everyone.
Built in the late 1960s and early 70s, Paddock Lane is a community of single-family homes on quarter- to half-acre plots. The styles of homes range from Colonial to contemporary — there is no cookie-cutter feel in this neighborhood.
In addition to the well-kept homes and yards, one of the most appealing aspects of Paddock Lane is it’s location. Located off Colts Neck Road, Paddock Lane is across the street from Hunters Woods Elementary School, an easy walk for young children.
It is also walking distance to Hunters Woods Village Center, home to the Reston Community Center. There are several parks, a community garden, tennis courts, and Reston Association’s Hunters Woods Pool also within walking distance.
Paddock Lane is only a few short miles to the Dulles Toll Road or the Fairfax County Parkway, which is nice for commuters. This is the perfect street for anyone looking for a little bit of land, a friendly neighborhood, and easy access around Reston.
This is a sponsored post from Eve Thompson of Reston Real Estate.
The mini slowdown we experienced this summer is showing up in the weekly Just Sold report with just eight properties going from PENDING to SOLD this week in Reston. Average Days on market for this little group is 24, which doesn’t seem too bad — until you look at the way we count days on market.
When you put your house on the market, the multiple listing system keeps track of how many days it takes for your property to sell. But let’s say you put your house on the market and after 60 or 90 days it doesn’t sell, so you decide to change real estate agents.
Your new agent will create a new listing record for your house — the days on market counter is reset to 0, but there is a new counter called days on market property that keeps track of how long that property has been on the market regardless of what agent has the listing. When we look at the property counter we see the average for this group is actually 64.
That’s a lot of days to have to get up and have your house in ready-to-show condition.
The common thread in these houses that sat on the market a longest time is that the difference between their original list price and their final sold price was significant. Getting your house priced right when the market is in transition is hard; it takes a lot of honest dialogue between agent and client to adjust course quickly if your property isn’t getting enough activity to get it sold.
Here are the 8 properties that sold this week:
- 12105 PURPLE SAGE CT N: 3BR, 1.5 BA. List Price $314,995; Sold Price $300,000
- 2161 CABOTS POINT: 3BR, 3 BA. List Price $624,900; Sold Price $590,000 Seller Subsidy $8,000
- 1560 TRAILS EDGE LN: 5BR, 3.5 BA. List Price $775,000; Sold Price $692,000 Seller Subsidy $10,000
- 2334 ANTIQUA CT: 3BR, 3.5 BA. List Price $335,000; Sold Price $327,000 Seller Subsidy $8,000
- 2417 ALSOP CT: 3BR, 2.5 BA. List Price $399,000; Sold Price $392,000 Seller Subsidy $3,925
- 11939 RIDERS LN: 4BR, 3 Full 2 Half BA. List Price $878,000 Sold Price $878,000
- 1413 NORTHGATE SQ: 3BR, 2 BA. List Price $309,000; Sold Price $289,000 Seller Subsidy $2,300
- 2143 GREENKEEPERS CT: 3BR, 2 BA. List Price $469,000; Sold Price $460,000 Seller Subsidy $3,000
