This year’s offering is a diverse range of hues, ranging from deep and moody shades to uplifting peach tones. Below, we’ve done a deep dive into 12 of the most significant paint colors recently launched, exploring the most popular color themes we will no doubt see dominate this year. 

2024 color trend themes

There’s no doubt that dark shades are going to be significant for 2024. Spanning deep greens and rich blues, these colors are collectively praised for their ability to create warming and cozy atmospheres in the home, and it’s clear that paint companies are championing this as a key trend. 

Decorating with neutrals is also proving to dominate home design in 2024 but with a revised twist. Rather than traditional beiges, we see paint companies elevate neutrals with a more exciting update, creating standout colors that act as backdrops in the home with a point of interest.

Establishing a more daring color trend for 2024, uplifting peach and terracotta tones also stand out this year, reflecting a theme of using home decor in an expressive way to create joyful and vibrant spaces. 

Well-being in the home is no doubt a key theme for 2024, with many paint companies noting the uplift in desire for homeowners to create spaces that feel restorative and calming, acting as a separation from the fast pace of day-to-day life. 

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Upgrading your lighting can energize an entire room, too, even if you’re not doing a full-scale renovation. “Changing out an old fixture is an easy way to transform a space,” says Paula Daher, principal, Daher Interior Design. “It’s one of the quickest ways to update, no matter what your budget.”

If it’s been a while since you’ve done a room refresh (goodbye, ’90s shiny brass chandelier!), it may be time to swap out old fixtures for unique new lights with energy-efficient LEDs. Or maybe it’s time to improve functionality because you’ve noticed you need more light to read or prepare dinner lately (No, you’re not imagining things: Our eyes do need more light to see as we get older!).

Read more from Veranda..

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But replacement windows get costly quickly. Even the least costly models will set you back several hundred dollars apiece, plus installation.

So if you’re going to spend that kind of money, make sure you’re buying high-quality windows. Consumer Reports tests wood, vinyl, and composite replacement windows from brands that include American Craftsman, Anderson, Atrium, Jeld-Wen, Marvin, Pella, Simonton, and others. We evaluate each window on its resistance to both wind and rain, which is critical to keeping your home draft-free and dry. Below is some general information about replacement windows, followed by the top-scoring windows we tested in each category.

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That’s good news, considering how expensive new siding can be. The average vinyl job costs more than $14,000, and the average fiber cement redo tops $17,000, according to Remodeling magazine. So doing your homework before you buy is a must.

At Consumer Reports, our testing shows significant performance differences among siding types and brands. Some siding is far less resistant to cracking from impacts in warm and cold weather, and some is less likely to stay put in a windstorm, based on the simulated 150-mph winds in our testing. We also find that some siding made from vinyl, still the best-selling material, is more prone to color change under ultraviolet light, something to consider, especially if you live in a sunny climate and/or where trees don’t provide much shade.

Use this guide to determine which material—vinyl, wood, or an alternative siding, such as fiber cement or plastic—best suits your taste and budget.

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Before you begin, make any needed repairs to the window and its frame. Once complete, the first step to weather-seal windows is to caulk, especially on the exterior. Also, check that the glazing putty on the outside is free of gaps and seals tightly against the window. Where glazing is failing, scrape it out and apply new glazing. On the inside, see that the joint between the glass and the sash is sealed with a flexible, paintable latex caulk before being painted.

Weather-stripping where two surfaces push together (the horizontals of a double-hung window and the verticals of a casement or sliding window) is straightforward. Where two surfaces slide against each other (the verticals of a double-hung window and the horizontals of a casement or slider) calls for more precision. However, most weather-stripping applications only take an hour or two to apply. We’ll show you how to do both with our guide to weather-stripping windows.

Read more from Better Homes & Gardens..

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While there are many ways to cut these costs (like using a programmable thermostat or simply wearing a sweater in lieu of cranking up the heat), one very practical step you can take is to outfit your home with an efficient heating system. Even if it requires an upfront investment, you’ll save money over time because the more efficient a heating system is, the less energy it needs to operate, and this can translate into lower heating bills.

What Makes a Heating System Efficient?

It helps, of course, to know what defines “efficient” so that when you go in search of one—or when you are trying to determine whether your existing system is efficient—you’ll know what to look for.

A heat pump’s effectiveness is directly affected by weather conditions. In moderate climates, heat pumps are far more efficient than a furnace. In very cold climates the furnace is more efficient (although heat pumps are becoming contenders quickly).

In general, the most important piece of information is the system’s annual fuel utilization efficiency rating, or AFUE for short. This measurement, which is a percentage rate, tells you how much of the energy (usually, in the form of electricity or natural gas) that the system consumes is going directly toward heating your home versus how much is going to waste. In other words, it lets you know how much energy the system is converting into usable heat.

An AFUE of 90%, for example, indicates a high rate of efficiency—a system with this rating is putting all but 10% of its energy to good use. Currently, the DOE requires a minimum AFUE of 80%, but a lot of modern heating systems exceed the minimum (some rate as high as 98.5%).

The least efficient system? Basically, anything manufactured before 1992, before there were any AFUE standards. This means that if you live in a 30-plus year-old home and haven’t upgraded the heating system since then (or ever), you are probably wasting a lot of energy and money.

How much energy? That depends on so many individual factors, but to give you an idea of the difference between old furnaces and newer ones, the DOE reports that “upgrading your furnace or boiler from 56% to 90% efficiency in an average cold-climate house will save 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year if you heat with natural gas.”

That’s a lot of CO2.

It can also reduce your heating bill by as much as 50%, says the DOE.

Read more from Forbes..

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Top Kitchen Faucet Trends for 2024

Here are some of the top kitchen faucet trends for 2024:

Smart faucets

Smart faucets offer a variety of features that can make your life easier, such as hands-free operation, voice control, and customized temperature settings.

Touchless faucets

Touchless faucets are another popular option, especially for homeowners with busy kitchens. They allow you to turn the faucet on and off without having to touch it,

Pull-down faucets

Pull-down faucets are a versatile option that can be used for a variety of tasks, from washing dishes to filling pots and pans. They also offer a wider range of motion than traditional faucets, making them easier to use.

Pull-out faucets

Pull-out faucets are similar to pull-down faucets, but the spout pulls out to the side instead of down. This can be helpful for filling large pots and pans, or for washing dishes in the sink.

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Their flooring trend predictions are as varied as you might expect. There’s an appreciation for natural materials, like limestone and travertine, to ground a bathroom’s design scheme. There’s also consideration for tiles with statement colors and large-scale patterns to inject personality into a space. Of course, you can always go for chic rugs that boast graphic prints or mix low and high piles. There’s no shortage of durable and visually appealing flooring ideas these days.

Read more from Good Housekeeping..

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