HomesPlus

The Ultimate Bedroom Makeover is complete

2009-11-10T23:50:11Z

I just came from the "reveal" of the Bedding Experts' Ultimate Bedroom Makeover for Dorothy Collins, the winner of the ugliest bedroom contest and the $10,000 bedroom makeover - and today was a great day! Her formerly Elvis-style bedroom now boasts a modern sophistication. I won't tell you how Dorothy feels about Michelle Williams' designs - that, you'll have to tune into CLTV next weekend to see - but let's just say that the room is a far cry from that photo entry that Dorothy submitted for the ugliest bedroom contest! Having seen it firsthand, I can tell you that it will be very worth your while to set the dvr for this one! Thanks so much to the Bedding Experts for their generous donation which allowed this makover to happen, to Dorothy and her family for letting our team of experts and cameras invade her home, to Greg Wadowski from Pro Greg Construction for doing all the heavy lifting and most especially to Michelle Williams for pulling off an unbelievable transformation for a very deserving woman. Meet Dorothy this weekend on HomesPlus (Saturday @ 9am and 1pm, Sunday @ 9am) and see the finished room revealed to her on the show next weekend. To see a gallery of Dorothy's winning bedroom before the transformation, as well as some of the other entries, click here.

Winterize your home

2009-11-09T17:12:02Z

When you get an unseasonably gorgeous weekend like the one we just had, the last thing you want to be doing is housework. Understood. Since this week looks like it will also be pretty mild, you have another opportunity to spend some of those waning daylight hours preparing your home before the white stuff arrives. Here are some to-dos: 1- Turn off the water for your exterior spigots and drain what's left in the pipes. Standing water in your pipes can freeze and cause a pipe to burst this winter. Not pretty. 2- Clear your gutters. If your gutters are clogged with leaves and debris, water will back up and sit there just waiting to freeze when it's cold enough. Frozen water in gutters can cause cracks and damage to your house. 3- Clear the leaves away from your house. Same principle as the gutters - leaves collect water which will freeze when it's cold enough, causing cracks in your foundation if they're close to your house. 4- Check your seals. Make sure your windows and doors are sealed tight - keeping critters looking for warmth out and keeping your warm air inside where it's supposed to be. 5- Clean your windows. A clear window lets in more sunshine, which will warm up your house on chilly days, at no charge.

Senate Extends/Expands Homebuyer Tax Credit

2009-11-05T20:46:29Z

Good News! The Senate has passed a bill that will extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit that was set to expire at the end of November. And, current homeowners have an incentive to buy as well. The House still needs to pass the bill. According to the Chicago Tribune: "... the legislation would extend the $8,000 credit for first-time homebuyers until April 30. It is set to expire at the end of the month. It also would provide a new $6,500 tax break for existing homeowners who want to move up to a new home, as long as they have lived in their current residence for five consecutive years out of the last eight." "The bill also would increase the level of qualifying incomes to $125,000 for individual tax filers and $225,000 for joint filers. Those earning up to $145,000 individually or up to $245,000 jointly would receive a smaller credit that decreases as income rises. The tax credits apply to home purchases of $800,000 or less." Again, the House must still pass the legislation and President Obama must sign it.

Style File: Headboard Decals

2009-11-04T19:53:50Z

One of the surest ways to upgrade your bedroom's look from "college-leftover" to "mature adult" is to finally add a headboard to your bed. But, this is Chicago afterall, and even the most mature adult isn't guaranteed to have enough space for a great headboard (or enough money for that matter - we're in a recession, people!). So imagine my excitement when I checked in on one of my favorite design-on-the-cheap blogs and found these headboard decals! (Thanks, Kelly+Olive!) Bilk Headboard Decals come in a variety of styles and colors and at $40 - $70 a pop, you can afford to switch out your style as your tastes change. Perfect for a post-college 20-something or a commitment-phobe of any age.

Obama neighbor now has a price

2009-10-26T21:09:10Z

The Kenwood home whose claim to fame is its proximity to the Obama's Chicago house (right next door) finally has a price. According to Mary Ellen Podmolik of the Chicago Tribune, the house will be listed on the MLS tomorrow for $1.85 million. When HomesPlus toured the home last month, it was on the market with no listing price because the listing agent, Matt Garrison, said it was impossible to determine what the "Obama factor" would be...apparently they've now figured it out. The home would require plenty of TLC and a significant amount of renovation to bring it up to date, but the original character of the ornate plaster and carved wood moldings and the large stained glass window visible from the foyer remain. Check out the tour, below.

And the Bedding Experts Ultimate Bedroom Makeover goes to...

2009-10-23T16:38:39Z

Dorothy Collins, of South Holland! Dorothy's 70's-style bedroom is going to get some undivided attention from local designer Michelle Williams, who is excited to get started. Dorothy will receive a brand new Sealy mattress and boxspring from the Bedding Experts, as well as that $10,000 makeover! The makeover will take place in the coming weeks and will be aired on HomesPlus so that you can see Dorothy's story and her gorgeous new bedroom! There was some really tough competition out there! Not to mention some very deserving Chicagoans...check back in a few days to see some of our favorite entries! Congratulations, Dorothy!

HomesPlus behind-the-scenes

2009-10-22T18:53:15Z

This weekend on HomesPlus, we're touring an Oswego home that started out as a dairy barn - it's spacious, rustic and very green! From the natural materials used to build the home, to the fact that much of the original dairy barn was incorporated into the renovated home, it's an incredibly natural and quite impressive space. The tour will air this weekend, but check out these behind-the-scenes pics from this shoot and see some from our past shoots!

Only 2 days left to win $10,000 bedroom makeover!

2009-10-17T14:03:28Z

The last day to submit entries for the Bedding Experts' Ultimate Bedroom Makeover is Sunday, October 18th! If you have a bedroom that's seriously in need of some design TLC then snap a picture and send it in before the contest closes Sunday to win! The winner and the fabulous new room will be featured on HomesPlus in November and will receive a stylish new room designed by Michelle Williams Interiors. Just head to WGN's contest website to get the details! And people, just because you haven't cleaned it in a while doesn't mean it needs a makeover - send in your rooms that need a whole new look, not just a maid :) Good luck!

This weekend on HomesPlus...

2009-10-16T17:40:27Z

This market has some great deals and we found two side-by-side properties in Highland Park for the family with serious space (and luxury) needs - check out the tour of these properties this weekend on the show! Plus, learn a little bit about staging your kitchen, find out what to expect when you're selling and much more! Saturday @ 9am & 1pm, Sunday @ 9am!

HomesPlus bloopers

2009-10-15T17:53:17Z

Hey, we can't all be perfect! Here are some of the funnier moments caught on camera over the summer...and if anyone knows a speech therapist, I'll gladly take recommendations! Enjoy! RVA

Burr Ridge mansion on clearance

2009-10-14T20:06:47Z

No one ever said the recession isn't a great time to buy normally big-ticket items. In fact, on November 4th, real estate moguls and everyday millionaires alike will line up to bid for the real estate deal of the year - a Burr Ridge home so fabulous that it has a name; Villa Taj. The prime piece of property will go on the auction block on November 4th after failing to fetch its original $25-million asking price. Its cumulative 45,000 square feet of opulent living and entertaining space (that includes the 15,000 square feet of outdoor space) include features such as a 2,400 sqaure foot ballroom, a 20-car garage, 30-foot ceilings, Brazilian and Cherry woods, gold Jerusalem limestone and 14-inch thick walls...all of which will go to the highest bidder. Bidding will start at $6.265 million, but if you're not in the market for such a grand estate (because, you know, the upkeep must be a nightmare...) you can still get a peek inside every weekend through the end of the month at one of the scheduled open houses. For $30, real estate voyeurs can grab a "due diligence package" at the door and take a stroll around its palatial expanse; great for those looky-loos with no intention to buy. But then again, who can resist a 75% off sale? Open Houses: 12:00p - 3:00p every Saturday and Sunday through the end of October $30 "due diligence package" available at the door Auction: 2pm, Wednesday, November 4th Hilton Lisle/Naperville Hotel 3003 Corporate West Drive

This weekend on HomesPlus...

2009-10-10T14:00:56Z

This weekend, we're checking out another DIY design project (hint: the thrift store is your friend!) with the frugally brilliant Chicago designer Courtney Davis, touring a $2.8 million Lake Bluff home that brings the outdoors in and much, much more! Whether you're buying, selling, into design or just curious what you can get for the money in Chicago, check out HomesPlus Saturdays @ 9am & 1pm and Sundays @ 9am on CLTV!

Prepping your home for guests

2009-10-09T16:01:15Z

With autumn comes the very beginning of the holiday season, and though it is still October most people are planning their holiday travel now. Which for many people, means that houseguests are on the horizon. Best to get your home ready before the craziness of the holidays distracts you. Whether it's just friends visiting for a weekend to enjoy the highest sales tax in the nation, or family swinging through for their yearly visit, you'll want to make their space comfortable. Here are a few things to think about when your calendar tells you a houseguest is iminent... 1- They need some space. Best is an actual guest room, but short of that, try to create an area that can be just theirs - at least during sleeping hours. An air mattress in a dining room set apart from the living area or the fold out in the den will work just fine as long as they can enjoy it in at least partial privacy. 2- Make it comfy. I'm not suggesting you run out to get the highest threadcount sheets you can find, but bedding should be comfy, clean and pressed if necessary. And pillows are important - the flat, dead pillow you've had since college needs to find its way to the garbage, NOT your guests' bed. Pillows aren't expensive, so try to keep at least one fluffy pillow and one that's more standard on hand. Avoid perfumed fabric softener; you never know what your guests might be allergic to. 3- Offer some space for guests to unpack. Most guest rooms I've been in double as the office or an overflow storage space, but if you can spare a few hangers in the closet and a drawer or two, your over-nighters will appreciate it. If you can't spare the closet/dresser space, pick up a luggage rack. They're super inexpensive and it will make living out of a suitcase for the duration of the trip much easier for your guests. 4- Let them see what time it is. A lighted alarm clock is a necessity. No one likes to wake up in a strange bed and have no idea what time it is. Which leads me to... 5- Available outlets. Make sure there are one or two available outlets for guests to charge their cell phones, laptops, etc. Many people use their cells as their watch/clock/alarm these days, so this is a small but important courtesy. 6- Keep reading material in the room. Especially if your guest area doesn't have a tv, be sure to set a few books or magazines you think they'll enjoy out on the nightstand. Many people have a hard time sleeping in an unfamiliar bed so a little late-night reading isn't so far-fetched. (A lamp on the nightstand is a good one too). And lastly... 7- How many people do you know that get up for a drink in the middle of the night? No one wants to stumble around an unfamiliar kitchen in the dark, so have some bottled water on hand to leave on the bedside table before lights-out. It may sound like a lot, but really each of these items are things you can do that cost little or nothing. And they'll make a big difference in your guests comfort (and yours!).

The ugliest bedrooms in Chicago

2009-10-05T20:05:49Z

With less than 2 weeks to go in the Bedding Experts' ugliest bedroom contest, the entries are getting pretty serious. Turns out, there's a lot of you out there who are deserving of the $10,000 "Ultimate Bedroom Makeover!" The entries so far range from simply dull... ...to outdated... ...to somewhat unkept... ...to seriously, how do you live like this?! Check out the full gallery here - and keep those entries rolling in! You have less than 2 weeks to submit your ugly room for consideration, so don't waste any time! The contest ends on Sunday, October 18th and the winner will be notified that week. Check out the contest rules here. This owner even had the guts to show himself in the picture! Good luck!

This weekend on HomesPlus...

2009-10-02T21:36:03Z

Interested in being the first family's Chicago next-door neighbor? All you have to do is make an offer! (And get through Secret Service of course) This weekend's show is brought to you from President Obama's Kenwood block in Hyde Park, where the Obamas' only next door neighbors have put their home on the market. Also, we've got a great do-it-yourself design project, brought to us by the lovely and creative Lauren Paradise of Kelly+Olive Design and we're checking out the great deals you can find at a Home Show Event (sidenote: there's an event THIS weekend in Hoffman Estates). So, check out the show this weekend, Saturday @ 9am & 1pm & Sunday @ 9am!