Ideas for a Home Refresh: The 2022 Chicago Home Resource Guide

hester painting

Looking to redo your home but not sure where to start? Here we have it all — inspirational remodels to give you ideas for home improvement, design suggestions, plus where to turn for remodeling resources.

Designing a Home for Working, Studying and Playing at Home: How to Create Multifunctional Spaces

Our homes are a sign of the times, and many today look different than they did just a couple of years ago. During the pandemic, families across the country, began redesigning their homes for staying home — creating makeshift offices and study areas and revamping their outdoor spaces in lieu of traveling. Home is now where we work, workout, entertain indoors and out (more so than ever), and spend most of our time year-round. Designers are taking note, and rethinking the family-friendly home for this new era. Here, they share their advice.

Hester Painting & Decorating

hester painting

Hester Painting & Decorating have been the experts in residential painting in the Chicagoland area since 1968, including the Gold Coast, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Highland Park, and the rest of the North Shore. We specialize in painting new construction and existing homes, both interiors and exteriors.

Hester Painting & Decorating boasts more than 60 skilled painters and craftsmen. By instilling pride in our concept and services while also providing year-round work for our painters, we retain the best talent in the industry.  We have been providing homes and select commercial establishments with high-end painting and decorating services since 1968 and look forward to supporting your projects with our expertise and enthusiasm for beautiful homes.

Contact Hester today and see why we have been voted Best Painter every year Better has conducted their annual survey. 

info@hesterdecorating.com | 847-677-5130

Design Your Perfect Backyard Space: Your Outdoor Home Guide

Outdoor Guide

As summer approaches, it’s time to think about how to make the most of every square foot of sunny space. Here are some great ideas on how to do it, plus resources and inspiration.

Get Dwell

Home Maintenance & Repair

From the foundation to the roof, Get Dwell has you covered.

Maintaining and enhancing Chicago-area homes is the cornerstone of our business. Whether we are helping you maintain your investment, preparing your home to sell, or completing a remodeling project, we make sure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. We work with your local, family-owned hardware store to ensure that you have the best products for each project. 

Whatever your needs, Get Dwell will repair, maintain and remodel your home with the most trusted service providers in your area. We understand what you’re looking for: no-hassle professional services you can count on, on your timetable, within your budget. Our customers across the North Shore and Chicagoland have made us an 8-time award winner of Better’s “Best Of” competition! For craftsmanship you can trust, schedule services at GetDwell.com.

847-922-3418  |  GetDwell.com

The Best Home Design and Decor Stores in Winnetka and Northfield

Sheila Bridges
The Shade Store

Most products are just a click away, sure, but there’s no replacement for the in-person shopping experience, especially when you’re shopping for your home and need to see colors and textures in person. Winnetka and Northfield’s house and home boutiques offer an engaging and tactile shopping experience, personalized customer service and one-of-a-kind products at all price points.

Healthy Home Design: From Meditation Rooms to Energizing Color Palettes, Here Are 5 Ways Your Interiors Can Boost Wellness

Our homes are a sign of the times, and many today look different than they did just a couple of years ago. During the pandemic, families across the country, began redesigning their homes for staying home — creating makeshift offices and study areas and revamping their outdoor spaces in lieu of traveling. Home is now where we work, workout, entertain indoors and out (more so than ever), and spend most of our time year-round. Designers are taking note, and rethinking the family-friendly home for this new era. Here, they share their advice.

10 Easy DIY Home Improvements

DIY-projects-chandelier

If your home feels stale and in need of a breath of fresh air, then it may be time to make some updates to your living space.

We found affordable and easy DIY options you can replicate to improve your humble abode.

Everything You Need to Know to Hire an Architect for Your Home Construction or Remodeling Project

Airoom (Kitchen)

Building a new home, or having significant remodeling done on your existing house, is no small undertaking. Not only does it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the process can take six to 12 months (or longer!). That’s why it’s so important to choose the right professionals to handle your home construction or renovation project.

A Thoughtful Renovation: A Vintage Kitchen Gets a Bright and Airy New Look in a 1930s-Era Brick Tudor Home

Vintage kitchen
Photo courtesy of Michael Alan Kaskel.

Oak Park is known for its dazzling hodgepodge of historic housing styles, and that mix appealed to Jeff and Deb Cogan, who moved there from the city when their two young children were born. “I’m a history buff, and I love architecture and art,” says Deb, who volunteers as a docent at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. “The houses in Oak Park have this living, breathing history.” 

That’s certainly the case for their own home, a 1930s-era brick Tudor with leaded glass windows and a distinctive turret on an ample corner lot. However, especially after living there for a while, the couple realized that some of the design elements were better left in the past. The kitchen was tiny, for example, acting as a bottleneck to the breakfast area – an uninsulated addition that felt cold all winter. And frankly, it needed a facelift. 

Home Improvement: Choose the Right Professional for the Job

Time to tackle those home improvement projects.

And while some can be managed by you alone, you should know when it’s time to call in a professional.

Drab Home Interior: 8 Problems and Solutions

living room

Builder spec home? Dated colonial? Simple but not sweet?

Turning drab interior architecture to fab is easier than you think. With the help of experts Orren Pickell and Thomas Kearin of Orren Pickell Designers and Builders, architect Richard Becker AIA of Becker Architects, and designer Kathleen Nelson of NuHaus, we’ve got simple solutions to building in character.

Before you pull out your nail gun, first get the advice of an expert to ensure you get the best look and quality for your buck (and to navigate any building codes that might apply). And embrace the style and architecture of your home. Nothing is more jarring than a mishmash of styles as you move from room to room.

Tricks of the Trade: How to Make Your Home Green

green living

Making improvements to your home should be about more than aesthetics.

There are changes you can make today that not only improve the durability and energy efficiency of your home, but its longevity and health as well.

We asked Brandon Weiss, founder of Weiss Building & Development LLC in South Elgin, to share his tips on green innovations and updates that anyone can make in their home.


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