Anna's Top 5 Must Haves in a Home

1. Backyard views & privacy: I fall in love with backyards before I fall in love with the homes in front of them. I love sitting on my back deck and looking out at the preserve and creek behind our home. It is my peaceful refuge at any time of day. Bonus: tall bamboo like we have along the side fence, so we can enjoy near-total privacy. This is forever my number one, non-negotiable must. 

2. Laundry room on same floor as bedroom: Oh, how I miss this! I took for granted what it meant in terms of accessibility and ease, but having the W/D just a few feet from our bedroom in our first home was amazing! Our current laundry room is three flights of stairs up from the bedrooms, which makes each load that much less convenient. On the upside - I wear a lot more of my wardrobe to avoid carrying the basket up to the mudroom.

3. Natural light: Ask anyone who FaceTimes with me regularly - I never keep lights on. I open the blinds and curtains every morning and stay lit via the sun (and the backlight of my phone tbh) until I find myself sitting in complete darkness. Lots of windows, French doors, and skylights are a must for me! 

4. Hard-wired ethernet + reliable WAP: It feels like everything is connected to internet! With phones, laptops, TVs, security panels, thermostats, locks, and more running on WiFi, the option to plug in directly for faster, more stable connectivity is essential. This is near the top of my list for the next home I build/buy and a great reason to consider new builds, many of which include hard-wired ethernet and WAPs (wireless access points) at time of construction.

5. Workspace in garage or shed: My husband, Dan, enjoys woodworking. He’s built multiple pieces in our home, so having a space in the garage or a detached shed serves both function and joy. Our current garage has a workspace carved out along the side, so it doesn’t block the parking area, which is a huge plus!

Alaina's Top 5 Must-Haves in a Home

1. Wood Floors in the Main Living Area: These allow you the option of  style changes. Houses are living breathing creatures and without the option to totally change my style/mood on whim is pure tragedy. Wood floors throughout the home brings warmth and continuity to any design palette

2. Owner's en Suite Bathroom: After living in a 2/1 San Marco Bungalow with my husband and our two kids (now we have a gaggle of six), our own private bathroom is at the tip top of my priority list. Having our own space sans dinosaurs and barbies is essential to maintaining our sanity.

3. Backyard with a Privacy Fence: As previously mentioned, I have a family with four kids. If we can't let those anklebiters run off their energy with minimal supervision on the daily,  it makes for a VERY spirited evening in the Burt House. We could definitely do without the upkeep of the grass, however!! So fenced AND xeriscaped FTW! 

4. Porch: I love entertaining! Some of my favorite gatherings are getting everyone together and playing Heads Up or just chatting on our back porch for hours on end. Bonus if the porch has an outdoor fan that keeps your thighs from sticking to the chairs in the Florida heat. 

5. Home Office: People tend to think Realtors are always out on the road showing houses; they're not wrong, but a lot of the *magic* in Real Estate happens behind the scenes! That magic is curated in the home office preparing contracts, researching properties, organizing tour routes, and strategizing marketing blitzes. Having a little retreat tucked away from the noise is vital for the success of my growing business! 

MaryAnne's Top 5 Trending Paint Colors

If you follow me on instagram (@rodriguexrenovationsjax), you know that I love a project! I’m constantly looking for ways to change and improve a space, and a few coats of paint can make a HUGE difference! Check out my top 5 trending paint colors.

1. Sherwin Williams Romance: The perfect adult pink- it offers a calming and sweet look for any room. It’s the perfect touch of feminine without looking like your teenage bedroom.

   Ideal for a small office, under the stair bathroom, or of course, a nursery!

2. Behr Back to Nature: The sweetest green that brings peace and the outside into the indoors. The muted tone makes just enough of a statement without being overwhelming to any room.

   Ideal for a pop of color on the front door or in a kitchen against white cabinetry!

3. PPG Chinese Porcelain: This bold and rich blue brings the perfect blend of tradition and modern into one. It is a regal, classic, and timeless color that you won't get tired of seeing!

   Ideal for a bedroom accent wall or a kitchen nook!

4. Sherwin Williams Acier: The perfect griege, as it is modern but warm and can tie in any other colors with it perfectly. Great color for wanting to add dimension to a room and pairs perfectly with white trim.

   Ideal for kitchen cabinetry and family rooms!

5. Glidden Aria: This fresh white has a subtle gray undertone and pairs beautifully with wooden furniture. It will brighten up any space and act as a blank canvas for an art gallery wall.

   Ideal for any living space, a bright kitchen, or a tall entry way!

If you’re looking for a paint color to brighten a space or have your own favorites, let me know!

Client Spotlight: Lori and Warren's Mid-Century Modern Bungalow

Lori and Warren purchased their home in Jacksonville last year and and have carefully curated a beautiful space of mid-century modern design. They kindly let us take a look and shared a bit about the individual pieces, upcoming projects, and their neighborhood. 

What drew you to mid-century design?
We became interested in mid-century design when we purchased our first home in St Petersburg.  The house is very small and we had to make the most of our space.  Before we purchased the house, we really didn't have a style, just a lot of our old furniture from our single days.  This was our first chance to combine our styles and get items that we picked out together.  Mid-century fits well in a small space and we really fell in love with the clean lines and bright colors.    

Which is your favorite room in your house? 
The living room is our favorite room.  We spend the most time there and it feels very bright and happy.  It is also a very comfortable space for us to spend time with our dog.   

You have done a fantastic job of curating every piece in your home. Which are your favorite items? How did you acquire them? 
The teak china cabinet from my grandmother is the most special piece to me.  It is filled with memories from my childhood as it was in her home, in the same spot until she passed.  I suppose that very piece might have been what drew me to mid-century from the beginning.  It's such a classic MCM piece and I'm lucky to have so many memories attached to it.  The dining room table is also one of our favorite pieces.  It is a double drop leaf table with 8 legs, very unique.  Again, it has the very classic MCM style that we love.  My grandmother owned and operated a thrift store for years and continued to operate it until she became sick in early October last year.  She was 91 and still opened the store almost every day and dining table came from her store. The bottoms of the dining chairs have the furniture store name, a date of 1961 and a price of $45 per chair in pencil, cursive writing.  All we had to do was give the table a good cleaning and reupholster the seats.  

What will your next home project be?
We are very excited to create a living space in the back yard.  We have a good size yard that really gives us a blank slate to work from.  We know that we want an outdoor dining area and a fire pit but not sure what else yet.  

What do you appreciate most about you’re your neighborhood, Glynlea? 
The neighbors are the absolute best part of this area.  Most have lived here for 20+ years and were so welcoming from day one.  It is a very safe, clean and friendly community.

Where is your favorite place to spend time in Jacksonville?
We have only lived in the area for a little over a year now so we still enjoy exploring Jacksonville.  So far, we really like San Marco and Riverside as it reminds us a little bit of St Petersburg.  We are big on breakfast dates and love Metro Diner and Beach Diner but our favorite dinner spot so far is Black Sheep.  

Thank you Lori and Warren for opening your home to us!

-Heather De Laurentis