HOW TO CHOOSE WHITE PAINT AND THE BEST WHITE PAINT COLORS

polar white by benjamin moore

White, the color white brings peace, calm, and a sense of serenity, it’s the lightest color in the spectrum and it doesn’t have a hue. White represents serenity, harmony, and balance. In a spiritual sense, this color symbolizes purity, holiness, and innocence. White, gives the perception of cleanliness and suggests simplicity, order, and organization. So, if you ask me, you can’t go wrong with white walls, white cabinets, white bedding, white EVERYTHING.

But have you ever gone to a store to purchase white paint and stood there for hours without knowing which one to choose? The amount of white paint tones is ENDLESS, and it is SO hard to choose! I am not going to pretend to be an expert here, you are going to find one hundred articles talking about the kind of undertones in white paint, what works best for the interior or the exterior of a home depending on how much sunlight you get in the space, etcetera, but, I will give you a few quick tips so you can make a better and faster decision:

1.    Ask for samples: When you are trying to find the best white paint color, it is important to get samples of each color before making your final decision. While making up a few samples can be a bit of an investment, it’s nothing compared to repainting a room when the wrong color goes up.

2.    Once you have the samples, try them side by side at home, in the exact space that you are planning to paint. This will allow you to see how the color looks in your space and decide if white walls are the right choice for you.

3.    Observe how the color looks at different times of the day and take photos.

4.    Pick a white that relates to your space: Even put some of your home decorations next to the color to see which one matches better.

5.    Buy high quality paint.

 Now off to colors, here is a list of the 10 Best White Paint Colors in 2023:

• Polar White 2069-70 by Benjamin Moore: Polar White offers a bright, clean look that’s perfect for adding a touch of modern style to any room.

• White Dove OC-17 by Benjamin Moore: Benjamin Moore white dove is a subtle shade that will give any décor an elegant touch. 

• Simply White 2143-70 by Benjamin Moore: Simply White is a crisp and vibrant shade that reflects light and makes a space feel larger.

• Chantilly Lace 2121-70 by Benjamin Moore: Benjamin Moore chantilly lace is a warm white paint with almost no undertones, which makes it an extremely versatile and neutral paint color.

chantilly lace by bm (photo from house beautiful)

• Pure White SW 7005 by Sherwin Williams: Pure White is a bright and bold hue that adds an exciting pop of color to any décor.

• Alabaster SW 7008 by Sherwin Williams: Alabaster is a soft and muted off white paint color that creates an inviting atmosphere.

• White Heron SW 7627 by Sherwin Williams: White Heron is a timeless shade perfect for achieving a classic look. 

• All White 2005 by Farrow & Ball: All White is a creamy white that pairs well with cool grays and blues for a modern look. 

• Extra White SW 7006 by Sherwin Williams: Extra White by Sherwin Williams is a modern off-white that offers a clean and bright look. 

• Oyster White SW 7637 by Sherwin Williams: Oyster White by Sherwin Williams is a warm white and inviting shade that creates a cozy atmosphere

Do you want to hear a secret? Bit of Sugar by Behr is our beloved MaryAnne Rodriguez’s go-to. And unlike me, she is a PRO at this LOL. I must go find my overalls and my paintbrush now. I hope this was useful!

bit of sugar by behr

Dany Amparano

PS.-Here is a list of articles that I used as a source of inspiration, and might be useful for you:

FAMILY HANDYMAN
SOUTHERN CRUSH AT HOME
CHAIRISH
THE YOGA NOMADS
THOU SWELL

5 BEST COFFEE SPOTS IN JAX

I cannot start my day without my Cup of Joe, I love waking up at 6:30 am to the aroma of fresh coffee, and my husband, who doesn’t drink coffee AT ALL, doesn’t get my obsession with it; every time we travel, he dreads having to stop by a coffee shop so I can get my caffeine fix, especially because I usually want to go to the trendiest, most popular spots in town and there is always a long line LOL. But let me tell you where my obsession comes from, I have always been really bad at staying up until late at night, I prefer waking up extra early in the morning, so during finals in high school, my dad used to make me a cup of “cafe con leche” (with tons of sugar I am sure) so I could be awake and studying at 5 am, at the beginning I HATED the taste, but with time, I learned to appreciate it, got rid of the sugar, and found that I am way happier in the mornings if I have my cup of coffee.

Geez Louise. As a coffee lover, it was REALLY hard to choose JUST 5 spots, I also didn’t want my selection to be biased, so I asked my Root-mates what their favorite coffee spots in JAX are, and here they are!

Bold bean coffee, riverside location

1928 cuban bistro

1. Bold Bean Coffee Roasters: Their mission says it all “To source, roast and serve remarkable coffees, learn continuously and foster community, to be good people and have fun” and boy have they accomplished their mission. Whether you go to their Riverside or Beach location, you can be sure to find great coffee and a sense of community. They source coffee in a sustainable way from countries like Peru, Colombia, and South Africa, to name a few…
   *Lauren’s go-to order is their Iced Vanilla Latte.

2. 1928 Cuban Bistro: They have locations in Baymeadows, Ortega, St John’s, Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville Beach. Not only do they serve CAFÉ DELICIOSO, but also Cuban food that is to die for, think Croqueta Egg Sandwich, Cuban Sandwich, Empanadas, Ensalada, Pan con Lechon, yuuum, now I am drooling. Do you know what else I love about them? 80% of their staff are Latina Women (or JEFAS, as we Latins like to call them), this place is modern, authentic, and Latina owned.
   *According to Erica and Anna, they serve the BEST coffee, straight cafecito, cortadito, or capuccino.

3. Southern Grounds: What can I say about SG that I haven’t already said in previous blog posts? Southern Grounds holds a special place in my heart. It was the first coffee shop that I visited when I moved to Jacksonville in 2016, this is where I met my first friends, started a new project, and brought my newborn baby to work with me, one of my best friends and I would go for long runs on Saturdays and grab our Iced Coffee after, so we could chillax while sitting, sipping and talking by the beach. UGH, I love this place.
   *My favorite is their Iced Latte with almond milk. Erica’s go-to order is pancakes/grits with a Hot Hazelnut Latte.

4. Brew Five Points: This is THE spot for us Root-mates, if you stop by from M-F, you will probably find one of us working there, or getting coffee to go for the rest of us. Brew serves good coffee, good food, and they have a good time while doing it. If you stop by, make sure you take a look at the wall of local art that they have exhibited there, it never disappoints, sometimes, they also sell locally grown flowers, arranged by one of their baristas, who owns the Antibride.
   *Emily’s favorite is the Iced Honey Latte.

5. Le Petite Paris: They have 3 locations: Mandarin, Atlantic Beach and Southside -coming soon. Stepping into LPJ, feels like being in literally little Paris, “The sights, sounds, and smells of a traditional Parisian café await you at Le Petit Paris”, they are open for breakfast, lunch, and brunch, and guess what? they serve wine. Who doesn’t love a glass of white wine with a Croissant fresh out of the oven?
   *Our favorite is the Lavender and Honey Latte.

BREW FIVE POINTS.

Other local coffee shops worth mentioning are:

• Social House Coffee: our fave? the Vanilla Capuccino

• Vagabond Coffe: if you are a tea drinker, go for their CHAI, it’s one of the best in town.

• Bitty and Beau: This is MaryAnne’s favorite, she claims it’s “The sweetest coffee shop”.

I gotta go now, as usual, this post made me thirsty and hungry! See you soon at one of these hot spots!

Dany

BEST BRUNCH IN JACKSONVILLE

When I set up to write this blog post about the BEST BRUNCH IN JACKSONVILLE, I was thinking about the best way to approach it, should I only talk from personal experience? should I ask my friends for their favorite spots in town? or should I ask my Root-mates? I decided to go with the latter. I know not everyone is a big fan of brunch, because what do you order, breakfast, lunch, or both? It can be confusing, and brunch is also known as the “most dreaded meal in most professional kitchens” but I know that my Root-mates are huge fans of this dining experience, so hopefully, this post will serve as a guide for you, and will get you to try THE best brunch in Jacksonville.

One of MaryAnne’s favorite spots for brunch is ORSAY. Her first date with Gerry was there, so it’s a special spot for both, she says: “You can’t go wrong with the deviled egg selections, in-house pastries, and of course, the grand mimosa! If you can, try to get a spot outside for a more casual/weekend feel”. Outside it is MA!

Orsay Restaurant, photo credit, instagram @orsayjax

Erica loves eating brunch at Prati Italia at St John’s Town Center, she also recommends grabbing a table on the patio (when the weather is nice) with a Mimosa or Bloody Mary in hand and ordering the Fontina Meatballs as an appetizer. It doesn’t matter the time of day, her go-to meals are the breakfast bowl, veggie omelet, or the fried chicken biscuit * chefs kiss *.

yummi drinks at prati italia. photo credit, instagram @pratiitaliajax

The District SPR in Springfield is hands down Emily’s favorite brunch spot, she likes to reserve a private yurt or enjoy the outdoor garden for a truly relaxing atmosphere while enjoying live music (see a pattern here? My Root-mates are outdoorsy). Emily claims “you can’t go wrong with the Maple Bacon Deviled Eggs, the Charcuterie Board, and the Champagne Tower.

charcuterie board. photo credit: instagram @thedistrictspr

Alaina’s choice is Taverna in San Marco, and I agree with her! The ambiance at Taverna, is unbeatable whether seated indoors or out. She highly recommends ordering the Poached Eggs or the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes paired with Mimosas (go easy on the OJ!). My personal favorites are the Prosciutto Scone and the Taverna Benedict Florentine.

Terry’s Grill is Jamie’s favorite spot to get brunch, she said “It gives you the feeling of a small-town place in a big city”. Biscuits & gravy is her go-to order. I haven’t been here, but their ½ Pound Patty Melt with Grilled Onions and Provolone looks delicious!

Katie’s favorite spot is Southern Grounds. She loves to order a Mimosa or Coffee with their amazing Grits Bowl. Amanda seconds The District SPR and loves eating brunch at Metro Diner (on Hendrick’s Ave) because it has a quirky interior and they have a creative take on the classics, especially Eggs Benedict. Another must try here is their Chicken and Waffles, you can trade their Waffles for Croissant French Toast, they top it with strawberry butter and it’s to die for! Did you know you can also BYOB (bring your own booze)? Now THAT’S A PLUS!

photo credit: instagram @southerngroundsco

chicken and waffles @metrodiner

Here is a quick list of other places mentioned by my Root-mates:

Biscotti’s/ Jacki

Silkie’s Chicken & Champagne Bar/Ariana and Lauren

Bistro Aix, Community Loaves and Le Petit Paris Café/ Sidney

photo credit: @lepetitparisjax instagram

Coop 303, The Local/Erica.

*You can click on each restaurant’s name to go to their website, read their menu and locations.

By the way, have you watched The Big Brunch? it’s an eight-episode series on HBO Max, if you haven’t, turn your TV on and do it right now, it’s a cooking competition that tasks chefs with making brunch, the show is in the hands of “Schitt’s Creek” co-creator Dan Levy, and it is yummy, funny, and warm. So go ahead, ENJOY!

the big brunch, hbo max series.

I must go, writing this blog post made me hungry.

Dany Amparano @danyamparanorealtor

10 Ways To Maintain Your Home

• Changing out your air filter every month will keep your air conditioning system running smoothly and efficiently!  Your air filter will be located in your air handler which should be somewhere inside your home or in your garage (if you have central AC system). You can determine what size filter you’ll need to buy based on the measurements printed on the side of the filter (Ex: 20x23x1).

• This next really came as a shock to me so don’t feel badly if you’ve never done this before. Your dishwasher has a filter located at the bottom of the unit underneath the dishwasher blades. You’ll unlock the cylindrical filter by twisting it counterclockwise and gently pulling it upward. Place the filter into a bowl or the sink filled with hot soapy water which will loosen the food debris. After a few minutes, you’ll use an old toothbrush to scrub out all the remaining debris and replace the filter into your dishwasher. After I’ve got the filter squeaky clean, I like to place a bowl of vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher and run a steamy deep cleaning cycle! It’s recommended that you clean this filter once monthly btw- YIKES!

• Using daily shower spray is a great way to keep your shower sparkly in between deep cleanings, but at least once a season, I like to give my shower a nice little scrub down. Bar-Keepers Friend is JUST the product for this job! First, remove everything from your shower. Then have a scrub brush and a bowl of hot water handy as you sprinkle Bar-Keepers Friend over the surface of the shower. Get your scrub brush wet and lightly brush the powder across the floor to create a paste. Let the paste sit a few minutes before using hot water to spray away the excess. I like to focus more heavily on the grout than the tiles, as those seem to look the most discolored! You can also use this method on on floor grout to liven up the color!

• Yep, another filter! Make sure you’re changing your refrigerator water filter every six months to ensure you’re drinking the freshest water you can!

• While we are on the subject of refrigerators, did you know that there a coils underneath it that need to be maintained for optimal functionality! Mine are behind a plastic kick plate at the bottom of my fridge. I like to take my vacuum attachment and vacuum out the coils probably twice a year.

• Keeping water properly diverted from your house is a task that is well-worth your while and can prevent big issues down the line. Ensure water is properly diverted by cleaning out your gutters every so often. You’re going to need a ladder, a small shovel, gloves and a water hose. Use the shovel and gloves to remove the dirt and debris. From there, take your water hose and spray out the downspout to pass any clogs! To avoid this monotonous task, I highly suggest investing in Gutter Guards. Gutter Guards are mesh cages that can be fitted over your gutters to keep debris from settling in your gutters all together!

• Per Consumer Reports, 14,000 house fires per year are caused by clothes dryers! It’s recommended that you have your dryer vent cleaned out once a year! A quick Google search will connect you with a dryer vent cleaning company so you can rest easily!

• Take it from me, if you live in a house with exterior paint- keep an eye out for chipping paint and apply touch up paint right when you spot it! Repainting your entire exterior can be BIG job if you go at it alone so touching up as you go will save you a lot of time! And fun fact from a Realtor’s perspective- when it comes to resale of your home, chipping paint can be a problem several loan types for buyers. Tackling paint touch-ups head on will help you avoid doing it on the fly while you’re under contract with a buyer!

• If you’ve got a lot of trees and plants in your yard, you’re going to want to have them regularly maintained. I recommend hiring a tree trimming service once a year to take care of dead limbs and overgrowth. When it comes you plants and bushes near your home, you want to ensure that the plants aren’t touching your actual structure. When plants are touching your structure, you are more open to insects and critters!

• If you’ve noticed an unpleasant smell coming from your kitchen sink disposal, its time to give it a good cleaning, but HOW?! First, I like to take sprinkle a little baking soda into my drain. After that toss about 4-6 ice cubes down there with some lemon wedges you’ve cut up. Flip on the disposal switch and listen to that bad boy clean away! The ice will get any stubborn food off the blades; lemon and baking soda will freshen and deodorize!

10 Reasons to Use a Root Realty Realtor

If you are looking for a Realtor to sell your home or buy your next home, you have probably read tenths of articles with “Reasons why you Should Hire a Realtor”, but you shouldn’t just go with the first one you meet, you should choose one that TRULY understands your Real Estate desires, needs and goals. So really, you should choose a Root Realty Realtor. Here are ten reasons why: 

1. When you hire a Root Realty Realtor, you get more than one of us; we are constantly supporting each other, so in a way, when you hire one, you get the combined experience and knowledge of all of us, and together, we can find a solution to just about ANYTHING (Real Estate related, we might not be able to solve your personal problems LOL).

2. We are invested in the community way beyond Real Estate transactions, we support local charities like Sulzbacher and Rethreaded, and that’s one of the reasons why this year we won Companies with Heart (award given by Jacksonville Magazine).

3. We were recently voted the #1 Real Estate Brokerage by our community, and also included in USA TODAY as a TOP TEAM in the USA.

4. We TRULY love our customers and like to build long term relationships with them; sometimes what starts as a Realtor-Buyer-Seller relationship, turns into a friendship. and who doesn’t want more friends?

5. Have you seen our social media content? it’s not only useful but also FUNNY, when you check out our Instagram, read our blog or listen to our podcast, you get to meet us and see not only how smart and knowledgeable we are but also how much fun we have working in Real Estate and working together.

6. There are 15 of us but our diversity makes us RICH; we have agents that were born and raised in Florida, but we also have agents from Texas, Georgia, NYC, even Mexico (ahem, me). Before working in Real Estate, one of our agents worked in Medical sales, another one in the Food industry, another one as a Media Specialist, we have a former Nurse, a Psychology professional, a Mortgage Lending professional, an Adult Learning Expert, Teachers, you name it! We have an agent that served full time before joining Root Realty (go Jamie!). Do you know the amount of skills and expertise that these diverse backgrounds give us?

7. If you’re a foreigner and English is not your first language, guess what? we have 2 agents that are fluent in Spanish and one in French. Así que llámanos! Appelez-nous!

8. We don’t only work with homebuyers, or sellers, we also help Real Estate Investors reach their goals. We have long term relationships with investors that focus on Buy and Hold, Rental properties, and/or Fix and Flip. Most of them don’t live in Jacksonville, so if you are looking to invest in JAX but don’t live in town, don’t let that hold you back.

9. Our preferred vendors are the best in their field, we can refer you to the best Mortgage Brokers, Lenders, Home Inspectors, Home Warranty, Home Insurance and Title companies in town; companies like J Riley Williams, Biltrite Home Inspections, and Old Republic Home Warranty, to name a few…

10. And last but not least, our mission is to empower and educate every person before, during, and beyond a transaction and to help ALL achieve their real estate goals. We value more than your home’s value: we prioritize honesty, education, organization, communication, and support every step of the way.  Our unique team of strong women advocates for our customers, our community, and one another.

So, what are you waiting for? Call us, slide into our DM’s, stop by our office (have you seen how cute it is?), whatever works best for you. We got you.

-Dany Amparano