4 Easy House Hacks This Property Brother Swears By
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"Did you have fun watching me clean?" Jonathan Scott asked. The Property Brothers star was on a break at a press event, looking like a contented off-duty handyman in his short-sleeved plaid shirt.
Of course I'd had fun watching him clean. I'm a Property Brothers expert and bonafide superfan. Watching Jonathan Scott do anything qualifies as fun in my book.
But I didn't tell him that.
"I love it when other people are cleaning," I replied honestly. "Not me."
"You don't like cleaning?" Jonathan, a Mr. Clean spokesman, asked incredulously. He'd just finished a series of demos showing off what the brand's Magic Eraser can do.
"It's not really like my forté," I confided.
Jonathan looked perplexed. I had to change the subject, fast.
"I actually wanted to pick your brain about quick projects that homeowners can do so that guests will be impressed when they come over," I said.
Jonathan perked up. This was his forté.
"Okay," he began, taking a deep breath. He proceeded to give four awesome suggestions anyone can do to create the warm and welcoming home of their dreams.
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Mount a Reclaimed-Wood Feature Wall
"It's so easy," Jonathan said of installing a wooden feature wall. "There is a product now that's amazing — it's like a veneer with adhesive on the back. You just cut the boards, and stick them on your wall the way they are. It gives you that whole barn board look. I love reclaimed wood and I love reclaimed rustic pieces."
Refurbish Your Own Hardware
Jonathan is a big proponent of the idea that small fixes can have big results, especially where hardware like knobs and hinges are concerned.
"A lot of houses have really old, old hardware," Jonathan observed. "You think you want to change the doorknobs, but in reality, there is a lot of charm to that hardware. If you get in there with the Magic Eraser and just scrub, you can bring back the initial shine of some of those old pieces — they look phenomenal."
Old can definitely be good. "Don't replace it if it has character and is adding to the house," Jonathan said.
Paint the Front Door
Grabbing paint to update your home's front door can lead to one of the quickest, most personal fixes of all.
"Whatever your personality is, I love that the front door is a reflection of that," Jonathan said. "Find something bold — I'm not talking Pepto Bismol pink — but find something bold that suits your personality."
Think Like a Guest
Always try to view your own home with a fresh set of eyes. You might be surprised at what you find!
"Whether it's somebody who owns their house and want their guests to be impressed or they are selling, start from the outside and walk through the house with the eyes of a buyer," Jonathan said. "Anything that catches your eye as weird or out of place or whatever, find a solution for it."