In honor of good old St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we’d publish an article about why 2013 is the Year of Green. Not only is “green” the pantone color of the year, but it’s also a great year for making some green, and being green!
1. Green (the color!).
Emerald green is the new “it” color for home interiors. Whether its beautiful emerald-colored subway tiles, dark green tapestries, a green accent wall, or emerald accessories throughout, designers and homeowners can’t seem to get enough.
Homeowners are bathing themselves in the color of the Emerald City. In fact, Bob Vila named Emerald green the “2013 Color of the Year.”
If you are interested in livening up your home and making your neighbors “green with envy, start with these tips:
- Start small. Add a few emerald colored accessories—lamps, throw pillows, drawer pulls—to see how the color feels in your new home.
- Add a splash of this bold color by painting it onto a dresser, chair, nook, or small wall space. Emerald can also make quite a statement when painted on the backs of bookshelves.
- Spice up a plain space with emerald-inspired fabrics. Fabrics with an emerald print are a bold and exotic choice that can liven up any space!
The latest reports indicate that homes are costing consumers more green…and also making consumers more green! In Bend alone, Central Oregonians saw a price increase of nearly 14 percent over the previous year, and Central Oregon is outpacing the national average by almost double! New home sales around the country are surging so far in 2013, with numbers up almost 37 percent according to the Census Bureau.
This means that although home prices are climbing, those who are getting in the market while interest rates are still at record lows and home prices are relatively good, are literally sitting back and watching their net worth grow.
3. Green (as eco-friendly home building).
Home buyers are demanding more out of home builders when it comes to building the green home of their dreams. No simple energy-efficient appliance is going to cut it for these home buyers: they want green, energy-efficient homes that meet, or even exceed previous “green” standards, without compromising comfort or style.
Solar roof panels, reclaimed products, energy star windows, programmable thermostats, low VOC paints and carpets, water-efficient aerators, and integrated weather barriers are just a few of the added features green builders are adding to their home building mix.
Builders such as Greg Welch Construction, a Sustainable Homes Professional, and Earth Advantage energy-efficient home builder, are always looking for ways to improve new home efficiency, and lesson the carbon footprint of their new homes. Greg Welch, who is continuously committed to new green building techniques, was recently named Central Oregon Builder Association’s (COBA) “Green Builder of the Year.”
So, if building a new home is in your foreseeable future, get in for less green, start making more green, liven up the space with a little emerald green, and save even more green with your new green home!