Home and Garden

POOL TRENDS THIS YEAR ARE ABOUT STYLE AND EASE

Considering adding a pool this summer? Here are a few trends to keep in mind:

IS YOUR SPACE CALLING OUTFOR A TOUCH OF THE PAST?

Incorporating tangible pieces of history into homes, offices and stores provides beauty, nostalgia, artistry, eco-consciousness and an enduring show-and-tell.

Sustainable and reclaimed building materials are here to stay, experts say—they’re not just a design fad. 

“Some want the look, and others want a piece of the past,” says William Court, partner at architectural firm Court Atkins Group. “The appeal, both residential and commercial, has grown over time.” 

DOWNSIZING ADVICE TO MAKE LETTING GO EASIER

Tired of all the clutter and thinking about downsizing? If you’re anticipating moving to a smaller home, it’s time to do a thorough cleaning and get rid of those items you will never use again. 

Let’s be honest. Will your children really want that 1960s lime green velvet armchair or grandpa’s collection of baseball caps? 

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY ADDS ELLER AND DIOTALEVI

Real estate agents Terri Eller and Roddy Diotalevi have joined the Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Bay Street Realty Group as a team. With 25 years of experience in the energy sector, Eller is skilled in customer service, sales, project management and marketing.

Diotalevi, Eller’s husband, will arrange transactions, bring buyers and sellers together and act as their representative in negotiations. He has more than 30 years of marketing, sales, and customer service experience as an electric and gas utility executive. 

LOWCOUNTRY REAL ESTATE SALES CONTINUE WITH PRECAUTIONS

Lowcountry real estate sales have dipped since the novel coronavirus outbreak began, but low mortgage interest rates coupled with social-distancing sales strategies are enticing some buyers, local agents say. 

“For anybody who is secure in their job, now is a great time,” said Charles Sampson of Charter One Realty. 

BLUFFTON’S MAY RIVER MONTESSORI SCHOOL ADAPTS AND PRODUCES

This spring, the organic garden at May River Montessori School was bigger and better than ever. Kale, swiss chard, carrots, radishes and other crops planted by the students were almost ready to harvest, and the tomato plants the school sells were growing stronger in greenhouses.

Then the coronavirus hit and May River Montessori, like all other schools in South Carolina, had to close.

LOWCOUNTRY HOME TRADES MAKE SAFETY TOP PRIORITY

Businesses in the Lowcountry remain committed to safety during the coronavirus pandemic. Even though many restrictions in the state have been lifted, companies that offer services to homeowners have taken steps to make sure both their employees and customers stay safe. 

Going paperless is one modification that is gaining traction with local businesses. EAC Heating & Air has instituted paperless transactions, which its customers are embracing. The company’s technicians wear masks at all times and gloves when working inside homes. 

KEEPING US COOL SINCE 1902

• The first items that people used to keep cool were hand fans. Electric fans replaced them in the U.S. in the early 1900s. 

• Willis Carrier invented the modern air conditioner in 1902, to protect paper and ink in a publishing company. The term air conditioning was coined in 1906 by textile mill engineer Stuart Cramer. 

Lowcountry real estate sales have suffered since the novel coronavirus outbreak began, but low mortgage interest rates coupled with social-distancing sales strategies are enticing some buyers back to the market, local agents say.

“For anybody who is secure in their job, now is a great time,” said Charles Sampson of Charter One Realty.

Real estate was deemed an “essential service” and exempt from South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s order closing non-essential business. But the traditional ways of doing business — in-person showings, open houses, and agents driving potential buyers around to look at properties — have had to change. One solution? Many brokerages are pivoting to virtual open houses and tours.