So if you watch HomesPlus on any kind of regular basis, you've definitely "met" Michelle Williams, the fabulous Chicago designer who designed a brand-new bedroom for our ugliest bedroom contest winner Dorothy Collins last November. She's also the gal who brings us the pro design tips that we can use at home on a regular basis. Turns out, we're not the only ones who think Michelle is incredibly talented - so does Julib.com and she's been nominated for a 2010 Style Award.

If you have a few minutes free in front of the computer (you know, like right now as you read this...) head to the Style Award website and cast your vote for Michelle in the "design professional 2010" category! You have to be a Julib subscriber to vote, so click here to register if you're not already. It literally takes less than 30-seconds.

And good luck to our girl Michelle!

Chalkboard paint is nothing new. We see it all the time in kids' playrooms as a safe place for the kiddies to mark up the walls, we see it in kitchens as a convenient spot to scrawl out the grocery list and it's not even terribly out of place in a home office as a handy spot to mark important reminders and appointments. But I came across this post on ChicagoNow.com and found that there are actually quite a few other ways that chalkboard paint can make a statement in your home - on furniture.

An old wooden flea market coffee table with potential can be glammed up with a coat of chalkboard paint, some colored chalk and your imagination. Bonus: it can be changed with the season or just on a whim! I'm a huge fan of this concept if you're looking for an easy and inexpensive way to add a little something new to your home...just be careful when you walk by it or you'll probably end up those fabulously original designs...

Check out the Garage Sale Warrior's ideas about where you can use chalkboard paint in your home.

It seems like in real estate these days, there's always a dose of bad news with the good.

For example, the median price of homes sold in Illinois in January saw the first price increase in 2+ years. But in Chicago ... a different story.

Continue reading "Median Home Prices in Illinois Increase, but ..." »

According to the Commerce Department, new home sales in the U.S. fell 11.2% last month, a pretty major drop from the previous couple of months and a big dissappointment for economists who expected to see an uptick in sales in early 2010.

The only good news was in the midwest (woohoo!), where sales actually increased by 2.1%. Not a huge win, but any improvement is good news considering the median sale price in the country is down 5.6% from December.

Looking to re-design your kitchen? This week Rochelle stopped by the WGN-TV midday news and showcased some of the coolest kitchens in Chicagoland.

Check out what she found in the video below.

Continue reading "Cool Kitchens in Chicagoland" »

For many of us, moving into a new home isn't an option right now. But this is a great time to think about updating your home. Not only can you enjoy it, but when it's time to sell, your home will look fresh and new.

Continue reading "It's time to install a new floor" »

It's official. HomesPlus has joined Twitter. We know, it's about time.

So start following us today and keep up with the show during the week.

@homesplustv

www.twitter.com/HomesPlusTV

Ok ... so we found a really cool way to create a guest bedroom in your home. And while we would love to take credit for finding this cool design feature - we'll have to give ALL the credit to our friend Dennis Rodkin over at Chicago Mag/Deal Estate. He's the one who pointed it out to us.

Continue reading "Guest Room 2.0" »

If you're looking for home products and you're interested in sticking with the eco-conscious variety, then here's a website that will help you accomplish both of those goals and then some. EcoConsciousMarket.com is an online marketplace where the products are greener and up to 10% of each purchase is donated to a non-profit. You can browse through thousands of products, knowing that each one was made with a healthier planet in mind!

Plants are a beautiful thing - not only do they look good and add a little bit of life to a room (if they are, ahem, alive), but there are certain plants that are stellar at cleaning the air we breathe. According to Christie Matheson, author of Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style, "Not only are plants kinda pretty, but they help eliminate toxins...from your interior."

Here are a few that will give you style points and cleaner air:

Gerber Daisies – they reduce formaldehyde levels
Chrysanthemums – they reduce benzene and trichloroethylene levels
Orchids – they reduce xylene and toluene levels
English Ivy – reduces benzene levels
Bamboo – reduces formaldehyde levels