The Pure Energy BLOG

DIY: Custom Fabric Art

2011-12-19T10:05:00.000-08:00

This is a great project for repurposing fabric you may have around the house from window treatments or bedding into custom sized fabric art (finally a use for those odd sized pieces of fabric!). We recommend using heavier weight, non stretch fabrics as they are easier to work with and ensure that the backing frame will not be visible through the fabric. IKEA has a fabulous range of heavy weight cotton fabrics with bold graphics and patterns, at great price points.

Materials & Tools

A. Iron

B. Fabric(s) to be framed

C. Gun stapler

D. Tape measure

E. Fabric scissors

F. Nail gun (if you do not have access to a nail gun, screws or nails are fine to use)

G. Power saw (a hand saw is fine to use if you do not have an electric saw)

H. Safety goggles

I. Pen & paper to plot out measurements

J. Wood for frame 1" x 2"

Step 1: Lay out fabric print side up and iron

Step 2: Measure the width and height of the area to be framed. Add an additional six inches to the width and height measurements, this allows an extra 3" of fabric on all sides to ensure you will have enough fabric to wrap around the frame. With the reverse side of fabric facing up, rule out the measurements onto fabric.

Step 3: Cut out piece of fabric to be framed.

Quick tip: Lining up straight edges of fabric and/or using a T-square ruler will ensure you get a straight cut

Step 4: Measure and mark frame dimensions onto wood.

Step 5: Cut wood. If you are using a hand saw, clamp the wood to a solid surface before cutting.

Step 6: Arrange the cut pieces of wood into the frame ensuring that they are square and evenly aligned.

Step 7: Secure or clamp frame to a stable surface. If using a nail gun put three nails into each corner (two screws in each corner is sufficient if nailing manually).

Step 8: Spread out fabric reverse side up and lay frame on top, ensuring that there is an even amount of fabric distributed around all sides.

Step 9: Staple the fabric to the frame a couple of times starting at the middle of one side, and then pulling the fabric taut (without stretching), repeat on the opposite side. Working from the center of each side, continue stapling toward the frame corners.

Step 10: The corners are the last areas to be stapled. Pinch the remaining corner fabric together and pull taut away from frame.

Step 11: Create a crisp pleat into fabric and fold toward frame corner.

Step 12: Staple in place.

Step 13: If you end up with excess fabric, staple to the inside of the frame. This keeps it tidy and prevents any frayed edges showing.

Step 14: Hang your new piece of art and enjoy! If you have chosen fabric with an ambiguous design, a nice benefit is that the canvas can be hung vertically or horizontally.

A Perfect Paint Palette - by The Pure Energy DESIGN TEAM

2011-11-17T07:29:00.001-08:00

Due to popular demand, we have decided to make a quick tutorial on choosing the perfect paint colors for your home. We know there are a million and one colors to choose from and a variety of brands, but we tend to use one brand and have a handful of colors that never fail us. So how did we come to find these perfect colors?

As the In-house Design Team, we spend every day renovating, designing and staging homes for re-sale. Through the years, we have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of clients in hundreds of homes - all ranging from gorgeous Stately Colonials to historic Spanish Revivals to quaint Cottages and everything else in-between. It gives us a world of first hand experience in finding those perfect color combinations, whether you want to live with it or get ready for the real estate market.

Colors may vary for different monitor settings. For best results, acquire physical paint swatches.

The base colors we start with are all in the neutral category. The brand we choose from is the Duron / Sherwin Williams "Color" Collection. They they are both different companies, but Duron has actually merged with Sherwin Williams - meaning you can go to a Duron store or a Sherwin Williams store. You can even go to Home Depot or Lowe's and tell them you want these specific colors and they will match them in the computer to use in their own store brand paint. Just make sure you always go by the name if there is ever a conflict.

So why do we stick with one palette? Because they never fail us. No matter what house, what room, what light, they always look amazing. There are no peach undertones. There are no shocking differences from the swatch to the wall. They have been tried and tested hundreds of times for hundreds of clients and the reviews are always the same - "WOW!"

So let us begin. We will start with the best paint color ever made in the history of paint.

From bedrooms to kitchens to basements, Samovar Silver is by far the most versatile blue color for home interiors. Not too blue and not too gray. We always tell clients when going to the store for the Samovar Silver paint swatch, that they might think it looks too gray at first. When in this situation, take the swatch and hold it next to a true gray color and then next to a true blue color. What you will find, is that next to the gray, it looks blue. And next to the blue, it looks gray. That means it is PERFECT. The colors on this paint swatch are found in the Fundamentally Neutral Category of Duron/Sherwin. This particular paint swatch family of 4 colors go lighter and darker - all of which are breathtaking in any situation.

Softened Green is another neutral green with gray undertones. Just like the Samovar Silver Color Test, you can do the same by holding it up next to a true gray and next to a true green to see that it lies directly in the middle. This color comes on a swatch with a lighter and darker option, all of which are gorgeous in bedrooms, kitchens and family rooms. You should probably stay away from this color in bathrooms though, as green is never a good color for looking at yourself in the mirror. Another option for this color is Grassland SW6163, pictured in the last green family above.

Rookwood Terra Cotta is found in the Exterior Preservation Palette. Do not be fooled though. Exterior colors create beautiful accent walls inside and look especially elegant in bathrooms. Be careful using rich colors in bathrooms without good ventilation though. Most bathrooms should be painted using a semi-gloss finish as opposed to interior living spaces that should always be used with a flat finish. But when painting rich colors like RookWood Terra Cotta, using it in semi-gloss can present flaws in the walls. So when using in a bathroom, we go against the basic rule and use a flat finish, but only if there is good ventilation for the shower. Half baths, of course, can always have a flat finish.

Roycroft Vellum is also found in the Exterior Preservation palette. We always found the biggest challenge for finding the perfect cream color to be that so many had peach undertones. It is really tricky to see these undertones in a swatch, and all to often you won't notice it until it is on the wall and the sun shines in. This happened to us several times for many different cream varieties. Roycroft Vellum, however, never fails.

Birdseye Maple is the go to color when going for a bright & warming effect. Yellows can be really tricky as the majority of them are in the bright energetic palette. Always go for a muted bright. We have had many situations where we thought we could get away with a soft bright yellow, but once on the wall, it was exaggerated and incredibly overwhelming. Birdseye Maple is muted enough to be bright and subtle all at once.It is great for foyers, sun rooms and even better in basement family rooms where warmth is so desperately needed.

Downing Sand - yet another color from the Exterior Preservation Palette. It is THE go to beige. Not too dark. Not too light. Never peach in any light.

Macadamia is very similar to Downing Sand, just darker. The alternate of this color is Latte SW6108.

Downing Slate is a dark gray-toned blue. Found in the Exterior Preservation Palette, it looks gorgeous on exterior siding as it compliments stone and brick. Inside, it brings elegance and richness, especially in stairwells and sun rooms.

The Chocolate Bath. We are asked quite often, "Isn't a dark color in a small space a bad idea?" Our answer is always the same. "Absolutely not! Do not be afraid of dark colors!" They bring an elegance to a room that is completely unexpected. Sable is a great chocolate color with nothing but brown undertones. It also works wonderfully as an accent wall in a large room.

Last but not least, do not forget about Taupe! Hopsack is a wonderful taupe shade that we use frequently for foyers, bedroom accent colors, bathrooms and living spaces.

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Not sure what colors go together? Here is a simple tutorial chock full of photos to guide you in the right direction for putting your colors together. From accent walls to decor, these colors always compliment each other and turn a room into a masterpiece.

Samovar Silver SW6233 - White - Stolen Kiss SW7586 {Duron's Concepts in Color Collection}

When working with Samovar Silver, there are a plethora of matching options. Bringing red into the room through accessories brings in a playful feel.

Softened Green SW6177 - Beige & Chocolate

Hopsack SW6109 or Macadamia SW6142 - White & Black

Downing Slate SW2819 - Downing Sand SW2822 - Chocolate

Samovar Silver can be substituted for Downing Slate. In general, the blue/beige/chocolate combination is always a winner - whether through paint colors or accessories and flooring. It is modern and natural all at the same time.

Softened Green SW6177 - Taupe & Black

This one we call Earth Mosaics. It consists of Rookwood Terra Cotta SW2803 - Birdseye Maple SW2834 - Samovar Silver SW 6233 and any beige and cream color. We discovered it when designing a bathroom with this beautiful mosaic tile {pictured above}, which is a great starting point for choosing paint colors.

Paint and accessories for the Earth Mosaic collection. Rookwood Terra Cotta is on the stairwell wall. Roycroft Vellum on the living room walls. Accessories throughout.

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All in all, you can take any of my color choices and put them together in any situation.

But before you run to the paint store , follow these simple paint rules:

Walls - Flat finish {Flat shows the least flaws}

Ceilings - Flat Ceiling White{brings height to any room}

Trim - Semi-gloss bright white unless it is a natural wood {white trim brings punch to architecture}

Natural wood trim should be in really good shape, {otherwise, paint it white, or re-stain}

Full Baths - Semi-gloss {unless doing a dark color, use flat but only with good ventilation}

Powder Rooms - Flat

Kitchens - Eggshell/Satin

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We hope you have enjoyed our paint color tutorial! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. For more information on preparing your home for the real estate market, visit http://www.pureenergyteam.com/sellingwithsizzle.html

To learn more about the Design Team, visit http://www.pureenergyteam.com/energyteam.html.

All photos copyright Pure Energy Real Estate 2011.

The Making of THE HAUNTED GARDEN - by Rania Peet

2011-11-17T07:27:00.001-08:00

If you have not seen or heard of THE HAUNTED GARDEN, first check out the photo gallery of this year's past event by clicking on the picture below:

The Haunted Garden was an elaborate yard haunt held on a beautiful 1/4 acre lot in Silver Spring, MD. Held during the Halloween season, it featured 8 exhibits including:

Altar of the Vampyre

The Cemetery

The Witch's Brew

The Lagoon

The Haunted Woods

The Zombie Horde

The Organist

and

The Ship of Lost Souls

The whole Haunt included special f/x, music/sound f/x, theatrical lighting and live actors. The 1/4 acre lot (owned by Donna Kerr of Pure Energy Real Estate) really couldn't be any more perfect for creating this kind of experience. Filled with large towering trees, stone paths, a pond, a large gully, woods and even a creepy old house who's legend is known to have housed the famous architect - Frank Lloyd Wright, the creativity was flowing and it all came together for a Haunted Experience enjoyed by almost 2,000 people over the course of 6 nights.

The production itself took us a few months to create. I started in August with the website and the general plans for which exhibits to setup. Once we figured out how the layout would flow and which sets to create, we started buying props from various stores and outlets. The majority of the "design" for this is SET DESIGN with some costume/body work for some store purchased heads. I would like to say I handmade the props, but I am not there yet. Regardless, i managed to document a lot of the creative process so i can provide to you, a Tutorial chock full of pictures and step by step instructions. The creative side, well, that comes from within. But if you are a Halloween lover, i bet that inspiration is inside you already. I hope my tutorial helps and inspires. If you have any questions, feel to free to ask/email. I am very active here and will do my best to give any info possible! ENJOY THE MAKING OF THE HAUNTED GARDEN!

The first and most important part of the exhibit was the front entry sign. The sign is made of wood - cut with a Dremel (my new favorite thing ever), then painted and glittered. The typeface itself was first started in Adobe Illustrator which was then turned into a Stencil using my home computer. I wanted to create the Logo from the website, which was the Pure Energy Real Estate MOON and the typeface for the title. (pictured below)

Tools and Materials:

Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop

Home Printer w/ 8.5" x 11" paper

Black Sharpie

Scissors

Scotch Tape

Dremel or Jigsaw

Sander if not using Dremel

Screws

8'x4' THIN plywood (2 pieces)

4'x4' 3/4" Plywood

4'x4' 1/4" Plywood

White Exterior Semi-Gloss Paint (Gallon)

Paint Tray, roller & brush

Yard Stick

2x4s (3)

Silver Metallic Spray Paint (1 can)

Black Spray Paint (2-3 cans)

Spray adhesive (1 can)

Acrylic Sealer (1 can)

Ebony Exterior Stain (1 quart)

Staining Pads (bag)

Clear Satin Exterior Polyurethane (1 quart)

Natural Bristle Paint/Stain Brush (1 or 2)

Paint Thinner

Latex Gloves

Plastic Sheeting

Black Fine Glitter

Silver Glitter

Step 1: PICK A FONT. For the main title, i chose ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST - created by Chad Savage over at www.sinisterfonts.com

Step 2: CREATE A STENCIL. Figure out the real time scale of the sign. I chose the moon to be 64" in diameter. By creating a 64" artboard in Adobe Illustrator, it allowed me to see the size of my letters. Because this font has different sized letters, i started with the biggest letter and found it to be roughly 18".

STEP 3: PRINT THE STENCIL: Using Adobe Illustrator or a program of your choosing, start a new file at 8.5" x 18". Type the letter, using the font and scale it so it fits in the artboard's height from top to bottom. Then create a new artboard at 8.5" x 11" and drag the letter into that box. What you will see is only PART of the letter. No big deal. Print.

PRINT THE STENCIL CONTINUED: Then simply drag the letter up above the artboard's border so you can see what was missing from the first printout. Then print. Adobe Illustrator will only print what is inside the border, making it easy to create a stencil.

STEP 4: CONNECT LETTER STENCIL: Start with one letter. Line up the prints as perfectly as you can. Then using scotch tape, tape the print-outs together. Do this for all your letters. If you have more than one of the same letter, you only need to print this one time.

STEP 5: CUT THE STENCIL: Using scissors, simply cut each letter, making sure the tape stays secure.

STEP 6: TRANSFER STENCIL TO WOOD - Place the cutouts on the 4'x4' 3/4" plywood surface. Using Sharpie, trace the letters. If you feel the need to tape the letters down, so be it. I held the paper down as best i could. There is room for error because the Dremel/Jigsaw will make some slight mistakes. The general outline is what is important.

STEP 7: CUT & SAND THE LETTERS - Using your Dremel or Jigsaw (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE DREMEL for its precision and sanding attachment tools), cut each letter. Find your groove. This is time consuming...................Once you are finished cutting, then sand all the edges using either the Dremel attachment or if you don't have that, a Mouse Sander or even by hand if you so choose to go that route. Sorry, i forgot to take pictures of the sanding process.

NOTE: It is a bad idea to try and cut costs by buying a thinner piece of plywood for the letters. By using the 3/4", you will get cleaner cuts and more support. Thinner plywood will result in broken letters, especially ones with detail. As you can see, this wood held up perfectly.

Post cut, Pre-finished letters

STEP 8: STAIN & POLYURETHANE THE WOOD - Using the Ebony Stain and latex gloves, stain each letter using staining pads. Let first coat dry, then repeat. Be sure to get the sides, back and the outer edges. You could probably do this faster using black spray paint, but i just really wanted to stain the letters for a natural look. Wait for the final coat of stain to dry, then apply coat of exterior polyurethane. Let dry for 24 hours.

STEP 9: GLITTER TIME - Spray the adhesive on part of the letter, then sprinkle glitter evenly. You can use a lot or a little. I chose to use a light coat. Spray only part of the letter at a time as it dries very quickly. Once all letters are glittered, spray the sealer and let dry. LETTERS DONE.

STEP 10: CUT A CIRCLE OUT OF WOOD - Take your 2 pieces of thin plywood on your makeshift worktable and line them up evenly. Place 2x4s underneath the top and bottom edges as well as the middle where the seams meet. Screw the plywood to them. This will keep the plywood secure and allow you a place for your compass (below).

STEP 11: CREATE A COMPASS: To create an even circle on a large scale, you have to make your own compass. This is actually very easy. Using a yardstick, screw the end of the yardstick into the center of the two pieces of wood , where there is a 2x4 underneath.

STEP 12: DRAW CIRCLE: Since this moon is 64" in diameter, we will measure to 32" from center. Obviously because i screwed the screw into the 1" line of the yardstick, i will measure out to 33". I pre-drilled a hole at the 33" mark for my pen. Then, simply draw your circle moving the yardstick along.

CIRCLE

STEP 13: CUT THE CIRCLE: Take off the yard stick and 2x4s, separate the wood and then cut out the circle halves. Set aside for paint.

STEP 14: MAKE THE SWIRL STENCIL - Since i didn't take pictures of this stencil process, i am going to have to explain this. It is very similar to creating the stencil for the letters, just a little harder. Using the same scale process in Illustrator, i moved the swirl around and printed each 8.5"x11" section, then taped each together, then screwed up the alignment process and re-printed some of the pieces and finally got it right. Using a second 4x4 piece of plywood, transfer the swirl onto the wood then cut.

NOTE: Before finishing the moon, do a pre lineup of your sign to make sure everything is sized correctly and you know how much dimension you want to give it. I originally wanted to backlight this sign until i realized i needed L.E.D.s to make it bright enough. I ran out of money and time, so this was all the dimension it was going to get.

STEP 15: PAINT AND GLITTER THE MOON AND SWIRL: I do not have a picture of me painting the moon, but it is simple - using the exterior white semi-gloss, paint the front of the circles, making sure to get the sides. Paint the back with BLACK spray paint so it is inconspicuous. Spray paint the swirl with silver metallic spray paint. Let dry. Spray the adhesive on one section at a time and sprinkle with silver glitter. Repeat to cover entire swirl. Spray with Sealer.

STEP 16: INSTALL THE SIGN - Join the 2 moon halves together, then screw the swirl and all letters using a driver and screws. I eyeballed this process. Attach sign to archway. I am sorry i do not have a tutorial on making the archway. It was done many years ago. I suppose you could attach the sign anywhere, just know this one is quite flimsy before you give it back support. The support beams went vertically on the backside and then master Carpenter, Mark Trotta attached the moon to the Arch using blocks of wood.

Once the Sign was installed onto the archway, i decorated the archway using vines from the yard, gourds and a prop i got on Ebay. He is obviously trying to escape - which is NOT HAPPENING (silly ghoul). And last but not least:

STEP 17: ILLUMINATE THE SIGN - Using a Par 38 and a BLUE gel, i lit the sign from the side to create some shadow.

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SIGN #2 - THE HAUNTED WOODS

Tools and Materials:

Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop

Home Printer w/ 8.5" x 11" paper

Black Sharpie

Scissors

Scotch Tape

Dremel or Jigsaw

Sander if not using Dremel

Screws

8'x4' THIN plywood (2 pieces)

4'x4' 3/4" Plywood

Walnut Colored Exterior Stain (1 quart)

Natural Colored Exterior Stain

Staining Pads (bag)

Clear Satin Exterior Polyurethane (1 quart)

Red Satin Finish Exterior Paint (1 quart)

Natural Bristle Paint/Stain Brush (1 or 2)

Paint Thinner

Latex Gloves

Step 1: PICK A FONT. This one is titled You Murderer BB - found at www.1001freefonts.com/YouMurderer.php

Step 2: MAKE A STENCIL & CUT THE LETTERS - Repeat everything from the first tutorial. These letters were slightly larger, maybe 20-22" in height. the font itself is larger as well.

STEP 3: STAIN & BLEED THE LETTERS - This time i used a Walnut finish for stain as this was for the Woods and required a more natural feel. I also wanted to make it look like it was bleeding. I dipped my fingers in the red paint and scraped my fingers along the top edge, letting the paint drip down the front. Some areas, i smudged it. I totally freeballed this process and i suggest you do too. Makes for a great creative process.

STEP 4: POLYURETHANE THE LETTERS: Once finished bleeding the letters, apply 2 coats of polyurethane and let dry.

STEP 5: CREATE THE ROTTED SIGN FRAME - Take your 8.5"x11" plywood, your Dremel and just start cutting. The look is an old rotted sign, so there is no technical to that. The Dremel is really great for this. You really just press the button and move it roughly around the perimeter, going deeper into the wood along the sides. Does that make sense? I had no idea if it was going to come out or not, but to my surprise:

STEP 6: ILLUMINATE THE SIGN - Par 38, red gell and a tree.

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So this will not be so much a tutorial, but just a walk through of the Haunt itself and some detail to how it came to be. There is so much improvising that goes on. Maybe it's because i'm not that organized or the time constraints get me. Whatever reason, I always manage to find things to make it all come together. I will start with the first exhibit:

Upon entering the Haunted Garden, your first exhibit to see is the Altar of the Vampyre. It all started with this really large Demon i found at Party City a couple years ago. He is probably 12' tall if not bigger. Last year we used him for the Altar of Sacrifice, which turned out amazingly. So I decided to add to it, using some new Vampire heads we found on Ebay.

Cara Hunt and Jenn Clark (Pure Energy Design Team) made the bodies using wire and fabrics. They bought some hands, and then sized them down with some alterations. They did an awesome job on these!

We added a Banshee from Party City.

We had a table we created for a parade from some years ago (the purple pedestal with gold swirl in picture), added a table top and some Burgundy Crushed Velvet i had from my nightclub days to create the ALTAR.

The Altar consisted of a body we created using a head from Spirit, a wig and a costume dress stuffed with newspaper, logs for legs, and severed body parts, also from Spirit Halloween. We added candles, spiders and other odds and ends for detail.

We had 2 fountains so we added fake blood (watered down) and some eyeballs. We also used tapered candles(IKEA) for our candelabras and tiki torches. At some point i added dry ice to the fountain, but i could never keep up with it.

We used a Par 38 with red gel shining up behind the altar itself and localized music of Monks chanting. The sound effect really made the whole exhibit come to life. The Song Title is called Alpha Monks by Gunnar Muhlman from the Album - Behind Monestary Doors {found on Itunes}

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After seeing the Altar, patrons make there way to the Cemetery - a dead end underneath a super creepy weeping pine tree.

I stretched spider web throughout the entire cemetery area, giving it a cavernous feel. Spider web is one of those things where you need to find your groove. But it is VERY important that you have the GOOD spiderweb - Spirit's SUPER STRETCH {do not be fooled by imitations!} and good sticky hanging/attachment points. Because i was working underneath this wonderful tree, stretching the web was fairly easy. We had a few days of rain here and there, but i only needed to repair it slightly.

I basically put tombstones throughout, each with their own low voltage landscape light. For one grave, i put some arms in the ground - reaching up to create the look of a zombie digging its way out.

The cemetery led to a dead end, where patrons had to then turn around and make their way through the main part of the Haunt. The signs were made from old pieces of wood i found in my barn. Paula Trotta then free handed the Zombie Holocaust Font in silver glitter glue onto the wood.

At night they lit up beautifully under tiki torches.

The nighttime effects were created with fog machines, one black light, and for the tree itself, a Source 4 Par with amber gel. Cemetery music was created using an ipod, a Bose player and the tune Cemetery - Scary Halloween Sounds Monsters and Wolves by Monster's Halloween Party from the album The Ultimate Scary Sounds and Music for Your Halloween Bash - also found on ITunes.

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As you make your way out of the Cemetery, you have to enter a stone pathway through more tombstones and what i call The Guardians of the Garden. This is when the Haunt really gets going.

This was one of the kid's favorites. He is from Spirit Halloween. Got him discounted as he was the last one on display. We used Orange string lights to line the pathways. Fog machines throughout.

The lot is filled with MASSIVE trees, so we took our 3 biggest props, got on some really big ladders and attached them to the trees. We had 3 big Guardians. One at the entrance to the Cemetery, one in the Haunted Woods and one directly in the middle of the haunt. {Pictured below}

The head was purchased from a local store, along with giant hands. Cara and Jenn had to produce a body using a lot of fabric. We attached the head to the tree first, then using 2x4s, attached the hands. By attaching the hands to the 2x4s, then screwing the 2x4s perpendicular to the tree, it gives the illusion of arms.

I hang a flaming cauldron from pretty much every hanging prop throughout. This Guardian, however, got a special cauldron i found on Ebay.

This guy got a Source 4 Par with Amber Gel. The Source 4s are more powerful then standard Par 38s, bringing the light further up the tree. The height on this is around 20'.

The height the Source 4s reach goes even further, giving such brilliant beauty to these trees.

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The next exhibit on the tour is The Witch's Bubbling Brew. This gets the most oohs and ahhs from the patrons. It is unexpected and has a lot of impact. Behind the house is this great little pond with a rock wall. The pond is typically covered in green gooey stuff. So what better to use it for then a Witch's brew!

We bought 30lbs of Dry Ice per evening. We broke up the dry ice, added a block or two at a time and had to maintain it throughout the night.

This year, we got the Animatronic Witch from Spirit and put a TRY ME button on a table to give the kids some interaction. I find that putting step pads and buttons like this throughout the haunt provides a world of fun for the kids and also makes them feel more at ease. The sign above is made from a corrugated board and free hand sharpie.

Behind the witch, i stretched black spandex across the house, spiderweb in front of the spandex and some witch brooms for detail. I threw in some more eyeballs into the pond, the dry ice and 2 Par 38s each with amber gel - 1 for the witch and 1 across the pond.

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Once the patrons pass the witch and make their way to the end of the stone path, they will see the signs directing them to the Woods. I found that people had so many things to look at, they had a hard time figuring out where to go. We even needed staff in certain traffic points to keep people from going the wrong direction or missing certain exhibits all together. Before they go into the Woods, they see a huge gully in the middle of the lot, which i turned into the exhibit - THE LAGOON.

The Lagoon was the most inhospitable working location of my life. It is situated at the bottom of a neighborhood hill, covered in ivy and then filled with swamp water. It was a major undertaking. Totally worth it however as the impact was nothing short of awesome.

We got a friend's boat, Spirit's Gatekeeper, a ton of ultraviolet sensitive spiderweb, double black light fixtures from Home Depot, 1000 watt fog machine {never buy the small ones - more on that later} as well as Demonica and a friend's handmade wooden kayak for the 2nd leg of the Lagoon {as it extended up into The Haunted Woods}.

Demonica was originally purchased broken. Thinking i could fix her, I never got around to it. Regardless, she has always made a great still prop. She fit snug in the kayak.

The Gatekeeper broke pretty much within the hour that he got installed. His metal stand simply broke in half, so here was where improvisation came in.

Instead of repairing crappy metal made in China, i got a big log from the yard, drilled a hole in the center and stuck the pole from the Gatekeeper inside it. It worked brilliantly. As for the spider web, well that was another story. We were open 2 weekends and in between the two, we had some heavy rains. This spiderweb got damaged to point of no return. The spiderweb in the Lagoon needed to be off the ground for the black light effect. The rain not only sunk it into the marsh, but it was completely covered in leaves. So it was time for round 2. JOY.

It was a blessing in disguise really. I wasn't happy with the first spider web install anyway. So i took it all away and started over. The right way. The best way to achieve the most out of your spider web, is how you stretch it. Upon opening the bag, take the end, stretch it a bit and attach the corner to the far point you want to cover. Slowly stretch some more, attaching a little more at a time.Once you have a good anchor, take the whole spiderweb and walk backwards opening the whole web, stretching and attaching as you go. Once again, this is the Spirit SUPER STRETCH. I sound like the Spirit poster child at this point. I have a love hate relationship with that place. Some of their products break every hour, while some are irreplaceable.

The gully was challenging for spiderweb attachment points as there basically were none. I used some Rebar and any sticks i could find, stuck them in the ground where i needed them, and stretched away.

This picture doesn't even do it justice. When the fog was rolling, it was magical. A Par 38 with blue gel up lights the Gate Keeper.

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The Haunted Woods was the part of the exhibit i rated as PG-13. It is where ALL the screams came from. I told parents to use discretion for the whole event, but if they thought they had a chicken on their hands, the Haunted Woods was not the place to go. Unfortunately for the chickens, if they didn't go through the WOODS, they would miss the Zombie Horde.

Upon entering the Haunted Woods, you have to go through some thick trees. I filled them with heads and flying characters and a fog machine to disorient people.

Coming out of the trees, you run into Michael and in the distance you see my West Virginia inspired Inbred Goblin Torture Shed. Michael was lit with a Par 38 with red gel. I ended up turning his music off since we had our own Woods Music Sound F/X. The music in the woods was one of my favorite finds. I had been looking for many years and i finally found all the sound loops from Resident Evil 4! I was so excited! It is my favorite video game of all time, and i must say, the sound f/x from it were super scary!! Some guys over at Screw Attack took the time to create hundreds of loops! http://www.screwattack.com/news/resident-evil-4-game-sound-effects-download

The torture shed was first emptied out from its year round storage use and then filled with a variety of fun things i found in my barn. {I live on an old farm in West Virginia with a crazy barn filled with bizarre old rotting treasures}.

The barn is what inspired me to create the Torture Shed. I found an old grinding table, an old window, a fan blade, a bunch of old mason jars, corn stalks and a HORSE SKULL{WTF i know right?}

Add that to some body parts, a tortured dude, some chains and other random bits and you get instant torture shed inventory.

It came together nicely with a Par 38 with red gel, bloody spiderweb, a strobe and the most important part of the whole Haunt - the actors!

I found this amazingly disgusting mask at Spirit. I didn't know who was going to wear it. Or what i would do with it. But then we found Peter Cook!

Peter Cook is a local neighbor who {lucky for us} called us up interested in acting. I found actors to be the hardest to find and rely on. Peter was amazing. He was a subtle actor. He stood outside the shed, very still. Patrons would stand there, wondering if he was real. He would then move just slightly, luring them into the shed. He was the highlight of the haunt.

Then Rob Fitz-William showed up when a group of his friends came through one night. As an avid Halloween lover and haunter himself, he was eager to get involved. He showed up in his Wolfman gear and scared the living daylights out of EVERYONE! The Inbred Ghoul and the Wolfman were everyone's favorites this year! LIVE actors is where it's at!

Once finished in the Torture Shed, you have to make your way past the Guardian through a dark path past the last part of The Haunted Woods and one of the most amazing props I have ever seen in my life:

This beautiful prop is what's called a Flying Crank Ghost. It is life sized and attached to a motorized rig - from www.ghostbuilders.com .

The ghost is uv sensitive, and the company suggests using black lights either above or below it. We rented a 400 watt long-throw UV flood called a WILDFIRE FX. I would have a dozen of these ghosts on a zipline if it were up to me. Their animation is extremely life like. HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

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As you make your way out of The Haunted Woods, you come to my favorite exhibit of the Haunt - THE ZOMBIE HORDE. It included 7 Zombies total, 4 of which were animated.

I LOVE ZOMBIES.

We got Spirit's brand new for 2011 Flesh Eating Zombie. Like many of the other animatronics, they come with motion sensors so they only animate when someone walks by. The problem with that is the motion typically needs to be too close for a haunt. One of our crew members from PDC Systems actually created timers for all of our animated props. I really wish i had taken a picture of the timers. They are basically these little electric boxes that loop anywhere from 1 minute to 60 minutes. They plugged into the sensor outlets in replacement of the motion.

Deadlift Zombie was fantastic. His voice f/x were the best. We gave him a tombstone and had to attach his base to the ground using rebar and tie line. He was illuminated with a low voltage landscape light.

I forget what this guy's name is, but he was just AWESOME. He attaches to a fog machine, where he then moves his head back and forth and blows smoke out of his mouth.

She is my favorite Zombie. A still prop with so much detail. Got her from The Party Warehouse on Brookville Rd in Silver Spring. Great store with tons of props!

Twitcher Zombie from Spirit Halloween

A couple more still props. These are very lightweight so they fall over easily. I basically tied staging tie line to 3 points and then anchored them down using yard stakes. These are lit with Par 38s and amber gel.

And how could anyone not love the Spirit Halloween Zombie Babies?

The Zombie Horde in full effect.

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I knew i wanted an organ and an animated skeleton guy with cool organ music. But i didn't have any of those items, then last minute we managed to get our hands on a piano. I know i know, it's not an organ, but it was good enough. So we got a pose-able stuffed dummy and i went to get a robe and a mask (which couldn't have been more perfect), some candelabras, tiki torches, a music player and, well, organ music! The music i found was a collection of songs downloaded from ITunes; some of which are the following albums:

Scary Halloween Music

The Church Organ All Stars

The Classical Halloween Collection

The Dead Matter: Cemetery Gates

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The Ship of Lost Souls was the very last exhibit as you exit the haunt. There just happened to be a boat in the driveway, so why not turn it into a pirate ship? We got a large pirate from a local store in Rockville, a pirate flag i got from my travels to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, some random skeletons, a pirate bat, and one of the coolest haunted ocean soundtracks ever from an album - Nature Sounds Relaxaton and Tibetan Chakra Meditation. The song is titled Ocean Waves with Tibetan Bowl for Massage Therapy. You can find this on ITunes. It is the perfect sound track for a pirate haunt. Subtle and creepy. I could totally get a massage to it too.

I stretched uv sensitive spider web all along the sides of the boat on both sides. This spiderweb is wonderful as it creates the effect of water. Put black lights underneath and you get instant ocean.

We had a Par 38 with blue gel up lighting the pirate. The pirate had his own flaming cauldron of course. A red gelled up light went inside the cabin and we threw a couple strobes in for added effect.

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At the end of the Haunt, situated between the Ship of Lost Souls and The Organist was a large open area we decided to turn into the kid-friendly campfire area. This was specifically to provide a scare-safe section for children, a place to warm by the fire and let the children leave the haunt feeling happy. We also allowed people to enter through the exit if they wanted to wait for the rest of their party to go through. This was valuable for many, especially the children.

We had a large stack of wood for the fire, so we wrapped it in spiderweb.

We setup 2 campfires with logs and chairs for seating.

We provided marshmallows on sticks for everyone. The kids loved it and we probably went through 80 bags throughout the course of the event.

PARTY ANIMALS

We put the Zombie Barrel at the end of the kid-friendly area. MOST of the kids had a blast with it. They got a kick out of clapping their hands. This prop took a beating and held up really well through the thousands of people.

The haunt had something for everyone at every age. My 4 year old hung out in the haunt during the day while i set up, but he refused to go through at night. I saw many small kids handle it really well though. But at the end of the day, the adults probably loved it the most. The fact that so many enjoyed it is what fuels my obsession with haunting. I hope i didn't scar the children too badly, although their screams really gave me a sense of joy in some weird twisted way!!

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I took the time to photograph ALL THE STUFF if you are ever looking for info on how to do a D.I.Y Yard Haunt. We spent over $10,000 this year with labor and added inventory. We have been building up the inventory for years though. I started collecting a decade ago when i was decorating special events in nightclubs. Now that we are haunting, we just keep collecting. Soon we will venture into the world of building our own and possibly going pro.

We had over 30 large freestanding/hanging props, a dozen or so body parts, heads, skeletons etc.

We had a dozen or so flaming cauldrons and strobes.

These are the working fog machines

These are the broken fog machines. I will also mention that they are BRAND NEW. This was my biggest learning experience this year. First of all, never buy the crappy 400 watt fog machines from the stores. In fact, I should always buy professional grade fog machines with the good Juice.

I will give it up to Spirit Halloween though. Their 1000 watt machines hold up really well and their juice kicks ass. We had 7 working machines in the haunt. And the fire department was called on us for smoke complaints, so yeah, the 1000 watters do their job and then some.

Photo by Diesel Photoworks
The fire department took a tour and told us to carry on! LOVE THEM!

We went through 12 bags of uv sensitive spiderweb and a case of the white.

Donna was the mastermind behind the signage for the streets. These were made with corrugated boards, sharpies, paint and glitter. The county ended up taking them all away as well as some nasty neighbors who stole them or threw them in the woods.

Source 4 Par

Par 38

Cable, cable, cable

Gel holders

These were made out of cutting sheet metal and then spraying them with black spray paint. The purpose for these was to get rid of any escaping light from the Pars. Sometimes the light would come out of the sides where the gel holder meets the top of the fixture and it was driving us crazy, so yes we hired a guy to cut these for every single light because we are insane.

We spent over $1000 on theatrical lighting from Atmosphere Lighting in Silver Spring MD. We rented 16 Par 38s and 7 Source 4 Pars as well as one Wildfire UV and 2 Lekos for projecting the company logo for the sponsor - Pure Energy Real Estate.

We were forced to aim it at the ground as the county was fining us for shining it on the house.

We used these with red bulbs in them inside the house for the window decals that Paula made. They were awesome!

She made these out of poster board, free hand because she is just awesome like that.

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We worked really hard this year, tirelessly for months. The 2 weeks prior to opening we worked 17 hour days of non-stop physical labor. We spent tons of money. Throughout the course of the production we were visited by the county, the fire marshal, the sound decibel department, the fire department and the local police. We had a controversial article written in the Washington Post and were featured on News Channel 8. We were slandered, bashed and complained about by some grumpy neighbors and it made the creative process rather difficult. But we prevailed and we had thousands of visitors who loved it. We have heard they are thinking of passing legislation to prevent us from doing it next year, so we are currently looking for a new venue. We have a ton of support from so many wonderful neighbors, but we may be calling on you for more letters and love!

Until then, the demons will go back to their dark caves to rest for next year - wherever that may be.

If you read this far, i salute you! Thanks for visiting and see you next year!

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A Perfect Paint Palette - by The Pure Energy DESIGN TEAM

2011-11-14T05:32:00.000-08:00

Colors may vary for different monitor settings. For best results, acquire physical paint swatches.

So let us begin. We will start with the best paint color ever made in the history of paint.

Downing Sand - yet another color from the Exterior Preservation Palette. It is THE go to beige. Not too dark. Not too light. Never peach in any light.

Macadamia is very similar to Downing Sand, just darker. The alternate of this color is Latte SW6108.

Last but not least, do not forget about Taupe! Hopsack is a wonderful taupe shade that we use frequently for foyers, bedroom accent colors, bathrooms and living spaces.

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Samovar Silver SW6233 - White - Stolen Kiss SW7586 {Duron's Concepts in Color Collection}

When working with Samovar Silver, there are a plethora of matching options. Bringing red into the room through accessories brings in a playful feel.

Softened Green SW6177 - Beige & Chocolate

Hopsack SW6109 or Macadamia SW6142 - White & Black

Downing Slate SW2819 - Downing Sand SW2822 - Chocolate

Softened Green SW6177 - Taupe & Black

Paint and accessories for the Earth Mosaic collection. Rookwood Terra Cotta is on the stairwell wall. Roycroft Vellum on the living room walls. Accessories throughout.

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All in all, you can take any of my color choices and put them together in any situation.

But before you run to the paint store , follow these simple paint rules:

Walls - Flat finish {Flat shows the least flaws}

Ceilings - Flat Ceiling White{brings height to any room}

Trim - Semi-gloss bright white unless it is a natural wood {white trim brings punch to architecture}

Natural wood trim should be in really good shape, {otherwise, paint it white, or re-stain}

Full Baths - Semi-gloss {unless doing a dark color, use flat but only with good ventilation}

Powder Rooms - Flat

Kitchens - Eggshell/Satin

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To learn more about the Design Team, visit http://www.pureenergyteam.com/energyteam.html.

All photos copyright Pure Energy Real Estate 2011.

A PHOTO TOUR of The Haunted Garden!

2011-11-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who visited The Haunted Garden 2011! This year was an absolute blast and we are thrilled so many attended and enjoyed it! I would like to thank our wonderful production crew - Rania Peet (Designer & Director), Paula Trotta, Jenn Clark, Cara Hunt (Pure Energy CREW), Peter Cook and Rob Fitz-William for their amazing acting abilities in The Haunted Woods, Lewis Temple of PDC Systems for his spectacular production crew, Dan Arndt & Atmosphere Lighting, the surrounding neighborhood of Silver Spring, our AMAZING neighbors who HAVE supported us, Kathy Jentz & SilverSpringPatch, The Washington Post & News Channel 8 for the MAD publicity, The Montgomery County Police & Fire Department, and most of all OUR FANS FOR COMING OUT!!

Below is a photo TOUR of this year's Haunted Garden. Please LEAVE US YOUR COMMENTS and tell us which exhibits were your favorite! Stay tuned for THE MAKING OF THE HAUNTED GARDEN and check back next year to find out when and where The Haunted Garden 2012 will take place!

LIKE us on FACEBOOK!

http://www.facebook.com/TheHauntedGarden

http://www.facebook.com/pureenergyteam

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

The Haunted Garden is underway!

2011-10-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

The HAUNTED GARDEN is underway!

We have been hard at work preparing for opening night! This past weekend we took advantage of the beautiful weather and installed the brand new entry signs.

Lewis and Mark got the Archway installed and the Entry Sign up.

Baby Maia helped take measurements.

The Haunted Woods is ALL NEW this year! We have expanded the Garden trail for a scary adventure through the woods!

Making signs for the neighborhoods. Keep a look out!

THE HAUNTED GARDEN IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

OPEN OCTOBER 21, 22, 28-31 7-10PM!

9215 Worth Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20901

Less than 1/4 mile from 495 and directly off Colesville Rd and Franklin Ave.

Parking is limited, so walk if you dare.

For more information visit our official Haunted Garden website at www.thehauntedgarden.com

or email Donna@pureenergyteam.com

A Mailer Archive - The Haunted Garden 2011

2011-10-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Celebrating The 4th of July

2011-10-11T07:50:00.000-07:00

JULY 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Donna the Lifeguard

2011-10-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

June 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Spring Carnival

2011-10-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

APRIL 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Spring Collection

2011-10-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

MARCH 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Valentine's

2011-10-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

FEBRUARY 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Performing LIVE!

2011-10-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

JANUARY 2011

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Giving Thanks

2011-10-11T07:34:00.000-07:00

NOVEMBER 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Fido on Sligo GOES HALLOWEEN

2011-10-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - The Autumn Equinox

2011-10-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

SEPTEMBER 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Introducing Baby Maia

2011-10-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

JULY 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Donna the Rescue Pilot

2011-10-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

MAY 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Donna the Real Estate Genie

2011-10-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

APRIL 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Donna the Silver Spring Sorceress

2011-10-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

MARCH 2010

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Happy Holidays

2011-10-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

DECEMBER 2009

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Fido on Sligo

2011-10-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

OCTOBER 2009

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Double Agent Donna Vs. Economan

2011-10-11T07:10:00.000-07:00

JUNE 2009

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - Donna the Spring Real Estate Fairy

2011-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

APRIL 2009

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

A Mailer Archive - DONNA VS. ECONOMAN

2011-10-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

FEBRUARY 2009

COVER/INSIDE/BACK

Fido on Sligo & The Creation of The Haunted Garden

2011-09-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

In the fall of 2010, I organized a fundraising event for the Montgomery County Humane Society called Fido on Sligo. My house is situated 1 block from Sligo Creek Park, which has a flowing creek and wooded bike path as well as tennis courts and playgrounds. It is just one of the many reasons i love living in Silver Spring. I also love dogs and i thought this was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the Fall Season and my love for Halloween all the while bringing the community together for a good cause. What i didn't realize was that this little event would lead the path for me to start on a new adventure that is now called, The Haunted Garden.

That is Fido. He was our very special guest and representative for all the dogs in our lives. The kids loved him.

For crafts, we set up a pumpkin painting table. The kids made some great pumpkin art!

A wonderful magician came out to perform a Magic Show for the kids - filled with tricks and adorable bunny rabbits! The children were amazed!

We encouraged everyone to come in costume, even dogs! There were some great ones!

Since we decided to throw this fundraiser during Halloween, we decided to do a daytime Haunted Garden for the children; one that was true to the spirit of Halloween - slightly scary but not TOO scary. The kids loved it but everyone was asking if we were going to open at night and for Halloween. So on a whim, we decided to expand the Haunted Garden and open for Halloween weekend nighttime viewings. The success of that Halloween weekend led the way for us to start our new annual Haunted Garden, which has now blossomed into a high-end backyard Haunt filled with animated props, theatrical lighting and special effects!

The HAUNTED GARDEN is returning for it's 2nd year and expanded for a longer experience with all new attractions and exhibits, including ALTAR OF THE VAMPYRE, THE HAUNTED WOODS and THE ZOMBIE HORDE!! Expect to see a few of last year's favorites including the #1 choice - THE WITCH'S BREW, an all new and improved Cemetery, Lady of The Lake and the revamped SHIP OF LOST SOULS. This is a FREE neighborhood event manifesting the Pure Energy Team's commitment to community an creative real estate in progress. Parking is limited, so walk if you dare.

Want to get involved? Be a zombie or creature of the night?

Visit our official Haunted Garden website at www.thehauntedgarden.com

or email Donna@pureenergyteam.com

Maia's 1st Birthday & 2011 Spring Carnival!

2011-09-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

In April 2011, I threw an over the top event at my house in Silver Spring to celebrate my daughter Maia's 1st Birthday and the start of the Spring Season. Children of all ages had a blast and the neighborhood's support was so well received! From Pony rides, adorable goats, baby sheep and bunny rabbits to the amazing moon bounce, kid's crafts and face painting, fun was had by everyone! Because of the overwhelming response and attendance, i have decided to make this an annual event! So stay tuned for next year's Spring Carnival!

Setting up is always fun! My brother, Mark, helped install the archway while the design team and I blew up hundreds of balloons, made signs for the neighborhood, decorated the fence with tons of flowers and got the popcorn, cotton candy and craft tables ready to go.

Maia, the birthday girl, had an absolute blast!

The children LOVED the pony rides! How could they not? Kids + Ponies = AWESOME.

Bunny Rabbits, Goats and Miniature Sheep were on hand for a gentle petting zoo. The kids fell in love!

Staying true to the the essence of carnivals, we made sure to have plenty of cotton candy, popcorn and cupcakes on hand!

Children and adults had a super fun time being creative at the Arts & Crafts Table. We had everything from glitter to googly eyes, foam letters, Easter bunny decorations and cotton balls - all to create custom hats and bags for the Easter egg hunt later that afternoon!

My sister, Paula, did face painting for the kids. She did an amazing job! The children were lined up for hours!

I love giving back to the community. I love providing a good time for families and seeing smiles on my neighbor's faces! Thank you to everyone who came and i look forward to next year's event!

A Before & After Shoot @ 25 Lauer Ct

2011-09-12T06:26:00.000-07:00

This house is just simply amazing. It is an architect built, Asian inspired, contemporary wonderland nestled in a quaint neighborhood of Silver Spring. It obviously didn't need renovations, but the homeowners were very familiar with Pure Energy's reputation for home staging and the importance it plays in visual marketing. Even with a house as awesome as this one, furniture placement, art, rugs and light play a vital role in photography and the emotions it gives potential home buyers. So the staging team worked their magic and what fun they had!

LIVING ROOM BEFORE: As beautiful as the inside of this house is (you can't tell from the picture), it was very "bachelor pad" esque - dark, messy, and disorganized.

LIVING ROOM AFTER: To keep a minimal, masculine feel for the homeowners, we kept true to modern lines and simple decor.

DINING ROOM BEFORE: The table and chairs were already gorgeous, but there was a huge cabinet on the side closing the room in.

DINING ROOM AFTER: We brought in a smaller sofa table and some minimal artwork.

KITCHEN BEFORE: As sweet as this kitchen is, it was filled with clutter and runner rugs throughout, which distract you from seeing the beauty of high end kitchen design.

KITCHEN AFTER: It was very simple. Remove the clutter and clean everything. What a beauty!

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE: The master bedroom features a cathedral ceiling with 3 skylights and a sun-filled sitting area with wood-burning stove. All we saw was clutter!

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER: A quick cleanup, fresh bedding and simple art allows home buyers to take in this breathtaking room.

BEDROOM 2 BEFORE: Directly across from the master is the 2nd bedroom / office with doors that open to an amazing outdoor space with hot tub. There was a bit too much furniture in the room, but due to limitations, we had to leave everything in place.

BEDROOM 2 AFTER: We were able to clean up the small items, add some funky art to the walls and put an Asian style screen in the corner for a sleeker, simplified look.

A Before & After Shoot @ 4604 Amherst Rd

2011-09-09T06:43:00.000-07:00

4606 Amherst Rd is a charming Tudor Style Colonial situated on a double lot in College Park, MD. When the owners came to us, they realized it needed a major face lift, as it hadn't been updated in many decades. We spent a few months working on this project, from the outside to the inside, from the kitchen to the baths, floors and everything in between. The end result was an absolutely breathtaking home full of light and color!

EXTERIOR BEFORE: Taking a picture of a house in the winter obviously gives the opportunity for an effective before and after. This house, however, needed some punch for color as the siding was faded, the front awning was chipping away and the landscaping so desperately needed some love.

EXTERIOR AFTER: To stay in tune with the Tudor style and the slate roof already in place, we decided to paint the siding Slate and the front door and awning Black for contrast. The brick path was repaired and power washed. We edged and mulched the flower beds, added some fresh plantings and rocks, and then, just let the Spring season work it's magic!

LIVING ROOM BEFORE: The living room had old w/w carpeting throughout, wonderful built-in shelving and a fireplace in the middle. At first glance it was plain and awkwardly situated.

LIVING ROOM AFTER: By uncovering the beautiful hardwood floors, giving them a refinish and painting the walls, you get a bigger than expected living space! Big enough to be able to float a full size couch, have a sitting area by the gorgeous bay window and showcase that fireplace. An accent wall on the staircase highlights the architecture, bringing depth to the room.

DINING ROOM BEFORE: Once you look past the clutter that so obviously doesn't belong in a dining room, you are able to see 2 corner unit shelving units that get lost in the sea of off white on the walls. There is a huge misconception that homes going on the market should be painted white in every room.

DINING ROOM AFTER: By painting actual color on the walls {and it can be neutral like beige) it allows home buyers to see architectural highlights like these gorgeous corner units that would have otherwise been lost in the mix, as well as height in the ceiling.

KITCHEN BEFORE: The whole kitchen was pretty outdated and from our priorities we decided to replace the counters, floor, appliances and paint. We chose to leave the cabinets as they were in really good shape and their replacement was a bit outside the budget. They just needed some punch, so to speak.

KITCHEN AFTER: By bringing a rich accent color to the room, especially in the bulkhead above the cabinets, you bring a new life to the cabinetry. We chose a beautiful granite with under mount sink and ceramic tile floor for contrast.

KITCHEN BEFORE: The kitchen came with some space for a breakfast nook, but didn't leave much desire for orange juice and the morning paper.

KITCHEN AFTER: A clean, open and simple take on a breakfast nook is inviting and leaves possibilities for a home buyer.

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE: The upstairs master bedroom had an interesting configuration - filled with nooks and crannies as well as a beautiful sun-filled sitting room. The first thing to go was the old carpeting.

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER: Shiny hardwoods and color on the walls brings contrast to the wide baseboards and height to the ceilings. A bigger brighter room brings serenity to an otherwise lackluster space.

MASTER SITTING ROOM BEFORE: The windows are situated awkwardly high and the room feels somewhat constricting.

MASTER SITTING ROOM AFTER: By bringing sheers down to the floor, you create the illusion of bigger windows and by painting the lower half of the walls in a darker accent, you bring height to the ceilings.

BEDROOM 2 BEFORE: This bedroom, although small, could serve as a perfect room for a child, with plenty of storage for toys and books.

BEDROOM 2 AFTER: Classic and young at heart.

BEDROOM 3 BEFORE: The middle bedroom, an open palette really.

BEDROOM 3 AFTER: Just shows how important paint and home staging comes into play.

BEDROOM 4/ OFFICE BEFORE: This little room was off the side of the dining room and even had a convenient full bath attached to it. It could serve as a guest bedroom or an office space.

BEDROOM 4 / OFFICE AFTER: A little bit of cleanup, new w/w carpeting and some paint brings a breath of fresh air to an otherwise unused space.

MAIN LEVEL BATH BEFORE: There was an over-sized medicine cabinet that was taking up way too much of the room and a general need for a bit of a cleanup.

MAIN LEVEL BATH AFTER: We replaced the medicine cabinet with one fitting for the space, replaced the sink faucet and towel bar, replaced the floor and painted.

Red Carpet Premiere PARTY!

2011-09-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

In 2008, we were approached by a local production company and offered the opportunity to create a TV Show. For many months we were filmed during our day to day operations as the production company edited and produced a TV Pilot aptly named - "Stage This House". It was part design, part real estate, part reality show and 100% Pure Energy. Funny, entertaining and informative, "Stage This House" showcased the amazing transformation process of the houses we sell and the cast of characters who get the job done.

So to celebrate this amazing experience, I threw an outrageous Red Carpet Premiere Party. The mood was set from miles away as our guests were guided to the fun by four revolving spotlights, which were seen as far away as Rockville! We went all out on this special night as we walked the red carpet with 250 of Pure Energy's FABULOUS clients, friends and family. Amid the disco ball, cosmopolitan fountain and nine courses of incredible food, we watched the private screening of "Stage This House" on 5 flat screen televisions, before the dancing began. Festivities ran late into the night and an AMAZING TIME was had by all!

A Pure Energy Parade FLOAT!

2011-09-08T03:24:00.000-07:00

In 2006, For the Silver Spring Annual Thanksgiving Parade, we decided to do something crazy and build a FLOAT! What can i say, we are a seriously creative team. But when you put a bunch of builders, carpenters and artists together, you get over the top productions, and this was just one of many.

The whole float started with the idea of building a house. Obviously we are a real estate company, so it was only fitting. But we needed to make a funky, fun, purple, glitter covered house with a sun tree. That makes total sense!

My brother, Mark Trotta, is our master carpenter. He is the man behind all the renovations you see at the properties - from cabinets, vanities, windows, counters and more. For the float, he had a major hand in building the structure of the house and the funky Tree.

My sister, Paula is one of the most creative people I have ever known. She was a vital part of the design team for many years. Her talents range widely - from paint to window dressings, event design, costume design and so much more. She had a huge part in the decorative aspect of the float.

While the carpentry and painting was going on outside, the glitter crew was inside, hand glittering purple flowers for hours on end.

The flowers were to go everywhere and anywhere possible.

Once the final details were in place, the roof was then installed.

Lewis Temple (left), now the love of my life and father of my beautiful baby girl, Maia, was the man in charge of all things technical. Andrew Eisel (right), was our TV Star agent and helpful hand for all things events. They got the truck loaded with the sound equipment and we made our way out.

This is the old Pure Energy Box Truck. If you lived in Silver Spring in the last 10 years, it is safe to say you saw this truck around town. For the parade, it had enough muscle to pull our over the top creation. It has since retired from its long career.

We pulled into queue to prepare for the parade.

And that is me. Enjoying every minute of our crazy creation and the Silver Spring Community.

A Before & After Photo Shoot @ 9507 Flower Ave

2011-09-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

9507 Flower Ave was a complete renovation project as the house was in need of a major overhaul. The Design Team started the process in the early winter, in preparation for the spring market. Budget was on the mind of the homeowner, so prioritizing was of the utmost importance. The property was in need of new windows, fresh paint, new light fixtures, landscaping, updated flooring as well as a full kitchen install and major bathroom updates. If there is one thing the Pure Energy Design Team has mastered, it is this process of getting the most bang for your buck in order to appeal to the most home buyers. And that is exactly what they did. This house sold for $10,000 over list price in 3 days time!

FOYER/LIVING ROOM BEFORE: The foyer had an old mosaic tile floor that could not be repaired, however the main living area had quality hardwood floors, only needing a refinishing.

FOYER/LIVING ROOM AFTER: The back wall was originally knotty pine paneling. We painted over it with a rich accent, bringing depth to the room. Match that with staging that brings out the room's best features, like a gorgeous bay window and open floor plan.

DINING BEFORE: The room felt narrow and the eyes went directly to the outdated light fixture and air conditioning unit in the window. This was a simple fix.

DINING AFTER: We replaced the low hanging chandelier with a flush-mount fixture to bring more height to the room and brought in some contrast in working with the lines.

KITCHEN BEFORE: Obviously the kitchen needed a complete overhaul and this was, without a doubt, at the top of the priority list. If there is anything that matters in a re-sale, it is the kitchen.

KITCHEN AFTER: We gutted everything and we did it affordably. The cabinets were done in a Mellowood Maple with contemporary brushed nickel hardware. The counter tops are from a Wilsonart Laminate Collection with a vertical grain bamboo design - a buyer favorite in 2010.

KITCHEN BEFORE: The appliances were too old to salvage and the stove top needed to be converted to a freestanding range. Not shown in the picture above was a very old wall oven that we replaced with new cabinets for extra storage.

KITCHEN AFTER: Stainless Steel Appliances are cheaper than ever these days. They add a sleek modern design to any kitchen and are highly desirable to home buyers. Always go Stainless if you can.

KITCHEN BEFORE: The floor and back splash needed to be removed completely.

KITCHEN AFTER: We brought more headroom to the sink area and even brought the cabinets higher. The back splash was replaced with fresh drywall and the flooring was done in a gorgeous porcelain tile that extended into the foyer.

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE: This was a pretty simple makeover. Floors, paint, lights.

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER: Paint is the biggest bang for your buck in any home makeover. We did aan accent wall here to bring the room depth.

MASTER BATH BEFORE: The Master Bath was in DESPERATE need of a complete renovation. Next to the kitchen, this is the other big ticket item in a re-sale, and an extremely important update to any home. We decided to gut the whole thing, for obvious reasons.

MASTER BATH AFTER: From new flooring tile to a new shower, vanity, toilet, medicine cabinet, light fixtures, molding and paint, this is now a serene and luxurious master bath.

BEDROOM 2 BEFORE: A small room in need of color is our specialty.

BEDROOM 2 AFTER: Paint and accents do wonders for a small space.

BEDROOM 3 BEFORE: Once again, a simple makeover on the cheap.

BEDROOM 3 AFTER: Add that with home staging and a playful color palette, you get a major before and after effect!

HALL BATH BEFORE: This bathroom was a little trickier as we were reaching the end of our budget. The homeowner couldn't afford to gut this one and redo it all, so we prioritized with the vanity, sinktop, medicine cabinet, light fixture and, of course, wall color.

HALL BATH AFTER: We went with an over-sized dark chocolate vanity with a pink slab of granite to go with the vintage pink toned shower tile. More times than most, we try to replace vintage pink tile. However, it can be rather costly at times, so in this situation we decided to cover the walls outside the shower with white bead board and paint a dark chocolate on the walls for a modern touch. Chocolate and pink always look great together and dark colors in a bath always bring an unexpected elegance.

EXTERIOR BEFORE: Big bushes covered the entire facade of the house. The storm door was an eye sore.

EXTERIOR AFTER: With some cutting back, new plantings, new shutters to flank the windows, and a fresh color on the front door, the home becomes inviting and clean.

A Before & After Photo Shoot @ 209 E. Melbourne

2011-08-24T09:36:00.000-07:00

209 E. Melbourne was one of our favorite Before and After transformations in 2010. This 4 bedroom 2 bath Colonial in Silver Spring was built in the 1940's and hadn't been updated in many decades. The owners were life long residents and were an absolute pleasure to work with. Allowing the design team to take full control and dive right in with their recommendations brought this home a breath of fresh air, and more importantly - a buyer!

Renovations included fresh designer paint throughout, refinished hardwood flooring, a renovated kitchen with gorgeous new ceramic tile flooring and new countertops, new stainless steel appliances, new vanities in both bathrooms, new lighting throughout, new landscaping and much more! Top that with Pure Energy's Staging Makeover and you got a very new and improved house, not to mention one heck of a photo shoot!

FOYER BEFORE: First impression is everything right? Not in this outdated foyer! Old carpeting, clutter and old fixtures are not the way to start out the tour of a home.

FOYER AFTER: We were pleasantly surprised to find hardwood floors underneath all the carpeting in the home. With some refinishing, new light fixtures and fresh neutral colors on the wall, you walk into a nice, airy, open space.

LIVING ROOM BEFORE: Old furnishings with an over-sized rug and clutter create a smaller space to the eye.

LIVING ROOM AFTER: Refinished flooring, fresh paint in a gray toned green, white drapes to let the sun shine in & modern furnishings give this living room a completely new take on life.

KITCHEN BEFORE: It was obviously time for an update. Budget was on the minds of the homeowners and kitchens can drive the prices up fast. We had to prioritize.

KITCHEN AFTER: We decided to leave the cabinetry, but clean them up & replace the hardware. The highest priorities for this kitchen were new counter tops, new stainless steel appliances and an all new over-sized ceramic tile floor.

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE : Big furniture can take up a room. Bad placement can make it feel even smaller.

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER : Let those floors shine with a smaller area rug and always place big furniture along the furthest and largest walls.

BEDROOM 2 BEFORE: This middle bedroom was full of clutter.

BEDROOM 2 AFTER: Fresh paint, refinished hardwood floors & simple furniture placement are simple ways to bring a new light to an otherwise disenchanting space.

BEDROOM 3 BEFORE: White walls, big rugs, clutter and bad furniture placement don't grab emotions from a home buyer.

BEDROOM 3 AFTER: Placing a bed on the furthest wall always opens a room. Flanked by side tables and a high contrast fold down on the bed creates clean lines for a simple and emotionally drawing living space.

BATHROOM BEFORE: This old bathroom desperately needed some love. The floor was outdated but in good shape.

BATHROOM AFTER: We chose to go with a large, modern vanity, new light fixture and fresh designer paint. Modern updates always put a new spin on a bathroom!

BASEMENT FAMILY ROOM BEFORE: Its hard to even tell what this room even is. The first things needing to go were the over sized furniture, clutter and carpeting and the dark panel walls.

BASEMENT FAMILY ROOM AFTER: Top that with fresh paint, new light fixtures and contemporary furnishing and you bring a whole new purpose to this family room.