Creativity. Care. Discipline. Passion.
Tune in to see how Steve infuses these attributes into his work. The Sycamore Springs Project will feature retractable walls, granite counter tops (in the garage!), and an arts and crafts room. But first, the crew must carefully begin demolition and rough in the new inner workings of the house.

It’s that time of the year that many celebrate the season by decorating the outside of their homes. Last month provided some great weather for finishing up outside jobs, and getting ready for the holidays. Its fun to decorate in the cold and snow, but it can be a nice break to be able to string lights without freezing.

Backyard decorating is the new trend.
We came across an interesting article on holiday lighting in USA Today. The article talked about how Americans have gone on an outdoor decorating frenzy when the holidays roll around. The result: front yards are ablaze with bright lights, reindeer peeking from behind every bush, snowflakes and snowmen dotting the landscape. With nothing left to decorate, homeowners have turned their eyes towards the once ignored backyards. According to Los Angeles interior designer Kenneth Brown (HGTV’s reDesign) “It just makes sense because people can’t see and enjoy the display in the front of the home. The front is for others, but, decorating the back is something homeowners do for them selves”. Clark Griswold must be very pleased.

Holiday Lighting tips:

Outlet placement: This is a great thing to discuss during an electrical walk thru with your renovator. Installing outlets in overhangs and other areas on the outside of your home can make decorating simple. It allows you to simply plug in your lights and eliminates the need for many extension cords, and outlet hunting. Click here to view photos of some examples of how we have resolved this problem for clients.

Replace those light sets: It is best to replace the inexpensive mini lights each season. Wires deteriorate from bad weather and can cause an electrical hazard. Lights can be purchased for a fraction of the cost during after Christmas sales.

Read the instructions. Each set of lights include instructions on how many sets can be plugged in to one another. Not following directions can result in blown fuses, which are designed to frustrate those with large fingers. 

UL Tags: Make sure all your holiday lights have a UL tag (Underwriters Laboratories) attached to them. This ensures the lights meet all electrical requirements. Not all lights out there have a UL tag. If the price seems too good - look for the tag.

Steve Gray Renovations Inc. hopes you have a warm and joyous Holiday Season!

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