Legends of Bethlehem Now Open Near Albany

Hodorowski Homes is thrilled to announce that our long-awaited Legends of Bethlehem community is now open.  This maintenance-free community offers a variety of home styles, from townhomes, to single-family cottage homes, to estate homes. 

We’ll be offering a new roster of models to choose from.  Currently, you can preview the Mt.Redfield and the Mt. Marshall models on our YouTube channel or in person, at Stuyvesant Landing II, in Slingerlands.

The Mt. Redfield is a 2-story cottage home with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a 2-car garage. Featuring an open first floor, this spacious home includes a large family room with a soaring 2-story ceiling and a fireplace, a formal dining room, and a walk-in pantry. Upstairs you’ll find a luxurious master suite with a private bath and two walk-in closets. There are two additional bedrooms with a shared bath, and the laundry room upstairs as well.

The Mt. Marshall is a 1-story cottage home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2-car garage. This home is the essence of great one level living, featuring an open floorplan that includes the kitchen, breakfast nook, great room and dining room!  The master suite, located just off the kitchen, includes a private bath and walk-in closet. The other two bedrooms are just off the entry foyer. This efficiently designed home has a mudroom, laundry room, walk-in pantry, and covered rear porch.

Legends of Bethlehem will feature walking trails, sidewalks and a picnic area. 

It is conveniently located in the heart of Bethlehem, mere minutes from Bethlehem schools, shopping, highways, recreation, and downtown Albany.

For more information or to walk the featured models, contact Jim Bordis at jbordis@hodorowskihomes.com or 518-229-6235, or Paula Filkins at Pfilkins@hodorowskihomes.com or 518-221-7757.

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region’s premier home builder building single family homes in Schenectady, NY and its surrounding areas. Please visit www.hodorowskihomes.com for more information.

What’s Trending In New Homes For 2017?

What design trends are going to be popping up in 2017? Check out what styles are starting to make their way into new homes as the year ends, so you can start planning your new Hodorowski home for the New Year!

·      COLOR. After years of stark whites and cool greys, the biggest trend for 2017 is color. From warm pastels, to earthy terracottas, to vibrant jewel tones. Be sure to include your favorite colors in your new home that make you happy, energetic, calm and inspired!

·      METALS. Whether you’re mixing brushed silver accents with shiny chrome fixtures, or indulging in the warmth of rich copper, metals are a hot topic.  Consider if you’re more of a silver or gold fan, and don’t be afraid to try something new! Whether it’s in your new kitchen or master bathroom, you can’t go wrong.

·      ORGANICS. Natural materials such as wood, cork and stone are increasingly popular for finishes. For example, cork walls, stone counters, salvaged wood doors.  If you’re moving your family into a larger home with an office or playroom, the cork walls could be great for inspiration.

·      PORCHES. Whether for sheer nostalgia value or as a modern family gathering space, homes with porches are high on everyone’s list.  Add one to your new Hodorowski home and envision yourself (alone or with your family!) relaxing and spending quality time together.

·      READING NOOKS. People are searching for quiet spots to “unplug” from their noisy digital worlds. Comfy corners for reading and unwinding are just the thing.  We love the concept of taking space and time to reboot and recharge, so it’s important that your new home includes a space to do so.

·      UPHOLSTERY & LUXE MATERIALS. Soft, furry and velvety are absolutely trending. From upholstered headboards to velvet pillows, faux fur rugs to down comforters, people love luxuriating in softness.  Whether it’s your style or not, try small by adding a pillow to your master bedroom bed, or a small rug in the master bathroom. If you love it, you can always add more!

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region’s premier home builder building single family homes in Schenectady, NY and its surrounding areas. Please visit www.hodorowskihomes.com for more information. 

Fall-ify Your House

Fall is back again and here in upstate New York where we are based, there is a crisp feeling in the air of the changing season. There’s nothing more distinctive of a New York fall than the picturesque scene of changing leaves, pumpkins on the front porch and shorter days ending with the scent of fresh baked goods wafting from the oven. There are so many different ways in which you can decorate your home for the fall season, and we wanted to give you a few of our favorites:

Ahhh, fall scented candles, especially one of our favorites, "Leaves" 3-wick candle, by Bath and Body Works. Nothing makes a home smell more like fall than this signature autumn candle. If "Leaves" isn't your cup of tea, then Gear Patrol has 7 other amazing scented candles to burn this fall that you may want to take a whiff of.

Curl up on your sofa in front of the fireplace with a faux fur throw like one of these from Pottery Barn. It will be sure to keep out the cold!

Looking for a delicious pumpkin baked treat? You have to try our Service and Closing Coordinator Jennifer’s famous pumpkin cake that she makes for the office. Follow the link for the recipe.

Need some DIY decoration inspiration? Here are 35 fall décor ideas what will be sure to give you some creative motivation! We especially love this adorable DIY stenciled leaves mug from Hands Occupied. Don't you just want to curl up in front of the fireplace with a "Leaves" scented candle burning, under a faux fur Pottery Barn throw, drinking tea from this mug?

Last but not least, we can’t forget about the outside of the house. We just love this blogger’s beautifully stylish twist on decorating her front porch for fall.

If you have any other signature fall decorating tips and ideas, leave us a comment below!

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region’s premier home builder building single family homes in Schenectady, NY and its surrounding areas. Please visit www.hodorowskihomes.com for more information.

Mother’s Day Ideas to do at Home

Mother’s Day is this weekend and there a million and one ways that you can celebrate and honor your mother. Our favorite way of celebrating Mother’s Day is at home close to the family. Here are a few simple ideas that will show mom your love, without breaking the bank.

Make Mom breakfast: Nothing beats waking up to a freshly cooked breakfast with her favorite hot beverage already made, especially if she is the one always making it for everyone else. Here are some fun and easy breakfast ideas that you can make for mom- both sweet and savory!

Handmade gifts from the heart: A great way to say "I love you" to Mom is giving her a handmade gift, especially one with sentimental value. The Huffington Post has 10 adorable easy and inexpensive DIY gift ideas that Mom will be sure to love.

At home spa: Bring the spa into her home with fresh soft towels, relaxing lotion and a handmade body scrub like one of these. Moms are always busy putting other people's needs above their own, so this is a great way for her to pamper herself.

Help with spring cleaning: On her special day, offer to help Mom with some of the chores around her house. Picking up fallen branches, pulling weeds in her garden, cleaning the gutters and washing her windows are just a few ideas of how you can help out Mom.

Whatever you do for Mom this year, she is sure to love and appreciate it, especially if it is from the heart. 

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region’s premier home builder building single family homes in Schenectady, NY and its surrounding areas. Please visit www.hodorowskihomes.com for more information.

Prep Your Home for a Spring Garden

Spring is in the air, (at least we hope it is!) and now is the time of year to begin thinking about planning your garden at home. We certainly don’t claim to be gardening experts, but we’ve harvested some quick gardening tips and resources that will hopefully help you yield a successful garden this year.

Choose the right soil. “Roots live in the soil. So the most important part of your garden is the part below ground. Most soil around houses isn't ideal for plants, so improving it is the most powerful thing you can do to have a successful garden.” is the advice that Burpee gives to their customers. A good way to improve your soil is by adding fertilizer and organic matter like crushed eggshells, compost from other vegetable peels or fruit cores, and coffee grounds.

Plan ahead before buying your seeds. According to Urban Farmer: “Selecting your veggies before you design your garden will help ensure you have the correct amount of room and the best growing conditions.”  A great way to do that is make a list of the veggies your family enjoys. If you know that no one likes brussels sprouts, then save your time and don’t plant that vegetable. If you are a beginner gardener, start small so you can manage your garden if time is limited.

   

Follow the light. Make sure you plant your vegetable garden where there is the most ideal light exposure. “Most vegetables need at least 6-8 hours of direct sun. If they don't get enough light, they won't bear as much and they'll be more susceptible to attack from insects or diseases” says Better Homes and Gardens. If veggie gardens aren’t your taste, follow the lighting guide for flowers and perennials at the bottom of the Urban Farmer’s page.

Water. Different plants require different amounts of water. The Farmer’s Almanac has a really fantastic easy to follow guide for watering vegetables.

  

Enjoy what you have produced. When the time comes to gather your crops, be sure to pick them at their peak. A good way to know if they are ready is to check the vegetable planting guide by Urban Farmers.  They also are a great resource for tips and suggestions for planting, and maintaining your garden.

For a great resource on seed starting indoors, check out Burpee's informative videos.

Best of luck with your garden!

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region’s premier homebuilder building single family homes in Schenectady, NY and its surrounding areas. Please visit www.hodorowskihomes.com for more information. 

St. Patrick’s Day Treats to Make at Home

Bring out the green because St. Patrick’s Day is next week! St. Patrick’s Day was invented in honor of patron saint St. Patrick, who was the known for bringing Christianity to Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated as a day of spiritual renewal and offering prayers for missionaries around the world. As you know, here in the US, many people will be celebrating this Irish holiday by sporting top hats, green clothing, shamrocks, and toasting good luck to their neighbor with a Guinness. If you’re looking for some creative ideas to bring St. Patrick’s Day into your home, we’ve put together seven lucky St. Patrick’s Day inspired treats for people of all ages.

Beginner: (Perfect activities to do with the kids)

1). Make Your Own Pot of Gold: 

www.makeandtakes.com

2). St. Patrick's Day Rice Krispie Treats:

www.classyclutter.net

3). Healthy Rainbow Snack Ideas:

www.fantasticfunandlearning.com

 


Intermediate: (For those who are a little more adventurous) 

4). Leprechaun S'More Hats. 

www.thecakeblog.com

5). Shamrock Buns (Our personal favorite!) 

www.creativetryals.blogspot.com

 Advanced- (21 and older)

6). Extra Stout Brownies: 

www.debbiesweets.blogspot.com

7). Green Apple Sangria:

www.madewithhappy.com

There is so much more about the interesting history of St. Patrick’s Day, which you can read here. If you and your family decide to make any of these treats, we’d love to know and share it on our Facebook page! 

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region's premier homebuilder building single family homes in Schenectady NY and it's surrounding regions. Please visit www.HodorowskiHomes.com for more information.

Lovely Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Home

Ahh Valentine’s Day... the flowers, heart shaped candies, fine jewelry, and a quiet evening together at expensive restaurant for dinner. These are all wonderful ways to express your love and affection toward your significant other, but Valentine’s Day is also a terrific holiday to remind the people around you how much you care about them, especially your family. Before you confirm your Valentine’s Day plans this year, consider some of these lovely ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the non-traditional way:

Exchange Valentines with your children at home. Remember those days when you were a kid in elementary school and you exchanged Valentine’s Day cards in the mailbox you made during art class? A great family-friendly activity for Valentine’s Day is to have your children write Valentines to each member of the family of what they love the most about them. Each of you can even create your own mailbox from a recycled shoe or cereal box.

Throw a party! A fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day is to invite your friends over for a Valentine’s Day themed party. It doesn’t really matter if people are single or attached to anyone, Valentine’s Day is a great way to share the love with your friends, and it gives you the opportunity to possibly meet someone if you are single.

Have a heart. People aren’t the only ones who need love on Valentine’s Day, pets need affection too!. Talk with your family about supporting a local animal shelter or even adopting a pet who need a loving home.

Know anyone who recently had a baby? A really sweet thing you can do for a friend is to bring the couple a homemade Valentine’s Day themed dessert. Better yet, one of the best gifts you can offer is to babysit while they have a night out together.

Hodorowski Homes is the Capital Region's premier homebuilder building single family homes in Schenectady NY and it's surrounding regions. Please visit www.HodorowskiHomes.com for more information.