Magazines to Read for Design Inspiration

Most military-connected folks will tell you that one of the downsides to this life is the seemingly constant moving from one place to the next. But this transient lifestyle presents you with a unique opportunity as well. With each move, you get to leave your own distinctive decorating mark on your new home. You can experiment with different colors and mediums without being committed to them over the long haul. All you need to do is roll up your sleeves and let yourself be inspired.

Whether you like to read digital magazines online or prefer the feel of a real “book” in your hands, magazines are a great source of design inspiration.

You can start with lifestyle magazines like Real SimpleBetter Homes & Gardens, and Good Housekeeping. These types of publications usually cover leisure, fashion, health, decorating, and culture, or some combination of any of these. They’re the same magazines you’re likely to find in the checkout aisle of the grocery store. The ones that promise they’ll show you how to organize your kitchen, pull off the perfect outdoor barbeque, or keep up with the latest fitness craze. They’re not marketed as design magazines, but they’ve got their finger on the pulse of what’s new and trending.

Interested in a lifestyle magazine focused specifically on military spouses and families? Check out Military Spouse Magazine. You’ll find page after page of beautiful photos and inspiring stories about people living this life and how they make it work. (And how they’re handling the frequent moves, just like you.)

If your taste is eclectic, or if you’re not sure what your taste is just yet, there are a whole host of magazines geared toward interior design and decorating. HGTV promises real-life solutions for all the things that homeowners deal with every day. Interior Designshowcases the latest design trends and ideas. Elle Decor markets itself as home design for the fashion-conscious soul. House Beautiful offers inspiration for home design and lifestyle. Architectural Digest features both classic and contemporary design styles.

Magazines like Town & CountryVerandaand Luxe cater to an upscale, luxury crowd. While admittedly, “upscale” and “luxury” aren’t typically words you find in the same sentence as “military family,” don’t let that deter you from sourcing them for ideas. You can create a budget-friendly version of practically any high-ticket item design if you’re resourceful and creative enough.

Then there’s a whole niche market of design magazines. Like a country aesthetic? There’s Country LivingSouthern Living, and Country Sampler to name just a few. Dream of a home inspired by life on the water? That’s Coastal Living’s focus. Fond of Victorian stylings? Then grab Romantic Homes and Victorian Homes. Prefer a beautiful ranch feel? Try Atomic Ranch. Modest 20th century homes? Pick up a copy of American Bungalow. Modern flair? You’ll find that in Dwell.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of what’s out there in terms of magazines focused on interior design. There is something that fits everyone’s sense of style. The wonderful thing is that you don’t have to be committed to any one look or feel; you can choose across styles. Let magazines like these be inspiration, but not gospel. For example, you may have modern taste but find the perfect piece of furniture in a country design magazine that you can make work with your other more contemporary pieces.

And think outside the box, too. A magazine doesn’t have to be labeled as a design or lifestyle magazine for it to be a great source of design inspiration. Peruse the magazines you see in waiting rooms or at your local library. That copy of Outdoor Life or Field & Stream might just remind you that there are other applications for camouflage besides military uniforms and tanks. Or check out the latest issues of top fashion magazines—like VogueHarper’s Bazaar, or InStyle—for tips on trending colors, patterns, and fabrics.

Pay attention to whatever catches your eye or draws your interest. Inspiration can come from anywhere!

The Whys of Owning a Home

Military families can be very quick to dismiss home ownership as a viable option until they’re ready for their forever home. But with the help of a real estate agent, you can find a “right-now” home that serves your family well.

You can potentially pay less to own than to rent. Don’t assume that it will be less expensive to rent than to own. You won’t know if that is true or not until you run the numbers. You should speak with a trusted financial advisor who can help you factor in variables such as income, anticipated length of time you are likely to stay in the area, size of your family, tax consequences, and more.

You may be surprised to find that a mortgage payment can cost less per month than rent. This is particularly true if you have a larger family and/or any specific accommodations that are necessary in terms of accessibility. It can be more challenging to find rental properties with more bedrooms and bathrooms. Should you find such a property available, you’ll obviously pay more for the space. And if you’re in the middle of PCS season and competing with other large military families seeking out rentals, the supply and demand situation can be even more tricky.

When you consider that a VA loan does not require a down payment or mortgage insurance, then you’ll also realize that you won’t find yourself in a position where you must come up with two months’ worth of payments (first and last month’s rent) at once. And don’t forget to factor in tax breaks. You can deduct property taxes and mortgage interest from your federal income tax. Make sure to speak with your financial advisor for guidance on how these breaks would impact you.

Appreciation—the increase in a home’s value over time—can work to your advantage. Anyone who tells you that your home will increase in value from the purchase price is either a liar or a psychic. But your real estate agent is knowledgeable about market trends over time and can give you some great insight into what you can expect in terms of potential return on investment from your home purchase. In the right market, and with the right guidance, it is not unreasonable to expect you might end up ahead (or at least even) on your purchase.

That scenario, however, will not ever be the case with a property you rent from someone else. When you rent, all you’ll have to show for your investment is that you had a roof you had over your head for the duration of your rental agreement. When you buy a home, however, you’ve begun to build equity, even if there’s no appreciation and even if you end up selling your home long before you have paid off your mortgage.

You can do what you want to a home you buy. You don’t need anyone’s permission to change wall colors or to tackle repairs and/or renovations. (You’ll of course need to check with your local township regarding permits for renovations first.) You are free to change your home to suit your needs and preferences.

As a homeowner, you can also modify your home to make it more appealing to potential buyers or renters if/when the military has other plans for where you call home. And those home upgrades mean you can ask for higher rent or a higher asking price when you’re ready to rent or sell. Remember to speak with your real estate agent about any renovations you have in mind with the intent to make your home more marketable. Your agent will be able to provide you with relevant feedback regarding your local market, current trends, and buyers’ preferences.

You can bring your beloved family pets with you. The reality is that, for many military families, moving into a rental property can mean having to make other lodging arrangements for family pets. It can be difficult to find rental properties that accept pets. Those landlords who do often enforce stipulations about the size and type of pets you can have. Not popular even among landlords who are open-minded about pets? Big breed dogs or dogs who’ve gotten a bad rep, like pit bulls for instance. And there’s likely to be added expenses you’d need to factor in if you were incredibly lucky and allowed to move your pet in. Many rental properties require animal securities and/or monthly fees for the privilege of having your pet with you. If you own your home, though, then you get to decide who lives there—humans and animals alike.

You’ll have more flexibility if there’s a sudden change in orders in the middle of a tour or deployment. Yes, you’ll still be responsible for making your regular mortgage payments until you can find tenants or sell the property. But nobody will make you move all your belongings out immediately or charge you for the three months of a year’s lease that you can’t get out of. While there are protections in place that should make it possible for you to break such a lease if you are an active duty family whose orders change, you may find yourself in a heated and prolonged argument—or court battle—before it all gets straightened out (particularly if you live off post). As a homeowner, you’ll be able to list your property for rent or for sale when you want or need to.

The best decision about whether to rent or to own is the one that factors in what works for your family. With your real estate agent on your team, you can trust that your next home, whether you rent or buy it, will be the right home for you.

Home Improvements You Can’t Ignore

There are two kinds of people in this world when it comes to home improvements: the handy types who roll up their sleeves and are prepared to take on any project, and those who call in the paid professionals. That first group? Empowered, self-confident. The latter? Not big fans of electrocution or flooding.

Us? We say go big or go home. Or go big enough that there may still potentially be a home to go back to. And we’ve got all the guidance you need right here.

Safety first. If you’re like three. Eye protection? We don’t need no stinkin’ eye protection. Eye patches are sexy and uni-sex. Imagine it: Wearing an eye patch would be like “Talk Like a Pirate Day” and Halloween in one—every day. And who needs ear plugs? Seriously? Think about the future money you’ll save not having to try to drown out noisy neighbors or snoring spouses. No hearing? No problem.

Timing is everything. When you do your project is as important as how you do it. Don’t make the mistake of waking up early to take advantage of as much sunlight as possible. It’s far more practical to start work in the middle of the day. You know, right when the sun is highest in the sky and the temperature is equator degrees. If you plan properly, you can make sure that work on the kitchen coincides with the exact time that family members expect to eat a meal of some kind. You’re not a short order cook, right? You’re a home-repairing god. They can wipe the sawdust off the counters and make their own darn sandwiches. Besides, sawdust is fiber and we all know how important fiber is to your diet.

The right tools for the job. You know you’ve got something to fix or improve. It’s time to head to your friendly big box home repair store. Roam the aisles aimlessly. Feel at one with the doodads and thingamabobs. Throw stuff willy-nilly into your cart. You’re inspired! You’re creative! You’re resourceful! Eyeball the length of that shower curtain rod. It looks about right. Right? If you’re the more mathematical type, hold your hands out in front of you about shoulder length apart. Look at the curtain rod. Look at your hands. Look at the curtain rod. Adjust the distance between your hands accordingly. Now you’re talking! Don’t forget that area rug you were scouting. Not sure if it’s long enough for the area you want to cover? Do your best “I swear I’m sober, Officer” walk, heel to toe, the length of the carpet. Perfect.

Before you head to the checkout line, make sure you stop by the rental equipment area. You no doubt need that thingy that makes the loud noises and puts holes in stuff. No clue how to operate it? No problem. After all, what’s the worst thing that could possibly happen with a big loud machine that puts holes in stuff? You wouldn’t want to find yourself in the middle of a project and missing an essential piece of equipment.

The right team for the job. Assemble your work crew. This isn’t the time to think about the people you know who actually have any experience with plumbing, electricity, or carpentry. They’ll just give their stupid opinions based on facts and professional experience and science and what not. You don’t want someone else’s opinions. You want brute strength and someone who’s as handy-challenged as you are so you don’t feel insecure. Bonus points if they’re prone to providing free labor in exchange for pizza and beer. And holding their hands on their hips staring at a problem willing it to fix itself.

Get to work! You’ve got your motley crew. You’ve got your doodads and thingamabobs. Did you forget to pick up a stud finder or level? Or to identify which walls are load bearing? No worries. It’s a freaking house. It’s built to stand, right? Grab that big loud machine rental and go to town. You’ve got this!