So Men’s Health Magazine has come up with 10 renovations that will “make you rich.” Those are their words, not ours. We must say the title caught our attention, it even made us glance at their top 10 list to see if these were viable options.

With the advice of DIY Network’s Million Dollar Contractor, Stephen Fanuka, these home improvements can help make your home the “envy of your block.”

We wanted to take you step by step through these renovations and help you determine which will get you the biggest bang for your buck. Let’s start first with Fanuka’s first five steps.

1. “Decorate Your Doors” – Fanuka recommends switching out your knobs, hinges and cabinet pulls with finished metal ones. Yes, yes, and yes. This is a very effective cosmetic change you can make to your home without dropping a lot of dough.

2. “Mold Your Environment”- The Million Dollar Contractor says that “Adding molding on doors, ceilings, walls, and windows brings a third dimension to rooms, making them look bigger and more lavish,” says Fanuka. Molding does add a certain charm to your  home, but we would recommend taking that money and buying some paint. If there is money left over, than by all means add molding.

3. “Refresh Your Tiles”- We completely  agree with Stephen. A buyer does not want to see your old, dingy grout. For less than $20 you can re-grout your tile and save yourself the embarrassment.

4. “Single Out a Wall”- Fanuka recommends painting an accent wall to make the room pop. Beware of this advice and the color you choose. It could turn into a disaster if you go for a bold color choice that offends the eyes’ of your buyers. Or if you perhaps choose the wrong wall to accent.

5. “Lighten Up”- This is one change we stand behind 100%. Lighting makes all the difference in the world. It can really transform the appearance of a room.

Stay tuned for later in the week as we explore Fanuka next 5 design changes.

Source: Men’s Health Magazine

Colorado leads the USGBC’s (United States Green Building Council) 2011 list of the top 10 states for LEED-certified commercial and institutional green buildings. The finding are based on per capita and using the 2010 U.S. Census data. The list shows that the Colorado has close to 14 million square feet of LEED-certified space, and 2.74 square feet per person.

According to the USGBC there are over 44,000 commercial projects participating in the LEED program.

“Looking past the bricks and mortar, people are at the heart of what buildings are all about,” said Rick Fedrizzi, the president, CEO, and founding chair of the USGBC, in a press release. “Examining the per capita value of LEED square footage in these states allows us to focus on what matters most—the human elements of green buildings.”

Photo via USGBC

To see the entire list or to learn more about LEED visit www.usgbc.org.

Trilogy Partners. First-ever Net-Zero Energy Home in Breckenridge, Colorado

Although the notion of an energy efficient or even solar home is not a new concept, there are many modern solutions to the age old problem of staying warm and comfortable within one’s house. Although mountain homes are located in particularly strenuous environments, they do offer many unique approaches to both luxurious comfort and energy efficiency.

The first approach is from the planning and construction. It is best to embed as much of the house as possible within the earth. Primarily it is the exposure to the cold mountainous air and high wind currents which compromises the ambient temperature of the home.

From there it is best to angle the home to maximize solar exposure and minimize exposure to the other elements. Window placement allows to both warm the house and feed the plants which will flourish in the direct sunlight, and the plants in turn stabilize the ambient temperature and humidity.

Water for the plants can be captured from rainfall and snow melt, and further more this same water base can be warmed with rooftop solar water heaters. This captured water can be used throughout the house with little or no filtration necessary depending on the use.

If you are planning on building an energy efficient and sustainable home please give Trilogy Partners a call at 970-453-2230.

Ullr Fest, named for the Norse mythical god of snow Ullr,  is currently invading the streets of Breckenridge this week. The festivities began on Sunday and will conclude this Saturday, January 14th, with the Breck Chilly Chili Cook Off. Come out and celebrate Ullr Fest all week and make sure you don’t miss the Ullr Parade on North Main Street this Thursday starting at 4:30pm. There will be a lot of Viking hats for sure!

With over 12,000 attendees expected this week to honor the god of winter, Breckenridge will be the place to be! Winter in Breckenridge wouldn’t be the same without this fun tradition!

There are very few hotels in this country that are as infamous as Chateau Marmont. Modeled after a royal residence in the Loire Valley in France,  Chateau Amboise, Chateau Marmont hits high up in the hills of West Hollywood, a beckon to celebrities and millionaires.

Photo via Chateau Amboise

Photo via Chateau Marmont

This Hollywood landmark has become an extension of the city itself. Hosting some of Hollywood’s most famous actors like Bette Davis, Erol Flynn, Stan Laurel, John Wayne, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Greta Garbo. Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin and The Office star John Krasinski are currently writing a min-series for HBO based on the book Life At The Marmont by former Chateau Marmont co-owner Raymond R. Sarlot and Fred Basten.

The famous hotel features 63 rooms, cottages and bungalows and was built in 1927 in a Norman architectural style. With a European flair, when you enter the Chateau Marmont you feel like you’ve gone back in time. The Spanish-style bungalows are very impressive as well and the pool cottages mix in a little of the American Arts and Crafts style era.

Photo via Chateau Marmont

Photo via Chateau Marmont

If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles, make sure you head over to Chateau Marmont and experience a touch of Hollywood royalty.

We wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays from Breckenridge, Colorado. We are so fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful setting like Breckenridge, where it is always a winter wonderland. For those of you in parts of the country who won’t be having a White Christmas we wanted to share some of our favorite “snow” top moments from Colorado.

We hope you enjoy…

Trilogy Partners

Trilogy Partners

Trilogy Partners

It’s not surprising that today marks the first day of winter. It is after all a cold, snowy day here in Breckenridge, Colorado with a low tonight of -6 degrees. In honor of the first day of winter, we complied a list of ways to help you stay warm this winter season. From radiant flooring to ventless fires, see how you can beat that winter chill!

We love Planika’s remote-controlled, smoke-free, eco-friendly, ventless fires. Since there is no need for any kind of ventilation, this “fireplace” can be installed anywhere. In an existing hearth or even in the middle of your coffee table.

Photo via Planika

Photo via Planika

Radiant floors will help keep your toes nice and toasty this time of year. It can even be used with hardwood floors, but be careful of which type you choose, it could possibly expand from the heat.

Photo via Elle Decor

Tired of stepping out of a hot shower and wrapping yourself in a cold towel. Towel warmers in the bathroom will help solve this problem.

Photo via Trendir

How do you stay warm during the winter months?

We understand that many of you find joy decorating your home with thousands of lights during the holiday season, we just want you to think green this year and try using eco-friendly LED lights. Holiday lights use a lot of energy and as you can attest run up your energy bill.

This year decorate your tree with energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lighting. They not only conserve electricity, but are encased in hard plastic, which is safer to use around small children.

Another benefit of using LEDs are that they produce less heat than traditional lighting, reducing the risk of fire.

Photo via Sunset magazine

So this holiday season throw out your old lighting and reach for the LEDs.

Tuesday, December 13th will be a milestone for Kevin Pearce. He will once again strap on his snowboard and take to the mountain with friends and family here in Breckenridge, Colorado. This ride down the mountain will be Kevin’s first since his life-changing accident back in 2009 in Utah. Pearce, a shoe-in for the 2010 United States snowboarding team, was practicing a difficult move in Park City and sustained a serious trauma to his head, which left him in a coma.

Pearce promises there will be “No tricks. No big air. No spins or double corks. No halfpipe.”

Photo via ESPN

“I really couldn’t be much happier about the way things turned out,” Pearce said. “Even the smallest things, like jumping on a snowboard. It has totally changed my perspective.”

With the success of ABC’s latest primetime show Pan Am, aviation-inspired design has become the latest trend to hit the home furnishings industry. These furniture designs have taken flight and are becoming more popular in today’s homes. Even Restoration Hardware has delved into this aviation-themed realm. Their new line Aviator features hand-crafted designs made with antiqued leather, stainless steel and aluminum.

Photo via Restoration Hardware

Photo via Restoration Hardware

These looks were inspired by the “streamlined modernity of the Golden Age of aviation.”

A more modern take on aviation is from the creative minds at Skypak. Their redesign of original airline trolleys is both fashionable and functional.

Photo via Skypak

These repurposed airline trolleys can be used as storage for your CD collection or to hold your vintage wine collection.

Photo via Skypak

It can also double as an espresso machine holder.

Photo via Skypak

Since the turn of the century we have been inspired by aviation and now your home can be transformed with these great designs.