Knee pain is a common complaint among the general population, with prevalence across all group ages 10-15%. There are so many different causes and different diagnostic labels for knee pain complaints.

Bursitis: is an inflammation of the bursa, which acts to reduce friction between the bones of the knee and the tendons rubbing over them. The most common area of pain with bursitis is above the knee. Bursitis can develop from extended periods of kneeling. People that lay tile or carpets or do a lot of gardening are susceptible to this type of knee pain.

Patellar tendonitis: is an inflammation of the large tendon that runs down the front of the knee. People often complain of pain in the front of the knee associated with activity.

Ligament injuries: involve sprains or overstretching of the ligaments that help to support the knee joint. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears occur four times more frequently in females than in males in the same amount of sports participation.

Chondromalacia: Overuse, injury or other factors may lead to a condition known as chondromalacia patella — a general term indicating softening and irritation to the cartilage under your knee cap. Patellofemoral pain syndrome, a more accurate term for chondromalacia patella, typically affects adolescents and young adults. In many patients the pain is not the product of inflammatory chemicals but is due to abnormal postural mechanics in the dynamic phase of knee function. Ultimately this may cause the gross changes to the cartilage showing signs of softening, fissuring and fasciculation in more severe stages of chondromalacia. Knee problems in older populations are more commonly caused by arthritis.

Arthritis involves inflammation of the joint and the breakdown of cartilage. Arthritis can be caused from strains and injuries caused by repetitive motion, sports, overexertion, and falls. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement and shock absorption when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk or otherwise bear weight. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of knee arthritis, occurring most typically in people over 50 years of age and results from the degeneration of joint cartilage. Aging does not cause osteoarthritis, but it does alter the articular cartilage so that it is more susceptible to degeneration initiated by other factors. And it also decreases the ability of the cartilage to protect itself and to prevent progression. Its onset is generally gradual; aging brings on a breakdown in cartilage, and pain gets progressively more severe, although it can be relieved with rest. OA pain is thought to arise from the subchondral bone, periosteum, synovium, capsule and ligament resulting from abnormal mechanical stresses on the periarticular structures. The cause of symptoms from degeneartive conditions is multifactorial involving mechanical, inflammatory, ischemic and other factors.

Proper assessment utilizing Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) allows to categorize patients’ conditions by the mechanical syndromes. With the knowledge of connective tissue responses to injury and stress deprivation, the appropriate management strategies can be established to facilitate the optimum recovery. It allows to direct the treatment towards the most efficient and successful outcomes.

Symptoms of a mechanical knee pain:

- Dull, throbbing pain

- Sharp, catching pain

- Limited movement

- Difficulty walking up or down stairs

- Difficulty kneeling or squatting

- Pain caused by sitting with a bent knee for long periods of time

Growing research has shown that exercise and proper patient education are the essential tools in managing your arthritis.

Do you need to see a Physical Therapist for your knee pain? Take this simple test…

I have pain in my knee that prevents me from sleeping.

I have pain in my knee when I walk on uneven ground.

I need to wear a brace on my knee when I work.

My knee sometimes buckles without cause.

I have a difficult time climbing stairs because of knee pain.

My knee surgery was successful, but I still have pain with too much activity.

I can’t play sports anymore because of knee pain.

I feel grinding in my knee when I climb stairs.

Arthritis runs in my family, so my knee pain is something I have to live with.

Results:

1 to 3 Yes: You’re doing fine. Exercising may help keep your knee in check.

4 to 6 Yes: Physical Therapy is an option for you.

7 to 9 Yes: See a doctor to get a better diagnosis. PT is definitely an option.

Physical Therapy is the treatment of choice whether surgery is needed or not. The correct, individualized exercises should be administered prior to surgery— sometimes instead of surgery—and are always essential after surgery to ensure a full recovery.

Ela Mroz, PT, DIP MDT

Spinae Vitae Physical Therapy

Clinic Certified in MDT

847.251.9790

If you are 50 or older in 2010, you have the potential opportunity to make additional catch up contributions to certain retirement plans.  With the reduction in the number of pensions and the need for most Americans to fund their own retirement, these additional contributions can help offset a shortfall in retirement funds.

Employees over 50 who participate in 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plans can contribute an additional $5500 to their accounts for a total 2010 deferral of $22,000.  If those funds are contributed each year from the ages of 50 through 65, even at a modest rate of return, you could accumulate over $100,000 in additional funds.  If you are married and each spouse is in such a plan, you can each make the additional contributions for the years that you  qualify.

Participants in SIMPLE plans are allowed an additional contribution of up to $2,500 for a total of $14,000 of salary deferral.  This allows for the potential to have an additional $50,000 saved for retirement.

Additional contributions are also allowed for Traditional and Roth IRAs in the amount of $1,000 per year for a total annual contribution of $6,000 under the current law.  Depending on the rate of investment return, you could have additional funds in excess of $20,000.

Catch-up contributions are also allowed for participants in Health Savings Accounts who are over 50.  The additional amount is $1,000 per year.

Depending on the type of plan, these additional contributions may allow for additional tax deductions as well as tax deferral until the funds are withdrawn.  For Roth IRA and 401(k) plans, there are  no current tax deductions, but the money accumulates tax free as long as the distribution rules are followed.

These additional contributions can result in significant savings and should be considered as part of your retirement and savings strategy.  As always there are income and other limitations and these opportunities should be discussed with your tax professional.

Jean M. Diamond, CPA Ltd.

847-441-3391

Well, this is exactly what you want the buyers looking at your home to feel–welcome.

After my 29+ year career as a North Shore Suburban Chicago Realtor, I know the IMPORTANCE of making a buyer “feel” at home and welcome in a property.

How do you accomplish this important “welcome feeling”?

Here are some tips to strengthen the positive feeling of your home:

1. Curb Appeal—make the front door & entry, stairway, walkway,  landscaping clean & neat and showing off the best architecture of your home. A simple investment in planters, bushes, even pavers used as entry sidewalk liners or a simple wreath on the door can add to the welcoming. Ask a good friend and your Realtor to take a serious look at the front of your home. Find a neighborhood home that exudes “charm & welcome” and use some of the elements.
2. Freshen Up—Now that the outside is ready to go…walk inside and make the entry whether large or small welcoming and uncluttered.  A very experienced designer and consultant suggested we always use something whimsical in an entry. She feels this relaxes people and enriches the welcoming feeling of a property. Take a serious look at your “public rooms” and how they look and feel.  Are they overcrowded or dated by choice of color or filled with too many personal things? Are your bedrooms comforting? Do the bathrooms show well and as spacious as possible? Is the tile caulked properly? Does your home need a fresh coat of paint? Which rooms are tired? How’s the trim?  Again as a Realtor I have “reviewed and critiqued” many a homes appearance. I have found using a color specialist and a professional home stager ( my favorite is Anne West of Redesign Doctor) enhances a home at least 10 times more than the cost the services given.
3. Sort It & Empty It—Yes, its time to rid yourself and your family of all that “stuff”. Clear the Clutter! It is my mantra as a Realtor with my sellers. Go through each area of the property and sort it, empty it , store it, give it away or simply throw it away.  Clutter will just take money out of your pocket. Some of my clients who have had quick and successful sales have  spent time “purging stuff” to their benefit. Make space for the buyer and it will most likely make the sale time on market shorter.
4. PRICE IT RIGHT—Still the most important element in a sale is how we price it. The RIGHT PRICE will still be the most “welcoming” part of your sale. Buyers have always responded to VALUE and today they especially respond to VALUE!  You can change the condition of a home by paying for it. Updating and appearance affect the price and the cost of these should not be counted on for a full return. For example—according to NARI (National Association of Remodeling Institute) updating/renovating kitchens and bathrooms may come back to you at close to 80% of cost within 5 years. There are quick simple fixes that I will suggest to my sellers on an as needs basis. With one of my favorite sellers, Fred, we replaced the kitchen faucet and removed old blinds. It made the kitchen look just that must fresher and today. We had 2 offers and under contract in 3 weeks. And, the price reflected true value and realistic market placement.  SO, with condition, location and price as the 3 deciding factors used by buyers….REMEMBER PRICE CAN CHANGE CONDITON BUT IT CAN NEVER CHANGE THE LOCATION. If you are in a challenged location enhance your home to its max and be very aggressive on your asking Price. It will attract the right buyer for your home.
5. ULTIMATE WELCOME—PRICE is the definite and most influential “welcoming element” of a home’s sale.  Listing your home in a market competitive position puts you ahead of the competition. It is, as I’ve said, the best and most influential element of the sale of a home!

You are always welcome at my “home”: www.MaureenSpriggs.com

Maureen Spriggs
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
maureen.spriggs@cbexchange.com

2010 is a unique year for Roth IRAs, whose tax-free distributions make them attractive retirement savings vehicles.  In past years, if you are a high-income filer, chances are you haven’t been able to participate in a Roth.  New rules for 2010 change this.

Who can contribute to a Roth IRA?

In general, you can contribute $5,000 to an IRA (traditional, Roth, or a combination of both).  If you’re 50 or older, there’s a catch-up provision that allows you to contribute a total of $6,000 to these accounts.  Both types of IRAs allow tax-deferred savings – with the Roth, there’s no tax on the earnings when you begin taking withdrawals, or distributions.

Your ability to contribute to a Roth depends on your income – your “modified adjusted gross income,” or MAGI.  If you’re married and file jointly, your Roth contribution is reduced if your MAGI is between $167,000 and $177,000.  (It’s phased out completely for MAGI over $177,000.)  Also, you couldn’t convert a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA if your MAGI exceeded $100,000 or if your filing status was married filing separate.

What is the change in 2010?

The 2006 Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act (TIPRA) – aka, the Bush tax cuts – repealed the $100,000 income limit for converting a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA.  So, regardless of filing status or income, you can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA in 2010. (You generally can’t convert an inherited IRA to a Roth.)

What hasn’t changed?

TIPRA does not repeal the income limits for making contributions to a Roth, but there is a workaround solution.  You can make nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA as long as you have earned income equal to the contribution, and you haven’t yet reached 70 ½.  Simply make your annual contribution first to a traditional IRA, and then convert to a Roth, using the liberal conversion rules in 2010.

What are the tax implications of conversion?

When you convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, you’re taxed as if you received a distribution.  The important difference in 2010 is that there is no 10% penalty for early withdrawals (before age 59 ½ ).  But TIPRA has some more good news for taxpayers – if you make a conversion in 2010, you can take advantage of a special deferral rule that only applies to 2010 conversions.  You can report half the income from the conversion on your 2011 tax return and the other half on your 2012 return, thus spreading out the tax liability.  (If you convert all of your traditional IRAs in 2010, you must report all of the income on your 2010 return.)

How do you decide whether or not to use this special deferral rule?  The answer depends in part on your tax rate in 2010 as opposed to what you think tax rates will be in 2011 and 2012.  Remember, tax rates are scheduled to increase for high-income filers if the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire.

Is a Roth conversion right for you?

The answer to this question depends on many factors – your current and projected future income tax rates, the length of time you have before you start taking withdrawals, state tax laws, and probably most important, how you’ll pay the income taxes due at the time of conversion.

There is a remedy for a Roth conversion if it turns out not to be advantageous – say if the value of your investments decline substantially.   The IRS allows you to “undo” a conversion by “recharacterizing” the contribution.  This means that you have until October 15, 2011, to undo a 2010 Roth conversion.

A financial professional can help you decide if a Roth conversion is right for you, and whether you should take advantage of the special deferral rule for 2010.

Nancy Tommaso

Keating & Associates

(847) 275-9011

This information has been excerpted from information obtained through Raymond James Financial Services.  While the information is considered to be reliable, Raymond James does not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. The information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation.

How We Choose to be Happy; The Nine Choices of Extremely Happy People.

Several times over the past few years I have taught a course at the Women’s Exchange based on the book by the above title, written by Foster and Hicks. Some women have taken the course two or three times. It is not that the material is so hard to understand; rather it is that the material is so simple you need to keep reminding yourself that you already know the choices! It is just a matter of continually putting them into practice.

Happiness is a ‘hot’ topic these days, but nowhere have I found anything as relevant as the list of choices that Foster and Hicks discovered when they did their research into why some people were happier than others. After agreeing that everyone has a happiness ‘set point’…let’s face it, some people are just ‘born’ happier than others… they identified nine choices that were shared by all of the people identified by others or themselves as extremely happy.

One, they intended to be happy. They woke up each morning with a clear intention that the day would bring them happiness. Two, they knew they were accountable for their own happiness. No once could ‘make’ them happy. Three, they could identify the things that made them happy and Four, they made those things central to their lives. Five, they experienced disappointments and hardships in their lives but chose to recast those experiences until they recognized the positive that came out of them. Six, they recognized that they had options in their lives and that they had the ability to choose from among those options the things that made them happiest. Seven, they chose to give back to the world around them and Eight, they appreciated the good in their lives. Nine, they told the truth. They did not yield to others, or to the cultural norms, if it conflicted with their own truth as they know it. Simple? Yes. Easy? No. If you are intrigued, I recommend you search Amazon for a used copy of the book. You’ll be ‘happy’ you did!
Judi Geake, Director

CranioSacral Therapy is a light touch therapy that is used to release tensions in the body. It can improve the functioning of the central nervous system and by doing so can help reduce pain and dysfunction. It can also enhance overall health and well-being.

Where there are restrictions, the body is less able to detoxify itself. CranioSacral therapy provides a gentle technique to release such restrictions; enhance the body’s ability to heal itself, and help the body attain its optimal balance at any given time.

Many people take pain for granted as part of their everyday lives – it need not be. Pain is an indication of dysfunction or imbalance. More and more people are turning to alternative therapies when traditional therapies have either not helped, or leave them taking more medications that they would like.

CranioSacral Therapy can also help people without specific complaints by enhancing their physical and emotional well being. This happens because stresses and restrictions on the craniosacral system are caused by our everyday living. CranioSacral Therapy reduces these restrictions that reduce your bodies’ performance efficiency and allows our bodies to relax and self correct.

This kind of preventative treatment can reduce healthcare costs, because we are taking a proactive approach to our health and health care needs.

CranioSacral therapy can help to alleviate a range of illness, pain and dysfunctions, including but not limited to:

Migraines and headaches
Neck and back pain
Sciatica
Injuries
Inflammations
Stress and tension-related problems
Infantile and child disorders
Motor coordination impairments
Learning disabilities
Chronic fatigue
TMJ Syndrome
Orthopedic problems
Central nervous system disorders
Emotional difficulties
Post traumatic stress disorder

Patricia Berg-Drazin, CST
Luminessence CranioSacral Therapy
www.luminessencecraniosacraltherpy.com
patricia@luminessencecraniosacraltherapy.com
847- 512- 7187

Being a good friend during divorce can be a tough place, especially when the friend wants and needs a lot of processing through talking. You want to be supportive and also not be bogged down by her pain and fear. Kudos for sticking with her!

Here are a couple of ideas. Try doing something with her, like a movie or art exhibit where you can be with her and have a built in topic to talk about – the movie or exhibit. Invite her to a yoga class or a walk around the Botanic Gardens. Moving around will be good for her and you’ll get the benefit too. If she is having trouble eating, take her out and coax a bowl of soup down. See if you can draw her out about what she’d like to do in the future by talking about her passions/interests and asking open-ended questions (e.g. What would be fun about doing more of that? How might you. . .?). Redirecting her focus from her current pain to future possibilities might shift her vision for a bit. And talking about what she is good at will empower her since we all feel more confident when we get on a subject about which we feel knowledgeable.

Limit your time with her if you feel drained being with her. A movie and a meal can be three hours of together time with only one hour of face time. People in their pain often push boundaries, so you keep them for her. That way, you will be able to support her without getting burned out and she will have the benefit of your thoughtful friendship without unintentionally pushing you away because of her neediness.

Remember your good times together while going through this difficult time.

Kate van Dyke, M.A., PCC
Mediator, Pre-Nuptial and Divorce Coach
“The Positive Course for Family Transitions”
kvandyke@divorcecc.com

Weddings are always special, always a delight — and almost always a time where anxieties and family issues arise. Over the past dozen years as an interfaith minister, ordained to perform ceremonies in most of the world’s religions — I have learned to dance very lightly with these delicate areas, and with dogma of any kind.

Many people have never heard the word “interfaith” before meeting me — they are much more familiar with the term “non-denominational”. And often surprised to hear that this word refers to different kinds of Christianity, not beyond.

Couple often ask me for my thoughts on marriage, and this may lead to a discussion in which I make it clear that, at least for me, marriage is not a pass-fail concept. It is instead a learning experience in which both people teach one another and learn from one another, no matter whether they live together for fifty years or five. And the one piece of wisdom that I offer is to try to accept each other’s flaws and foibles — to abandon the search for perfection of self and other that is at the bottom of so many of our problems in relationship.

Back in 1988, Jean Houston gave me an assignment to write two songs for the next month’s session at her Mystery School. I was able to write two pieces, but the one that follows emerged with the proviso: “Don’t sing me, just say me.” Here it is:

In Praise of Awkward

I wish I weren’t so perfect,
So right in every way,
‘Cause if I weren’t so perfect,
I’d be a lot more brave.

When I was one, I made mistakes,
Fewer when I was two.
Now I’m grown up and never err,
Which makes me scared, like you. . .

. . .’cause when you never make mistakes,
You’re perfect, yes, that’s true.
But oh how long you have to take,
Just checking things you do.

You check to get the words just right,
The music must be fine . . .
And when your checking’s all complete,
You check just one more time.

So with this checking care you take,
There’s no time to be bold,
No time to state uncertain thoughts,
You’re checking ‘til you’re old.

I wish I weren’t so perfect,
So right in every way,
‘Cause if I weren’t so perfect,
I’d be a lot more brave.

Not many of us want to think about our ultimate demise. Thus, the decision to work out
a detailed set of documents for asset distribution and to choose various people or entities
to fill roles such as guardian, executor and trustee is typically prolonged and anguished.
Once prepared, it doesn’t end there. Life changes, not to mention changes in the relevant
laws, require that even the most comprehensive estate plan be regularly reviewed.

At a minimum, the documents everyone should have are these:

1. Will
2. Property power of attorney
3. Health care power of attorney

Even for those individuals or couples with small estates where it appears that no tax
planning needs to be done, I strongly recommend a living trust, also known as an
inter vivos trust, with a “pour over” will and assignment of all assets to the trust. Why?

1. No Probate: Even a small estate or one under independent administration requires
some documentation to be filed at court and court appearances. The trust avoids this
hassle, time and expense.

2. Privacy: The will is required to be filed in the county of the decedent’s death and is
therefore a matter of public record. A trust has no such requirements.

3. Control: Under Illinois law, the surviving spouse may renounce the will and upset the
decedent’s plans and wishes. Unless there is evidence of fraud or undue influence, a well
thought out plan of distribution through a trusts or trusts will not be disturbed.

The powers of attorney for health care and property provide for the designation
of a single agent to make critical decisions on behalf of the principal in the event that the
principal is unable to make them for him or herself.

The Illinois Power of Attorney Act, 755 ILCS 45/2-1 et seq., has been extensively
rewritten. HB6477, the new state bill containing the changes, passed both houses and on
May 28, 2010 was sent to Governor Quinn for signature.

The revised Power of Attorney Act sets forth new statutory formats for the two powers of
attorney, health and property, as well as rules governing all powers, whether statutory or
not.

The effective date for the changes is July 1, 2011. All powers of attorney which were
validly executed prior to this date will continue to remain effective.

A few highlights of the changes to this act are:

1. Notice to principal will be a separate document in 14 pt type with a signature line
for the principal’s initials as acknowledgment that the notice was read.

2. Definitions of these key terms: “incapacitated,” “incurable or irreversible condition,”
“permanent unconsciousness” and “terminal condition.”

3. More highly defined duties are imposed on the agent, particularly in the area of
record keeping, as well as liability for neglect or elder abuse.

4. New paragraphs with respect to successor agents, co-agents and powers executed
in another state or country. Co-agents, though not permissible on the statutory
forms, may be named on non-statutory powers pursuant to the new provisions
which set forth their authority, responsibility and liabilities.

5. Provision and forms for Certification and Acceptance of Authority of agent,
successor agent and co-agents.

6. New paragraph with respect to persons who may be witnesses to the signature of
the principal on a power. They cannot be a relative of the principal or agent by
blood, marriage or adoption, an agent or successor agent, the attending doctor or
relative of the doctor, owner or operator or relative of an owner or operator of the
health care facility of the principal.

7. The health care power authorizes the agent to make decisions with respect to
autopsies and disposition of remains and to disclose information governed by
HIPAA and to receive all medical information from any source concerning the
principal.

8. A specific “Notice to Agent” is required under the new statutory short form power
of attorney for property.

Update on federal estate taxes:

Under current law, 2010 is renowned as the best year for a wealthy person to die since the
estate taxes are zero. Or so we are led to believe. However, there are factions in
Congress who are looking to make changes retroactive to January 1. So this is not a sure
thing. If this weren’t confusing enough, noone is certain as to what will happen in 2011 and
beyond. As of today, the federal estate tax exemption will revert back to a mere $1 million
per individual. Some estate planning attorneys predict an amendment re-setting the 2011
exemption to $3.5 million, as it was last year. But again, there are factions in Congress
who are in favor of maintaining it at the $1MM level. Much to the consternation of tax
attorneys and financial planners, the matter of exemptions is totally up for grabs.

The Illinois estate tax should not be overlooked in your estate planning. The exemption
is $2MM. However, this “exemption” operates in a peculiar fashion. Once the taxable
estate reaches the $2 million mark, everything over that is taxed at full value, i.e $2 million
and one dollar is taxed in its entirety, not just the $1.

Tenancy by the entirety is a form of holding title to real estate which is only available to
a married couple during their marriage with respect to their primary residence. The benefit
of this form of ownership is that the debts of one spouse cannot attach to the property so
held.

HB5282, amending the Joint Tenancy Act, is another important bill which affects estate
planning also awaiting Gov. Quinn’s signature. This legislation will enable revocable
living trusts holding property conveyed to said trusts in tenancy by the entirety to also be
treated as such. In a typical basic estate plan for a married couple, there will be two
revocable living trusts created, one for each spouse. Now a percentage interest in the
marital home can be conveyed to each of the trusts and still be deemed an estate in
tenancy by the entirety.

In summary, make sure that your estate plan does what you want it to do in the current
regulatory environment. The most significant problems which can arise to subvert an
estate plan occur when the surviving spouse remarries. 401(k) plans are particularly
vulnerable. Therefore, you should make sure that your estate plan provides for this
eventuality so that the named beneficiaries receive what is intended for them.

If you are elderly or have elderly parents, an attorney proficient in this area of the law is
a good resource for discussing options for long term care, such as a medicaid asset
protection trust.

I do not practice elder law or estate tax planning law. However, I can prepare basic estate
plan documents which do not require tax planning and know highly qualified, competent
and ethical attorneys in these areas to whom I can gladly make referrals.

Jan S. Weinstein & Associates, Ltd.
9933 Lawler Avenue
Suite 402
Skokie, IL 60077
847/933-9890
847/933-9880 – fax
jan@jsweinsteinatty.com

Giving your walls a fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and least expensive things you can do to make your home more appealing to home buyers. If it’s been a while since you painted or your wall colors are vivid (magenta, chartreuse, etc.), or, God forbid, you have wallpaper, painting is something you’ll want to consider before putting your home on the market. It’s not that there aren’t people out there who like bright colors or share your taste in wallpaper. It’s just that there are many fewer of them than there are people who like neutral colors. And you want to appeal to the broadest possible pool of buyers. Besides, it’s easy for people to become distracted by such “taste-specific” decorating schemes and difficult for them to visualize how the place might look in their preferred colors.

For more tips on preparing your home for sale, visit http://www.NorthShoreViews.com

What to do? Paint everything white?

Nope. The problem with white as a wall color is that it tends to be cold, harsh and not very inviting…which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve.  And don’t believe that old wives’ tale that white will make the rooms look larger, because it’s just not true. Likewise, painting the whole interior the same bland beige may not offend anyone, but it will guarantee that your home is totally forgettable (unless you are fortunate enough to have some very distinctive architectural features).

What you’re going for is a color scheme that elicits positive emotions and makes buyers “mentally move in” to your house. It should look stylish and up to date without being too taste-specific. If you choose paints in the same color family for your main living areas, the rooms will flow together visually and feel more spacious.

Warm Colors Make People Happy

When staging a house for sale I recommend warmer neutrals for the main living areas (living room, family room, dining room) because warm colors tend to stimulate the senses and make people happy. Buttery, creamy, buff and tan colors will warm up any room. Here are some of my go-to wall colors that will make any home more appealing to potential buyers:

Benjamin Moore Powell Buff (HC-35)
A warm and rich neutral that works well with greens, browns and reds.

Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan (HC-44)
A mid-tone neutral in the Pottery Barn collection

Benjamin Moore Windham Cream (HC-6)
A subtle yellow that works well with other colors. It’s a great color to brighten up a hallway with little natural light.

Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory (HC-36)
A creamy butterscotch that is warm and welcoming.

Cool Colors Soothe and Relax

For bedrooms and bathrooms cooler neutrals will help you create the feel of a spa retreat. Pale blues, sage greens and grays tends to have a soothing, relaxing effect on people, which is just what you want in these rooms. Here are some good options:

Benjamin Moore Stratton Blue (HC-142)
A muted blue-green that’s neither too bold or too bland.

Banjamin Moore Nantucket Gray (HC-111)
A soothing gray-green.

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (2137-60)
A pale, soothing color that’s a little more sophisticated than blue. It works with almost any color scheme.

Benjamin Moore Rosemary Sprig (2144-30)
A sage green with a hint of yellow.

What About Trim?

You almost can’t go wrong with white trim, which makes a nice contrast to walls with more color. There are lots of “whites” to choose from. Here are a couple I like:

Benjamin Moore White Dove (OC-17)
A warm white that’s not too gray, not too yellow.

Benjamin Moore Cloud White (OC-130)
Works well with warm neutral wall colors.

Final Thoughts

When selecting colors from a paint strip, remember that the color will look darker on the wall than on the strip, so when in doubt, go lighter. The best thing to do, however, is to get sample jars of your top color choices and test them on a section of wall (at least 2′ x 2′ to get the overall effect). make sure to test and compare in daylight hours, as this is when most potential buyers will see them. Also remember that the same color can look different from room to room depending on the room’s exposure and how much light it gets, so it’s a good idea to test colors in each room.

For more tips on preparing your home for sale, visit www.NorthShoreViews.com

Anne West
Redesign Doctor
847-687-5957