Articles Tagged "Youngsville"

Our Realtors® are passionate about showing off Lafayette homes for sale and holding the best Lafayette open houses. But even a dedicated team like ours needs some interests outside work. Pickleball is one of them – and it's taking the Lafayette area by storm.

Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and even ping-pong. It can be enjoyed either indoors or outdoors on a court 44 feet long. The width of the court can vary based on the type of competition. A paddle sport with a plastic ball, pickleball is versatile: It can be played as singles or doubles, and it has very simple rules.

Experts consider pickleball to be the fastest-growing sport in America. It is easily picked up by players of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels, including children and seniors. Over the last few years, it's popped up all over Lafayette, too. There are so many opportunities to try it out you might wonder where to start.

Let's get the inside scoop on pickleball in Lafayette.

• Thomas Park Recreation Center – 301 Geraldine Drive, Lafayette, LA 70503
  One of two local recreational facilities used by the "Agin' Cajuns" senior pickleball committee, Thomas Park Recreation Center is the centerpiece of Lafayette's municipal Thomas Park. It is open from Monday through Friday, starting at 8 a.m., with a two-hour break at noon. The exterior tennis courts can be used for pickleball games on Mondays and Fridays from 3 p.m. through to the park's closure at 9 o'clock.
  
  
• Comeaux Recreation Center – 411 West Bluebird Street, Lafayette, LA 70508
  Comeaux Recreation Center is a popular place for both youth and adult sports and practice. Monday to Friday, it opens from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturday, it welcomes visitors from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pickleball is available in season – from May through August – on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The pickleball courts have attracted so many players that plans are in the works to light them soon.
  
  
• George Dupuis Recreational Center at Brown Park – 1212 East Pont Des Mouton Road, Lafayette, LA 70507
  With four indoor courts to choose from, George Dupuis Recreational Center at Brown Park is a terrific place to try out pickleball when other local options are full or unavailable. The lighted tennis courts are great for pickleball. There's also a weight room, indoor gym, and a unique "Timber Challenge" workout station. You can hit the 1-mile jogging trail to warm up or cool down after your exciting pickleball game!
  
  
• AA Comeaux Park – 300 Comeaux Memorial Drive, Abbeville, LA 70510
  AA Comeaux Park is the centerpiece park of the community of Abbeville, founded in 1850. It has a wide range of sports fields and courts to choose from. You can participate in baseball, softball, tennis, soccer, and walking on the track. Pickleball is a more recent addition to the slate of activities that's gotten more popular with each passing season. The park isn't far from Abbeville homes for sale.
  
  
• Youngsville Sports Complex – 801 Savoy Road, Youngsville, LA 70592
  When you need a reliable place for pickleball just a short journey from Youngsville homes for sale, you need look no further than the Youngsville Sports Complex. Billing itself as "Louisiana's Premier Sports and Recreation Facility," it provides convenient court reservations for tennis, pickleball, and even beach volleyball. Competitive adult pickleball is held at the indoor Recreation Center.

Contact us to find out more about Lafayette real estate.

Our real estate agents know that a stylish outdoor space is a valuable addition to your home. A well-planned exterior space provides a place for al fresco dining, gathering around the firepit with a refreshing beverage, or enjoying your favorite TV show or podcast. Making sure your outdoor spaces are well illuminated ensures that you can enjoy them and helps add an extra level of safety and security. Here are a few ways you can enhance the overall effect of your outdoor lighting. 

1. Use a Variety of Lights
   To create a cozy, welcoming outdoor space, use a variety of lights. If you have an overhead structure, like a gazebo or pergola, add lights that illuminate your entire deck or patio. Then, select some tabletop lamps so that you have lights nearby when you're reading, working, or relaxing. 

2. Select Lights That are Functional
   Even the most elegant outdoor lights will go to waste if they're not functional and easy for you to use. For example, if you know that your access to electricity is limited, integrate some battery-operated lights into your setup. Or, if you hate having to turn a bunch of lights on and off each time you use them, look for products that you can put on a timer or operate with your smartphone. 

3. Consider Motion-Activated Lights
   Motion-activated lights are an excellent alternative that can also help you reduce your energy usage. These lights only come on when they detect activity, and they'll turn off once movement is no longer detected. 

4. Illuminate Your Walkways
   Make it safe to walk around your property at night by adding pathway lights around your driveway and paths. Solar-powered lights are a fantastic option that you won't have to worry about connecting to an electrical outlet. 

5. Opt for Some Portable Lights
   Want to make sure that you always have access to light, regardless of where you're hanging out in your yard? Add portable lights to your outdoor setup. Table lanterns and candles are easily moved so that you can adapt their configuration to your entertaining plans. 

6. Decorate Your Space with String Lights
   When you're exploring Lafayette homes for sale, you'll notice that decorative lighting effortlessly improves the look of your deck or patio. Instantly add ambiance to your outdoor spaces by adding a few strands of string lights. String lights instantly lend a romantic touch to your outdoor areas, and you can even select lights with different color or pattern options. Want to add a lot of light to your outdoor area but don't want to spend hours setting up a bunch of different strands of lights? Look for curtain lights! Curtain lights are easy to hang and instantly add whimsical lighting to a large area. 

7. Illuminate Your Water Features
   If your property has a pool, hot tub, or pond, this is a fantastic spot to incorporate decorative lights. A light reflecting off the water looks beautiful, and you'll have light to enjoy nighttime activities.

Want a home with more space for your outdoor activities? Contact us today to get started!

If you're a heavy reader, chances are you have a relatively large book collection sitting at home collecting dust. Some of our real estate agents really dislike parting with good books after they've finished reading them. Instead of storing them in the attic, why not turn your book collection into a home library? 

Showing off your book collection is such a great way to add a touch of elegance to any room of your house. In fact, there are so many creative ways to put your books on display that you may never want to get rid of another book again! Below are some ideas on how to turn your collection into a stylish display.

1. Line the Fireplace
   If you want to create a classic literary vibe in your living room, consider lining your fireplace mantle with your favorite books. You can group them into sections, separate them with decorations or photos, or organize them by color. Depending on the size of your collection, you may have limited space so be sure to select the titles that you really want to show off.

2. Put Them in the Fireplace
   If you have a non-working fireplace that isn't being used for any other purpose, use it for book storage! Sorting your books into piles and stashing them inside your fireplace is a great way to create a chic, sophisticated Brooklyn vibe. 

3. Fill-up a Dead Corner
   If you just can't figure out what to do with an empty corner, use it to show off your books. Add floating shelves or a sturdy bookcase to construct the ultimate corner library. If the room is large enough, you could even add a chair and some lighting to create a cozy reading nook.

4. Build a Coffee Table
   Pick your sturdiest books, compile them into four even piles, and then find a strong flat surface to create the ultimate literary DIY coffee table. Not only is this a practical way to store your books, but it can also serve as a great conversation piece. Just be sure to include interesting titles. 

5. Group By Color or Size
   If you have a truly large collection, there are many ways you can creatively show them off on a shelf. Forget alphabetizing -- instead, try creating interesting patterns with color or height. You can also alternative vertical groups with horizontal stacks. Your goal is to create a tidy, visually appealing bookshelf instead of an old stuffy look.

6. Try Floating Cabinets
   We especially like this idea for a home office. Try adding some floating wall cabinets that are large enough to store a decent number of books. Alternate horizontal groups and vertical stacks, and be sure to break them up with some decorative elements. 

7. Create A Gallery Wall
   If you have a lot of heavy, coffee table books that make for great conversation pieces, consider showing them off with a wall gallery. Just simply install a wall shelf with a decent-sized ledge and prop your books up against the wall. Be sure to pick the best books in your collection!

The owners of these New Orleans homes for sale are always looking for new ways to show off their book collections. Doing it the right way can create a unique, intelligent vibe. If you need advice on interior design, don't hesitate to contact us today!

Baseboards help give your home a neat, finished appearance, but they can often develop cracks and gaps at the top or bottom as well as other appearance issues. In addition to making your home look less than its best, these flaws can allow drafts to enter your home. They also serve as dust-collecting crevices that make it more difficult to keep your baseboards clean.

Caulk, which is flexible, can dry out over time, and become cracked. Fortunately, fixing the problem is a great DIY project that can be taken care of in an afternoon. Our real estate agents share the following tips and tricks for repairing and caulking baseboards:

• Get the right supplies   
  You'll need the following supplies before starting your project:
  - paintable silicone caulk made for trim
  - caulking tool
  - caulk scraper
  - plastic putty knife
  - scissors or utility knife
  - sandpaper
  - painting supplies (paintbrush/roller/tape)
  - denatured alcohol
  
  
• Scrape off the old caulk  
  Use your caulk scraper to remove the old caulk. Clean up any residue left by the old caulk using denatured alcohol on a paper towel. Rub it along the areas where you removed the caulk, and let it dry completely. Then smooth the surface by using sandpaper.
  
  
• Use painting tape   
  If you haven't done much caulking, apply specialty tape for multi-surfaces neatly and directly above and below the area you're caulking. This will ensure you get clean, crisp lines.
  
  
• Get your caulking gun ready    
  Cut the tip of your caulking gun at a 45-degree angle using scissors or a utility knife. Make the hole in the tip only as large as the area you'll be filling so too much caulk won't come out as you're using the gun. Put the tip of the caulk tube into the gun and push the plunger back. Squeeze the trigger several times before you begin.
  
  
• Apply new caulk   
  Start at one end of the wall, putting the tip of the caulk tube against the gap you're filling. Squeeze the caulk gun's trigger slowly as you pull the gun along the wall, so you get a thin bead of caulk. Go several feet before wiping off the excess with your index finger.
  
  
• Remove the tape    
  While the caulk is still wet, peel off the tape.

For a small investment of time and money, you can give your home a more finished appearance by repairing and caulking its baseboards. Consider checking for cracks if you're selling your home since they can make your home look unfinished. This project will pay off whether you're planning to stay in your home for a while or are ready to sell and are looking to make improvements.

Contact us to find out more home improvements that can make your house stand out from other Lafayette homes for sale. 

According to our real estate agents, kitchen updates are one of the top renovations you can do. A kitchen backsplash is, in many ways, the piece that ties together all of your hard-planned renovations. If the kitchen backsplash is too boring or too jarring, it can destroy the entire look. Here are a few tips for picking out a kitchen backsplash that will give your updates the most mileage.

1. Do Your Research
   Updating or renovating is all about doing your research. Choosing a backsplash is no different. There is a variety of different materials to choose from, and each one is different in terms of durability and care requirements. For instance, ceramic and porcelain may seem like the same thing, but they are made differently in a way that makes porcelain much denser and more durable. Some materials will also require more care, such as natural stone and marble, that need to be sealed once a year.
2. Try Out Your Options
   You can't tile your entire backsplash before deciding whether it's going to work for you, but you can bring home samples. Hang them up in your kitchen, where you can see them as you go about your day. Sometimes materials or colors can look one way in the store or catalog and completely different when you have them in your home. Watch what happens as the light changes throughout the day, for instance. It's also not a bad idea to surround them with samples of other options you're considering, such as countertops, so that you can also think about what looks best together.
3. Mix, Not Match
   When it comes to backsplashes, remember what this is supposed to do: make a splash. While it might be very tempting to match everything perfectly, a backsplash should be coordinating but also noteworthy, something that goes but will also stand out. That might mean a splash of color, but it also might mean different lines, such as tile set on the diagonal.
4. Highlight Focal Points
   Like with any other form of art, you can also use a backsplash as an accent to draw attention to the kitchen's focal parts. For instance, the area over the sink and over the range are often enhanced with something special, an accent within the overall theme of the backsplash. This might be a special material or color, or a change in the tile pattern.
5. Budget Wisely
   If you have to make your choices carefully to ensure your kitchen updates stay within your budget, that's understandable. Just be smart about where and how you cut corners. For instance, you might opt for ceramic tile, which is more affordable yet still a perfectly respectable choice for a backsplash. But it's not wise to skimp on the grout's quality, which is literally the glue that holds your renovations together. High-quality grout will last longer and look better.

The kitchen is one of the most central rooms of a home, so having one you love is important. If you're in the market for a home, contact us today to discuss what you're looking for and to tour Baton Rouge homes for sale.