Spring in East Tennessee brings many time-honored traditions, but perhaps the most highly anticipated is the annual Dogwood Arts Festival. With a mission to promote and celebrate the art, culture and natural beauty of our region, Dogwood Arts incorporates numerous events and opportunities to help us take delight in the community we call home.

And to think it all began in the late 1940s when a visiting New York journalist disparaged our fair city, calling it “the ugliest” he had seen in America. This prompted a group of concerned citizens with a vision to mobilize, initially taking on the task of cleaning up neighborhoods and yards. Then they started planting dogwood trees by the hundreds, creating something of true beauty we still enjoy today: the dogwood trails.

Even though the individuals behind the organization have changed over the years, their mission has remained the same, now resulting in more than 60 miles of dogwood trails to enjoy. In an effort to revitalize the dogwood trails and ensure their beauty continues for future generations, the Bazillion Blooms project has helped make possible the planting of more than a thousand dogwoods each year for the past nine years.

You may have seen the trails while taking a drive through one of Knoxville’s iconic neighborhoods. Marked with pink painted lines and arrows, the dogwood trails provide a way for visitors and residents alike to take in the blooming dogwoods as well as other sights and sounds of our natural landscape.

Knoxville’s historic Sequoyah Hills neighborhood was home to the very first dogwood trail. With its elegant diverse architecture and curving tree-lined streets as well as the winding boulevards and beautiful 87 acre waterfront park, Sequoyah Hills remains one of Knoxville’s most desirable places to call home. In fact, several of the luxury properties featured in the spring edition of our Homes & Estates publication are located in Sequoyah Hills.

Development of other dogwood trails would follow, including in beautiful Holston Hills, in and around Fountain City and in the South Knoxville neighborhood of Lake Forest.

Dogwood trails can also be enjoyed in North Hills, Halls, Farragut, Lakemoor Hills, Deane Hill and Island Home. Each neighborhood is a little different with its own unique charm and history. For example, Holston Hills, which is nestled into a gentle bend in the Holston River, was developed in 1925 as not only a neighborhood but also the site of a 180-acre country club and golf course. In addition to the lovely homes, there’s also a community club and park, which is the site of annual egg-hunts, garden club meetings and a holiday tree lighting for the community.

There are many ways to appreciate the beauty of the dogwood trails in Knoxville. While some prefer to take a leisurely drive on a sunny afternoon, others might opt for a closer, more in-depth look at the blooms.

The Bikes & Blooms program offers the opportunity to take an organized bike ride through some of the picturesque neighborhoods and see the dogwoods up-close. Then there’s also the Hikes & Blooms program, which includes numerous guided hikes during April and May. Not only will hikers be able to get a closer look, but guides will also share all sorts of interesting information and highlight noteworthy features along the way.

And for a real behind-the-scenes look at some of the blooming beauty, consider exploring one of the featured gardens. These are private gardens which have been made open to the public on select dates during Dogwood Arts. Each has its own style and features to explore and you can learn more about this and other aspects of Dogwood Arts by visiting www.dogwoodarts.com.

Spring is an incredibly beautiful time in East Tennessee. We hope you will take some time this spring to experience the beauty of the season and all of the natural elements unique to our community.

There’s no better time than spring to consider making a move in the real estate market. There are some amazing luxury homes and estates currently available in East Tennessee. Some afford stunning waterfront views while others allow for exciting downtown living. And there’s even the opportunity to design and build the luxury home of your dreams.

Wallace has been a leader in the luxury real estate market since our company’s inception in 1936. Our agents are uniquely qualified to serve the home buying and selling needs of today’s discerning luxury consumer. Let us exceed your expectations, combining local expertise with a powerful global brand.

January is National Bath Safety Month, so it might be a good time to review some basic bathroom safety tips to stay safe in the new year. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, one third of all household falls occur in the bathroom, and almost four hundred people fall in the bathroom or shower every single day in the U.S.

It isn’t just older individuals or children who need to take care in the bath. Accidents can happen at any time, so it is important that all are cautious in this room of the home.

By following a few basic safety tips, you may be able to greatly reduce the risk of injury in the bathroom.

Add some traction – Decrease the slip factor with some type of non-skid surfaces in the tub and/or shower. Tubs and shower surfaces can be slippery, especially when water is present. A simple rough surface for the foot to grip getting in and out of the tub or while showering makes a tremendous difference in potentially reducing the risk of a fall.

Add a Mat – Again, slipping on bathroom floors is another possible hazard. Having a secure floor mat may help prevent slipping on the bathroom floor after getting out of the tub or shower.

Give Yourself a Hand (Rail) – Install grab bars to aid in getting in and out of the tub/shower safely.

Minimize Electric hazards – Keep hair dryers and electric appliances clear of water sources.

Decrease Clutter – Keep the floor clear of anything that might trip you up as you move around your bathroom. This might include items such as children’s toys that were left in the tub, laundry on the floor or other neglected items.

Unlock the Door – It’s actually a good idea to keep the bathroom door unlocked to allow for quick access if someone does take a fall.

Don’t get burned – Test your water before getting in the tub or shower. Also, take care to keep young children away from hot water where they have a higher risk of being burned. You can do this the old fashioned way with your hand (carefully), or you can go a little higher-tech and install anti scalding devices.

Safety for Little Rubber Duckies – If you have children or grandchildren, take extra precautions to keep their baths safer. Add cushioned covers to water faucets and never leave them in the bath unattended.

Keep these simple tips in mind this January to have a safer new year in the bath.

If you’ve lived through a winter in East Tennessee, you know it can be hard on your wallet. According to the Department of Energy, cooling your home in the summer and warming it in the winter account for a little over half of all your home’s energy use. Anything that helps keep your heating costs down is worth looking into. Here are a few tips for lowering your heating costs this winter.

Attic Insulation-

A properly insulated attic can reduce your heating costs by keeping the heat in longer. It also keeps the heat out during the hot months. It won’t break the bank, and it pays for itself pretty quickly by reducing your heating (and cooling), costs. Make sure you know the rules and regulations for your region and research the local providers to make sure you’re using a reputable and licensed service provider.

Your Chimney-

If you have a chimney, you could be losing heat through it even if you have your damper closed. It’s probably not airtight, which means there’s a draft, bringing cold air straight into your home.

The easiest way to address this problem is a glass fireplace door. You can get a fitted door at big box hardware stores and other retailers.

Energy Efficient Windows-

Outdated windows leak warm air out and let cold air in. Single pane windows do very little to keep your house warm in the winter. Double pane windows with dead space in between the panes greatly reduce warm air escaping and cold air coming in.

A complete window upgrade can be pricey, but the savings can be as much as twenty percent or more on your heating bill. A temporary solution is to put plastic sealing over unused windows during the cold months.

Turn Down Your Water Heater-

Most water heaters come from the factory set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Try dropping yours a few degrees, maybe even down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and watch your heating costs drop. You can potentially see up to five percent savings for every ten degrees you drop the setting on your water heater.

These are just a few ideas for reducing your wintertime energy costs. Find out what works best for you and your home this winter.

Happy New Year! A brand new year means resolutions for everything from your diet to your budget or even how you spend your time. Do you ever make resolutions that are related to your home?

Research shows that an organized home can lower your stress level and help you spend your time more efficiently. Maybe this year’s resolutions can include one for making the place you live more organized.

Here are some simple tips for getting your home organized in the new year.

Purge-

Most of us have a lot of stuff in our homes that we don’t use, and possibly never will. This could include items such as clothing, electronics, kitchen appliances, even furniture. Explore each room in your home, and be willing to consider which things you don’t need or want. If you’re not using something today and haven’t been for some time, chances are you won’t miss it. There are several options for getting rid of household items, from selling it on a local Marketplace app as well as donating it to a charitable organization. Some will even send a truck to pick up your items being donated!

After you de-clutter your home, there’s a good chance you’ll immediately feel a greater sense of peace. But this isn’t just something you can do once and never think about again. Consider how your home got cluttered in the first place. Maybe you need to try to change some of your overzealous buying habits. Once you’ve accomplished the successful purge, be extra thoughtful about what you bring into your home.

Rethink Your Storage Methods-

Have you ever looked around your house and thought nothing is where it’s supposed to be? Think about how you’re storing the stuff in your home. Are your coats all on hangers and in the “coat” closet? Are your shoes neatly lined up under your bed or in racks in your closet or are they strewn throughout your house? Are your bathroom closets a messy jumble of towels and linen?

A good rule of thumb is this: “A place for everything, and every thing in its place.” It seems simple, and it is. But this simple method can save you a lot of stress and headache around the house. Need to maximize your storage options? Consider dividers in drawers and risers in your closets. Look at how you’re storing things and find a way to make it more effective and efficient. There are containers available for nearly everything under the sun. Of course, going out and buying a bunch storage bins may not be the answer for everyone. Put some real thought into it and you’ll come up with some storage methods that fit your life and your stuff.

Think Seasonally-

Your wardrobe can be divided by seasons and stored away when not in use. Why contend with your abundant sweater collection while you’re searching your closet for the perfect sundress this spring? There’s plenty of other stuff you can also store away based on the time of year. You don’t need your space heater in summer or your rotating fan in winter. The pool gear, snow sleds, galoshes, snow shovels, and garden hose can all be stored neatly away until you need them.

Toys-

There’s a time honored solution for storing your children’s toys: the old fashioned toy box. You can even teach your kids organizational skills by having them group specific types of toys in specific container or areas of the house. You can also use an ottoman or a trunk used as a coffee table for storing toys in the living room.

Have you ever heard of the 5 Minute Clean Up Method? There’s even a catchy song that you can play during clean up time! This is a great way to teach family members of all ages about just how much you can accomplish in a short time for clean up.

Find Unused Spaces for Storage –

No matter how large or small your home may be, there’s a good chance it has some form of unused space that would be perfect for storage. Maybe there’s a spot under the stairway that’s perfect for building shelves or even a hidden storage area. Think outside the box and look for ways to maximize your space. An unused cabinet or shelf, or maybe an area in the garage could be the perfect place for storing holiday decorations, pet supplies, cleaning supplies, or even children’s toys.

Getting your home organized is a great way to increase the peace and serenity in your life. Start getting your home tidied up today! If after a New Year’s cleaning and organization session, your home still just won’t hold all your stuff, it might be time for a larger space! We can help with that. Perhaps you’re looking to downsize because you realize you just don’t need as much space as you have currently. We can help with that too!