Your fireplace and chimney should be top of your spring-cleaning list, especially if you’re selling your home. Not only will your fireplace look (and smell) better, but it will be much safer to operate next winter.

Wood-burning fireplaces build up creosote which is highly flammable; one spark can turn into a chimney fire, damage the lining of the chimney, limit ventilation, and pollute the air quality of your home. Creosote, dirt, and other debris can accelerate carbon monoxide buildup and inhibit the release of toxins and smoke. Dirty chimneys can also keep oxygen from the fire and prevent the fire from burning in the right direction, filling the room with smoke. 

When you sell your home, the homebuyer will arrange an inspection of all operating systems—a clean chimney is not only easier to inspect, but it will send the right kind of message to the buyer. Remove all the fireplace equipment and instead put a decorative screen or urn with flowers to take your fireplace into spring and summer.

Color psychologists say that colors have personalities that affect people and the environment. Brown, for example, is quietly confident, approachable, reliable, and reassuring.

When the Pantone Color Institute released its selection for the Color of the Year 2025, a rich silky brown evocative of chocolate and coffee called Mocha Mousse, it explained that this is the shade that answers a global “desire for comfort.” Mocha Mousse also provides a safe haven for neutralists who want a bold, fresh alternative to classic whites, grays, or beiges.

Benjamin Moore also chose a consoling brown for its Color of the Year, a confident, snuggly shade called Cinnamon Slate. Lauded as a “delicate mix of heathered plum and velvety brown,” this hue leads the muted Color Trends Palette for 2025.

Sherwin Williams’ 2025 Color Collection of the Year showcases soothing browns as well—a dark taupe called Nutshell and a warm milk chocolate called Grounded.

Browns easily define the theme of enveloping comfort and partner well with secondary and accent colors in creams, blues, and greens.

As of November 2024, there were 132,000,000 households in the U.S., a net increase of 782,000 from the previous year. Family households grew by 351,000; married couples grew by 122,000; and non-family homes (single-person occupancy) grew by 432,000.

Meanwhile, researchers found average household sizes declined from 2.58 members in 2010 to 2.53 members in 2024. According to the U.S. Census, 64% of households are family homes, down from 79% in 1974. In 2024, there were 38.5 million one-person households, or 29% of all U.S. households—a huge increase from 19% 50 years ago. 

The trend of smaller households is yet another factor influencing the appetite and need for smaller homes. Bigger homes used to be more desirable to homebuyers, but between lack of affordability and rising eco-awareness, smaller homes are becoming the new standard. And the icing on the cake? Small homes appreciate faster than larger homes. Realtor.com notes that homes of 1,200 square feet or less appreciated at 7.5% over the last five years, while homes 2,400 feet or larger appreciated at only 3.8%.