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Debunking Hurricane Myths

The sun is shining and the flowers are blooming, but there is still one menacing cloud hanging over us. It’s called hurricane season. Hurricane season officially starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th. Take a look at the following myths regarding hurricanes and how you can better protect your family and home.

Hurricane Season is Upon Us

In just a few weeks, Hurricane Season will arrive in the Houston area. To make sure you’re not caught unaware, stop by the Renaissance Windows & Doors showroom to take a look at the following impact windows.

Keep Your Home Cool

Spring definitely brings beautiful weather, but it also brings what most Houstonians dread, the heat. When you’re sitting on the couch next to your windows, do you feel heat radiating from your windows? Does your dining room with large windows in it always feel like it’s 110°? Then it’s time to think about replacing your windows. Take a look at these options that can help you stay cool this spring and summer.

Fun in the AC

Spring is finally here! We all know that with spring comes rainy days, so Renaissance Windows and Doors would like to let you know about the indoor activities there are in the Houston area!

Hurd Introduces New Low-E 366 Neat with Preserve Glass Windows

All of us at Renaissance Windows and Doors are excited to introduce Hurd’s latest ultra-efficient glazing options, the new Low-E 366 Neat with Preserve glaze. Let’s take a look!

Ready, Set, Cruise with Houston Design Center

The Houston Design Center is hosting its 8th Annual Cruise Party & Open House April 17 from 5:30 – 8:30 PM. This is a special event to raise money for the ASID Student Scholarship Fund.

Tried and True Texan: The Bluebonnet

You know it is officially Spring time in Texas when you begin to see Bluebonnets pop up around town. We’ve found some fun and interesting facts surrounding this native plant.

Put a Spring in Your Curb Appeal

The inside of your home has been decluttered, reorganized and cleaned, so now it is time to tackle the exterior of your home. These tips will help your home ready to greet spring on the right foot.

The 1, 2, 3 of Organizing Your Home

 You’ve decluttered your home and either threw away or donated your unused items. Now it’s time to start organizing everything that’s left! We’ve found some great tips that will help you organize every room in your home.

For Good: Local Houston Charities for Home Good/Clothing Donations

Last week in our blog we talked about going through and decluttering your home of items that your family has outgrown or don’t use anymore. Now the question becomes where should I take everything? We have some great organizations in the area that are looking for donations just like yours!

No Clutter Allowed: Decluttering Your Home for Spring Cleaning

Winter has finally ended and your home could use a breath of spring to get it back into shape. Though before you can actually clean, you need to declutter your home. Well say no more because Renaissance Windows and Doors have found some great ideas to get your home ready for a good Spring Cleaning.

Fun Day Family Trips for Spring Break

Spring Break for the kids is quickly approaching. Your family has decided to take it easy this year and stay at home. We’ve come up with some fun day trips for you and your family to take to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Rodeo Time in Houston

Spring means Rodeo time in Houston. This year the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be celebrating their 80th year. As all of us at Renaissance Windows and Doors along with the rest of Houston prepares for the rodeo’s kickoff on February 21st, let’s take a look at all the exciting activities that will be happening this year.

Romantic Spots in Houston

Houston’s Romantic Spots  Valentine’s Day is only two days away. If you’re still looking for a romantic spot to take your sweetie, then you’ve come to the right place. We have found a few places that will make your Valentine’s Day one you and your significant other won’t forget.

Join Us at 27th Annual Texas Home and Garden Show

It’s that time of year again and all of us at Renaissance Windows and Doors would like to invite you to join us at the 27th Annual Texas Home and Garden Show. The show will take place this Friday, February 8th until Sunday, February 10th, at Reliant Center. This is your chance to explore “the widest range of the newest home and garden products” for all your home’s needs.

Introducing New Aluminum Screen Frames on Infinity By Marvin Windows

All of us here at Renaissance Windows and Doors are excited to let you know about the new stronger extruded aluminum screen frames on double-hung windows by Infinity by Marvin. Let’s learn a little more about Infinity windows and the new screen.

Introducing The 2013 Home Design Trends

How far have you gotten with your New Year’s resolution to put a little more excitement into your home decor? With some help from these 2013 home design trends, you can transform your home in no time.

New Year, New Windows

Last week we offered you some of our favorite ideas for adding holiday curb appeal to your home. As you have started hanging decorations, have you looked closely at your existing windows and doors? It may be time to ask yourself if you are getting the most for your money. When you were putting lights in the windows, did you feel a draft? Perhaps after you hung the wreath and closed the front door you felt cool air seeping in; maybe you just noticed it’s almost time to paint the windows ... again.

Curb Appeal for the Holidays

We always want our homes to look beautiful, but something about the holidays makes decorating our front doors and entryways just a little more special. Some call it “curb appeal” while others just call it decorating for the holidays. Whether you are looking for some ideas to give your entrance a permanent face lift, or just looking to “spruce” things up with a wreath and some lights, we have some lovely ideas to help get you inspired.

Creative Leftovers

The leftovers are almost the best part about Thanksgiving, aren’t they? Most of us enjoy at least one, giant leftover turkey sandwich stacked with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce; another perennial favorite is to make a big batch of turkey soup you can eat for days, or freeze for later. It’s fun to switch things up, though, so let’s take a look at some creative uses for your leftover Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Emergencies—Solved!

It’s Thanksgiving morning, and something has gone wrong—what do you do? Whether your turkey is still frozen, you’ve forgotten a key ingredient in a recipe, or things are just in a general state of chaos, we have a few solutions that will make “putting out the fire” a little easier. Speaking of putting out the fire, always have a working kitchen fire extinguisher handy!

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

What Thanksgiving side dish do you look forward to the most? Maybe mashed potatoes smothered in gravy, or buttery stuffing chock-full of onions; perhaps you can’t get enough of mom’s green bean casserole, or maybe you skip the sides and go crazy at dessert! No matter which dishes you look forward to most, we have a few suggestions—and resources—to make your Thanksgiving just a little extra delicious!

Turkey Tips for Thanksgiving

Now that we’ve had a few days to gobble up the rest our Halloween candy, it’s time to turn our attention toward our Thanksgiving turkey! The traditional bird graces practically every dinner table on this wonderful holiday; we have so much to be thankful for, and we are blessed to have the opportunity to share our good fortune with family and friends.

Have a Safe & Happy Halloween!

We have had so much fun on the Renaissance Windows & Doors blog this month! We’ve shared some of our favorite Halloween “tricks” and tips: costume ideas, party treats, decorating ideas, and helpful hints for pumpkin carving and local haunted houses. All that’s left to do now is grab a bucket and go door to door—it’s candy time!

Pumpkin Carving and Haunted Houses

We hope you have your Halloween costume all picked out, and that our list of Halloween treats inspired you to pick up some special confections; it’s not too late to get your house all decked out for trick-or-treaters! But there are two more important points to remember for Halloween: carving jack o’lanterns and finding the best, and scariest, haunted houses!

Decorating for Halloween

Decorating the house—inside and out—for Halloween is so much fun. You can go all-out scary and spooky with a Halloween theme, or you can stick to a more general fall theme with Halloween accents for the week before and after the holiday.

Halloween Party Treats

We are already getting invitations to some really fun Halloween parties, and we bet you are, too. Whether you are planning a grown-up get-together, or need to plan for the kids’ school parties, we are willing to bet that sweet treats are on your menu for Halloween entertaining.

Halloween Costume Ideas

Happy October, everyone! Those cooler temperatures sure blew in quickly, didn’t they? We have been enjoying throwing our windows open and letting the fresh, cool air in. The change in temperature has us thinking looking forward to big pots of soups and chili on Sunday, cozy sweaters, and watching the Houston Texans keep their undefeated season going!

No Cost Interior Design Solutions

So you want to redecorate, but you’re on a tight budget right now. What to do? Redecorating on a shoestring is one thing, but how do you redecorate without any shoestrings at all? It’s easier than you think. If you get creative, use things you already have on hand, and maybe even look for a little inspiration from nature.

Creative Corners

Overcast skies and rainy days have us thinking about the cozy corners of our homes; places where we can curl up with a good book, a cup of tea, or our laptops, and spend a few quiet moments. Is there a small space in your home you have been thinking about redesigning or making over? You don’t have to spend a fortune to turn an unused, or underused space, into a quiet corner for reading, studying, or getting some work done.

Baby’s Room Remodeling

No matter how many times you read “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” we promise—a new baby will bring a lot of surprises to your house! Renovating a room for a new addition to the family is an exciting proposition, and offers many opportunities for substantial, investment-type renovations (new windows and doors, a new bathroom) as well as cosmetic changes that don’t require quite as much commitment in terms of time and money (think paint and window treatments).

Remodeling Fever

There is a phenomenon known to us in the home renovation industry, one that we call “remodeling fever.” If you have lived through a remodel, you might recognize the symptoms: early excitement gives way to anxiety; even with deadlines and goal dates, it feels like there is no end in sight; small setbacks start to feel huge.

After School Projects

Like many of you, we have spent August in the midst of a balancing act between last-minute vacation fun and back-to-school prep work. Now that the kids are back in the classroom, you may find you finally have the time to turn your attention back to your house and some projects that have been on the back burner during the summer months. (Sign up for the Renaissance Windows & Doors newsletter to receive our September newsletter, which focuses on that very subject!)

Getting Ready for Back to School

It may be hard to believe, but the new school year is already upon us. It can sneak up quickly, so if you aren’t quite prepared, don’t worry! We have a few resources to help you get caught up, fast. Check out our list of helpful hints and tips to get up to speed as the kids go back to school.

Noise Control and Your Home

We all want our homes to provide shelter from the storm—literally, and figuratively. We seek refuge from the world inside our houses; we retreat to our homes to unwind from the stress of everyday life. In short, we are all just seeking a small, quiet space where we can spend time with our families, collect our thoughts, and relax. When outside noises become intrusive inside the home, that quiet space disappears, leaving us with a reduced ability to disconnect from the outer world.

Back to School Escape: Three, last-minute getaways

It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over, and the kids will be going back to school soon. We know there isn’t much time left to take a big summer vacation, but why not one last, long weekend with the family before the kids go back to class? There are a lot of great things to do in, around, and just outside of Houston. Here are our top three suggestions for fast, last-minute family mini-vacations that everyone will enjoy.

Why Choose RWD: What to look for in a remodeler

How do you know what to look for when it’s time to choose a remodeler? There are a lot of factors to consider, not the least of which is the fact that you are entrusting your home to someone who will be making major, permanent changes. How do you know when you have found “the one”?

Window Replacement Checklist

When considering a major renovation, it can help to organize your thoughts, expectations, needs, and budget. Creating itemized checklists for each step in the process will help you plan your finances and timelines, and will also help you manage your expectations as the project progresses. The first thing to consider when thinking about a window replacement is: Do I need to replace my windows?

Refinancing Options for Replacement Windows

In a tough economy, we all look for ways to get the most out of any investment. If you are thinking about replacing your windows or doors you already know that an energy-efficient replacement can help you save money over time by reducing your energy costs. But what about the money you have to spend up front? At Renaissance Windows & Doors we offer you three great refinancing plans to help you cover the cost of your replacement windows, and start saving money.

Impact Windows and Doors: Beyond Storm Protection

Last week we introduced you to the two brands of Impact Windows and Doors that we carry at Renaissance Windows & Doors: Hurd FeelSafe and Showcase® Custom Vinyl. Impact windows and doors are an excellent option for Gulf Coast residents, who know only too well the kind of damage that hurricanes—and other high-wind, heavy-rain, high-impact debris carrying storms—can cause to a home.

Why Impact Windows and Doors?

Impact windows and doors—What are they? Why are they important? Why should you consider purchasing them for your home? These are the questions our clients ask when they are shopping for new windows and doors.

Beat the Heat! Cool Things to Do in Houston This Summer

When summer hits there’s only one thing on our minds here in Houston—how to keep cool! Beating the heat is practically its own Olympic sport here! When the mercury creeps into triple digits and the humidity is unbearable, it’s time to find creative ways to keep cool during the summer months.

Hurricane Preparedness

As all of us here in Houston know, having a hurricane plan is important. Hurricane season started on June 1 and continues through November 30, so we have quite a ways to go. Here is a list of great resources for you to read, review, and bookmark for more information on hurricanes and hurricane preparedness:

Outdoor Kitchens and Summer Entertaining

One of the best parts about summer is the seemingly endless days of sunshine. Sure, it gets hot and humid here in Houston, but with Galveston just a short drive away and plenty of poolside fun to be had, summer is a wonderful time to enjoy being outside and entertaining guests.

Staycation Ideas

Are you skipping a summer vacation this year? Maybe your workload is just too heavy, or it’s just not in the budget right now; if you have to skip the long, extended trip but you still want to have a little fun, start thinking about a “staycation” (or two!) that the family can enjoy.

Green Apps (Online Resources)

We have had a great time this month, sharing information on “greener living” with all of our blog and newsletter readers. To wrap up our May theme of greener, sustainable living, we wanted to share with you some of our favorite online resources. These are websites and apps with lots of information on how to live a more environmentally-friendly life. We hope you enjoy them!

Greener Clean for Your Home

Here are a few of our favorite tips for cleaning your house by repurposing cooking and kitchen supplies into cleaning supplies. Our mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers were using these long before we could buy bright-blue cleaning fluid in a spray bottle!Whether you are looking to save money or simply reduce the number of chemical-laden cleaning products in your home, there are many ways to clean your home with products you can already find in your cupboards. Keep in mind that it is important to follow manufacturer’s instructions when using products on anything—glass, wood, fiberglass, etc.—and that spot-testing when using a new product or method can help prevent damage from using incompatible cleaning products.

Using Green Materials in Your Home

We are continuing our May theme of ways to develop a green, sustainable home with a blog post about interior design. Replacing your old windows and doors with new, more energy efficient models is a great way to invest when you are remodeling your home, but you can make other changes that result in a “greener” living space, as well. Here are some of our favorite “green” tips for interior decorating to make your home more beautiful while making it more sustainable at the same time.

“Green” Products at Renaissance Windows & Doors

Manufacturers understand the importance of giving customers the environmentally-friendly products that consumers are looking for, as well as producing those products in environmentally-friendly ways. When you are looking for a company that does things in a “green” way you should be looking for products that are manufactured with environmental stewardship in mind, as well as products that will bring your home into a more environmentally-friendly balance. New doors and windows are a big part of making your home more energy efficient, saving you money by reducing energy use—that’s good for everyone.

Green Initiatives in Houston

What do you think of when you think about Houston? Maybe your first thought is “oil and gas”—you wouldn’t be the only one! And then maybe you would think about NASA, or our amazing medical research and treatment centers; our proximity to Galveston; all of the great food, from barbeque to Tex-Mex, and more. Houston is a great city, with a lot to offer—after all, we are the fourth-largest city in the U.S. We all know that the city of Houston has it all, with a growing economy, a great arts, music, and culture scene, amazing restaurants, and wonderful universities.