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JANUARY 2026
ME LV I N ’ S MON T H LY MOMENT S
205-223-6192 MelvinUpchurchSells.com
IT’S TIME FOR THE MELVIE AWARDS! Every year, Hollywood hands out Oscars … and every year I hand out something even better: chocolate-covered Oscars known as The Melvie Awards . It’s my favorite tradition — celebrating the clients, friends, and moments that made this year unforgettable. No awkward acceptance speeches required.
14. Dave G.: All Banker Coworkers to Melvin Award 15. Emily K.: All Medical Coworkers to Melvin Award 16. Peter & Becky: Long and Short of It Award 17. Caleb & Dara: Most Detailed and Fun Award 18. Naresh & Susmitha: Best Investor Buyer Award 19. Jon D.: Best Investor Seller Award 20. Si W.: Best Academic Referrals 21. Kun & Angela: Best Oklahoma Relocation 22. John & Sarah: Best Family Investor Seller
1. Zach & Lauren: My Favorite Family Award 2. Beverly S.: Bravely Taking on Change Award 3. Kristin & Michael: Best Newlyweds Award 4. Blake P.: Builder of Great Referrals Award 5. Leigh & Glen: The Love Your Old Neighbor Trophy 6. Jan & Arthur: Home Built by Dad Award 7. Jason J.: The “Doctor & Dealmaker” Award 8. Susanne R.: Most Persuasive Daughter Award 9. John H.: Referral MVP 10. Alec & Sara: Homewood and a Pool Award 11. Carrie B.: Farm for Homewood Award 12. Cathy & Bob: The Referral That Deserves a Standing Ovation 13. Dane & Shonda: Kick Out of Helping Award
23. Melissa B.: Sweetest Referrals 24. Julie S.: Sweetest Client Award
25. Chase & Ashley: Clients of the Year 26. Beth and Janet: Best Moms Award 27. Ruthie J.: Best First-Time Buyer 28. Andy & Joanna: Best Grandparents Award 29. Ed. M.: Best Downsize Award 30. Dennis & MaryBeth: Twins Grandbaby Award 31. Jon Riley & Grace: Twins Baby Award 32. Stan F.: Top Referrer 33. Sana M. : Home Gone Award 34. Wes & Merrick: Hollywood to Edgewood 35. Reggie & Kathryn: Best Garage/Carriage House
36. Karen S.: Appreciation Award 37. Vicky V.: Enthusiasm Award 38. Bonny P.: Most Resilient 39. Beverly F.: Best Travel Referral
I’m grateful for every person who trusted me this year. If you or someone in your circle has a real estate need in 2026, I’d be honored to earn that trust again — and maybe deliver a Melvie Award to your doorstep next time.
–Melvin Upchurch
P.S. Big announcement coming in the first quarter of 2026!!
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Built-in custom cabinetry and shelving are popular trends in home design and remodeling. They increase a house’s value and storage space. However, custom carpentry costs have soared, making DIY built-ins the only affordable option for many homeowners. If you envision a wall of custom bookcases but can’t afford a carpenter, here are three guidelines for DIY success. Sketch Your Vision Start with a sketch showing the dimensions of the shelves, sides, footers, headers, and trim for your bookcase. For a pair of open bookshelves, your shopping list should include four sheets of 3/4- inch medium-density fiberboard (MDF), 2x4 scrap pieces to serve as vertical spacers between bookshelves, oil-based primer, semi-gloss paint, sandpaper, and 1–2 tubes of caulk. Before you start, consider painting the wall behind the bookshelves the same color as planned for the shelves. Measure and Cut A typical width for bookshelves is about 12 inches, with 4–7-inch footers and headers, and 2-1/2-inch trim pieces. Cut shelves and side pieces parallel to the longest dimension of the MDF. Use a miter saw to cut each 12-inch piece to the desired lengths for the sides and shelving. Next, cut two scrap-wood spacers as long as the planned distance between shelves. Begin assembling your bookshelf by standing each side piece on its side, using clamps to attach the shortest spacers to the bottom of each side piece. Place the bottom shelf on top of the spacers and drive finishing nails through the sides to secure them in place. Repeat the process with each shelf. The Grand Finale The last shelf piece is the top of the bookcase and should lie flush with the sides. Attach a final support piece across the back, touching the bottom of the last shelf piece and lying flush with the backs of the bookcase sides. Stand the bookcase upright and use screws or metal brackets to attach the support piece to studs in the wall. Attach the footer and header strips to the top and bottom of the bookcase to achieve a more finished look. To make your creation appear more substantial, you can attach 2 1/2-inch strips of MDF to the front of each side piece and shelf. Sand the raw edges of the MDF, caulk the seams, and cover your entire creation with an oil- based primer. Then, top it off with two coats of semi-gloss paint. Now, step back and appreciate your creation. You’ve achieved a master-carpenter look on a bargain budget! CREATE CUSTOM BOOKSHELVES WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK Built-In on a Budget
Smart Meets Stylish Design a Fun and Functional Mudroom
Quiz for the Day: What room in a house is seldom mentioned in property descriptions but causes boundless headaches and stress if absent?
Answer: A mudroom.
A mudroom is a buffer zone against dirt, mud, slush, and snow. Beyond keeping your house clean and making it easier to enter, a mudroom provides extra storage and adds to the value of your home. A well-designed mudroom is also a stress reliever, freeing homeowners from worries about muddy floors, dripping boots, and raincoats. Some people create mudrooms by converting a closet or laundry room, expanding a garage, or enclosing a porch, while others add a small addition or bump-out to their house. The cost ranges from a few thousand dollars to convert a closet to $30,000 or more to create a new addition. Here are three essential features to make your mudrooms work well for adults, kids, and pets. Sitting Space A cushioned bench makes it easier for users to remove shoes and boots. Built-in benches that double as storage space anchor the design and make it easy to tuck seasonal gear, shoes, and boots neatly out of sight. While many homeowners yearn for the tidy, put-together look of closed cabinets for storing accessories and supplies, a combination of closed cabinets and open cubbies for easy access to oft-used items is a more practical design for this hardworking space. Also, inside those closed cupboards can be a good place for shared device charging stations, to keep the cords out of sight. Multipurpose Flooring Your mudroom floor will take a beating, so choose durable, easy- to-clean tile or stone flooring. Earth tones work well in this space, for obvious reasons! If your mudroom design will accommodate a utility sink, this is a welcome addition for cleaning dirty hands and footwear. Another good dual-purpose design is to convert your laundry room into a mudroom. Wall Storage Hooks and open shelves along the walls can provide needed storage for clothing, bags, and pet leashes. Line the shelves with colorful bins and baskets to expand available space and add visual interest. Consider labeling the bins to maintain order, and swap out the baskets as the seasons change. As you implement these savvy design features, you’ll soon see the benefits of containing the messes of day-to-day life.
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Are Open-Concept Home Plans on the Way Out? NOWHERE TO HIDE
Isn’t it great to enter an open, sunlit home and gaze from the entry through to the kitchen, the family room, and beyond, without obstructions or walls? Maybe … or maybe not. For sheer aesthetics, few layouts rival the open-concept plans that won favor in the mid-20th century. As postwar families grew and the average house size shrank, designers opened communal interior spaces to make houses seem larger, brighter, and more pleasant for entertaining. By the 1990s, open-concept designs had become the standard. Then, along came another mega-trend: the move to working remotely. As homes began doubling as workplaces, the shortcomings of open-concept plans loomed large. Avoiding interruptions by family members, children, or roommates in an open-concept floor plan is difficult. Also, in an era of soaring energy prices, open-plan designs are expensive to heat and cool.
Designers are responding by creating more homes with closed rooms or separate spaces that allow for privacy and quiet. Meanwhile, open-concept plans aren’t going away completely. If you are a remote worker stuck in an open-concept home that isn’t working, consider these strategies to aid concentration. • Try to transform a room or defined space close to your internet router with a door you can shut. Many remote workers have converted closets, garages, laundry rooms, and sheds into functional offices. • If you manage to create a dedicated workroom, you will probably spend a lot of time there, so consider ways to make the space multifunctional. Add compact workout gear, a meditation mat or chair, or a window seat for reflection to break up that monotonous focus on work.
• If your only alternative is to continue working out in the open, use props to signal to others that you’re working, such as noise-canceling headphones or a standing screen around your desk. And as Nir Ayal writes in his influential book “Indistractable,” the most important boundaries may be mental. Cultivating the ability to focus intensely on what you’re doing and manage the psychological discomfort that leads you off track can help you create the privacy you need. Regardless of your future work setting, these skills and room strategies will help you improve your productivity and sharpen your focus.
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
TAKE A BREAK
Ingredients
• 3 dried guajillo chiles • 2 dried ancho chiles • 1 medium onion, chopped • 4 garlic cloves • 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes • 3 lbs beef chuck roast • 2 cups beef broth • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp dried oregano • 2 tsp ground cumin • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp salt • Pepper, to taste • Corn tortillas • Fresh cilantro and diced onion for garnish
Directions
1. Soak dried chiles in hot water for 15 minutes. 2. Process chiles, onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a blender until smooth. 3. Place beef in a slow cooker and pour the chili mixture over it. 4. Add beef broth, vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. 5. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the beef is tender. 6. Shred the beef using forks, then mix back into the sauce. 7. Fry tortillas in oil until crispy, then assemble tacos as desired.
Inspired by SimpleWhisk.com
• 3 MelvinUpchurchSells.com
205-223-6192 MelvinUpchurchSells.com 300 UNION HILL DR., STE. 200 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
INSIDE
1
The Melvie Awards Are Here!
2
Simple Steps for Crafting Your Own Custom Bookshelves
Function With Flair: Design Features for a Mudroom That Works
3
Smart Ways to Find Privacy in an Open- Plan Home
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
4
An Accent on Style
The Chair Makes the Room
Designing a new room often ends with a task that can be the most enjoyable of all: choosing the right accent chair. This piece may serve various purposes, like providing extra seating, adding a pop of color, or creating a contrasting design. Making the right choice requires finding a balance between form and function.
A lounge chair invites users to kick back and enjoy. An armchair with comfy armrests suggests good conversation. For a smaller space, a side chair with a straight back and skinny legs works best. In choosing a design, feel free to bend a few rules by departing a little from your theme, such as adding a side chair with solid wood legs to a streamlined Danish modern theme. Now, with an accent chair that perfectly defines your living space, sit back and enjoy!
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Published by Newsletter Pro • newsletterpro.com
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