From Drab to Fab ~ Continued

In this continuation of the previous house ~ I want to show you some of the other rooms. Laura did a fantastic job on the little girls' bedroom and adjoining bath. The bathroom was wallpapered so we had them remove that. Wallpaper is a real problem when it comes to selling houses. No one like to remove it, especially new homeowners. For many, wallpapered walls are a deal breaker. If you are staying in your home it is fine, just make sure you prepare your walls properly as you will need to take it off before you sell.

After the paper was removed in the house, we asked the homeowners to paint the bathroom and bedroom the same sandy beige color. Neutral colors are a must for selling. Again no new homeowner wants to start having to paint right off the bat! In this house painting the bedroom and bath the same neutral color really helped to unify the space as it was originally a white bedroom with a green bathroom.

Bedroom and adjoining bathroom should always be coordinated.

The before photo speaks for itself. (Yawn!)

Laura did a superb job of making this room just come alive. It just looks like some little girls would have so much fun here. The bathroom is really cute with two shades of pink ballerina towels and some great art, fun flowers and some fragrant soaps and lotion. Now it looks like a suite instead of two disjointed rooms. Note how the new paint warms the room and highlights the baseboard trim. This room also has white plantation shutters on the large window and the paint really sets that off as well.


This home had a gorgeous kitchen as you can see. It was all ready for the final touches that it never received until it was time to sell. How sad! So many people never get the house the way it looks and feels best until it is time to leave. We should all stage our homes for living, or hire a redesigner to help us, so we can enjoy living in a home that makes us feel good. When we feel good at home the sky is the limit as to what we can accomplish not only there~ but everywhere else.


We asked the homeowner to cover up the pale green paint and to coordinate the paint with the adjoining family room which is latte paint with red & white furnishings (See the previous post for the photos.) The accents in both rooms are now red, black and white. The colors and accessories did wonders to connect these two spaces and make them feel like one very large room. The latte colored walls were selected to warm and soften the vivid black, white and red. By having it in both rooms the visual flow is uninterrupted. The flow in a home is very important to make it feel more spacious, unified and together.


I have included these two photos to demonstrate the importance of having something on your large flat surfaces like a table or an island that is tall enough to fill some of the void that is created by them. Tables should always have some kind of elevating center piece. It may be too tall for dining but can easily be removed and replaced when the kitchen is cleaned up at the end of the meal. Note that the red really brings some energy and life into the black and white motif. Red in naturally enlivening and I have learned that when using other colors you have to find the "kick" in other ways. I'll show you what I mean in my next post with some photos and commentary on a beach house we staged.

Bon Appetit! Enjoy to view!

Drab to Dazzling

Today I want to share a house that Interiors by Design staged last summer. You drove into this gorgeous, gated community and saw this fabulously beautiful home, great neighborhood and lovely grounds. You truly could feel excitement in the air.

So much happens in the first few minutes a prospective buyer comes to a home. A favorable location can only help but special considerations needs to be taken in the yard and porch area and entry way. The first 90 seconds at the front door can make or break a deal. Whether selling or dwelling in a home pay particular attention to your porch and front door and entry. Gain a fresh perspective by actually looking at and critiquing what you see when approaching your home.

Approaching this home you could hardly wait to see the inside. Unfortunately, this house was very lack luster. It was very dated, needed wallpaper removal, painting, new light fixtures, etc.

Our job was to stage this house with the intent of making the prospective buyers "fall in love." The house had fantastic potential so we were thrilled with the challenge.

When looking at the before and after photos think about how it makes you feel before and after the staging? Keep in mind that purchases originate from the emotional side of our personalities. A buyer will always leap at an opportunity to make life better for themselves and their families.
Again, whether you are selling or staying in your home, decorate to enhance the environment and to uplift all who enter.

The dining room in this home was dull, dark and dingy with no elements of appeal. When you entered the house and looked to the left, it was the first thing you saw. The furniture was very expensive and well-made but there is nothing in this space that remotely enhances it. As a prospective buyer or dinner guest how does it make you feel? Ho hum at best and bored or even uncomfortable at the worst. This house was immaculate~ but a real sleeper!

After it was staged it was colorful, inviting and interesting to view. The furniture placement gave it drama and a little pizazz. This dining room makes you want to sit down and enjoy a nice meal with family or friends. That is what staging for sale is all about. It makes the prospective buyer envision living in the home and enjoying it!

Note how the mirror is reflecting something beautiful.
Make sure your mirrors do not just reflect an empty wall or the ceiling.

Now when you walk in the front door this is what you see.

Check out the family room as we found it. Again, very lovely furnishings but the furniture placement is wrong, there are no accessories and even though they have a red couch, there is no follow through with the color to add any dazzle to it. This home sits on the third tee of a golf course but you can't get through the room visually to enjoy the view.

Bringing the color in around the room and moving the furniture to a better place helped. Painting an accent wall a darker color to emphasize the beautiful architectural features, the vaulted ceilings and the French doors and windows, which lead to the golf course was important It not only warms up the room but frames the gorgeous view.

Decorating the mantle with something fun also helps pull this room together. The red cranes on the hearth add a touch of whimsy to give it a relaxed and more casual feel. The wing chairs were removed and white chairs with red pillows brought in. The fainting couch adds the element of the unexpected. The greenery adds that touch of life that every room needs.


In my next post I will share some more photos from this home. This property was on the market for 2.3 million dollars and is located in one of the Bay Area's most exclusive neighborhoods.