Enhancing Your Home Through Staging

Home Staging for the sale of your home is very different than decorating a home you plan to continue living in. The staging is to create a set, not unlike you would see on the stage of a fine play. This set is used to help the buyer envision living in your home. This is something that people generally have a very hard time doing without the staging. One of the things we do as professional stagers is we look at target marketing. What type of buyer is most likely to be interested in this home and then we stage to that spectrum of the market while at the same time keeping it broad enough to appeal to the largest number of the entire market. As an example, a home that would appeal to an executive buyer is going to look a lot different than a home presented for the first time buyer.

One of the most important things you can do as a seller is to realize that once your home goes on the market it becomes a commodity and you need to try to emotionally detach from it. This is very hard to do with something as personal as your home. Stagers are interior decorators that specialize in marketing your home and we will sometimes bring something to create a mood or feeling in the home that may not be in line with your personal taste or may not be something you would want to live with long term. As an example, all stagers use silk floral arrangements and greenery as we are not in the business of growing and/or maintaining plants during market time. You may not prefer silks but for staging they are the best and there is no maintenance required. By the same token we may remove some thing that you treasure because it may not be the best fit for what we are trying to accomplish or it may be too personal, too dated, or too valuable to be left out while on the market. All these things are carefully studied out when a stager is making a design plan for the project. These decisions are based solely on the best way to enhance the home and should not be taken personally.

Many things are taken into consideration when the fee is established. Some of those things include, scope of the project, the size of the home, the number of rooms and areas in those rooms that need enhancing, the number of items that either come from our warehouse inventory, shopping time and cost of items that may need to be purchased, transportation costs, number of trips and distance to be traveled, hours worked, number of assistants needed, rental of inventory to be used over the selling time, time required to develop the design plan, pulling and packing inventory, destaging and restocking, clerical time, etc. It takes about a week of preparation time before we arrive at your door on the day of staging.

For an agreed upon price we will bring in accessories, greenery, plants, floral arrangements, bathroom & bedroom linens, decorator pillows, some art work, patio table decor, and other things that will be add additional ambiance to help the prospective buyer imagine that their live can be better than ever by purchasing your home. We will create the emotional factors that are proven to make the buyer fall in love with the property. Studies have shown that people buy homes based on how the home makes them feel when they walk in. That is our specialty and we love what we do. We give it our very best effort and our main goal is a high selling price and a quick sale while being supportive and considerate of the home owner’s needs while living in the house during market time. We incorporate excitement and life into the home which give it that little extra spark you don’t get in a model home sometimes. These extras have become the norm in this market and buyers expect it.

My Gallery

This is what our Gallery looks like on a good day! We have a unit right next to this one that is our Warehouse and is stocked with furniture, bedding, floor lamps, trees, large art pieces etc.


Today is not a good day at these units. I need to spend a long time getting reorganized after being gone and destaging some properties after the sales and not putting everything away yet. I have three stagings coming soon so I am under the gun to get it done. I am going to take more photos of the Warehouse & Gallery after they are done. Maybe the idea of blogging it will get me over there and busy!


There is a lot of behind the scenes hard work that makes a home staging business run smoothly. Today I am doing paper work all day and getting ready for two consultations!


I love owning our own business but it is not all fun and games. Lots of work is required but like with anything worthwhile~it is worth it. I just didn't want you to think I don't do anything but blog all the time. LOL!

Countertops

Top 10 Kitchen Countertops

There are lots of options on the market for kitchen countertops. Our list of top picks gives the pros and cons of the top 10 choices so that you can make an educated choice when you remodel your kitchen.

1) Granite Counters

Granite is the countertop material of choice when there are no other things to think about - like money. It defines elegance in a kitchen. The beauty of the stone contributes to the beauty of even the most modest kitchen.
Pros: holds up to heat; comes in beautiful colors; looks permanent and substantial.
Cons: very expensive, requires lots of maintenance, including periodic sealing; absorbs stains; can crack; limited range of colors available.

2) Engineered Stone

Engineered stone is composed of quartz particals. It is available in a larger range of colors than granite and has a nonporous surface that resists scratches. It's easy to maintain, without the annual sealing required by natural stone. Brands on the market are DuPont Zodiaq®, Cambria Quartz, and Silestone.
Pros: resistant to stain and acid; easy care.
Cons: Expensive.

3) Solid Surface

Because solid surface counters are just what they're called, solid, any scratches can be sanded out. The countertops are custom-made to your specifications by companies such as Avonite, Corian, and Swanstone.
Pros: comes in a rainbow of colors and patterns; seamless; stain resistant.
Cons vulnerable to hot pans and stains which can damage the surface; can be moderately expensive.

4) Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is durable and easy to clean. Add to that inexpensive and you've got a really good choice for countertops for the average home. Because it's installed a section at a time, it can be done by most resourceful homeowners.
Pros: takes hot pans; easy to clean; wide range of price, color, texture and design.
Cons: counter surface is uneven; tiles can easily chip or crack; grout lines become stained; custom-designed tiles are very expensive.

5) Laminates

Laminate counters bear trademarks such as Formica, Nevamar, and Wilsonart. They're made of plastic-coated synthetics with a smooth surface that's easy to clean. The pieces are cut to size and finished on the ends.
Pros: you can buy laminates in lots of colors; easy to maintain; durable; inexpensive.
Cons: scratches and chips are almost impossible to repair; seans show; end finishing and front edge choices can be pricey.

6) Wood or Butcher Block

Wood countertops offer a beautiful warm look and are available in a wide range of colors and finishes. Hardwoods such as maple and oak are most often used as countertop woods.
Pros: easy to clean; smooth; can be sanded and resealed as needed.
Cons: can be damaged by water and stains over time; scratches must be oiled or sealed according to manufacturer's instructions.

7) Stainless Steel Counters

For a really contemporary and industrial look for your kitchen, stainless steel is a good choice. They are heat resistant and durable. Because they're constructed to your specifications, you can have a seamless countertop.
Pros: takes hot pans; easy to clean.
Cons: Expensive; noisy; may dent; fabrication is expensive; you can't cut on it.

8) Soapstone Counters

Soapstone is generally dark gray in color and has a smooth feel. It is often seen in historic homes but is also used in modern homes as both a countertop and sink material.
Pros: rich, deep color; smooth feel; somewhat stain resistant.
Cons: requires regular maintenance with applications of mineral oil; may crack and darken over time.

9) Marble

Because of it's extremely high price tag, marble is not often seen on the countertops of whole kitchens. To get the luxurious look, use it on an island or inset at a baking center. Marble requires constant maintenance, as it easily stains. Some new sealers retard staining.
Pros: waterproof; heatproof; beautiful.
Cons: expensive; porous; stains easily unless professionally sealed; can scratch; may need resealing periodically as per manufacturer.

10) Concrete Counters

If you have countertops in unusual shapes, concrete may be a good choice, as they're often cast right in your kitchen. The high price tag may be beyond most people's budget.
Pros: heat and scratch resistant; can be color-tinted; looks exotic and unusual; new treatments eliminate cracking; additives reduce porosity; new finishes are more decorative.
Cons: mid to high range on cost due to custom work; cracking is possible; can look somewhat industrial; porous but can be sealed.

The Color Wheel

The Color Wheel Decoded

from Simply Stated By RealSimple.com by Nykia Spradley

So based on the great comments left on my last post, I was able to get a better understanding of what some of your biggest design dilemmas are. Choosing colors (whether it's for paint, fabrics, or accessories), seems to be at the top of the list, so I thought I'd do a little primer on how to use a color wheel.
There is nothing worse than tirelessly painting a room only to have an "eh, it's okay" reaction when completed. Or to use an accent color that only brings out the worst in a wall color. I never even thought to use a color wheel until Wendyloohoo commented and suggested it. Where have I been??!! It makes so much sense to use a tool that was created for the purposes of showing what colors should be paired together.
So rather than standing in front of a muddle of color chips at the Home Depot until your eyes glaze over, try these simple tips that I found on the Behr Paint website. They may seem basic, but for those color virgins out there, it can really clear things up and and take the dread out of making annoying color mistakes.

Will you try using a color wheel for your next painting project?

The Color Wheel Rules

Rule One: Family is Always Welcome. Most colors look great with shades from the same family as themselves--reds go with other reds, greens with greens. These are the popular monochromatic schemes, all drawn from a single color.

Rule Two: Next Door Neighbors are Friends. You can also use colors from next door on the color wheel--in the case of red, that's orange and violet. These are called analogous schemes.

Rule Three: Opposites Attract. Every color has a natural complement on the opposite side of the color wheel--that's why red and green look so good together. These are complementary color schemes. Warm colors have cool complements while cool colors have warm complements.

(rules taken from www.behr.com)

(image courtesy of realcolorwheel.com)

Casual Decor

"Decorating Your Home for a Casual Look

The Focus is on Comfort

By Coral Nafie, About.com

See More About:

• casual decorating
• cottage style
• decorating styes
• shabby chic

Bright plaids and flowers give a wonderful fresh look to this casual room.

Do you long for a casual style room that is homey, warm, comfortable, and inviting? Who doesn't want to be comfortable in their own home? If you want to put together a casual style room, learn the basic elements that combine to create a truly casual room.

For starters, casual rooms have simple details, textured elements in fabrics and accessories, restful horizontal lines, soft upholstery, low-luster surfaces, and arrangements that avoid perfect symmetry.

Details are simple, and elements are rectangular or softly curved.

A room decorated in a casual style is the perfect place to have a touch of whimsey. Use an old or reconstructed birdhouse or wooden candlestick for a lamp base, stack pieces of old luggage for a side table, use a low vintage ironing board for a coffee table.

Casual decorating is easily incorporated into rustic, French Country, cottage, Shabby Chic, or American Country decorating styles.

With people enjoying more relaxed lifestyles, many homes today are totally decorated using the elements of casual decorating. But any home can incorporate the elements into a guest room, country kitchen, guest room, or bath. The elements of a casual style of decorating can sneak into most any room and make it feel comfortable.

The elements of a casual style of decorating are discussed below. Use any or all of these tips to bring the casual decorating style to your rooms.

• Furniture in a casual interior is soft and comfortable. Upholstered pieces are usually oversized and slipcovered.
• Many pieces of upholstered furniture are covered in neutral colors, such as tan, gray, beige, or off-white. But other colors are used, too. Soft pastels give a peaceful feeling. Or try darker tones such as navy, rust, olive or forest green, wine, and cranberry for punch.
• Fabrics on furniture and pillows are usually textured, rather than shiny. Interesting weaves of natural fibers like cotton, linen, wool are typical. New synthetic weaves give a natural look and add durability.
• For special accents on upholstered pieces, add ruffles, pleats, buttons, ribbon, or cording. Contrasting colored details incorporate the full range of colors in the room.
• To achieve a casual look, pieces are often long, large, and horizontal, rather than vertical and tall and petite. Tables are chunky and of a large scale, which gives a comfortable feeling, while providing space for storage and spreading out. This helps to create a restful look.
• A room decorated in a casual style is the perfect place for found items of wicker, iron, and rattan, or flea market finds. Old antiques fit in well.

A room decorated in a causal style often has furniture arranged on the diagonal, cutting off sharp corners. Matched pieces are not required, as the focus is on easy.

An ottoman is essential for comfort. Add a large wooden or rattan tray to convert it to a coffee table.

Light woods are often used for furniture pieces and wood flooring. Oak and pine are the most popular, either painted or finished with a flat, low luster varnish to protect the grain.

Hammered iron, antiqued brass, wrought iron, porcelain, or carved wood are used for the hardware on doors and drawers.

Collections of treasured or found items are often arranged to add the casual look. The shelf of a bookcase or corner tabletop is the perfect place for an arrangement of treasures.

Bedrooms in a casual home must have a mountain of pillows and a comfortable quilt.

Windowcoverings in a casual room usually start with shutters, blinds or shades for privacy and light control. They're enhanced with simple valances of fabrics, often layered over non-traditional drapery hardware. Add a touch of whimsy here using a tree branch or old iron pipe for a curtain rod. Drapery panels often hang at the sides, or use long iron nails or notched tree branches for tie-backs.

Details on window treatments are simple. Contrast lining fabric peeking out from the sides, cording or wide contrast banding, or tab tops with buttons or ribbon details dress up the window--but not too much! Add a simple swag of fabric or fabric tie-backs if you must.

Floors in a casual style room are hardwood, tile, stone, or stained concrete. If carpet is used, it should not be too plush. Rather chose sisal, berber, or long, shaggy styles or subtle geometric woven patterns.

Rooms decorated in a casual style have light fixtures made of wrought iron, tin, pewter, or wood. Simple chandeliers look old in wrought iron or antiqued metals. Or electrify a hanging pan rack or hang a rack of antlers. Add small fabric-covered lampshades on the small candle lights. Or select a chandelier that burns real candles for a really warm, homey feeling.

Almost anything you have around the house becomes a decorative accessory in a room decorated in a casual style. Gather pillows, books, boxes, candlesticks, bird houses, and flowers and put them everywhere. Easy-to-keep plants or silk plants add color and texture and candles give a warm, welcoming glow and fragrance.

Artwork of country, casual themes is simply framed using wooden frames, either painted or stained.

The dining table of a room decorated in a casual style would be set with rugged stoneware, textured woven or fabric placemats, coordinated napkins, heavy glasses, stainless flatware, wooden bowls, and accessories of iron or pewter. The colors of the table should enhance the theme of the room, using either bold floral patterns, plain pieces, or soft, comfortable pastels.

Keep in mind that a room decorated in a causal style should be:

• comfortable, homey, welcoming, and sturdy.
• Fabrics should be soft and textured.
• Furniture is long, overstuffed, and low.
• Surfaces worn and rugged.
• Accessories are old and rustic.
• A touch of whimsey is in order.

Use a casual style wherever you want to create a warm, inviting atmosphere."

Your Entryway

10 Entryway Updates by Holly Becker Rumor has it that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Why not wow your guests the moment they arrive with an attractive, welcoming and functional entryway? It can be one of the most inexpensive spaces to update but the most important places in the home since it's the first to welcome your visitors and one that will greet you and send you off into the world daily. It's not a bad idea to actually like a place you see so often. What can you do to spruce things up? Remove everything that can be moved and place it in another room. Give the space a thorough cleaning from floor to ceiling. Pay attention to scuff marks on the walls, cobwebs, and the condition of rugs or throw rugs if you have them. Now you can start with a blank slate. Make a plan of action. WIth pen and paper in hand, sketch a rough outline of the space, marking doorways, windows, etc. Consider the flow of traffic and whether or not the space is working for you and your guests in the best possible way. Now it's time to write a separate TO DO list as you consider the following... How about your door? Can you update the doorknob? Have you considered painting it on the inside with a bold color? Are your locks working properly? Notice also which way doors open and close. Is your front door opening into an awkward wall or directly into the entry to another room? Switch the door so that it opens in the opposite direction - perhaps to a solid wall where you can place a console table and a mirror or art. Consider the walls. Paint, beadboard, wallpaper, a chair rail or some crown molding may work wonders. The average entryway is a small, transitional space so you can often go with bolder wallpaper or more dramatic paint colors - brights, darks, this is the space to go all out and have some fun! Look at your lighting. Should you install a few sconces to flank a mirror for a softer, more inviting mood? Does the pendant light need updating? Maybe your chandelier needs a few crystals replaced or a good dusting? Is your current fixture the right proportion for the room or is it too small or large? What about the bulbs themselves, are they making you and your guests look lovely or do they bring out every flaw? If you like to control matters, install a dimmer switch. Brighten for tasks like cleaning and entering the home, dim just a tad when you're expecting guests for a dinner party and you're trying to set the mood. Storage for coats, umbrellas, shoes, hats, mittens, you name it -- These are essentials that need a home. Consider a boot tray for winter and rainy seasons. If you have a coat closet great, this is a good time to organize it. If you lack a coat closet you'll need either a coat rack or some type of wall system (hooks, for example). Can a bench seat with storage keep gloves and hats? Maybe a few baskets or storage boxes arranged neatly on a shelf beneath the console will hold everything? Furniture needs to serve a purpose and look good. Whether it's a single shelf or a console, it's good to have a place for everything from Sparky's leash to the newspaper, daily mail, paper/pen, your cell phone, keys, candy/mints, etc. You may find a bench or chair helpful for putting on shoes or placing a handbag or groceries. Is the furniture sturdy? Clean? Would paint, new upholstery or hardware make it stand out more? Think about what you currently have. Are you using it? If not, consider other options. How's your flooring? If you cannot afford to update it, scrub and shine what you have and top it with at a lovely, durable rug. Decorate! Flowers, a plant, fresh flowers, a fancy trash bin, a decorative umbrella stand, a framed mirror, wall clock, some art... Shoes on or off? If you have a no shoes policy, try creating a cute sign asking guests to remove their shoes. Place the sign on a shelf or console table, or frame your words and hang it where guests will notice it upon entering. "Remove thy shoes", "Please slip off your shoes and stay awhile", "Shoes be gone!", "Care for a pair of slippers?", "Shoes go here (with an arrow pointing to location)", or "Lose the Shoes" are some ways to get your point across.

Pricing and Staging

I found this article on a home staging blog and wanted to keep it so I am storing it here. You may find it interesting too.

Chipping Away the "PRICE IS KING" Myth in Home Selling

"The way many Realtors and home sellers rely on pricing as a marketing strategy for home selling is not entirely all it is cracked up to be. Believe it or not there is a simple yet profound parallel lesson both Realtor and seller can gain from the way Lay's potato chips are packaged, priced, marketed and sold and how real estate is packaged, priced, marketed and sold.

First, lets me be clear... when it comes to selling anything, be it real estate or potato chips, price IS king. It is a fact that the selling market will only get the price the buying market is willing to pay... this is what makes price "KING". However, I think that too many agents and sellers collapse the concept of "KING" down to mean it is the ONLY thing that matters when it comes to selling real estate. They don't understand the total ramifications of HOW pricing is but one factor managed and integrated into the overall marketing and selling process of real estate.

With that in mind, let's crunch on the pricing lesson of the potato chip...

Recently I saw a persuasive news segment on CBS Sunday Morning. In the piece the correspondent reported on the dynamic and well-regulated world of food labels. Interviewed for the segment was the Product Manager at FritoLay that was responsible for marketing their "natural" potato chip product. FritoLay knows that while Classic Lay's Potato Chips (Bet'cha can't eat just one!) have been a snack "staple" in America for years, consumer tastes change. Because markets and tastes change, FritoLay knows they must ongoingly develop products… including potato chip products.

Surprisingly on camera, the FritoLay's marketing manger shared a company "secret" about one of their newer products... the Natural Potato Chip. She revealed that Lay's Natural Chips are for the most part exactly same product as Lay’s Classic Chips. BOTH are nutritionally the same product and are made using the same type of potato and are cooked in the same way. The only real difference, between the two, is that "natural" chips are salted with sea salt, a salt PERCEIVED to be more natural, are cut thicker and are put in bag that looks more earthy in color and has a matte (paper bag like) finish. Classic Chips go into a shiny red and yellow bag.

Ok, so what! Both bags of chips are the same. What's does that have to do with price?

Well, there is one other BIG difference between Lay’s Natural and Classic chips. FritoLay admitted that they put LESS chips in the Natural chip bag AND the then charge MORE for them. That's right, less product for MORE money. So if price really is KING, how could they get away with this? Well, FritoLay's knows that buyers buy what they want...some potato chip consumers want "natural" chips. Buyers do not perceive Classic Chips as natural... even though they really are. If FritoLay wants to sell chips to the "natural" buyer, they have to sell a product that is viewed as "natural" they know the packaging then becomes essential in driving home the "natural" point.

So even though these chips are basically the same, because the potato chips are packaged in a way that buyers can easily and visually relate to them... they buy them. FritoLay knows that buyers buy products, as simple as potato chips, when they connect to it.

Or said another way... even though homes are often similar, when homes are packaged (staged) in a way buyers can easily and visually relate to them... they buy them. Stagers know that buyers buy products, as COMPLEX as a home, when they can connect to it. A real estate stager's job is to package a house in a way that the buyer will relate to. In a chip, THAT is what staging is all about.

So, while it is important for a home/listing be priced right, don’t be misguided into solely believing the "Price is King” myth… if you do then your home/listing may just end up sitting there on the market as a Real Estate Couch Potato."