Puzzle Pieces

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Puzzle Pieces

Emily & Maureen

Today was another stretching day. Shortly after receiving the news that Hazel's condition had worsened over night, we had to leave to stage this house. I wanted to just flee to Utah but so many people were depending on this being completed today that it has to be done before I could leave. Fortunately for me, I got it all organized and planned yesterday, and Jim and I delivered everything to the property last night, so with the help of my trusty assistants things went pretty smoothly.

This house looks dramatically different than when I first saw it a few weeks ago at the consultation. The clients did a lot of work, removing some wallpaper and lots of painting, replacing the light fixture in their dining room, etc. It really updated the house which is a must for a good, quick, profitable sale. I hope this slide show isn't too annoying but I thought it was kind of fun with the puzzle pieces. Before that though I wanted to show you one of the bedrooms.

One of the challenges I like to work on now is using what I have in the warehouse rather than constantly having to buy new things for each house. On this rented daybed I realized that I needed to use a bedspread that was a queen size and so I sorted though my things and most of my bedding is fluffy and puffy but I did buy this red spread at Walmart a few years ago on sale for $21.00. I was thinking one day I will use this for staging. Today was the day. Then I added the red and white pillows from another set. Then I had to find some art work and and pillows for the bed. As I was looking at the set of pictures above I realized that one had a lot of green in it so while sorting through pillows I thought about trying to mix in some green pillows.

I wasn't too sure about it until I went outside and saw this!

Nature can be very inspiring. If God can use it and does use it~it works for me. Red and Green go so far beyond Christmas. Then we found this on the patio~perfect for the room and didn't cost us or the owner any extra money for a side chair in that room.

It turned out to be one of my favorite rooms in the house. I think the most dramatic change is in the family room but all the rooms underwent some drastic changing throughout the day. All in all, it was a good day and no news was good news from Utah. Hopefully the baby is resting comfortably tonight and the doctors have a plan for tomorrow... I am so thankful to be going there tomorrow to see her and help with the family. And I am glad all my houses are done for right now. Whew!

Blog Within A Blog Within a Blog!!

The Nester is a fun blog and she found this other woman who posted something worth reading! Just click on her link below! When you get to Nester's blog click on the blog she refers to by clicking on the bold type link she's thinking of more important things. Enjoy and ponder!

http://www.nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/2008/06/perspective.html

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."