Category Archives: Design Tips

How One Stager Prepared Her Own Home for the Market

CLICK LINK BELOW FOR A DOWNLOADABLE PDF TO PRINT & SHARE WITH SELLERS: 
“How One Stager Prepared Her Own Home for the Market”

Getting a home ready to sell in any given real estate market can seem like a daunting task for anyone, even a professional home stager like me. When preparing my Connecticut home to hit the market in late June, I felt a bit overwhelmed tackling all the personal items and clutter. While it took some extra motivation and hard work to pack, sell and donate unwanted items, I used my expertise to style a standout property that would grab buyers’ attention.

Here’s what I did to show off my home, which nabbed multiple offers above list price in the first weekend on the market.

1. Ensure Inviting Curb Appeal

Two years before selling, my husband and I began to refresh our property’s exterior by updating the original siding with vinyl, adding new shutters and replacing outdoor light fixtures. A few weeks before listing our home, we had our walkway power-washed, weeded and mulched our gardens, and gave a fresh coat of paint to our front door.

 

2. Neutralize and depersonalize

I was ready for a living room update several years ago and subsequently chose a palette and furnishings with clean lines to match my personal style and appeal to future buyers. A neutral foundation, modern sectional, new window treatments, cozy-chic accents and pops of warm colors brightened the space and enhanced its features. Also, while staging, I removed distracting personal collectibles and photos on the desk and shelves.

 

3. Remove dated wallpaper and colors

This past year, I replaced my beloved red toile wallpaper—which was at least 15 years old—and Country French styling in the dining room with Sherwin-Williams’ French Gray, which made the white trim in the room pop. While keeping the antique dining table and sideboard, I added modern chairs, a natural woven rug, white linen drapes, brushed gold drum chandelier and original artwork to brighten and increase the room’s perceived size.

 

4. Simplify and brighten

Since the kitchen eat-in area needed to coordinate with the other rooms, I painted the walls a warm gray and created a more modern rustic look with a large farmhouse dining table, upholstered chairs and a chic industrial-style chandelier. When staging, I simplified the design by removing personal wall art and extra objects that helped make the space feel larger and more inviting.

 

5. Help buyers connect

An important transformation was updating the dated sunroom, which had a brick fireplace, brass screen and paneled walls. I had painted them all when we first moved in 27 years ago. I had the wall paneling removed and painted it a soft grey; renovated the fireplace to a neutral, modern style; and added furniture that featured a more open and relaxing, coastal-inspired space. With lots of natural light, a neutral sectional, new flooring and nautical colors, this space is perfect for young buyers with families

 

6. Create a cozy bedroom that’s memorable

Bedrooms are key spaces that buyers connect with. After removing personal items, the owner’s suite and extra bedrooms were painted, decluttered, brightened and styled with a neutral foundation, fresh bedding, colorful pillows, lighting and modern area rugs that showcase the hardwood floors.

 

 

 

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These Home Improvements Matter Most To Young Adults

Millennials are looking for properties in move-in condition and want to avoid the expense of significant repairs. Check out our room-by-room upgrades that will get that listing sold in our most recent article featured in National Association of Realtors’ Styled Staged and Sold blog.

Click below for article link:

These Home Improvements Matter Most To Young Adults

 

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HOW TO ARRANGE GROUPINGS OF ART

A great way to add personality and warmth to your spaces is with artwork but sometimes the hanging and arranging can be a challenge. Check out some of our go-to guidelines to simplify the process and help you achieve the right overall balance for a well-designed room. Happy hanging!
(Click here for downloadable PDF for future reference)

BASICS

  • Artwork arrangement should span approximately 2/3 the width of the furniture it sits above.
  • Treat multiple pieces as one.
  • Keep height at eye level, roughly 60” from the center of the grouping to the floor which will create balance throughout the home if all the art shares the same visual midline.
  • Leave 2-5” between each frame for spacing.
  • Use craft paper and low-adhesive tape for figuring out arrangement and nail placement.

Photo Source: Ballard Designs
For even number groupings, keep pictures in the shape of a square with even spacing in between for symmetry.

Photo Source: Pottery Barn
For three in a row, choose vertical images so it doesn’t appear overcrowded.
Perfect for hallways or above sofas.

Photo Source: Pinterest
For an asymmetrical grouping, stagger by varying the height and distance so they create a visually balanced arrangement.

Photo Sources: Pinterest
For a large gallery wall with multiple types of styles, frames and sizes, try hanging larger pieces at the bottom left, small pieces in the upper right and mid-sized pieces in between for a unique look. Or start with the largest piece in the center as a focal point and arrange around it.

 

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COLOR TREND ALERT: INDIGO AND BLACK ARE THE “NEW NEUTRALS”

We are loving the two hues – indigo and black – that are taking center stage as the “new neutrals” in home decor. These two “it” colors pair well with a range of color palettes, metallic finishes and materials and are being shown in everything from modern kitchens to lighting, hardware, rugs, sofas and more. Check out our picks below for some styling inspiration for adding these colors to your own home.

Indigo 

Rich, serene and bold, indigo blue’s versatility makes it ideal for both contemporary and traditional interiors. When used as a wall color, it can create a cozy and moody vibe and when used as an accent feature, it feels lighter and more playful. Mix and match it with a soft cream sofa for a soothing, coastal feel or create some energy with pops of red, yellow, chartreuse, coral or brown in pillows, art or rugs.

Black

Black is also a great foundation color that adds depth and elegance to any space when paired with crisp white, creams, and gray. It is being shown in every texture and finish, from velvet and leather to natural wood and heavy rug weaves. Try using it for light pendants or hardware in a kitchen or for furniture, wall art and rugs for a dramatic style.

 

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EYE-CATCHING ACCENTS THAT BUYERS & GUESTS WILL REMEMBER

With the busy spring real estate market in full swing, it’s more important than ever for potential buyers to remember a property from the moment they step through the front door. That means thinking beyond furnishings and décor and presenting a lifestyle that they can envision with memorable, engaging accents.

Pops of Bold Hues

For the gorgeous living room shown above, our design team chose versatile navy-blue as the primary accent color which really pops and makes a statement against the soft, neutral backdrop. Since this room is one of the first that guests will notice upon entering the property, the use of an eye-catching color creates a focal point to draw potential buyers into the space. The cozy velvet side chair, accent pillows, artwork and pottery work together to create a sophisticated, unforgettable space.

Engaging Vignettes

Once the furnishings and decor are chosen, inviting vignettes arranged in trays and baskets help immediately draw buyers into the space and emotionally connect. In the photos above, we chose a collection of coordinating accents with texture and personality such as plants, flowers, colorful bottles, napkins and wine glasses to both convey a lifestyle and enhance the home’s unique style.

Artwork

Using hanging art is a great way to add a subtle touch of warmth to help present a home in the most appealing light. We find that using simple imagery with soothing hues or text with a short message works best to add to the room’s style while not detracting from its best features.  The canvas “Home Sweet Home” wall art and abstract art for fireplace shown above were the perfect finishing touches in the farmhouse style kitchen we recently staged with soft creams, wired baskets and pine furnishings.

Inviting Textures

Layering and mixing textures creates depth and visual interest in any space. In the rooms shown above we started with beautiful area rugs that contrast well with the dark hardwood flooring and added a mx of textured accents such as a faux fur throw, pillows in different fabrics, wood, gold and silver metallics, wire, glass and ceramics. The final result is an engaging space that will instantly get noticed by buyers.

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