Category Archives: Design Tips

STAGE TO IMPRESS EARLY SPRING BUYERS

With the Early Spring Selling Season officially here, it’s time to get your property ready to stand out on the market and make the best first impression for prospective buyers. Below are some of our tips for showcasing a big or small home’s best features to boost perceived value and engage buyers from the moment they step through the door.

A Neutral Foundation
For the spacious, contemporary colonial above, we neutralized the dining room and front entry walls with some of our top warm taupe/grey picks from Sherwin Williams — Worldly Gray and Accessible Beige. Having a neutral foundation with both wall color and furniture makes a statement and allows a room’s architectural features (i.e. hardwood floors, molding, windows and tray ceilings) to really pop and get noticed.

Furniture Selection and Placement
Whether staging a large or small space, the right furniture placement can make all the difference. For a large living room with big windows and high ceilings (as shown above), the key is to balance with warm, comfortable seating areas paired with accents that fill the space, highlight the features and engage buyers.F

For a smaller living room like the one pictured above, our team strategically chose a neutral love seat and chairs instead of a sofa to both increase perceived room size and create a warm and inviting space. In addition, arranging the furniture around the beautiful fireplace creates a focal point for buyers.

Inviting Accents and Vignettes
The final touches are what really make a room inviting and memorable. Get creative with pops of colorful and coordinating modern accents arranged as vignettes for an office desk or console. Or use trays/baskets for a dining table centerpiece to help buyers emotionally connect as soon as they walk into a room.

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OUR FAVORITE 2019 STYLE TRENDS

Get ready to begin anew with some of the the latest home decor style and color trends for the New Year! Think lush velvets and natural woven fabrics, planters with a mix of botanicals, wallpaper in bold patterns, warm bronze metallics, jewel-toned hues and the industry’s Colors of the Year in coral, blues and grays. We hope our picks below spark your interest and inspire you to introduce some on-trend style that will make a chic statement all year long.

Product Sources: Crate and Barrel, Serena & Lily, Front Gate, West Elm

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SEASONAL DECOR WITH A TWIST

We love holiday decorating using everyday decor paired with fresh seasonal accents to give mantels, tables and entryways unique, personal style. Below are three of our favorite holiday trimmings with tips that will inspire you to create warm and welcoming vignettes throughout your home this season.

And don’t forget that the PJ & Company team can help you decorate your home with less stress and added style for the upcoming holiday season! Call us at 203.640.3762 or email patti@pjstagingdecorating.com to discuss how we can create warmth and style to fit within your budget and schedule for the holidays.

Rustic Luxe

For unexpected elegant style, mix nature-inspired elements such as delicate twigs and birch wrapped candles with high-shine, gold and silver metallics and luxurious fabrics.
Surround woodland or ceramic animals with glittery gold and mercury glass trees.
Drape greenery on mantels with glass lanterns or hurricanes filled with sparkling ornaments and trinkets.
Pair a chunky, wool cable knit throw with silky, beaded and faux fur pillows.

Classic Plaid Reimagined

For a traditional look with a twist, layer in texture by using on-trend tartan plaid pillows, bedding or dinnerware paired with animal print patterns and cozy faux fur fabrics.

Coastal Chic With Pops of On-Trend Blues

Create a relaxed, beach vibe by using coastal elements in whites and creams paired with accents in an array of trending blue hues.
Arrange shells, starfish and coral in a rustic wood bowl with touches of greenery and metallic accents.
Consider a white Christmas tree adorned with an array of silk peacock blue ribbons and shimmery ornaments.

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HOW TO USE PAINT AND WALL COVERINGS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR HOME DECOR

Color is one of the most dynamic and versatile design elements for adding personal style to your home’s decor. It not only sets the mood and tone, but can also bring out a room’s architectural features. Wallpaper is also back in style and can help add depth and interest to any room.

Not sure where to begin when choosing a paint color or wallpaper pattern for your spaces? The following are some tips and creative ideas that we hope will inspire you.

1. Create Your Palette

Start by considering your personal color preferences. Which colors do you gravitate towards – jewel tones, pastels, neutral?
Collect images and swatches from Pinterest, Houzz, and other decor sources. Even consider your own personal experiences: vacations, nature, artwork, etc. that attract and inspire you.
Group the colors and view them together in the room to see how they look with existing furnishings and during different times of the day (colors look different in the morning, afternoon and evening).

2. Define The Mood

Narrow down colors based on the vibe they evoke.
Decorate with intention by choosing colors that have personal meaning and give you a sense of satisfaction.
Hues from nature such as blue, green and tan feel tranquil, soothing and renewing.
Bright yellows, oranges and reds enliven a space with warmth and energy.
Darker colors convey mystery, drama and formality while lighter colors are lively and optimistic.

3. Accent Your Space

There are many ways to highlight your home’s architectural features with color:

Try lightening up a traditional brick fireplace by whitewashing it for a more modern look.
Built-in shelving can be treated like furniture by using either the same color paint or a contrast color to the walls. Make a bookshelf pop by painting the back of the shelves a complementary accent color
Try using contrasting color on stairway risers and/or spindles for a dramatic entryway.

4. Add Personal Style With Wallpaper

Wallpaper can add style and dimension to any space. Consider using wallpaper as an accent wall in a small office or powder room.
Keep the style of the wallpaper similar to your home’s decor – traditional, contemporary, rustic, etc.
You should feel emotionally attached to the design so you won’t get tired of it quickly.
In a room with many doors and windows, avoid large pattern repeats. Instead, choose a textured or solid color.

5. Still Overwhelmed?

Consider consulting with an interior designer who can help narrow down paint and paper selections based on your taste and budget.

For more info please contact Patti Stern at 203.640.3762 or email patti@pjstagingdecorating.com.

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Re-Energize Your Space With Trending Colors That Boost The Spirit

We recently discussed springtime styling tips to wow home buyers, and with the anticipation of warm spring and summer months building, it’s also time to say goodbye to winter decor. An easy way to keep your home seasonally up-to-date is to introduce colors that inspire energy and tranquility.

It’s no secret that color affects both the atmosphere of a room and overall mood of those inhabiting it. When focusing on re-energizing a space, some of the best colors to incorporate are shades of purple, blue, and green.

Image Credits: Arhaus / Link to their natural reclaimed kitchen and dining room furnishings.

Purple in the Dining Room

Purple is most commonly associated with:

Luxury
Creativity
Vitality

Pantone’s Color of the Year, Ultraviolet, is a great accent color to incorporate into a dining space, to bring forth a chic and modern feel when entertaining family and friends.

Image Credits: Arhaus / Link to their handcrafted bedroom furnishing sets.

Blue in the Bedroom

Blue is most commonly associated with:

Relaxation
Meditation
Inner calm

The bedroom should be a space that invokes tranquility and relaxation. Bedding, curtains, or even a patterned accent wall with different shades of blue, are just a few ways to tie hues of this color into the space.

Image Credits: Arhaus / Link to their neutral colored living room furnishings.

Green in the Family Room

Green is most commonly associated with:

Safety
Harmony/Calming
Nature

Instilling a sense of nature and harmony, green is a great color to incorporate into the family room. Green hues can be brought in through rugs, accent furnishings, and fresh leafy plants, all organized around a neutral colored sectional with green accent pillows. Or, use a lime green couch as pictured above for a more stylish use of the color.

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