Staging The District

Showing Your Assets When Selling

No...not those assets...but that's important too...

Successful staging involves using your home's assets to your advantage.  Whether it's an open floor plan, outdoor entertaining space, or a gorgeous kitchen, buyers should always be able to see what makes your particular house special...and by special, I of course mean worth your full asking price!

This particular home had a master bedroom that, while somewhat low on square footage, had a vaulted ceiling that made the space feel a lot more spacious than it was in actuality.  However, the non-descript bed, distracting artwork, and generally disheveled appearance made that important selling point easy to miss.  The expansive windows also lacked interest and were also easily missed.

As is often the case, the solution was both simple and inexpensive!  I made the bed a focal point by adding a headboard ($40 from Goodwill and spray painted black), coordinating side tables (Target), contemporary table lamps (a Craigslist find), and narrow, vertical mirrors (Wal-Mart).  A chic black Starbust-inspired mirror and a few coordinating throw pillows finish the space to create a neutral, but very chic motif.  The windows were brought back to life by opening the blinds to let in natural light and by adding tailoired gray window panels (Ikea of course!).

All in, this bedroom makeover cost less than $350 and transformed an otherwise uninspired bedroom into a buyer-worthy retreat!

BEDROOM BEFORE

BEDROOM AFTER:

Use What You Have: Dining Room Edition

Long time no blog...to those lovely few (and hopefully growing) who eagerly await my posts, my sincere apologies!  I've been busy attempting to cram copious amounts of midterm information into a brain that really just wants to be online shopping...oh, and there's the obese cat that I spontaneously adopted that's eating up my spare time (lots of extra vacuuming). Her name is Velcro...and no,I didn't name her...

So, that being said, I'm pulling a project from the vault.  One of my absolute favorite staging, and really general design tricks, is using paint and upholstery to reinvent otherwise dated furniture.  It's really a simple concept and in the era of 'green' design, it's an especially easy way to reduce your environmental impact while still pursuing great design.

Below are a couple of dining room sets that were completely transformed with just a little bit of paint and fabric. The great thing about dining room sets?  Most of the chairs have very basic upholstery, so with the help of a staple gun, even the most basic DIY-er can replicate these ideas!

A few helpful hints when painting (because I've made every mistake in the book in the past):

• Always start by sanding down wood pieces.  100 grit sandpaper and a hand sander should do the trick in most cases, unless you need to sand down a lot of nicks and scratches.  In that case, opt for sandpaper that is a little bit more coarse.
• Primer is essential.  Shellac is always a great (albeit smelly) option, but you can keep it simple by using a wood primer from a spray can.
• In terms of paint, lacquer and enamel are great options for furniture and give a solid, long-lasting finish. 
• Finally, don't forget to use a clear polyurethane top coat to seal the pieces from damage, wear and tear.

So, whether you're looking for an inexpensive dining area update to spruce up your real estate listing or need a quick, but affordable change for your home on a day-to-day basis, get inspired with the ideas below!

 

     BEFORE         AFTER

    BEFORE           AFTER


 
   BEFORE              AFTER

Cool Coffee Table Vignettes

Staging, and for that matter, much of everything design-related, is all about the details.  Whether it’s a table-scape, desktop, or countertop, the right accessories can really make or break the look and feel of a room.   So today I explore coffee tables…

Now, if you’re anything like me, your coffee table is the place where dinner and drinks rest comfortably, but not much else.  Okay, technically I do keep a stack of magazines and, when entertaining, a tall vase of white gladiolas on my West Elm coffee table, but I still think it could be spiced up a little!

So to inspire both myself, as well as anyone else who hopes that this or her coffee table can do more than function as a foot stool and secondary dinner table, here are some clever, simple ways to create a stunning coffee table vignette.

1) Sets of three: Unify sets of objects by color in order to create a cohesive theme.

Photo: www.globalviews.com

2) Trays: Use trays to create a collection of items and add life with splashes of botanical.

 

Photo: Pottery Barn

3) Varying Heights: Try using items of different heights and scales to create contrast and structure.

 

Photo: Overstock.com

4) Repetitive themes: Use one item or object in repetition to create a collective focal point.

*As a side note, there are more apples on this table than I've eaten over the course of my entire life...unless we're counting apple martinis...

Photo: Pottery Barn

5) Minimalist approach: Keep things simple with a neutral bowl and a small assortment of decorative balls.

Photo: Restoration Hardware

6) Floral Frivolity:  Pair a monochromatic floral arrangement with a few well-appointed books and a conversation piece to create a more formal setting.

Photo: Williams Sonoma Home

And most importantly, don't forget to leave plenty of room for actually using the surface of your table!  After all, how else are you going to combine design with dinner, drinks, and HGTV-viewing?

Staging 101: Find A Function!

One of the biggest errors homeowners make when selling their home is letting valuable square footage go to waste...

When selling, every room should have a very clear, obvious, and specific function...otherwise, why is the buyer paying for your specific floor plan?  Staging, of course, is the perfect way to show buyers exactly how and why your home is the perfect lifestyle solution for prospective buyers!

Take this bedroom loft as an example...okay let's start with the obvious...dare I ask why, in the before picture, there is a bare mattress sitting on the floor??? Technically speaking, I do see a function...but perhaps not the function a family-friendly buyer is envisioning...or perhaps it's just my sick mind! I don't ask the questions here people, I simply find the solutions!

This adorable town home had a major selling point: a 12'x14' loft located above the master bedroom.  This was a unique feature for this neighborhood, which meant that it really needed to show well for potential buyers.  I myself have never had the luxury of a loft space above my bedroom.  In fact, I'm quite happy with the fact that I no longer live in my old Georgetown studio from college days where my bedroom existed in conjunction with my living, dining, and even entry space...I'm sure many of us DC types have been there...

That being said, the loft, in my opinion, seemed like the perfect adult escape from screaming kids, dirty laundry, surprisingly-difficult-grade-school-math-homework, and all of the other joys that (so I've heard) come with kids and family. 

All in, this space cost less than $300.  With a pair of chairs and coffee table from Goodwill (transformation tips forthcoming), a $99 'futon' from Target (don't miss my former boss and fave Target style expert's tips here: http://style.target.com/tag/sabrina-soto/) and a few inexpensive accessories, a once-questionable loft space was transformed from sketchy to serene with minimal effort!

LOFT BEFORE:

LOFT AFTER:

Like this futon?  It's available here: http://www.target.com/dp/B003BS641C/ref=sc_iw_r_12_0_360124011

Throw pillow are available here: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/187-0639807-4587967?asin=B0027F0VNM&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=|B0027F0VNM&CPNG=home&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B0027F0VNM&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001