Lisa's Blog

Building NON-TOXIC and GREEN - practicing what I preach in a big way.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 07:45:22 -0500

Hello all.

I have been absent from the board for some time... working on a big project close to my heart. Instead of just "preaching" about healthy and environmentally friendly houses, we decided to build one.

Please check it out at www.ConcordGreenDesign.com + please add your name as a follower at our new blog at www.ConcordGreen.Blogspot.com, where I will provide updates, and valuable information along the way.

Join us on our journey as we set out to prove that building a house that is healthy for both both people and the planet, all while honoring the historic architectural traditions of New England, is possible!

Lisa

For Jeannie. 11:11

BREAKING THE STAGING RULES: White walls CAN work! (With Before and After photos.)

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Tue, 29 May 2007 06:13:19 -0500

White walls are usually avoided in staging a property for sale. White can feel cold, and doesn't help differentiate one room from another in listing photos. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, even in staging.

IF a property has great NATURAL LIGHT, nice ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES and perhaps some imperfections that need to be downplayed (such as uneven walls, ceilings, trim), the color white can actually be the best way to stage.

BUT if you are going to break one rule, best to know the NEW RULES of the game.

THE RULES OF WHITE

Use a light color palette in furnishings and accessories.
Include a variety of textures to add interest and depth.
Furnishings should have a sculptural quality in relief with gallery-white walls.
Make sure the purpose of each room is clearly and uniquely identified.
Window treatments are critical, as they soften walls and filter light.

For more Before and After photos on this job, please visit www.BostonHomeStaging.com, and click on Photos + Tips, then New/Vacant/Resale. White walls story is on third page.

Lisa

Boston Home StagingTM and the Boston Home Staging TM logo are trademarks of Austin Siena, LLC. Copyright 2007, Austin Siena, LLC.
All rights reserved. Republication, duplication or dissemination of this content is expressly prohibited without written permission.
For more information, please contact 978.897.4780.

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS - How RENTING just 2 Sofas in a RESALE full of furniture NOW has it COMPETING WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Thu, 03 May 2007 03:52:26 -0500

After sitting on the market for several months, this homeowner was ready for a fresh start with the help of home staging.

The property was filled with beautiful furnishings and antiques, in traditional Queen Anne and Colonial styles very popular here in New England. The challenge was to attract more buyers of all ages with a more generalized style that would appeal to almost anyone's tastes.

The living room, pictured below, was the most critical transformation, as it is the first room viewed upon entering the grand foyer. It was the only room in the entire home where the expense of renting furniture was truly required. (Sofas sourced from Interim Furnishings of Framingham.)

The traditional, but specific style and darker colors of this living room are transformed with a monochromatic and airy palette. The pair of sofas now lead the eye to the distinctive fireplace, and their size scales the space to reveal its true square footage. Soft, cozy and inviting. Now, even non-New Englanders looking to relocate, and buyers of all ages, can easily imagine themselves in this wonderful home. And better yet, now this newly-defined home is competitive with brand new construction in the area.

BEFORE

AFTER

Lisa

www.BostonHomeStaging.com

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS - If You've Got It, Flaunt It!

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Wed, 02 May 2007 06:53:47 -0500

I am talking about great architecture, folks! :)

High ceilings, massive two-story windows, and a large stone fireplace. Buyers LOVE these features. When staging a home for sale, be sure you are playing up these assets for ALL they are truly worth.

By carrying the wall color all the way up the angled walls, hanging a large grid of maritime maps that echoes the
huge white window frames (I got lucky here... the homeowner had an old chart book and we bought inexpensive frames to create a look that sells for thousands at the Boston Design Center), and rearranging the furniture to highlight the fireplace, all a buyer can say is "Wow."

(Even a vertical vs. horizontal photograph can help accentuate the height and drama of the space.)

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS - Sometimes, the BEST window treatments are NONE at all.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Tue, 01 May 2007 05:02:58 -0500

Removal of window treatments often lets in far more light and can really pay off, as in this case, when there is a
beautiful view just outside. Plus, the windows now look twice as wide. If there is a warm and beautiful paint color on the walls, and the window frames are attractive, better to save window treatments for problem windows. Plus, it saves money, time and effort in staging your home for sale.

BEFORE

AFTER

BOSTON GLOBE Magazine - Agent Secrets - Selecting the best realtor... and a nice mention for Boston Home Staging.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 06:30:20 -0500

Wanted to share a great article entitled AGENT SECRETS that ran in yesterday's Boston Globe Magazine. Written by Beth Teitell, the article's subhead reminds us that "Selling or buying is a big step, and a little homework can get you the best help."

It was also wonderful to get a mention for Boston Home Staging in the article, with a focus on the critical importance of listing photos -- one of the many big reasons to stage the house for sale. Great listing photos attract more buyers!

http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2007/04/15/agent_secrets/

Enjoy.

Lisa

Simple and Eco-Friendly Carpet Solution for Home Staging (and in your own house too!)

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 07:26:24 -0500

Simply speaking, wall-to-wall carpeting is a disaster. It never stays clean, traps all kinds of allergens and dirt (which spew into the air to be inhaled if not vacuumed with a HEPA filter), it promotes mold growth (especially in basements), it off-gasses all sorts of bad chemicals, and when it is finally done wreaking its havoc in your house, it piles up in landfills NOT decomposing. Carpet behaving badly.

Then there is FLOR. If your space absolutely demands carpet, you must check these out... carpet tiles that are available in all sorts of great colors and textures, are non-toxic, formaldehyde-free, and anti-microbial. Even better, if a tile gets stained, you can wash it off in the sink. If you must replace a tile, just buy a new one, instead of ripping out an entire room for one bad stain. Best of all, the company will pick up your used tiles FOR FREE and recycle them into new tiles. (p.s. no commission on this product for me.) :)

There is a wide range of cost per square foot, but does include some economical options. Beside, if we pay a little more upfront, we avoid paying dearly AND environmentally later on.

For more information, see the FLOR marketing email below. Or log onto www.flor.com directly. It has tons of choices, even outdoor carpet, plus design tools to create your own very cool area rugs and wall-to-wall masterpieces.

Lisa

116 N. York Road | Suite 3 | Elmhurst, IL 60126

Home Staging Insurance Anyone?

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:32:10 -0500

Just had a follow up with my insurance agent today... A good reminder of the paramount importance of having insurance in our line of business. As important is to make sure that any painters, repair people and other specialties that you may refer have insurance.

Reasonably priced insurance policies can often be obtained via trade associations, since they can negotiate favorable rates on behalf of their many members. Imagine the power of negotiating a home-staging specific insurance program with the collective power of all the home stagers on the Active Rain Forum!

They've Gotta Have It - Hollywood Inspiration for the Surefire Look that Will Appeal to Most Every Buyer

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 07:27:34 -0600

Looking for surefire inspiration for your next staging project that will please just about every buyer?

Rent the movie "Something's Gotta Give". Read all about it in today's Washington Post article.

They've Gotta Have It

A Glam Kitchen From Hollywood Is a Smash Hit Off the Screen

By Terri SapienzaWashington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 22, 2007; Page H01

The 2003 comedy "Something's Gotta Give" starred Oscar-winning legends Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. But for lots of moviegoers, the most memorable role was played by the house, especially its big, light-filled kitchen.

The airy, shingled Hamptons beach house is walled with windows and built-in bookcases. The rooms are open, the furniture slipcovered and the walls and fabrics awash in creamy blues, whites and tans. The kitchen gleams with white glass-front cabinets, vintage hardware, a commercial-style range and dark soapstone counters.

Buy This Photo
Liz Livingston of McLean and son Kilgo, 17, in their kitchen, which she modeled after Diane Keaton's kitchen in the movie "Something's Gotta Give." (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post)

Video

They've Gotta Have It
Oscar legends Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson were in the 2003 movie, "Something's Gotta Give," but the real star is the house and its big, white kitchen with white, glass-front cabinets and vintage hardware. Homeowners have been known to play the movie DVD for their designer, hoping to replicate the movie set at home.

Staff Design Favorites

Starring Interiors

Deconstructing the Appeal

Kitchen Elements

Photos

Hollywood Hit Kitchen
For many moviegoers, the kitchen in the 2003 comedy "Something's Gotta Give," plays the most memorable role.

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With a backdrop like that, who cares if Keaton and Nicholson find midlife love?

Even when a movie's stars seem dim and the plot is plodding, those of us who can't get enough of interiors can wallow in the set designs. When poor Cameron Diaz began to feel sorry for herself (yet again) in the otherwise forgettable Christmas release "The Holiday," at least we could look past her to the delicious English cottage beyond. (Both films were directed by Nancy Meyers, with production design by Jon Hutman.)

But the "Something's Gotta Give" house sparked interest of an entirely new intensity.

Designers started getting requests to re-create the house's interior or to plan an entire remodel around it. Clients carried in the video to show designers and contractors what they wanted. The president of Williams-Sonoma Home, David DeMattei, created a custom-upholstered headboard collection after seeing the bedrooms. A New England decorator blogged about how to achieve the look and got more hits on that entry than she'd ever had. A rug manufacturer in the Midwest produced a version of the living room's carpet and has sold 65 in the past two years. One overzealous fan rented a helicopter and flew over Long Island until he located the actual house -- then offered to buy it, Meyers told the Los Angeles Times. The house, whose owners were not identified, was not for sale.

"There are catchphrases that we often hear about what people want: comfortable, warm, welcoming, open and light-filled," said LuAnn Brandsen, editor of Renovation Style magazine. This movie set, she said, has all of that: "It's informal and casual, not too over the top, but very nicely done." Two years after the film came out, the magazine featured a story-and-photo layout of a remodel in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., based on the "Gotta Give" kitchen.

The appeal of the space, designers say, is its old-fashioned styling, modern conveniences and classic look.

Two years ago, Harriet Finder of Stuart Kitchens in Bethesda helped design a front-window display for her firm that was modeled after the movie kitchen. It's still up and continues to draw clients. "We have people coming in, stopping in that kitchen and saying, 'This is what I want,' " Finder said.

Susan and Myron Myers were building their Rockville house in 2004 when Susan saw the movie. She bought a copy of the film as soon as it was out. "I would play the DVD, stop it and look at it," she said. "My husband noticed the [kitchen] cabinet doors and the inset hinges right away." Before the next meeting with their designer, Susan tucked her laptop under her arm, movie loaded.

Liz Livingston of McLean also wanted to replicate the design. "I saw the movie, and that was it," she said. "I had found my kitchen. . . . It wasn't fancy and it wasn't too casual. It was the kind of kitchen that made you want to hang out there all the time."

But it's more than the kitchen that enthralls fans. They covet the whole house.

They've Gotta Have It

"It's got to be the most popular interior ever," said Linda Merrill, a designer based in Duxbury, Mass. An entry she posted on her blog earlier this year about the movie's interior garners as many as 30 hits a day. People from Australia, Canada and Africa check her blog in search of rugs, artwork, lamps, furniture, fabric.

When Merrill found that Aspen Carpet Designs carries a blue-and-white-striped rug inspired by the movie, she mentioned the Chicago-area retailer on her site. Jerry Krull, the company owner, said one of his customers had "actually tracked down the set designer of the movie to find out where the original rug had been made." When the price of the original proved too steep, she asked Krull to design something similar. He has sold 65 of the cotton dhurrie look-alikes in the past two years without advertising or a storefront. Customers find his Web site ( http://www.aspencarpetdesigns.com/) by searching for information about the movie. "Almost every single sale is based on the movie in some way," Krull said. "I told my wife, 'Selling these rugs has the possibility of paying for our kids' college.' "

Video

Staff Design Favorites

Starring Interiors

Deconstructing the Appeal

Kitchen Elements

Photos

Hollywood Hit Kitchen
For many moviegoers, the kitchen in the 2003 comedy "Something's Gotta Give," plays the most memorable role.

Save & Share Article

What's This?

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del.icio.us Yahoo!
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Some designers are somewhat mystified by all the fuss.

"When you really study 'Something's Gotta Give,' you realize that the interiors verge on almost being impersonal," D.C. designer Skip Sroka wrote in an e-mail. D.C. designer Lisa Adams is a fan of the kitchen but agrees: "In and of itself, [the design] doesn't make a statement. It's a background."

That might be exactly what makes the interior so attractive. "It isn't so personal that you couldn't imagine yourself in it," said Brandsen of Renovation Style. "People look at it and say: 'I can see myself in there. I want to be there.' "

It might surprise (and disappoint) fans to learn that the exterior of the Southampton home was the only part of the set that was real. The interior and back yard were built on a Hollywood soundstage, and set designers created much of the furniture. The islands were built on casters so they could be wheeled out of the way as needed. The countertops were plywood painted to look like soapstone. And when the filming wrapped, the entire set was dismantled. Props were auctioned on eBay for charity.

So the ideal is gone, but the kitchens it inspired have taken on a real life of their own.

Livingston's new kitchen in McLean bears many similarities to the one in the movie: white cabinets, farmhouse sink, center island, stainless-steel appliances and oil-rubbed bronze pulls. But she decided on a cooktop in the island rather than a sink, polished granite countertops instead of soapstone, and a black butler's pantry with marble countertops.

The Myerses in Rockville also veered from the original: The cabinets are off-white, the island is made of dark wood, the counters are honed dark-green marble. It's not a reproduction, but a look they consider all their own. "I'm happy with what I have," Susan Myers said. "The kitchen in the movie fits that house. My kitchen fits my house."

The New GREEN STAGING CHECKLIST - Please add on!

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 02:50:25 -0600

CALL FOR IDEAS TO CREATE THE GREEN STAGING CHECKLIST.

I would like to use this incredibly powerful forum to begin amassing a checklist for GREEN Staging. What are all the ways that the staging process can stay or become GREEN? The goal is to both protect the environment AND protect the indoor air quality of the home, helping the planet and ensuring the health of future occupants. I would love to hear from you.

Here is a STARTER GREEN STAGING CHECKLIST, in no particular order:

Use Non-Toxic Paint. Please see my earlier blog Environmentally Friendly Staging for more information.

Recycle clutter and trash.

Use high efficiency lightbulbs.

Give every homeowner a gift copy of the book My House Is Killing Me by Jeffrey May BEFORE they start work on their home. Please see details in my earlier blog Responsible Staging - Safe Indoor Air Quality.

Completely seal all heating and AC vents BEFORE ANY work is done in the home that could stir up particulates or fumes -- lead dust, sanding of floors, sealing of floors, even painting. I was shocked to learn FROM EXPERTS that, no matter who you hire, you can never entirely clean out the HVAC system once particulates and other matter has been sucked in and circulated.

Avoid all air fresheners and plug in scents. Not only are they questionable for indoor air quality, many people are allergic to them. Thanks to Judith Clausen for that reminder!

Use non-toxic lawn chemicals.

Before dealing with ANY MOLD PROBLEMS, consult an expert. Many times, people make the problem FAR WORSE, by tearing into moldy dry wall and releasing harmful mold spores into the air (and again, circulating them through the house via the force hot air heating and cooling system.)

Urge anyone replacing heating systems to AVOID FORCED HOT AIR. It is the enemy of any individual suffering from allergies and asthma, and it is my firm belief that its popularity explosion since the energy crisis in the 70's is a primary contributor to the dramatic rise in asthma rates among children.

Ok, that's it for starters. Please add on!

Lisa

Fix Architectural Flaws WITHOUT Renovation - Low Cost, High Impact Home Staging

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:55:10 -0600

What to do when the architecture of a space is flawed in some way...

There are an amazing number of ways to compensate for flaws with simple tools of proportion, color and scale that can be employed in staging .

Here is just one example:

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE, this Eat-In Kitchen was suffering from awkward architecture. Notice the different heights to ceiling above the windows and door. Here was a missed opportunity to have all 3 sections feel like a beautiful bay window. It did not help that the oversized square table and mismatched chairs were an ill fit for the space.

AFTER: I created a simple valance out of leftover drapery fabric that was just tall enough to cover the height differences over the 2 windows and doors. See how it visually "smooths" out the architecture all around, while the vertical stripes add height to the space. An inexpensive mail-order chandelier gives the eye a better place to focus, while a properly-scaled round table and chairs (recovered in that leftover fabric) accentuate the curve of the window/door combination.

For more tips and photos, please visit http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/

Lisa

Provide AFTER Photos for your Home Staging Clients

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 06:42:30 -0600

In fellow stager Craig Schiller's blog today Set Your Sites Low..., we are reminded to shoot rooms and not ceilings. It inspired me to suggest that we stagers ALWAYS provide AFTER photos to our staging clients, realtors and homeowners alike.

We are paid to be visual professionals. What better way to finish the job than to provide beautiful AFTER photos that document the work, and help sell the house via better listing photos.

As visual pros, we must spend the time to ensure that the photos look their best. I find that spending just a few minutes testing camera settings while shooting can make all the difference. I try and find the setting that will let me shoot without a flash, which allows both natural and artificial lighting to look its best. Heck, sometimes Portrait settings work best. Who knew! And sunny days are not always the best time to shoot, as they can generate too much contrast and glare. Takes a bit of experimentation, but it is so worth it.

I take lots of shots, at several angles - without too much ceiling! :) - because you cannot always tell which angle will look best once posted online. I also typically shoot with a tripod, to ensure the photos are clear.

My clients have so appreciated this service. I am sure yours will too.

Lisa

http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/

Home Staging the Dream - Staging with Emotion.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 07:38:17 -0600

We all know that buyers buy on emotion. Whenever I stage a home for sale, I stage with emotion too. While honoring the architecture and geography of the property, I find it helpful to conjure up an appropriate idea, place or item from nature that inspires me throughout the staging process. It helps me select paint colors, furnishings and accessories. I am not talking "theme-decorating" literally, but rather the feeling and mood that you want a property to evoke.

It could be a Nantucket beach retreat, a rustic farmhouse, urban lights, formal French traditional, or mediterranean escape. Each suggests colors and, more importantly, senses that will delight buyers and maximize the saleability of the home.

Lisa

http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/

Add a Home Office WITHOUT Adding On - Low Cost, High Impact Staging Tips from Boston Home Staging

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 05:34:23 -0600

Here is a low cost way to add highly desireable square footage to a home for almost no money. Build in a home office. But where? And how? See the answers below photos.

BEFORE AFTER

WHERE:

It could be almost anywhere. All you need is an alcove (3-sided wall space) somewhere in the home. It could be that nook in the basement where the treadmill is stored. What about that closet with the sliding doors in the upstairs bedroom? Or perhaps the back hall closet or kitchen pantry?

HOW:

Simple. Any space with 3 sides will do. Line the 3 sides at desk height with some wall brackets or horizontal 2x4's. Next, lay 2-3 long planks that you nailed together from underneath, and painted or stained. (Drill a hole for computer cords and task light.) Attach to brackets/2x4's. Paint the alcove for drama, add a couple of floating shelves, accessorize, optional draperies to close off the space, and you are done!

For more staging tips and photos, please visit http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

Window Treatments can "Paint" the Room - Inexpensive Home Staging

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 05:16:20 -0600

Cold white rooms are a tough sell. But painting can be a big job too. Here is a low cost alternative to painting that will change the entire feel, and indeed color, of a space for almost no money or effort:

Add floor-to-ceiling window panels. Because of their size, window panels will add big swaths of color. Plus, if they are linen or another lightweight material, they will filter the light in the space and actually reflect the color onto those white walls.

Here are 2 examples from homes I recently completed:

BEFORE AFTER

For more home staging tips and photos, please visit www.BostonHomeStaging.com.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

Kids' Bedrooms - How to Stage Them to Appeal to Buyers WITHOUT Kids too.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:54:55 -0600

Home Staging Dilemma:

The property has at least 3 bedrooms, and is likely to appeal to families with childrens. But what to do to ensure that staging kids' rooms does not turn away potential buyers WITHOUT kids?

Solution:

Stage the bedrooms with style that appeals to children, but can also pass for a guest room instead. Give each bedroom its own unique style, with design leanings towards the feminine and the masculine. This way, you cover all of your bases!

Above are 2 examples from a 4 bedroom home I recently staged. LEFT: This bedroom has a soft, feminine color palette of pale lavender walls, soft and silky textures, and floral accents that suggest a spring garden. RIGHT: The second room is a bit more bold and rustic, with accents of barn red, seagrass and an antique model airplane. These simple touches will have buyers' kids claiming the rooms as their own, and No-Kids buyers impressed with all that extra guest space.

For more home staging tips and photos, please visit http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

Adding Kitchen Storage Cabinets without Renovation - Low Cost, High Impact Staging

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 04:38:06 -0600

Here is an inexpensive way to show buyers more storage in a kitchen, without the expense of remodeling. If the home has an empty wall in proximity to the kitchen, turn it into an asset by using a little floor space and most of the height of the wall.

BEFORE AFTER

BEFORE, the kitchen corner's small table did nothing to capitalize on extra space. AFTER, this old second-hand china cabinet, sporting a peppy new paint job, highlights all that precious storage potential!

For more home staging tips, please visit http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

Creating Home Theater Seating out of a tired Sofa Loveseat Combo - Staging a Media Room

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:31:48 -0600

Here is a neat way to stage a room like a home theater, complete with home theater seating that is higher in the back row than the front.

Build a simple wooden platform about 8-12" high, a little bit wider and a foot deeper than the sofa. Paint it a coordinating color with the flooring in the space to "ground it". Put the sofa on it, and loveseat on the floor in front of it. Voile! Real theater style seating that you won't see in most homes.

BEFORE AFTER

Lisa

http://www.bostonhomestaging.com/

Mirrors - A Stager's Best Friend

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:01:21 -0600

A well-placed mirror can perform magic in a room.

It can:

CHANGE THE ARCHITECTURE

By placing a mirror opposite a window, it creates the impression that it too is a window on an otherwise blank wall. Hang a long mirror horizontally down a narrow hallway, and it widens the space and gives you a peek at rooms at the other end. Add one large mirror or even a series of same-sized mirrors on one wall of a tiny space, and it magically grows in size while preventing claustrophia. :) A large leaning floor mirror can create a focal point in a room where there is none.

ADD MUCH NEEDED LIGHT

Again, reflecting a window can double the sense of light. Also, a lamp or 2, or sconces that reflect in a mirror make a beautiful impression.

BUT...

Avoid placing mirrors where they are reflecting a bad view, or a blank wall.

Happy mirroring. Lisa

Home Staging to create Extra Rooms! Define new spaces in the back hall, up the stairs...

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 08:48:35 -0600

Sometimes hallways, stairway landings, mudrooms and other small transitional spaces offer the opportunity to create the sense of AN EXTRA ROOM (read: VALUABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE that buyers are willing to pay for!). Because of their small size, it also offers an easy and inexpensive chance to be creative, as it doesn't take much to make a big impact.

Lisa

www.BostonHomeStaging.com

Responsible Staging - Safe Indoor Air Quality

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 07:49:32 -0600

As home stagers -- who often oversee new paint, replacing flooring and carpeting, refinishing in older homes where lead paint exists, and ensuring that moldy bathrooms and leaky ceilings are all fixed in time for open house -- we need to ensure that the means to the end are safe for the home's current and future occupants.

Two things every home stager should check out:

US Environmental Protection Agency's website on Indoor Air Quality at www.epa.gov/iaq - a wealth of information regarding safe practices when dealing with potential hazards to indoor air quality, even during the simplest of home fixes.

An invaluable book entitled My House Is Killing Me by Jeffrey May. www.myhouseiskillingme.com/index or available on Amazon. This book educates all of us about the unbelievably simple and common mistakes homeowners make that can significantly compromise the health of a home's residents, and how to correct them.

Lisa

Responsible Staging - Safe Indoor Air Quality

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 07:49:26 -0600

Two things every home stager should check out:

Lisa

Environmentally Friendly Staging

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 17:37:56 -0600

Did you know that the VOCs in latex paint are one of the top 5 indoor air quality problems? Did you also know that paint can offgas toxicity into the air for months and even years after the "paint smell" is gone? Upon learning this, I tried some Benjamin Moore Low VOC paint. Better, but I learned that many commercial low VOC paints still contain toxic ingredients that are exempt from government regulations. Now I am specifying non-toxic paints. I have recently tried Safecoat, and have been happy with the results. No headaches when painting job is on. And I sleep better at night knowing that the home's air will be healthier to breathe. Safecoat's dealers will match any Benjamin Moore color, and they will ship if a retail outlet is not nearby. http://www.afmsafecoat.com/. I also plan to try others.

I would like to invite my fellow home stagers to use non-toxic paints, and other environmentally friendly materials. We will make a difference, not only in the environment, but in the lives of the inhabitants of all the houses we beautify to sell.

Would love to hear more experiences out there with GOING GREEN! Please share.

Lisa

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

Why stage an empty house?

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 06:23:02 -0600

I am often asked whether or not it is worth it to stage an empty home. As a professional designer and home stager, my answer, as well as my occupation, is based on my belief that buyers are much more likely to purchase a home that they can fall in love with... one that they walk through the door and say "Wow. I want to move in right now."

Of course, staging has its costs. And many people believe that buyers can more easily picture themselves in homes that are vacant. There is truth to this. No distractions. No decorating taste to disagree with.

However, consider what new construction builders already know when they create a model home.

EMPTY IS CONFUSING - Listing photos that are empty of furnishings give the buyer no sense of the scale in the room. In fact, the property below had no interior listing photos. They would have been a blizzard of white. One white empty room looked no different from the next empty white room.

ECHOES DO NOT ROMANCE THE BUYER - If you have ever walked into an empty home and heard your voice echo, you may think, wow it is big. But you don't get the warm, home and hearth feeling that makes you want to relax. You don't see the possibilities. You may feel overwhelmed by having to choose paint colors that may not work, or try and figure out if your furniture will fit if there is none in the room by which to judge.

BEFORE HOME STAGING

AFTER HOME STAGING

Click here for Before and After photos:
New Construction staged as a Model Home.

Lisa Kauffman Tharp

www.BostonHomeStaging.com

Decluttering Incentive - THE HIDDEN COSTS OF KEEPING

Lisa Kauffman Tharp - BostonHomeStaging.com (Boston Home Staging) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 05:57:24 -0600

Homeowners, and yes, even Home Stagers in their own homes, often struggle with the task of decluttering. As we hold an item in our hands, trying to decide on which pile it goes -- keep, fix, donate, toss -- we have to keep some things in mind that we may forget... the HIDDEN costs of keeping.

As you try to make the big decision about that old sweater, the little side table that could use glueing, or your child's long forgotten toy that brings back memories of their first steps, ask yourself this simple question:

How much will it cost me to keep it?

You may answer, NOTHING.

However, we all have to consider THE HIDDEN COSTS OF KEEPING - which can be monetary, physical and emotional.

Monetary

cost to fix it, repair it, or mend it into useable condition?
cost to store it properly?
cost to move it?
lifetime maintenance costs, such as dry cleaning a sweater?

Physical

the exhausting work of packing, lifting and moving boxes, and unpacking at the new home
for those with allergies and asthma, the impact of dust, mold and other assailants that lurkand multiply in stored and unused items

Emotional

the cost of living in a cluttered, stress-inducing space, vs. a spare and clean oasis of serenity
Waiting to lose weight in the hopes clothing will fit again vs. the fun of buying something new to celebrate if one does manage to shrink a size or two
The missed opportunity to recycle goods to those less fortunate who could really use that older coat, or the toys that are still in good enough condition to make a child's eyes light up at Christmas time.

and, last but most definitely not least, the biggie cost...

How much will it cost me if I have not decluttered my home for selling, and I lose a potential sale because buyers cannot see past the clutter. Ugh!

Happy sorting!

Lisa