Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert)'s Blog

Brampton House SOLD in 6 Days after Home Staging from Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:32:39 -0700

Cole House Design recently staged a Brampton Ontario home. It sold in 6 days for 99% of the asking price. Hooray! Another example that staging works!!

Cole House Design was called by this Brampton homeowner as he wanted his home staged before listing. He and his wife were retirees living in a 30 year old house. He knew over the years they had accumulated some clutter, and needed help depersonalizing and updating the interior of the home.

After a home staging consultation by Cole House Design, these homeowners started packing things up. Old furniture stored in the basement was put out at the curb, and boxes of their grandchildrens' toys were sent back to them.

With a clean slate, Cole House Design called in the painters, and almost the whole home was updated with new colours. Here are some of the photos from the transformation:

New laminate countertops, brushed nickel hardware (hinges and knobs), updated lighting, fresh white paint on the cabinets, Benjamin Moore "Monroe Bisque" (HC26) on the walls vs. the old peach paint, and the kitchen cleared of clutter...this room is now ready for entertaining.

In this bubble gum pink family room we reused the burgundy leather sofas (but kept nothing else), wanting to give it a more updated look. We painted it Benjamin Moore "Danville Tan" (HC91) and then purchased new tables, lamps, artwork, drapery panels, and an area rug, all of which the homeowners can use in their new home.

In the laundry room, the wood cabinetry was painted white to freshen up the room. New hardware was also installed. The walls were painted a soft grey "Shale" (CC458) by Benjamin Moore, and new slate-like peel and stick tile was laid over the 1970's yellow patterned vinyl flooring.

In the master bedroom, we took down the green paisley print border that co-ordinated with the pink walls. The dusty rose carpet was also pulled up due to wear. New beige carpet and mirrored closet doors were installed, and the walls were painted Benjamin Moore "Moccasin" (CC430). All of the furniture was placed back into the room, and the bed linens and draperies were reused, as they had been recently purchased by the homeowner.

The homeowners are thrilled over the quick sale of their home, and have this to say:

"House sold in 6 days! Not even a week, not even an open house. Thank you for all your help. We're enjoying the decluttering so much! I want my next house to look this good, so I'll be in touch once we've moved. Thanks again."

For help selling your home, contact Cole House Design today!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton, Peel and Muskoka regions of Ontario.)

With New Changes to Canada's MLS...Will Real Estate Agents Become Obsolete?

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:28:15 -0800

Cole House Design just read an interesting article, written by Gordon Powers for MSN Money. It discusses the changes which will be voted on next month regarding the Multiple Listings Service (MLS). If the proposals pass, homeowners may have future access to the website to post their own listings. Read the article below:

"Competition Bureau Commissioner Melanie Aitken has cut the heart out of the Canadian Real Estate Association's restrictions on the use of the Multiple Listings Service, the database at the centre of Canada's housing market.

Is this the beginning of the end for CREA's 98,000 members? Will they soon be replaced by U.S.-style budget brokers, in the same way that upstart online brokers muscled their way into the financial industry a decade ago?

I doubt it. But it's a nice idea nonetheless.

When the U.S. market went through a similar exercise, the result was a slew of sites that offered enhanced listings at sharply reduced pricing.

Despite a troubled U.S. housing market, do-it-yourself sites like Redfin and Zillow report strong sales and increases in web traffic. An average of 9 million users visited Zillow last month, for instance, an increase of 19 per cent year-over-year.

As technology and deregulation lower the barriers to entry here in Canada, upstarts like Property Guys, Homebuyandsell and even general purpose sites like Kijiji are hoping to capture a bigger piece of the listings pie.

And while new competitors don't necessarily want to cut real estate agents out of the process completely, the agent's role and the accompanying costs may have to change.

With a discounter who'll list your house for a small fee instead of a large commission, more people will certainly consider selling their houses on their own.

Realizing this, CREA has already said it would make changes to allow consumers to access cheaper services. The changes, which members will vote on next month, would make it a bit easier for sellers to post their homes on CREA's site without necessarily signing on for an agent's full package of services.

The proposal will fall far short of both the U.S. experience and the Competition Bureau's recommendations, however." (Gordon Powers - MSN Money)

Realtors, Home Stagers or anyone in the industry...what do you think of the proposed changes?

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including; Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton and surrounding area.)

More Photos of Million Dollar Condo Staged by Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:06:59 -0800

As a follow-up to our blog yesterday (Cole House Design Stages Million Dollar Mississauga Penthouse), I thought I would share more before and after photos of the three bedroom penthouse from Mississauga Ontario. The property sold for approximately $1.3 million with 15 other listings in the same area still on the market.

More before & after photos of the property:

Guest Bedroom/Home Office - Being the smallest of the two guest bedrooms, we opted to change this room into that of a home office. With the installation of a wooden desk, matching armchair, and fake plant, this room went from blah to beautiful. We hung two matching black and white prints of the homeowners', and borrowed a leather ottoman from another room, to help fill the space.

Second Bathroom - This bathroom just off of the two guest bedrooms was finished with lovely tilework, espresso cabinetry, and granite countertops. With just a few finishing touches, it went from blah to beautiful.

Bar Area - This bar was situated between the living room and dining room of the condo, and was perfect for entertaining. By adding more bar stools, a decorative bowl of lemons and limes, and some glassware...let the party begin!

Master Bedroom - At the end of the bed was a large area which had been previously occupied by an old dresser and electronics. With all of the homeowners' clothing being stored in the closets, we opted to replace the dresser with a console/dressing table. We borrowed the vases and artwork from another area of the home.

Ensuite - The ensuite bathroom off of the master had beautiful finishes, however it wasn't living up to its full potential. We removed the many bathmats and personal toiletries in the room, replaced the laundry hamper under the vanity with a basket full of fluffy towels, hung a floral print over the bathtub, placed candles and soaps on the countertop, and hung long draperies for privacy which the room had lacked prior.

If your house or condominium would benefit from our home staging or interior decorating work, please contact Cole House Design for more information regarding our services.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario including; Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton & Georgetown.)

Million Dollar Mississauga Condo SOLD after Home Staging by Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:22:29 -0800

Cole House Design staged an impressive grand penthouse condominium in the latter part of 2009. The condo is located in the trendy Square One area of Mississauga Ontario. It recently sold for approximately $1.3 million with 15 other condos in the same area still on the market.

The condo had been purchased by the homeowners as basically an empty shell. They upgraded and installed everything you see in it. With floor to ceiling windows and a sweeping view from Pearson Airport all the way out to Grimsby, it was truly a masterpiece. With most of their furniture from their previous home in storage, the condo needed the finishing touches that home staging and Cole House Design could provide.

Here are some of the before and after photos of the penthouse:

Foyer Before - With construction materials and items from storage surrounding the front door and hall closet, it left a bad first impression to potential buyers.

Foyer After - With all of the miscellaneous items removed and beautiful rental furniture used for this front hall vignette, potential buyers could be easily welcomed into the home.

Dining Room Before - With all of their dining room furniture in storage, this room was an empty slate.

Dining Room After - With a black dining table with carved wooden legs and gorgeous sage green velvet parsons chairs, a top a gold and green striped area rug, this dining room was turned into a showstopper.

Kitchen Before - With small appliances, electronics, and paperwork scattered over the countertops and lack of proper seating, this trendy cherry kitchen would be easy to improve.

Kitchen After - With proper counter height seating, surfaces cleared off, and all of the granite countertops and stainless steel appliances polished to perfection, this kitchen became an entertainer's delight.

Living Room Before - Right inside the front entrance, this living room had become both a TV watching area and storage zone (note the mattress and boxspring in the corner).

Living Room After - Using the homeowners' lovely leather furniture, we rented/purchased a few pieces to finish off the space, including; an area rug, round coffee and end tables, table lamps, throws, pillows, etc.

Master Bedroom Before - With old mismatched bedroom furniture and the floor littered with storage boxes, this was not the tranquil master bedroom that potential buyers would be looking for.

Master Bedroom After - After moving the old bedroom suite to the guest room, it was replaced with a rod iron headboard, black nightstands, and hammered steel lamps. The leather ottoman and shag area rug were borrowed from another room. We also purchased new white linens and pillows for the king-size bed.

Powder Room Before - This tiny washroom off of the kitchen was littered with personal toiletries.

Powder Room After - New towels with an embroidered tree pattern, landscape artwork hung on the wall, and a sense of being clean and tidy, this washroom was modern and stylish.

For more photos of how Cole House Design staged this modern open concept three bedroom condominium, check out our blog post tomorrow!

If you have a condominium or house in the Mississauga area which could use our staging or decorating services, contact Cole House Design today!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario including; Mississauga, Georgetown, Brampton, Milton & Oakville.)

Front Yard Curb Appeal Gone Wrong...and How to Fix It

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:58:44 -0800

Cole House Design has recently attended a few fall open houses in the Halton region, and I was surprised at what we found. Although many of the homes had wonderful interiors, the outside of the houses had been neglected and or forgotten about. Although Mother Nature can sometimes throw us all a curve ball this time of year, especially here in the north, curb appeal is still very important when selling your home.

Here are some things that we found in the front yards of many homes we saw:

Although no one enjoys raking leaves...if potential buyers have to walk through piles of them to get to the front door, they may think the rest of the home has also been neglected.

When travel trailers or utility trailers are not being used, store them off-site while selling your home, not directly in front of the garage.

If a family of wasps built a nest in your front window at the end of the summer, it is definitely time to deal with it. Something as big and ugly as this one was, would just scare buyers away...period.

Although this turquoise colour is likely cheery and bright to the current homeowners, it is over the top to most buyers. Always paint trim and garage doors in neutral colours to compliment your brick or stonework, not to make them jump out.

While your house is listed, a dumpster may tell buyers that your home is under construction, that it is full of junk and you are finally getting rid of it, or that perhaps something is horribly wrong and you are dealing with it (like a flooded basement or leaky roof). It is always best to undertake clutter and construction BEFORE the house goes on the market, or take it off the market while you have necessary work completed.

If this is what greets potential buyers as they walk up to your home, they may wonder if the rest of your house is dead and lifeless as well.

Although this home had a beautiful front walkway...most buyers would only notice the dirt spread over it, the grass growing between the flagstones, and the cheap plastic chair sitting haphazardly by the driveway. Not a good first impression!

And on one final note. If potential buyers can't even see the house when they drive by...invest in a good pair of hedge clippers and trim those trees and bushes!

For more tips on curb appeal and preparing your home for sale, visit Cole House Design.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design provides home staging and interior decorating services to those in the Halton, Peel and Muskoka regions of Ontario.)

Georgetown Bathroom gets a Cole House Design Makeover

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:35:18 -0700

Cole House Design was called by a Halton homeowner recently, to assess what could be done to help her plain-jane taupe coloured powder room. Living in a smaller sized house, she had little storage space on the main floor, and was hoping to remedy that by redesigning the bathroom.

The pedestal sink in her powder room provided no storage, so we opted to change it to a wooden vanity with tons of space below the sink. We also added a two bin slide-out garbage can/recycling centre for those pesky toilet paper rolls. The cabinet is done in maple with a dark walnut stain and has slab doors which are very trendy right now. The vanity top is granite with golden hues running throughout, paired with an undermount white sink. We also purchased a new faucet in a simple but modern design.

We exchanged the cheap builder mirror for a painted frame mirror that we picked up for a steal at Canadian Tire. We also purchased a new towel bar, as well as a dual light bathroom fixture all in a brushed stainless finish. The greyish-beige ceramic tiles on the floor were kept the same, as they were neutral and in good condition. The walls were painted in Benjamin Moore "French Toast - CC244", a nice soft buttery-yellow which brightened up the small powder room. We found a large inexpensive canvas at Homesense, as well as some candles and towels, which all added pops of colour to the room.

And all this on a minimal budget! The homeowner loves her new powder room and is ecstatic with the additional storage space. If your home could use a room-redesign, please call Cole House Design!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Redesigning and staging homes in the Halton, Peel and Muskoka regions of Ontario. Call us today for more details!)

Muskoka Cottage SOLD after Home Staging Consultation by Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:53:23 -0700

Cole House Design was called to this Muskoka cottage in Gravenhurst, Ontario this past summer. After the homeowner had already reduced the price by $150,000...he was unsure as to why the home just wasn't selling.

After a full home staging consultation (inside and out) by Cole House Design, the homeowner was left with a detailed list of staging recommendations. Being a contractor/builder he was accustomed to the design industry, and decided to complete the staging himself. Although it took him a little while, he followed our recommendations to the letter, and here are some photos of the results:

This loft bedroom was originally being used as a home gym. During our consultation, it was mentioned that a guest bedroom would serve this cottage better. We recommended the new bed linens and where to place the artwork and furniture in the room. With a small bedroom suite actually in storage, the homeowner got it back out and rearranged the bedroom accordingly.

This screened-in porch overlooking the lake was in complete disarray. Cole House Design recommended that some of the antique furniture overcrowding the room, be removed. Other furniture pieces were then spaced out a little more, construction materials were sent to the garage, and fresh flowers were added to draw potential buyers into the room.

This master bedroom was dull and boring, and far from dreamy. We recommended that the bedding be ironed out or new linens would need to be purchased. The bedskirt was missing, the TV cabinet was left open during showings, and their was no artwork in the room. The homeowner fixed the duvet issue, hung new artwork, bought a bedskirt and some throw pillows to add colour to the bed, and promised he would remember to close the armoire every morning (LOL).

After following the staging recommendations given by Cole House Design...this Gravenhurst cottage is SOLD!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Serving homeowners and realtors in the Muskoka region of Ontario, also known as cottage country - Gravenhurst, Bala, Bracebridge, and Port Carling.)

Mississauga Linen Closet gets a Cole House Design Makeover

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:35:35 -0700

Cole House Design was hired this summer by a client in Mississauga Ontario who needed some redesign assistance in her home. One of the areas we tackled was a linen closet in the upstairs hallway, which needed to be completely reorganized. The homeowner also wanted the dirty clothes hamper, which had been sitting in the middle of the hall for passerby's to see, moved permanently to the base of the linen closet.

First Cole House Design removed the bottom wire shelf which was actually broken and hanging haphazardly. We purchased a new 3 section laundry hamper so the family could easily open the closet door, and throw in their dirty clothes to the proper section (whites/darks/colours).

We donated all of the unwanted and mismatched sheets and towels to Goodwill. We then sorted all of the remaining sheets into plastic see-through bins so that each family member could easily see which bin pertained to their bedroom. The towels were also sorted into bins for each bathroom, as well as a separate bin for beach towels. The children's bins were placed on the lower shelves so that they could easily reach their own things.

We purchased an ironing door mount kit, which allowed the ironing board and iron to be moved from the basement furnace room, up to the second floor where the homeowner preferred to iron her family's clothing before placing it into each of their bedroom closets.

After completing the transformation, the homeowner called us to let us know that the redesign of the linen closet has made her life much easier and much more enjoyable. Hurray!

For help reorganizing your closets...call Cole House Design today!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario including Mississauga, Georgetown, Acton, Milton, Oakville, Brampton, Erin, Rockwood, and surrounding areas.)

Georgetown House SOLD after Home Staging by Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:12:43 -0700

Cole House Design, a home staging firm located in Georgetown Ontario completed this staging transformation recently. The home had been a former Georgetown builder's model home in the 1980's and had been decorated in some wild colours like violet and aqua. The homeowners had recently re-painted most of the home beige and cream, and were now looking to sell and downsize. They called Cole House Design to complete the staging transformation.

Here are some of the before and after photos of the staging work done:

Family Room

Master Bedroom

Ensuite Bathroom

Guest Bedroom

Living Room

The staging budget on this home was small, and we had to re-use or repurpose many of the homeowners' things. The big splurge was that of the new furniture for the vacant living room, which the homeowners opted to buy instead of rent, and thus be able to enjoy in their new home. Since the homeowners had recently repainted, we could not make any colour changes or do any renovations to the home. We also had a strict timeline of getting the property ready to go on the market, in a little under one week.

The homeowners listed this house at the start of June. It SOLD within the first few weeks of being on the market, and they are currently in the process of moving into their new home.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Milton, Acton, Oakville, Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Bolton, Rockwood, Erin, and surrounding area.)

Cole House Design Now Offers Muskoka Home Staging

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:01:19 -0700

Cole House Design is now offering home staging services in the Muskoka region of Ontario. We will serve the communities of Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Bala, Port Carling, and surrounding areas.

After providing staging recommendations on two cottages last year, and redesigning a waterfront rental property, Cole House Design saw an opportunity to expand its business. Since word of mouth advertising and the logo on the company vehicle had been the only things to attract clients last summer, there are high hopes that we will be busier this year through stronger marketing efforts.

With the real estate market in the Halton and Peel Regions of the western GTA cooling off during the summer months, Cole House Design has found that staging in Muskoka keeps us busier year-round.

The only downfall...less time relaxing on the dock (LOL)!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Acton, Erin, Rockwood, Terra Cotta, Milton, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville and surrounding areas.)

Cole House Design Transforms a Messy Milton Home Office

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:18:20 -0700

Cole House Design, a home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario, was called last month by a Milton homeowner who needed some redesign help on the main floor of her home. However, the job quickly turned to other parts of the house, as the homeowner realized how much nicer the rooms were beginning to look, with our quick and simple transformations.

Below, is the before photo of a loft style computer nook that the homeowner had at the top of her stairs on the second floor. I'm sure many of you have seen these...completely open concept and a convenient location to drop things as one treks up and down the stairs. That's unfortunately what this had become for my client (a stay-at-home mom)...this was her drop zone.

Cole House Design cleared the clutter, most of which was kids' outgrown clothing and miscellaneous office supplies. We kept the birch desk as it was fairly new, and it fit the space well. We purchased a new black leather office chair for optimal comfort. Instead of placing the desk up against the window...we moved it out from the wall so that when you came upon it via the staircase, you did not have to see the back of the chair first. We also opted for a large free standing multi-functional floor lamp that is plugged into the wall behind the chair, versus a desk lamp where the cord could be tripped on by my client's children as they accessed the desk.

With just a few simple fixes, we were able to tranform this small computer nook into something that was easily accessible for the entire family, and where Mom can sit down and answer emails, pay bills, etc. In the future when my client goes back to work, this will also make an ideal home office space.

If you would like help transforming your home, and you live in the Halton or Peel Regions of Ontario...call Cole House Design at 416-878-0338.

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional home staging and interior redesign firm serving Georgetown, Acton, Milton, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Rockwood, Erin, and surrounding areas.)

Most Asked About Kitchen & Bathroom Design Products

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:06:53 -0700

Cole House Design recently came across an article in a kitchen and bath magazine that listed the current design and decor products that clients are asking for THE MOST, in both the kitchen and bathroom. I found it rather interesting, and I know that I have used many of these items (or a variation of) in my own home renovations, and the homes of my clients.

Has anyone else used any of the products mentioned below?

Top 10 Most Asked About Design Products for Kitchens & Baths:

Slide Out Organizational/Storage Units - perfect for those extra-deep kitchen corner cabinets or for areas that require more storage
Curbless Shower Pans - so you don't have to step over and out (terrific for seniors, or those with limited mobility, etc.)
Bathroom Sinks made of New Materials including Glass, Concrete, Stainless, Copper, Brass, etc.
Adjustable Organizer Components for Drawers - including knife blocks, saran wrap dispensers, etc.
Solid Glass Countertops in a Variety of Colours & Shapes - great for bathroom vanities
Custom Mirror Frames - like those from Mirrormate
Electrical Outlet Systems - these come in a long strip and sit flush where your kitchen contertop and backsplash meet, thus eliminating having an outlet right in the middle of your backsplash
Storage Lift System - also known as an appliance garage - great place to store those pesky small appliances so they don't clutter your contertops
Bronze Hardware - especially those in organic shapes like bamboo, leaves, etc.
Glass Solid Surface Countertops - with a similar look as quartz but made from 100% recycled glass

(All photos courtesy of Richelieu Hardware.)

As you can see from the list, there is a definite trend towards storage and organization, anything that is made from recycled materials, and products that help answer those everyday design dilemnas.

If you require kitchen and bathroom decorating assistance, Cole House Design would be happy to serve you!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured interior decorating and home staging firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Acton, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton, Erin, Rockwood, and surrounding areas.)

Another Wild Ride - Congratulations from Cole House Design!

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:56:32 -0700

Most people don't know this, but I grew up in a car builder household. Heck, my first car was a black 1968 Camaro with a chrome undercarriage and a wheelie bar in the back (just in case you wanted it to stand on end - LOL). My weekends were spent helping my father build cars (I was the girl passing the wrench, screwdriver, etc.), hanging out at junk yards looking for parts, doing a lot of washing and waxing, listening to 50's music, and going to car shows.

My father has owned and built so many legendary vehicles over the years, I have honestly lost count. I have had my favourites, and I was always sad when they were sold. However, my father is always keen to start a new project. I swear he has design ideas for the next vehicle before he even buys it, thus he doesn't keep vehicles long. Mind you I have to say I'm the same with buying and selling houses!

Over the years many people have asked where I get the "design gene" from, and what prompted Cole House Design. I come from a long line of hard working individuals, but they were all teachers, farmers, coal miners, etc. So from what my father refers to as "just a hobby"...came my design sense, my creativity, and my drive to turn something that was once plain and boring into something beautiful and inspiring.

So, congratulations to my father, Mr. Ed McLean on his wins at the 2009 Performance World car show held at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario on March 13th through 15th. With his 1951 Nash wagon displayed just inside the front doors...he was awarded "Best Custom", "Best Engineered Vehicle", and the prestigious "Bruce Award" in honour of legendary car enthusiast Mr. Bruce Robertson. Way to go Dad!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton, Acton, Erin, Rockwood, and surrounding areas.)

Cole House Design Launches Contest for a "FREE HOME STAGING CONSULTATION"

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:24:58 -0700

Is your home located in Georgetown, Acton or the Halton Hills area of Ontario?

Is your home currently up for sale?

Would you like it to sell faster and for potentially more money?

Do you think it could benefit from home staging?

Then this contest from Cole House Design is for you!

Homeowners who currently have their properties listed on the real estate market, can submit a photo of a room in their home that they feel would benefit the most from home staging. The room that we feel requires the most help, will be the lucky winner of a FREE initial home staging consultation, compliments of Cole House Design (value of $175 for up to 2 hours).

Homeowners, please email your name, address, and one photo of the room in your home that needs the most staging help, to info@colehousedesign.com. Contest open to residents of Georgetown, Acton, and the Halton Hills area. One entry per household. Winner will be notified via email.

Contest closes Friday, April 17, 2009, so submit your photos now!

info@colehousedesign.com

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario, including Georgetown, Acton, Halton, Mississauga, Milton, Brampton, Rockwood, Erin, and surrounding areas.)

Early Spring Open House? Don't Neglect Outdoor Spaces says Cole House Design!

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:51:57 -0700

As the weather gets a little milder, the weekend Open House signs are starting to pop up like crazy in the Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton and Milton area. Cole House Design (a home staging and interior decorating firm in the area) has recently stopped by a few, and was surprised at the number of home owners who have neglected to think of curb appeal and outdoor spaces, even in the early Spring. Front and back yards with terrific outdoor decor, can be key selling features even when it is not 80 degrees outside.

Of the homes we visited, the weather has obviously not been warm enough for many to deal with their yards. I noticed that patio furniture was dusty and piled against the fence, or it was being stored in the garage or basement. It would be in a seller's best interest to get out the patio furniture and wipe it down. Setting it up in a simple conversational arrangement is ideal with two chairs and an end table (photo courtesy of Home Depot Canada). If chair cushions look a bit tired, home decor stores have new ones out already. You can certainly take them with you when you move, so splurge a little and update your patio set. Although it is still a little cool for the umbrella to be cranked open, make sure the barbecue is out and also clean and tidy.

The stain or paint that should have been redone at the end of last summer by many home owners was also showing its age on many backyard decks Cole House Design visited. Overall, these outdoor spaces which could be a big selling feature, were looking forgotten and run down. Of course, it's still too cool to stain or paint, but when trying to market a house in the early Spring, it is always a good idea to give decks and patios a thorough sweep. Purchasing a terrific doormat for the back door, something Spring-like and colourful, is also a great idea!

Purchasing a few Spring blooms (daffodils, hyacinth, and crocuses) and planting a variety of them in big planters at the front door, makes a home show well from the street. A mat for the front door/porch is also a terrific idea, and will give potential buyers something to remember your property by if they plan to attend numerous open houses in a weekend.

Take a minute to pick up the dead branches and leaves leftover from the Fall on your lawns. Do not remove mulch from the beds though, as this is an insulating factor your plants need until our temperatures warm up more here in southern Ontario. While outside, pull the Winter accummulation of papers and recycling out of your bushes and hedges. Rake up any clumps of dead grass sitting on top of your lawn, and sweep off the driveway removing dirty tire tracks leftover from the Winter.

Cole House Design says that all of the time and effort you take in cleaning up your outdoor spaces and improving your home's curb appeal will pay off. Colourful outdoor decor will be a pleasant welcome for visitors, and all of your hard work will hopefully promote a quick sale!

For more help with staging your home indoors or out, contact Cole House Design!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional and fully insured home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel regions on Ontario, including Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Oakville, Acton, Erin, Rockwood, and surrounding area.)

Coat Closet Clean-Up by Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:01:58 -0800

Cole House Design has staged numerous homes in the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario as of late. And many of those home owners have asked us the same probing question - "do I really have to stage my closets too?". Now most of these clients had closets bulging at the seams, and they were all a little concerned about what we would uncover. But the answer is always the same, "YES".

Now I am no Martha Stewart, and I will admit that I have never staged a coat closet quite to the degree she has below (even though the photo is inspiring). But potential home buyers WILL look in coat closets, linen closets, bedroom closets, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and armoires during open houses and showings - GUARANTEED. So be prepared, and make sure your closets and cabinets are neat and orderly!

Cole House Design can help you get things tidied up and re-organized, and bring new life back to an old coat closet. As seen in the photo below, of one transformed during a home staging in Mississauga, Ontario.

Here are Cole House Design's quick and easy tips to help you through the dreaded coat closet clean-up:

Pack up your family's out of season jackets and place in storage.
Do the same for either the winter boots or the flip flops, depending on the season.
Purchase a set of wooden hangers (perfect for heavy jackets), and discard those ugly and mismatched wire and plastic hangers. We purchased the ones above at our local Ikea.
Install some simple wooden shelves or place a small wooden shelving unit at the base of the closet for shoe storage. Plastic ones do not typically hold up well under the weight of numerous pairs of shoes. The ones we used above were purchased at our local Home Depot.
Place baskets or bins along the top shelf for storage of hats and mitts, sunglasses, silk scarves, purses, or any other miscellaneous items you may need while getting ready to leave.
Place a small hook inside the door for your pet's leash and collar (if need be).
Tuck umbrellas neatly upright in the corner of the closet in an umbrella stand or do as I do, and place them upright in my rubber boots (if you need to put your boots on, then you will likely need the umbrella too - LOL).
If you have no room for an entry hall table near the front door, a small key rack can also be installed inside the closet for easy storage of keys.

Last but not least, don't forget to install a mirror somewhere between the coat closet and front door, so you can check your appearance one last time before leaving for the day!

If you have a catastrophe of a closet, contact Cole House Design for assistance! We would be more than happy to help! For a list of our other services, please check out our website at www.colehousedesign.com. Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a home staging and interior decorating firm serving Georgetown, Acton, Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton, Rockwood, Erin, and surrounding areas.)

Cole House Design Transforms a Georgetown Kitchen from Dumpy to Funky!

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:06:48 -0800

Cole House Design has staged and redesigned many a kitchen since we started our home staging and interior decorating firm. I was emailed this week actually about one kitchen transformation that is currently on the portfolio page of our website. The lady had to know what colour the walls were, as she had a similar kitchen and wanted to repaint. I looked at the photo and realized that I had never even mentioned it on my blog, and it is likely one of our favourite kitchen transformations (oops)!

This kitchen had natural maple cabinetry, and the laminate countertops were black with a grey and brown fleck. The tile floor was a pale grey. The original wall colour was a dark mustard. The home owner at this property believed that you picked paint colours to match something in each room. For example, she thought the kitchen cabinets looked yellow, so she painted the walls yellow. She had a taupe leather couch, so the living room was painted taupe. I'm sure you see where I'm going with this - everything blended in very well!!

The original kitchen light fixture was a brassy gold colour. The cabinet hardware was black and oversized, and the finish was beginning to flake off. The breakfast bar was unused, and there was a huge kitchen table (which was oak), that was jammed in the middle of the eating area, restricting flow to the back door and yard. The countertop was inundated with spice bottles and small appliances, and you couldn't eat at the table without first moving the office work.

So how did Cole House Design transform this Georgetown, Ontario kitchen:

we first had the room painted in Benjamin Moore "RUST"
we replaced the brass light fixture to a contemporary halogen fixture in a brushed stainless finish
we also replaced the cabinet hardware with something slightly smaller, in a brushed stainless as well
we replaced the kitchen table with a maple one that matched the cabinetry and was smaller, thus fitting better in the space
we added black wrought iron stools to the breakfast bar, as well as black chairs to the kitchen table
we made sure all of the small appliances and spice bottles were neatly stowed away
we placed some decorative accessories around the room and purchased new towels to coordinate with the new paint colour

Working with a small budget, Cole House Design had redesigned this space into a funky new kitchen...the breakfast bar could now be used which you weren't able to before, and there was now access to the backyard which was difficult in the past. And that paint colour - still one of my favourites to this day!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design serves the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario offering the following services; home staging, interior decorating, colour consultations, online staging, interior redesign, and much more.)

The Confusion Around What Home Staging Really Is & An Article that Proves It

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:17:16 -0800

Cole House Design recently came across a supposed home staging blog on http://www.realestateblooms.com/. At first I thought it was another article on the benefits of home staging, however as I read on, it started to get a little strange. I am assuming the article was NOT written by an actual home stager.

Here are a few excerpts from the article. Note that I have not altered the wording or the spelling mistakes for that matter (LOL). Read on to see if you find it odd as well!

"Here are some excellent tips for staging your home:

Remove all the clutters.
Sell the old canned goods, light bulbs, and similar other unnecessary items.
Putting up few nice wall hangings will elevate the room decor.
You can get hold of a professional real estate agent who can help you in getting an interior designer, painter, and plumber to get your home staging done.
Spray room freshener all around so that your home smells good.
Small decorative things like vases, scented candles can be used to make your rooms look larger.
Playing a soft music in the background on the day of the buyer's visit can help in camouflaging traffic noise."

Well if nothing else...it gave me my laugh of the day (LOL)!!

With blogs like this to be easily found on the internet, you can begin to understand why numerous home owners and Realtors are confused on what we as professional home stagers ACTUALLY DO to improve the sale of a property.

Cole House Design is a home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario. With our knowledgeable advice and professional service, we can help you attract the quality buyers you are looking for!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design, experts in home staging and interior decorating serves Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Oakville and area.)

Cole House Design Asks "Do You Offer a Guarantee" on your Home Staging Work?

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 13:50:33 -0800

Cole House Design, a home staging and interior redesign company located in Georgetown, Ontario, recently received a promo for a Feng Shui company who also does home staging. Near the end of the email I was surprised to see they offer a "guarantee" on their work. Here's a portion of the email:

"Applying the principles of Feng Shui to sell your home will increase your selling price and reduce the time your home stays on the market. When the Feng Shui is done correctly, your home will sell within 30 days of its listing, guaranteed."

I will be honest, Cole House Design does not offer this sort of guarantee. However...

I DO GUARANTEE that we offer professional home staging service, knowledgeable advice, and that our customer service is second to none!

And based on the homes we staged in 2008, all of our client's properties sold within an average of 23 days on the market!

I have never heard of "guaranteed to sell in 30 days" home staging. Statistics prove that staged homes sell faster and for more money, but no one has ever claimed that staging will guarantee a sale in 30 days or less (especially in today's current real estate market).

Home sales are based on three factors: condition, location and price.

If Cole House Design improves the condition of the property through home staging, and the location is good, but the price is astronomical for the neighbourhood...then I would not want to be blamed for the house not selling.

My question is - do any home stagers offer a guarantee or something similar on the work they do?

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Mississauga, Milton, Brampton, and Oakville.)

Cole House Design Attends the NKBA Dinner & Awards Gala - "Designers Are Forever"

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 08:36:12 -0800

Cole House Design, a home staging and interior decorating company located in Georgetown, Ontario, just returned from our evening at the NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association) Dinner and Awards Gala. The event took place at the beautiful Granite Club (Bayview & Lawrence) in Toronto, Ontario. The evening included the presentation of the 2009 Kitchen & Bath Design Awards.

"The NKBA offers education for industry professionals, a place for consumers to find professional products and services, and a resource for those professionals looking to network with their colleagues. The NKBA represents the finest professionals in the kitchen and bath industry and boasts membership of more than 25,000 industry businesses and professionals."

The gala was labelled "Designers Are Forever" and had a James Bond theme. A life-size cardboard cutout of Mr. Bond greeted you when you entered the grand ballroom of the Granite Club. There were also James Bond dvd's and movie posters to be won at the end of the evening. By the way, I'll take my martini shaken not stirred (LOL)!

The evening was officiated by Mr. Ramsin Khachi of Khachi Design Group. Some of you may be familiar with Ramsin and his work, as he is a frequent designer/guest on the television show "Cityline". Ramsin did a terrific job as MC, and he made sure we always had a good laugh!

The food was delicious, the ballroom was breathtaking, the band was fabulous, and the kitchen and bath designs were gorgeous!

Congratulations to all of the design winners from last night's gala!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is an interior decorating and home staging firm serving the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Oakville, Bolton, Caledon, and surrounding areas.)

The Discovery Channel's TLC Launching a NEW "Home Staging Show"

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:58:18 -0800

Cole House Design, a home staging and interior redesign firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario, recently came across an article stating that the Discovery Channel's TLC is launching a new "Home Staging Show". They are currently casting for homeowners in the Los Angeles area. Here is the info if you have not heard about it. Unfortunately there is no mention of the name of the show as of yet.

NOW CASTING NEW TLC HOME "STAGING" SHOW!

Are you in the process of selling your home and need help staging it? Has your home been on the market for awhile and you are desperate to sell? Are you thinking about selling your home and want it to look better for agents and buyers so you can get top dollar? If so, then we want to hear from you.

Let a professional make your home more attractive to buyers.
Bringing your prospective buyers to their feet with offers!

DID YOU KNOW??

*The way you live in your house and the way you show your house are two different things.
*That buyers are not able to picture themselves in a home that displays your way of living.
*"Staging," gives potential buyers the opportunity to imagine themselves living in your home and realtors are successfully selling through the magic of "staging."

NEW TLC SHOW LOOKING FOR HOME SELLERS WHO COULD USE THE HELP OF AN EXPERT STAGER!

Let our Host/Home Staging expert, take your home from listed to sold, by giving it a broader appeal and a design that is buyer friendly. There is no cost to the homeowner!! National exposure for your home!!

Cole House Design would love to see how this new show will portray the process of home staging, its costs, and the personalities of the home stagers the program uses. Hopefully it will portray us and the work/magic we can do, in a more realistic manner, unlike other programs currently airing on networks like HGTV.

If nothing else, this new show will hopefully bring more attention to the home staging industry, and make more homeowners and realtors aware of our services.

P.S. - Fellow stagers in the L.A. area - have any of you been contacted to appear on this new show? I'm sure we would love to hear more about it!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

www.colehousedesign.com

Phone 416-878-0338

(Cole House Design is a professional home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario, including Georgetown, Acton, Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton, Milton, Bolton, Caledon, and surrounding areas.)

Cole House Design's Favourite Home Staging Transformation of 2008

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:52:46 -0800

Cole House Design is a home staging and interior decorating firm located in the Halton Region. Our favourite home staging transformation of 2008 was a family room in a home staged to sell in the prestigious area of Credit Mills, in Mississauga, Ontario. With only a little money, and some ingenius furniture swapping, we transfromed this room from "crammed with clutter" to "simple yet elegant".

Family Room Before

This family room was located in a million dollar mansion in Mississauga, Ontario. The homeowners were a young couple with a new baby. It was crammed with baby apparatus, toys, stuffed animals, baby gifts, and all kinds of "stuff". You would be hard pressed to find a seat in amongst the clutter.

Family Room After

This room was painted in Benjamin Moore's Gray Wisp CC-670, which is a beautiful gray-green colour, so we left the walls as is.
The carpet was fairly new and in terrific condition, so it too stayed.
We moved the two large matching brown leather sofas to the formal living room in the home, as we thought they looked a little more elegant.
The beige microfibre sofa and matching ottoman that were previously in the formal living room, were placed here in the family room. A simple swap!
We accented the sofa with new pale green cushions and a knit throw blanket.
The two brown leather armchairs were rented, and they allowed traffic flow into the family room from the adjoining kitchen (the sofa before had completely blocked entry into the room).
We placed the two extra stools off to the side, as not to block the view of the fireplace.
Both pieces of artwork were left where they were, and the items on the mantel and those on the glass shelves were simply rearranged.
The family photos that were previously over the bar, were replaced with a large framed mirror which the homeowner had in storage in her basement.

The Results

This house went into a bidding war and sold for $3,000 over asking in a slower market. Similar UN-staged homes in the area were sitting on the market for approximately 3-4 months before selling. This home sold in roughly 3 weeks.

And the amount spent to stage the room - minimal. Rental cost for the 2 leather armchairs plus new cushions and a throw blanket. All other accessories and furniture belonged to the homeowner, and were simply reworked from other areas of the home.

Why This Room?

The reason this is one of our favourite transformations is to illustrate the effect that simple home staging can have on a room. This family room went from extremely cluttered and having a lot of oversized furniture...to a beautiful and cosy room where a buyer could see themselves watching TV with their family or having a glass of wine in front of the fireplace.

Home staging DOES NOT mean thousands of $$$ spent, or bringing in all new furniture. Cole House Design prides itself in always trying to reuse as much of a homeowner's furniture and accessories as possible, and only doing what is absolutely necessary to make a room a showstopper!

(Thanks to Kathy Nielsen who recently blogged asking her fellow stagers what our favourite transformation of 2008 was! It was fun to look over all of our before and after photos!)

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

Cole House Design is a professional home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Mississauga, Acton, Oakville, Brampton, Milton, Bolton, Caledon, and surrounding areas.

A Lesson to be Learned - Stage Your Home FIRST with Cole House Design

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:52:15 -0800

This past summer a neighbour of our's here at Cole House Design, put his house on the market. He made FOUR major mistakes in listing his home.

First, he waited till the last week of June to list, when the real estate market typically goes dead for the summer months.

Second, he had done all of the renovations on his home based on he and his wife living there alone (with no children). However, his house was located in a very family friendly neighbourhood. For example, he had completely decked his entire backyard, so there was no area for children to run and play.

Third, he priced his house far more than the comparables shown to him, hoping to get back the thousands of dollars he had spent in renovation costs.

And last but not least, he did not hire Cole House Design to come in and stage the home for him. Although the home was decorated nicely, it did have a lot of personal photos lying about, a large amount of house plants, and tables full of trinkets from travels around the world.

Long story short - the house sat on the market for over 4 months with FIVE major price reductions. Final selling price...$45,000 less than what the home had originally been listed for.

And the cost to have Cole House Design come in and do a staging consultation - less than $200. And his reason for not staging the home...his Realtor advised him NOT to mix business with personal. Our neighbour paid dearly for that advice, and perhaps unknowingly at the time...so did the Realtor.

Cole House Design can get your home ready for a quick sale at the best possible price. Our goal is to redesign the space to surpass the competition, and attract the quality buyers you are looking for!

Homeowners and Realtors - call us today to book your initial staging consultation!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Phone 416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

(Cole House Design is an expert home staging and interior decorating firm serving the Halton and Peel Regions of Ontario including Georgetown, Acton, Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, Brampton, Caledon, Bolton, and surrounding areas.)

Cole House Design Participates in Toronto's "Project Warmth" 2008 Holiday Campaign

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:12:37 -0800

I remember as a child, my mother used to ask us to put our outgrown clothing, books and toys into a big cardboard box just before Christmas. She signed up for many years to help out a family in need in our community, and she always made sure that that box, was overflowing when it left our house.

Since having my own children I have tried to instill in them the same virtues about giving throughout the year. We give food to the local Food Bank, we drop off our outgrown clothes at the Salvation Army, and we continually support all of the initiatives that my childrens' school takes on. In recent years though, I have noticed that most charities only ask for "new unwrapped" items, and I have always wondered - "what's wrong with gently used belongings"? Would those that have only very little, not appreciate something previously loved if it was wrapped and decorated for the holidays? And would we not be helping our environment by placing less waste at the curb each week?

Every year before Christmas I try and find a charity that will take gently used items, as well as "new and unwrapped". Thus honouring the tradition that my parents instilled in me. However, year after year all I find is the latter of the two. This year however, I came across an article on an organization which is doing just the opposite.

"Project Warmth" is a non-profit group located in Toronto, Ontario which gives back to the community, by providing beautiful baskets full of gently used items donated by families like yours and mine. These baskets are distributed at the June Callwood Centre (for young mothers and their babies), and to local women's shelters during the holiday season. This Toronto organization began with one woman, Alison Doyle, who wanted to help out during the holidays, and decided to create these wonderful baskets for those in need.

Cole House Design is thinking about opening a Georgetown chapter of "Project Warmth" for next year's holiday season, to help those less fortunate in the Halton Region. If you would like more information on Project Warmth and how you can help this year or next, contact Nicole through her website at www.colehousedesign.com.

Happy Holidays!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Cole House Design

416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com

Cole House Design Launches Newly Designed Website at www.colehousedesign.com!

Nicole Hurst (Your Halton & Peel Home Staging Expert) (Cole House Design) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:45:56 -0800

These past couple of months Cole House Design has been busy with holiday decorating, home staging of some properties that were still lingering on the real estate market, and a few colour consultations for home owners who were prepping for holiday guests. In between all of that, Cole House Design also spent a tremendous amount of time constructing our newly designed website!

My gosh, all of the wording, the multitude of before and after photos, and the backdoor stuff that goes into building a website - phew! Cole House Design focuses primarily on home staging and interior decorating, but also offers colour consulting, interior redesign, move-in decorating, virtual online home staging, and much more. If you have a couple of minutes please check out our new website at http://www.colehousedesign.com. Thanks!

My how the time flew in 2008! Only a year ago Cole House Design was in its infancy, and now it is flying with leaps and bounds. I am so thrilled with the large number of new clients and Realtors we have met and worked with this past year, as well as our many wonderful relationships with local tradespeople and other business owners.

We are looking forward to another successful year in 2009, and meeting new home owners and real estate agents who can benefit from our home staging and interior decorating services.

Wishing all of your here on Active Rain all the joys of the holiday season throughout 2009!

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

Nicole Hurst - (President)

Cole House Design

416-878-0338

www.colehousedesign.com