Room Rejuvenation

The Installation

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:28:54 -0700

Every once in a while, we're asked to do our best to recreate large scale artwork. And most often, it's on a small scale budget. Recently, one of our redesign clients showed us this photo out of a magazine and said, "I'd LOVE to have something like this."

The budget? Less than $100. So. Hm. We thought a bit about how best to achieve this (on a smaller scale) and came up with the least expensive solution we could find.

Here's our end result:

It's a bit bolder in color, but definitely provides the visual impact we were looking for. And because we wanted to achieve the shiny, lacquered look above without the expense of investing in 16 different paint colors, we brainstormed a bit. One option was to frame blocks of colorful photos from magazines, but we were also short on time. So we went a little crazy. We used nailpolish. Yep, nailpolish!

Here's the tally:

1) 8 x 8 frames from a dollar store x 16 $16

2) Nailpolish on sale for $2.50 from Target x 16 $40

3) Matte-grade poster board from an art supply store $7

4) Various picture hanging hardware from local hardware store $8

Final total plus tax = approx $75

Our client's reaction?

"You are genius!!!!! The installation piece is incredible!!!! You are so creative!!!!! I love the colors and if you used nail polish like you talked about - well, you need to make more of these and sell them & you'll make a fortune!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yay! We love to make clients happy!

Dawn is a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors and specializes in rejuvenating spaces to live and to sell. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. (773) 350-7020. www.eyetoeyeinteriors.com

Getting Back on the Horse. A Buyer’s Tale from the Front – Part I

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:52:06 -0700

My husband and I are in the midst of buying our first single-family home (we've been renting since selling our condo in 2007 - yep, just in the nick of time) and our Agent suggested I blog about the experience. "It's always good to be reminded of the Buyer's perspective," she said. She's a good Agent in my book.

So I've written a few posts that I'll share when all is said and done. I'm a superstitious sort, though, and don't want to jinx a deal by spilling any beans before closing. But here's a tale I can share now - a tale I struggled to give the proper title. My favorite contenders:

The Deal that Went So South I Now Have a Tan.
The Inspection That Tanked...a/k/a...The Best $385 I've Ever Spent.
Gimme Back That Filet ‘o Fish... I mean....Earnest Money (man, that jingle sticks something fierce, doesn't it?).
Getting Back on the Horse. Overcoming the psychological effect of such an ordeal is what I really want to focus on here, so that's the title I'll use here, but any of the above would do.

I know we all love a good story... so what happened? Now that I've cashed the refund check, I can tell you.

We found the place in a time crunch. With our modest budget, we were seeing a bunch of REOs and short sales, so stumbling on any "estate sale" or "can close quickly" description was very appealing. It wasn't an estate sale, but the Owners were getting a divorce. The place was cute - not the mansion of our dreams, but affordable and we could see ourselves in it. That is, until the inspection.

Where do I begin? I'll start with our inspector. He's an affable sort - recommended to me by both my Agent and Attorney. A search on Angie's List and a phone interview sealed the deal. He was my guy for the job. He walked us through the inspection at every turn, pointing out little quick fixes we could accomplish for $5 at Home Depot and any not-so-little fixes we should look into. He explained which parts did what, what pipes led where. The exterior was fine, not much to report. The garage had some issues. And we knew heading into it all that the roof needed replacing. But little did we know the horrors waiting for us inside...

Allow me to fast-forward to the highlights, because reliving the whole inspection is simply too painful. The upshot? An estimated $30,000-$50,000 worth of electrical and plumbing work would be needed to make the place livable. We're talking health and safety here. The Seller had bypassed the main - was double-tapping 200 Amps into his little 100 Amp box - a wire had already blown and fused to the bolt. They got lucky on that one, especially since both the furnace and hot water heater were back drafting. The pressure release valve on the water heater had already melted. No wonder the basement didn't smell like cigarette smoke - they probably knew one spark could kill them all. The sewer kit was open, with pipes draining directly into it from the basement shower. (Ew, what's that smell coming from my shower head?). Folks, this was just the beginning.

It was a blow, for certain. And no amount of staring at the list of checkmarks in the "No" column on the Seller's list of disclosures was going to change a thing. This was not destined to be our Home. Setting our Attorney on the path for the Refund was a no-brainer. We left that inspection with our head held high, so very grateful we had retained a good inspector. He confessed to our Agent it was the worst property he had seen in quite some time.

The place is no longer on the market - the last listing I saw said it was Contingent. I'm glad for the Sellers that it appears they've found a taker, but I sincerely hope the new Buyers don't explode or burn down. At least whoever buys the place has the benefit of knowing the results of our well-spent $385.

And about that Horse? We took about nine days off to recuperate. Our Agent understood and gave us some room. But we picked ourselves up, dusted off and got back on. We were out again, looking at properties after one weekend off. Agents with Buyers in a similar position - please feel free to repeat our story! Remind them that there is hope, even if you're feeling defeated. As for us, we found the right place a short two weeks later. We're past inspection and attorney review, on our way to closing.

Stay tuned for more...

Too Much Staging Makes the Buyer Go Blind

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 09:27:51 -0700

As some of you know, my husband and I recently turned into house hunters. We are grateful to have a fabulous and wonderfully patient agent as we navigate this crazy, upside down market. Taking us through vacant and sometimes dirty properties, she's often turned to me and said, "Oh, the things you could do with this place, Dawn." I appreciate the compliment and look forward to having my way with the property we do end up with. But in the meantime, I have to relay a cautionary tale about the house we couldn't get out of our mind. And not in a good way.

It was a lovely 3BR/2BA ranch with a basement. It had all the things we were looking for (we passed on it because of location, but I digress). It was obvious the homeowner (and I'm going to blame the homeowner here - I truly don't think my colleagues would have made these mistakes) had done some homework on getting a property ready to sell. The staged result would have pleased a handful of people - no doubt - but it left my husband cold. I begged him to see "beyond" the staging, but he just couldn't. It wasn't what ultimately made us pass on it, but had the location been right, I would have had an uphill battle trying to convince my husband we could make it our "own."

The dining room table was set. Fine. If subtle, this can be a nice touch. If over the top, it's a teensy bit creepy. In this case, it was a nice touch. The kitchen counters were free and clear. Again, nicely done. The floor was immaculate, the layout was lovely. So what was it that turned us off? Two simple things:

1) The smell. As we opened the door, we were greeted by a woodsy, spicy scent emanating from a tiny vase perched on the windowsill. The sad part is I doubt anyone was trying to cover up another scent. But the result was so overwhelming that the three of us mentioned it out loud; and

2) Too much stuff. We were greeted by so many décor accessories that it was hard to focus on the beautiful structure of the living room! It had a lovely picture window, curved archways and some very pretty architectural details - a leaded glass window, an alcove in the wall. But to find these details, even I had to focus carefully. The accessories were EVERYWHERE! And they all looked new. Matching up-lamps on the mantle, a vase with long curvy sticks, newly fluffed accent pillows on the couch, baskets of grasses on the coffee table. A box filled with orbs. Faux books stacked on a side table. My husband said he didn't know where to look first.

Our homeowner had violated the golden rule of staging: to showcase the best features of the property. Instead, we felt like we had walked into a retail store, complete with a signature scent. When we should have been thinking, "How old is the furnace?" we were wondering "Which store did this all come from and how much for the lamp?" (I knew both the answers.)

I watched the property for a little while on my list service, and sure enough someone snapped it up. It was a lovely place. It's just too bad that the homeowner easily spent more money than was needed in order to spruce it up. Starting with the spruce scent for $7.95.

For more tips on redesigning, selling and staging properties, contact a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors for an affordable consultation. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. (773) 350-7020. www.eyetoeyeinteriors.com

Ten Random Thoughts on Design

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:05:00 -0800

Inspired by the many social networking lists of "random things" floating out there, I thought I'd share a random list of ten thoughts on design. Please feel free to chime in with your own! In no particular order, here are some of my favorites:

1) Trust your instincts! If it doesn't look right to you, change it.

2) Never underestimate the power of really well-placed lighting. And yes, there is such a thing as too much light.

3) When you're faced with a permanent design element that can't be "fixed" without tearing out the walls, make it look like a design choice. Green and pink tile in the bathroom? Dive into the 50s! Go retro to make it look like you meant it all along.

4) Remember to hang your artwork higher in places where you stand and lower in rooms where you sit. If you have to crane your neck to see it, it's hung too high.

5) A mirror can make or break a room. Make sure it reflects something you want to see twice.

6) Brightly colored accent pillows can wake up that beige couch and save you from design boredom.

7) Suffering from a case of the sleek, industrial look? Sure, it's elegant and contemporary, but it's also sometimes just plain cold. Be sure to add a natural element with texture to bring in some warmth and interest. Try a sisal rug, a bamboo lamp, or a woven pillow.

8) Be respectful - but never afraid - of color!

9) It's time to throw away those posters you had in college and invest in some art.

10) Bring in the green. Strategically placed houseplants can instantly freshen a room. Many of them can even stand up to a little neglect. In exchange for a little water every week, plants do a world of good.

For more tips on designing, selling and staging properties, contact a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors for an affordable consultation. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. (773) 350-7020. www.eyetoeyeinteriors.com

When You've Just Got to "See" It

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:59:05 -0800

How often do you find yourself saying, "I'm a visual person," or "I can't picture it - I've got to see it?" Well, you're not alone. The majority of people consider themselves visually oriented. Which is why when I tell people about what I do as a stager and redesigner, 9 times out of 10 they'll ask if I prepare drawings ahead of time. I am not an architect or interior designer, so I don't generate blueprints or deliver design portfolios. My process is much more organic. I could plan on paper all day long, but that couch won't find its perfect place without me moving it around, stepping back, taking a look, and nudging it until it's just right. You see, I'm visual too!

All of that being the case, I have found that there is a place for some fancy schmancy renderings. And I've fallen a little bit in love with the way to do them - Plan 3D. It's not CAD and it's not 100% perfect, but it's pretty snazzy and quick, once you get the hang of it.

How have I used it? Here's an interesting case - I recently had a consultation with a potential Buyer, set up by the Seller's Agent. I was asked to come in to help the potential Buyer visualize how to make the best use of the main living areas. The potential Buyer loved the house, but just couldn't "see" how the furniture would fit on the ground floor. So the Buyer's Agent agreed to provide me with her client's listing photos, which I perused to get a sense of the potential Buyer's style and current furnishings. Armed with both parties' listing photos and the floor plan from the Seller's Agent, I set out to virtually play with layouts and décor on my laptop. The result? See for yourself...

BEFORE & AFTER

I admit it - I was pleased with how the consultation went. The Seller's Agent was happy. The Buyer's Agent was impressed and her potential Buyer took another walk-thru of the property, with the virtual photos of the decorated space fresh in the mind. I don't know if that bid will come in, but it was a pleasure to help someone visualize the possibilities. And I give kudos to both Agents for being open to such creative marketing!

AN UPDATE: The Seller's Agent just contacted me to let me know they are now Under Contract - with the Buyer with whom I met. This is now a virtual staging success story!

For more tips on selling and staging properties, contact a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors for an affordable consultation. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs... and anywhere in the world, with Smart StagingSM Virtual Solutions! (773) 350-7020. www.eyetoeyeinteriors.com

You Can't Take it With You

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:02:30 -0700

Picture this. You've arrived at a property with your buyers and you have a good feeling about this. It's got good curb appeal, the neighborhood is nice, the price is right for the area. You haven't seen the inside yet, but you saw the pics online. Not bad. You tell your clients you don't know what to expect either - that you're visiting for the first time too. You open the door and walk in. Everything seems nice, but it's a tad dark. So you turn the corner and flip on a switch in the kitchen.

Gasps of horror - an unadorned lightbulb hangs above, blinding you and everyone else who dares walk into the room. Your buyers scrunch up their eyes and turn away - it's like a splash of cold water in the face. Seeing spots, you think, "Sheesh - such a nice place - why would there be a bare light bulb anywhere but maybe a closet?"

Sound familiar? It's obvious what has happened - the seller has skedaddled. And with them went their favorite light fixtures. And curtains. And bathroom cabinets. Listing agents, don't let this happen to you! If your sellers have to move before their property is sold, it is to their benefit (and yours) to convince them to leave some of these key items (and others) behind. The minute they strip their home bare, they've entered the vacant home market. And there's nothing quite as bleak as entering a home and getting the bare light bulb treatment, especially after seeing listing photos filled with inviting furnishings.

Help your seller keep their house a viable contender once they move. Assuming the curtains fall anywhere between "nice" and "stunning," advise your seller to leave them behind! Window treatments are expensive, yes. But even if they've grown desperately attached to the color and fabric, your seller will have to dress completely new windows in their new home.

Further, convincing them to leave some furnishings behind is an economical way to help keep the home filled with life. With even just a few furnishings in place, a stager can enliven the interior and give a boost to the listing. And the place will be ready to show 24/7.

Making the Case for Staging: A Free Luncheon Seminar!

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:52:41 -0700

Attention all members of the Chicago Association of Realtors! SelltheDamnListing is proud to announce their first free luncheon workshop on successfully marketing your listings. And Eye to Eye Interiors will be there to share real world tips and tools on how to talk with your clients about staging their property to increase the chances of a quicker sale at a better price:

Making the Case for Staging: Tips and Tools for Realtors Congratulations! You've got the listing. Now what? Your seller's home, by their own admission, is "kind of a mess." Convincing them to spend money to pass inspection is one thing, but how can you help them understand the big return on investment that staging can bring?

Eye to Eye Interiors brings you real world tips on how to talk to your client about improving their chances of a quicker sale at a better price through staging. This seminar goes beyond the usual depersonalization tips and gives you concrete advice you can use to help your client make their property as attractive as possible to a crowd of potential buyers.

This informative marketing workshop will feature listing professionals who are there to make your job easier. Vis-Home, Real Support, Inc. and Eye to Eye Interiors have teamed up to for this event to help you optimize your listing marketing. Please join us for free lunch and an informative discussion!

When: 12-2 pm Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Where: 1 E. Superior, #604, Chicago

Free to all members of the Chicago Association of Realtors.

RSVP to reserve your space today!

Making the Case for Staging

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:19:57 -0700

You're meeting with your client for the first time and it goes something like this:

You: "So nice to meet you. Thanks for having me."

Your Seller: "Great to meet you too. Sorry the place is kind of a mess."

You: "Oh, it's alright - I understand."

But in the back of your mind, you're thinking, "Kind of a mess? Kind of a nightmare!" There are trophies on the mantle, magazines piled high and lace doilies everywhere. The stairwell is peppered with family photos from top to bottom. Figurines sit on every windowsill. There's a well-loved striped velour chair parked next to a gigantic TV taking up the better portion of what clearly was once a formal dining room.

You take the tour, then sit down and give your spiel. It goes over well and congratulations, the first hurdle is over. You've got the listing. The place has good bones - someone will buy it... eventually.

At this point, many realtors simply focus on talking with the homeowner about how to prepare for inspection. Making certain that the plumbing and electrical are up to par is key - no doubt. But you and I both know that buyers don't form their first impressions of a property by looking under the sink.

Your homeowner is proud of their home, their furnishings, their trophies, their wall of family photos - as they should be. They've worked hard to make the place uniquely theirs. So advising them that it needs a new look may not go over well.

How will you approach the topic of getting their place "ready" for showings when they think it already is?

Start by affirming them. Their home is well-loved. They've made many memories there. But now that they are selling, the focus shifts. Now, it's all about helping other people - prospective buyers - picture living there, creating their own memories.

The next step is to educate. Remember, your client relies on your expertise to help sell their property. You are the expert in the room. For many people, you are their sole source of information and advice about selling their home.

Luckily, many homeowners are at least aware of the concept of staging, thanks to the recent popularity of TV shows on the subject. But most don't realize that staging isn't just something seen on TV - it's a real life, attainable and affordable service available to anyone. And it can help make their place even more attractive to buyers.

Describe how it works - a professional stager will come in with an objective eye to rearrange furniture, artwork - often using the homeowner's existing furnishings. The process takes about a day and voila, the place is ready to be photographed for the listing. Be sure to take the time to paint the logistical picture for them. Unless you do, few people can imagine letting a stranger come in and move their stuff around. Which is why you'll also advise them how it will be worth the investment.

Both you and your client have the bottom line in mind. Staging can make all the difference, especially in a slow, saturated market. With your next listing, help your homeowner get a leg up on the competition and introduce them to the concept of staging. It just might be the key to your making a quicker sale at a better price.

Stay-ging: How to Help Them Keep it That Way

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:04:50 -0700

Your client is motivated to sell, but they're also swamped at work, stressed about moving, and just plain busy. The place just always feels like a mess. So they hire a staging professional and a personal organizer to help deal with the clutter. They've got a cleaning service coming in once a week. The place looks so great they joke about how they might consider staying. (And you're thinking... oh - no, you don't!) And now it's up to them to make sure the place is slick as a whistle for each showing. But how can you be sure when you turn that key that you won't find it looking like it did when you first met them? You know what I mean...

Magazines piled in the corner, bills on the table, food on the counter?

Well, for starters, their stager should have given them what I call the "pre-show checklist," personalized for their property. But if they don't have one, please feel free to pass this article along.

When your client wakes up in the morning, they should feel like they're staying in a swanky boutique hotel. The catch: there won't be a bill slipped under the door, but you (their realtor) might as well be the front desk with their wake up call. Only you're calling to say there's somebody in the driveway right now who wants to take a look. The price for living in the Pottery Barn catalog they used to call home? They're the housekeeping staff and they've got to keep it looking perfect, 24/7.

Their "pre-show checklist" will help save their sanity (and yours) and help give them the edge over their comps. The key is for the list to be prioritized and timed out so it can be done in an hour or less if they're home when you call - or before leaving the house each day:

1) At the very top of the list is "hide the clutter!" In drawers, under beds, just hide it!

2) Next, empty the garbage and anything else that might be causing a stink. (If there are pets, they should already have made arrangements for caging their dog, or putting their cat in a carrier and taking them out of the house with them for the showing.) Refrain from lighting incense or spraying air freshener unless it's absolutely necessary -prospective buyers will think it's a cover-up!

3) Next up, clean up the kitchen and bathroom. They're the biggest selling points for most buyers, so make them look perfect. Hide those pots and pans, and put away that cereal left out on top of the fridge. Bring out the guest towels, hide those toiletries and for goodness sake, sponge off that sink and commode.

4) Finally, shine, shine, shine. It only takes Windex and a few paper towels to get all reflective surfaces looking like new - sinks, shower knobs, mirrors, any stainless steel appliances.

5) On the way out the door, remember to flip on all the lights, take out the trash and look around as if you're that potential buyer.

For more tips on selling and staging property, contact a Certified Redesign Specialist with Eye to Eye Interiors for an affordable consultation. Serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. (773) 350-7020.

Far From Home: The Zen of Selling

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 07:54:54 -0700

You've heard it before - when the client gets ready to sell, you always recommend that they depersonalize. Take down the wedding photos, the baby pictures, the awards. Hide your PlayStation and Wii. And get that bicycle out of the kitchen. But don't stop there. Depersonalization goes beyond just taking yourself out of the visual picture.

What your client used to call home has just become another listing - one of many, many properties up for sale. So how will you help them stand out from the crowd? They might spend money fixing it up, getting it ready. They'll throw a new coat of paint on the walls. They'll invest in a professional stager and maybe an organizer to help de-clutter. But there's one improvement most people neglect to make and it's the least costly of them all. It's also arguably the hardest to-do on the list.

What can your client do to improve their chances of a quick sale that costs nothing?

Stop calling it "home." Really. Encourage your clients to remove the word from their vocabulary and from their mind. When they leave work at the end of the day, they'll head back "to the house." When they tell people they're selling, say their "place" is for sale. It may sounds crazy, but once they stop calling it their home, once they detach themselves from those four walls, something mystical happens. Call it the Law of Attraction, Zen, Fred, whatever name you want to give it - once you stop referring to your home as "home," buyers start appearing.

Ask any realtor - they'll swear they sell more property when the homeowner is out of town, on vacation (and hard to reach). When the homeowner is detached, distracted from the stress of selling - when they are far from "home," things begin to happen. So when they're getting ready to sell, have them move that bike out of the kitchen, take the photos off the mantle, and depersonalize their vocabulary too. It costs nothing to do and just might make all the difference.

Babies and Puppies, Part One: Signs of Hope

Dawn Bach Thurman - Redesign & Staging Services (Eye to Eye Interiors, LLC) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:46:04 -0700

Welcome to the first blog of Eye to Eye Interiors, where we'll ramble from time to time about staging, redesign and everything in between. We are a staging and redesign firm in the Chicago area, specializing in rejuvenating living spaces - either to sell or to live. Our focus is using existing furnishings and accessories to rejuvenate living spaces, but our favorite thing of all is to help homeowners refresh their thinking too.

Since much of my personal philosophy centers on the idea that there's always hope, I thought I'd check in with everyone on the dreaded topic of Recession.

You're thinking: "I thought this was going to be about babies and puppies."

It is.

I was just having a conversation the other day with my friend Julie and we were marveling about how many babies and puppies we've been seeing lately. Take a walk outside and you'll see what I mean. The cute little bundles of joy and saliva are everywhere, being taken for a stroll.

But we're in a recession, right? The political machines have finally admitted the grim fact. Gas prices are at an all time high, the Fed is bailing out banks left and right, and the real estate market ain't what it used to be. So what could our society possibly be thinking, bringing so many new lives into this world?

I think it means we're still an optimistic bunch of people - there's always hope. And looking into the eyes of a child (or puppy, even) helps us remember the important things in life. We may cut down on our driving, we may skip that latte. But we'll always want to keep our families sheltered and loved. And for those of us in the real estate business, that means as families grow, so will their needs for livable space.

So it's your turn - what evidence of hope and optimism have you seen lately?