Sue's Blog

Three Exterior Door Color Prescriptions - From CurbAppealForDummies.com

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:59:34 -0600

These three door colors are very versatile, and work beautifully with stainless steel hardware.

Not only do they look beautiful with contrasting hardware in brushed stainless steel, they are interesting, inviting, and best of all, somewhat unexpected.

Fiery Opal is Benjamin Moore color that qualifies as a very intense cinnamon. It is strong and bright, and is a great tweak off of the traditional bright red, barn red, or burgundy red front doors that are all too common. It is a step in a more youthful direction. We use it most often when a property has a strong orangish tone brick or stone, because it helps calm down an already visually intense color by reducing contrast. We then take the heat down further with soft, light-colored foliage, such as dusty miller, variegated flax lily, or nandina. We don't pair this color with dark greenery to avoid a permanently autumnal vibe. Pale yellows, creams, light sage-y greens all work well with Fiery Opal, and we often foil a medium charcoal-type gray as another calming accent color for shutters.

Tulsa Twilight is another Benjamin Moore color. It is a very unexpected near-black with an eggplant undertone. It's another geat color to use with orange or red brick. It also really pops out against a buttery yellow, and adds a touch of fortitude to entryway on houses with more whimsical color schemes in the neighborhood, in the periwinkle, peach, and pistachio color families. We often use it as a remedy to add some life to homes that are already painted some of less-desirable pastel-candy colors.

Eminent Bronze is another great prescription color for homes painted in light blue or shades of turquoise to update them.It is by Sherwin Williams. This color also looks very sophisticated on yellow houses, cream houses, and khaki-colored houses. It will also knock a peach-colored house into a more current look.It looks great with brushed stainless steel, and also with darker oiled-bronze hardware,

If you are dealing with a house experiencing curb appeal issues, call us. We can help.

Awesome House Color Schemes Revealed - An Craftsman Apt. Complex in Los Angeles

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:31:32 -0600

All Colors are Benjamin Moore. Conceptual Imaging by CurbAppealForDummies.com.

Here's a wonderful, authentic Craftsman building with loads of detail lost in a bland color scheme. Working with the fixed stone elements and creating a warm earthy palette, we were able to elicit much more impact from this exceedingly desirable architectural style.

Color Palette Revealed:

Body: Sesame 318

Trim: Floral White

Accent Color: Firenze AF-225

Porch Ceiling: Crystal Blue 2051-70

Sesame is a very current color with some serious staying power. Leaning into a very light avocado, it is a great color for an apartment complex near UCLA that mostly houses students. Younger people don't have that color memory of the 60's avocado being everywhere, and appreciates thisgolden, earthy color more than previous generations.

Floral White is a naturally clean foil for Sesame, as it has a tinge of green with a fleck or two of red. Red and Yellow compliment one another.

Firenze is a rich red clay color, like a terracotta pot after a rainshower. Adding that to the plain band near the roofline adds an anchor color for the naturally terracotta-colored corbels under the eaves. We also dropped that color on the front porch, tying it in, warming it up, and showing it off.

You might be wondering where that pale blue color ties in. It doesn't, unless you know about historical porch colors. So check out our blog about the significance and story behind this charming practice on historical houses.

All this information and much, much more was compiled into our Curb Appeal Strategy Package for the owner of this historical Craftman Apartment complex in Los Angeles, California via the internet, for only $179.99.

If you find yourself up against a Curb Appeal Dilemma, call us. We can help.

Two Awesome House Color Schemes Revealed - A Ranch House in Oregon

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:40:53 -0600

All colors by Benjamin Moore. Conceptual Imaging by CurbAppealForDummies.com

The low cost option works with the existing roof and stone colors (the fixed elements), and the board and batten siding, requiring only the minimal addition of shutters and paint for the actual house, retaining it's 60's era charm. Sculptural plantings near the house reinforce this classic ranch house appearance.

Body: Raccoon Hollow 976

Trim: Cloud White 967

Shutters: North Creek Brown 1001

Front Door: Fiery Opal 077C

Cost: approx $8,000- $10,000

The higher-cost option removes all traces of the fixed elements' orangish tones, replacing the roofing and the masonry with new products with a more neutral palette. It also introduces a creamy colored siding and more shutters across the front of the house, lending a more "contemporary cottage" feeling.

Body: Owens-Corning Siding in Cream

Trim: Cloud White 967

Shutters: Deep River 1592

Front Door: Deep Mahogany Stain

Cost: Approx. $95,000- $125,000

Two completely different looks with two completely different budgets. The homeowners were not sure if they were selling or staying, so they ordered two Curb Appeal Strategy Packages with two entirely different goals in mind.

If you are faced with a Curb Appeal Dilemma, call us, We can help.

The Smell of a Sale Going South ...Not a Blog for the Faint of Heart

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:41:29 -0500

Been to a listing with an aroma so unpleasant, it can prevent a sale?

How about a listing with a suspicious perfumed scent you just know is there to disguise something sinister?

Homeowners and Realtors are taking drastic, expensive, and unnecessary measures to eradicate the smells generated by pets, smokers, and the ever-present stinky and unhealthy mildew associated with the high-humidity that permeates Louisiana and all the Gulf Coast states.

There is a fast, easy, and affordable, solution that works on every possible stink one can ever encounter.

Not to get too gruesome, but even crime scene cleanup pros know exacty how to attack a malodorous dwelling, and have the odor and it's originating bacteria destroyed permanently and without chemicals.... SWIFTLY!

NO REAL ESTATE OFFICE SHOULD BE WITHOUT ONE FOR MALODOROUS LISTINGS!!!

You have probably heard of it, and dismissed it. Or maybe you have used it, improperly, and not acheived the purported results. But the bottom line is this: Industrial Strength Ionizers, when used according to the square footage, are 100% effective to eradicate odor, permanently, and in less than two hours. One use!!!

The secret is in the strength. Yes, you must leave the house. Return two hours later, and the home smells like it has been freshly bleached clean from top to bottom. Open the windows and air it out. In 10 minutes the air becomes inert. There is all kind of science behind the effectiveness of ionizers. They use them in hospitals, and the infection levels in surgical rooms have dropped to zero. Ionizers kill bacteria, and bacteria causes most horrific odors. They also wrangle paint fumes, smoking & cooking odors, and anything else you can wrinkle your nose at.

The only way an odor can re-occur in a properly ionized environment is if the source of the stench is REINTRODUCED, but old and imbedded odors are GONE FOREVER.

I know it's unbelievable. But I have a first hand experience, involving a cousin, a pack of chicken necks, a hot car, and a one very incensed sister:

My cousin, Steve, borrowed Michelle's car while we were on vacation. He was house sitting our beach house near Galveston, Texas. It was JULY. He wanted to go crabbing, which requires chicken parts. HE LEFT A PACK OF CHICKEN NECKS IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. When we came home a week later, the scent was overpowering and absolutely condensed in that Mustang. No amount of air circulation or deodorizing products put a dent into the thick stench of death that permeated the car's upholstery. Two days with the doors and trunk wide open didn't help one iota. Car detailers said the car was a total loss!!!!

A lady we know heard about the problem and offered help. We went to her house, gagging and hanging our heads out the windows, for 45 minutes, to Houston. She put this little box in the car, rolled up the windows, snaked an electrical cord to an outlet through a crack, and invited us in for iced tea. Michelle was a train wreck, as the car was NEW and chicken rot was not covered by her insurance. About an hour later, the lady said the car was ready. To our shock, the car smelled super-clean. We didn't believe the smell would not return, but we were grateful it was gone for a while. Except, it never, ever, EVER came back. Michelle had that car for 7 more years! And, I am happy to report, Cousin Steve is still alive and presently resides in the Austin area with all his limbs intact.

We are now very proud to be able to offer

brand new units for $649 to Realtors and homeowners alike!

We also rent our units for $79./for a half-day rental.

NO REAL ESTATE OFFICE SHOULD BE WITHOUT ONE FOR MALODOROUS LISTINGS.

Contact us if you would like to know more. Shipping is included with the price, and we absolutely take credit cards, and offer you a money-back guarantee!

Sue Eldredge - Certifed Staging Professional

Abbeville, Louisiana

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

and

www.curba ppealfordummies.com

Stinky Stenches....Not a Blog for the Faint of Heart

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:38:04 -0500

Seen a lot of posts about houses with an aroma so unpleasant, it can prevent a sale?

People are taking drastic, expensive, and unnecessary measures to eradicate stench.

There is a fast, easy, and affordable, solution that works on every possible stink one can ever run in to.

Not to get too gruesome, but even crime scene cleanup pros know exacty how to attack a malodorous dwelling, and have the odor and it's originating bacteria destroyed permanently and without chemicals.... SWIFTLY!

The only way an odor can re-occur in a properly ionized environment is if the source of the stench is REINTRODUCED, but old. imbedded odors are GONE FOREVER.

I know it's unbelievable. But I have a first hand experience, involving a cousin, a pack of chicken necks, a hot car, and a one very incensed sister:

So, we bought one of those boxes when we started staging. We rent them for $79 dollars a day. We sell them for $649 to Realtors and homeowners alike. NO REAL ESTATE OFFICE SHOULD BE WITHOUT ONE FOR THEIR MALODOROUS LISTINGS.

Contact us if you would like to know more. Shipping is included with the price, and we absolutely take credit cards, and offer you a money-back guarantee!

If you would like to find out if Steve is really alive, click here. But be warned...he keeps Austin wierd.

Sue Eldredge

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

and

www.curba ppealfordummies.com

TRIM THAT BUSH!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:40:02 -0500

Here's some hygenic curb appeal tips from our latest project from our Curb Appeal Strategy Plan for Realtors and Stagers!

Bald in some places, and outta control in others! Feature This offers virtual fertilizer and a few other cosmetic suggestions to tame the bush, and enhance the pathway and driveway to appear less distracting to the overall appeal of this house!

We also addressed the dark and cavey garage, as well as the white plastic mailbox. The total cost of this do-it-yourself Curb Appeal Strategy:

$45 for two gallons of paint for garage interior.

$2.00 for a gallon of bleach cut with water to scrub the house & trim clean.

$40 to reseed the bald spots in the yard.

$80 for the new trellis and a quick-establishing vine.

$40.00 for a new mailbox.

$40.00 for white periwinkles

$15.00 for a quart of fresh red door paint

$80.00 to acid-stain the concrete substrates & seal

________________________

$342.00

This house is darling on the inside and attractively priced, but the curb appeal isn't there, and the Realtor cannot get buyers to see past the exterior MLS photos. She has enlisted our help, and ordered the Curb Appeal Strategy Package to motivate her buyers to be proactive about the only thing keeping this house on the market.

Do you think they ought to spend the dough? Stay tuned and we will let you know the progress our Curb Appeal Strategy Package inspires for this listing!

Need some help with one of your listings???

~Sue

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

www.curbappealfordummies.com

When Whites Attack!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:58:25 -0500

Subtle difference, I know. But it's there. Can you see it?

White can say too much. It can distract, and subtract. Or it can be crisply sophisticated and snappy. Coordinating a white for trim carefully so it is not competitive to the color scheme is EASY! Just consider the body color and factor it in. Most paint companies offer over 100 off-whites in their particular brand, so finding a taupe-tinged white is a breeze, or a peach-tinge, or a green-tinge, they have them all.

Most of them will read as "plain white" when they are up, because they do not scream. But put the wrong white up, and it might just shatter glass. All these whites are anchored to the body color:

So don't reach for that color chip of Ready-Mix White for your Curb Appeal projects. Customize your white and maximize your impact with a truly designer palette.

Thanks to Maureen of Rockland Staging for requesting to see this house with more impactful colors! ;)

Sue Eldredge

Please see our website if you would like to see your house with Virtual Curb Appeal!

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

Are your Whiteys Tidy?

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:47:11 -0500

Here in the South, I see a lot of plain white houses. They capture my attention, because from the part of California I am from, I have never seen houses that stark before...

Specializing in Curb Appeal, now I understand that people often defer to "plain white", also referred to as, "off-the-shelf white", or "ready-mix white", when re-painting a house. It's slightly cheaper than a custom white, and you don't have to decide anything.

I find that it's also virtually charmless and difficult to keep clean (the accent colors are.... mildew and dirt). What I see in my area too often is a Victorian home painted "plain white." It's almost painful to see such a beauty with authentic turn-of-the-century detailing, dressed in sack-cloth.

White houses can be stunning, when you give the white a little twist in the right direction.

Warm Gray with Taupe Trim Whites with a Sage Undertone Whites with a Shadowy Purple Cast

All the houses above could still be defined as white, as in, "Look for the white house on the left side of the street," and people would drive right to any one of these houses.

Whites with a Neutral taupe undertone, a grounded shade of limestone with a gray-yellow cast, cool, shadowy purple-white with a gray undertone, all are just some of the options that you can tweak a white over to.

A "tone-on-tone" look is sophisticated, timeless, and it pays homage to the American Dream that lives within us all (make that "Canadian Dream" for some of you!). It just doesn't have to be flavorless.

Next time you are faced with a plain white house, tighten that white! Take it past ready-mix, and customize it to accentuate the positives, and guide the eyes to the elements that give the house it's own personality.

Sue Eldredge

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

www.curbappealfordummies.com

How to Whip an Awesome Color Scheme out of your Arse-nal!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:56:47 -0500

Find this blog helpful? Join our group Curb Appeal 101

Before you buy that paint, consider these guidelines:

Keep in mind that choosing an impactful color scheme doesn't mean "your favorite". It means finding the right shades of a color to enhance the architectural interest of the home in question. After you find the most complimentary tones, then you can tweak them towards you or your client's taste. Read on...

Too pale, needs to take more risk! Much more substance...Gracefully Gutsy!

1.) What color is the roof?

The roof is a "fixed element", meaning, it is not changeable, for the most part. A roof can comprise as much as 65% of the entire color scheme on some architectural styles. Regardless, it is the first question to be answered. What color family (brown, black, red, green, blue, tan, etc.) is the roofing in (see my blog post, GROOVING OFF THE ROOFING)? Does the the "visual temperature" of the color lean toward warm or cool? Deciding it is a cool blackish-slate color, or a warm tan with reddish undertones,for instance, is crucial for the rest of the scheme to fall into place. If a color doesn't look good with the roof, chuck it. There are 100,000 other paint colors in the sea.

2.) What color is the Brick?

Another "fixed element", unless you are entertaining the thought of painting the brick (this is NOT a crime. It is a crime is to have really ugly brick when there is perfectly good paint to be had). Evaluate the fixed brick thru a "squinted eye." That's the best way I determine a mid-range color in a brick. Find the resulting color on a fan deck, and use it for the body. It is a no-brainer. You can go lighter or darker, but stay on track as far as the color. The body of a house HARMONIZES with it's fixed elements. ). A house with large areas of brick truly must blend with any siding or stucco , or the house will look choppy and small (If there is very little colored brick, then you can get creative, as the smidgen of brick becomes an accent.

3.) What style is the architecture?

Different architectural styles can support different types of color palettes. Learning more about different architectural styles is helpful, and cannot be covered in a blog (see our article on Ranch-Style house color schemes) The rule I, myself, follow is: Elements should only be in the natural color range of the material it is made of. Stone columns should be stone colors. Adobe should be adobe colors. Ironwork should be iron-colored. These things look silly when they are painted unnatural colors. Wood is traditionally painted, so it can be far more flexible, color-wise. Brick looks best if it is a sturdy color, rather than a light, airy bright color. These are rules of thumb, but they make sense, especially when you are selling a house. If it is an odd color-choice, people won't think your house is cool or cutting edge. For the most part, they'll just wonder if weirdos live there. Daring choices are NOT good for selling houses!

4.) What kind of Neighborhood is it in?

You want the house to be well-aspected within the neighborhood's setting. If the scheme is too heavy for the 'hood, it's going to look like the Munsters live there. Too bright, and people will think the Circus has taken up permanent residence. You really want to offer a home that is respectable according to the appearance standards set by the existing neighborhood.

5.) What color for the body?

Once you have an idea of the relevance of the above factors, now you can go to a fan deck and start considering your first color choice. Choose the body color first. Try the my most-common-neutral method (squint!) mentioned above, FIRST. Then branch out into other shades of that color, leaning into differing families. Let's say the brick is very pink-brown. Start with a nice mid-tone pink-brown, then move it into an less reddish version, or a more reddish version. Choose three or four winners this way, and work each palette separately using the following advice for trim, accent, and door colors. Treat all utilitarian parts of the house like BODY color. Trim colors and accent colors are for the pretty parts of a house, to enhance architectural detail. If it isn't an architectural detail or a focal piont for some reason, HIDE IT with the body color ( I am talking about electrical boxes, attic vents, garage doors, extra utility room doors, air conditioning units, downspouts from rain gutters, lattice, trellises, you name it. If it doesn't say "nice architectural detail", then it gets hidden)! Don't get people to notice your $29 trellis from home depot. It's a plant support. You want them to look at your plant. Now if it's an ARBOR, than pop that sucker with an accent. The body color is the backdrop. You can't feature everything!

6.) What color for the trim?

People think white is white, and off-white is off-white. THE WHITE IS VERY IMPORTANT! If you choose a gray-green body, choose a white that carries hints of gray-green in it's undertone. Tan? Choose a creamy white with a slight cafe-au-lait undertone. Yellow? Pick a white with a whiff of lemon in it. Customizing your white can make a HUGE difference. Whites don't all look alike, no matter what they say. Next time you go to a paint store, take a white sheet of Xerox paper in with you. Grab ANY white color chip. I guarantee you lay that chip down and you are going to immediately see an undertone. The wrong white can make a house look really cheap. Can't take the pressure of white trim picking? Consider dark trim. It can look very dressy in some instances.

7.) Choose an accent color (shutters, awnings, window boxes, gingerbread woodwork).

The accent color should compliment (not match) the fixed elements, the body color, and trim. Don't wimp out with a lightish color. The accent color is like mascara, it should be rich, dramatic, and preferably, very dark. Accent colors frame the architectural elements and make an area come into focus. Accent colors anchor the entire scheme. A deep color choice makes the other colors come to life and find their place. "Loud" shutters are nearly always a mistake, as they don't support, they distract. Find something deeply shaded and juicy. Gingerbread woodwork on a Victorian is the exception tothis rule. If you house isn't Victorian, don't have two or three accent colors. That is what landscaping is for.

8.) Choose a door color.

This is where you play! The door area should be obvious, interesting, and inviting. Putting the color punch ONLY at the door makes a natural focal point that is instantly welcoming, and entices with a pleasant perkiness even on a ho-hum color scheme. Don't wuss out on the door. It is the star of the show, and the one place that guest will seek out and walk right up to and through. Make the most of this moment for your guests. Don't be scary...just give them a portal they can't resist.

There you go! It's a process of puzzle pieces to be plugged in. Once you use the formula, with a little practice and you'll be causing dynamic impact!

Best of Skill to You!

Sue Eldredge

Feature This... Interior Design and Professional Real Estate Staging

http://featurethisdotdotdot.com

http://www.curbappealfordummies.com

GROOVING OFF THE ROOFING!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:35:29 -0500

GROOVING OFF THE ROOFING!

Ok, here's another trick from the Curb Appeal 101 Group http://activerain.com/groups/curbappeal101 and www.curbappealfordummies.com:

Whenever someone needs our help choosing a color scheme for exterior staging, the first question we ask is "What color is the roof?"

Why is the roof color of primary concern? Because it can, in some architectural styles, attribute up to 65% of the overall color palette. Yet, it is often rarely given any consideration at all!

The point is to determine if the roof color has a warm or cool undertone, and to choose colors that are going in the same color direction that the roof dictates. The above picture is a prime example of how a scheme can go astray when the undertone is not considered.

The color of the roof is a "cool" taupe, meaning essentially, it displays very little yellow in it's undertone. It's a actually grayish-taupe with hints of violet. The brick is warm, the shutters and portico are also sunny, Tuscan-esque hues. Lovely from the trim on down, but the whole plan goes terribly awry once the roof is factored in, and the yellow becomes antagonistic.

This scheme below stays neutral, to compliment BOTH the roof and the brick, making the entire look nice and tight. Perhaps it's a little boring, maybe, but not ugly!

And "boring" just needs a few accent colors brought in through the landscaping...

Voila! A lovely, cohesive color scheme that brings all the elements together!

If you like what you see, please go see our website to find out how we can do this for you to excite and encourage your clients to tackle their curb-appeal issues! www.curbappealfordummies.com

Calling All Curb Enthusiasts!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:14:29 -0500

Welcome to Curb Appeal 101!
I have made a new group, please join! http://activerain.com/groups/curbappeal101
Every few days I will post some really sound advice for increasing curb-appeal from my own experiences with my staging business, "Feature This...", in Abbeville Louisiana.
Please feel free to share your experiences, ask questions and show pictures!
My name is Sue, and I am a Certified Professional Stager. Our company specializes in enhancing Curb Appeal!
I've got lots to share, and I can't wait to hear more tips from you!

Sue Eldredge, Certified Professional Stager
My sites:
http://www.curbappealfordummies.com/
http://www.featurethisdotdotdot.com/

Welcome to Curb Appeal 101!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:03:05 -0500

Thank you for visiting our little group! If you enjoy your stay, please join us, as we would love to welcome you properly.

My name is Sue, and I am a Certified Professional Stager. Our company specializes in enhancing Curb Appeal!Every few days I will post some sound, unique advice for increasing curb-appeal from my own experiences with my staging business, called "Feature This...", in Abbeville Louisiana.

Please feel free to share your own curb appeal experiences, questions and pictures! I want this little corner of active rain to be very active and informative.

I can't wait to learn more tips from you!

Please feel free to introduce yourself and tell us about YOU!

Sue Eldredge, Professional Stager

My sites:

www.curbappealfordummies.com

www.featurethisdotdotdot.com

SPOUTING OFF!

Michelle Molinari - CurbAppealForDummies.com (CurbAppealForDummies.Com) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:40:26 -0500

Hello! This is my first post!

Within our staging business, we do quite a fair bit of curb-appeal work. One thing I think that is helpful when assessing a property is, of course, to determine a focal point.

In the house pictured here, the strangest focal points jumped out.

Look at my rain drains!

See my pretty garage door!?

When considering changes to be made in preparation for a sale, or for any type of exterior paint decision, the garage door never looks good in white. It detracts from the architecture and color scheme. It sucks the life out of the house! The same goes for snakey drains.

Here's a great tip:

Your best bet is to paint those drains a color that blends in with the surrounding stucco, brick, or siding. Drains and spouts are NOT decorative, and they do not have to be popped out like trim. Let them fade into the background and all sorts of neat things take center stage.

This house looks upscale! The driveway looks bigger! The house seems more substantial, wider, and more gracious! The lovely roof enjoys some appreciation!

Yes, cut the trim line onto the drain. Let the eye roam right over that ugly down-spout.

Just a professional curb-appeal tip you guys might be able to use.

Sue Eldredge

For more curb-appeal tips and information, please visit our website: www.curbappealfordummies.com