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staging: Questions for Kimo: I would like to use Hawaiian indigenous plants to spruce up my curb appeal... - 04/01/09 09:27 PM
 
Questions for Kimo: I would like to use Hawaiian indigenous plants to spruce up my curb appeal, where can I go to see them in a natural setting to get ideas?  



It's not easy to recognize plants that are indigenous to Hawaii from the multitudes of imported varieties. However, If you are in the Honolulu area, a convenient place to find indigenous plantings in a natural albeit planned garden is the Lili'uokalani Botanical Garden in Nu'uanu.
This startling oasis, just a few blocks from downtown Honolulu and it's towering skyscrapers, has a wonderful selection of native plants and trees … (7 comments)

staging: Swept up on an Accessories Quest; we land on Southern Hawaii shores- SoHa So Good! - 02/27/09 09:00 PM
Swept up on an Accessories Quest; we land on Southern Hawaii shores- SoHa So Good!


http://www.sohaliving.com
The beach is where it's at, so why aren't you there?
Above: At The Beach Sign. $28 Made entirely of recycled wood. Size: 16" x 7" 

Its oh so very easy to get swept up in accessory shopping and when there are sales, watch out! Sales shopping is like sailing the open seas it's exhilarating, liberating, and soaked in danger. Even the most seasoned shopper can get wrecked over a sale. Trapped on a shopping reef unable to stop the relentless flow … (14 comments)

staging: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...no, it's not Christmas it's Clearance! - 02/25/09 06:13 PM
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...no, it's not Christmas it's Clearance as in Pier One Imports Winter Clearance Sale!
With visions of plum colored wine goblets and imported cane furniture dancing in my head it's time to head to Pier One for their winter clearance sale. If you're a Home Stager or Designer now is the time to find great bargains on those must have accessories.
Here is a collection of interesting artifacts from Pier One Imports for under $12.
 
 
 
This Coconut Bark Bowl makes one howl of a statement as a table centerpiece.
sale price $11.18Orig.tag $15
 

… (18 comments)

staging: Accessory Alchemy and the Magic of Staging. - 02/20/09 07:48 PM




 
ccesory Alchemy and the Magic of Staging. The power of accessories is in your hands.
Professional stagers carry many secrets in their stagers bag of magic tricks and nothing is quite as powerful as their inventory of accessories. To layman they are merely household items but in the hands of a talented stager they can transform the mundane into magic, transforming your property for sale into gold.  
How is this magic done you ask? Well, it takes an eye for detail, color, composition and a few tons of fairy dust (just kidding on the latter). None the less, the 'artistic eye' … (22 comments)

staging: Tropical Curb Appeal: Choose Colorful Crotons! - 02/13/09 02:28 PM
Tropical Curb Appeal: Choose Colorful Crotons!
One of my favorite tropical plants that packs a serious color punch are Crotons. Adding these bright plants to your yard or interior space can create a dramatic eye catching effect that will turn buyers heads.

Crotons or Codiaeum variegatum are native to the Pacific Islands and are prodigiously grown through out Polynesia. Very popular in Kama'aina gardens here in Hawaii, Crotons have only recently (last 20 years or so) found their way into interior spaces as potted plants. Crotons grow to heights of 5' to 6' and are stocky colorful shrubs. The firm … (22 comments)

staging: Chairs of Character: A pictoral guide to stylish seating vol I. The British Invasion - 10/09/08 12:36 AM
Vol I. The British Invasion
 
I love auctions and nothing gets my adrenaline pumping like bidding and obtaining antiques at auction; especially when I'm getting a good deal on a quality piece of furniture. Not everything sold at auction is an antique but it's usually the antiques that get the biggest buzz when placed before the gavel. Not only are most antiques of better quality and construction, they are often less expensive than their contemporary counterparts. And what better way to help the environment then buying previously owned furniture.
Obviously, antiques work in certain design styles and not in others. If … (10 comments)

staging: Inspired Color, Hawaiian Style: Natures Paint Swatches Vol III - 09/22/08 06:06 PM
To continue my blog series celebrating the colorful inspiration the natural world provides-I take you to the "Friendly Isle" of Moloka'i ,considered the least developed of the main Hawaiian Islands excluding Ni'ihau which is privately owned and Kaho'olawe which is riddled with unexploded ordinance (a result of years of military bombing practice and is not accessible to the general public).  
 
The photo Kaiapo is of the ocean at high tide and is an example of a monocromatic scheme of varying shades of blue. Monochromatic (single color) schemes are very calming to the eye and the use of blues offers a cool and relaxing … (7 comments)

staging: Tips for Staging a Studio: defining a small space - 08/16/08 05:28 PM
Tips for Staging a Studio: defining a small space  
When it comes to staging a studio defining a livable area within a limited space can be a challenge. Empty studios often seem smaller and hard to define, leaving potential buyers with an unsettling feeling that there just isn't enough room. Occupied studios can feel cramped and cluttered. 
Maximizing functional square footage should be a priority. Defining basic living areas that are typically found in larger homes is essential to show buyers how the studio space can function for them.
    
Aside from being cluttered and disheveled this studio lacks clear definition making it difficult for buyers … (35 comments)

staging: Small Bathroom Changes Create Big Impact! Before & After- - 08/12/08 08:58 PM
Bathrooms and Kitchens are two very important rooms in the mind set of most buyers. In this market, updating these rooms is essential for getting top dollar for your property. As Real Estate Merchandisers we advise our clients to allocate their remodel budget to address these rooms first, as they typically offer the greatest return on your investment.

Changing outdated fixtures, lighting, counter tops, and flooring can transform the old and dated into eye candy for potential buyers.  

In this simple remodel we replaced the old counter top with a granite remnant from another project, painted the cabinets, removed the doors, … (15 comments)

staging: Questions for Kimo: My Condo is one of five for sale in my building, I have a small budget, what can I do to help sell it? - 08/05/08 11:11 PM
How do buyers differentiate one condo for sale from another when they all look the same? The answer is Curb Appeal! What, Curb Appeal For Condos? Yes... Curb Appeal For Condos! Or shall I call it Front Door Appeal. That's not to say that staging the interior isn't important, it certainly is but if all variables are equal: square footage, rooms, views, etc. the best place to start is with the most probable first impression, the front door.
Separating yourself from the pack so that buyers take notice is not as hard as you might think. All the condo entry ways in this Hawaii Kai condo complex look … (13 comments)

staging: Tropical Curb Appeal: Simple and cost effective! - 07/19/08 07:06 PM

 
 Tropical Curb Appeal: Simple and cost effective!
This curb appeal project focused on the area just outside the front door.The original landscaping was tired and unkept so we decided to create some visual interest by adding a little garden with a water feature.
 
                                                                                                                                                              

 
 
 
For plants we added some Oyster plants, Lauae, a variety of Cordyline or Ti plants and a Water Lilly.
  
 
 
 

 
 A punchbowl water feature added visual interest and a focal point for the garden
 

 
 
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We laid brown river rock in with the … (14 comments)

staging: Eclectic Design: Making it work - 07/17/08 05:53 PM
Eclectic Design: Making it work
Often times Stagers and Re-designers are faced with a miss matched selection of furniture and accessories. Making it work for your client is what staging and redesign is all about.

Before

After 
With this redesign we basically were combining mid century modern and Pan-Asian pieces. Color becomes a focal point with eclectic design and matching and contrasting color is important. Orange is the primary color used to offset the white walls. We find the color in the accessories, art, and carpet. Blue stripes in the vintage club chairs adds contrast and the rattan adds more accessorized orange. … (13 comments)

staging: Kailua Hawaii staged to sell! Before and After. - 06/24/08 07:12 PM
Kailua Hawaii staged to sell!
JDS Consultings latest project on Oahu is a four bedroom two bath ranch home in the exclusive Enchanted Lake neighborhood of Kailua, Hawaii.
 
Living Room Before Photo 
 
 
 

Livivng Room After
 
The home is being priced around one million and it includes a 17,000sqft lot, a pool and a one bedroom Ohana (family) guest cottage.  

 

This is an occupied stage for a family of four with 3 dogs who were incredibly accommodating to our direction. We staged the entire home and landscaped the yard and pool area. We did not stage the Ohana as it was occupied.
 
Sun Room … (29 comments)

staging: Trash Talk, somebody has to do it! - 06/23/08 02:29 PM



Trash Talk, somebody has to do it!  
Today I'm dishing the dirt on the most overlooked space in the house when it comes to staging, the garage. Consumer culture has transformed this enclosed car port into more than just a place to park the car, it has become a catch all for all our junk.  
When it comes to selling your property the garage should be staged just like all the other rooms of the home and that means clearing out the clutter, disposing of the unwanted items, and leaving the place neat and clean.  
… (17 comments)

staging: Questions for Kimo: I have less than $500 to get may home staged to sell, help? - 06/17/08 02:47 PM
Questions for Kimo: I have less than $500 to get my home staged to sell, how would you budget the project, help?
Top 5 low cost staging tips
1. Hire a cleaning service to clean everthing from the windows to the floors, from the attic to the basement. Spotless is your objective and don't forget the kitchen appliances. If need be you can help with the cleaning or do it yourself, however, I always recommend the house cleaning be done professionally.
2. Get rid of all the personal items, toys, and clutter and don't forget the garage and closets. Have a lawn sale, rent a … (17 comments)

staging: Staging Vignettes: Form Follows Function. - 05/19/08 04:23 AM
Vignettes: Form Follows Function.  
In the staging world vignettes can save you time and money while informing the buyer how a particular space might function.
Instead of completely furnishing  a spare bedroom, for instance, with all the typical trappings such as a bed, night stand, dresser, armoire, lighting and accessories you might instead use just a bed, night stand and lamp. The observer will easily deduct that the room is a bedroom with these three items sparing the expense of the additional furniture and accessories.
The same minimalism will work for auxiliary rooms such as home offices, craft, media and game rooms. … (21 comments)

staging: Staging a Luau: adding local flavor to your social gathering! - 05/15/08 05:35 PM
Staging a Luau: We recently had mainland friends visit and decided to throw an impromptu luau to celebrate their 6 month-old child and grand-child. Normally, it is custom to throw a luau for a baby when they reach 1 year of age but since they will be on the mainland we decided to have it early.
Luau's are held out of doors as are most parties and social gathering in Hawaii, so we moved the picnic table under the big Mango tree for ample shade.
 
For center pieces I used a potted pineapple plant, a bamboo trencher filled with ripe … (5 comments)

staging: Staging on Oahu's famous North Shore - 05/13/08 07:49 PM
Aloha AR,
Here's my latest staging project in Waialua, on Oahu's famous North Shore. This two bedroom, one bath condo goes on the market this week and will be priced around 220-230K. Which is low for the North Shore area.
A mere block from the beach with beautiful views of Mt. Ka'ala, this cozy condo should sell quickly. I love Waialua, it's hip, laid back, and has lots of character and characters.
Lost is filmed down the road and surfer celebrities abound. The surfing is spectacular and the sunsets are stunning.  
 
I used a very bold pumpkin brown wall … (25 comments)

staging: Curb Appeal is the proverbial Book Cover to your Home. Why not make it interesting? - 05/03/08 07:40 PM
How's your curb appeal, is it Ho hum or Oh my? Do people really judge a book by it's cover, you bet.
Curb Appeal is the proverbial book cover to your home. We know that real estate is an emotional sell and staging speaks to buyers on an emotional level. Why, because it takes them by the hand and says, look you could be living here, imagine yourself living here. It is important to understand that design creates relationships, relationships in turn produce drama which then begets emotions and after all the laughter and tears, hopefully you find yourself a signed contract for the full asking price.
Sure … (19 comments)

staging: Inspired Color, Hawaiian Style: Natures Paint Swatches Vol I. - 04/21/08 04:26 PM
In Honor of Earth Day, I decided to create some color palettes from nature's bounty here in Hawaii. These pictures I took while hiking in the Waianae Valley on the western shores of Oahu last weekend. Hawaiian decor often brings the out of doors in and vice versa, creating home environments that takes full advantage of Hawaii's natural beauty. The colors come directly from the photos. I prefer five color, palette schemes to the traditional three. Especially when it comes to painting exteriors. With interior space I spread the five colors in various combinations through out the home. You may print these swatches and bring them … (17 comments)