Marin Home Stager Staging and Residential Design Blog

About Face -- How would you stage for an outdoor view?

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:12:25 -0500

Recently I spotted another stager's work at a house for sale in Marin County, and it got me thinking. Since I always appreciate your feedback and discussions here on ActiveRain, I'd like to know your opinion as professional stagers: when you stage an outdoor space with a breathtaking view (in this case a 180-degree view of the Bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge), do you arrange the outdoor furniture to drink in the view, or to face the interior of the house? (In this case, French doors to the Living Room are behind the camera.) Or are there other alternatives that you'd suggest?

Please understand that I'm not criticizing this stager's hard work in any way -- I feel that there's no hard and fast rule for furnishing these challenges. I'm just curious how you prefer to approach this staging choice.

So what do you think? To face the view, or not to face the view?

Thanks for your comments and ideas!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

It's a Dog's Life...Or a Lifeless Dog?

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:02:02 -0600

Skipping merrily through our local MLS listings I stumbled across this delightful MLS photo. While I can appreciate the personalized funky style of this house for sale, I stopped dead in my tracks at the dining room photo...

Apparently I wasn't the only one who stopped dead in their tracks...what's that perched atop the buffet, peering at the dinner guests?

YIKES!

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Home Staging - Redesign - Interior Design Marin County, California

Orange you Glad to have Active Rain? Making a Realtor Presentation Relevant

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:09:42 -0600

Special thank-you tulips for the AR community!

As a relative newcomer to Northern California, it's important for me to present my staging business, Leslie Olson Interiors, to Realtors face-to-face. The good news is that Real Estate Staging is the rule more than the exception here, and Marin County Realtors are technology and market savvy. The more challenging news for my business is that many of the Realtors have long-term working relationships with other stagers in the area.

With that in mind, as well as current real estate market conditions, I faced my upcoming Realtor Presentation with great anticipation...yet I knew I had to approach this differently than I might have in the past. I truly wanted this to be relevant for the Realtors attending...and challenged myself not to use the tired and predictable topics they had seen presented so many times before: De-Clutter - De-Personalize - Neutralize... I vowed that I would not so much as use those words!

And okay to be honest I also wanted them to remember my company in terms of branding -- for the company to have a positive "linger factor" with them as they consider staging projects in the future.

To prepare for the presentation I turned to the rich knowledge base on ActiveRain for ideas, and found an absolute wealth of inspiration. It's my challenge to name all the sources of that inspiration by name and blog link below!

To try to provide hand-outs to Realtors that were relevant to Staging and their business (and a place for them to find them when they needed them!) I provided bright orange hanging files that reflected the color in my company logo. The bright white file folder was labeled "Real Estate Staging Hand-Outs..."

...until they open the folder to easily find my company contact information, web link and blog link.

To make sure they can find my information quickly and easily in the future, I included a business card and Rolodex cards in two sizes with the same contact information. But how to prevent them from falling out of the folders?

Thanks to Gina Zimmerman's blog tipping us off about a recent Oprah episode on organizing clutter, I printed out a 20% off coupon for The Container Store -- which happened to be located in the same shopping center as the Realtor presentation. How Conveeeeeenient!

And to continue the theme relevant to Staging, Realtors dropped their business cards into a marble bowl for a drawing for a gift card to The Container Store.

Hand-Outs included a company flyer and profile for Leslie Olson Interiors (before and after graphics thanks to Picasa photo software as recommended by ActiveRain users!), the new RESA Staging Statistics Report, a list of web links to publish Realtors' listings, the Real Estate Website Popularity Rankings for January 2009, a copy of one of my ActiveRain blogs featuring a current house my company staged, and an example of a recent Initial Staging Consultation Report.

Early in the morning, ready for Realtors to arrive at the restaurant.

As a sponsor for the event, the display table for Leslie Olson Interiors, including a Before and After photo slide show on the laptop, and Picasa-generated presentation board. On a cool and rainy morning the fireplace was warm and cozy...and even the fire complimented my company logo!

Thanks for your many suggestions for preparing for a Realtor Presentation:

Cheryl Marantino - The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round....

Sara Bonert - Real Estate Website Popularity Rankings for January 2009 - Hitwise

Carol Clay Comment - "As an agent...I agree with the other comments that a gift basket wouldn't sway me one way or another. But I would like to have something at my fingertips so I don't have to hunt for your name or phone number. I hate cheesy give aways, but I love note pads." in Lori Donegan's blog "Questions from a Rookie Stager"

Michelle Minch Comment: "No REA is going to hire you based upon your goodie basket. They will hire you if they think you will make their job easier, make them look good and/or will help them make more money," in Lori Donegan's blog "Questions from a Rookie Stager"

Liz Carla Comment - "I provide a colorful file folder with my brochure, staging articles, biz card, etc. labeled with my business name and phone number. I have received good comments on this. The realtors love it and I really think they keep it. Easy to file in their drawer. Do a give away." From Lori Donegan's blog, Creative Realtor Presentations.

Annie Pinsker-Brown Comment - "I agree that you should use lots of photos and statistics! The numbers are what is important to Realtors. Also we had a realtor panel in my local stagers group and the realtors all said what they wanted from us was a sheet they could give to their clients to explain Staging, the pros and cons and some ballpark pricing. Plus before & after photos. I took that to heart and now give those sheets out at all my Realtor presentations. Explain to the Realtors that it is something they should put into their listing presentations to sell their clients on Staging. Of course it will also have your name and contact info on it. From Lori Donegan's blog, Creative Realtor Presentations.

Gina Zimmerman - OPRAH HAS DONE IT AGAIN! WOW!!

Special appreciation to Kathy Nielsen, Michelle Minch, Shell Broadnax and all who contributed to the new RESA Staging Statistics Report

And thank you for all the great feedback I got about photo enhancing software as I prepared a series of Before and After Staging Photos for a Picasa slide presentation to display on my laptop computer. I was also able to use Picasa's Collage feature to design the company flyer and display board. The blogs about evaluating software packages are listed below:

Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures -- Picking Picasa or Picnik?

EUREKA! Progress Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures in Picasa! Part II

Thank you so much for your contributions and interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Marin County Home Staging - Redesign - Interior Design

EUREKA! Progress Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures in Picasa! Part II

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:22:21 -0600

Hmmm...there's something wrong with this picture...

Hello ActiveRainers...it's your friendly neighborhood Luddite here, Leslie.

If you'll recall yesterday I sent out a plea to the AR community to help me decide which FREE photo-enhancing software I should consider using to update my mediocre staging profile pictures (Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures -- Picking Picasa or Picnik?)

Since you're still reading this I'll assume that you've successfully cleared off your computer screens since reciting that aloud.

After the tremendously helpful feedback I got from this ActiveRain communtiy I decided to download Picasa last night before I went to bed. One of the bizarre features of this software that it synchs up with your computer hard drive to suck in all the visual images you have stored there. Okay that's not the bizarre part...remember I was verrrry sleeeepy when it was zipping through all these pictures (years of family pictures, holiday photos, trips abroad, staging before and afters...). There's a tiny box in the bottom of your screen that displays the image that the software is currently downloading -- whizzing past at uber warp-speed. It was really weird in my drowsy state, almost hypnotized. I stumbled to bed feeling as if I had literally watched my life pass before my eyes.

Whew!

With that process over I started poking around the software this morning...trust me it's really distracting unearthing all those pictures you haven't seen in years.

But the result is...and I'm kinda proud of myself...if you look at the right side of this ActiveRain blog you'll see a slide show from one of my vacant staging projects! (You may recognize some rooms from that project that I recently featured in the blog, Contemporary Craftsman Before and After - Home Staging Marin - From Vacant House to Inviting Home) Yup, I selected and enhanced each of those photos to produce an album for that project, and even (rather accidentally) figured out how to embed the slide show in my AR settings!

Now the questions for you are...does it (honestly now) look okay? And almost as important, does it slow down the loading of my blog page? (I hate it when that happens.) Is it too frenetic and busy flashing in your view as you're trying to read my fascinating tome? Or are you galvanized to hire my company for your upcoming staging projects -- immediately? Please be straight with me if you don't like it. I can always use the slide show in other places, this was just a learning experience for me.

By the way, with my new technological savvy I promise not to return to taking pictures using the techniques demonstrated in the photo above...

Thank you very much for your feedback!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors - Marin County Home Staging - Redesign - Interior Design

www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures -- Picking Picasa or Picnik?

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:28:21 -0600

Okay fellow ActiveRain members...I need your help!

One thing that we can all agree on is the critical importance of high quality pictures for MLS photographs and Real Estate Staging portfolios. I am in no way, shape or form a good photographer. And I get easily overwhelmed with the multitude of options available with photo-enhancing software. I long ago left PhotoShop, never quite mastering it. For years I've used ancient versions of Microsoft Office Picture Manager and Paint Shop Pro 7 that are on my PC (sorry, not Mac). My proudest achievement was learning how to straighten my always-crooked images so that the room no longer appears to be sliding into a sink-hole (Eeeeeewwwrrrrrrrrr...THUNK!).

I have so many pictures from projects that I loved...but the pictures aren't blog-worthy, much less up to the level of my business web site.

Lately on ActiveRain I've seen a lot of mentions about Picasa and Picnik software to enhance and modify visual images. I've tried to weigh the options...but my eyes quickly glaze over. And their web sites give me a bit of sensory overload. I just want something that's going to be dazzlingly effective with my mediocre digital photos -- while straightforward enough for me to use without getting exasperated.

Just a simple question for those of you who have worked with them...Picasa or Piknik?

** UPDATE **

To follow up on this saga, I've posted a new blog to tell you the results of my decision based on your feedback: EUREKA! Progress Professionally Preparing Problematic Pictures in Picasa! Part II.

Thanks for your help!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors - Marin County Home Staging - Redesign - Interior Design

www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Domino Effect - NYT Reports Fans Mourning Demise of Magazine

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:02:02 -0600

The New York Times is reporting a public outcry over the cancellation of popular home magazine, Domino. As I mentioned in my recent blog, Say It Ain't So...Are Home Shelter Magazines the New Dinosaurs?, Domino is one of several shelter magazines recently nixed because of shrinking ad dollars.

In the NYT article, "A Girl World Closes, and Fans Mourn," they write:

WHEN Domino magazine folded last week, another casualty of the economic smack-down, a howl of protest rang through the blogosphere. Fans of the girlish, how-to decorating magazine owned by Condé Nast were vociferous in their disappointment, posting anguished comments on design sites like Apartment Therapy, Decorno and Design Sponge (which accrued 498 remarks in just a few hours), as well as nondesign sites, like The Huffington Post. Even Gawker readers set aside their snark to mourn.

The commenters bemoaned the death of a magazine that "felt" like them, and worried that their Domino subscription renewals, already paid, would yield subscriptions to Architectural Digest, Condé Nast's remaining shelter title (median reader age: 50).

To read the entire article, click on http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/garden/05domino.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

It remains to be seen if the protests will bring any results, but clearly this is a publication that was innovative, fresh, and tapped into a young, growing market. Quite a contrast from the old dowager Architectural Digest (which, to my knowledge, is not being cancelled).

For Leslie's blogs related to this subject, I invite you to visit:

Say It Ain't So...Are Home Shelter Magazines the New Dinosaurs?

How Are Your Favorite Home Retailers Doing? Must-Read Articles

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Contemporary Craftsman Before and After - Home Staging Marin - From Vacant House to Inviting Home

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:05:40 -0600

This new construction craftsman-style home was built in a charming older neighborhood, replacing a house that was dilapidated beyond repair. The Realtor was in fact the person who had designed and built the house -- a two-year labor of love. He hired our firm, Leslie Olson Interiors to furnish and stage the vacant house for sale. Despite the very tight staging budget this was such a gratifying project to work on, as the Realtor/Owner was thrilled to finally see "his" light-filled house transformed and furnished, after nurturing it from concept to construction.

Vacant Living Room before:

Living Room after staging by Leslie Olson Interiors:

Welcoming Living Room from the Entry:

Kitchen during contruction:

Warm and inviting Kitchen after accessorizing:

A tranquil Master Bedroom awaits future homebuyers:

Cozy Master Bedroom seating area:

Master Bathroom vanity with reflections:

Master Bath with view:

For additional Before and After examples of Leslie's Traditional Style Home Staging in Marin, check out:

Marin County Home Stager - Staging for Traditional Home Architecture and Style

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

For more Before and After photos from a variety of Leslie Olson Interior's Vacant Home Staging Projects, please view:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Staging Vintage Kitchens - Marin Home Staging - Before and After Photos

Bring on the Popcorn! Media Room Makeover - Real Estate Staging Marin

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Say It Ain't So...Are Home Shelter Magazines the New Dinosaurs?

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 15:35:49 -0600

To follow up on my most recent blog, "How Are Your Favorite Home Retailers Doing? Must-Read Articles," this New York Times' article, "The Meltdown in Home Furnishings" lists troubled home furnishings retailers who are struggling in this economy, as well as many much loved "shelter" magazines:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/garden/29industry.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Due to the faltering economy and shrinking advertising dollars, the past several months have seen several home design magazines close up shop, to include:

The 106 year-old House and Garden, Home, Blueprint, O at Home, Cottage Living, Country Home, and most recently Domino.

At a personal level shelter magazines have been so important to me through the years as sources of inspiration, aspiration and upcoming design trends. I have folders and notebooks filled with pictures clipped over the years, kept to inform future projects. Some designers' works I've collected as if I were in a movie star fan club. (Don't forget those shelter magazines also elevated the careers of many successful designers.) Sifting through several of these notebooks before our move last summer I felt like I was traveling through a time capsule of dreams deferred (and sometimes realized), representing my own evolving design interests. And for years my Interior Design clients have shared similar magazine clippings with me, helping to crystallize a focus for their design plans.

I fear that some of my favorite magazines may be next in line for troubles (as well as those who write and publish for them), and send them my very best wishes.

Do you have favorite magazines that have particularly inspired you through the years? Which would you truly miss if they were no longer here? Are there past shelter magazines that you continue to miss? What other sources of design inspiration do you use in their place (blogs, etc.)?

**UPDATE**

2/5/2008 - This morning I just posted a follow-up blog about the cancellation of Domino magazine, from a recent New York Times article. Check it out at Domino Effect - NYT Reports Fans Mourning Demise of Magazine.

Thanks for your interest!

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

How Are Your Favorite Home Retailers Doing? Must-Read Articles

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:56:16 -0600

As much as I'd rather be the bearer of good news in these difficult financial times, I've read two articles in the past 24 hours that are must-read for all of us who work in home and design-related industries.

Many retailers that we can hardly imagine not being there are currently on the ropes, and may not make it much longer. And shelter publications that we've come to rely on for inspiration are also walking the plank.

Here's the New York Times' article, "The Meltdown in Home Furnishings"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/garden/29industry.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Similarly Time ran an article yesterday featuring some of the same companies, "Retailers on the Ropes: Can These Companies Survive?"

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1874532,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner

This says nothing about local furnishings companies who are also feeling the effects of the economy. I feel for all who are touched by these industries and their troubles, as well as their families.

Leslie Olson, ASID

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

She Came In Through the Bathroom Window...

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:40:50 -0600

You've remodeled, renovated and refurbished. You've streamlined and polished to glow. You've staged to perfection, the photos are grand -- the home is now ready to show.

But...ummm...how are your guests are going to get in?

Yesterday I attended an Open House in Marin County, and spoke with the Realtor as he was closing up the property. He wrangled with the key and struggled with the lock, his face reddening as he worked with the ill-tempered deadbolt. I can only assume that it was just as difficult when he originally unlocked the door when he entered.

I smiled with recongnition. While staging homes through the years I've also struggled with ragged door keys or stubborn locks (often in the dark, with no porch light on). Last year when placing our own family home on the market, I had to return to the store four times until the new key copies properly unlocked the front door. What seems like a simple concept can really derail interested buyers' access. It's just too easy for them to turn around and visit the next property.

Please don't leave Realtors and potential homebuyers pressing their noses against the windows of your lovely home. You've worked so hard for this moment to arrive!

Thank you for stopping by!

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Providing Home Staging, Redesign and Residential Design Services for Marin County and surrounding areas north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Popcorn Ceiling Removal -- You're going to LIVE in the house???

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:35:49 -0600

The contractor shook his head when he heard that, to ease the budget, the family was going to continue living in the house while the dreaded popcorn ceilings were going to be scraped, a multiple-day process filled with grime and swirling dust that wouldn't clear out for months. You sure?

Uh-huh.

At least there was no asbsestos in this vile popcorn texture (the husband referred to it as "ceiling snot"), so it would be more inconvenience than safety hazard for the homeowners. You sure?

Uh-huh.

Warning the clients that it would be unpleasant at best, and living hell at worst, they agreed to work together. The contractor braced himself for surly clients, but after returning from the first day's work he was greeted by...

He tried to clean up the dust as best he could that day for the clients, but grainy dust swirled everywhere. The following morning as he reached to open the window for ventillation, he found...

Intrigued by the mysterious heiroglyphics, the contractor continued with the dusty work, clouds of dust covering the images with every hour. He worried about the family who must be at their wits' end by now. They had suffered days where the only running water was in the upstairs bathtub. In the evening they scrubbed away at stubborn wallpaper that should have been removed 20 years ago. To top it off, the new school year had begun, and the family was trying to maintain some normal daily structure, while living off Taco Bell. They were probably ready to devour their young by now.

But the next morning he was greeted with...

Much to the contractor's amazement, the daughter maintained her cheerful disposition throughout the weeks-long remodeling project, and they got along famously. She enjoyed watching the remodeling process evolve, and didn't complain once.

The dusty work was done, and more remodeling followed. But there was one hurdle to cross, and the contractor mulled over it for a long time before calling the daughter and her family in to the her room, which he was painting. He told her his idea, which she absorbed with solemn silence, then nodded. She took final pictures of the wall next to her doorframe, then he handed her the paintbrush.

Then, with a quiet sense of ceremony, she painted over several years worth of pencil marks on the wall, tiny hatch marks celebrating the increments of her growing height.

To this day nobody believes that the family survived happily through the Popcorn Scraping Episode. But they're still grateful for the privilege of working with such a kind and thoughtful contractor.

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoininteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Good Day Sunshine...

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:15:23 -0600

I would like to interrupt our regularly scheduled program to bring you something that I know that you need. On a cold cheerless January day, you could use a few transformative rays of sunlight...

You may now stretch like a cat and return to your normal duties.

Thanks for indulging me on this foggy, drizzly day! Anyone else care to share their unexpected rays of sunshine?

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:22:38 -0600

As promised in my recent blog Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1, I'm including additional before and after photos of this Upper Lucas Valley home in San Rafael, California designed by prominent architect Joseph Eichler.

The original post featured before and after pictures of rooms surrunding the central open-air Atrium of the mid-century modern Eichler home. This post shows before and after photos of the four bedrooms in the house, as staged by Leslie Olson Interiors of Marin County.

Before staging, the vacant Master Bedroom hinted at possibilities, with outdoor space beckoning. But unfurnished, prospective homebuyers would quickly sum up the empty room and move on.

Muted plum and coral tones of the bedding compliment the stone wall and pristine hills beyond, viewed from the floor-to-ceiling windows. By drawing the eye outside, the space is visually enlarged.

Additional accessories inside and out compliment the Master Bedroom. leading to the Patio, and Office.

Before, the Master Bath seemed unexceptional.

After staging, the Master Bath harmonizes with the Master Bedroom. Natural light from the skylight illuminates the space.

Additional bedrooms staged in this four bedroom home now compliment the architecture, and emphasize the indoor-outdoor spaces. Before staging, Bedroom #2 had an open view to the open-air Atrium, but while vacant had no warmth or personality of its own.

Staging transformed the room into a serene Guest Bedroom, enhanced by the Atrium view.

Vacant Bedroom #3 showed potential with natural light, but wasn't inviting to future homebuyers.

The newly-staged "Girl's Room," as the original homeowner referred to it, now shows its own personality.

Finally, Vacant Bedroom #4 looked tired, indeed.

Spunky modern bedding, lighting and accessories enliven this now contemporary bedroom.

For further information on Eichler-designed homes, check out http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENHist.html. The black and white photograph at the bottom of the page is an example of the popular Atrium model, which is the design of the property listed here.

This MLS listing number for this active property is 20838561. Agents listing this home are John Ewing (415-246-2220) and Julie Mendonca (415-328-0147) with Bradley Real Estate.

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin County Staging

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Thank you very much for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors, Marin County CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:18:07 -0600

Recently I had the opportunity to stage a vacant home in the Upper Lucas Valley area of San Rafael, California, north of San Francisco. The house was designed by prominent mid-century architect Joseph Eichler.

The original homeowners contacted Leslie Olson Interiors to professionally stage the home in preparation for its sale. We were delighted that not only is this neighborhood featured prominently throughout the book Eichler/Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream by Paul Adamson, but in showing the book to the homeowner who grew up in the house, we found that he recognized photographs of his young brother playing in the neighborhood!

Shown below are Before and After pictures of several of the rooms in the home. Each of these rooms overlooks an open-air Atrium in the center of the design. Before and after pictures of the home's four bedrooms can be viewed in the blog, Staging an Eichler-Designed Home - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2.

The Atrium before staging -- not exactly showing the best features of the space:

After Staging by Leslie Olson Interiors: Lively colors and outdoor furnishings appropriate to the tone of the architecture lend a playful note to the open-air space.

The Atrium after staging -- an important area, as it is viewed from most of the rooms in the house.

Before staging, the Family Room/Kitchen area seemed sparse and cold.

After lightly staging the Family Room with furniture and original art (paintings by Dawn Winter), this cozy room basks in natural sunlight.

Across the Atrium, this vacant room lacked a clear purpose for future homebuyers.

Now transformed into a light-filled Office, showing that Professional Staging can highlight the architecture of a home to its best advantage.

For further information on Eichler-designed homes, check out http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENHist.html. The black and white photograph at the bottom of the page is an example of the popular Atrium model, which is the design of the property listed here.

This MLS listing number for this active property is 20838561. Agents listing this home are John Ewing (415-246-2220) and Julie Mendonca (415-328-0147) with Bradley Real Estate.

Original paintings by Dawn Winter

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin County Staging

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Thank you very much for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors, Marin County CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Staging Bedrooms...Creatively - Marin County Staging Photos

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:52:12 -0600

Without question one of my favorite rooms to Stage and design is the bedroom. I love the creative potential of working with fabrics, textures and colors to evoke a specific mood. While Real Estate Staging is often characterized by "neutralizing" a space to appeal to a mass audience, I believe that warmth and a bit of personality are still welcome in this intimate space. With an eye for detail and a bit of good luck, a Professional Stager can magically transform this room into a warm and appealing space for potential homebuyers, striking a positive emotional chord.

The truth behind the illusion of Real Estate Staging is that often Stagers use air mattresses to furnish many of our vacant Staging projects. Seldom do I use "real" furniture and headboards in Staging a vacant house -- which helps reduce potential costs to the client. But without a headbord to visually anchor the bed, I have to work with other solutions to make the room visually pleasing. My goal is to avoid tried and true (in other words, predictable) "home stager" tricks that I see in so many MLS listings. In other words, no bed-in-a-bag setups, no cute themes, and no wrought iron wall hangings!

Shown below are some examples of several recent bedroom Real Estate Staging projects from Leslie Olson Interiors (which, by the way, differ in a number of ways from bedrooms I design for Interior Design projects).

A mixture of silk, velvet and cashmere are crowned by a framed mirror in this upscale master bedroom.

This Tween girl's bedroom, featured in an earlier blog post, was accented by her whimsical photos over the bed. (Marin Staging Success - Downplaying tween's green wall paint)

The homeowners' original art above the bed set the color pallette for this master bedroom.

Symmetry in this spacious master bedroom called for a warm and harmonious mix.

By happy accident the stripes in the framed Picasso image echo those in the bedding.

This small bedroom called for a daybed setup, with an organic mix of fabrics and textures.

Leslie Olson Interiors serves Marin County and areas north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Services include Interior Design, Real Estate Staging, and Special Event Staging.

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieiolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Mill Valley Film Festival - Marin County CA - Before and After Photos

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:26:27 -0600

Recently I had the opportunity to provide staging for the Mill Valley Film Festival, which included several Hospitality Suites, as well as the decor for the Opening Night Gala.

The Smith Rafael Film Center is the location for this Hospitality Suite shown below, a beautifully restored Art Deco theater located in downtown San Rafael, California. The large room was more typically used for storage, but needed to be transformed into a comfortable space for a VIP Lounge for ticketholders and filmmakers attending the Film Festival.

Before Staging:

After Staging by Leslie Olson Interiors:

Before staging:

After staging by Leslie Olson Interiors:

Leslie Olson Interiors provides Interior Design, Real Estate Staging and Special Events Staging services for Marin County and regions north of the San Francisco Bay. You are invited to visit the company web site, at www.leslieolsoninteriors.com.

For more Before and After Photos from the Mill Valley Film Festival staging, check out:

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging in Marin, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin County Staging

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin Home Staging

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:31:34 -0600

As a passionate modern architecture fan, this recent staging project represents the kind of properties that I enjoy working with the most. The home was originally designed and built by an architect who was one of the Bauhaus founders. Years later a local architect purchased the house and remodeled it to suit his young and growing family. This summer, while the architect's family was in the final stages of building their own dream home, their Realtor contacted me to request a staging consultation, and for a follow-up consultation on the day of MLS photography. I was delighted.

The design was wonderful -- but the place was absolutely submerged with kids' toys, baby paraphernalia, and mis-matched inherited furniture. Several rooms lacked a distinct purpose to clue-in prospective buyers. Architects are like the rest of us -- "real life" can interfere with great design, and sometimes we need another pair of eyes to provide perspective and advice for successfully selling a home.

The photos below show the home after a weekend of major streamlining and professional staging by Leslie Olson Interiors, proudly welcoming its prospective new owners:

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Staging Vintage Kitchens - Marin Home Staging - Before and After Photos

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:12:20 -0500

Staging vintage kitchens for a quick real estate sale can be tricky, as there's a fine line between dingy and neglected, and over-staging to obscure the less marketable aspects of the space. Have you ever seen a photograph of an older place, and unconsciously imagine that it smells musty? Older kitchens can often be charming...though sometimes that charm has to be coaxed out!

If this older home had been posted online photographed as-is (much less shown in person), viewers would quickly scan through the room, and move on. The space was cold, and footsteps echoed.

After staging by Leslie Olson Interiors with vintage dining furniture (rented from a consignment shop), a rug and colorful accessories, a warm and inviting kitchen/dining room emerged. Potential home-buyers now lingered in the space -- and with no more echoes!

Another vintage kitchen had been modified by the existing homeowners, but the muted colors didn't translate well to online photos. Just adding a few simple accesories in a vibrant color gave this kitchen the visual pop it needed to draw the viewer in.

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:26:43 -0500

Recently the Mill Valley Film Festival hosted a variety of activities at the historic Outdoor Art Club in downtown Mill Valley, CA, which allowed ticketholders to relax and socialize between film viewings. This Hospitality Suite, or VIP Lounge, was staged to accommodate interviews with filmmakers and actors during the festival. As the week progressed, photographs of film directors attending the festival were displayed on the fireplace grate below.

Outdoor Art Club - before Staging (above)

Mill Valley Film Festival Outdoor Art Club Hospitality Suite after staging by Leslie Olson Interiors.

Leslie Olson Interiors provides Real Estate Staging, Special Events Staging and Interior Design Services for Marin County, California.

For more Before and After photos from the Mill Valley Film Festival staging, please visit:

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

For additional Before and After examples of Leslie's Traditional Style Home Staging in Marin, check out:

Marin County Home Stager - Staging for Traditional Home Architecture and Style

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Mill Valley Film Festival 31 - October 2-12, 2008

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:39:12 -0500

The San Francisco Bay area eagerly awaits celebrating the 31st annual Mill Valley Film Festival October 2-12, 2008, featuring the best in independent and world cinema.

Filmmakers and film lovers alike will immerse themselves in a festival surrounded by the beauty of Marin County, California. The festival schedule is filled with documentary and independent films, shorts, as well as international features and childrens' films. Trubute events will highlight the works of Alfre Woodard, Harriet Andersson, Paul Schrader and Eric Roth.

Festival-goers will also enjoy an abundance of social activities, from the Opening Night Gala, to live music and a cafe located at Mill Valley's historic Outdoor Art Club. Later in the week, an Ingmar Bergman multimedia exhibit will be held at the restored Art-Deco style Smith Rafael Film Center.

For further information on the Film Festival, please visit http://mvff.com, or the California Film Institute, at http://cafilm.org.

Leslie Olson Interiors is providing Staging and Interior Design services for the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival.

Design projects include providing furniture and accessories for the Hospitality Suites at the San Rafael Film Center and Mill Valley's Outdoor Art Club. In addition, our Marin County design firm is providing the interior designs for the Film Festival Opening Night Gala.

For Before and After photos of the Mill Valley Film Festival Hospitality Suites, please visit:

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633 leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com

Marin Staging Success - Downplaying Tween's Green Wall Paint

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:18:35 -0500

Recently I had the opportunity to stage a bedroom inhabited by a pre-teen girl, complete with bright green walls that didn't harmonize with the rest of the home for sale. To complicate matters, I had less than 24 hours before the MLS photographer was to arrive! Certainly no time for painting walls...

In addition the room had access to an outside deck that a previous owner had used for a hot tub, but had been unused for years.

The room needed to be staged in a way that could give a nod to having a youthful (and fun!) occupant, but, among other things had to tone down the personalized wall color.

With the clock ticking (as it always is for stagers), a quick shopping trip at closing time yielded white bedding that would tone down the bright walls, but still infuse energy with graphic printed pillows. The only direct reference to the green on the walls was a discreet piping around one of the throw pillows.

As a very happy accident we found that the young girl had some wackily-distorted photographs that she and her best friend had made once at an Apple store. We quickly printed them onto photo paper and placed the images in inexpensive matted frames, now hanging above the bed (even the colors were perfect!).

After clearing the deck of leaves, cobwebs and old empty planters, we transformed the outdoor area into additional real estate to open up the space -- lovely.

And yes, the staging was completed just as the MLS photograher arrived -- WHEW!

Thanks to a very special young lady who contributed to this staging transformation.

Was the staging successful?

The home sold for full price to the first prospective buyer who walked into the house, before the MLS listing was even posted!

For more Before and After photos of bedrooms staged by Leslie Olson Interiors, please visit:

Staging Bedrooms...Creatively - Marin County Staging Photos

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors provides Interior Design and Home Staging services for Marin County and surrounding regions of the San Francisco Bay. I invite you to visit the company web site, at www.leslieolsoninteriors.com.

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415. 233.2633

Marin Home Stager - Are you promoting your company in its best light?

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:47:21 -0500

In making agreements with new staging clients (often Realtors), I always ask permission to place my business cards in the home being staged, if they are happy with my completed staging services.

However after hosting my first Realtor Parade early in my staging business, I was disappointed to see that the business cards that I had placed next to the MLS flyers, often alongside literature for builders and contractors, were difficult to access with a large group attending. It occurred to me that Realtors and potential home-buyers might be receptive to knowing who staged the property as they lingered in a room further into the house, away from the cluster of business cards.

So I tried to come up with more innovative -- but still discreet -- ways to provide my contact information.

How about the home office? Why not leave cards and envelopes with the Leslie Olson Interiors company logo?

Also, I make sure the cards are displayed in something attractive and eye-catching. Discreet lighting makes a difference as well (the silver dish sparkles with under-counter lighting in the kitchen).

Here a small marble bowl was used, with the smooth texture contrasting with the crocodile leather tray.

I can't count the number of calls I've received from real estate professionals, even months after a home staging, who have called me using business cards they collected from sites I've staged. Better yet, several have mentioned that they weren't even at the showing, but heard raves about it from another Realtor in their office.

Effective self-promotion doesn't have to be a chore -- let your high quality work (and business cards) pave the way for you!

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID

Leslie Olson Interiors provides Interior Design, Redesign and Home Staging services for Marin County and surrounding regions of the San Francisco Bay. Please visit the company web site, at www.leslieolsoninteriors.com.

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA 415.233.2633 leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com www.leslieolsoninteriors.com

Marin County Home Stager - Staging for Traditional Home Architecture and Style

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:07:07 -0500

In a recent home staging consultation I was presented with this traditional-style master bedroom, as furnished by the homeowners (picture below).

The furnishings were appropriate for the beautiful '30's-era stone house in a prestigious older neighborhood. From the master bedroom, potential home-buyers would then turn to the right to enter a small private room leading to the closets and master bath.

However...

...the young couple was using the small side room for their home office and catch-all room. It was jammed with mis-matched plastic laminate office furniture, computers, wiring, books, stacks of paper, and adorned with toys belonging to their small children. Plants were taking their last gasp.

Just how many of us live, right? Unfortunately when selling a home this presents a total visual disconnect for prospective buyers who want to envision this light-filled master suite as their private oasis.

The homeowners were happy to clean out their cluttered room, but had a limited budget for improvements before the MLS photographs were scheduled to be taken. As their Staging Consultant I knew that potential buyers would appreciate a serene room with furniture that complimented the master bedroom, and that would work with the intimate scale of the room.

But typical contract rental furniture wouldn't be appropriate for this genteel home, nor would it compliment the homeowner's existing furnishings. So I hunted through a favorite furniture consignment store and found inspiration in this chair, a lovely (and legitimate) antique:

After leasing the chair and staging it with a neutral rug and the homeowners' existing accessories and throw, the small side room was given new life as a comfortable sitting room, harmonious with the master suite and the rest of the home. One-size fits all rental furniture just wouldn't have worked in this distinctive home.

While successful staging is a very comprehensive process (to the outside it seems deceptively simple), de-cluttering and repurposing a room with carefully selected furnishings can make all the difference. And since emotion is such a fundamental part of purchasing a home, it's essential to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for potential home-buyers to linger.

For additional before and after examples of Leslie's Traditional Style Home Staging in Marin, check out:

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

Leslie Olson Interiors provides Real Estate Staging, Event Staging, and Interior Design Services for Marin County and surrounding regions of the San Francisco Bay. I invite you to visit the company web site, at www.leslieolsoninteriors.com.

Thank you for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Bring on the Popcorn! Media Room Makeover - Real Estate Staging Marin

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 23:21:47 -0500

Pictured above are photos from a 5,000 sq. ft. Vacant Home Staging project by Leslie Olson Interiors, based in Marin County, California. While the dark olive paint in the empty room implied the function of a media room, by furnishing the space with a comfy, stylish and durable leather seating group facing a flat-screen TV, the guess-work is gone for future homebuyers. By being able to actually see the scale and proportion of furnishings in the room, as well as keying into the spunky decor, they begin to imagine themselves living in the home.

Realtors -- which room would you prefer to show your clients, the cavernous vacant room, or the warm and inviting Media Room staged to sell? Professional Home Staging is a small investment that can reap large rewards in quick and profitable home sales.

By the way, I'm currently updating the business web site to reflect the recent (very happy) move to California from Austin, and invite you to visit it at www.leslieolsoninteriors.com for more Before and After pictures -- there are many more photos of recent projects to come in the updated site! The site features sections that describe my company's two divisions -- Residential Design, and Real Estate Home Staging. Both sections have Portfolios with Before and After pictures.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Leslie Olson, ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...or Not? - Staging Small Spaces - Marin Home Staging

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:56:20 -0500

I'll bet you've heard the old chestnut that mirrors should always be used in small spaces ("...they make it look so much more spacious!"). But not all mirrors are created equal, and this '80s-era condo still had the builder's wall of mirrors in the small dining room (all together, girls...UGH!). Not only did the kitchen have inadequate storage space -- note the stunning laminate cabinet masquerading as a pantry -- but the mirrored wall multiplied every bit of clutter and visual chaos in viewing range. YIKES!

What was done to Stage this room?

Wall mirrors were removed (thankfully much easier than expected, in this case)
Cherry-veneered plywood cabinets were built for storage, solving storage issues
Extra furniture, clutter and electrical wiring were removed
The sisal area rug under the table was removed. The buyer's eye is now drawn from baseboard to baseboard, visually enlarging the room
Grasscloth wallpaper added texture and unified the color scheme, which includes subtle new paint colors
The light fixture is a dramatic focal point, and a centralized light source to make the space feel more intimate for dining
Oh...and the ghastly kitchen wallpaper was removed. But that's another story!

Realtors - Which room would you rather show to your clients? Real Estate Home Staging is a specialized skill that can have a dramatic impact on your success in selling properties quickly and profitably. Home staging is not just for open houses anymore! How about staging before the MLS photographs are taken?

Homeowners - Would you like Personalized Coaching on how to prepare your home for a speedy and lucrative sale?

I invite you to contact a Home Staging professional for a consultation to jump-start your real estate success. Don't consider a price reduction on the property until you've hired a Home Staging Consultant (or Property Stylist) to enhance your home for sale. An investment in home staging costs less than the financial hit of your first price reduction.

**UPDATE** I've resubmitted this post which was originally made before our family's move to Greenbrae, California, in Marin County (just north of the San Francisco Bay). While I'm updating the company web site with pictures from many, many new projects, I thought I'd introduce my business to the Marin County market, where we've also moved the staging and design business. By the way -- this condo sold for full asking price BEFORE it went on the market, with the offer made on the same day the buyer toured it for the first time!

It's great to be in Northern California -- and great to be back on Active Rain! Leslie - Leslie Olson Interiors

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633