So.. This is a house that we have been working on for a while with the agent and homeowners.  On Stage (wwww.onstage-online.com).  This is a home that is in an inner-city neighborhood at a great price point for a first time homebuyer.  The homeowners were great to work with and understood the imporance of staging and how important first impressions are.  On Stage is the premier home staging company in Portland, Oregon.  For more staging tips, visit our blog at www.onstage-online.com

Went on an appointment for a mid-century house with a favorite agent.  The homewoner was an older gentleman that had lost his wife and was wandering around in this too-big-for-him house.  I met with the "approval" committee and figured out what needed to be done with the house ON A TIGHT BUDGET!!!  After an hour of touring and listening to everyone, it was decided that a few major changes needed to take place.  Since the potential buyers were going to be in theri early 30' s we needed to create a "HIP PAD".  The three things that were decided on were to replace the kitchen nook light, dining room light and a new kitchen faucet.... Great you say: but all for $200.00....  I thought and thought about where to go and since IKEA was 10 minutes away, that is where I started and pretty much ended.   Everything I needed was there and was hopefully within my budget.  When all was said and done, I was able to purchase: a nook light, dining room light, faucet, soap despenser, bathroom vanity liight (where there was not one) all lightbulbs... Total $208.38.  watch for this transformation in upcoming weeks.. For more budget minded tips, follow our blog at www.onstage-online.com

So... I have a mid-century staging coming up in what will feel like eternity, but I never seem to have just the right thing for a particular job.... funny since I have a 14,000 sq/ft warehouse... anyway.. went out on a little mission to see what I could find at a discount store... Now, as you all know, that can sometimes be a crap shoot at best.. You have something in your mind and can't shake it....  So I was out yesterday at our local discount stores just trolling for goodies.  I came across two chair cushions with the perfect color and pattern but I needed two accent pillows.  The price $10.00.... but they were cushions.. Or were they?  By cutting off the ties, they instantly became accent pillows.  Look for these pillows in an upcoming house....

Even in this market, things seem to sell quickly.  This was a great North Portland bungalo we called "THE FUNGALO".  She needed a little TLC on the outside, but the inside was pure 1940's.  Original kitchen and bath tiles with those quirky colors made for a fun job.  The agent called On Stage for this job which had to happen in a quick time frame: 1 day from appointment to finished job.  This property was a great find in a close-in neighborhood.  Here are some before and after photos:

"WOW..." is what our agent told us on the phone when she told us of the great news.  We staged this property in the dead of winter (Dec 18).  This was a FABULOUS property, that needed a little love.  There were a few obstacles that the agent saw in her eyes such as mis-matched wood tones and a little bit of an akward layout.  We addressed these "obstacles" and made them positives.  This is another On Stage success story.  Here are the photos:

This home had been vacant for over 3 months and inactive.  When We arrived for the initial appointment, it was 30 degrees outside and 21 degrees inside! The property did not have any power, water or heat.  My pen stopped working and I had to go to my car to warm up the ink and my body.  But during the appointment, the agent had few positive things to say about the property, but the ideas were flowing to make this property DYNAMITE.  Mis-matched woodtones were a standout and so we had to make the woodtones work.  We selected furnishings to make the akward spaces make sense and to tie in the different woodtones.  This is truly one of our best jobs we have accomplished and the agent was beside herself when she came back to view the completed project.  All of the negatives became positives.... All involved are hoping for a quick sale...  This is a very desireable area full of large estates and aquestrian properties.  We were under a tight timeline and were able to fully satge this property in 5 hours...

I am real estate addicted.. I grew up in a family that has owned many things over the years and continues to own properties to this day.  I learned a lot from my parents: mistakes and things that work and have taken these ideas and use them in my staging today.  I do a lot of consulting on home remodeling, pre-staging listings as well as interior decorating for quite a few clients in the Portland area.  Over the years, the one thing that has been a constant in every job is a lack of lighting.  Lighting is your friend.  Any type of lighting is a GREAT THING.  You do need to know a few basics about lighting: I suggest going to a local lighting source and see if they have a lighting lab.  In the Portland, Oregon area, the folks at Globe Lighting host these FREE Seminars.   They are about an hour long and I go at least once or twice a year.  It is so amazing to me how much this industry changes as with so many things in the design world.  What I have found out is that if you surround yourself with professionals that specialize in these areas, they can make your life much easier.  Deveope long-lasting relationships with your vendors.... They can be invaluable to you...  If you need something in a hurry, they can sometimes get it for you.  BIG BOX stores are nice if you need something generic that millions of other people can get, but I am a big believer in supporting the "little guy" in the community.

Getting back to lighting for staging purposes...  You should have a huge inventory of lighting.  Lamps can make a small space appear larger.  Going into the winter, lamps are very important to make the dark corners come to life so potential buyers can see the entire square footage of a room.  Lamps should be to scale for a room or table.  Nothing looks worse than having a small lamp on a huge side table or a lamp that is larger than the table it is on.  Also, consider the size of the room you are placing the lamp/chandelier in.  If it looks off to you, chances are that it will look off to others as well.  Remember:  DO NOT GIVE YOUR BUYERS ANY REASON  NOT TO BUY A PROPERTY.  Since permanent fixtures stay with a property, pay attention to the style and proportions of the fixtures you are recommending to your clients..

This listing was showing it's age and when vacant, IT REALLY SHOWED ITS AGE.  The owners had moved out and downsized and were ready to set there home of many yeras free to new owners.  Their agent was referred to ON STAGE to showcase this higher end listing.  Although dated, this property has a lot to offer and wby utilizing more contemporary furnishings, the feel of the property was more updated.  This agent had not used a staging service before, and was a little hesitant in the begining.  But he let us do our job and came back to be quite pleased with the end results.  Before, the fireplace in the living room was a very "in your face" feature that was not particularly beautiful.The furnishings and fireplace are now harmonious in tone and color.

This listing was in a great family neighborhood but was starting to show it's age a little.  The owners of this property called On Stage up to give a few ideas to freshen-up the wall colors and to neutralize them to appeal to potential buyers.  The tile flooring in the family room and kitchen areas was showing a little wear and appeared cold without any furnishings.  By placing size-appropriate furnishings, the buyers can now see how furniture can warm up a space and show that you can get plenty of seating in a small space.  The entry is quite small, but by placing a few items, it is now inviting and show the potential buyers what can be done in a small space.

On Stage was selected to help in the marketing of this home in an upscale neighborhood.  This particular home was getting traffic...lots of it.  The price was in the mid 800 range, but when prospective buyers entered the home, they were hit with bad oak "office looking" furniture.  Not exactly what the prospective homebuyer is expecting.  The homeowners did not want to spend the money in the begining on staging, but decided to leave "key" peices of furniture that would give potential homebuyers the "idea" of how to live in the home.  The home sat and sat on the market without a nibble.  The agent finally convinced the homeowners to have the property "professionally staged by our company.  The agent left with the "80's" still in her mind and returned in the afternoon OVERJOYED.  She could not believe it was the same house and could hardly wait to have the homeowners revisit their home.  Here are some of the results....