staging: Ordinary to Outstanding-A Patio Staged With Pizzaz!
- 05/15/10 07:03 AM
It's often the last place considered for showcasing. An outdoor room makeover can outweigh the relatively little time needed to give the area style and impact. This redesign shows how functional and attractive a space can be with the right planning. The backyard had narrow patios forming an L-shape, a sloped grassy area, and a walk. Miscellaneous storage was under the deck. The homeowner planned to buy new furniture during a mid-summer sale but the narrow space made it challenging. The area needed a change in focus, function and flair. A plan for editing and keeping what was left in an easy to access storage bin or … (13 comments)
staging: All Decked Out-Redesigning and Staging Outdoor Rooms
- 05/14/10 11:57 AM
Home sellers tend to overlook the fact that their outdoor spaces can be prime real estate for showcasing. It doesn't need to be difficult or expensive to enhance your "outdoor room", as the following example shows. Whether you have a small balcony or patio, or a deck the size of a small airport landing strip, you can take advantage of the space you have and turn it into a private escape with an outdoor room makeover. This is the first of a series of outdoor room redesigns and stagings meant to illustrate common situations and how they may be transformed. It's … (6 comments)
A great marketing plan starts with your home, presented to stand out from similar homes. A model consults with a professional stylist before a photo session. A staging pro’s expertise highlights the … (11 comments)
On June 9, 2009, at the Shelter House.org Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, the Chapter received the Community Partner Award for work on the Patrick Henry Family Shelter. As President of the chapter, I can tell you that the results and the response from the staff and the family who moved in were rewards enough for the hours of work spent on the redesign and staging of the apartments .
To be the recipients of this award is such an honor. We are … (14 comments)
IRIS National Capitol Area members (and soon to be new chapter) have finished their second apartment makeover for the Patrick Henry Shelter House in Falls Church, VA.
Key to this project was stretching the bare bones budget by using donated materials and furnishings and finding freebies through craigslist (yes, it is supposed to be lower case) and Freecycle. That also included keeping sharp eyes out for 'potentials" which brings us to the dumpster diving part.
Love it or hate it, yard art is definitely a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder. Many homeowner associations have regulations about the use of decorative accessories in the front yard including the type of mailbox that is acceptable. Few regulate the backyard and that gives the homeowner the freedom of expression that may or may not delight their neighbors. What separates classy from pretentious? What is corny and what is cute? What is classic and what is dated? Sometimes the lines are blurred by the objects and the materials they are … (48 comments)
I'll admit that I am addicted to hardware and gadgets. Anything that promises to make the work of staging faster and easier will get my attention. Keeping it is another matter. In my quest to find the perfect picture hanging hardware and accessories I have tried quite a few, each with it's own pluses and minuses. I've also come across a few interesting web sites in the search. The following are some of my favorites and some you may or may not have heard of in your own search: Attach-its (previously posted here) "No Tools" Push and Hang Picture Hangers OOK Shield Picture Hangers Serious business Canvas Hangers … (34 comments)
staging: Weigh to Go- Tool Makes Art and Mirror Hanging Easier
- 05/28/08 10:37 AM
When it comes to hanging artwork and mirrors when doing wall arrangement for staging, do you take a chance and guess at the weight when selecting the proper hangers? Do you use the weigh-yourself-then-step-off-the-scales-and-weigh-yourself-again-while-holding-the-piece method which requires more time, an accurate scale and quick math skills? Why take a chance or do the dance when you can be more efficient and professional by simply using a hanging scale? Sometimes referred to as a fisherman's scale, a hanging scale takes up little room in your tool case and can be a time, anxiety and even a money saver by avoiding using the … (4 comments)
staging: In Support of Home Staging Props and Techniques
- 05/11/08 09:12 AM
Which rooms to stage and how much staging is needed in a home is a subject that is often discussed and debated. The one thing that is generally agreed upon is that the goal is to showcase the physical space-it's architectural features and amenities-not necessarily the furnishings. Occupied homes may not need much supplimentary help but vacant homes usually do. Occupied homes may have a cozier feel while vacant homes may have a stark or abandoned feel.
The more upscale the home, the more people expect to see something that is a WOW. What might look pretensious in a mid priced townhouse or condo might be just … (32 comments)
Have you heard it all now? Staging the refrigerator? Oh come on!
The 'fridge, medicine cabinet, pantry, under the sinks, closets, and the other nooks and crannies that a homeowner and you may overlook are fair game for buyers to inspect and draw conclusions on the home, what it will store and how it has been cared for over the years. It may also tell them a lot about the homeowners.
Say you and/or the homeowners have done a beautiful job of staging the home. It passes the checklist of things that need and should be done. Nothing looks dated; the house looks clean … (86 comments)
My previous post on Staging the Refrigerator was slightly tongue-in-cheek though it did point out some of the practical aspects of doing so. A response by my friend and fellow IRIS member, Irene Woodworth, made me think about the other appliances we may have been neglecting, like stoves and ovens.
Bear with me for a minute. How many of you have staged high end homes and really paid attention to the appliances in the kitchen other than saying to yourself that they have a Viking, a La Cornue, or an Aga, for example? You've made the kitchen look like something out of a Savoir or … (4 comments)
You may have seen these advertised on TV and wondered if they work-they do! I happened upon Attach-its a few years ago when browsing through the big box hardware store. The package had been marked down so I took a chance and bought it. A few weeks later I had the opportunity to put them to the test. I needed to hang fairly heavy pictures on a wall but an air return duct was located directly behind the wall. Years before, the clients hit metal when they tried to hang the pictures on the same wall so the expanse remained bare for years.
Attach-its are mounted on … (10 comments)
staging: Open House Voyeurism
- 04/25/08 10:27 AM
(Signs from USAbode.com) I just read an interesting article about attending open houses as a hobby or a past time. This Open House Voyeurism, leads the author to guess about the home's occupants and their reason for selling based on the personal effects he notices when he tours the house (and peeks into their medicine cabinets). It's an article worth reading on several different levels. Though fairly light-hearted, his observations underscore the importance for homeowners and their stagers to remove personal items as much as possible from a home. We know that the emphasis should be on the property and how it may be used, not the … (22 comments)
staging: Don't Move the Dog Crate!
- 04/20/08 06:53 AM
How many of you have struggled with clients about their pet paraphenalia? It's not difficult to put away the toy basket, clear the floor of pigs ears, bones and catnip mice. The real problem comes with the dog crates (usually LARGE) and the litterbox. Oversized dog beds and cat jungle-gyms and ferrett runs are not desirable focal points in a room either. These things are a reality in a home, so how do you deal with them? In an ideal world, there would be an accommodating neighbor, friend, or family member who would house the pet and equipment until the house had … (31 comments)
staging: Add This to the Red Flag Warnings for Home Buyers
- 04/18/08 01:17 PM
Each month, HGTV's FrontDoor.com issues a list of top tips for buyers and sellers. The latest one of red flags for home buyers has the usual caveats about foundation cracks, poor yard maintenance, lots of homes on the street for sale, homeowner renovations that may not be up to code, and more. Two items on the list stood out. The first mentioned "off limit" rooms or areas, and that an interested buyer should request to see the entire home before considering making an offer. I have never encountered "off limit" rooms, have you? Why would a room be "off limits" unless there was a problem? Why … (4 comments)
staging: The Urge to Purge-Green Spring Cleaning, Staging, ReStore and More
- 04/05/08 07:15 AM
A sure sign that a house is soon to go on the market is the frenzied fix-up activity just before the for sale sign goes in the ground. Mounds of often usable items end up in the curbside trash, when with a slight bit of effort it can be put to good use. Not an attractive site in a neighborhood where other homes are on the market. Sometimes that activity is contagious and spreads to nearby neighbors. I've seen the remodeling fever catch on as soon as an open house has been held. Neighbors with the same model are inspired to upgrade … (6 comments)
staging: Staging the Garage-the Next Decorated Space?
- 04/04/08 10:08 AM
At what point do buyers expect the garage to be another decorated room? I'm used to explaining to homeowners that their garage needs to be clean, neat, as empty as possible of unnecessary storage items and randomly placed shelving and hooks. Rarely do I run across a garage that doesn't have painted drywall, but sometimes the taping is loose and needs to be fixed. The Rorschach Test oil splotches that the homeowners have become accustomed to obviously need to be cleaned up. Ant, roach and mouse traps need to disappear-and fast. Any signs of old leaks or water damage need to be … (14 comments)
staging: Staged Homes-Photo Ready? Not Necessarily!
- 03/30/08 08:36 AM
Most of us who stage homes have done so under the pressure of a deadline at one time or another. (Always?) The schedule usually is stage, photograph, agent open house then public open house, if one is being held. So the pressure is on to get the house ready for its unveiling, and make it camera ready to keep on schedule.
I always take photos when I am finished and can see from those where there seem to be dead spots in a design where in real life it looks fine. Maybe the chairs or sofa need to be angled differently for the shot. Sometimes lighting is … (8 comments)
staging: Does the Addams Family Live Next Door to Your Staged Home?
- 03/29/08 09:38 AM
Shriveled plants, weeds, overgrown bushes, peeling paint, or a cracked driveway are problems that sellers must often fix before their house goes on the market. But what if these problems apply to their neighbors' homes?
Most sellers know to groom their homes for the best sale, but it's difficult to counteract the effect of distressed-looking homes that are in close proximity to their property. The cummulative effect of neglected landscapes or homes can give the neighborhood a run down look.
How embarrased was I when a neighbor several houses away recently put her house on the market? A storm had just ripped off … (21 comments)
staging: How Are Your Charging for Your Staging Services?
- 03/21/08 02:55 AM
When my mother-in-law moved into assisted living we had to clear out her house and ready it for the market. In purging old files I found receipts for service calls and home repairs. There was such a difference in the way businesses charged for their services and it made me wonder how varied the fee structure for staging might be across the country. Using the information on the receipts as a guide, I can see that charges might break down in several ways: Initial Consultation Fee Color Consultation Fee Do-it-Yourself Coaching Fee Hourly Staging Fee Flat Rate Per Room Flat Rate Bid … (10 comments)
Related Links:
Pam Faulkner
Room Transformations Fairfax & Loudoun Counties VA
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