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Afraid to Paint?? A simple and quick solution.

By Ginger Foust

Home Stager with Certified Staging Professional

June 24, 2009 07:19 AM

We have all had clients that WANT to add color to their homes with paint but are fearful. For some it's because they have trouble "seeing" how color can change their living space. For some, it's that they don't want the hassle or disruption of the process....remove items from the wall, spackle, sand, move furniture etc. etc.

With color consultations I work at overcoming these and other objections but sometimes the hurdles are are pretty high.

Here's a simple, quick and non-invasive solution that can be used for in many different applications. COLOR BLOCKING. Often color blocking refers to whole walls or multiple blocks of color, like this famous art by, Piet Mondrian.

Piet Mondrian Inspired Geometry Lesson Plan Courtesy of Yahoo.com

For this client the blocking is one simple and neutral color in a butler's pantry. She wanted something on that far wall to distract from all of the stuff in this space, but she didn't want to clean out this large pantry completely to add color.

photo by Dream Interior Redesign and Real Estate Home Staging Oakhurst CA

We found a piece of wall art that the client already owned and wasn't using. Careful, proportional measurements were important but not difficult. This paint color is used throughout her home so it helps tie the rooms together and she already had the paint. The key to making this treatment look professional is the edge detail. After removing the painter's tape I used a straight edge and a painting pen to finish the "raw" edge. I chose a gold pen due to the frame of the wall art. She loves the look and is pleased that it was quick and simple.

photo by Dream Interior Redesign and Real Estate Home Staging Oakhurst CA

I have used this treatment over kitchen sinks where there is no window, at the end of hallways and on focal walls.

Dream Interior Redesign & Staging by Ginger Foust is a full service Professional Staging and ReDesign company serving the California foothill and mountain communities of Oakhurst, North Fork, Coarsegold, Ahwahnee, Bass Lake, Wawona and Mariposa. Click here to see a short slideshow with examples of our staging work. Also, visit our website at www.dreamredesigns.com or www.oakhurststaging.com for more information or call 559-877-2442.

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Cathy Brosius

Arranged Smartly LLC - Saint Louis, MO

Home Staging St. Louis region

What a great solution! And you're right, it seems the seller would be much more likely to paint that small rectangle, especially if they are putting the house on the market very quickly.

Jun 24, 2009 12:41 PM

Sheila Kennedy

J29 Project - Rochester, NY

Looks great Ginger. I love the effect. I love creative and easy ideas - thanks for sharing this one!

Jun 24, 2009 01:13 PM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Thank you Cathy...yes for most sellers it has to be quick and easy or it doesn't happen. I appreciate you commenting.

Jun 24, 2009 01:43 PM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Sheila...quick and easy is the key here. You are welcome and thank you for commenting.

Jun 24, 2009 01:44 PM

Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging

Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR

"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Ginger ~ This is a clever solution when working with a redesign client (I don't see it working as well on a home that's for sale, am I right?) The way you used a gold pen for the edge is brilliant. P.S. I can't figure out why she wanted to put a towel ring in the pantry? Just wondering LOL

Jun 24, 2009 03:49 PM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Hi Maureen...good questions. This "pantry" is more of a butler's pantry. It's quite large, houses almost all of the appliances and it has a full sized sink. I would guess that it's about 6 x 10 so not just for foodstuffs, thus the towel ring. I might use this technique in a staged home in a different location if the seller didn't want to paint the room but the space needed a focal point. Although if they had a pantry this size, why not so that potential buyers be drawn in and would notice how spacious and functional it is? Thanks as always!

Jun 24, 2009 04:07 PM

Kathy Alexander

GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA

Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Ginger, such a quick and clever idea! It is kind of like a miniature accent wall. Thanks for sharing such a great tip.

Jun 24, 2009 04:21 PM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I love this idea and how you used the existing artwork as your starting point. I hadn't thought of adding an edge like that with the pen...love it! Thanks!

Jun 25, 2009 12:02 AM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Morning Ginger, That idea you had to outline in the gold pen is a great idea...this outline idea could be spun off in so many ways, very cool thanks for sharing!

Jun 25, 2009 12:04 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Kathy, thank you. Yes a miniature accent wall is a good way to put it and you are welcome,

Jun 25, 2009 02:05 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Sharon, I dislike "raw" paint edges even from room to room and this is a simple solution for this application. However sometimes the paint pens can be a pain in the %$##. Thanks for commenting.

Jun 25, 2009 02:06 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

OK Cyn my east coast friend. Tell me where you are spinning this. I'm always up for more inspiration and thanks for stopping by.

Jun 25, 2009 02:07 AM

Lisa McIntee

The Staging Professionals - Saint Catharines, ON

The Staging Professionals

Do you have a picture of the one you did over the kitchen window, I have a client that I may like to recommend this idea to....curious to see how it looks!

Jun 25, 2009 03:46 PM

C. Bartch

Newark, OH

Ok Ginger, here's what was going on in my grey matter when I read your idea. When a client has very little to work with say a few small prints but they are really to small to use, I thought of expanding the art work with your idea.

wall art

This is quick mock up and the dimensions aren't exact. I put a small silver border on the area.

Jun 26, 2009 01:33 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Lisa, to clarify I didn't do it over the kitchen window, I did it over a kitchen sink where the wasn't a window. The clients lived in an apartment and had great art that they wanted to highlight but the wall over the sink was white. Sorry no photo. I painted the rectangle but it was up to them to do the paint pen edge and I don't think it was ever completed....but they're happy. Thanks for stopping and commenting.

Jun 26, 2009 01:41 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Cyn, a "paint framed grouping" is a great idea. Thanks for sharing and for the very clever mock-up.

Jun 26, 2009 01:44 AM

Pam Faulkner

Faulkner House Interior Redesign - Herndon, VA

Room Transformations Fairfax & Loudoun Counties VA

Ginger, I love to use color blocks to enlarge art or to compromise when asking a client to paint over an accent wall that takes over a room. I haven't done edging though so thanks for the great idea-it does make a difference.

Jun 27, 2009 06:13 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Hi Pam, I'm glad to share ideas whenever they arise. I'm considering adding a bold red color block in my office. As I understand it, my Feng Shui business color is red and I need more of it in my business attire and office space. I'm not much of a red person but a color block is a way to ease into it. Undecided about the color for the edge treatment. Glad to hear that some else is using color blocks also. Thanks for stopping and commenting.

Jun 27, 2009 09:42 AM

Kathleen Lordbock

Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

This is a quick and easy (low committment) way to add color to a space. I especially like the attention to detail with the gold edging.

Jul 15, 2009 04:35 AM

Ginger Foust

Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA

Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Thanks for your thoughts Kathleen. Without the edge detail it would look a bit contrived to my eye. Hope that the RE business is keeping you busy!

Jul 15, 2009 05:57 AM