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UPDATE - Brightening Up a Dark Space - SOLD in 2 Weeks

By David Peterson

Home Stager with Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging

November 27, 2009 11:52 AM

*** UPDATE ***

Heard from the Realtor yesterday that a full price offer was accepted after only two weeks. More details later...

One of our Realtors contacted us recently about staging her new listing - a classic home in Northeast Portland. This was a project with a small budget (don't be shocked!) and it definitely needed some help.

The walls were painted a deep burgundy giving the whole space a very dark and uninviting feel. The camera flash actually lightened up the room quite a bit, but in person it was very dark. We staged the Living Room, Dining Room, and Kitchen, all of which are visible from the moment you enter the home. First impressions are vital, especially in todays real estate market. Buyers will make an opinion within the first six seconds of viewing a home.

The original inlayed woodwork and details are gorgeous. It was important to brighten up the space to make it feel welcoming so potential buyers didn't turn around as soon as they walked in. We used light furnishings, decor, and 3 lamps in the Living Room.

Here are a few before and after photos:

Synergy Staging Portland Oregon

Living Room taken from the fireplace. You'll notice a massive mirror at the entry which couldn't overcome the dark space on its own.

Synergy Staging Portland Oregon

Living Room taken from the Dining Room. The light furniture and decor made the space feel more cozy and bright.

Synergy Staging Portland Oregon
The Dining Room wall was repaired and anchored with open backed light chairs.

Synergy Staging Portland Oregon

The nook next to the stairway and one of four lamps used to brighten up the space.

Synergy Staging Portland Oregon

For more information about this home please visit our Staged Listings page

or contact Ruth Canutt of RE/MAX Equity Group at 503-495-5204

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Join the Realtors, Investors, and Homeowners who call Synergy Staging to make their properties irresistible and sell fast! For more tips or to see our latest home staging projects, visit us on Facebook and read our Portland Home Staging Blog. Please call us at (503) 557-2244 for a free no obligation quote so we can help your home sell faster.

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Kimberley Hawley

Hawley Interiors & Staging - Caledon, ON

Hawley Interiors & Staging

David, Wow great job. When I first saw the purple walls I thought you would have painted it. But, you didn't and you made it work...It really looks fantastic.

Nov 28, 2009 07:31 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Melinda ~ Thank you!

Beverly ~ Painting wasn't an option for this house, so we worked with what we had.

Linda ~ Appreciate your comments. Rugs can really be helpful in tying a space together like this one.

Virginia ~ Thanks - you keep up the good work too!

Nov 28, 2009 08:48 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Ellen ~ Painting was suggested, but wasn't possible for this project. Hopefully the staging will show buyers how they can live in the home and help them connect with the space.

Sharon ~ It's amazing what adding furniture to a vacant room can do.

Patty ~ Thank you. The goal here was to brighten the room as much as possible given the wall colors we had to work with.

Kimberly ~ Glad you thought we were able to make it work. It would always be our preference to paint such a strong color, but sometimes circumstances do not allow us to implement all of our recommendations.

Nov 28, 2009 08:52 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

David- very nice job. Our sellers often can't or won't paint so we have to be able to work with what we have. You did!! For the style of the house, everything looks comfortable.

Nov 28, 2009 11:51 AM

Lori Kim Polk

Premiere Home Staging : Home Staging Services - Roseville, CA

Home Stager - Roseville, Sacramento

David... fabulous. Who cares about the paint, it was probably not in the budget anyway. What you did was to incorporate the flooring and the paint into your design plan and it worked beautifully. Kudos to you on the "choreography" of this project! Love those open back chairs too!

Nov 28, 2009 11:55 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Kathy ~ Many times we have to work with the 'canvas' we are given. Thanks for the feedback.

Lori ~ Glad you like the results. The open back chairs are great and can work in a variety of settings. The light color and open feel worked particularly well in this house.

Nov 29, 2009 02:16 AM

Kathy Nielsen

http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA

Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

Love every bit about these after staging photos, David! Love the furniture, the floral on the coffee table and the list goes on!

Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before & After Pictures.

Kathy

Nov 29, 2009 10:10 PM

Michelle Finnamore

Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON

Preparing your property for sale

HI David, You did what you had to do in a space. Sometimes the client will not or cannot complete all the staging suggestions and you came up with a great solution. It really does make a noticeable difference using light coloured furniture. Well done.

Nov 29, 2009 10:44 PM

Cathy Brosius

Arranged Smartly LLC - Saint Louis, MO

Home Staging St. Louis region

I think you did an amazing job with the spaces! You're right, sometimes clients can't or won't paint, so the challenge is to do the best with what you have. And this is what good staging is all about.

Nov 30, 2009 05:21 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Kathy ~ Thanks so much! Glad you liked what we did.

Michelle ~ Having to stage in a space with such strong colors makes the furnishing choices even more important. Thanks!

Cathy ~ This is an example of how staging doesn't have to hide aspects of a house, but can compliment the space as it is. Appreciate your feedback.

Dec 01, 2009 07:47 AM

Birgit Anich

Birgit Anich Staging & Interiors, 203.807.4040 - Norwalk, CT

CT Home Stager Fairfield & New Haven County

We can only bring on the suggestions of painting to our clients, but in the end not everyone will go with our suggestions and we have to work with what we have - this is the art of staging. I like how you worked with the color and made it feel part of the design - the rug really ties the light colors of the furniture and the wall color together. Really nicely done. The light furniture really brightens up the feeling in the room. Great accomplishment!

Dec 01, 2009 12:13 PM

Nancy Maurer

Whitehall Interiors & Home Staging LLC - Sparta, NJ

Home Stager - Serving No. NJ

David, Your furniture and accessory choices overcome the paint color. Excellent job, a real pleasure to view your before and afters!

Dec 02, 2009 12:33 PM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Birgit ~ Thank for your feedback. It's true that we typically have more recommendations than the clients will do, so we work with the property as best we can.

Nancy ~ Thank you!

Dec 03, 2009 12:02 PM

1~Judi Barrett

Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK

BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

David, the white furniture, mirrors, and lamps really lightened this up.. the way that you used them made the home beautiful. Great Job. I'm reblogging to show my clients the difference it makes to stage correctly.

Dec 05, 2009 03:20 PM

Tammie White, Broker

Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN

Franklin TN Homes for Sale

David, you did a great job with this home. The light furniture really makes the difference. Congrats on such a quick sale.

Dec 05, 2009 03:29 PM

Sonja Patterson

Keller Williams - BV - College Station, TX

Texas Monthly 5-Star Realtor Recipient for the Hou

Beautifully done! Got this from Judi's reblog above. Amazing the HUGE difference furniture and a little greenery can make!

Dec 05, 2009 03:48 PM

Chrissie Sutherland

Ready Set Stage - Greensboro, NC

Congratulations. Your staging is alway beautiful.

Dec 06, 2009 01:53 AM

David Peterson

Synergy Staging ~ specializing in vacant home staging - Portland, OR

Home Stager Portland OR-Synergy Staging-Portland Oregon

Judi ~ Thanks for the re-blog. Hope that it's helpful for your clients! Appreciate your feedback.

Tammie ~ Thank you. It's always nice when a home sells quickly - especially in this market. And in this case we were only able to stage the LR, DR, and kitchen.

Sonja ~ Thanks for stopping by. Seeing a property go from vacant to staged never gets old!

Chrissie ~ Thank you!

Dec 12, 2009 02:13 AM

Kate Talarico

Kates Home Staging and Interior Design - Goshen, NY

RESA, Top Orange County Home Decorator & Stager

Another fantastic staging transformation! I always look forward to seeing how you will transform a room.

Dec 13, 2009 04:23 AM

Carol Heap

Hometown Real Estate Group, Inc. & Hometown Stagers - Flowery Branch, GA

What a great job with a difficult paint color!

Dec 23, 2009 11:20 AM