Realtors Let's Have Some Fun- an invitation- your photo, my thoughts

Royce, I hope you will try again.

Lottie, the 1980's rock! Let's see ... the wallpaper should go; the chandelier should be replaced and the number of arms depends on the size of the room; Neutral paint will allow the buyer to bring in any color of furnishings; the chair rail is optional depending on the rest of the house and it could have a widening effect on the room, once the wallpaper is gone it will have a more modern feel; the bookcase definitely goes; clear the top of the cabinet and decrease the contents to make it more decorative than storage; if the table has a leaf, remove it which may require only 4 chairs; recover the chair seats (they appear to match the wallpaper) in a more up to date color and finally set the table with mats, dinner plates, bowl, cloth napkins and wine glasses for the photos and open houses. Don't forget a center piece ;). Lottie you may need to look at the window treatments too depending on what is there.

Any other ideas from my fellow stagers?

Thanks Lottie! I'm hoping to get more rooms from other Realtors as well ;).

Thanks Kathy! I hope I get a good response cause it could be fun ;)!

Mannie, those are great ideas! Thanks for participating!

Thanks Sharon! It could be a lot of fun if the Realtors participate.

Lottie I will take off the members only. If you want me to look at another room by all means post one.

Thanks for the reblog Lottie!

Valerie welcome! We'll change your room into selling mode. Let's have a look ;).

You have a lot of dark wood in this room. It looks like you don't get much natural light from the windows but that may be the time/day you shot this photo.

Let's start by painting the radiator the same color as the wall to help it disappear. Remove the armchair and the Windsor back chairs. I would also remove the tall cabinet on the left wall and move the buffet there. Hopefully you will have found a new home for the extra carpet by then :).

For the walls, pick a light neutral from your carpet. I think greens go well with wood but apple green is not for everyone. The color scheme on this floor should flow from one room to another. Look at your living room furniture and artwork to choose accent colors for some drama.

Although the carpet is nice, your furniture might pop more and the room might appear brighter with a light neutral carpet. This is also an opportunity to give the room a more modern edge to appeal to more tastes.

Instead of the prints try a large mirror. This will help show off the light fixture and bounce light around the room. Your prints could be used on either side of the large window or over the buffet on the left wall. Right now you are losing the light in all the things on the back wall. Keep the frame of the mirror very simple. We want the original light to be the focus.

Bring in punches of color in accents. Color on the chair seats, flowers as a center piece on the table, Glass candle sticks to add sparkle. Use accents with color, sparkle and texture. Keep the accents on the buffet, table and window ledge simple and contrasting to the wood so that they pop rather than disappear into the dark wood.

For the photos, set the table with mats, dinner plates, bowls on top, napkins and wine glasses.

That table would look fabulous with  upholstered slipper chair style chairs. You could pick a light neutral or a dramatic color from your color scheme.

Adding modern touches would broaden the room's appeal. You don't want to just appeal to buyers who love that period.

 Here are some shots from a client.

Valarie, I would leave the dark trim wood as well. It is part of that period charm and can still work with a more modern look. By adding modern accents in artwork, lamps, furniture and area rugs you can blend the old with the new and give the house a wider appeal. Traditionalist and contemporary buyers should be able to see their lifestyle fitting into your home.

I just love working on turn of the century homes! I've consulted on 3 of them with a Milton agent in Old Milton. Some were very period and one was more modern in decor. They both work. If you show buyers the house will work for them I think you will be SOLD LOL.

This turn of the century semi needed extensive restoration so the wood was painted.