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When You Have A Weird Space in a House......Show the Buyer Something They Can Do with It!

By Shar Sitter

Home Stager with Rooms With Style

September 13, 2010 01:34 AM

Many houses have them, a weird space that when it is empty you don't have a clue what you would do with it. Show the buyer SOMETHING they can do with it.

I have had a few of these lately during vacant home stagings. Here are three examples where I had to stand, stare at it and wonder.......what shall it be??

I do not have a before picture of this first one, but you'll get the idea. Small corner in a kitchen not big enough for a bistro table. What shall it be? How about a little desk to hold Cook Books?

Kitchen Area

Here is the second one, a gorgeous kitchen with a cut out in the middle of the cabinets and an electrical outlet smack dab in the middle. Not along the bottom to make it easier of course and a ledge not very wide. What shall it be? How about a great little coffee nook?

Coffee Nook Before

Third one, a very small older home. A strange space tucked under the stairway right in the middle of the kitchen. What shall it be? How about a spot for an antique buffet that can be a great serving area?

Buffet Before

After Buffet

When you have a weird space in a house that will leave the buyer scratching their head, you have to show them something they can do with it.

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Charlie Ragonesi

AllMountainRealty.com - Big Canoe, GA

Homes - Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros

It really is true folks go into a home and wonder what to do with a space. It gets to the point where they obsess about it and do not even consider the rest of the home. Excellent point and post

Sep 13, 2010 01:41 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Shar- I love these little tucked away areas. And it's so good to show the buyer what can be done. Now instead of walking away wondering what to do with that space, the buyer is thinking of all of the possibilities.

Sep 13, 2010 01:45 AM

Roger D. Mucci

Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH

Lets shake things up at your home today!

You came up with three excelent ideas for these weird spaces Shar..........isn't it fun to put on your thinking cap and turn nothing into something useful. Great job............

Sep 13, 2010 01:48 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Good Morning to you Dan, and thank you.

Isn't that true Charlie, they do obsess about a space that they don't know what to do with.

I love them too Kathy! They are a fun challenge as a stager but most buyers are like huh? And as Charlie says, they will walk away.

It is fun Roger. Love using that right side of my brain!

Sep 13, 2010 02:09 AM

Joyce Marsh

Joyce Marsh Real Estate LLC - Daytona Beach, FL

Joyce Marsh Homes

Shar - I think every home has at least one of those spaces that you don't now quite what to do with.

You did a nice job of suggesting some alternative uses, and turning a possible negative into a "feature". Good post.

Sep 13, 2010 02:19 AM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Shar, sometimes those little niches are the worst to decorate when vacant - you have done a great job!

Sep 13, 2010 03:15 AM

Sally Weatherley

EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC

Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Shar - Great job problem solving. I thought Charlie's comment above was really interesting. He's seen homeowners first hand obsessing over odd spaces, and not considering the rest of the house.

I love the way the lampshade in the coffee nook is strategically placed to hide the outlet - very clever. All the niches looks extremely welcoming now. The desk in the funny corner of the kitchen looks like it will now provide extra flat surface space, too.

Sep 13, 2010 03:45 AM

Judy Colburn

ProStaged Homes - Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles Glendora, San Dimas Covina, Home Staging

Great ideas Shar. I really like the coffe nook. Very clever.

Sep 13, 2010 08:33 AM

Kathleen Emhof

Buffalo, Amherst, Orchard Park and Western New York - Buffalo, NY

Home Staging and Redesign, Experts in Transition

Shar, What creative ideas!

You've given me food for thought here!

Love your "Bon Appetit" signs!

Kathie

Sep 13, 2010 10:03 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thanks Joyce, you are right, many homes have a weird spot.

Thanks Joan, I find them fun to do!

Sally, yes..I tried to hide that stupid outlet. And that desk did add the visual of additional working space which was really needed in that kitchen.

Thanks Judy, it was so narrow that it took a little thinking.

Oh good, glad to get your creative juices flowing Kathie. Thanks, I pick up those type of signs whenever I can. They seem to fit so many places.

Sep 13, 2010 12:34 PM

Christine Pappas - REALTOR®

eXp Realty - Willoughby, OH

When You’re Ready To Move, I’m Ready To Help

Another job well done! You have the knack for it!

Sep 13, 2010 04:35 PM

Kathy Burke

Sensational Home Staging~~Danville, CA - Danville, CA

S.F. East Bay Home Staging

Those "weird" little spaces can be a negative if they don't show off the possible.....THANKS for doing that so well!!

Sep 13, 2010 04:43 PM

Shelley Roufs

Simply Staged Homes - New Ulm, MN

Great ideas Shar. I bet the under-the-stair buffet really made the kitchen feel classy.

Sep 14, 2010 02:27 AM

Kevin Vitali

EXIT Realty Beatrice Associates - Middleton, MA

Helping Massachusetts Home Buyers and Home Sellers

Great idea for spaces that you just dont know what to do with....

Sep 14, 2010 02:54 AM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

Shar - the coffee nook is a great solution - more generic. I think the space was meant for wine - the top looks like it's slotted for wine glasses. Some buyers might be turned off by an emphasis on alcohol. Julie

Sep 14, 2010 03:26 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thanks Christine!

They can be a negative Kathy, thanks for stopping by my blog.

Shelley, it really mad a difference in a really stupid space. Not to mention you could walk right into the kitchen and bang your head! LOL

Thank you Kevin.

Julia, you know I didn't see the wine glass slots until I got there to stage and I had already come up with the coffee nook. I liked it better too as people saw another option in case they weren't big into wine or entertaining.

Sep 14, 2010 02:00 PM

Barbara Heil-Sonneck

Design2Sell - Atlanta, GA

Home Staging Atlanta

Hi Shar, great solutions for undefined spaces, you gave them purpose, excellent work!

Sep 15, 2010 01:33 AM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Thanks much Barbara!

Sep 15, 2010 11:09 AM

Brenda Hughes

Evansville Home Staging & Re-Design - Evansville, IN

Home Staging & Re-Design Southern IN, KY

Very important reason to stage a vacant home...

Buyers often have trouble visualizing the home with furniture placement

it saves them from trying to figure it out when we show them,,,

Oct 26, 2010 02:36 PM

Shar Sitter

Rooms With Style - Minneapolis, MN

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/ St. Paul, M

Amen to that Brenda!

Oct 27, 2010 03:07 AM

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When You Have A Weird Space in a House......Show the Buyer Something They Can Do with It!

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