The more I do this, staging that is, the more I think we need, I need, some items recreated specifically for us stagers. Items that really wouldn't be useful to anyone else quite this way. More than the plastic onion, tomato and artichoke for a kitchen "set-up" I've started to re-think what I want out of pillows.
Most of us use brightly colored accent pillows to
- add color
- draw the eye one way or the other
- add texture
- demonstrate lushness
- cover up the rubbishy sofa we rented that arrived with dirty spots that will look worse if you try and clean them!
I no longer think they need to be REAL pillows. I've started using what might be called a prop pillow - it's sewn up 3 sides, with an open bottom. It has lush fabric, usually tone on tone, or migrating tones so that no matter what the light, the pillow matches something in the room and closes with velcro. For 3 reasons
- so that it stands up straight - the velcro creates a little ledge for the thing to sit on.
- so that I can make my inserts work all the time, and just swap out fabrics.
- I'm only storing the covers, not the bulky bags of pillows pairs.
I started with napkins, but now buy yummy fabric remnants for $1 a yard... and I'm off. Now, I don't sew particularly well, but even I can haphazardly make it up 3 straight lines!
Whadya think? Want photos?
Here's the first episode of the napkins... will go over to the house tomorrow for a closeup.
You can see what I mean on the orange one and the green. I didn't attach velcro to these ones, but do now. And you can see the results - they don't stand up properly.
Juliet Johnson Staging offers home staging for sale services and furniture rental services throughout New Jersey, with special emphasis in Essex, Morris and Union Counties. More informatio can be found at www.julietjohnsonstaging.com.
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Yes Photos would be nice...My brain can't picture what you mean? lol
I am as I write, sitting in an open house in a vacant home. I brought a card table and chair, with a nice table cloth.This is not my listing and the owners live elsewhere and are not willing to rent furniture. I brought towels from my home for the bathroom, and two nice place settings to put on the island in the kitchen. As I plan to sit this listing as much as I can, I plan to bring more "things". But i do not have an extra couch, or bedroom set! Nor do I personally want the expense of renting.
Have you ever heard of a furniture store that would allow you to "use" their furniture in return for free advertsing? Just a thought, they might think I'm nuts! Maybe a consign and design.
Also, I was thinking of huge Refrigerator or chair boxes to drape material over.
I know first hand that a staged home does well. I had a listing that had been on the market for 265 days!(By another realtor) When it expired...they listed with me. ort was empty..sort of...old tvs...storage stuff! Yuk! So I suggested that we stage it. The selller had extra furniture, so we cleaned it staged it and it sold in 45 days!!
This is my colleagues listing and it too has been on the market a very very long time.
What do you think of the above ideas, and do you have any of your own? Thanks