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Reiterating the Model Home Effect in Home Staging Tactics in Tribune Today

By
Home Stager with Reinventing Space

Back in May I wrote a post on 10 Tips on How to make Your Next Listing Look Like a Model Home.    Model Home Merchandising is all about creating a idyllic living atmosphere for that perfect buyer. Creating interior environments that speak to the prospective homeowner how they could live in this home.

In today's Chicago Tribune, Real Estate columnist Mary Umberber reiterates that same process with with an interview with High-End Model Home Merchandising expert and Interior Designer, Mary Cook.

It's a fabulous article, and brings home awesome points of how to stage a home like a Model - From first impressions to using color.

Here's the article:  SELLING? SET A TONE FOR BUYERS

Home Selling - Chicago Tribune, Michael Slaughter Chicago Tribune Photo by Michael Slaughter / March 4, 2011)

 

Since 1999, interior stylist Julea Joseph has owned Chicago area based home design, staging and interior styling business - Reinventing Space.  Your can see her work on HGTV or in the news  giving homeowners expert insight on how to refresh, style and celebrate their space -Whether prepping their home to go on the market, just settling in, or just in need of a change. 

Visit us on Chicago Home Staging on Facebook Julea Joseph on TwitterReinventing Space on LinkedIn

The Interior Stylist Program Julea also offers her expertise with certification training and mentoring  offerings to Realtors,  Home Stagers and Interior Redesigners in the industry.  Visit her site, JULEA.com or Interior Stylist Program for more information or email her at Julea@Julea.com.

Comments (14)

Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Lynda, Absolutely!! - I was just at a home staging consultation on Friday and had to have the "heart to heart" with my client about the County decor - including the lace panels.  I had to tell her that the family moving in was of an age group that had a whole different style preference. Her job was to update the home to appeal to the target buyer - I always bring with me a Pottery Barn & Ballard catalog as examples.  

Mar 06, 2011 01:01 AM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Julea - Thanks for highlighting this article.  I thought a great idea was collecting brochures, maps, rec centre timetables etc. of a certain area, and placing them neatly in a basket, so that home buyers could get an idea of the neighbourhood and what it has to offer.  Also checked out Mary Cook's website, and love her style! 

Mar 06, 2011 03:46 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space
Sally, I tell my client to put that on the Stats Portfolio.
Mar 06, 2011 03:51 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Julea -- The Tribune article's Q & A  section clearly explains to sellers why targeting the buyer's lifestyle is so important.  Mary Cook really knows her stuff!

Mar 06, 2011 04:35 AM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

Hi Julea, thank you for posting the article. I find that people have the hardest time to know what to do with their walls when they are 10 or 11 feet high. Most people do not feel confident enough to buy large pieces of artwork so they do nothing at all. This leaves the home feeling as if it does not have a soul. The Europeans have this down pat. They hang many pieces of varying shapes and sized to fill the walls. And the houses always feel lived in. Maybe not right for staging, but they understand scale and proportion.

 

Mar 06, 2011 10:45 AM
Amy Bly
Great Impressions Home Staging/Interiors - Montville, NJ
Styling Homes for Selling and Staying

Julea, perfect timing for me to read this, as you know, since I posted about the giant wall murals and artwork on the 16-foot high walls in a prospect's 6,000 sq. ft. home. I LOVE the photo of the model home living room, especially the colors and the mirror/artwork wall. 

Mar 06, 2011 12:37 PM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space
She gave some great insight!
Mar 07, 2011 09:43 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

I agree. Great article. Understanding the demographics of the buyer is SO critically important when staging. From the furniture selected, to the accessories that will be used to further compliment the home - all of it needs to match the buyer.

Thanks for sharing this article, Julea.

Kathy

Mar 07, 2011 10:55 PM
Chrissie Sutherland
Ready Set Stage - Greensboro, NC
Love that article. Thanks so much for sharing.
Mar 08, 2011 12:10 AM
Kimo Stowell
HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 - Honolulu, HI
REALTOR Associate® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i

Aloha Julea,

Merchandising and Staging are similar but different in major ways. Once you start talking about age groups and unique demographical data, you are no longer appealing to everyone. Narrowing the market appeal to specific demographic tastes is merchandising and not staging. Merchandisers are using target marketing strategies, Stagers want broad buyer appeal. Merchandisers pay attention to color forecasting and are not afraid to use color on the walls, and pay close attention to design trends. Stagers want to neutralize and depersonalize; merchandisers want to appeal to a specific lifestyle and refer to that lifestyle through the use of themes, accessories, specialty rooms, and materials used; the antithesis of staging. 

Peace,

Mar 09, 2011 07:29 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space
Kimo, I think Home Staging has progressed from the old school rules. My home staging education back in 1999 was so basic and beige. Fast foward to 2011, and today's savvy, HGTV watcher, Pottery Barn catalog junkie home shopper has demanded more targeted techniques!
Mar 10, 2011 12:07 AM
Julea Joseph
Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL
Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space
Kimo, I think Home Staging has progressed from the old school rules. My home staging education back in 1999 was so basic and beige. Fast foward to 2011, and today's savvy, HGTV watcher, Pottery Barn catalog junkie home shopper has demanded more targeted techniques!
Mar 10, 2011 12:07 AM
Anonymous
Barcelona Mies' Chair

Really interesting article, thank you very much for sharing.

 

from http://coco-interiors.co.uk/barcelona-chair

 

Dec 11, 2012 11:46 PM
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