Hi there AR members. I'm new to Active Rain and to blogging in general, but I do love to write and to share ideas so here goes. On a recent staging job here in Montreal, Canada, an ordinary dining table went from good to great with the injection of a bowl of real, live fruit. Unfortunately, the cat found the new all-you-can-eat buffet atop the table simply irresistible. And somehow, while strawberries with little chunks taken out of them might qualify as "art nouveau" to some, it's just plain creepy to most.

On my next shopping trip, I went to Pier I and found really great fake fruit: green apples, red apples, red and green apples, amber pears, green pears and lemons. They were quite pricey ($4 each) but apparently each piece is hand-painted so that they don't all look the same. And they are beautiful - not at all cheesy. Now the cat's not quite as happy, but I am and so is the homeowner.

 

 

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I stage all of my listings and hire a professional photographer...at no charge to my sellers.  It's part of my service package as a Montreal West Island real estate broker.  

Professional home staging and professional photography: two critical factors to making sure your home looks its best, both in person and on the Internet, and neither of them cost you a penny when you list with me.

Put your best house forward.

Tanya Nouwens

Montreal Real Estate Broker, RE/MAX Royal (Jordan) Inc., www.remax-quebec.om

Owner & President, Ready, Set...Sold!, a Montreal Home Staging Company  www.readysetsold.ca 

T. 514-919-8468    tanya@readysetsold.ca

RE/MAX Royal (Jordan) logoLogo for Ready, Set...Sold! Inc.

 

This blog is written with my opinions. My opinions are presented with accuracy but not guarantees. Copyright Tanya Nouwens - 2012. If you want to reprint parts of this, just email me for my permission at tanya@readysetsold.ca.

 

 

22 Comments on Have Fruit, Will Travel

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

FEB
15
2008
Funny!  My kids do the same thing to my fruit bowl at home.  Enjoy the Day and Thanks for the tip.
8:30am • #3
Do they have fake home buyers at Pier 1 you can use to stage the home to create more competition?
8:31am • #4
106,475 Points Localism Sponsor
Welcome to the Rain. Pier 1's Sales is a great place to pick up props for staging a home
8:33am • #5
182,299 Points 30 Featured Posts Called Shot Master
I love it here. You guys and gals are fun and very supportive of each other. A real community. Tony, my kids have a large stuffed Scooby-Doo and the Martian from Bugs Bunny. Would that work in your market?  
9:05am • #6
2 Featured Posts

Hi Tanya,  We use a lot of "faux fruit" as well, especially in kitchens.  The local Dollar Store and JoAnn's stores have been where we've found the best deals on real looking fruit.  Happy Staging!

Viking kitchen

9:12am • #7

Welcome Tanya! Great story. You will learn so much here and you are definitely a good blogger. There are amazing people with knowledge and friendship in this community. 

Subscribe to this blog. 


To get yourself set up "right", read his post:

Do You Want to be the "Featured Member" in your Area?

This will give you a great start on your path in the Rain. When I read it the first time, I decided this would be my 'welcome' to new members. I am still new (only a month) myself. And there are many, many others that you will find that are extremely helpful too.
9:13am • #8
115,480 Points 18 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Tanya- Years ago, I had two cats. One of them liked to eat all my house plants, so I switched all of them over to silk. Then, I discovered that the other cat liked to chew holes in all the leaves of the silk ones! Why do we have cats? ;)

I'm with you, I'd rather spend the extra money to get very real looking fruit. I once spent a month looking for the perfect faux cherries! Apples, and pears, and CHERRIES..oh my!!! I was so anxious to use them, and the very next job I had, the client said NO fake fruit! I was crushed!

Welcome, and I loved your story!!!
9:48am • #9
12 Featured Posts

Tanya - Faux fruit is very popular among the stagers here in the rain.  I think we have unearthed every possible resource for them!  I personally buy most of my pears and apples from Walmart.  I know, I know, Walmart?  Seriously, they look very real - I've had one client ask how long they could sit on their counter before they should replace them - and they are only $.97 each!  Some of their other faux items don't pass the test, though, so you have to be choosey. 

Welcome to the rain and SIF!  I look forward to reading more from you!
10:56am • #10
1 Featured Post
I have some green apples I love that I bought from Michaels.  They occasionally go on sale and you can get a bag of around 5 for about 5 bucks.  Several people have sworn by fake fruit from the Dollar Store but try as I might I just can't seem to find any when I look there.  Must be another stager swiping it all before I get there. 
6:02pm • #11
1 Featured Post
Pictures! I would love to see your table arrangement. :o)
6:23pm • #12
2 Featured Posts
Welcome to the Rain!  AR was my first blogging experience as well.  I have learned a lot in the short time that I have been here.  I look forward to reading your entries!
6:37pm • #13
FEB
16
2008
 Welcome - I've found that AR is a wealth of knowledge and people are so willing to share their expertise, knowledge and wisdom.  I am quite picky about the faux fruit I use, so sometimes it takes a while to find just the right pieces.  The most real looking fruit I've found has been at several different locations... amber pears at Pier 1, cherries at Target, apples and grapes at Walmart, and lemons/limes at the Dollar Store.
12:08am • #14
182,299 Points 30 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Wow! So many tips, so little time. All I want for Christmas is for Target to come to Montreal :)

Diana, thanks for the great picture. The kitchen is beautiful.

One question to all of you: When and where does the Active Rainers Anonymous support group meet?
8:46am • #15
200,421 Points 8 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router
Good idea, since a cat throwing up strawberries all over your client's nice new off-white carpeting can put a damper on your day... and theirs.
6:12pm • #16
FEB
18
2008
1,329,578 Points 189 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Tanya, I love your cat story and how you related it to staging. Yes, always go with the "fake" fruit.
4:47pm • #17
224,726 Points Outside Blog

Welcome to AR, Tanya. A client's cat got on the dining table and munched on the real flower arrangement, so it's silk flowers from now on!!

Kathy
5:03pm • #18
256,826 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Tanya, welcome to the RAIN.

We are all over anything fake that looks real.  I just got some lemon scented lemons for home - wow, are they nice.  I imagine the scent wears off and then they can go a-staging with me. 
5:46pm • #19
FEB
19
2008
1 Featured Post
I've gotten a lot of my fruit at Walmart as well. You do have to be picky, but some of it looks great and you can't beat the price unless you come upon a bag of faux fruit at Goodwill. My latest find is, I believe, pomegranates. The color ranges from a deep burnt orange to red and they're quickly becoming my new most favorite fruit. Haven't yet tested them on the cat!
12:50am • #20
I haven't thought about this as a decorating method.  Great idea.
7:22pm • #21
621,696 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master
I love the scented fruit too, I hat when the scent wears off though, I love the smell of Kirklands, when you walk in the door.
10:50pm • #22

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Tanya Nouwens ~ Montreal Real Estate Broker & Stager

Montreal West Island, QC

More about me…

RE/MAX Royal (Jordan)/Ready, Set...Sold! www.readysetsold.ca

Address: 101 Amherst, Beaconsfield QC H9W 5Y7, Kirkland, Beaconsfield, Baie d'Urfe, Montreal, Quebec, H9J 4A5

Office Phone: (514) 694-6900

Cell Phone: (514) 919-8468

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