Ducking past a woman heaving a brown pandanus basket into her shopping cart, and dodging another reaching for a yellow bird print solimene platter, I entered the bazaar. No, I wasn’t vacationing in an exotic location – I had only traveled to the local mall, and found myself unwittingly tossed into the throes of Target’s Global Bazaar, in stores until February 17. Featuring over 1000 items from 23 countries, this temporary bazaar lends a splash of color and texture to the corners of Targets across the country. Whether you’re a fan of Target or not, there seems to be a bit of something for everyone at this feast for the eyes.
Target began its Global Bazaar in 2005, and it seems like it’s getting bigger every year. So what’s all the hype? Is this just Target hoping to fill the post-holiday merchandising gap? I decided to do a little investigating, and found that numerous sources are confirming my hunch: ethnic-inspired décor is hot for 2007.
Since I left Target an hour later with a basket load worthy of a Maharaja, does this mean my staging inventory is now full of batik vases and sari-inspired bedding? Not quite. While I’m definitely not against using a few of these items to add a little spice, they’re like everything else – best in moderation. As stagers, we can’t just jump onto any decorating bandwagon that comes along. Not only would we be wasting money on items which may quickly date themselves, but we would also run the risk of alienating some potential buyers. Staging is the art of making a property appeal to the widest range of buyers possible, and not everyone gets excited at the sight of zebra print ... nor will zebra print emphasize the strong points of most properties!
I guess Target's bazaar will have to do until I get the chance to visit Marrakech and Agra.
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