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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...or Not? - Staging Small Spaces

By
Home Stager with Leslie Olson Interiors

Leslie Olson Interiors, Home Staging Marin

Before - Contemporary Condo Remodel - Leslie Olson Interiors  Dining Rm After - Contemporary Condo Remodel - Leslie Olson Interiors

 

I'll bet you've heard the old chestnut that mirrors should always be used in small spaces ("...they make it look so much more spacious!").  But not all mirrors are created equal, and this '80s-era condo still had the builder's wall of mirrors in the small dining room (all together, girls...UGH!).  Not only did the kitchen have inadequate storage space -- note the stunning laminate cabinet masquerading as a pantry -- but the mirrored wall multiplied every bit of clutter and visual chaos in viewing range.  YIKES!

 

 Before Dining Rm - Contemporary Condo Remodel - Leslie Olson Interiors   After Staging Dining Rm - Contemporary Condo Remodel - Leslie Olson Interiors

 

What was done to Stage this room?

  • Wall mirrors were removed (thankfully much easier than expected, in this case)
  • Cherry-veneered plywood cabinets were built for storage, solving storage issues
  • Extra furniture, clutter and electrical wiring were removed
  • The sisal area rug under the table was removed. The buyer's eye is now drawn from baseboard to baseboard, visually enlarging the room
  • Grasscloth wallpaper added texture and unified the color scheme, which includes subtle new paint colors
  • The light fixture is a dramatic focal point, and a centralized light source to make the space feel more intimate for dining
  • Oh...and the ghastly kitchen wallpaper was removed.  But that's another story!

 

Realtors -  Which room would you rather show to your clients?  Real Estate Home Staging is a specialized skill that can have a dramatic impact on your success in selling properties quickly and profitably.  Home staging is not just for open houses anymore!  How about staging before the MLS photographs are taken?

Homeowners - Would you like Personalized Coaching on how to prepare your home for a speedy and lucrative sale?

I invite you to contact a Home Staging professional for a consultation to jump-start your real estate success.  Don't consider a price reduction on the property until you've hired a Home Staging Consultant (or Property Stylist) to enhance your home for sale. An investment in home staging costs less than the financial hit of your first price reduction.

**UPDATE** I've resubmitted this post which was originally made before our family's move to Greenbrae, California, in Marin County (just north of the San Francisco Bay). While I'm updating the company web site with pictures from many, many new projects, I thought I'd introduce my business to the Marin County market, where we've also moved the staging and design business.    By the way -- this condo sold for full asking price BEFORE it went on the market, with the offer made on the same day the buyer toured it for the first time!

It's great to be in Northern California -- and great to be back on Active Rain!  Leslie - Leslie Olson Interiors

 

For more photos from Staging by Leslie Olson Interiors, please visit: 

Historic Wooded Hideaway - Staging Before and After Photos

Contemporary Oasis in the Redwoods - Staging Before and After Photos

Staging a Storybook Cottage - Before and After Photos

Contemporary Craftsman Before and After - From Vacant House to Inviting Home

Mill Valley Film Festival - Outdoor Art Club - Before and After Photos

Modern Architecture Staging Photos 

Staging for Traditional Home Architecture and Style

Staging Success - Downplaying Tween's Green Wall Paint

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes

 

 

Leslie Olson - Leslie Olson Interiors

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

 

Leslie Olson Interiors   Marin County, CA   www.leslieolsoninteriors.com     leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com    415.233.2633

 

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Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, Texas

www.leslieolsoninteriors.com

leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com

 

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Comments(41)

Joyce Asberry
Five Star Staging - Elk Grove, CA

Leslie,

I absolutely love the wall art!  What a dramatic transformation. 

Joyce - Five Star Staging

 

May 09, 2007 05:51 PM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Thanks to Lori, Paula and Joyce -- I appreciate your supportive comments! 

By the way, my "new and improved" web site with new Before and After pictures should be launched by the end of this week...I'll keep you posted!

 Leslie Olson    Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, Texas    www.leslieolsoninteriors.com

May 14, 2007 06:19 AM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

Beautiful job Leslie - what a difference it made!

May 14, 2007 07:28 AM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Thanks to my fellow Texan, Karen!  Hey there, neighbor!

Leslie

May 14, 2007 08:00 AM
Reece Mack
Simplicity Home Design, Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks, CA
Owner

It was interesting how cluttered the room looked w/ the mirror on the wall and how modern, clean and peaceful the room looked without the mirror.  I am not a lover of wall mirrors and now I know why.  Thanks for sharing,

Reece

Simplicity Home Design

May 15, 2007 03:51 AM
Home Staging
Reston, VA

Leslie - you are so talented.  I love your work.

Denise

May 24, 2007 02:06 AM
Sharon Simms
Coastal Properties Group International - Christie's International - Saint Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg FL - CRS CIPS CLHMS RSPS
Very interesting! So often we think that mirrors are a great solution, but your photos show that this isn't always the case. Thanks.
May 26, 2007 02:54 PM
Cindy Richter
Interior Motiv Home Staging - Flower Mound, TX
IRIS Dallas, TX Home Stager
I can't believe it 's the same house!  Fantastic job.  Education!
May 27, 2007 11:52 AM
Julianna Hind
eXp Realty - Tacoma, WA
REALTOR, 206-679-4768, Tacoma Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, WA
Amazing transformation! Love the relaxed and easy living look you have created, Leslie!
Jun 04, 2007 04:45 PM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Thanks so much for your kind and generous comments Reece, Denise, Sharon, Cindy and Julianna!  It's so gratifying to hear positive feedback from my Staging peers! 

Sorry I've been away from Active Rain so long -- thanks to the great leads that this site has brought, I've been VERY busy with new Staging jobs!  I've just posted a couple of blogs related to two vacant listings I helped stage last week -- one with minimal staging and one with a much larger scope of total furnishing and staging.  I'll send before and after photos soon!  Leslie

Jun 11, 2007 11:13 AM
Val Allocco
Staged 2 Sell New York & Long Island - Northport, NY
HSE; ASHSR - Home Stager, for Manhattan, Brooklyn & Long Island

Leslie,

You just presented a wonderful case against relying on mirrors to 'open' a room...your transformation of the small space is amazing indeed!

VAL

Jun 26, 2007 01:22 PM
Karen Hubert
Center Stage Design-real estate staging, Ancaster/Hamilton - Ancaster, ON
Home Stager
Great job, Leslie.  I have to admit, I have always been a believer of the mirror for more space.  Not sure now.  Thanks for giving me something to think about.
Jun 26, 2007 02:09 PM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Thanks, Val and Karen!  I must admit I don't have anything against mirrors in general -- I'm happy to use them as long as they're framed, and that the reflection is worth doubling the view.  But this early-80's wall of mirrors had to go...  Glad you agree!

Leslie

Jun 29, 2007 05:23 AM
Lisa Robbins
Au Courant Home; City Living Baby - Aventura, FL

 

Great work, Leslie. Did you remove the mirror yourself or have the client hire someone?

Jun 30, 2007 12:34 PM
Rhonda Hay Rawlins
Glastonbury Home Staging - Glastonbury, CT
Really stunning. I just love the light fixture. So dramatic.Rhonda
Jun 30, 2007 02:12 PM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Lisa: the client had a contractor who was working on other projects to remove the original wall mirrors.  Luckily all three panels came off without a hitch...or a crack! 

Rhonda:  The Ingo Maurer light fixture belonged to the homeowner -- isn't it great?  I saw on eBay this week that there's a used one for sale (Item number: 110146323450).  I don't know anything about the seller, or which of the three sizes that are manufactured that it is.  But it doesn't often come available previously-owned.  From the girl who's always scouring the internet for great deals on the things I love!

Leslie

Jul 07, 2007 08:24 AM
KO Designs
KO Designs, LLC - Kansas City, MO

This looks great! What a wonderful transformation. Love the built in cabinet storage.

Apr 10, 2009 07:07 PM
Leslie Olson
Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX
Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

Thanks so much for your comments! The built-in storage was really transformative for this small space in terms of utility, and the cherry veneer is so much prettier than temporary white laminate storage. Thanks for your interest -- I appreciate your kind words!

Apr 14, 2009 04:12 AM
Anonymous
Joe Cline

I'm getting ready to list a newly remodeled condo in Austin. The ONLY holdover from the 80s is the mirrored wall in the dining area. Would your recommendation change if the dining area were two stories? If you have a second, I'd love you opinion on what to do here. http://www.joecline.net/mirrorwall/PICT0058.JPG Any help would be very much appreciated!

Joe Cline
REMAX Capital City

Aug 04, 2009 01:02 PM
#40
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

This is a great post about mirrors not always being the answer to enhance and enlarge the visual size of the room. 

I'm always looking for good staging posts.

Thanks so much.

Best of luck with your business.

Judi

Nov 13, 2009 10:27 PM