design: Why Yes, We Use Life Sized Metal Statues in Our Designs .. Don't You?
- 10/31/10 02:01 AM
This morning when I logged into my business email, I saw an email from someone advertising a product. I'm sure you get these types of emails too - vendors or people who make certain items which they feel can be used in the staging and design work we do. Sometimes I'm interested, most times I am not. Today I was absolutely floored. The email header read "Life-Sized Recycled Metal Statues for Interior/Exterior Design." Naturally I had to read this email but I was already starting to laugh, trying to envision using a statue like that for staging. So here is what … (14 comments)
design: Design Trade Superstar Contest ~ Please Cast Your Vote!
- 10/19/10 10:16 AM
Design Trade is a national magazine, Web site and series of directories celebrating the people, products and projects of fine design. The print magazine is available three time per year in book stores and design centers nationwide. The print directories are published annually in California, Florida, New York and Texas. They are running a design contest and the prize is a feature in their magazine! We submitted one of our photos and we hope you'll take a moment to visit the link below and 'like' our photo. Every 'like' counts as a vote and the picture with the most votes .. you guessed … (7 comments)
design: In any good staging design .. let there be light!
- 10/04/10 02:40 PM
Lighting is a vital part of any type of design. Whether its for staging or re-design, having adequate and style appropriate lighting is essential. You can create a beautiful design but if the lamps or light fixtures don't fit with the style of the space, they will stick out like sore thumbs. This means all those lamps which have the bases styled as characters (Buzz Lightyear or Baseball players), animals, sports equipment or which are overly flowery or religious can really clash with the room's overall style. For staging those types of lamps have to be edited out but sometimes its … (13 comments)
design: Reflections at Laurelwood: Kitchener-Waterloo Model Condo Designed to Sell
- 09/17/10 09:00 AM
In June, Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design was contacted by UrbanEra Homes about a new condo project they were planning to launch in September 2010. We had worked with this builder/developer last year, decorating their two model homes for the Village Park on Harvest Lane project in Delhi, ON. This time however, we were not simply asked to decorate the model condo, we were asked to make all the design choices from paint colour, flooring, cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, light fixtures and hardware for the model. In addition, we were asked to select all the base and upgrade selections for the buyers purchasing … (13 comments)
design: How Professional Home Stagers Help in Kitchener-Waterloo
- 09/05/10 04:26 PM
I was driving in the car today and listening to the radio when an ad came on for How Realtors Help homeowners sell their homes. I understand and agree that Realtors are excellent guides for the home selling process. They deal with people and situations that homeowners shouldn’t have to and they provide essential information which is crucial when it comes to getting the most money for your biggest asset – your home.
What I didn’t agree with and continue to have issues with is how these ads claim Realtors can help homeowners stage their homes. Professional stagers don't … (8 comments)
design: Be Proud .. of Your Own Work!
- 07/06/10 03:33 PM
Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci created stunning works of art that still have the power to make people speechless.
Sadly, as a professional stager, the works of art that my partner and I create sadly don't have that type of longevity (houses sell too fast). We do however create beautiful staging designs that we have captured in photographs and which now grace the pages of our portfolio albums.
Bedroom "Before"
Bedroom "After" We're proud of these pictures and of the unique designs we create for each of our clients. When we talk to new or prospective clients we … (9 comments)
design: Virtual 3D Designs - Which Looks More Realistic?
- 05/05/10 06:22 AM
I love interior design programs and have been using them for years. Last year I found a website that allowed me to create virtual 3D designs for clients and I fell in love with it. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great program for my computer and it took me hours to do one room because it kept causing my computer to crash. So, I found a new software program by Chief Architect which allowed me to do all of the other things I could do in the previous program plus exciting things like creating actual walk through's of the home showing the … (4 comments)
design: Staging a Beautiful Luxury Home in Cambridge, ON
- 04/27/10 07:26 AM
On Friday April 9th I did a consultation for the home owners of a large luxury home in an elite part of Cambridge, ON. We were called in by the realtor who realized that there was a lot of work to do in this large home before it could sell at the price the sellers wanted to list at. This particular realtor's office is one we partner with often and they are extremely pro-staging which makes a tangible difference in what clients are willing to do to get their homes ready for sale. This particular home was vacant and while it … (13 comments)
design: Interior Design is not the same as Home Staging
- 02/12/10 05:05 AM
After being told several times over the past few months that one of the main reasons realtors opt to not call us is because their listings are already "nicely or professionally decorated", we decided to do some homework. Over the past few weeks, my partner and I have had the opportunity to go through many open houses and look at homes which were marketed as "updated and decorated beautifully throughout". We weren't sure what to expect and it became increasingly clear that the term decorated encompassed a wide variety of personal design styles, colours and even room functions!
design: UrbanEra Model Homes Staged by Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design
- 01/09/10 01:04 PM
Last year, my partner and I were hired by a local developer to stage their model homes. We worked tirelessly with the builder to create two stunning & entirely different designs and feel we succeeded. We chose to decorate the home with simple, yet stunning furniture and accessories which allowed each home's layout and architectural details to shine through. In the traditional home, we used a rich gold toned paint and accented it with a stunning palette of luxurious colours and materials.
In the contemporary home we used crisp modern furniture accented by stunning … (22 comments)
design: Beautiful Cambridge Home Staged to Perfection!
- 01/05/10 11:43 AM
Last year, we were called in by a savvy home owner to do a consult on her home before she put it up for sale. The home itself was impressive from the start and we knew with some simple changes, fresh paint and staging that house couldn't fail to wow buyers! Today we staged the home and we are thrilled with the results!
Living Room - Before & After Shots - In the bottom shot I do apologize for the fact that my camera did not capture the beautiful seafoam hue of the chairs and the corresponding hues pulled … (10 comments)
design: The Joys of having a Partner
- 10/26/09 02:50 PM
My partner Alana and I started our business nineteen months ago with a great combination of design background/experience, an inventory of home decor accessories .. and a passion for making spaces beautiful. We were lucky and landed some great contracts right away and with lots of smart marketing, hard work and combined efforts we have made Rooms in Bloom a well known name in the real estate community. Along the way we have had numerous people make well meant comments on the fact that we are partners in what is usually a solo career. Profits are split down the middle and … (12 comments)
design: Stratford Model Condo: Staged & Stunning!
- 07/07/09 09:26 AM
I just want to thank everyone who responded to my blog post about hanging things on exposed brick walls - they were all really helpful! The builder however was really against "anything" being hung there so we worked around it and here is the finished product! You can view more of the "Before & Afters" at our Facebook Fan Page @ http://www.facebook.com/ads/manage/#/pages/Kitchener-ON/Rooms-in-Bloom-Home-Staging/19265825355 This condo was just over 500 sq feet and when you have such a small space its vital to ensure that NONE of it is wasted! We were concerned because the living room space was tight and there was … (12 comments)
design: Beautiful Cambridge Home - Staged & SOLD in 3 Days!
- 06/15/09 08:16 AM
We had the opportunity to work with some great sellers at a stunning home in Branchton. After doing a consultation for them, we advised them on everything from paint colours to new lighting for the dining room and powder room. We then came in and staged last week with some great rental furniture, our home decor accessories and combined them with the seller's existing furniture. The results? Spectacular! I have created a great slideshow on Flickr for anyone who wants to view it and here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/roomsinbloom/sets/72157619783432236/
And the backyard is simply to die for ... I'm trying … (7 comments)
design: Stratford Home Staged to Sell!
- 06/12/09 08:57 AM
We work with several realtors in Stratford and we got called in to stage at a home where the home owner had done a lot in the way of renovations. It was actually the mirror image of a vacant home we had staged in the area with the exception that our client had blown out the back of the home to add a gourmet kitchen, a great room, another bathroom and office. The realtor we work with said the home had great bones, it just needed some "tarting up" as the occupants were men and there was very little in the … (5 comments)
design: Kitchener Home Staging Makes Online Pictures Stand Out!
- 03/27/09 05:47 AM
My partner and I recently did a presentation for a Home Buyers & Sellers Seminar this past week and one of the things we talked about seemed to resonate strongly with our crowd. That is the importance of home staging to a home's pictures online, which is the place to shop for a home these days. We call shopping for a home online "speed dating". Its very similar to going out to one of those speed dating events where you have only a certain amount of time to impress another person enough that they want to get your contact information in … (8 comments)
design: Waterloo - Vacant Home "Before & After" Pictures
- 03/14/09 04:44 PM
Rooms in Bloom staged a vacant home in Waterloo this past week. We took an awkward layout and made it seem both cozy - and contemporary! We have contracts for five other vacant homes in upcoming weeks. After forwarding RESA's staging statistics to many Realtors, we have gotten a phenomenal response! Please let us know your feedback on our pictures!
Living Room "Before"
Living Room/Dining Room "After"
Living Room/Dining Room "After"
Dining Room "Before"
Dining Room "After"
Family Room "Before"
Family Room "After"
… (11 comments)
design: Kitchener-Waterloo Vacant Home Staging Basics
- 01/08/09 01:52 PM
This is an article I wrote which is being featured not only in Rooms in Bloom's newsletter, but several other Realtor newsletters in our area. I just thought I would share. Also - if anyone else has any input on how they handle inquiries about the feasibility of staging vacant homes, I would love to hear what you say. For us, we get inquiries daily which is why I thought I would write this short article. Vacant Home Staging Basics Yesterday, my partner Alana and I received our third inquiry from a Realtor about what was involved in staging an … (21 comments)
design: Waterloo Vacant home staged and SOLD!
- 12/09/08 06:07 AM
Back in September, we were contacted by a realtor's office whom we partner with and told that one of their clients needed our staging expertise as he had a vacant home in the Beechwood area of Waterloo on the market and it wasn't getting much interest - and had in fact been up for sale since the beginning of June. We did a consultation and staged after some issues with the home owner (he was against staging as he didn't want to spend any money). We staged at the end of October and the house got three offers within three weeks … (7 comments)
design: Stunning Stratford House Staged to Sell by Kitchener-Waterloo's Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design
- 10/17/08 12:09 PM
We were called in to stage a vacant house before it went on the market - the home owners had been advised by a savvy realtor to do so. We were called and the result? A beautiful home! We have a great slideshow of the pictures at www.roomsinbloom.org under the featured homes section. I tried loading pictures however I kept encountering errors and got frustrated - sorry everyone - but please do take a look!
Family Room "After" - Before we started all there was in this room was a giant fish tank! We worked with the paint colors and … (4 comments)
Blog written by Heather Cook, award winning home staging designer for Rooms in Bloom Home Staging & Design Inc. Great information on home staging & re-design for realtors, sellers and buyers!
This morning when I logged into my business email, I saw an email from someone advertising a product. I'm sure you get these types of emails too - vendors or people who make certain items which they feel can be used in the staging and design work we do. Sometimes I'm interested, most times I am not. Today I was absolutely floored.
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