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Taming the Purple Potty. No Walls Were Painted for this Post.

By
Home Stager

While preparing for a staging job, have you ever seen a bright purple bathroom, and your first inclination was to ask the homeowner to paint it?

Well, we saw this room, and we thought that with some creative staging, we could “tone down” the purple color.

Take a look at these photos, and tell us what you think. (I always like to save my clients some work if I can. And let’s be honest, painting is work!)

 

purple bathroom

By removing all of the purple accents, rugs, tissues, and towels, and bringing in black and white accents and interesting artwork, the purple color isn’t so glaring. Do you think we accomplished what we set out to do? Did we slay the Purple Potty? Or at least tame it?

This may not be a subdued, neutral color, but we think that people won't run when they see it now!

bath after

 

www.HomeStagingSolutionsNW.com

"Creative Answers, Dramatic Results"

Comments(20)

Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

I miss the toilet seat cover..LOL!  Yuo did a great job!  I love the candle holder and art. 

May 05, 2009 02:47 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Peg ~ You toned it down nicely ... the art is fun!  It has a different vibe now, that's for sure.  Sometimes sellers aren't able to do everything we'd like them to, and that's when staging magic comes into play.  Good job!

May 05, 2009 02:59 PM
Margaret Gehr
Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Nice job working with the purple Peg, You choose great pieces..totally different feel.

May 05, 2009 03:36 PM
Julie Davis, Amy Blank - Rediscovered Interiors, LLC
Rediscovered Interiors, LLC - Andover, MN

Way to tame that potty!!! I loved reading your post--very humorous, you gotta have that at the end of some really long days!!  We had a house with all pink walls--that still needed to be painted, since it was in the main living area, but after removing all those eye catching distractions (which only compounded what was behind them, the pink walls!) and created visual enhancements with furniture arrangements, edited and correctly sized/placed accessories, then the pink paint didn't seem so "in your face"----your pictures are a great example of that.  Thanks for sharing!

Julie

May 05, 2009 03:45 PM
Peg Prather
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver, WA

Thanks everyone: I know that purple isn't the first choice for staging, but this homeowner had so much else to do to prepare her home for staging and to put it on the market, that I didn't have the heart to ask her to paint too. There are more colors in the other rooms, but they were easier to work with, and actually turned out quite nice. She really put forth a lot of effort, and completed almost every task that we asked of her. This was a fun project!

May 05, 2009 05:17 PM
Terrylynn Fisher
Dudum Real Estate Group - BuyStageSell.com - Walnut Creek, CA
HAFA Certified, EcoBroker, CRS, CSP Realtor, Etc.

I went to a clients home to see "how they were doing" the other day and hubby was preparing to paint the laundry room...PINK...he said.  I of course thought he was kidding..NOT...got there just in time to send them back to the paint store for a neutral...WHEW...another faux pax averted.  It's a hard job but someone has to do it.  Nice bathroom, you did a great job toning it down.  The black is a good choice.

May 05, 2009 05:38 PM
Margaret Oscilia
Creative Concepts-Home Staging and Contracting, Salem Oregon - Salem, OR
Home Stager, Salem Oregon

I did a consult that had a purple potty yesterday too!  Even the ceiling!  Great job of making it "work" and making this room have much more appeal!

May 06, 2009 03:20 AM
Todd McAllister
On Stage home staging and redesign co. Portland, OR. - Portland, OR

Peg:  Doesn't everyone enjoy painting?  What a difference great art and bath accessories can make.  This could also be the "barney bathroom".

May 06, 2009 04:21 AM
Joanne O'Donnell
Chic Home Interiors - Oakland, CA

Peg, excellent job, that is what it is all about - stagers are first and foremost solution providers.  We have to work within the budget and time allotted and make it work. And you did!

May 06, 2009 05:25 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

By golly I think she's got it!  You succeeded.  It is amazing what removing the "matching" elements will do for a wall color.

May 06, 2009 06:17 AM
Lori Donegan
Ready 2 Stage - Cleveland, TN

That wall doesn't even look purple anymore.  Way to think past the color!

May 06, 2009 06:39 AM
Robyn Guinn
StageAZ - Phoenix, AZ
Home staging, Arizona

Purple? What purple?  :)  good job!

May 06, 2009 10:15 AM
Peg Prather
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver, WA

Robyn; "Purple, what purple?  You are so kind! And Todd, I was trying to avoid the reference to good old Barney. But you saw right through that, didn't you? Margaret, what are you going to do about the purple bathroom? Go ahead and get it painted... or not!! Joanne; your are right, we are solution providers. On every single job. It keeps our brains in gear!

May 06, 2009 11:16 AM
Kathy Alexander
GreatStages Home Staging and Redesign - Vancouver, WA
Home Stager Camas WA, Home Staging Southwest WA

Peg, not only did you tame the purple potty, but you showed that a good stager also has to take into consideration the level of stress that can be placed on a seller. We stagers are such perfectionists that we sometimes forget to take a step back and dial our expectations down a bit. Your solution was great!

May 06, 2009 03:02 PM
Cindy Bryant
Redesign Etc. Home Staging - Houston, TX
"Houston Home Staging Pros"

Love these...it's a hard tiger to tame sometimes, but you did it!

May 06, 2009 04:59 PM
John Slocum
Premiere Property Group, LLC - Vancouver Washington - Vancouver, WA
Broker, SFR - Vancouver WA Real Estate

Peg, that is an awesome way to make that color's use acceptable, without pulling out the painting supplies.  You gonna try it on a Pink Bathroom?  :)  -- John

May 07, 2009 02:16 AM
Peg Prather
Vancouver, WA
Vancouver, WA

Well John, if you've got a pink bathroom, I can just walk right over to your house and see what I can do with it! Say hello to Kathryn for me!

May 07, 2009 02:39 AM
Chrissie Sutherland
Ready Set Stage - Greensboro, NC

It looks almost like a calming blue.  Very well done.  I'm sure your home owners appreciated it.

May 07, 2009 01:52 PM
Virginia Tatseos
Stage-Show-Sell - Bloomfield Township, MI

Truly great.  I'm going to remember this.  Can't paint it then camouflage it.  I learn so much an AR

May 09, 2009 11:36 PM
Michele Hess
Simply Staged Inc. - Rockford, IL
Home Stager Rockford - Simply Staged Inc

You made the purple work Peg!  Nicely done!

May 13, 2009 10:36 PM