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All Clients Are Not Created Equal - Great B&A photos

By Reece Mack

Home Stager with Simplicity Home Design, Thousand Oaks, CA

June 06, 2007 06:57 PM

Have you ever gone on your initial consultation and thought to yourself as you walked to your car "how am I ever gonna pull this one off?" Well, I must say that I just completed a job that I am truly amazed and pleased with! My clients deserve tons of kudos and recognition for a job well done. As you know, for most individuals change is not easy, but they allowed me to come into their house and change the way they live, and as you can see, it was dramatic, and all for the purpose of selling their house! This project would not have been so successful in its transformation if it were not for my wonderful clients who worked so diligently to get this house ready to sell. I met with them, told them what things needed to be done and then we made a plan. We changed out the flooring, took off wallpaper, painted the entire house, spruced up their landscaping and did a thorough cleaning of the house and carpet. Together, we all worked hard to meet our goal, which was to sell their house! Simplicity Home Design was able to transform the clients "house into a home" just as our motto states!

After the house was transformed, the real estate agent and her husband told me that they were pleasantly surprised. They loved it and said that they felt like they had just witnessed an episode from one of those HGTV shows, "Sell This House." That comment alone made me smile. Also, the look on the clients faces when it was all said and done, also made me feel like I did a job well done. You'll have to look at the pictures yourself and be the judge. And thank goodness for cameras, as no one would have ever believed this transformation if they hadn't seen it with their own two eyes.

I would love to find out if you have a house or project that you thought you could never do, and in turn, it ended up being your favorite. Send pictures if you have them, as I'd love to see your great work and ideas.

Enjoy the pictures below of the transformations:

LIVING ROOM BEFORE & AFTER:

LR After LR after 2

DININGROOM BEFORE & AFTER

dr 1

DR AFTER DR AFTER 2

KITCHEN BEFORE & AFTER

KIT 1 KIT BEFORE 2

KIT AFTER 1

FAMILY ROOM BEFORE & AFTER

FR BEFORE FR 1

FR AFTER AFTER 2

MB BEFORE & AFTER

mb BEFORE mb AFTER

Thank you for sharing in my excitement!

Reece

Simplicity Home Design

Comments(42)

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Julia Fedak

Platinum Home Designs - Burlington, ON

IRIS, CSP

Fantastic staging! Good for you....and THANK-YOU for demonstrating the awesome work that us stagers can do!

Julia

Jun 08, 2007 01:17 PM

Suzanne Bennett

Sold By Design - Saint Petersburg, FL

Sold By Design- St. Petersburg

Reece, I can not say enough positive comments on the fantastic job you did with this house! I could totally see this project being featured on HGTV's sell this house. OR it could be a new show from TLC on What Not to Have in Your Living Room: a porch swing with an inflatable pool raft on top :-)

Jun 09, 2007 12:56 AM

Maureen Maureen

Orangeburg, NY

Reece - If there were a transformation hall of fame I think you would make it with this house.

The Academy Would like to aware you with this COOKIE AWARD for the most dramatic transformation EVER!!!

Jun 09, 2007 01:23 AM

Val Allocco

Staged 2 Sell New York & Long Island - Northport, NY

HSE; ASHSR - Home Stager, for Manhattan, Brooklyn & Long Island

OK Reece,

Forgive me if I'm repeating any of the comments above because I don't read them first, I just want to write what I am feeling....

You obviously used rental furniture, so how much did it cost and what did the sellers do with all of their 'stuff'? Also, I would be interested in knowing if all of the accessories were yours and about what we're looking at cost-wise?

It is a truly amazing transformation! Well-deserved kudos to you!!!

VAL

Jun 09, 2007 01:38 AM

Reece Mack

Simplicity Home Design, Thousand Oaks, CA - Thousand Oaks, CA

Owner

Sharon & Val,

Regarding the furniture...it was rented. I used Cort Furniture and it was a separate cost from my bid.

Re Accessories: Those were all mine. The only thing that was theirs was the TV and the tall halogen lamp. And can you believe that I only charged them $100.00 for the rental of all my accessories. After meeting with a fellow stager I realized I am way to low on the charging chart. This will be a future blog that I am going to address...I need advice!

The cost of the rental furniture from CORT comes out to $392 a month. I always do just the minimum package as most of my clients freak out about having to rent furniture anyways...even with such dramatic results as this.

Their own furniture and other stuff was put in their garage or given away. They are moving out of the area and decided most of their stuff was not worth taking.

Thanks for all the Kudos.

Maureen: You are teasing me with the cookie award! I so wish I could eat it right now! I LOVE chocolate chip cookies...they are my favorite. Thank you for putting me in the cookie hall of fame. Hopefully we get a years supply of cookies delivered to our house!

Jun 09, 2007 02:20 AM

Erica Howard

Take 2 Home Staging - Centerville, OH

All I can say is WOW!!!!
Where did you get the hangings above the couch? Love them!

Jun 11, 2007 04:49 AM

Laura Cerrano

Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY

Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Beautiful job, Reece. I love to see transformations and this was a beauty, literally! Thank you for sharing those lovely before and after shots.

Jun 11, 2007 10:24 AM

Karen Hubert

Center Stage Design-real estate staging, Ancaster/Hamilton - Ancaster, ON

Home Stager

Great job Reece. You have inspired me!!! Hope to have my first soon. Any words of advice for getting that first one. Karen Hubert

Jun 11, 2007 10:54 AM

Leslie Olson

Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX

Interior Design and Redesign - Moved to Austin!

In a word...WOW! Reece, not only is the staging "After" beautiful, but seeing how it transformed from its original state is nothing less than inspiring. But what I admire most in your blog is what is clearly your stong sense of diplomacy, Reece. Both your homeowners and their realtor were lucky to have you, and I find your positive words of appreciation for the homeowners' courage and hard work refreshing. Thanks for the post!

Leslie Olson Leslie Olson Interiors - Austin, TX leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com

Jun 11, 2007 11:49 AM

Kathleen Lordbock

Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN

Keller Williams Realty Professionals

We do all need to talk about what to charge for renting our things out - to get an average or an idea of what others are doing - so if one is way over the line one way or the other , one (me) can adjust.

It looks just fab-AFTER.

Jun 11, 2007 11:59 AM

Lanita, Interior Concept Designs, Home Staging

Interior Concept Designs - Silver Spring, MD

The transformation is incredible! The "after" photos are beautiful. It's amazing what can be accomplished when you couple a talented stager with cooperative clients.

Jun 11, 2007 01:42 PM

Lanita, Interior Concept Designs, Home Staging

Interior Concept Designs - Silver Spring, MD

The transformation is incredible! The "after" photos are beautiful. It's amazing what can be accomplished when you couple a talented stager with cooperative clients.

Jun 11, 2007 01:43 PM

Cheryl-Anne Priest

Inviting Spaces - Home Staging Calgary - Calgary, AB

Inviting Spaces - Staging Calgary

Reece

I love what you did with the livingroom - so tranquil and calming. Did the clients every tell you why they had a "fairy lit swing" in the livingroom?

Terrific job in the dining room as well. I have also had a couple of doozy dining rooms. Why is that people use dining rooms for offices, playrooms, storage? Where do they eat - on the "fairy lit swing" in the living room?

Wonderful job - great transformations. Thanks for sharing your joy in this project.

Jun 11, 2007 04:12 PM

Sheron Cardin

California Moods Inc - Selma, CA

ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Reese - I have been waiting to comment. I wanted to see if everyone else was blown away and they were.

Your staging talents are right up there with the best. Congratulations!

Ps: The most difficult projects or rooms always turn out the best because we put more into them.

Jun 12, 2007 01:32 AM

Pamela Roberge, Connecticut Home Staging

Connecticut Home Staging - Farmington, CT

You did a great job staging as well as taking the B& A photos. What an awesome testiment to our industry!

Jun 12, 2007 01:48 AM

Wendy Casey

A-List Home Staging & Decor - Surrey, BC

Fantastic transformation!! As with all of these types of projects, I'm sure you just broke it into its parts, keeping your keen eye on the end result. A challenge is always so much more rewarding, and you really rose to the challenge! Congratulations.

Wendy Casey, CSP

Jun 12, 2007 05:55 AM

Lori Hakeem Oxley

Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. - Tampa, FL

Wow!! I like the after pics, but you could have left the blow up toy!!! LOL. Everything looks great and believe it or not, I have a friend who has one of those swings inside...don't know why!! I love the metal decor above the couch...do you remember where you purchased them??

Jun 15, 2007 09:12 AM

Anonymous

Lillianne Homes Staged by Lil

Great Pics. Good Work!

Homes Staged by Lil

Staging homes with BUYERS in mind!

Jun 15, 2007 09:24 AM

#40

Abby Roselli

ALR Home Staging and Showcasing, LLC - Staten Island, NY

Staten Island Home Stager

Hi Reese, What an amazing transformation! It looks beautiful! Thanks for sharing...you should be very excited!