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“You Staged What?” “The Candy! I Staged the Candy!”

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Home Stager with Rose-Colored Staging

Now, some of you will think I've gone way over the edge.  But some of you will understand, I know you will.  I've taken to staging candy. 

Now let me explain... I umm... well, may be just a little, just a teensy bit of a... perfectionist.

Just a wee bit.

I noticed it when I was out shopping for my latest staging project.

When I stage, I make it a point to always have an entry table in the foyer.  Just a console table, nothing large, but just big enough for a lamp, the Realtor's flyers, a small dish for Realtor's business cards, and, well, a bowl of hard candy.

So I was shopping for the candy for the latest project and the discussion between my sister and I (she's my partner in craziness) went something like this:

Me:  "Ok, we need hard candy and it must be wrapped.  Unwrapped is too gross."

Lisa:  "Definitely, but what kind?"

Me:  "Well, there's this Country Time Lemonade candy that we used last time and it was good."

Lisa:  "Right."

Me:  "But this house just isn't lemonade, is it?"

Lisa:  "Not at all!  Lemonade is all wrong for this house!"

Me:  "But lemonade was so perfect for the last house."

Lisa:  "But not this one."

Me:  "I'm feeling it should be more... butterscotch..."

Lisa:  "Or caramel!" (said with great excitement)

Me:  "How about Werther's?"

Lisa:  "Perfect!  It should be Werther's!"

Me:  "OK, now we need to decide which kind of Werther's."

And that's about how it went.  I truly prefer to think of myself as "detail oriented" with a true "quest for quality."  (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Really, I have fun matching candy to the house the same way I match the art, or the accent pillows, or the lighting.  And one time I got really lucky and had a listing on "Caramel Drive!"

 

 Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ.  She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 6 years.  In 2007, she founded Rose-Colored Staging, a professional home staging and redesign business, to help sellers and other Realtors successfully market their listings with professional home staging.

 

 

Comments(12)

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Margo Currie
Exit 1 Stop Realty - Saint Augustine Beach, FL

I loved reading this... staging candy?!!! Who'd have thought! I can see, though, where one house might be lemonade and another definitely NOT!

May 29, 2010 05:51 PM
Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

I "stage" towels...whenever I show an occupied property I re-hang the towels AND take the dish towel over the stove handle - I don't know why people think that looks good!!!

May 29, 2010 07:00 PM
Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

I'm with you Margo. Never would have thought of staging candy but I can see where different homes have different personalities so they would have different candies. OF course now I will be looking for the candy dish at my next showing to see if they nailed it.

May 29, 2010 07:45 PM
Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Michele, this is too funny.  The devil's in the details, as they say. 

May 30, 2010 04:02 AM
Laurie Calhoun
Gloria Home Staging, Inc. - Winter Springs, FL
Seminole County FL Home Stager

What a riot! Isn't it funny how each house has its own personality and feel? I completely track with you on this one!

May 30, 2010 07:18 AM
Michele Rose
Rose-Colored Staging - Mount Holly Township, NJ
Burlington County Home Staging & Redesign

Margo:  I'm still waiting for the day I stage a house that requires "Ferrero Rocher!"

Wallace:  I'm a fanatic about towels too! 

Randy, that's funny!  Maybe you can include it in your feedback!  "The house shows well but the candy is all wrong!"  LOL!

Thanks Sally-- glad you enjoyed!

Laurie, I knew there would be others who would "get it!"  Thanks!

May 30, 2010 07:30 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Michele- Too funny.  Houses have personalities, so why wouldn't you try to find just the right candy for the house!!! And, Michele, it just goes to show the seller what an "Attention to Detail" stager they hired!

May 30, 2010 08:42 AM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

Hi Michelle, it must be a Michele thing. I don't use candy (although that is truly inspired) I use fruit in a bowl. Is this a red, green or yellow apple house. Or is it a green or yellow pear house. I sometimes just put three on a white plate or on a tray. But I too wonder about the "little" details .

May 30, 2010 11:11 AM
Nancy Maurer
Whitehall Interiors & Home Staging LLC - Sparta, NJ
Home Stager - Serving No. NJ

This is so funny, Michele!  Spoken like a true, anal-retentive home stager!

May 31, 2010 03:42 AM
Michele Rose
Rose-Colored Staging - Mount Holly Township, NJ
Burlington County Home Staging & Redesign

Thanks Kathy!  I think they had no idea how attentive to detail I am!  LOL!

Michelle:  Fruit is a good idea!  But now you'll have me saying, "is this a fruit house or a candy house?"  Even MORE choices!  :)

Nancy:  Thanks!  Glad you enjoyed it!

May 31, 2010 05:27 AM
Leanna Putman
Shanna Selections, LLC - Enfield, CT

Liked your post, Michele!  It's all in the details!!  :)

Jun 01, 2010 04:12 AM
Michele Rose
Rose-Colored Staging - Mount Holly Township, NJ
Burlington County Home Staging & Redesign

Thanks Leanna!

Jun 03, 2010 07:21 AM