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You need a vacant staged in 4 days? with Chicago Luxury Home Tour traffic! Am I nuts!

By Margaret Gehr

Home Stager with Chicagoland Home Staging LLC

September 08, 2007 02:54 PM

Wow what a week! I met with a Chicago Builder last Friday night that decided to stage a vacant home that is going to draw traffic from the Chicago Luxury Home Tour... yes the one that started yesterday. He has a absolutely gorgeous house on the tour. He challenged me to pull together one of his vacant properties so he could promote the base model of the showcase house a few miles away, and next to 3 others on the tour. WELL..11 rooms! 4 Days over the holiday weekend! fully furnished! Do miracles exist? Here is some of the first floor. Thanks to Kris at Brooks Furniture rental...I couldn't have done it with out her.

Margaret Gehr, Re-Arrange It Interiors, 815-530-3566

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Margaret Gehr

Chicagoland Home Staging LLC - Naperville, IL

Julianna, Thanks for your comments. We did step up this property just because of the tour traffic. There expecting to pull 300-400 people from the thousands they get on the actual tour route. Its seems like a miracle that it all came together considering most of things were purchased retail (target, costco, etc.) in the last 4 days.

Sep 08, 2007 06:06 PM

Julia Maher

Nestings: Connecticut Home Staging and Model Homes - Fairfield, CT

Connecticut Home Stager

Julianna already said it - the lovely furnishings really reflect well on the house. Fabulous job, Margaret - why is it we always rise to these challenges?

Sep 09, 2007 09:01 AM

Marci Toliver

438-4642 - Mauldin, SC

Anderson SC, Spartanburg,Greenville SC, Home Staging

Wow, this is gorgeous! Did you provide the draperies as well!

Sep 09, 2007 09:19 AM

Tina Parker

EXP Realty Canada Inc. - Halifax, NS

Managing Associate Broker

Fabulous work. I'm sure you earned quite a few points for this project. Keep us posted as to the results.

Sep 09, 2007 10:42 AM

Kathleen Garvey

HomeSmart Cherry Creek - Denver - Denver, CO

Denver's Neighborhood Expert - Listings & Sales

Excellent work!! I wish we had a rental company nearby with items half as nice as Brooks!! Be happy that you live in Chicago (metro area)---it makes a stagers' job much more enjoyable....despite the stressful 4-day notice! WHEW! Nice job....Regards-Kathleen

Sep 09, 2007 10:49 AM

Julea Joseph

Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL

Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Margaret,

Congratualtions - I heard all about your work from Kris (she's a great friend of mine.) The home shows beautiful - Hope you guys get lots of action - Great marketing idea. I love those Barbara Barry knock-off "X" chairs - they're my favorite. So pretty from behind.

Sep 09, 2007 11:47 AM

Julea Joseph

Reinventing Space - Chicago, IL

Julea Joseph House Stager - Reinventing Space

Margaret,

Sep 09, 2007 11:47 AM

Phyllis Pafumi

ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ

ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

To do 11 rooms in 4 days is nuts, but you rule..For the furniture company to get all that inventory over there to you that quick is amazing. The house looks great. Did you have to supply the accessories or did they?

Phyllis pafumi

Sep 09, 2007 01:35 PM

Betty Haney

Haney Consulting - Calgary, AB

Margaret, you did such a fabulous job and in such a short amount of time. The home looks so beautiful, I bet it was one of the stars of the tour. Thanks for posting. Betty

Sep 09, 2007 01:41 PM

Anonymous

Marci- Yes we did provide the draperies. Three of the windows were custom plus some bolters/pillows (had to beg for what we got in 3 days) and the rest were ready made. Not perfect but the best we could do in 4 days. Thanks for you comments.

Julea- Thanks for your comments. Kris was great! With the short notice and holiday weekend we had to buy the shoes before the dress so to speak and then choose the furniture which wasn't easy. Kris did a great job finding pieces that stayed within my design plan. I'd work with her anytime.

Hi Phyllis, We supplied all the accessories, custom florals, main rugs, some furniture (pieces we knew we'd have to have if the rental pieces didn't work), about half the wall art, all the bedding, most the trees and plants, etc. It really helps when you have relationships with different vendors and stores. They want to help if your a good customer. It was a shopping marathon to say the least. Thanks for your comments.

Margaret

Sep 09, 2007 02:23 PM

#11

Cindy Lin

Staged4more School of Home Staging - South San Francisco, CA

Host, The Home Staging Show podcast

Hey it looks great! Hold on to Kris, it's difficult to find someone who works well together and who will be friendly on the job. Who knew Brook can look so good?

Cheers,

Cindy

Sep 09, 2007 04:21 PM

Kathy Nielsen

http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA

Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

You did a fabulous job! And ought to be patting yourself on the back. To get this all done in just 4 days is like a miracle. Congratulations!

Kathy

Sep 09, 2007 11:39 PM

Becca Briggs

Rochester, NY

Margaret,

It sound like an eposide of Design Star - you have 12 hours to remake this room with a nothing budget - you time starts now - 12 hours later a horn goes off TIMES UP!! I think next year you should try out for the show - cause you are amazing!!!! Great JOB!!!

Becky

Ok I have never commented on the word I get - but this one is LOVE-IN-A-MIST what's with that?

Sep 09, 2007 11:47 PM

Sheron Cardin

California Moods Inc - Selma, CA

ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Hey Margaret - the sign of a great decorator is pulling off the impossible and my hat is off to you girl, and your team! Question: Your window treatments look custom due to the length of the panels and the swags...are they? You are a talented magician.

Sep 10, 2007 03:14 AM

Janice Sutton

1st Stage Property Transformations - Murrieta, CA

Home Stager - Temecula Murrieta

Margaret - Fabulous job, I would never guess you did this in 4 days. The home shows well and I am ready to move in. :)

Sep 10, 2007 04:47 AM

Erica Howard

Take 2 Home Staging - Centerville, OH

WOW, looks gorgeous!!!!!!!

Sep 10, 2007 08:23 AM

Doris Barber

Doris Barber - Business Support Specialist - Gaithersburg, MD

Business Support Specialist

My, my...just gorgeous and four days to boot :-) I am just starting out and this is definitely inspiring.

Sep 10, 2007 10:08 AM

Nancy Maurer

Whitehall Interiors & Home Staging LLC - Sparta, NJ

Home Stager - Serving No. NJ

Margaret - Kudos to you for a beautiful job in such a short period of time. You're an inspiration!

Nancy

Sep 10, 2007 10:34 AM

Anonymous

Hi Sheron- Thank you for your comments. About half of the window treatments are custom...I've tweaked those swags since the picture actually. There is no substitute for custom and if you keep it simple they're not really that much more than ready mades. Actually the ready mades were the hardest because the windows were so tall and they weren't long enough. That valance in the family room was not in the original plan. The deadline really limited what we could get done.

It was alot of fun,

Margaret

Sep 10, 2007 01:21 PM

#20

Rachel Backus

Staged Makeovers - Hudson, OH

www.stagedmakeovers.com

Simply gorgeous... and amazing in that amount of time.

Sep 10, 2007 03:28 PM