The 80's and all that brass.

As a stager, the most common challenge I face is performing a 20-30 year facelift on properties about to be placed on the market. And the common theme this month seems to be  the hash glare of brass fixtures, beaming out the loud and clear message that the current owners last renovated the house in the mid 80's. Along with unpainted wood trim and dark oak kitchen cabinets, there lies the great divide between the buyer pool's desires and the seller's decorating choices. And these sellers are solid, responsible homeowners who've maintained their homes with great care and love. But when the likely buyers will be younger than their youngest  adult child, these sellers are likely out of touch with the most current trends: in this case, the offending brass fixtures. As is always the case, staging a space should require the least investment for the greatest return: in other words, on must pick one's battles. As kitchens and bathrooms can often sell a home, significant turn-offs in these spaces can also botch the sale: cleanliness is key, new paint, grout, and knobs do wonders, and swapping out brass fixtures-  all add to the "new home" feel. Simply removing the heavily brass-trimmed shower enclosure and replacing it with a curved curtain rod and beautiful curtain can make a tremendous visual impact, opening up the space and toning down the brass. Even roman tub fixtures can be swapped with a trim kit, saying goodbye to those cut plastic handle details without major construction. Yes I know, both fashion and home decorating trends tend to follow a large circular course, making vintage "new" again. Brass may be back with a vengeance in another 5-10 years, just not for this next listing.