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Before and After Staging Contest Photos

By ARDELL DellaLoggia

Real Estate Agent with Better Properties Seattle

July 18, 2008 05:59 PM

Another Entry for Realty U's "I Staged It" Photo contest.

This room has two before and after photos taken from both sides of the room. The BEFORE photos were the photos from the mls from when I bought the property. The AFTER photos are how they will appear in the mls now that I am going to sell it. I have lived here three years.

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

I painted the triangle at the ceiling to highlight the height of the room and I painted the furthest wall back to create depth. I always had the piano in the reverse position and it was actually Andy's idea for me to have it facing people as the entered the front door.

As I look at these, it's hard to believe it's the same house. I'm sure a few people will like it better in the BEFORE photos :)

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Tony & Darcy Cannon

Aubrey and Associates Realty - Layton, UT

The C Team

Ardella, I like the after photos. Great job!

Jul 18, 2008 06:47 PM

Susie Blackmon

Ocala, FL

Ocala, Horses, Western Wear, Horse Farms, Marketing

Love the AFTER pictures. Beautiful!

Jul 18, 2008 06:49 PM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

What a big difference....and I doubt I would have thought to paint the triangle.....hope you have good success selling it in a timely manner.

Jul 18, 2008 06:55 PM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Kathy,

I always tell my sellers to paint the "height" walls for emphasis in a different color. Even if it is just a shade different than the regular height walls.

I have a huge green triangle in the dining room. Many of the walls are white, so the color adds emphasis without making the home dark.

Jul 18, 2008 07:39 PM

Andy Laughlin

ConnectRealty.com - Bellingham, WA

WOW, Is that the same house....It looks great good Job!!!

Andy Laughlin

Jul 18, 2008 07:55 PM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

What I like best about my before and afters is the befores were staged also by the previous owner and agent. Not simply clutter vs. de-clutter, but a total transformation.

Jul 18, 2008 08:10 PM

Michael Fowler

Fowler Realty Quad Cities - Davenport, IA

Broker, Owner Fowler Realty

Wow. Great job. We like to flip homes too.

Jul 18, 2008 08:14 PM

Miriam Bernstei

Rochester, NY

It's hard to see that this is the same room. I love the after pictures and painting the triangle is very interesting - lightens and heightens the room. I would however live in the before pictures not necessarily because of the paint but because the furniture seems more comfortable in terms of having company over and being able to sit across from them and talk. The after pictures the chairs are set as if at a concert towards the piano. Hope you don't mind this comment. It's fun to see before and after pictures.

Jul 18, 2008 10:49 PM

Charlottesville Solutions

Charlottesville Solutions - Charlottesville, VA

amazing! they do not even look like the same room/house!

Your friend in Charlottesville!

Jul 18, 2008 11:18 PM

Neal Bloom

Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL

Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate

What a dramatic difference. I didn't care for all the frilly stuff on the windows anyway...looks great happy selling.

Jul 19, 2008 01:14 AM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Miriam,

I don't mind your comments at all!

The room is staged for showing at this point and to me staging is all about walking and noticing the key points of the home, and not sitting. In staging and decorating, you create a focal point. But in decorating the focal point is about sitting...in staging the focal point is about walking through it. Professional Stagers and I often disagree on this point. Buyers usually don't sit down until they have pretty much decided to buy the place, so you have to "grab them" while they are walking...not when they are sitting.

I made the piano the focal point and not the traditional focal point...the fireplace. The room is long and narrow because of the walk way through, so focusing on the end vs the center creates more width. Plus the window next to the piano has a framed view of the Seattle City Skyline which is fabulous at night! Much more interesting than a fireplace.

I always say if you are standing and looking or sitting, you aren't staging...you are decorating. You have to walk through quickly turning your head this way and that, like Robin Williams in Birdcage when evaluating your after product.

Jul 19, 2008 04:40 AM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Neal,

This is the only room in the entire house with anything on the windows besides blinds. They are draped scarves. Because the paint gives a stark angled feature, the scarves add softness. Most of the walls are white, but from the angle of the photos you see color. The longest walls are white and the shortest walls (the height walls) are the drama.

The architecture and original details are from 1921, so some softness is required to blend the addition with the original detailing from yesteryear. This is one of the only rooms left intact from 1921 as is the porch frontage. Everything behind this room both up and down was added in 1994. The original clawfoot bath and french door front bedroom is off of this front "parlor".

We use the front area complete with bathroom as the "office" area and the front "bedroom" as Kim's office. The rear behind the living and dining room is a great room with two sitting areas and my office. The main floor is 1,600 square feet with two offices front and rear, 1.5 baths on this level, a great room, a dining room and kitchen, Eight rooms on the main floor alone. 750 SF UP is the master suite and another 1,200 sf on the lower level has additional bedrooms and a bonus/theater room.

With so many sitting areas in the rest of the home (three or four), the main room becomes "a sitting parlor" as in olden days vs a traditional living room.

Jul 19, 2008 04:49 AM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Michael,

It's not a flip project. The transformation as to style and use of the rooms is primarily the difference between the way the former owner used the house or the former agent staged it and the way I did.

It's a good example of how two different viewpoints can transform a home with just a little paint and different furnishings.

The previous owner had already moved out, so I'm not sure if the furniture was his in the BEFORE photos, or it was staged. Always seemed odd to me that a single guy would have such a granny decor. "Granny Decor" doesn't go over well in Artsy Kirkland, but does in Woodinville.

Buyer profiling is part of staging. Who might buy it? If the likely buyers are not going to be Country Style...then you can't stage in doilies :)

Jul 19, 2008 04:53 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Ardell,

I think all this online presence leads to lots of inquiries from all over. Nice to be noticed.

Jul 19, 2008 05:47 PM

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