Keep calm and sparkle on

A little sparkle goes a long way, whether staging your home for sale or decorating for the holidays. Nothing brightens a room more than the shimmer of silver, the glint of glass or a flash of chrome. But beware, there is a fine line between too much bling and tasteful sophistication.

Here are some of the ways I like to add glamour to a room, without overdoing it.

Mirrors

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Lighting

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Mercury Glass

contemporary-vases

 

 

Velvet pillows (or upholstery)

 

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Glass

 

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Art

 

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Adding any of these accents will instantly add sparkle and update your decor to get your rooms noticed.

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Using moveable colour in home staging

You hear the word “neutral” all the time when talking about home staging but neutral has many different meanings. Using neutrals on large elements in a home makes sense. Flooring, surfaces, wall treatments etc. are large investments and a homebuyer wants to know these will be elements they can live with for many years. Having said that, if your home has features that date it, there are techniques home stagers can use to enhance the positive features and using “moveable colour” is one way to do that effectively.

 

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Colour moves us. It attracts us and stirs our emotions. I have seen many homes where the homeowners have put some staging techniques in to play by decluttering, depersonalizing and removing every last accessory etc. until they are left with a bland, beige box. Yes, you can go too far when preparing a home for sale, removing focal points, colour and anything that will attract a buyer to those online images.

Movable color in items a seller can take with them can update a home for very little cost. Moveable colors are bedding, towels, area rugs, artwork and accessories. By adding pops of colour to every room you instantly freshen and add interest but they have to be the right colours in the right amounts.

Stagers know how to get this right. We stage to highlight positives, create focal points and showcase a home that will attract your target buyer. If your home is occupied, very often we can use what you have, in a way you may not have thought about. If moveable colour is needed to add the finishing touches, we can make you a list of items needed and recommend where to find the best prices or we can shop for you or rent items from our staging inventory.

 

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With a vacant home a stager will choose the furniture, accessories and moveable items that will best highlight your property and appeal to your buyer.

You only get one chance to impress and cutting corners will only hurt your home sale. A small investment ensures you have your best foot forward from day 1 and saves you time and $$$$ by doing it the right way.

 

A little Prep

Prepping your home for Winter sale

It’s been a brutal winter so far in my part of the world. Snowbanks are growing higher by the day and it’s hard just to get in and out of the house, let alone starting to think about preparing for selling. But the truth is, now is an ideal time to get a jump start on the competition. While many sellers are waiting for the first well awaited days of spring to list their home, you could be well on your way to sold.

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By using the winter as a time to improve your home’s interior appeal, it’s possible to command a higher price when serious buyers are out and about (and lets face it, you have to be serious about buying a home to slop around in this weather ) Put your snow days to good use and start the dreaded chore of de cluttering. I know, you’re cringing at the thought of mountains of books, movies, unworn clothing and the 27 travel mugs in the kitchen cupboards. We’ve all been there, (myself included having moved recently) You need a plan of action, someone to cheer you on when what you really want to do is to be curled up with the remote and Netflix. A staging consult can be a great motivator to get you started.

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When I first visit for a home consult one of the things I always hear is “I know we have to de clutter” but many times sellers underestimate how much time this really takes. You can’t just sort through 10, 20 or in some cases 50 years or more of belongings in a couple of weeks. Not if you want to minimize stress and wine consumption 🙂 Plus you may be removing some things that could be used as props for staging the home, while other things you think can stay, will not help your sale. Start by doing one closet, one drawer, put everything into a laundry basket and sort while watching t.v. if that helps get you get started. Starting is the hardest part so the sooner the better.

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Winter is also an excellent time to get a hold of trades, to do any repairs or renovations that will maximize selling appeal. During a consult a stager can recommend where to spend $$$ for best bang for your buck and where to save, by not doing renovations that will not bring a solid ROI. I read a report today that indicated both male and female buyers rate master baths and walk in closets as top of their wish list when purchasing a home, so upgrades in these areas are sure to be a worthwhile investment. Come Springtime when all the other sellers are scrambling to find a painter, plumber etc. you are already ahead of the pack.

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Selling a house requires you to make a potential buyer think that the home is already their own. Nothing gets in the way of this feeling more than another person’s clutter. Often, the things that buyers interpret as clutter are a homeowner’s prized heirlooms. Rather than purging your house of personal photos and accessories all at once, it can be less jarring to pack up your personal items slowly and move them into storage. These few weeks left of winter represent a perfect opportunity to start this process.

A little Prep

Chalk Paint Uses

Crazy about this stuff !

Everyone is singing the praises of chalk paint and for good reason. It really is a fast, easy way to update just about anything. Minimum effort, maximum wow factor. Here are 2 projects I worked on this week. A makeover on a bench that was a tad dated, where I painted fabric for the first time with great results and a chalk board paint project on a $2 yard sale find. Check them out.

 

Bench Makeover 

Dated but  sturdy bench
Dated but sturdy bench

 

 

 

First step coat of Paris Grey chalk paint
First step coat of Paris Grey chalk paint

 

 

 

To finish apply Dark wax to fabric and legs
To finish apply Dark wax to fabric and legs

 

 

 

Waxing the fabric gives the look & feel of leather
Waxing the fabric gives the look & feel of leather

 

Tips for painting fabric with Annie Sloan chalk paint

1. Soak fabric a little before painting or do as I did and thin paint with water 50/50 so it absorbs well.

2. If you want to do a design e.g. stripe, mask off the area with masking tape once the base coat is dry and apply your second colour.

3. Most important step, apply wax to protect finish. Annie Sloan wax comes in clear and dark. The clear wax only slightly darkens the paint colour and the dark is very dark and gives a more antiqued look.

4. Let the wax cure at least overnight but a couple of weeks is optimal. I buffed my bench to make sure the finish was even.

 

Painting ceramics with chalkboard paint 

A $2 yard sale find
A $2 yard sale find

 

Loved the shape of this urn, pattern not so much. A coat of chalkboard paint later and a design drawn with a chalk pen and it has a new lease of life.

Caulk paint works well on ceramics
Chalk paint works well on ceramics

 

 

This guy knows

Well said sir, well said
Well said sir, well said