By Charlene Storozuk
Redesign, one of the services I offer to clients, is what I like to think of as the Botox of the design world. It’s a cost-effective and less invasive way to change the appearance of your home while still achieving a huge impact.
Redesign involves working with a client’s existing furniture and changing things up by adjusting the furniture layout, adding accessories, and altering paint color.
Some of the principles of redesign can carry through to home staging as well.
BEFORE
For instance, take the couch in the photo to the left. This tired, worn couch was located in a lakefront penthouse that I recently staged.
Because of the price point of this property, the couch needed an instant facelift.
Instead of renting out new furniture to my clients, we opted to go the redesign route to cut down on costs.
AFTER
By adding just five pillows and one throw to the center cushion seating area, it no longer looks out of place.
To further prove the power of something as simple as pillows and throws, here’s one more example.
By Erica Christoffer, Web Producer, REALTOR® Magazine
Our 2010 List Issue should be arriving in your mailbox any day. In it you’ll find 281 business tips from the real pros — our readers. The Home & Design section is loaded with information, from “How to Spot Common Energy Leaks” to “6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Stager.”
In “5 Ways to Add Condo Curb Appeal,” Debbie Rumsey with Century 21 Sea Coast in Encinitas, Calif. suggests sprucing up the front door to attract would-be buyers. Here are a few more tips for getting that condo door looking great for showings:
Pay attention to the details, such as removing cobwebs from the front door light fixture, says Maureen Bray from Portland-based Room Solutions Staging. If the door has a window, don’t forget to wash it inside and out. Curb appeal does not stop at the front door, she says. If the condo/townhome has a garage, make sure that door is clean and in good, working condition.
Consider the plethora of front door looks you can create by upgrading exterior door hardware, paint/stain color, exterior light fixtures, and unit numbers (if allowed by the HOA), says Kimo Stowell a real estate merchandiser with JDS Consulting: Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design in Oahu, Hawaii. “Stoop accessories can create a virtual endless combination of eye catching details to your condo front door,” Stowell says. Continue reading »
Turquoise is the color of the year, and we want to know how you’ve used this year’s “it” color in staging properties. Show us photos of how you’ve weaved in the color to brighten a room!
Send your photos to Melissa Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org, along with your name and contact information. Your photos and ideas may be featured in an upcoming article in REALTOR Magazine.
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR Magazine
So what’s cooking in the kitchen this year? The National Kitchen & Bath Association surveyed designers to reveal the top design trends for 2010.
Among the trends gaining popularity this year: Hide your appliances in kitchen drawers, whether dishwashers-in-a-drawer or undercounter refrigeration (drawers being used as refrigerators). More home owners are opting to tuck their appliances away so they don’t interfere with the design.
Also part of the appeal to dishwashers-in-a-drawer is their convenience with the capability of washing small loads of dishes in each drawer, which saves water and electricity.
Here are some of the other top kitchen trends for 2010:
Color: Shades of white and off-whites are the most common kitchen colors, followed by brown, beige, and bone hues.
Cabinetry: The most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry remains cherry, followed by maple. In the decline: Painted cabinetry and light natural finishes and distressed finishes.
Design style: Traditional is the most popular kitchen design with contemporary following closely behind. Continue reading »
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR Magazine
So what’s the “it” color for 2010?
According to Pantone, it’s turquoise’s year to shine.
Look for this vibrant blue-green color to pop up in many fabrics, textiles and home interiors this year.
It’s a color that many people respond positively to, according to Pantone, which predicts the hot color each year by surveying designers. Many people associate the color with a pleasant and inviting form of escape, such as a tropical paradise, according to word-association studies.
“With both warm and cool undertones, turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum,” according to Pantone. “Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.”
Do you agree? Do you think turquoise is a good color to work into home interiors?
By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine
Help clients see the design potential in a living space instantly. Change the dining room color from lemon yellow to plum purple — before painting. Rearrange new furniture — before moving day. Get staging tips, watch design videos, and add curb appeal with these four iPhone apps.
Home Interior Layout Designer – Mark On Call
M.O.C. Interior Designer, LLC
$2.99
Customize the layout of a kitchen, living room, bedroom, bathroom, and more with the Home Interior Layout Designer app. Created by interior designer Mark Lewison, “Mark On Call,” and based on his book, “What Would You Do With This Room,” this app even lets you take pictures of actual décor and architectural finishes, such as carpet, flooring, rugs, etc., and add them as a “skin” to a surface in your virtual design plan. Use the palette of colors, patterns, fabrics, furnishings, wood, and stone options to explore the design potential of a room. The app also offers a measuring tool, design advice, sharing of designs between app users, and the ability to make a shopping list for all your customized home purchases.
HGTV’s Staging and PropertyScripps Networks, LLC
Free
This app offers the “best of” from HGTV, including real estate videos, pictures, tips, and advice. Watch clips of HGTV shows “Curb Appeal,” “Designed to Sell,” and more. Getting ready for an open house? Look up tips and tutorials on staging and design for better buyer appeal. And see before and after photo slideshows of room transformations. Continue reading »
By Erica Christoffer, Contributing Editor, REALTOR® Magazine
Looking for some quick home staging ideas that don’t cost a lot? Here are five inexpensive “Hip Tipz” from stager Charlene Storozuk that will help you show off a home with painting techniques and found objects.
1. Paint bedroom furniture antique white and the walls a darker tint. Add crystal hardware such as a chandelier or light fixtures for added elegance to create a French-inspired bedroom.
2. Frame a favorite tea towel for display in the kitchen.
3. Make the rooms off the hallway appear larger by painting them a lighter shade than the hallway.
4. Vintage door panels make an interesting headboard when painted.
5. Make a sloped ceiling appear taller by installing a shelf underneath at height of lowest point of slope.
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