// BLOG
Christmas Window Display at Soho Parkdale Condo
December 13, 2011
This upscale luxury condominium required a window design for the Holidays. Since the building is still being completed there were limitations to what Styled & Staged could do. The Christmas window display is only for a few weeks until the main lobby will be completely transformed with the permanent decor. The purpose of this display is to greet the new homeowners as they move into their brand new condo over the holidays. These condos range from $250,000 right up to 2 million.
Styled & Staged had one weekend to pull it all together from beginning to end. Mission accomplished!
Day 1 – Saturday
The building is still being completed. Over the blue plastic coverings will be stunning black marble. My inspiration for the window display came from the the black and white signage plus the red and white holiday banners. These trendy urban condos are geared to the busy executive who enjoys a minimalistic yet decadent lifestyle.
Day 1 was spent visiting the job site, creating a concept, shopping for a tree, decorations, furniture and accessories. Our only instruction was to put a tree in the window.
Day 2 – Sunday
The Styled and Staged team went to work revealing the beautiful gray/white marble floors that were still under drop sheets.
We put up the Christmas tree and started to fill in the remaining window front with a few accessories to create an atmosphere.
When creating window displays the key to success to keep it simple, bold and graphic. They’re fun to do since you don’t need much but every single detail has to be carefully planned and everything has to have a purpose and make a statement. The purpose is to grab the attention of on-lookers as they drive and/or walk by. The window should ‘tell a story’ within seconds.
Red, white, gray and silver were the colours for the tree since they complimented the outside signage. Adding all the white helped tie in the white walls. The bold red mesh ribbon and sequence red star are a dramatic contrast that can be seen from a distance. Every detail right down to the gray satin tree skirt with the crystals create a polished look.
Introducing a black chair helped create an atmosphere of a living room which we felt was important for a condominium building. We kept a circular theme that was inspired by the name of the building ‘SOHO’. Adding layers with luscious pillows adds softness and texture. Red sequins is another element that we kept repeating since it reflects the light.
Continuing with the circuluar theme, these two wreaths hung together with red ribbon adds another contemporary focul point in the space. The large red circles can be seen from a far distance and it continues with the same colour theme.
The easiest and most cost effective way to fill up the space is to wrap large boxes and decorate each one with the complimentary colour scheme.
Creating window displays and staging a home for resale are actually very similar. It’s all about clean, simple lines, and creating an atmosphere of a ‘desired lifestyle’ with the use of colour and dramatic accents.
Merry Christmas Everyone!
A Different Way to Enjoy a Christmas Tree!
November 28, 2011
I love having fresh evergreens during the holidays for my urns and garlands. I also love having it throughout the house but if you don’t have a supply of evergreens in your backyard to snip it can get very pricey! You can buy little bundles at the stores for about $10 and there’s hardly enough in the bundle to do anything with. You can also buy pre-arranged containers that are very nice but they are usually around $50 each.
This is my solution – Buy a tree now while they are still in abundance and cheaper than later on. It really doesn’t matter the shape or size of the tree. I bought this tree today for $20 at the Super C grocery store.
Buy the tree now before it's frozen or covered in snow so it's easier to work with.
With my hedge trimmer I removed every single branch right to the trunk. I have to admit I got a few strange looks from people walking their dogs as I was destroying this tree. I didn’t want to waste any of the branches. A little twig can go a long way when decorating 
Now This is a Real Charlie Brown Christmas Tree!
I Have a Whole Lot of Useful Branches to Work With - Let the Fun Begin
I always decorate a few urns at the front of the house for colour during the day and then all white lights for the evening. I think there is more impact when you do at least two urns. I hardly had to use any of the branches since I also fill the urns with topiaries, ornaments and berries. The final touch is wrapping the urns with some beautiful durable outdoor ribbon that I use year after year.
The best part is I now have three additional large boxes of branches that are cut and ready to use all season. Every time I want some fresh evergreens in the house I can just go to the garage and grab a handful. The key is to keep them in a cold place so they stay fresh.
Blending Country with Contemporary Styles with Accessories
November 23, 2011
When I first walked into this house I was confused with the conflicting styles. The kitchen cupboards were very country but the furniture was all contemporary and the fireplace was ultra modern with the smoked glass and the white metal. I had to instantly decide which direction to go. The simplest way to bring everything together is a quick shopping spree for accessories or renting Styled & Staged Inventory.
The homeowner had just painted the walls white at the suggestion of his painter. Tip #1 – Most painters are not interior designers! Painting all the walls white does not make it look bigger and brighter – it just makes it look cold and boring!
With a limited budget and tight timeline Styled & Staged had to quickly pull the room together for an exciting and cohesive look. Staging is all about prioritizing the budget to give the ‘wow’ factor for the photos in order to attract more potential buyers.
Before
Removing all the country spindal details above the cupboards instantly took the ‘country’ look out of them. Showcasing the eating counter also adds valuable space and function to the kitchen.
Before
Exchanging the ceiling fan to a chandelier and adding some attractive colourful table lines also defines the dining area and makes it more inviting.
Before
All the surfaces were hard – wood floors, leather couches, marble coffee table, bare glass windows, smoked mirror and metal on fireplace.
Adding an area rug gives instant warmth. Hanging artwork with the same brick/orange and wood tones as the cupboards really help blend the two styles. Adding textured soft pillows breaks up all the white walls and white furniture. Dark brown drapes in both the dining and the living room anchor the rooms and gives the two rooms the continuity. Lower table lamps also give warmer lighting and another pop of colour.
The fireplace is a feature that stays with the house so we had to make it look it’s best. Before the fireplace was out of proportion to the room. Hanging artwork above adds height and warmth to the smokey mirror. The homeowner also painted the white metal with a fire retardant tan textured paint. Adding trees and greenery also give life and warmth to the room. Adding wooden blinds on the front door as well as the door going out to the garage also adds texture, warmth and privacy.
‘After’ pictures were taken by: www.ontariovisualhomes.com
Quick Easy Centrepieces for Free
October 12, 2011
Never underestimate what you have right in your own back yard to create a quick and beautiful centrepiece that’s completely FREE!
For our Thanksgiving dinner I just cut a Hydrangea ball and a couple vines of Virginia creepers and literally threw them in a festive pedestal bowl. All the seasonal colours looked festive and fresh.
Have fun setting your table. Somehow the food always tastes better when the table looks pretty. All the rich sumptuous colours triggers the appetite. The evening becomes an ‘experience’, not just meal.
Styled & Staged always sets the dining room or kitchen table when staging a house to sell. Not only does it make the dining room more appealing with textures and colours, but it’s also a symbol of where people gather to share food and their stories of the day. Another good selling feature of a house. Remember, people are buying a ‘perceived’ lifestyle!
Adding the Right Accessories Can Instantly Add Thousands of Dollars Worth in Value!!!
September 11, 2011
This town house had great potential but needed the help from Styled & Staged for a quick, inexpensive yet amazing transformation. We only had 4 hours in the house to do everything! We went prepared and as soon as we walked into the house we knew exactly what to do and where to place everything. It’s all the prep work that people don’t realize!! Room planning, furniture placement/editing, colour flow, budgeting, shopping, list making and organizing are what makes this a success. Styled & Staged has a extensive range of inventory that can be rented on a monthly basis. Renting the inventory saves money and a time for everyone.
Before
After
When selling your home you always want to make it appear as high quality as your budget allows. Removing posters and bringing in rental artwork and accessories from Styled & Staged was an instant boost.
Before
After
Adding colour through toss cushions and accessories on the coffee table give the roon interest and it also doesn’t make the oversized sectional the focal point of the room. Switching the coffee tables also helps add softness to the room. All the accessory colours were pulled from the artwork.
Before
After
Strategically placing artwork on walls draws you attention to the architectural details of the house and also helps define areas. The artwork at the front door creates an ‘entrance’ and gives interest as soon as buyers walk in.
Before
After
This dining room is now a great extension of the living room since the accent colours all flow. The main floor appears larger since the colours blend from one room to the next. Buyers can now see themselves using and enjoying a nice entertaining area.
Before
After
Before
After
There was nothing wrong with the kitchen but adding a few pops of colour and decorative artwork enhances the look and give the rooms some personality.
Before
After
I can’t stress enough how important it is to make the master bedrooms as appealing as possible. Adding new linens is a must if the existing linens are soiled or old. Using neutral linens also helps keep the room look large and calm. Adding artwork and accents in a complimentary colours gives it the ‘wow’ factor. Blinds are wonderul for privacy but adding side panels gives the room softness. We had to take into account the fact that there was a baseboard heater. Side lamps are also important for nice ambiance lighting in bedrooms.
Before
After
Once again new fabrics were key to this room. I needed to work with the existing black blind. Keeping a black/white theme gives buyers a neutral palette for any age, gender or purpose for the room. I needed to add more black accents so the blind wasn’t the dominant feature in the room.
Before
After
Adding two side panels instead of one creates an illusion of a larger window and gives it balance. Adding complimentary artwork helps give the room a more polished look.