Linen Secrets That Sell
March 17, 2010
Home Staging Tip
Just imagine walking into a hotel room and the linens looked soiled, torn and worn out.
Would you want to stay there? No.
The same rules apply to selling your house.
I always tell homeowners to replace their bed linens if necessary. It’s a small investment towards the sale of their house. It’s also something that they can take to their new home so it’s not a waste of money. Choosing something simple also gives homeowners lots of decorating options down the road.
Through my several years of Staging, I have noticed one very important secret. Bed linens that are a solid colour look better on the MLS pictures than linens that have a busy pattern. For some reason narrow stripes just look like a blurry zigzag in the pictures. Floral converters can look like a big garden and don’t always appeal to the masculine taste. Solid linens always look fresh and clean. Buyers will notice the room instead of the bedding. Solid linens also appeal to the masses.
This small room appears larger than it is because the new linens blend with the walls. Adding a few throw pillows and artwork kept the room from being boring.
These new Zen linens give this Master Bedroom a quiet, calm and serene feel. The subtle pattern really enhances the existing different shades of paint.
Fresh white linens make this room appear large and airy. The soft accent colours create a ‘spa’ atmosphere. The white wouldn’t have nearly the same impact if it was up against a white wall. There needs to be some sort of contrast. Notice how the canvas artwork also serves as a headboard.
New crisp white linens break up the large bold blue wall. Since there is white trim, white lamp shades and some artwork with a bit of white, it all works together. It wouldn’t look right if the white linens were the only white in the room.
Here is an example of what you DON’T want to do:
Before: These linens looked worn out and faded. This master bedroom had no pizzazz. The clutter on the night tables and the different lamps just create chaos.
How we fixed it: We bought new linens since there wasn’t enough time to paint the room. Since the wall colour was so boring we chose a bold Sienna Red comforter to give the room some ‘style’ and interest. It was also the homeowner`s favourite colour and she wanted it for her next home. Bright complementary artwork, accessories and lamps were rented from Styled & Staged. Suddenly their bedroom set even looked new. We often have to stage a whole house in a very short period of time so we don`t have the luxury of making it perfect but this certainly sets the stage for buyers to see the potential.
5 Top Tips On How To Use Artwork
March 1, 2010
Home Staging Tip
Buyers/Realtors look at the MLS pictures to decide if they even want to bother going to see a house or not. The quickest and easiest way to transform a room is by adding bold colourful artwork. MLS pictures look better if the house has a nice flow of colour and style. Follow my 5 Top Tips of Using Artwork in the Staging process.
5 Top Tips of Using Artwork to Stage a House
- Never hang artwork too high. The center of the picture should be 57“ from the floor. Artwork should be spaced no further than 8” apart and no closer than 3”. Pictures hung over couches should be about 6-10” above the top of the couch.
- Make sure the artwork compliments the furniture. It has to be the same scale. There is nothing worse than a tiny little picture over a huge couch or a huge picture over a small table.
- I always try to use canvas art since they look better since there is no glare from camera flashes.
- Use artwork that is universal. Anything that says too much about someone’s culture, age religion or interests can deter buyers. I personally don’t like being greeted into a room with a cougar jumping out at me even if it is an original expensive collector’s item! It just doesn’t say ‘welcome, come in and visit’. I’ve had to tell a lot of home owners to remove stuffed sword fishes, moose heads and even a bear skin carpet. These items are fine for your own personal space since they all have ‘stories and memories’ attached to them but they just aren’t suitable for staging. Sorry guys! Pack them up and enjoy them in your next home
. - For Staging purposes it is better to use fewer larger pictures since they have more impact. Remove the family photo galleries. They are way too personal. You want buyers to be looking at the house, not the homeowner’s personal life story.
Styled & Staged has a huge inventory of rental artwork in all colours, styles and sizes. Nothing changes a room quicker and easier than artwork! Call 613-302-4020 today for your Staging needs.
Examples of How Artwork Can Help
Artwork is a great way to tie all the colours in the room together. This picture also adds depth to the room which makes it appear even larger.
Using artwork as a headboard is a quick fix. Do not use pictures with glass in case if falls.
Artwork can add a lot drama and atmosphere into an intimate setting. Make sure proportions are correct.
In small houses every inch counts so make interesting focal points with artwork. Follow through with the colours from the artwork for a cohesive look.
This room was completely beige until we added some ‘Style’ by bringing in artwork with some colour. Notice that the artwork is canvas so we don’t get the glare from the camera.
6 Ways To Sell A Soaker Tub
February 15, 2010
Home Staging Tip
It can be challenging making a room with cold hard surfaces feel appealing and inviting to buyers. Follow these 6 easy steps for a spa atmosphere that will be easy to sell.
- En-suites should be decorated in the same colour palette as the master bedroom since they usually look onto each other and we want to continue the flow.
- Soften the hard surfaces of the tub with lush towels either rolled in the corner, draped over the tub or placed in an over-sized basket.
- Candles offer the best lighting for a relaxed atmosphere. They also add some sensual aromas and a pop of colour.
- Artwork gives bathers something interesting to look at while they are relaxing and it’s an easy way to pull the colours together.
- Greenery adds texture and life for rejuvenation.
- Most importantly – it has to be CLEAN and CLUTTER FREE for true relaxation!!!
Four Examples That Sold Quickly
This tub was warmed up with a textured window blind for privacy. The paint colour was chosen to enhance the tiles. Buyers can add any of their own personal touches.
The fresh blue paint coordinates with the counter top and keeps the room feeling clean and spa-like. Nothing feels fresher than white fluffy towels.
This colour scheme is carried through from the master bedroom. The homeowner didn’t want to paint this room so adding artwork was a quick and easy way to introduce other colours to tone down the strong hue. Bringing in some candles, plants and towels blends everything together.
Having a neutral palette is ideal for buyers. The vanity was actually painted white. It used to be oak with brass hardware which looked dated. The wall colour now looks beautiful with the floor and so much better with all the fresh white. The master bedroom had a lot of red so it was only natural to carry it into the en-suite. Flowers and greenery add life to the space.
4 Area Rugs Sold 4 Houses
February 3, 2010
Home Staging Tip
4 Examples How Inexpensive Area Rugs Helped Sell These Four Houses in Less Than One Week!
It seems like everyone wants hardwood floors instead of carpets. I am always asked if the floors should be bare for Stagings. I think you want to expose your beautiful hard wood floors as much as possible. Buyers will want to see what is underneath to make sure there is no damage. I also think that area rugs can be very helpful in certain situations. View these 4 examples of when an area can benefit in the sale of a house for very little expense.
#1 SOLD FIRST WEEK – Kevin Coady, Royal LePage Team Realty
When placing furniture on angles, the area rug can ground and define the space so it doesn’t look like the furniture is just ‘floating’. The pattern on the rug gives the room some interest since everything else is solid in colour.
#2 SOLD FIRST WEEK – Monica Flores, Royal LePage Team Realty
We want to create neutral rooms but not boring rooms! Adding this playful area rug allowed me to incorporate artwork and other accessories that flowed into the adjoining dining room. My job is as a Stager is to give buyers some inspiration.
#3 SOLD FIRST WEEK – Kim St-Denis, Royal LePage Team Realty
There was a lot of wood, glass, metal, tile and leather in this contemporary home. Placing the thick shag carpet gave the room just enough softness and texture to make it feel more inviting. The warm colour enhanced the tiles in the fireplace making it the showcase. Since they didn’t have a coffee table the area rug also helped fill the void.
#4 SOLD FIRST WEEK – Monica Flores, Royal LePage Team Realty
When a large open space isn’t defined by walls an area rug can create a ‘room’ and an intimate space. The furniture also shows up better on the ivory carpet. Without the carpet this space just looked like a dark hole. The ivory also picks up the ivory in the artwork, lamps and candles for a cohesive look.