Bring the Style to a Staged House
April 13, 2012
It’s such a pleasure when the homeowner’s are so cooperative and willing to follow through with all my home staging suggestions. The hardest part of my job is to gain the homeowners trust in a just a few minutes and before I make suggestions that require a lot of work. This is a great house with a great layout and all it needed was a few rental accessories from Styled & Staged.
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Adding a shag area rug was the best thing for this family room with vaulted ceilings. It instantly creates a cozy room and reduces the echo. Switching the placement of the TV and the chair made a lot of sense. The TV no longer blocks the window and hiding it in the corner makes it less the focal point.
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Bringing in new artwork with more colours made it easy to add complimentary accessories. The over-sized artwork and tall candles and vase enhances the high ceilings. Painting the brass trim around the fireplace instantly updates the look. It’s always better to have a few large items on display than a bunch of little things when staging your house. Little things don’t show well in pictures and just look like clutter.
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Adding a larger ivory area rug is an instant boost of elegance. It also compliments the rental artwork. The previous drapes were too short for the window. Adding long drapes gives the room more height and drama. Bringing in lamps and accessories completes the look. Removing both corner units allows in more light. Never block your windows with furniture when selling. Showing buyers what they are buying.
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Once again, adding longer drapes makes the room more formal.
The biggest difference in this room was removing the hutch from the buffet. This is much more contemporary look and it opened up the room. It also gives you a surface for decorative accessories. Notice how the same colours have been carried through all the rooms with accessories and artwork on the main floor for a cohesive look.
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Adding matching lamps on either side of the bed is nice symmetry in a restful room. The previous artwork with wild life is not the most appropriate for a bedroom. The canvas abstract artwork has more colours to work with and it blended with the en-suite colours. Removing the cedar chest at the end of the bed also expands the room.
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We changed the previous drapes from the living room since they are long enough for this window and they are brighter for the room since the walls are fairly dark. Removing one of the dressers and accessorizing the one dresser simplified the room. Before the second dresser really blocked the window since it was so tall and had the TV on top
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I was so relived that the homeowner agree to paint this bedroom. Although his daughter loved her pink room they realized that some sacrifices have to be made when selling your house. Now this large bedroom is suitable for any age or gender and is ready to move into. The buyers can put any colour accessories in this neutral room. Removing the upper bunk bed that was not being used helped open up the space as well.
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I had my carpet repairman come in to fix this stain. Fortunately the homeowner had an extra piece of carpet so the nail polish stain was actually cut out and he fused a new piece of carpet in the same area. In a couple days the pile will settle and blend together and the seams will be invisible. He also stretched the carpet in some of the high traffic areas so the carpet looked brand new.
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There was nothing wrong with the room before. We just added bolder linens (that they already had) to give the pale yellow walls a boost and edited the toys.
These are only a few rooms in this stunning house. Every single room had a major transformation. It’s so satisfying when everything comes together nicely and the homeowners are happy. I love my job 
Staged Luxury Urban Condo Done Right!
March 14, 2012
It was a real pleasure working with these homeowners and their Realtor. Staging an urban condo is a bit different than staging a house in the suburbs. It’s so important to add accessories and decor that appeals to busy Executives. They are buying a’ perceived lifestyle’. Since most of the condos tend to be a bit smaller it’s important to highlight every square inch and feature all the upgrades.
These homeowners have amazing taste so it was just a matter of fine tuning the rooms and giving them a more cohesive look. Removing extra ‘stuff’ to make it feel larger was the biggest task. If there is any clutter around it can be a red flag to buyers that there might not be enough storage even if there is. Sometimes just removing unnecessary pieces of furniture can make huge difference. Styled & Staged did some shopping for the homeowners and brought in some rentals for the finishing touches.
When there is an open concept for three rooms it’s important that all the colours and style flow from each each space to the other.
Since this room is both the formal living room and the TV room I wanted to showcase the beautiful built-ins by displaying attractive objects on the shelves. Adding some greenery on the mantle also softens the look. The tall floor candle stick and colourful chunky candles helps to keep everything balanced.
Outdoor living space in the city is rare so I really wanted to expand the space off the living room to the deck. March in Ottawa is a very ugly season for photos so adding the nice patio furniture and pops of colour let buyers get excited for the summer months ahead. We brought the indoors outside with the same colour scheme to extent the focus of the living room.
In a small space I wanted to showcase every square inch. The bench in front of the railing not only added more seating/storage but it softened all the spindles.
The lovely dining furniture really set the tone for their decor. We removed an additional sofa that divided the room since it really wasn’t needed and it blocked the rooms visually. Nothing adds drama like a tall palm tree. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch when showing your home. They smell beautiful and it’s a touch of decadence.
Since this stunning kitchen is visible from all the other rooms it’s important to give them as much sophistication as the dining and living room. Any chef would love to work in this kitchen with all the bright light. Setting the ledge of the bar shows buyers that it’s the perfect spot for breakfast or casual dining for two.
The wall to wall cupboards gives lots of necessary storage for the gourmet kitchen.
The master bedroom feels like a luxurious hotel with the fluffy linens and an adjoining en-suite. The beautiful lamps, pillows and artwork all pulled the room together.
It’s the little details that makes buyers notice the architectural details that all add value to your property. Adding simple things like the roses in the window makes you take notice of an otherwise forgotten window.
Who wouldn’t want a master bedroom with it’s own balcony?
We wanted buyers to imagine themselves having a nice cup of coffee and reading the Sunday morning newspaper.
Even the guest bedroom was given the red carpet treatment. Nothing says comfort more than nice linens. The over-sized canvas artwork serves as a head board. Don’t be afraid to use large artwork in a small space. It adds instant interest without being too over-powering.
The wall to wall windows are framed nicely with the bold red drapes. It actually makes the room appear larger.
3 Easy Bedroom Transformations
March 10, 2012
Not all homeowners have either the time, manpower or desire to paint all the rooms in the house before they list their house to sell. Staging is usually done in a very short time frame. Sometimes I only get a couple days from the time I get the call from the Realtor to when the photos need to be taken. Here are some easy quick tips to help transform any room without having to paint the walls.
Before - this pale yellow room didn't have enough 'umph' to it and the bare window looked cold
After - adding artwork with the same yellow plus the blue gave us inspiration for the blue drapes. The fresh white linens are a nice contrast to the yellow walls. Removing the area rug showed off the beautiful floors
All bedrooms should have fresh clean linens. Adding drapes made the yellow room feel cozier. Yellow can be a hard colour ot work with if there isn’t any other colour incorporated.
Before - I personally love this paint colour for a bedroom but the dark saturated colour on the walls didn't show very well since there wasn't anything pulling the colours together. Their mirror wasn't giving the room any colour
After - adding large artwork with different shades of the paint colour plus the ivory give the room an instant boost. Adding little hits of ivory throughout the room make it appear larger and brighter
After - hanging the mirror opposite the windowover the dresser also reflects more light
Lighting is so important in bedrooms since there is often no ceiling fixture. Homes are often viewed at night so make sure there is ample lighting for buyers to see the space.
Before - this bedroom is being used as a music room but I wanted buyers to see that it had a lot of potential
After - adding large artwork helps with the scale and drama to a pretty empty room. Adding the side drapes makes the window appear larger and lets in more light. Once most of the furniture was removed I wanted buyers to remember the room so the punch of red makes a statement
Neutral paint colours are perfect for staging your home but neutral paint does not mean that the room has to be boring. Adding artwork, fresh linens and drapes gives any bedroom an instant makeover.
Stunning Country Home
March 2, 2012
This house had been on the market for a quite a while without offers so when the Realtor called Styled & Staged in for recommendations the homowners were more than willing to follow through. We used the feedback that we had received from previous showings as our guide. Now that the entire house and attached appartment have been updated I’m sure this property won’t stay on the market for long! It’s gorgeous.
As you enter this grand country home you get a full view of both the upstairs formal living room and the family room below. The fireplace goes from top to bottom so it was important that they matched. The homeowners were very willing to reface the fireplace since the ceramic tile not only dated the house but it was very limiting for buyers.
Here are just a couple rooms that were transformed…..
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After both fireplaces were refaced it looked spectaclar!!!! Since this is a country home the stone really worked with the exterior environment.
BEFORE the upstairs fireplace was refaced
BEFORE - awkward furniture placement
Because there was a huge sideboard taking up the only solid wall in the room, it was very difficult to place furniture. The homeowner had 4 large wing back chairs around a circle for conversation but it felt more like a lobby and the chairs obstructed the beautiful country views.
AFTER - upstairs fireplace refaced
Once we moved the sideboard to another room, the homeowners bought a new sofa and hung their TV on the fireplace so the room is not only more open but it’s more functional and a great room for entertaining. Adding hits of colour pulled from the new artwork gives the room interest and style.
BEFORE - the downstairs fireplace
AFTER - the carpet and wall colour look completely different with the new stone work
It was so important to have the downstairs look just as good as the upstairs since they are both completely visible when you enter the front door.
BEFORE - there was too much of the same wood in this room and it didn't feel formal enough for the rest of the house
AFTER - buying new leather chairs made the dining table look more sofisticated. Hanging one large piece of artwork makes the room more open and spacious
This room has to serve as both the eat-in kitchen and the formal dining room so it’s important to get the right balance of formality and comfort. The same pops of red flow into this room since they are right beside each other. Nothing says Spring more than tulips.
Continuing Colour Flow
February 29, 2012
When staging your house for resale it’s good to use the same few colours throughout the mai for a cohesive flow. It actually makes the house feel larger since you easily walk from one room into the other without being distracted by a sudden colour change.
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ADJOINING KITCHEN
Remove Bed Canopies for Staging
February 29, 2012
Being firm can be the hardest part of being a stager. You never want to offend homeowners and we always have their best interest in mind.
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Once the canopy was removed you could actually see the nice windows and the window treatment that was hiding behind the gauze. Removing some of the furniture also opened up the space. The walls had never been painted so a fresh coat of neutral tan was exactly what it needed. We pulled the colour from the window treatments and carpet that are staying with the house. We used the homeowners artwork from another room for a pop of colour.
Painting the Walls Makes the White Cupboards Look Fresher
February 29, 2012
This’ all white’ kitchen looked cold and boring. Picking the exact taupe tones from the floor and counter top instantly made the kitchen feel warmer and cupboards looked brand new with the contrasting colour. The floor and the counters also looked completely different. They used to look dirty but now they look amazing! Always choose yor paint colour that compliments the surfaces that staying with the house.
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Fireplace Gets a New Look With Paint
February 29, 2012
There was nothing really wrong with this fireplace but Styled & Staged wanted to keep the same sofisticated feel as the rest of the house. Since the family room is directly off the kitchen it made sense to match the existing white kitchen cupboards. The wood looked unfinished since there was no stain but the white paint gave it a ‘finished’ look.
BEFORE
A few new accessories rented from Styled & Staged help with the tranformation. We want buyers to really take notice of the fireplace since it’s a major focal point in the room.
AFTER
The Power of Colour – Easy Transformation
February 22, 2012
The homeowners love colour and they loved their blue room!!! I completely encourage homeowners to inject their own style into their home for their personal enjoyment. However I felt it was very important to tone down the colour of the walls for the purpose of staging their house for resale. I wanted to appeal to the masses to attract as many potential buyers to the house as possible. All it took was a can of paint, soft textured drapes for an elegant feel and few rental props from Styled & Staged.
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It’s amazing how the furniture looks completely different with the different colour backdrop
Dramatic Before and After
January 27, 2012
It can be easy for homeowners to get overwhelmed with the thought of staging their home to sell but for me the bigger the challenge the more rewarding it is. I get so much satisfaction knowing that I can help make a total transformation on a low budget and in a short time line.
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Always show the rooms the way they were intended to function for the masses. Buyers want to see if their furniture is going to fit into the appropriate rooms. This combo living/dining area is the first impression when you walk into the house.The area rug helps define the space and also tones down the blue walls. Re-arranging the furniture helps buyers see if their furniture would fit.
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This dining room was too cluttered and didn’t have the sophisticated look that they house needed. Adding drapes add instant formality and expands the wall visually.
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The large bay window immediately gets the attention and the balance of the drapes. Creating a conversation area in the living room shows buyers how functional the room is.
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The cupboards look so much newer and cleaner with the walls painted a warm tan colour that compliments the floor. Removing the border also gave the room height and made it more current looking.
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Adding bold artwork makes the kitchen memorable and it helps tie the paint colours from adjoining rooms together for a cohesive flow.
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Painting the family the same warm tan colour as the kitchen instantly made the room feel more welcoming. The drapes frame the large window with the nice view of a private back yard.
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Remove extra furniture also lets buyers use their own imagination. Little hits of colour with artwork help make rooms interesting.
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Before: the ceiling in this master bedroom felt very low because of the wallpaper border and the ceiling fan andthe high over-powering furniture.
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Removing the border, painting the walls, replacing the ceiling fixture and moving furniture around was a huge immediate change. Bringing in Styled & Staged rental accessories took the room to the next level. Artwork, linens, lamps, drapes and accessories give the buyers an example of the room’s potential.
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Moving the bed around and adding, artwork, linens, area rug and drapes all made a huge difference. We didn’t have to paint these walls.
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Blinds are great on windows for privacy but they can leave a cold feeling (especially with gray walls) so adding the red side panels really warm up the space and showcase how large the window is.
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Showcase unique features in a house like this built in desk area. I wanted buyers to visualize themselves using it a home office since it’s the 4th bedroom or a guest room. Keeping the neutral colours give buyers a blank canvas to do their own thing. Bringing in a smaller bed also made the space feel larger.
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It’s unusual to have such large bedrooms but with all the ‘stuff’ buyers could not see the full potential. It was necessary to take out the ‘personal’ items in this room so buyers could imagine this for a boy or a girl of any age.
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