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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After
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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Think of Ways to Reuse Your Exsisting Furniture in Your NEW Home!
August 31, 2011
My client absolutely loves her solid wood wall unit that housed her huge TV and couldn’t imagine her living room without it. When selling your home it’s important to be able to remove your sentimental attachments to ‘things and furniture’ for the SHORT term. Potential buyers need to be able to see where they could place ‘their’ furniture.
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After
Removing the wall unit allowed us to move the couch to the long wall and it completely opened up the view of the large window. Now we also have a space to hang artwork. Pops of red, cream and brown were added to compliment the artwork. All the other furniture on the main floor including all the kitchen cabinets have a dark ebony finish. Removing the pine wall unit kept a nice contemporary flow throughout the whole main floor.
We simply stored the 3 piece unit to the garage during the selling process. Since I’ve seen the house that the homeowners are moving to, I was able to suggested that they use the two book cases in the office of their next home and the middle unit could be used as an armoire in a bedroom since they also have a pine four posted bed. Adding shelves inside gives the out dated TV unit a whole new purpose. The new bedrooms are much larger and will certainly be able to handle the furniture.
Their 4 poster pine bed will look perfect with their pine 'armoire' in their new home.
When people move they tend to just duplicate how their furniture was grouped in their previous house. Think of new ways to reuse your favourite pieces for a new look. You’ll fall in love with your furniture all over again
Home Staging Tweets for 2011-08-11
August 11, 2011
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From Drab to Fab
August 11, 2011
This week Styled & Staged had a big challenge of giving a spacious town home a make-over for a quick sale. This transformation was done in 4 short days. Home staging is all about tight time lines and a tighter budget!! With a bit of creativity you would be amazed what can be done.
Before
After
A $15 can of paint gave the fireplace an instant boost and created a focal point. Adding the splash of colour through the artwork and the dramatic red area rug gave the room warmth and personality. All the accessories, artwork, linens, lamps, small tables and area rugs are part of Styled & Staged rental inventory.
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After
Adding end table and lamps help define the space and gave to balance the room. Continuing the same colour scheme throughout the whole main floor enhances the flow.
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Adding artwork really helped brighten the kitchen and continuing the same colours keep everything looking spacious. Adding some black accessories beaks up all wood.
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After - view from the stairs
This room was instantly transformed by adding a $100 chandelier and replacing the vertical blinds with soft drapes and rods for only $60. I brought the wall unit down from an upstairs bedroom to show just how large the room is. Placing the units on the far way not only creates a focal point but it expands the width of the room. The wood also adds warmth. Now it feels more like a formal dining room. The artwork and table settings also adds interest with colour and texture. Adding plants in a room always brings good energy.
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This beautiful bedroom set was not being shown to it’s fullest potential. Adding some lush linens (on sale for only $49) and a few decorative accessories and artwork make this room a true master bedroom. Continuing the same colours in the en-suite enlarges the space as well.
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Candles and plants always make a room feel relaxed. A bold piece of artwork helps tie everything together.
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The wall unit was put to much better use in the dining room. Adding drapes and new linens give this room a complete make-over. I was able to use the existing shelving unit to give the room some proportion since there was no real bedroom furniture. Canvas artwork makes a great illusion of a headboard.
After
I don’t have any ‘before’ pictures of this room since it was empty. I brought in one of the Japanese screens from another room to use as a headboard. It also adds colour to the white walls. The screen gave the direction for a peaceful zen bedroom. Paper lamps and simple linens help create the mood.
After
This basic white bathroom was give a jolt of energy by adding playful shower curtain, towels and bold accessories. Much easier and faster than painting!
Call Styled & Staged for your Home Staging or Decorating needs 613-302-4020.
Home Staging Tweets for 2011-08-10
August 10, 2011
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