Selling Your Listing During The Holiday Season

Handy article for anyone who may be a little discouraged about moving during the holiday season.  This quick read states all the positive things you can do to get through the struggles of selling a home with the stress of the holidays looming over you.  Click the link below to access this article from Robitaille Real Estate of NY.

http://www.robrealestate.com/77_Selling_during_the_holidays.htm

Article submitted by Christine Spitale, Owner of Sunflower Staging, www.sunflowerstaging.com.

Colorful Christmas

Okay, I’ll admit it – I am one of those red, green, gold and silver type of girls. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate all of the wonderful color combinations you can create when decorating your home for the holidays. Maybe in my next life I’ll get to break out of my classic box.

Red and green would be oh so wrong in the dining room above. Don’t fight your current color scheme – go with it. Shades of lavender, brown and cream are all that’s needed. If you already have a jazzy palette; use subtle hues mixed in with natural elements instead.

Green, green and more green. This is a wonderful option for someone who likes a monocromatic look as seen in this all white living room pictured above. Choose someting a bit more bold than classic “Christmas geen” like chartreuse, then simply support this sassy color with accents of brown, white or gray.

Add just one more color – like this blue with green – and you can update your holiday decor with ease. Embellish your existing decorations (like these stockings) with elements that can easily be removed. Pin bands of ribbon, add a decorative ornament, piece of jewelry, or beading to the cuff. (Stockings make excellent “gift wrap” too.)

Forget choosing a few colors – choose them all!

My tips for a colorful children’s tree:

Use yards and yards of candy dots as garland.

Stick a handful of sturdy branches topped with gum drops into boughs.

Hang lots of candy canes in as many color combinations as you can find.

Use candy necklaces and bracelets as decorations.

If red and green is your thing, then do it up right! These gorgeous wreaths are made from styrofoam and oodles of red carnations. (Choose faux and it will last for years.) You can also do this with cranberries or coxcomb with a little help from your trusty glue gun.

Reposted from: http://beautifullivingstyle.blogspot.com/

Images via countryliving.com, cocokelly.com, and bhg.com

Deep Cleaning: Kitchen & Bath Checklist When Selling Your Home

Came across this article today on suite101.com.  The article written by Theresa Borsman highlights critical points when it comes to prepping a home for sale…After all, a complete deep cleaning must done before any real estate staging can be tackled.  A clean home conveys pride of ownership and will contribute to the wow factor more than you will ever know!  Click the link below to check it out.

http://home-staging.suite101.com/article.cfm/preparing_to_sell_your_house

Wall of Mirrors

I love Mirrors! I used to collect vintage ones at Flea Markets and Antique Fairs; at first because I liked the different shapes and styles, but later because I started to see them as pieces of Art. When you hang a mirror on the wall it does what it’s supposed to do, it reflects light. But it is so much more than that. Hung in groups, or singularly, they create interest in a far less obvious way than a picture would.

Sometimes mirrors are perfect as they are, but if not don’t hesitate to change them. One mirror I knew needed more character (the large wooden frame was very generic). I loaded spackle into a pastry bag and “piped” patterns all over. After it had dried I painted it cream, antiqued it with stain and sanded a few patches off. Now in its third reincarnation, many years later,  I have just painted it a dark red. Prior to paint it I first painted it with a glue that would create a crackle finish. I then rubbed it with aluminum foil to add some broken texture to it.

Other easy uses for mirrors:

- Place one on a dresser and put a collection of rocks or shells on it.

- Hang a group by the entryway instead of a traditional, large hall mirror.

- Hang one outside, on the side of a garage or shed, to create the illusion of an extra window or just for decoration (bring inside before frost).

- Etch an inspirational word onto one that you look into every day (use etching cream and a stencil).

Staging Works

I had the opportunity to stage a (very large) condo that was vacant.  This was through a relo company and the condo had been on the market for 5 months – with very little activity.  After previewing the condo, I decided the living/dining room, kitchen, and master bedroom and bath (the entire first floor) were all that needed to be staged, which would save the relo company quite a bit of money, but still have a great impact.  So I rented the furniture from an outside vendor, rented my own accessories to the relo company, and moved everything in. 

And guess what?  The condo sold 5 weeks later!  When i wnet there earlier this week to pick up my things I met the selling agent and the new homeowners.  And each of them said to me – separately, – that the reason the buyers bought the condo was because it was staged.  That allowed them to see the space as it could be used…..despite the rather dated interiors.

That’s wonderful news for all of us who stage……..let’s see what we can do to spread it!

Window box makeover

I consider my window boxes to be a part of my interior decorating.

They are outside the house, but positioned directly in front of my living room window, a few inches above the windowsill. They are about 8 feet long, so what is in them becomes a part of my living room. It’s like having an extra wall to decorate (always a good thing).

At the moment the days are getting colder, the old-fashioned geraniums are struggling to flower, and they need to be rescued from the boxes.  I’ll bring them inside and try to coax them through until the Spring. After I’ve repotted them I’ll go scavenging through the garden for things to fill up the empty boxes. Anything in the garden will do (berries, pine, twigs, dried hydrangea etc.) Small pieces can be bundled together with a piece of string.

I always start with the largest pieces first; cutting them at various levels, on an angle, then pushing them deep into the dirt. Try to create as much interest and dimension as you can; have branches draping over the side and overlapping each other at different angles. 

Add color after you have the basic structure in place. If you don’t have winter berries, use what you have to add texture. Broken flower pots (they will freeze and crack so don’t use good ones) old bird houses, seed pods, iron garden ornaments etc.  Stand back from the house, or drive by in your car, to see how it looks from a distance. 

When you are done, water the window box really well. This will help to freeze the plants into the dirt and keep your display looking fresh during the long, Winter months.

Hang it up

Now that the cold weather is settling in I have found myself reaching for a coat and the occasional pair of gloves. Having an incurable accessories addiction I have always had to be creative with finding places for them to live. I thought I would share some of them with you.

- A dresser by the front door. The drawers will easily keep mittens, hats and scarves right where you need them, without creating clutter.

- Wooden coat racks (from the craft store). I have attached them to the inside of my front and back doors and painted them to match the room. 

- A vintage bread basket, placed by the  front door, easily keeps track of gloves.

- A large, copper plant tray, while a bit expensive, will get gorgeously distressed as you use it to hold your boots and winter shoes (and should last forever).

- Think your coat closet is full? Take a second look. Screw in hooks along the back or side to hang your scarves and seldom-used coats.  Go vertical and hang one above the other.

Chalkboard paint – not just for kids

At the moment we are all looking for ways to decorate our homes without spending a lot of money. One of my favorite ways to do this is with a can of black chalkboard paint. 

The coverage is far superior than normal paint and the finished look is that of old cast iron. Over the years I have used it many times in my home and no-one realizes that it is paint, let alone chalkboard paint. 

The most successful way to use it is on brass accessories. Over time these can become outdated, and we get tired of their perpetual  ”shininess”.

The first thing I painted was the stand for my floor lamp. I did not sand or prime it and within 10 minutes  the traditional lacquered brass suddenly looked modern and sophisticated. Once I changed the cream-colored shade, it looked like a new lamp for less than twenty dollars (see picture).

With can in hand I then moved onto my chandelier. Being a tad lazy I decided not to take it down. I used painters tape to attach newspaper to the ceiling, about 3 feet in diameter around the chandelier (a bit dodgy as the newsprint may rub off on the ceiling, but it didn’t). I also removed the lightbulbs and covered the bulb outlets with a piece of tape. Once the prep was done I just sprayed the entire thing with the black chalkboard paint. It didn’t even look like the same fixture.

 I started looking for more things to paint….

Fabulous Fall Curb Appeal

So summer has come and gone and your house still hasn’t sold.  No worries…there are solutions, and homes do sell 12 months of the year.  However, it is very important to keep up the curb appeal with appropriate seasonal maintenance and upkeep.  Lots can still be done during fall and winter selling seasons.  To ensure that your listing is the “hottie in the hood” try a few nature inspired decorations to draw buyers in.  Click on the link below to see entire article.  Article source: www.thestate.com.

Article url: http://www.thestate.com/home-garden/story/977268.html

Now what?…Decorating the Empty Nest

Article by Wendy Wrzos  – http://thebluegiraffe.com

My daughter is only 10, I have a few more years before I need to worry about her wanting to jump ship (hopefully) but I know several families who have recently had their teenagers leave for college (or to get married) and are now faced with rooms in their home that are empty.

By empty, I mean devoid of an occupant, still filled with their belongings, and in need of a clean, but no longer in use. So, along with the heartache of sending your teenager off into goodness-knows-what territory, you are left home, alone, staring at spaces that need to be redefined.

Begin with the obvious. Can you use their bedroom for something else or do you want it to stay the same for when they come home to visit? If you want it to stay the same, then just close the door and leave it as it is (try not to let it become a shrine to their youth; collecting dust in some macabre way, it will do neither of you any good).

The next bit is for those of you who are still doing the happy dance and have visions of clean smelling rooms and a grocery bill that doesn’t rival the budget deficit.

•  Turn on your favorite music, really loud.
• Clean their room! Don’t sterilize it beyond recognition, but don’t be afraid to organize the excess into plastic storage containers and put it away. Pretend it’s a guest room, keep it clean and minimal. Open the windows, put an easy to care for plant on the dresser and leave the door open.
• Change the seating arrangements in the living and family rooms. Will you be spending more time in there now? Where would you like to sit? Sit on each piece of furniture (a la Goldilocks) and decide which one you like the best. Make sure there are a table and a coaster near by. Do you need a light to read by? A place to stack some books or magazines?
• If the size of your dining/kitchen table seems overwhelming, take out a leaf or two. Make it feel more like a cozy nook. Store the extra chairs away until you need them. Put a vase of flowers, a bowl of fruit or a stack of books in the middle. Don’t leave it looking desolate.
• Collect all the family photographs from around the house. Yes, this may make your heart ping a little, but it’s ok. Look at them. Add new ones, change out old ones and keep what you love. Try to keep your frames similar. Hang them all together, at random heights, in a room that you use all the time (kitchen or family). Never more than two inches away from each other so that they create an interesting, mosaic effect.
• Think about where your desk is. Can you move it to a better spot now that you aren’t “sharing” a computer? Maybe you want it facing a window or in the kitchen. The decision is yours.

Remember, your life is changing, but it is not a bad thing. By deciding to enjoy the change you are making yourself happier and creating a more welcoming place for your family when they return.

Image: http://housebeautiful.com