skip to main |
skip to sidebar
By Candace Huber
1. Tick tock…tick tock…. Time. An interior design professional can streamline your search for flooring, window treatments furniture and accessories based on your style and budget- saving you time and money. Not only do we keep on top of the latest offerings, but we know where to purchase them. In addition, we can also often streamline the decorating process since we’re familiar with what has worked on similar projects.
2. Know the Language. The various contractors who may be working on your project often have a lingo all their own. Besides knowing how to speak their language, we know what they need to get the job done right. We cultivate relationships with them over time and work closely with them to assure your project is done to the highest standards and to your satisfaction.
3. Shop ‘til you drop. Besides knowing the best places to purchase the goods and services for your project, there are also many vendors that are “to the trade only,” which means that only design industry professionals have access to them. Their products are generally of high quality, and many are in the latest styles and colors (as well as enduring classics).
4. Have a plan. Design industry professionals are skilled at creating an overall design plan for your space. We will not only look at the specific “problem” areas, but we are trained to see your home as a whole to establish continuity from space to space. Together we will develop an overall plan that incorporates space planning, lighting, safety issues and more. We will help you create a space that works for you as well as reflects your personal style and lifestyle.
5. Clutter control. Are you sick of the clutter but just can’t seem to part with any of it? We know that you are attached to your things. We are attached to ours as well, but we also know that not every one of them has to be on display at all times. We will help you CAREFULLY edit some of your belongings to provide you with a more calming, organized space. (you can always bring them back later, after we leave!).
6. The baby and the bath water. Have you walked by that beautiful painting you bought years ago a thousand times, but didn’t notice it? Sometimes when we have things for a long time, we begin to take them for granted. So, if you are itching for a new look, there is often no need to start from scratch! Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective. That’s where we come in. Often, a design industry professional can incorporate many of your current furnishings into the new design plan, and you will be amazed at how beautiful they look in their new surroundings.
7. Color phobia. Do you see beautiful color everywhere- on clothes, in commercials on television, in lamps and furnishings, but just can’t quite make the leap to putting color in your own space? Design industry professionals have a cure for that. We are used to working with color, and we know what color combinations work well in a particular space, not just how they look on the paint chip. We will help gently nudge you toward just the right amount of color that works for you, whether it’s a tiny amount in a throw pillow, or an entire room.
8. Show me the money. Not only do industry professionals often receive discounts on goods and services, they have “been around the block a few times” and can help you avoid costly mistakes. Sometimes there may even be a more cost-effective way of achieving your design goals, and that’s our job to find it.
9. To trend or not to trend. Every time you turn on the television or open a magazine, there is another new fabric, paint effect or product catching your eye. Does that mean you should rush out and paint your room orange, or buy the latest kitchen or bathroom gizmo? Maybe. Maybe not. The point is, part of a design industry professional’s job is to wade through these trends and help you decide which are best for you, if any.
10. Customize. In real estate, the saying is – “location, location, location.” In design, our mantra is “customize, customize, customize.” If you truly want your home to reflect your unique personality and lifestyle, what better way than to have something custom-made for you? And that’s where the design industry professional comes in. From a gorgeous faux-paint treatment in your formal dining room to coordinating fabric on your dining chairs, we can help you customize your space to get a look that is truly you.
_________________________________________________
Candace Huber was trained at the Sheffield School of Interior Design and is a graduate of the DeGange school of Interior Decoration. She is also a certified Dewey Color Consultant, and a proud member of The Decorator’s Alliance of North America (DANA).
Candace specializes in Certified Dewey Color Consultations, Real Estate Staging and general interior design. She serves the greater Bryan/College Station, Texas and surrounding areas.
Contact Candace at 979-690-8237 or visit her website at www.casabella.us.
By Norma J. Smith
In this slow Real Estate market hiring a professional Stager is an investment that will easily pay for its self. But if you would like to have a go at it on your own, here are some ideas to get you started.
Start with the outside. That is what potential buyers will see first. You want to make sure that they want to come in. Think "Curb Appeal".
Now is not the time to invest a lot of money into the house unless you really have to. Don't paint unless the paint is really faded or pealing or if the paint is an outdated or funky color. Most of the time all you really need to do is touch up the trim and paint the front door. The same goes for the lawn. You don't want to spend money having it landscaped, just make sure the lawn and hedges are neatly trimmed. Plant some flowers and use hanging baskets to add more color and freshen up the look. Make sure the yard is free of clutter and that the windows are spotlessly clean. Hanging a nice wreath on the door will create a homey, welcoming feel.
Inside you need to remove all clutter and have the house professionally cleaned. If your carpet has stains or worn spots cover them up with area rugs. You don't want to replace the carpet unless you absolutely have to. If you do need to buy new carpeting, go with a neutral color in a medium price range.
Remove dark or outdated draperies and replace with top treatments that allow as much light as possible into the room. Replace all of your light bulbs with bright clear bulbs and leave them on. People like bright homes. If your furniture takes up every available space in the room, put some of it in storage. Empty space will make the home appear larger.
Pack up any collections that you have, be it Salt and Pepper shakers or Swords. Put them in storage. It's ok to have a couple of nicely framed photos of your children or some vintage photos of you ancestors, but if you have an entire wall covered with pictures of every relative, take it down, and fill in the holes.
Every room should have a clear purpose. If it is suppose to be a dining room it should not look like a home office. If the room is suppose to be a bedroom it should not look like a gym.
You want create little "Display areas" through out the house, much like they do in furniture show rooms; particularly in the main rooms and the entry way. You want to try to really wow them. You can pick up some interesting accessories at your local home store. Another great way to dress up an area and add color and texture is fabric. Having some decorative pillows, cushions and table covers made in coordinating fabric will really pull the look together. And nothing makes a house look cozier than fabric.
Use scented candles or potpourri to add fragrance instead of aerosol spays that smell like you are trying to cover something up. Having fresh flowers during the showings is also a nice touch.
Following these simple and inexpensive steps will greatly help to sell your home quicker. If you need more help contact your local Staging Professional.
__________________________________________
Norma J. Smith is an Interior Decorator in the Boston area. She specializes in Custom Window Treatments and Soft Furnishings. She can be reached at 781 665-1306 or via email at norma@njinteriors.net. Her website is www.njinteriors.net.
by Gina Williamson of Selling Designs, LLC
It's the day of your BIG presentation- the career "maker or breaker". So, you get up late, yank a comb through your hair, throw on a mis-matched, worn-out outfit from your closet, and slap on some lipstick. As you run out the door, you grab your notes and tuck them into pockets.
RIGHT??
WRONG!!!
Yet this is how many homeowners treat the "big presentation" of what is most likely their largest investment- their home's Open House. Unknown numbers of potential buyers will be traipsing through their home, judging it's condition, it's appeal, it's FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT, it's WALL COLORS... Yes! Price and Presentation sell houses.
Like your BIG presentation, a home should be "dressed to kill" and prepared for the audience.
This is why home staging is such a worthwhile investment- yes, investment! Unlike the homeowner who has a difficult time seeing past what has "always been", a home stager brings fresh eyes and a buyer's perspective. A home stager is not attached to that worn-out recliner, or those outdated curtains- the "outfit" that could potentially cause the "presentation" to be a big flop!
If you are selling your home, or planning to in the future- a home stager is the right choice to help you make that great first impression.
_______________________________________________
With an eye for design and a mind for selling, Gina Williamson of Selling Designs just might be the person you need to be talking to if you are trying to sell your home. An interior decorator trained by the internationally-renowned Staging Diva™, Debra Gould, Williamson adds “professional home stager” to her repertoire, someone who will come into your home, evaluate it, and leave you with a detailed list of what can and should be done to make your home more “marketable”. Launched in November last year, Williamson’s company Selling Designs, LLC, offers home staging consultations, full home staging services, as well as color consultations and interior redesign services. She is a graduate of the Sheffield School of Interior Design. A transplant from Virginia, she now resides on the west side of Cincinnati. You can contact Gina at 513-226-2754, or visit her website at www.sellingdesigns.com.
|
|
0
comments
