A+ for Staging!

I'm giving my newest staging clients an A+ for getting their house ready to sell.  They followed all my staging advice and turned their already-beautiful house into an absolute stunner.  Do you want to know the craziest part?  I haven't even met the homeowners.  That's right, I toured the house when they weren't home and gave them a detailed list of staging tasks.  Then, two days later I showed back up to take the photos while they were at work.  Every room I entered was more beautiful and transformed than the last.  

Take a look...

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Totally A+ worthy!

Transforming Furniture for Staging

 

I love estate sales.  They're a perfect place to find awesome deals on great pieces of furniture that can be used when staging vacant homes.  

Recently, I found this diamond in the rough...

 

 

When I found it, I couldn't wait to hand over my $5 and start the chair's makeover.

I cleaned the frame with a TSP substitute first.

 

The first step of recovering the seat cushion was taking out all the old staples securing the existing fabric down.

 

 

Then, I stapled new fabric onto the cushion.

 

Then, I spray painted like crazy.

 

Once the paint was dry, I plopped the cushion back down and the chair was done.

 

The chair just needed the right room to show off its makeover. 

Cue this vacant bedroom...

 

Can you spot the chair at the desk?

 

 

Isn't it fun what $5 and some makeovering (not a word) can do? 

Art on the Walls

I love the houses that each staging and design adventure brings me into.  The walkways, the windows, the rooms, the floors, the outdoor spaces, I love them all.  However, there's something I love even more than the houses.  

It's the people inside.  

I meet the coolest people while helping them prepare their houses to sell or guiding them through design projects.  Recently, I met Steve Levinson, a photographer and partner at Image City Photography Gallery. 

As you can imagine the art in his home is amazing.  I was gushing over several of the pieces when he suggested I take a trip to the gallery to learn about their process for setting up a show.  

I leaped at the opportunity and soon found myself getting a one-on-one tour with Betsy Philips, a photographer and partner at the studio.  Her personal show was exhibited when I stopped by.  

It was amazing.  She taught me all about how they set up a show.  Every piece is curated and its placement is carefully sequenced.  I even think that some of her process can be applied in our own homes as well.  

First Impressions

At Image City Photography Gallery, the artist's show begins outside of the gallery.  Pretty clever, right?  The same goes for our own houses. People's first impressions of our houses begin well before they ever enter our homes.  Curb appeal is where it's at!

Group by Content

When Betsy sequences a show, there's nothing random about it. A spot for each photograph is carefully considered.  One of those considerations is subject matter.  Photographs with a common theme or taken in the same place are often grouped together in the show.  The same idea applies to hanging art in our own spaces.  Consider the content.  Group art that has a common subject thread together for an appealing display.

Consider Color

Some photographs work well together because they have common or complimentary colors.  That same idea works in our homes as well.  This is particularly true when assembling accessories in a room.  Having a unifying color ties in pillows, art, and knickknacks.  The end result is a comfortable and pulled together space.

When my evening with Betsy came to an end I had learned so much.  I learned about the gallery, her personal process as a photographer, some behind the scenes tidbits about her photos, and the care that she takes in assembling a show for herself and others.  However, I think the best thing I took away from our time together was how wonderful it felt to be surrounded by the work of so many talented photographers.  Their work was proof that there is nothing better in life than doing what you're passionate about.  

Thanks to all of you for supporting me in doing what I'm most passionate about.

Oh, and you've got to make it a point to stop into 
Image City Photography Gallery.  
It's located at 722 University Ave.  

You can check out their website here.


Of course, all the artwork featured in this post is for sale (along with a ton of other work displayed in the gallery.)  
I'm a proud owner of one of Betsy's prints.  It's a stunner! 

The Power of Paint

Sprucing up a house with a bit of paint can sometimes be one of the best things homeowners do before they put their home on the market.  While a little time consuming and certainly a bit of work, paint is a fairly inexpensive way to freshen up a house...and buyers love the feeling of a fresh home.  

Recently I worked with a great couple who rolled up their sleeves and painted every wall in their house.  They also followed all of my staging advice (A+).  The transformation was incredible...and since it sold quickly, it was well worth it!

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What a transformation!  Light, bright, and sold!

These homeowners painted the rooms themselves, but if you're looking for a great painter you could aways give Paul Irving a call (585-733-6478).

Oh, and a huge thanks to Harlan Furbush.   He shared the "after" photos with me.  He was the listing agent on this property.  As you can tell, he's got real photography talent!  He even produces listing videos for each of his properties.  

So cool!