Staging Places Blog

Design Lessons From Junk mail?

It all started with a catalog; I was looking through one and came across a picture of a hutch that had the interior shelves painted a beautiful blue hue. I loved the look and immediately thought of some built-in shelves in my living room. They were a dull white and could definitely use a shot of color. I decided to recreate the catalog picture. As I eyed the bookshelf I couldn’t help but notice the large window next to it. I knew I didn’t want to block the view but a simple panel of color would sure dress it up. I tore out the picture from the catalog and made my way to the fabric store. After finding the perfect fabric based on the color in the picture, I stopped at the paint store and had them computer match it to the fabric. I was so excited I emptied the shelves and began painting the built-ins as soon as I walked in the door. Unfortunately, as I applied my third coat of paint I realized the fabric looked much lighter than the shelves. It dawned on me that since the shelves had no natural light to speak of, the paint color showed up about 3 shades darker than the fabric, next to the window. Lesson learned (go a few shades lighter than fabric for built in shelves) I added some white paint left over from another project and was able to achieve the right shade. My mom, being the wonderful seamstress that she is, was able to whip up 2 curtain panels for the picture window. The project took approximately 6 hours (even with the paint fiasco) and I am much happier with the way the living room looks.

Catalogs are a great source for design inspiration. I love flipping through the high end ones to see how they create the perfect room. I feel no guilt when I steal the ideas and make them my own for a fraction of the cost. To me these catalogs are wonderful lessons on how to use color, arrange accessories and create a room that feels like it should be in a magazine. I was reading the Saturday paper and skipped right to the Homestyle section like I always do to read Doctor Décor www.detnews.com/homestyle Barbara Kibitz who writes the column, always has fresh ideas and good advice. I was thrilled to see that she dedicated a whole column to the Pottery Barn catalog and the design work that goes into creating the rooms. I love the fact that a professional Interior Designer is not afraid to tell the general public to look for inspiration in what some people would consider junk mail. I have received the pottery Barn catalog for years and have a whole binder filled with pages from past seasons. They do such a fabulous job of juxtaposing new and old to create beautifully eclectic spaces. The wonderful part is that most of the things they use are readily available so they can be recreated fairly easily. Another catalog I love to borrow ideas from is Horchow. I do not have the budget to purchase anything from their pages, but I have the time and creativity to create a similar look if I see something I like. Whenever I am stuck for an idea or just need some inspiration, I find that catalogs give me a quick fix. The time and effort the designers or visual merchandisers put in to the pages of decorating catalogs is amazing. Next time you are stuck for an idea, pull out a catalog or two, you won’t be sorry.

©2007 Heather Durren, ASP, IAHSP
StagingPlaces.biz

Pleasing Patterns

When I design a room I always look for an inspiration piece. This usually comes from a fabric or piece of artwork. It is amazing how one piece can be complimented or built upon to create an entire room. Patterns can be a great basis for the color scheme in a room but they can also add an unexpected texture as well. The general idea of a pattern is that you can take an object and repeat it to create a pattern. I love to find ways to subtly incorporate the same pattern throughout a room. Even built in shelves full of books in an otherwise sparse room can be seen as a pattern. You just have to look with new eyes to see it.

I think the best compliment is when a person has been in the space several times before they “discover” something new. This shows me that I have achieved my goal of creating an exciting room that offers more than surface interest. If a person happens to notice something new each time they enter, they will enjoy the space more. I love the idea that a room will slowly give up its secrets to a person who is observant enough to pay attention.

The grain of a wood floor, bricks on a fireplace hearth or the grid in a picture window are good examples of patterns that are usually fixtures in a room. These can be incorporated into a decorating plan for pleasing results.
Patterns are a great way to pull a room together without using the same piece of fabric or color throughout the room. For example; a picture of a vase with flowers can easily be complimented with floral fabric, but why not think out of the box and look more at the shape of the flowers than the flowers themselves? Are they in true form such as black and white photography or hand painted with a touch of contemporary flare? If each stem has a round center, pull out the shape of a circle and incorporate that into a pattern on a throw pillow or curtains. Is the flower vase curvy or rectangular? How can this be repeated in the room? Why not find a rug with a curvy design or a lamp that seems to have the same lines as the vase?

The more often the pattern is repeated the more pronounced it becomes. A room can quickly become overwhelming when the same stripe or gingham pattern is seen on the furniture, windows, and floors. Many designers create very dramatic rooms by repeating the same bold pattern, but I have a feeling it would be hard to spend much time in these spaces! The easiest way to incorporate more than one pattern into a room is by making sure the colors of each pattern are the same. Plaids and stripes can easily be paired with a floral as long as they incorporate the same colors. If you are using more than one pattern, there should be one dominant pattern while the others are more background. You can accomplish this by making the dominate pattern larger or using it more throughout the room. There are different types of patterns, which are traditionally used in rooms that have a certain style interior. Historical rooms may not always lend themselves to a bold geometric pattern while needlepoint or toile could look out of place in a modern loft. This is not to say that these patterns would never work, it just takes a certain flare to pull them off.

The size of the room should dictate how many different patterns you use in your design. Small to medium rooms work well with no more than three patterns while large rooms can accommodate up to five. Using more than five patterns in the same room can be overwhelming and confusing.

No matter how you design a room, the patterns you choose can most definitely make the difference in a successful design.

©2007 Heather Durren, ASP, IAHSP
StagingPlaces.biz

How to Stage A Vacant House

When a house is on the market, presentation is extremely important. Once a buyer gets past the curb, the interior of the home must win them over immediately. It is much harder to evoke feelings of warmth and sophistication when the property is vacant. Buyers not only look at a house with their eyes but also with their heart. In order for a property to be appealing all the best features of the home need to be highlighted. The average buyer has a plethora of homes to choose from. This makes it imperative for sellers to do what they can to make their property stand out above the rest.

In the Michigan market, many homeowners are leaving the state to find work before they have the chance to sell their home. This causes a potential problem. When a house is left vacant, every flaw is obvious and the space as a whole, does not usually feel warm and inviting. Buyers spend much less time in the property because there is really nothing to draw them into the rooms, and if a buyer does not walk in and look in every room, it is not likely they are going to purchase that property. With the market as hard as it is in our area right now, buyers know they have the upper hand and tend to become much more fastidious in the qualities they are looking for in a home.

A vacant property can be turned into a welcoming home by concentrating on the “important spaces”. When I say this I am referring to the spaces that will make the buyer want to purchase this home instead of the one up the block. These usually consist of the formal living room, kitchen, family room, and master suite. Staging should focus a buyer’s attention on the positive aspects of a home. A fireplace needs to have a piece of artwork or some eye-catching accessory on the mantle. A set of chairs facing the fireplace will definitely cause a buyer to pause and take a closer look at the room. Great views should be shown off with drapes, as long as they do not cover the window. Counter space can be accented with a decorative plate or set of canisters. Buyers love the thought of having a family room, so placing a cozy chair with a table and lamp by the window is a nice way to give the feeling of home. I feel very strongly that master bedrooms should have a bed in them. Preferably, queen size with bedding. This will allow buyers to quickly assess how their bed will fit in the room as well as add drama to pull them into the space. Vacant properties do not have to have a piece of furniture in every room as long as the features of the home are shown in the best light. Be aware though, that throwing a folding chair and an old lamp into a room will not entice buyers to enter. The furniture selected must look and feel like it belongs in the home or it will just look like a bad staging job.

There are a few options when it comes to finding furniture and accessories to stage a vacant property. If a seller has not made the move yet, instead of selling, or donating the furnishings they do not want to take with them, they should look around the house and see how to use these pieces to showcase the home. Friends and family are great resources for extra items to borrow. Renting furniture is an option but can be expensive and usually means a minimum of 6 months commitment for the homeowner. If a seller would rather not deal with the hassle of schlepping furniture from the house once it sells or spend the time to track down pieces that will work for the space; the best option is to hire a professional. Home Stagers make it their business to find the perfect furniture and accessories to complement the feel and style of each home. Most will have accessories and art available to rent and may receive discounts at local furniture rental places. They are experts in the field of preparing properties to go on the market and know the best way to showcase each feature of the home without spending unneeded time and money to do it. Staging is quickly becoming the norm in the Real estate industry.

Selling a home in this market is not easy. Selling a vacant property is even harder. The average buyer does not take the time to imagine how a space will look and how their things will work, if there is nothing to compare it to. Sellers must take the initiative to prepare their property in order get those offers!

©2007 Heather Durren, ASP, IAHSP
StagingPlaces.biz

Forgotten Treasures

As I made my way to the lower level of a house I was helping stage, my eye immediately went to the corner of a blue and white damask sofa in the back of the basement. It was covered with a worn blanket and looked as if the only use it had was a cat bed. I made my way around forty years worth of stuff to peak under the cover. My heart skipped a beat as I realized it was in near perfect condition. I felt sorry for the old piece of furniture, banished to the basement to finish out its days in the dark and gloom. This sofa deserved better surroundings than plumbing pipes and cinder block walls. A glamorous piece like this should live in an elegant Paris apartment flanked by crystal wall sconces and stuffy portraits of old men.
How I wanted to rescue this treasure! I imagined driving home; it perched on the roof of my mini van like a large fabric trophy.

Most of my life I have had a tendency to cart abandoned pieces of furniture home, as if they were stray animals. I find it hard to pass up a lonely chair on the corner, or a worn but still functional table at a yard sale. It gives me a thrill to recreate them with wood glue and a fresh coat of paint. When I was furnishing my first home, those cast off pieces were a great way to decorate with little or no money. Traditional chairs and outdated tables were always more fun with a bright color or new fabric. It was a challenge to see what I could make of something that others thought had worn out its usefulness. For years, white has been the color of choice when updating wood furniture. Lately, I am noticing that black seems to be just as popular, along with the more daring colors like red or robins egg blue.

I love the fact that most trends tend to come back in style at some point. Designers have a treasure trove of past styles for inspiration. The best part is that each time they are recreated they have a fresh new look. Spring seems to be the time of year to breathe new life into old things. Damask fabric is quickly coming back in vogue for home décor. Once known as the fabric of royalty, it was first produced in China, Persia, India, and Syria. As it became more affordable in the 1920’s its popularity soared. The pattern can be almost anything but will always have a raised design and is reversible. The more traditional muted colors used in the damask of yesteryear are still available for a more formal look. Designers are also adding an element of fun and casualness with bolder colors. At the same time, retaining the traditional patterns. This spring, you will see it everywhere. In bedding, wallpaper, fabric, and even lampshades. While I would not suggest you recover your sofa with damask fabric, you certainly could add some great pillows to showcase this hot trend. My favorite is the black and white floral pattern. It would bring a fresh look to a neutral living room or add romantic drama to a bedroom. Target has many choices in this color and pattern. Try adding a bold red and white damask shower curtain, found at wrapables.com, for an entirely new look in your bath. A fairly neutral damask rug from bedbathstore.com would work wonders for a sun porch or family room.

Looking for some cool artwork? Frame a piece of damask fabric or wallpaper. You could probably even find wrapping paper if you looked hard enough. A metal frame would give it a modern edge while an ornate gold frame would be a great homage to the Hollywood glamour of long ago.
Spring is the time to give your space a shot of life. Keep an eye out for the unexpected treasure. Remember the wonders fresh paint and fabric can do. Who knows, you may even find yourself driving a little slower the next time you pass a forlorn chair on the curb.

©2007 Heather Durren, ASP, IAHSP
StagingPlaces.biz