BEFORE & AFTER: Lake-front home

This home is located in the famous golf community of Pinehurst, North Carolina. The owner, a friend of a friend, ask me to fly out there to stage her home for sale. While modern, the home had a very traditional architectural style.  The home was 10 years old but had some major interior design issues:

Living/Dining Room BEFORE (above): Dated blue-green leather sofas scream "bad 80's" and heavy carpets hide the wood floors. No art, and no real focus other than the over-sized entertainment center.

Living/Dining Room AFTER: A dresser that was too big for a bedroom makes a great console/buffet behind the sofa. The new sofa is sophisticated and a round coffee table increases the room's flow AND makes it look bigger! The entertainment center is now balanced by the placement of the sofa and has a wing chair to accent it. New art and accessories complete the look for this "updated traditional" home.

The $2,500 spent on updating this luxury home made it possible to raise the asking price by $20,000!

Living room : Reading corner designs

One of the best activity on dull winter days is to catch up on reading. Cozy living room with a comfortable reading spot is just the perfect idea !! A cozy room, good lightning and a comfortable seating, all of them are integral for a perfect corner to enjoy some time with a good book.

All of us have a favorite spot in the home, this could be your chance to make the most of it and get a special treat for yourself. A nook that is personal, comfortable, warm, relaxing and a perfect place to relax. Here are some beautiful designs to inspire you to create a perfect reading corner.

Beautiful beachy look !! Love the colors here..only thing missing is the sound of waves. Beautiful inspiration for a rustic and elegant living room.

Elegant and stylish. This corner has all the heat and oomph :) The fire burning and cozy seating, perfect corner to catch up on some reading. An inspiring design.

Cool and organised, if that is your personality this design is just for you. Beautiful and elegant, a comfortable haven to put your foot up and relax.

Sophisticated and masculine. This black and white look is great for a bachelor pad or a loft. Absolutely stunning!

This corner is so Zen ! Love the soothing colors, and the window seat is so inviting. A beautiful way to transform an interesting window into an awesome seating.

Rustic design for a stunning living room. The unique mix of furniture and interesting accents. Perfect for an evening to catch up on some reading.

Beautiful way to transform a window seat for comfortable reading and a small book case. A very efficient and cool design. Perfect escape!

These designs are simple and easy ways to redecorate your favorite spot. It may be the view, the comfortable seating or the lovely lighting, that draws you to it. Make it comfortable and inviting,a great stress buster and a beautiful place to spend some time with yourself.

FAQ: Can't I just stage my own home and save money?

An example of the warm, modern interiors buyers today love...

I'm often asked, "Kai, why can't I just stage my own home and save some money?" Ah yes, I can certainly understand the motivation... economically this would seem to make sense. But here's the real deal: You can prepare your own home for sale, but you cannot objectively stage your home since you have far too much tied up in the property, on an emotional level.

That fun and funky artwork that your grandmother gave you, you couldn't possible put away... and yes, the adorable photos of the kids must stay up... and you just love the quilt your aunt passed down to you... oh and the deck looks sweet and "rustic" like that... and wasn't it fun when we painted the family room orange? ...and on and on.

I'm a very sentimental guy and I love memories. The thing is, buyers are simply not interested in these things. It distracts them from seeing the house and what it has to offer them, and they can't picture themselves living there. After all, it is going to be their property with any luck and they need to see them and their possessions fitting in the property.

Home sellers attempting to home stage simply don’t see the flaws because they have lived with them for some time and can’t see past them. A home Stager will see these things and correct them so the potential buyer only sees the features and walks away in love with the home.

TV Panel design / LCD mounts and stands

LCD and Plasma TV have become a popular buy. While it is important to pick the right model and size for your home, it is equally important how you mount it or the kind of stand you choose that would look good in your space. An LCD or Plasma TV are focal points where ever they are placed and they have to be aesthetically pleasing as well as stylish.

The ideas here are just an inspiration for different ways you can design and mount TV to get the best result. It would have to be at the right eye level and comfortable distance for watching stress free.

These designs are modern and elegant and great way to design your living room centered around the TV. In these designs it is presented as a piece of art and I love the uber stylish look.

These designs are for inspiration, get your very own mix of elements that you would like to display and treat the Television as a room accent. With a little creativity and inspiration you can design a stunning look for your living room.

Modern kitchen designs in Red !

Kitchen is the most functional area in a home. When designing a kitchen look for different floor plans, cabinet designs and different layouts possible. This area is really unique in the variety of cabinets, color scheme and details involved.

In this post there are modern kitchen designs in Red to inspire you to design /model your dream kitchen. Red is a color associated with prosperity and health. It is also associated with fire and warmth, particularly apt for the kitchen I think. Red is an energetic color and great for those who love to cook and experiment :)

Beautiful functional kitchen in a simple layout.The color of the cabinets is classy and has ample storage. The chrome fittings look great on the deep red. Classy kitchen !

Italian design with a flair. Sharp dynamic look and very stylish. Love the detailing in red and cabinets with frosted glass. Impeccable designing.

Awesome kitchen design for apartments. This well lit kitchen is so inviting. Red color provides the right energy to the whole setting. Very well organized cabinet work for a small space. Fab !

Great usage of space in this kitchen design. There are a number of cabinets here and the space is beautiful as well as functional. A dream kitchen !

Old style kitchen design is so charming ! Love the red tiling details and the lattice cupboard. A design for connoisseurs. Lovely manor kitchen and a delightful space !

This kitchen has been designed in a thoughtful way in impeccable style. The minute detailing, glass back splash, cookbook shelf are aesthetics of a creative mind. Creative genius.

Italian design, hi-end kitchen. The clean lines and sleek look is so modern. Love the open shelves and the chimney design. Very artistic take on a functional design. Color it Red !

These designs are just to inspire you to help design or remodel your dream kitchen. It is the heart of the home in many ways and a space which is integral to every home. Get inspired by these designs and create the space where you would truly enjoy working.

Teen bedroom designs : Modern space saving ideas.

Designing teen bedroom can be a fun challenge. There are a lot of factors to consider when designing and decorating one. The use of space, color mix and the furniture all of them should reflect the personality of the Teen. The focus should be on a comfortable space with study area and a lot of storage.

Each of the design here have modern minimalist decor and are space efficient. The look is cool and funky with the advantage of an uncluttered pleasing living space.

Teen bedroom in feisty stripes. The modern look and smart space saving furniture make for a beautiful layout. Bedroom is elegant and serene. Lovely place to nurture dreams.

Green color is know for its calm and relieves stress. This bedroom design in stripes is cool and funky in look. In a small space it includes natural light, ample storage and comfortable lounging.

Modern eclectic furnishing makes for this very interesting teen room. Yellow is an energetic color. Add accents in black or gray for sophistication. Very unique and adventurous!!

Beautiful bedroom design for small space. Love the french window which virtually increases the dimension of the room and provides immense natural light. Select furniture makes for an amazing teen bedroom.

Smart use of space, with all the furnishings on one side of the room the space looks much bigger and clutter free. A lot of space hidden in these cabinet design. Perfect bedroom for a teen daughter !

Teen room with ample light, clean lines, comfortable furnishing. Ideal combination for a study cum bedroom. The simple layout is great for smaller rooms without compromising on aesthetics.

Green color is specially recommended in Feng shui for studying space and is associated with creativity. This room is a haven away from the outside world, a cocoon of serenity and comfort.

Teen years can be difficult years, to have a space of one's own designed and decorated with flair can be really relaxing. Get inspired to help your teen with choosing a design they love and create their favorite place in the world.