A common staging question...

A common question that my clients often ask me is, what is the best way to stage a second bedroom in a two or three bedroom home? Should it be staged as an office or a bedroom? My answer is definitely, stage it as a bedroom.

There are some exceptions, based on the market, the neighborhood and the kind of home it is.  However, most of the time, home buyers always want more space, especially those with children. That second or third bedroom is the space they're looking for. Looking at a smaller home that has office furniture in the second or third bedroom leaves questions in a buyer’s head: Is this an office or a bedroom? And will my family have enough room?

If there is an appropriate nook or corner elsewhere in the home, then yes, stage it as a home office. This can be especially appropriate in a large family room--it allows the space to read as multi-purpose.

A professional stager will think about the buyers that are going to be looking at your home, and stage your house accordingly. Your stager should answer buyers' questions by showing them the solutions before they ask.

(Photo from Pottery Barn)

Modern Traditional

Source: LivingPod.com

Proof that traditional CAN be modern as well...

BEFORE and AFTER: From 80's oak to fresh and modern

Here's an example of what home staging (or a re-design) can do: Compare the before and after photos, and ask yourself, where would YOU rather live? Yep, your buyers will say the same thing!  Another great staging job.

My thanks to Kristen Coppa of Modern Nest for the photos!

Connecting the indoors with the outdoors...

Especially in S. California, where a lot of living is done outside, it's important to connect your home to the outdoors as much as possible. This can include replacing windows with French-style doors or sliders. The investment in your home will yield results as your property becomes far more desirable. Imaging the home pictured without all the generous doors and sliders. And even in a traditional home, the replacement of windows with sliders and doors can have an amazing impact!

BEFORE & AFTER: Oahu, Hawaii condo with a view.

These are the before and after shots of my friend Mark's condo on the island of Oahu. It's really one part staging (using what he had, including a cool Danish-modern teak dining table) and one part interior design. It's what's often called "re-design"... using elements you already have mixed with new items. (And yes, we replaced the ugly fan and cheap pendant light!) Like many people, Mark likes a mixture of modern and traditional.


BEFORE: Living Room #1. Inexpensive and over-used "college-age" furniture is too big for this compact condo. None of the woods in the room coordinate, neither does the rug.


AFTER: Living Room #1. New colors, new furniture and a fresh perspective. Exciting pops of blue contrast well with the neutrals. The wood "coffee table" in the previous photo was painted espresso and re-purposed as the corner table. Instead of a side chair, the espresso colored ottoman keeps the view open when the drapes are pulled.



BEFORE: Living Room #2. Clutter everywhere. No place to store DVD's, books, etc. And that halogen floor lamp? Ugh.



AFTER: Living Room, #2. It's important to remember that Staging and interior design really are different. In this case, Mark really needed storage and a workstation. Normally, I would not fill up a space like this, but we got the storage and work area Mark needed while keeping it stream-lined. The modern milk-glass front armoire hides his computer, and the buffet with the milk-glass top makes a great entertainment console.



BEFORE: Dining Room. A great Danish modern table but the space has nothing else going for it.



AFTER: Dining Room. More pops of blue in the new end chairs and the art, plus a soft green on the accent wall, really dress up the space. An alabaster pendant light completes the scene.

ARTWORK: Mark loves modern, abstract art. For the main wall we found some exciting, mid-range priced originals (above photo). The opposite wall reflects Mark's love of nature with photos of his native New Hampshire ordered off the internet (below).

By the way, here's Mark's view. Not bad, huh? Can you see the plane in the upper-left corner?

Happy New Year!

May you ALL have a prosperous, joyful year to come!

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