Finding inspiration at the LA mart... January

I truly enjoy going to market, no matter where you go it is very inspirational.  There are so many talented creative minds that work on the showrooms it is really a treat to see most of the time.  This past weekend we visited the LA Mart for the show and found some great new pieces and some really great displays.  

Two's and Tozai never disappoint!  This book display was amazing!

 

The Walls in this room were painted gold and were super cool.

 

Love the paper runner- great idea!

 

I think I need this even if I have no place for it, so sculptural and cool!

 

Our best seller the star pendant with mirror.. love!

 

This is my favorite chandelier and I have been desperately trying to find a special place for something like this.. I know that one day it will happen.

I am off to Las Vegas for the furniture show there today, wish me luck!

images by christina fluegge for greige

 

If you would like help creating inspirational spaces for yourself contact us!

The Shop by H. Bleu

 

Yesterday I had a chance to go up to Venice (I have lived in California all my life and never been to Venice, Ca.  I have been to Venice, Italy though - weird huh) to meet with Susan from H. Bleu.  Susan is creating a custom wall treatment or art piece for me in a project that I am working on, I am so excited!  Her shop was so fun and creative, she is super talented and has a love for all things vintage.   We had a chance to chat, which is my favorite thing to do with creative people, I could go on for hours.  Susan was also nice enough to direct me to a cute neighborhood where I could get some lunch and shop.... more on that coming next week.

 

This is the style of the piece she is making for me - I cannot wait to see mine in the space!  One of my favorite things about design is being able to work with people who can make what is in my head part of real life.  There are so many talented artists and designers out there and I so enjoy a collaboration like this.

 

Visit H. Bleu here to see more about Susan and The Shop!

 

Elegant, simple, modern... in the garden!

This backyard building reminds me of Phillip Johnson's Glass House, or the iconic Farnsworth House outside Chicago. Ray and Charles Eames would be happy here too.  Could be a guest cottage, a personal retreat, a home office, even a teen's room. Elegant simplicity!

KRILL GARDEN HOUSE at DWELL.COM

FIVE reasons why staging works for you...

Real Estate! In the media, although it's improved in 2012 and will likely continue to improve in 2013, we still hear a lot of gloom and doom about the real estate market. Too many homes compete provide far more choices for a smaller group of buyers. Home sellers are rightfully concerned that their home will sell only at a rock-bottom price or after a long time on the market—if it will sell at all. Where is your silver lining among all these gray skies? Now more than ever, my unique skill in Home Staging is the answer:

Staging is practical: Most people wouldn't put their car up for sale without thoroughly cleaning it, and perhaps even having it professionally detailed. So why don’t sellers invest in their home’s value before putting it on the market? Most professional staging costs far less than the cost of a price reduction. Staging allows sellers to capitalize on buyers’ first impressions and save unnecessary time on the market.

Staging motivates: Having your home staged allows you to see your house as a product that needs to be marketed. It's also a great way to get the motivation to start packing your personal items!

Staging increases value: Smart realtors and buyers know that staging is a wise investment. Who wouldn’t want to have their home (or listing) appeal to a wide range of buyers, and sell faster and/for more money than its competition?

Staging is tops in technology: Staged homes not only look better when buyers visit, but also in MLS listing photos and online virtual tours. More than 80% of buyers now find their next home online before scheduling a tour. Staging is necessary in order to have the competitive edge in today’s technology-driven market.

Staging yields proven results: Even in this market, statistics consistently show that staged homes sell faster and/or for more money than non-staged homes. And professionalism makes a difference: the most recent statistics show that a home staged by an Accredited Staging Professional usually sells, on average, in 35 days, compared to 175 days for a non-staged home.

Home staging by Pearl can provide the ray of sunshine that allows sellers to gain the best price and the fastest sale!

Before & After: spacious but dated lake-front home

A friend of a friend flew me out to North Carolina to help update her lake-front home:

Bedroom (office) #3 BEFORE: Full of clutter, dark and uninviting, many buyers asked "where is the 3rd bedroom in this house?" because they couldn't "see" it.

Bedroom #3 AFTER: A soft accent color on the headboard wall, an actual BED, soothing colors. Now it's REALLY a bedroom... with room for a home office (at right).

Great Room BEFORE: That futon is NOT helping! Neither is the dated light fixture and lack of overall lighting.

Great Room AFTER: Now, new sofa & chair, art and proper lighting, plus a new paint color to makes the fireplace pop! Now this great room works!


Above, another view of the Great Room: While not the height of fashion, the classic 1980's oak tables do work well with the new sofa and chair, but they were wasted in the Living Room. That's staging.... mixing old and new so your costs don't overrun, but you still have a pleasant home that will sell!

California style {Ryan Murphy at home in Hollywood}

 

Ryan Murphy and David Miller's California home is the perfect mix of old California and new.  I love the clean lines of the kitchen mixed with the rustic table and it's wood and leather chairs. Each space seems to pull it off perfectly with a simple palette and clean white walls.

 

Images via 

interior design by Cliff Fong

 

Nathan Turner @ Pottery Barn {a book signing}

If there is one thing I love it is a good design book and meeting the designer/author is always a great way to spend an evening!  Nathan Turner is signing copies of his first book Nathan Turner's American Style at Pottery Barn in Beverly Hills on Thursday evening.  

Also in the coming weeks look for an interview here on the blog with Nathan about the book and a giveaway for greige readers.

 

greige on the outside..

 

 

The exterior of this home in Los Angeles is so gorgeous!  I love the grey in the siding and the shutters just a subtle color change and it contrasts so nicely with the landscape.  Really the green in the landscape makes the colors work so well.  Looking forward to another busy and successful week here!  

images via