Staged by Design Blog

I love Fall. However, cool weather and afternoon light are just the beginning of what quickly turns into the chaos of back to back holidays. If you can’t believe I’m even mentioning the holiday season in October, just take a whirl in any of your local retail stores. You’ll find skeleton costumes right next to the turkey decorations that are a mere aisle away from the Christmas lights.

If you find that you need to list or sell a home during the holidays…..

-How do you Stage your home, live in it while keeping it on the market, yet observe holiday rituals?

-Should homes that are vacant be Staged using Holiday decor?

First let me state that I’m the last one to talk about moderation when it comes to personal Holiday Decor. I have 16 boxes of assorted holiday decorations alone in my basement. (Seriously, 16. Just ask my husband.) However, since I’m not selling my home, I can deck my halls any way I like without it affecting the value of my home.

When Staging a home, your goal is to appeal to the broadest group of individuals. This goal does not change with the calendar. The following are suggestions for observing the season without alienating potential buyers.

Halloween: Seasonal décor vs. Holiday specific is always preferred. Tablescapes could include mini-pumpkins or mums instead of draping your front porch with faux spider webs and a graveyard along your front drive. (Just a tip: that cute little pumpkin tastefully placed on your buffet will continue to look fresh for well over a month until you pick it to reveal its rotten bottom. I learned that one the hard way.)

Thanksgiving: Put away the crepe paper turkeys prior to a showing. Consider incorporating warm colors into table settings or accents instead.

Christmas: A simple fresh evergreen wreath on the front door is always welcoming. A partially deflated Santa on your lawn? Not so much. Does this mean that I wouldn’t put up a Christmas tree if my occupied home were on the market in December? No, that’s not practical for me. But I would only use 1 box of décor of my personal stash, as moderation is key.

Vacant Homes: Beware of using any fresh seasonal options in vacant homes. That lovely bouquet will be rotted and unappealing in a few days. A tasteful, seasonally appropriate wreath on the door may be all you need to observe the holidays while still maximizing your home’s appeal to the masses.

Leigh Newport

Staged by Design

www.staged-by-design.com

If your home were to write a personal ad, would it look something like this?

“Charming, but lived-in SFH (Single Family Home) craving adventure. Prefers urban lofts, but open to new experiences. No Victorian, Country or Shabby Chic, please”.

Is your home crying out for a new look, but you find yourself struggling with where to begin? Don’t waste your time hoping your perfect décor match will magically appear. You’ve got to get yourself out there, jump in feet first and make it happen! Start with home magazines, model homes, and design centers to help you identify your desired style.

-Use fabric or artwork as inspiration for your color palette, choosing no more than three shades. You can then select furniture to coordinate and contrast the look.

-Does your current furniture reflect the style you crave? If the pattern or color is the biggest factor, consider re-upholstering or a slipcover for an easy update. Pre-made slipcovers are also an option for an interim fix, until your budget can accommodate furniture replacement or the hiring of a professional.

-Is the wallpaper or wall color contributing to the outdated look? Paint is the least expensive method of transforming a room with the highest impact. Select the color for your furnishings first, though. It’s much easier to find a paint color to blend with your sofa than it is to find a sofa in the right style AND color to blend with your walls. Your local paint store can also create custom blends if you are having a difficult time finding just the right shade.

-Accessories are often the easiest way to inexpensively bring a room together. Look for items that complement your color palette. When it comes to artwork, you may even be able to use your existing frames with your new art.

When all else fails, consult an Interior Redesigner. They are the matchmakers of home décor, carefully screening your options and taking your own furnishings into consideration to find your true design match.

Leigh Newport is owner of Staged by Design Home Staging and Interior Redesign. www.Staged-by-Design.com, serving Northern Virginia.

*Originally published in the Loudoun Independent, October 2008, written by Leigh Newport

This is my very first blog post and I hope you enjoy it.

First off, let me say that I am happily married, and it’s been quite a few years since I’ve been on the dating “scene”. My idea of great date now constitutes a quiet dinner with my husband, sitting at the kitchen table after the kids are asleep. Although my dating years are far behind me, it’s the anxiety that I clearly remember, and led me to parallel the experience with the effort of selling your home.

When selling your home, you are essentially courting your buyers. Imagine it as the most expensive first date you can imagine. Blow this first impression and you’ll have more than unreturned phone calls; it will be price reductions in the tens of thousands.

How do you channel that first date anxiety into preparing your home for sale?

- Pull out the proverbial full length mirror and be honest. You must scrutinize your home with a buyer’s eye. Stand in the doorway of each room and take pictures. This is what buyers will see online, where you have 3 seconds to grab their attention. Is there more furniture than open space? Does it look inviting?

- Just as you would be selective with your fashion accessories, the same applies to your home. Pack up the nick-nacks and personal photos and breakables. You are planning on moving anyway! Your goal is for the buyer to envision themselves in your home. De-personalizing and de-cluttering is key.

-When selecting the look for your big night, determine your best feature and highlight it. Do the same in your home by creating a focal point in each room. Create a conversation area around it, or use it as inspiration for what colors or furnishings should remain in the room.

If you find that you’re still not sure where to begin, your Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) takes on the role of the trusted girlfriend; sharing your goals, being supportive yet brutally honest when a complete makeover is needed. ASPs can do as much or as little as you like. If it’s your furnishings that could prevent your home from looking its best, they offer accessories and furniture for rent, and provide much needed direction for what it will take to sell your home for more money in less time.

Leigh Newport is the owner of Staged by Design, a Home Staging and Interior Redesign company based in Loudoun County, Northern Virginia. Visit us online at www.staged-by-design.com.

*Originally published in the Loudoun Independent, September,  2008, written by Leigh Newport