2020 - A Year to Remember
Let’s face it, 2020 was not the year we all hoped it would be. It brought many unpredictable situations for us all and caused us to rethink how we do business. HOWEVER it also gave us the time to look at our company and improve our look, our vision, our services and our processes. In the end, 2020 turned out to be a busy year for us in which our confidence grew despite the many obstacles. And as a team we really had fun along the way!
It's been a privilege to partner with our clients and help them sell their homes faster and for top dollar. The numbers don't lie - home staging is definitely an investment that gives a return! Here’s some of our stats for the year:
The average number of days on the market for our homes was 12 days!
90 homes staged
320 home and virtual consultations
22 redesigns
National Award - HSRA’s Top 10 Home Staging Company
Local Awards - Best Home Staging company of Loudoun 2020 and LoudounNow’s Best Interior Designer 2020
and if that wasn’t enough - take a look at our year in video:
Let us shine a spotlight on your home in 2021! Give us a call or go online to set up a consultation. It's worth the investment!
Sugar, Salt and Home Staging
“Don’t trust everything you see, even salt looks like sugar.”
Remember when you were a kid and you would pull a prank on a friend by filling the sugar container with salt, or vice versa? Upon first look, the poor friend couldn’t tell the difference. It was once he poured it on something and took a bite to realize it wasn’t what he thought.
Virtual staging is a lot like salt. It looks like sugar and is so enticing but once a buyer goes into the home it turns into salt. It’s simply not as inviting as the pictures online promised. (Feel free to take a look at one of our previous posts, Can’t Beat the Real Thing Baby, to read more of our thoughts between virtual and professional home staging).
Recently, we had the opportunity to stage a home that was previously listed on the market using virtual staging. This home showed well online virtually staged (though not to scale) but buyers were disappointed once they walked in the door to this country home. They were anticipating sugar but got a spoonful of salt instead.
This home had been on the market for over 6 months vacant. Then they paid to have it virtually staged. It still did not result in a contract. They reached out to us and we staged the entire main floor plus basement. The home then sold in less than a month. Proof is in the pudding folks – professional home staging allows the buyer to FEEL like they could live in a space once they walk in the door.
For example, take a look at the comparison between the virtual and professional staging of the living room:
The virtual living room was not staged to scale. The plant in the niche by the stairs touches the chandelier. The ceiling height is also depicted as very low due to the placement of the sofa and art. Our professional staging photo (though at a slightly different angle) shows the ceiling being much higher due to the vertical art above the sofa. It also shows the space is larger by allowing a sofa and two end tables. The niche is also more to scale showcasing the beautiful chandelier with a small ottoman placed in that nook.
The bedroom that was virtually staged looked great online. But once you entered the room you probably would not feel like you were in the same space. It seems much larger online due to the virtual placement of furniture. The render makes the window behind the bed seem centered on the wall. In reality the window is not centered. In addition, roman shades were added as part of the virtual staging. Window treatments typically convey with the home, but these don’t even exist. Talk about bait and switch! We actually staged this bedroom with a different layout since the windows were not centered on the walls. We felt this opened up the space more in the room. If we would have placed the bed in the same spot as the virtual render, there would be no room for an end table beside it.
The basement virtual stage was a bit more realistic, however, the main flaw was the scale of the room. The virtual furniture created a much smaller space than in reality. Take a look at the comparison below and see how much space the sectional and ottoman take up compared to our sofa and large coffee table. This basement probably did not wow the buyer once they walked in and saw it empty and cold. Furniture breathes life in the basement!
This home is just one example of many out there who choose to virtual stage. Yes, it’s less expensive. Yes, it’s quicker. BUT salt does not make the chocolate chip cookie amazing – it’s the sugar.
Next time, skip the virtual staging and spend less time on the market by choosing professional home staging prior to listing. Give us a call or book online for a home staging consultation and learn how we can make your house into a home that will sell. Let us shine the spotlight on your listing.
The Mother of All Quarantine Holidays
Mother's Day is right around the corner! Friday is May 1st. The Mother of all quarantine holidays is quickly approaching! Mother's day is the 10th (just in case you don't know what time, day or month it is right now....we get it). But don't worry, our staff has rounded up some great Amazon gift ideas for mom.
We can't count on those precious homemade gifts this year for Grammy since kids aren't in school. And social distancing, as well as a short time frame, have limited our resources. So, our staff picked out some great Amazon gift ideas for mom you can ship directly and act as if you had a plan all along. These gifts are sure to please the mom you haven't seen in a few months due to COVID-19, or the mom who is working from home and juggling online school with her kids. AND if you're a mom reading this, there's no harm in forwarding this on to special members of your family to "suggest" a nice gift idea. Let's be honest - sometimes they need a little push in the right direction. Am I right?!?
If you missed our blog earlier in the year on Top Picks for Design Books, these make GREAT gifts for some design/decorating inspiration. We are all getting rather bored with our homes at this point and wanting to freshen up our spaces. Go check it out!
Now for our Staff picks:
Leigh - Half Baked Harvest Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard
This is great for those who are home cooks that are pressed for time or just starting out. It's a go-to for hassle-free meals that never sacrifice taste.
Wendy - Harney & Sons Tea Sampler + Cute tea mug
Tea lovers will enjoy the variety in this sampler pack and who wouldn't cherish a mug that reminds them of the greatest song ever by Whitney!
Lauren - Best Mom Ever Wine gift set
What mom doesn't need this during quarintine? Enough said.
Kim - Hand lettering workbook by Amy Latta + Tombow dual tip pens
We could all use a little distraction in our days - why not learn a new hobby? Create beautiful art with easy step by step instructions.
Tracy - Biking outfit
Since the gyms are closed, try something new. Biking the trails is fun and why not look cute while you do it?!
If mom is a "hard to buy for lady" - try to support a small business with a gift card. We offer online redesign consultations. You can book online at https://sbd.appointlet.com/ - distance is not a problem! Find a way to honor mom - THIS year she deserves the attention since we can't be together! We hope you all have a safe, relaxing Mother's Day 2020.
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided
Home Office Mini-Makeovers
Since the COVID-19 quarantine began, most of us have been in our home office more so than ever before. And most of us could use a little pick-me-up to freshen up the space. We've created some home office mini-makeovers for you to 'treat yo'self' and bring a little sunshine to your quarantined work space.
No matter your style, there's so many fun, whimsical office products out there to incorporate in your space. Here's a couple styles we have curated for your online shopping retail therapy.
This modern style is all the rage. Mixing matte black with brushed gold and/or copper is so on trend.
Joanna Gaines would be super happy with our picks for a farmhouse style home office. We hope you are too.
We are confident these fun mini-makeovers can freshen up that home office space and spark your creativity while you work from home. If you want a more tailored design, feel free to give us a call at 703-552-4545 or book online for a virtual redesign consultation. We would be delighted to shine a spotlight on your home office!
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided