Archive for the ‘Home Staging’ Category

Should you hire a home stager, when selling your home? Most homeowners can decorate their house to sell for the most part. They can repaint, get rid of clutter, clean the carpet and on on. So why use a home stager? At Abella Home Staging & Redesign, Long Island New York, we think staging is much more then simply painting, cleaning and eliminating clutter.

A home stager can give an unbiased opinion of what needs to be done. The see what a buyer will see when walking through your home. And even though a home owner can paint, they are often unsure of what color to choose, or what items to eliminate. There many good reason to hire a home stager, here are just some of the reasons:

1. A home stager will know where the correct placement of furniture should be and if there are too many pieces.
2. A home stager can view the house objectivity. They are not emotional attach to the home. They can see faults that you can no longer see.
3. A home stager can bring in the necessary accessories needed to update the look of the home at a substantial saving to the homeowners.
4. A home stager has knowledge of what the buyers are looking for in a home.
5. A home stager knows the real estate market and can create the right atmosphere needed to make the buyers “fall in love” with your home.

Most homes today need to stand out among the competition. Staging your home will give you the edge you’re looking for. Not only will it stand out it among the rest, but chances are it will sell faster and for more profit. When you take into consideration that your home is probably one of your biggest investment, why wouldn’t you want to get the best return on your investment?

Make you home stand out among the rest!!

Making your bedroom serene!

Making your bedroom serene doesn’t mean you have to lose style. A soothing bedroom doesn’t have to be boring. Here are some easy step to achieving the bedroom of your dreams!

1. Imperfection-don’t try to fight it, instead embrace and work around it.  Long narrow horizontal   windows can be a problem but if you get floor to ceiling curtains, that will give the illusion of wider windows.
2. Matchy, Matchy-this is one place you can and should match. Matching nightstand , lamps these will give the room a symmetric look and feel to the room. This will enhance that soothing feeling that we want to achieve.
3. Fabric-use fabric that can withstand stains
4. Color-when choosing sheet for your bed, my rule of thumb is to match the bedspread. Too many color  are jarring to your sense.
5. Be practical-don’t try to have a high fashion bedroom that only looks good but is difficult to live in. Be practical and make it livable.

Remember this is your bedroom, use items that will appeal to your sense. Limit the amount of furniture (over crowding is a huge problem in bedrooms) and if you can at all help it, don’t put your office in the bedroom. Think 5-star hotel feeling and you won’t go wrong.

There is a new look to curtains. Gone are the days of heavy drapes!! Nowadays more and more consumers want a light and airy feel to window treatments. I couldn’t agree more. Custom made curtains are taking a backseat to store brought window treatments  (the new look to curtains) making it easier to change out or update the look in any room.

There are many window treatment styles to choose from. And even the hardware has a new updated look with many different finishes. From wood, which now comes in different shades of color, to metal with oil rubbed finishes.

There are a few things to remember when choosing your window treatment.

1. Style-Your window treatment should enhance the the style of your room.
2. Fabric-Certains fabrics will influence the feel of the room. Loose weave or sheers will soften a contemporary room. Brocades and velvets give a more formal look. So chose you fabric according to the feel and style you want your room to have.
3. Hardware-Matching finishes whether wood or metal, guarantees a polished look.

There is a new look to curtains! Window treatments can accentuate a window’s shape or conceal it’s faults. It can frame a beautiful view. But even the most beautiful room will fall short if the the window treatment isn’t right. So choose carefully and keep these tips in mind.

Bay window curtains

Macy's

When selling your home, Curb appeal matters!

When selling your home, curb appeal matters. Does your home have great curb appeal? Do potential buyers keep driving past your home? What kind of impression is your home saying?

The color of your home has a great impact, but painting your entire home may not be in your budget. There are still many ways to change the look without breaking the bank. How about repainting the shutters, trim, garage door, railings, front door?  You can update your house numbers, mail box and light fixture. Buyers spent a long time at your front entrance waiting for you to open the door, so the front entrance should be meticulous. Change out the old mat for a new one. When selling your home curb appeal is crucial. It’s the most important step right after posting your photos on the internet. If they like your photos buyers will do a drive by, if they like what they see, then and only then, will they make an appointment to see your house.

Consider resealing your driveway, power washing your house, reseeding your lawn. In fact if you can hire a landscaper until the house is sold that would be ideal. Plant flowers or use flower pots to add a splash of color.

By now you can see there are many ways to inexpensively spruce up your curb appeal. Remember curb appeal matters when selling your home, so don’t over look this very important step when putting your home on the market.

Immaculate Landscaping

Staging and the House Market: What effect does it have on your home?

Staging and the house market: What effect does it have on your home? What target are you marketing? What area? What are your clients willing to spend? These are some of the questions a stager should know. After all, as stagers, it’s easy enough for us to stage, but what market are you staging for? As a stager there’s no end to the recommendation we can make. But since we are working with a budget it does help to prioritize.

A Home in Long Island, New York, should be stage differently then say, a condo in New York city. Different area, different market. You would assume that the house on Long Island is in a  family based neighborhood while the condo in the city is geared to young professional. But if you don’t know your market,  you could be  costing your clients money and the ability to appeal to the right buyers.

You must research the area. Talk to the real estate agent to find out what kind of neighborhood this will appeal to buyers. If the real estate agent has done their homework, and I’m sure they have, they will have the answers. If the home isn’t listed yet. drive around the neighborhood what do you see? Does it seem to be geared to families? What amenities are near by? This could help you determine the neighborhood.

A good stager will make the right recommendation for your home. Staging and the house market does have an effect on your home. Hiring the right stager can make all the difference in the world.

Drastic changes that can affect your home and your bottom line! There are so many ways to drastically change the look of your home. I recently was watching the show “The unsellable” on HGTV where Sofie Allsopp recommend to the seller that they replace their dinette set. The totally cost for that was $450! I though that was pretty pricey. For Long Island New York, home owners that would cut into most of the budget. I started to think, what are home owners thinking as they watch this show. Well it got me thinking so much that I decide to blog about! Not just here but in facebook and in activerain as well.

There are many ways to drastically change the look of a room without changing out the furniture. Here are just some suggestions:

• Paint the furniture.
• Recover your sofa. It’s like a brand new sofa!
• Recover your dining chairs, the look can be very elegant.
• Paint your cabinets instead of replacing them. Much less costly!

These of course, are just some of the way you can drastically change the look of the room without going broke. If you are doing the job yourself, make sure you get the right paint and if you’re out sourcing it, make sure they are qualified to do the job. As a professional home stager it’s our job to transform the seller’s home without going over budget. If we do our job correctly not only will we have transform the look of the room but we would have worked with what the home owners have.

Before and After Photo by Centsational Girl

Perceived value is very subjective. Three agents can come up with three different listing price. Choosing comparable home is a somewhat subjective process. The value of ones home will increase if the potential buyer feels that this is “the one”. They’re afraid if they don’t act fast someone else will snatch it up. The amount of money they are prepare to pay for the home goes up because of this perception.

In home staging we are trying to increase the value of the home, by increasing the “perceived value” of the home. If buyer falls in love with the home, then the value will increase even more as they compete with one another. It’s the law of supply and demand. So how do you increase “perceived value” in your home?

If you stage a home to show off its best feature and you’re consistent throughout the house then the “perceived value” increase. The finishing details in you home can suggest a higher value. For examples:

• Decorative molding in any room will give it a more substantial look.
• Expensive looking door knobs in kitchen can completely change the look of the cabinet.
• Painting kitchen cabinet that may otherwise look cheap and outdated.
• Replacing the builder special on light fixture, especially in higher end home will dramatically change the look and feel of the room.
• Curtains or drapery that hang floor to ceiling can make ceilings appear higher. Thereby increasing the perception that the room is somehow bigger.

These are just some of  the suggestion that a home stager can make. A professional home stager can help you achieve that perceived value in your home, by showing off the best features and creating the best environment throughout your home.

Romancing your home can be easier then you think. With Valentine coming up quickly,  and people suffering from the winter blues, sprucing your home may be the cure for boredom. So why not get it ready for Valentine? When we think of romantic homes , we naturally think Victorian homes, perhaps a nice English Cottage or even a Tudor. Seldom do we think of Contemporary , Ranch, or even Mediterranean style homes as having a romantic feel to it, but if you decorate it right any home can have that romantic feeling.

Here are just some of the ideas that you can implement to get that desire effect:

1. Pay attention to the details of your home. Do you have a lake or ocean view, perhaps a beautiful garden? Don’t hide it, instead play it up. These elements have a natural romantic feel to it. They will naturally enhance any room.

2. Color. Think pale colors with warm undertones, colors that give a beautiful glow to the skin and make people look good. Special techniques, like sponging or even marbling can add to that romantic feel.

3. Furniture. Love seats with big fluffy pillows. Padded headboards or daybeds with fancy iron work for the bedroom. Using lots of big oversize, fluffy pillows can make any room look sumptuous.  When we see a bed covered with big fluffy pillows, we image throwing ourselves onto it.

4. Fabrics. Silk, satin, and even velour. Throw blankets draped over a bed, chair or sofa. Playing with patterns and layering different finishes to see what suits your taste.

5. Window treatments. Add full length sheer curtains to add fullness. Let them billow on the floor. Layer curtains to add depth and you can’t go wrong.

6. Smells. Use fresh cut flowers. Nothing awakens the sense more then nature. Incense works just as well, so long as it’s not over powering.

7. Lighting. When we think of romance, nothing comes to mind faster then candlelight. Dimmer switches can have the same effect.

So use your imagination and have fun!