Abella Home Staging & Redesign

Archive for the ‘Tips and ideas when selling your home’ Category

Wet Basement problems? Recently a client hired Abella Home Staging & Redesign to design a man cave in the basement. The issue with the basement is, it sometimes gets flooded. So I had to come up with a viable solution. Carpet was no good, mold issue. Wood out of the question. Laminated floors, adhesive gets wet making the tiles pop up. Floating floor, water will damaged the particle boards. So I did some research and found this great product. It’s called Place N Go Flooring. Place N’ Go flooring is recycled composition which is totally waterproof.

No adhesive and easy to install!!

Comes in different colors and styles

Kids & Pets friendly

Can be used in any room

Unlike conventional laminated floors, it won’t swell or buckle in high humidity. And if you get flood, you just pick up the tiles, let dry and put them right back. What is the secret? It’s an interlocking covering that is adhesive-free. Simply snap it together. No need to prep the floors. No underlayments or moisture barrier. Simply put it over your old existing floor. Damaged a tile? Simply pull up the tile and replace it. Easy to maintain, just damp mop using regular cleaners.

Organizing your kids toys when selling your home can be a huge problem! As a home stager and redesigned of Abella Home Staging & Redesign, the first thing I sometime see when I walk into a client’s home is toys!!  That is not the impression you want the buyers to have. It conveys clutter “not enough space”. But trying to sort out what to keep and what to throw away can have a traumatic effect on kids, especially young ones. But there is an easier solution. Instead of taking it upon yourself to sort it out, get your children to help. There are many reason to do this, here are just a few:

1) If you make them a part of the process they will feel empowered.

2) They get a say in what stays and what get packed away.

3) Let them know this is only temporary and that all if not most of the toys will come with you in your new home.

4) If you’re trying to get rid of some the toys, give it to charity and let them know you will find their toys a good home for them.

5) Let them help you organize the toys by putting them in storage bins.

6) Reward them when they put the toys back in the storage bins.

Children need to have a say in where their toys goes, it’s their possession. Just like you wouldn’t want anyone touching you possession, children don’t want you touching theirs. Organizing can be a family fun project if you present it that way. It may take some time but the rewards are great. No trauma, no crying and an organized home will be your reward in the end. Beside there are so many solutions out, there is no excuse not to get organized.

There is enough stress when selling your home, and children will pick up on that stress. By talking to them and getting them involved by organizing their toys, they will feel much better about it and so will you.

Going “green” in the kitchen is the latest trend. As stager and owner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign in long Island, New York, I often recommend going “green” a great way to increase the value of your home. When remodeling your kitchen here are some suggestions to incorporate eco-friendly products.

1.  Appliances-With the tax incentives, buying Energy Star Appliances will save you money in the long run. Yes, they do cost more to purchase than other appliances, but the savings and the resale value will more then make up the cost over time.
2.  Flooring-Did you know that bamboo is a fast growing natural resource? It grows in abundance, almost like weeds. Because of this, bamboo flooring is a wise choice when going “Green”. And it looks beautiful as well.
3.  Windows-Don’t scrimp when purchasing new windows. Energy saving window will save you a small fortune when it comes to paying your utility bill. Buy windows with argon gas between the panes.
4.  Lighting-Use fluorescent lighting as oppose to incandescent lighting. There is talk that incandescent lighting will eventually be banned in the future. Also, use sky light to let the natural light in. If you don’t have the room or don’t want to incur the expenses, use solar tubing. A much more affordable option then sky lights.
5. Countertops-Recycled glass is an excellent choice for counters. The colors are dazzling and it’s quite durable. Another choice is concrete. It comes in array of colors. Concrete, like glass are in abundant supply.
6.  Paint-Using a low or no VOC paint. These paints have no volatile organic compounds that are hazardous to your health. They cover just as well.

There are many more ways to go “Green”. These are only a small sample of what can be achieved. When it’s time to remodel your kitchen, do your homework and research your materials. But most of all have fun experimenting, that’s what good design is all about.

Painting can be a daunting task but with the right tools you can rest assure the task won’t be so daunting!! As a home stager and redesigner of Abella  Home Staging & Redesign. I often recommend my clients to paint the room. Painting is the less inexpensive way to dramatically change the look of the room without spending a fortune and if you’re a DIYer you can save a lot of money.

Here are 8 tips to get you started!!

1. What paint type to use. Latex is water based and cleans up with soap and water. Dries quicker and has less odor then oil. Oil is solvent -based. Dries slower and must be cleaned with mineral spirits. It also has a more durable surface.
2. Quality. Yes you do get what you pay for. The good quality paint comes with primer in it. Saving you time and money. Usually takes less coats so you use less!
3. Rollers. Synthetic for latex paint, natural fiber for oil paint. Here’s a trick I learned from my husband (painter). Take blue tape, pull out about 3-4 feet and run the roller over it a few times. This will trap all the loose lint from the roller so it won’t get on your surface.
4. Brushes. Again good quality paint brush will save you a lot of heartache. Look for angle brushes that are set in multiple lenghts. This will form a slim tip, great for cutting. For oil base use natural bristles.
5. Paint finishes. Choosing the right sheen can have a dramatic impact on your room. Here are my recommedations. Flat-good for ceilings. Matte-good for bedrooms, living rooms, dining room. Satin/eggshell-good for high traffic areas like hallways. Semigloss-good for trim work and doors. Gloss-also good for trim and door I don’t much recommend it anywhere else.
6. Low VOC. Volatile Organic Compound. These paint eliminate potential hazard chemical that can effect your health.
7. Calculating paint. Divide the square footage of wall surface by the coverage  per gallon (listed on paint can)= number of gallons to buy.
8. Pouring spout. Paint now comes in plastic snap-on spout that allows you to pour the paint, making it easier and prevents  it from clogging the lid.

DIY House Painting

White Kitchen, trendy or timeless? Have you notice when going through design magazines they are showing a lot of white kitchen? White kitchen seem to be stealing the show. And I couldn’t be happier!! As a home stager and redesigner and owner of Abella Home Staging & Redesign I often recommend painting the kitchen white, especially when it’s outdated. Why white? It’s crisp and clean. Makes your kitchen look bigger then it is. Works whether your kitchen is traditional, transitional, modern or even shabby chic country! Just make sure you add bold pops of color to ground the space. Add different textures and finishes to spice things up!

Colour me Happy

Decor Pad

 As you can see from these picture, by adding a dark floor, you help ground the kitchen and make it more balanced. Add old element with new finishes also gives it character. The options are limitless!! White kitchen I believe are here to stay. White kitchen, trendy or timeless? You decide. But it’s definitely here to stay!!

Decorating your Outdoor Space will not only give you more living space but will increase the value of your home especially here on Long Island New York. As a home stager & Redesigner, I always like to add value to my clients’ home. This is a great way. There are many things you can do without spending a fortune. Here are just some suggestions to get you started.

• Create an outdoor seating area.
• Mismatch furniture, paint it all the same color.
• Don’t forget to accessorize it with pillows, bringing in lots of color.
• Add drape to an arbor or gazebo.
• Treat your wall like an indoor wall, just make sure it can withstand the elements.

2 Clicks Outdoor Furniture

Patio  Garden Tips

Of course you can add more elaborate items and spend more money but you don’t have to. Check out magazines and your local garden shop to get ideas. And remember “Decorating your Outdoor Space” not only creates more living space but adds value to your home!

What’s old is new again! How many times have we looked at a furniture piece and though it had seen better days and discard it? What if we had painted it instead? We never seem take in consideration that painting furniture can bring new life to an old piece!  As a home stager in Long Island New York, when doing a Staging Consultation or Redesign project, I often see outdated furniture that can be reused when painted. Clients are often surprise at my suggestion, saying “I never thought of that!” It save money and reuses existing items. That’s what staging is all about!!

All you have to do is sand it down, fill in holes, prime and paint. Not difficult to do or you can hire a professional. It would still probably be cheaper then replacing the piece. And what a difference paint makes!! So the next time you have an old piece of furniture that you want to discard, ask yourself, can this piece be save by painting it?

If the answer is yes, then by all means do it! What’s old is new again!!

Centsational Girl

Centsational Girl

Recently I found an alternative to stainless steel appliances. It’s a peel & stick film from a company called Soft Metal Film. You simply peel and stick it to just about any surface. As a home stager in New York, stainless steel  appliances is highly desirable when selling your home. But not every homeowners has these high end appliances. It isn’t alway cost effective to replace appliances. But now there is another way to achieve the look without spending a lot of money. This product will turn an outdated appliance into a desirable stainless steel appliance that buyers are looking for.

Use on Dishwasher

Use on countertops!

Even on Garbage pails!

Comes in a roll!

There are endless possibilities with this product. As you can see, you can use on countertops, backsplash, ceilings, workbench and much, much more!! Its scratch-resistance, durable and easy to use. You can order  a sample to see the product before you use it. I ordered the sample and was very impressed with it. You can even use it on stoves, it’s temperature resistant from 50 F to +122 F. Great for kitchens, bathroom and any room you want to use stainless steel. And it’s easy to remove. I will definitely recommend this product to my clients the next time I do a staging consultation. Especially if they have outdated appliances. A great alternative to stainless steel!!

Living Room Before

Living Room After

As you can see from these before and after photos. I simply remove the corner section of the sofa and added an end table with a lamp and accent pillows. Changed out the curtains and moved the plant to a different location.

Dining Room Before

Dining Room After

In the dining room I had the home owners remove the curtains and added the plant (the plant detracted from the air conditioner unit in the wall).

Master Bedroom Before

Master Bedroom After

In the master bedroom I suggested that they remove the headboard. It took up too much space and it expended 6″ from the wall (radiator was there). By removing the headboard we gained precious space. We used pillow to detract from the fact that there is no headboard. I also suggested that she replace her comforter since it looked worn out. I gave her some suggestions as to what would work . She went shopping and picked out this comforter. We replace the lamps and curtains. Took down family photos and replace with neutral wall art. The transformation speaks for itself!!

In the office it was simply a matter of de cluttering and removing the hutch which took up too much space.

With the girl’s bedroom I had the homeowner remove the wallpaper, which was way to busy and paint the wall instead. They de clutter and removed the curtains.

Bathroom Before

Bathroom After

In the bathroom, I had them paint the cabinet which was worn out and the mirror frame (can’t see). Remove the shower curtain which, was too busy and replace with a simple white shower curtain. These were simple changes that had a dramatic effect on the home. After sitting on the market for five months, when the staging was done, they had an open house and an offer was put in!! Staging doesn’t have to be expensive, for the most part I work with what the homeowner has. Implementing small changes to have the dramatic effect we want.If you need help staging or redesigning your home call Abella Home Staging & Redesign, Long Island New York, and let’s get started today!

Spring, real estate busiest time, are you ready? Typically spring has always been real estate busiest time, especially here on Long Island NY. As a homeowner looking to sell your home, are you ready? There are so many things you can do to get you home ready and it won’t break the bank. These are just a few suggestions.

1. Curb Appeal. Now is the time for planting flowers and mulching. Just these simply suggestions can make a huge difference in your curb appeal.
2. Furniture placement. Do you have too much furniture in you home? If so, eliminate pieces. Remember space sells and if your house looks too cramped, then buyers will think the house is too small. Less is more!
3. Clutter. Nothing turns a buyers off faster then too much clutter.
4. Updating your kitchen and bathroom.. It doesn’t have to be costly. There are many new products on the market that can totally change the look of  kitchen or bathroom. Rust0leum has a great product that can literally transform your cabinets and countertops.
5. Clean! Clean! Clean! I can’t stress that enough. Buyers will be turned off if they perceived your home to be dirty.
6. Hire a Home Stager. Hiring a professional home stager will give you the edge in this very competitive market. Well worth the cost!

These are just a few suggestion to improve the look of your home. Home owners would be wise to follow as many of these suggestions as possible. Spring, real estate busiest time; are you ready?