I was first approached by these homeowners about a 5 year staging plan. They had purchased a condo in a warmer climate and planned on moving once the staging was done. Let me just say that when someone thinks this far in advance it really is a lot easier on all levels, especially when the house needs as much work as this one did.

I met with the couple and we came up with our best 5 year plan to stage their house.  Proposed changes included painting, new flooring, an updated kitchen, new windows,  lighting, bathroom updates and a Finishing Touch staging complete with accessories once the projects were complete.  Since they planned on living in the house during this time we started with the Living Room/Family Room so they could enjoy this space for the next few years while the rest of the house was completed.

Once I started to talk with them about the details it became very clear to me that this couple really liked the location of their home and would consider staying if they liked the redesign enough.  They didn’t LOVE their home because it was so outdated and very few updates had been made.  They are near family, friends, and work.  The beach house was still calling their name (and I don’t blame them at all) until we started the kitchen remodel project.  It was during this design process that they made the decision to invest a bit more and stay.

Here are before and after photos of the Living Room project:

Just looking at the before photo you can tell the era of the home.  Removing the paneling & painting, adding built in bookshelves, window treatments, new furniture, and hanging the television on the wall pulls everything together and makes it so much more comfortable!

Next project:  The kitchen.  I know this couple loved their new Family Room but they were still thinking of selling until we really shopped around for new cabinets, flooring, countertops, etc.  Watching the excitement in their eyes as they tried to imagine the new kitchen is like watching a kid in a candy store.  Don’t get me wrong, we spent  A LOT of time choosing materials,  and it wasn’t all without stress.   I get to know some of my clients really well as we move through the design process.  Once the major choices had been made like cabinets, countertops, paint colors, etc, we moved on to the details. This is when it was confirmed in their eyes they wanted to stay.  The details they would have left out of the kitchen if they had planned on moving really made the changes to this kitchen even more amazing!  See for yourself…

Before:

Some of the amazing details used in this kitchen.

Not all of us can afford the luxury of starting over especially when it comes to remodeling a kitchen.  Although this kitchen project was pretty high end this does not mean that the rest of us cannot have a nice home as well.  What I love about this job is that I can start with what homeowners already have and get very creative.  A little imagination and renovation can go a long way.

~Special thanks go to Jim and his crew at McLusky Showcase Kitchens.  You did an amazing job!!  And to Jonathan Ritneour Photography who makes all my work look amazing.

RESA’s Top 10 Best Redesigns™ North America.    

For Immediate Release

Home Staging Association Award Finalists and Top 10 Lists Announced

Pittsburgh, PA- January 9, 2013.    A Pittsburgh area business woman, Diane Beck owner of Vibrant Interiors, and a member of the Real Estate Staging Association, the trade association of professional real estate stagers and re-designers was named asone of RESA’s Top 10 Best Redesigns™ North America.

Diane Beck will go on to compete for the overall title of RESA’s Best Redesign ™ North America

Diane is the owner and principal designer of Vibrant Interiors and has been a professional real estate stager since 2008.  Beck services the greater Pittsburgh area.

In support of our ever-growing industry, we are pleased to announce that Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®) is recognizing leaders within the staging industry for their outstanding contributions and personal accomplishments in 15 total categories.

“There are so many talented RESA design professionals across the country it is an honor to be nominated as one of RESA’s Top 10 Best Redesigns™ North America.”  I love to be able to make a difference in a home by transforming rooms into beautifully functional places that reflect a family’s unique personality. Says Beck. 

“We would like to thank everyone for their participation in the awards process, without the support of our membership we would not be able to recognize so may well deserving people in our industry. All of the finalists in all categories can be seen at www.HomeStagingIndustryAwards.com . All of the winners will be announced at the annual Home Staging Industry Awards convention and banquet January 31 to February 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City, just outside of legendary San Francisco” said, Shell Brodnax, President/CEO Real Estate Staging Association.

About The Real Estate Staging Association®

The Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®) is the trade association for professional real estate stagers and redesigners For more information on the real estate staging and the convention visit www.RESAConvention.com , for more information about the awards please visit www.HomeStagingIndustryAwards.com For more information about real estate staging, or to find a professional stager or redesigner call 800-201-8687 and speak with Shell Brodnax, or visit the RESA® Web site at www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com

About Vibrant Interiors

Vibrant Interiors is greater Pittsburgh’s real estate marketing specialists. With a focus on helping smart homeowners and real estate agents merchandise homes and style rooms families love to live in.  Vibrant Interiors real estate staging services are designed to make your house appeal to more buyers. This increases your chances of going from “For Sale” to “SOLD!” and for maximum profit.  Vibrant Interiors redesign services transforms your home into one that reflects your own personal style and taste … or the oasis you’ve always dreamed of.  We begin with your existing belongings making beautiful design affordable.  So, whether it’s staging or styling services you’re looking for, Vibrant Interiors truly “Makes the Difference in Your Home.”   If you are interested in design services please visit Vibrant Interiors website at www.dbvibrantinteriors.com.

####

As a seller you want buyers to feel welcome inside your home, but you want them to see themselves enjoying the outside spaces as well.  Take the time to enhance the other living spaces your home has to offer.

~Cover a footstool  

~Use as an accent to window treatments, either on top, or as a tieback

~Drape over a nightstand or table, add flowers too for a quick new look

~Tie around a pillow form, wrap with ribbon for a decorative new look   

~Cut into large squares, hem and use as napkins

Cover a cardboard box, using adhesive spray,  for a colorful storage container

Stretch it over a canvas frame for easy wall art. 

The possibilities are endless.  What do you do with your remnants?

Here are the top 10 home improvements that can make your home harder to sell:

1. Kitchen Renovation. Any renovation of a kitchen that is too taste-specific or extreme in design. For example, a kitchen equipped with a restaurant-level stove or multiple refrigerators may not appeal to the buyer who is a simple cook. You want to appeal to the broadest range of buyers when selling a home, and if a buyer thinks they need to spend money re-doing what you’ve done, they will offer less.

2. Bathroom Renovations. The same can be said for bathroom renovations. Any design that is over the top could detract from the value of the home. It’s best to avoid garish sinks, faucets, and tiles.  And skip the heart-shaped bathtub!

3. Painting. Painting the walls is a great way to freshen up a space prior to putting your home on the market, but painting with bold colors such as red, orange, purple or even black (I’ve seen this) is a sure way to turn off a potential buyer. Buyers want to feel like they can move right in and not have to re-paint the walls to match their own tastes and their existing furniture.  The same goes for painting the exterior of the home – no bright blues, yellows or greens please!

4. Water Features. Having an in-ground pool, hot tub, waterfall or pond can also devalue a home, as buyers may perceive these as extra maintenance expenses they don’t want to incur. Also, buyers with small children may be fearful of these as well. The only exception of an in-ground pool definitely adding value is if the home is an investment property in a resort area where renters find homes with a pool to be more desirable.

5. “Wasted” Square Footage. Taking valuable square footage in a house and using it for a specific, personalized purpose can make the house harder to sell and/or detract from its value, for example, turning a garage into a gym. Also, on the Bravo TV show, Nine By Design, the hosts of the show were trying to sell their NYC townhouse. The ground floor was taken up by a basketball/squash court because the owners liked to play these games. However, most buyers would see this as wasted space and an expensive project ahead to change.

6. Redecorating. Redecorating in a highly taste-specific style, such as Asian, country clutter or extreme modern can turn-off potential buyers. When selling your home, you want to appeal to who the typical buyer might be, so it’s important that the furniture and décor is targeted to that group.

7. Illegal home improvements.  Decks, driveways, expansions, etc.  not approved by the local town authorities  can devalue the home as you will probably be forced to correct the situation prior to selling which could result in something as extreme as actually removing it.

8. Laminated Wood Flooring.  Installing laminated wood flooring instead of solid wood in an upscale home can also cause a buyer to think “I’ve got to rip this out”!  Better to refinish existing hardwood floors, if any, or cover floors with new but inexpensive wall-to-wall carpeting.

9. DIY Home Repairs. While needed repairs and maintenance should be done to a home before putting it on the market, doing these yourself could end up costing you money in the end as buyers perceive your shoddy workmanship as something they have to spend money correcting, and therefore offering you a lower price.

10. Gardens and Landscaping. A high-maintenance garden and landscaping could also lower the value of a home. If buyers are not avid gardeners or don’t want to spend money watering or on hiring someone to constantly weed, trim and rotate your plantings, this could be a real turn-off.

So, before you decide to make that improvement to your home, stop and ask yourself: “Will most buyers find this desirable so that they would be willing to pay for it, or is it just to satisfy my own needs and tastes?”.

Do you know of any home improvements that could devalue a home?

© Copyright 2010 – 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

As is everything on TV viewers only see the edited version and reality is only similar in concept to what is seen through the camera.  Most television staging jobs start with a walk through and consultation, as it should. Each home, homeowner and situation is different.  Following the consultation is the reality stretch.  Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with home staging shows offering advice and examples to potential clients. I have been known to leave my own television on HGTV (just for noise) for hours at a time.  But, there usually is not an entire crew and the progress may be much slower than expected.

That is why I suggest to anyone planning on selling his or her home in the next few years to talk with a real estate stager to schedule a consultation NOW.  More often than not it takes longer than anticipated to make the necessary changes to prepare a home for the market. Also, the process will be much less stressful than it would be if trying to get the home ready in a few weeks.  Homeowner’s can paint, sort, and pack at their leisure rather than scramble to plan a sale 1-2 weeks away.

All of this will also avoid the panicked phone call for a staging consultation ‘after’ the house has been on the market and not sold.  This does not look good folks!  There are many red flags when this happens and buyers will pick up on them offering a lower price.  Why not present your home at its best when it first goes on the market?

I understand that not everyone has this luxury but for those who do it would be a smart move to call for a consultation sooner rather than later.