I LOVE fall. It is quite simply, my favorite season. I love everything about this special time of year, the crisp cool days, the leaves, apples, bonfires, comfort food… I could go on and on. Even though here in Minnesota it means we are creeping closer to winter, I can’t help but embrace the colors, smells and sounds of fall. In a week or two I will start changing out decorative pillows around the house, change the blankets on our beds (we’ve had a couple nights in the low 50′s)and begin to bring in the outdoors by changing up my decor with candles, leaves, branches, apples, squash and pumpkins. I embrace all that Autumn has to offer! It doesn’t have to be expensive or a lot of work. What is your favorite season and how do you incorporate it into your home?
Ahhh Fall
September 8th, 2011Getting Around
September 8th, 2011Hello Again! I get A LOT of questions about where I will travel to in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas for any type of consultation. Well, wether it’s Home Staging, Interior Redesign or Organizing, I go where I’m needed! I’ve been all over the Twin Cities from Lakeville to Elk River and St. Paul. The main areas I get calls for are Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prarie, Edina, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Shakopee, St. Louis Park, and Minneapolis/St. Paul. I have yet to be called over to Wisconsin, but I would be happy to make the trip. No matter where you live or what you need, I will be there to help you out! Just give me a call or drop me an email. Your questions are always welcome!
Custom Bathroom Vanity
August 8th, 2011
Wow, am I ever happy to be getting this post out today. It has been one busy summer and it’s not over yet! The pics you see today are of the vanity my husband and I have redone for our first floor half bath. For the purposes of this blog, I will refer to my husband as “Sparky”. He’s an all around great husband and father, plus he’s SUPER handy at all things house and home. We turned this ordinary nightstand into a vanity for our half bath that I just love. I’ve documented as much as I could, sometimes forgetting to take pics. When we bought it ($30 on Craigslist) it was already painted a flat grey color so we didn’t have to prime it. We sanded it down and Sparky attached the wood pieces to the top to raise it up so it would be a comfortable height. Then he secured the top drawer front so you can’t open it (need room for plumbing). The second drawer down, he cut out a U shape in the back of the drawer (again, to make room for plumbing). The third drawer was fine the way it was. We already had a faucet and drawer hardware, but I had to find a granite remnant. That was by far the hardest part! I really wanted Carrera Marble, but the stone fabricator talked me out of it because 1) It stains easily, 2) It’s very porouse and will hold water even if sealed, 3) It scratches very easily. He just happened to have a piece that was the perfect size called Blancho Ramano (not sure about the spelling). It’s beautiful! It has white, grey, a very pale bit of green and little spots of purple! Truly, it’s perfect. I’m Kinda picky and I knew immediately it would work. The stone + fabrication cost $425(YIKES), but it is a custom piece and turned out better than I could have imagined! All in all, it took about 3 months from start to finish, but most of that time was spent finding the right peice of stone and the fabrication. We had never done a project like this before. Trust me, if we can do it, so can you! Let me know if you have questions.
Home Staging Top 10
June 21st, 2011After 7 years in this business, these still apply!
1. First impressions are critical! Make sure your yard/landscaping is tidy. The entry should be clean, fresh and easily accessible.
2. Lighting is VERY important. Open all drapes and blinds to reveal as much natural light as possible and turn on ALL your lights. Make sure your windows and screens are clean and in good repair.
3. Edit all rooms and eliminate clutter. Remove excess furniture and knick-knacks. This includes all counters and bookshelves. When in doubt, take it out!
4. Arrange furniture to draw buyers into a room. Enhance the focal point of the room! It may be a fireplace or a window.
5. Use greenery to brighten and soften a room. It can be artificial-if it looks nice or real foliage-if you have a green thumb!
6. Avoid cooking foods that may have an offensive odor to some buyers, such as fish, garlic, onions and fried foods. Try baking cookies, pie or bread for a welcoming aroma. Never try to mask odors with heavy floral scents.
7. Paint! A fresh coat of paint goes a long way in creating a clean, crisp, fresh look. This is the least expensive improvement you can make.
8. Make sure carpet and other flooring are clean and in good shape, otherwise it should be replaced/refinished. Use fresh new “show” towels in the kitchen and bathroom.
9. Have pets groomed and kenneled or have they stay with a trusted friend or relative. Be sure to take your pet for a walk or ride when you know buyers are coming!
10. CLEAN, CLEAN and then CLEAN some more! Nothing shows better than a clean house! Especially Kitchens and bathrooms.
I hope this helps!
Some Resources
June 8th, 2011
OK, I’m back! Been gone awhile! We have been so busy with the yard, the house, the end of the school year, etc… , but today is the last day of school for my boys! I’ll refer to them as Mutt and Jeff for blog purposes.
Anyway, I’m going to talk today about books that I’ve bought and love that have to do with staging, interior design/redesign and color. I LOVE books. I love looking at them, touching them, smelling them, they really inspire me to color outside the lines. There are A LOT of hard and fast rules associated with interior design, although, I think that has become so much more relaxed over the past 10 years. I love to mix styles, time periods, old and new, really use what I love and I’m not afraid to move things around either. You’ll hear me say over and over, do not just fill your home with stuff, wait until you find that perfect couch, bottle, art, whatever it is that you love, and work it into your space. Don’t be afraid that it doesn’t “match”, not matching everything is what makes your home yours because your using items that you love.
That said, I also really enjoy choosing just the right color for my walls and fabrics. Color can be inspiring, emotional, sexy, warm… you get the idea. Choosing your color is very important. First you need to know if you want a cool or warm color. This can make or break your look. I love warm colors and if that’s your pallet, I would choose complementary tones and shades. If you are unsure, ask someone whose advise you trust.
Books are great for design and color ideas, floor plans, furniture layouts, let your imagination go wild!
What are your favorite decorating books or magazines?
Kaizen
April 11th, 2011I think I might be a little late to the party with this one! Apparently I’ve been practicing Kaizen for years and didn’t even know it. For those of you that aren’t aware of Kaizen, it really fits perfectly with home staging, redesign and organizing. In general, Kaizen means continuous (kai), improvement (zen). This system can be implemented in all aspects of your life from career improvement, personal goals or the way you aspire to live each day. It creates an organized efficient way to achive your goals and streamline your living for ultimate productivity. The Kaizen 5 are as follows:
*Sort-(Seiri)Separate all items that are unnecessary and eliminate them completely form your space.
*Set in Place-(Seiton)Simplify and Straighten all essential items so they are clearly marked and easily accessed. “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.”
*Shine-(Seiso) Scrub all machines and sweep the space to maintain cleanliness.
*Standardize-(Seiketsu) Systemize cleaning and organizing to make them routine and a part of your day. Repatition.
*Sustain-(Shitsuke) Maintain commitment to the previous 4 steps and continue improvement.
All of these systems can be used to make your home what you want it to be each day that you walk into your space. Whether you are staying in your home and you want it to be the best space possible for you and your family or if you want to sell your home and make it appeal to the most buyers possible. These principles can be integrated into your lifestyle everyday to make your space the most enjoyable and efficient for you and your family. Especially organizing. Did you know most people spend about 36 hours per year looking for an item that they misplaced? Create an organized environment and save yourself time and stress. When you decide to make any part of this process, a part of your life, you will see improvement!
What do you call it?
March 25th, 2011Even though here in Minnesota it is 19* this morning, we have had a taste of spring this month. That got me to thinking about garage sales. What do you call them? Where I grew up in Missouri, we always called them garage sales. Some people refer to these treasure hunts as tag sales or yard sales. A similar option is auctions (which are really fun) and estate sales. You can find great furniture, accessories, artwork and lots of misc. items for endless projects. Some of the items I always look for are classic serving dishes from the 1950′s and 60′s. I especially like milk glass which was usually procuced by Fire King or Glasbake.
Whatever it is that you ae looking for, or catches your eye, you can usually find it at one of these sales. One rule I always adhere to is, I never buy something unless I love it or have a use for it. Do not buy items just to fill space! Also, I’m generally not concerned with small scratches or dings in furniture (depending on the piece). For me it just reflects the life of the furniture and that it has some history. I like to think of garage sales as recycling and an economical way to add to my home. Happy hunting!
Winter Blahhhs
February 3rd, 2011OK, so you have taken down all the holiday decor and packed everything up for another year. If you’re like me you are looking around your house wondering how you can add a fresh new look to some of your rooms. Well, let me tell you what I like to do! I switch out my pillows on my family room furniture. I have A LOT of pillows and I frequently change them to create a new look. My furniture has pretty basic lines and a neutral color, so I just pick up anything I find when I’m out shopping. I do not buy any accessories unless I have a use for it or love it! Sometimes I choose pillows that have been re-purposed out of something like an old bedspread, sometimes they are very inexpensive other times they might be a little pricey, it just depends on my mood and what I find! You can also use throws, blankets and quilts over chairs or couches to soften the look and create a cozy welcoming space. Don’t worry about matching everything and trust your sense of style and choose what you like-not what you think is stylish or trendy. I also like to grab fresh flowers at the grocery store, that always makes me happy! Let me know what you all think and what you do to freshen up your look. Bye for now!
Is it ok to leave my knife block on my counter? What about wine/alcholol?
February 18th, 2010The short answer is NO. These items should be removed from the counter and put out of reach. There are safety concerns, especially with other people’s children wandering around your home! Keeping the kitchen counters clean and clutter free is very important so I suggest taking anything off your counter tops that you do not use every day.
Unless you have a built in wine rack or a wine cellar or tasting room, all alcoholic beverages should be out of sight and stored up high or in a locked cabinet.
Basically, when in doubt, take it out!
How Much should I expect to spend to prepare my home for sale?
January 26th, 2010This is a great question (thanks Steph)! Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. The amount of money you spend preparing your home for the market depends on numerous factors. Has the home been maintained properly? Is the decor up-to-date? Do you have pets? Are there any “unfinished” projects? What are homes in your neighborhood selling for?
All these questions and many more need to be answered. I would love to help homeowners simply use furniture, art and decor they already own, but the truth is, 90% of the time money does need to be spent to help prepare your home for the market. A stager can help you choose wisely where to spend your money to make the most of your homes’ presentation and set off key features that buyers love. The budget will always vary, what is important is to get a professional opinion and work with your stager and realtor, to put your home on the market looking it’s very best from the first day it’s on the market!