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September 2010
newsletter article
Wall Art: The finishing touch
If you've begun decorating your home but have stopped just short of hanging pictures on the walls, here are some tips to get you going:
1. Choose the room you want to start in. Which space most bothers you? Which room do you spend the most time in? Begin there. Choosing art for the whole house at once can be overwhelming.
2. Determine the room's main purpose. Is it primarily used by children or adults? Is it a space for sleeping, cooking, or other activity? Do you want the room to have high energy, or a soothing atmosphere? Keep your wall art appropriate for the use of the room. For example, art with bright colors and lots of "movement" is better suited for activity rooms where you want to encourage social interaction or creativity; black and white photos can offer subdued elegance, or sophisticated drama.
3. One large piece may be all you need. Sometimes it's best to have one or two substantial photos, paintings, or pieces of wall art in a room rather than having a slew of little ones. The picture in our makeover room is quite large- 36" wide by 48" high. But though large, the subject is peaceful, and the artwork grounds the space without overwhelming it.
4. Be brave.... Experiment! Don't be afraid to try something in the room. Decorating is not an exact science, even for decorating professionals. You can always prop a framed print against a wall and live with it for several days or weeks before hanging it. Often, determining what you don't like helps you to figure out what you do like.
5. Remember to place your furniture before you hang your wall art. Photos, paintings, shelves, and wall decor of any kind is always placed after your furniture is in position. Artwork should be hung in relation to furniture rather than despite it! If you've ever seen a picture that looks like it's floating on the wall, you've experienced artwork that was hung inappropriately (most often, too high). Let your furnishings guide you when it comes to hanging wall art.
If pictures are throwing you off, and you're still unsure how to pull this piece of your decor puzzle together, I'm happy to help you through the process! Call (603) 770-6373 for details.
August 2010
newsletter article
Hands-on Staging: the icing on the cake
(or "Why
a list of staging recommendations isn't enough")
I love helping people improve their chances for a more
successful sale of their home or listing. Over the last few years, I've
gained great clarity about how best to do that.
When I began my
staging and redesign business in 2007, I thought I could be equally as
effective with all of my sellers: those who wanted only a written list
of recommendations, as well as those who hired me for "hands-on"
staging. I felt I should be able to deliver the same level of staging
success to both types of sellers. Surely, I reasoned, if I could
describe exactly what my clients should do, they would be able to follow
my instructions perfectly and implement the staging themselves.
I'm
sure you can guess where this is going.... It just didn't work out
that way. Obviously that was the hopeful (read "unrealistic") thinking
of a novice stager. As hard as my clients tried to follow my
recommendations (and most worked VERY hard), most of the time the result
of their efforts was not quite what I'd intended. Even when
improvements were made, I knew that I could've done better for my
clients had I brought my vision to fruition with my own two hands.
Those
simple recommendation lists did bring value to my clients. However,
with experience, I've realized what a difference professional hands-on
staging makes. I've found that my most impressive statistics - homes
selling within five days (or less) of being listed - have resulted when
I've actually physically staged a home as opposed to simply leaving the
sellers with a list of recommendations, no matter how detailed.
Why
is the "doing" more effective than just "telling"? Here's what I
learned:
- Too much information is too much.
Sellers are already consumed by the many details associated with selling
their home. A detailed staging list often ends up overwhelming sellers
instead of helping them.
- Time waits for no seller. It's easy to underestimate how
much time it will take to properly stage a home for sale. Again, with
so many other details to attend to, sellers often have too much going on
to give adequate attention to staging their own homes.
- It's nearly impossible for one person to exactly
replicate an image that originated in someone else mind. No matter how
specific the written recommendations are, there are just too many
variables influencing the seller's interpretation of those ideas.
- Change happens. Trial and error are a part of every
staging; written recommendations don't allow for "punting".
- Seeing is believing. As a stager, I know when a room I'm
working on finally looks right. That ability cannot simply be passed
along to sellers (or Realtors) by means of a written list.
Whether you're selling your
home or listings, professional hands-on staging is the way to achieve
the highest level of success.
Beth Frede Interiors
BethFredeInteriors@gmail.com
(603) 770-6373
Home Decor, Staging, Redesign, Organizing
Serving the NH Seacoast, Northeastern Mass, and Southern
Maine.
