DIY Home Staging Tips

Q & A about Old Furniture, Choosing a Realtor, and Who Stages

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Q: My husband wants to list our house with an old college buddy of his who is a real estate agent. I think there are other real estate agents who are more experienced. Also, I don’t like to mix friendship with business. Any advice?

A: I’m in agreement with you. Unless there are other reasons you would choose this agent above all others, I’d use all the persuasion you can to convince your husband to choose a real estate agent based on some of the conditions and qualities I’ve blogged about in the linked post.

If your husband is convinced his friend is The One, I’d still interview the guy – in an informal way – to give him the message that business is business, to express your expectations, and to ask questions about how he plans to market your home.

Q: We are moving out of our home before it sells and I will be staging it with furniture we can live without temporarily in our new home. We have a baby grand piano that I could have moved now or later. Do you think a piano is a good piece of furniture for staging, or is it too specialized and personal?

A: A piano sounds like a terrific item for staging, especially if it is as attractive as a baby grand. Since you’re moving some of your furniture, I assume there’s space for it. If a piano were old and beat up, or if it crowded the rest of the room, I would have second thoughts about staging with it. Good luck with your move!

A big room especially calls for big furniture.
Like a piano! Photo by Jolin Collins.

Q: Most of my furniture is old. Not antique old, just inherited pieces that are middle-of-the-road quality. Some match and some don’t. Do you have ideas for making my home look more (how else can I say this?) expensive?

A: It’s a common situation. Here’s what I suggest.

Separate any matching sets of furniture. If you have pairs of matching nightstands or end tables or chairs, use the pairs in the same room, but break up anything like a 5-piece bedroom set.

Can some of your older pieces be painted to give them a more casual look? People used to live more formally, but today, people’s homes reflect a more fun approach to decorating, so painted pieces don’t carry the stigma they once did.

Third, I would find some noticeably contemporary accessories, like a sleek new lighting fixture, a Lucite tray, pillows showing off a trendy design, or an abstract painting. These touches add a fresh, new feeling to the décor.

Finally, I would make sure that any nonessentials that look old-fashioned be kept out of sight. If your home is historic or a traditional Craftsman style or mid-century modern ranch, and can support some retro touches, that’s one thing. But otherwise, old window treatments, obsolete electronics, and dated small appliances make a home look stuck in time, or the property of people who don’t have money to spend on their home. People want to buy a pampered house.

What not to do: create a bedroom
that looks like a furniture store ad.

Q: Where I live, people don’t stage their homes when it’s time to sell. It seems to be a practice more for cities and suburbs, not rural areas like where we are. Now that we’re getting ready to sell, I wanted to ask your opinion on staging my house. Won’t I look silly?

A: Let’s clarify one thing. A well-staged home does not look like it’s been fussed with. It looks like the home of people who are clean, organized, and financially comfortable.

I say, go ahead and stage your home to make it more attractive than the other homes that are for sale in your area. Make any repairs, clean and declutter everything, create a feeling of spaciousness, and you’re golden.

My opinion is that every home is staged, whether it’s intentional or not, on the market or not.

You'll find more answers to staging questions in my three eBooks on DIY Home Staging, No-Sew Window Treatments, and Furniture Arranging.

So You Want to Become Professional Home Stager

Friday, January 09, 2015

Would you like to earn a living as a professional stager?

Maybe you already stage homes for friends and now you want to expand, to legitimize your business.

Being in business for yourself can be a dream or a nightmare.

It depends on two things: your personality and your preparation.

Fortunately, both these things can be bolstered by some old-fashioned self-discipline and a willingness to learn.

Let’s talk personality. Just like any other small business owner, a successful professional home stager needs certain abilities beyond just a love for home décor.

If you ask yourself the questions below you'll get a handle on your self-employment profile. The more yes answers you can give, the more likely you're a candidate for becoming your own boss, do what you love, and make money!

Motivation

Am I a self-starter? Do I have a history of taking the initiative to achieve what I have wanted? Is home staging something I have been interested in for more than a few months?

It's important to keep learning. It's easy
to do with online courses and podcasts.

Focus

Do I stay on task? Can I begin and complete without losing interest or focus? Do I have a history of completing both large and small projects?

Social skills

Am I a people person? Do I have a large circle of friends and acquaintances? Do I enjoy connecting with new people and maintaining ongoing relationships? Am I presently active on social media? Am I willing to expand my social media efforts? Do I have the support of my family?

The smaller your company is, the more
of the hands-on work you'll be doing yourself.

Styling skills

Do I have a good eye for home décor, color and style? Do I have a passion for interior decorating, real estate and home improvement? Have friends and family always praised the way my own home appears and functions? And -- shameless promotion alert -- have you read the three eBooks I've written to help people stage homes?

Whatever skills you have will be
useful in your homestager career.

Willingness

Do I enjoy studying? Am I prepared to enlarge my skillset and stay current with trends in home decor, business, and the home staging field?

Mindset

Am I organized? Can I maintain accurate records, and keep office supplies and home staging inventory neat and logically arranged? Can I handle stress and juggle numerous projects simultaneously?

Habits

Do I manage my time well? Do I usually deliver what I promise on time? Am I punctual? Do I keep to daily, weekly and monthly schedules? Do I enjoy the process of keeping track of details?

Your story?

My story has been that I don't naturally gravitate to all the requirements of a home staging professional. I choose my clients carefully because I don't maintain a warehouse of inventory. My financial skills are not professional so I get help in that department. I've had to teach myself some technical skills and find workarounds for areas where I'm not fully experienced or motivated.

Being a hard worker with multiple years of experience in a variety of related fields -- real estate, construction, sewing, painting, gardening, networking, decorator, graphic artist, writer, crafter -- has allowed me to earn good money as a home stager. Having a supportive family is a great booster, too.

Sometimes home staging calls for
get down and dirty routines.

We’ve all seen various kinds of businesses fail despite the founders being passionate, motivated, and talented. You probably even know someone who’s spent time and money creating her dream business from her hobby, only to see her abandon it before recouping her investment. I hope that person wasn’t you.

I am a big fan of self-employment and have been a business owner for much of my working life. I know it takes more than love of the work, putting in long hours, and money to make a success of any business. If you are considering entering the field of professional home staging, consider how your personality fits being an entrepreneur before buying any expensive training programs.

With eyes wide open, you'll have a better chance to create and maintain a profitable home staging business. One thing is for sure: you'll need my eBook DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar, as well as my eBooks on furniture arranging, and no-sew window treatments! Let me show you the insider secrets to effective and economical home staging.

One Woman's Story: A Warning to All DIYers

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The end-of-the-year holidays are bittersweet for Heather Von St. James. Nine years ago, on November 21, she sat in her doctor’s office and listened, in shock, as he delivered the message that would change her life. She had malignant pleural mesothelioma, a lung disease similar to cancer with a typical life expectancy of 15 months. She was 36, married, and with a new daughter just a few months old. She had everything to live for.

Today she is a spokesperson working to eliminate this devastating but preventable disease. She contacted me because she knows that DIY home improvement projects can expose people to the dangers of breathing asbestos fibers – the cause of mesothelioma. Heather lives today because she underwent surgery to remove one lung, plus radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Many who are diagnosed are not so fortunate and live shortened, compromised lives.

“I was exposed to asbestos as a child. I would wear my father’s work coat to do chores around the yard. Little did I know the coat was chock full of asbestos fibers and I was inhaling them daily.”

Heather’s dad worked in construction. Many homes built before 1970 contain asbestos products. It can take 20 years for you to show symptoms of mesothelioma to appear after a period of prolonged exposure, such as working assorted projects in an old house for years. Don’t put yourself or your family at even minimal risk, however.

When asbestos fibers enter the lungs they stay there and cause inflammation, scarring, and fluid retention. In time, this can lead to lung cancer, tumors and cancers in other organs. You can't tell whether a building material contains asbestos simply by looking at it.

If you are planning any remodeling projects that require disturbing the structure (walls, flooring, cabinets, ceilings, insulation, roofing, siding, ductwork) be aware that asbestos may be present.

If the home was damaged by storms, tornados, water, fire, or simple aging, materials containing asbestos may now be compromised to make the fibers breathable – not what you want! There are steps you'll need to take after natural disasters like these to protect you and others from airborne asbestos 'can take.

The best way to deal with any existing building material that contains asbestos is to leave it undisturbed. Once the fibers become friable -- the way they would if you begin removing things like old popcorn ceiling, asbestos floor tiles, exterior asbestos siding, or old heating ductwork – you are in danger of inhaling or ingesting the invisible asbestos fibers.

If you are buying a home built before or refurbished prior to 2000, especially if you plan to do home repairs or remodeling, get information about possible asbestos products in the home from a home inspector or from your real estate agent, and from the present homeowner. When asbestos is a possibility, you should hire a professional asbestos inspector, an industrial hygiene firm, or a qualified asbestos abatement company to determine where, how much, and how stable the material is. He will advise you on remedial actions to take.

If the asbestos can’t be contained or otherwise encapsulated, you will have to have a certified asbestos removal professional remove the asbestos product, or find a way to leave it in place and safely cover it. For example, you can lay a floating laminate floor or carpeting over asbestos floor tile. You can put vinyl or wood siding over asbestos exterior shingles.

What we once thought was a wonderful product because of its insulating and fireproofing qualities has become a toxic substance. Don’t stay in the dark. Please educate yourself about this issue, because there is a right and a very wrong way to deal with asbestos!

Staging the Christmas Mantel: Four Pointers for Success

Thursday, December 04, 2014

No matter where you live, a fireplace is an asset.

Is yours staged for the season? Make it the room's focal point and make it reflect the tone of the season.

Here's my simple formula for staging a mantel that calls attention to the fireplace without taking over the whole room.

1. Create atmosphere

Set the stage so people touring your home immediately imagine themselves enjoying the fireplace. I love to see a table and chairs in front of the fireplace, as though this were the perfect spot for a romantic meal.

Or you can position a loveseat or couch facing the fireplace. If a couch takes up too much room, place a pair of chairs flanking the hearth, either facing outward or towards the fire.

2. Bring energy to dead spaces

Don't let the black hole of the firebox be the black hole in the room. You can create distractions on either side of the opening that bring the area to life.

I made a pyramid shape tree of grapevines wrapped around an inverted wire tomato cage topped with a golden angel. On the other side of the hearth, I added a shabby Rudolph planter who makes an appearance at our house every year.

Simple greenery is vessels is always a winner for softening the dark hole of the fireplace. Other seasonal props you might have available are vintage toys, wrapped gifts, a basket or bucket of kindling or pinecones, a rack of logs ready to burn, or a fancy screen. Just be certain to place your décor so it does not pose a fire hazard.

3. Do not fear extravagance

Hit all the bumpers. Combine glitzy props with natural elements. This is your chance to expand the appeal of your home to more than one demographic group. Some of your elements will be nostalgic and some will be trendy. Some will be high-end style and some will be dollar store cheesy. This is the one time of the year when (almost) anything goes. You can tone things down again in January.

4. Aim for cohesion

Repeat colors and shapes. Start with some kind of color scheme, and everything will flow. In this room, I veered toward the browns and greens plus white and silver. You can't go wrong there. I also repeated the conical shapes of evergreens as well as the sphere shapes of ornaments and beads.

If you follow these simple guidelines, I know you'll stage a mantel to help sell your home.

Be sure to read my post, Seven Steps to a Gorgeous Fireplace Man tel from two Christmases ago!

And for more ways to prep your home for the real estate market, be sure to download my homestaging eBooks.

The surprising answer to "What's the Best Time of Year to Sell A House?"

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Timing the sale of your home can make a big difference in how long it’s on the market and what it sells for.

In the past, about half of all houses that sold were sold during the spring and summer months. But the stats are changing.

If you need to list your home in the fall or winter, don’t be discouraged. In fact, there can be some surprising advantages.

Deals happen quickly

From October through January, home closings can happen quickly because people want to be in their new home for the holidays.

If they are shopping for a home over the winter, it could be that they want to -- or need to -- move soon. They are less likely to stall or drag out negotiations.

Nowadays, listed houses stay on the market less time in winter than during the so-called more popular selling seasons. There are reasons for that trend.

It's a time for fresh starts

Maybe your future buyer is starting a new job in the New Year, or has decided, with the holidays behind him, to begin his house search ahead of house-hunting season.

Maybe he’s made a resolution to improve the quality of his life with a better home.

These buyers are motivated, and there is less competition because many home sellers (your competitors) are waiting for the “busy season” or are too involved with the holidays to list their home mid-winter.

According to sources like Fox Business News, November through January is prime time for home sales. Statistics show that while families with school-aged children used to make up the bulk of home buyers, today many home buyers are unmarried or without children, so the theory that most buyers prefer to move in the early summer is a myth.

And, not every family with children is looking outside its present school district, so timing isn’t critical for them.

Winter can be a time for cozy decor, and that
kind of decor that doesn't have to be pricey.

The serious buyers are ready

During the cooler months you won’t be bothered so much by lookie-loos, folks who are just curious or window shopping for a dream house they’re not prepared to purchase. Spring and summer bring out the people who open-house-hop on Sundays for fun.

But, winter brings out the qualified buyers. They are the ones prequalified by their lender, the ones ready to make a purchase offer.

Labor is more accessible

It can be easier to get on the schedule of contractors like carpenters, roofers, painters, home stagers, and landscapers to do your repairs and upgrades. You might even get discount rates. Local home inspectors, lenders, real estate agents, and lawyers may have more flexible schedules and rates during the fall and winter (although things grind to a halt the week between Christmas and New Years Day).

Consequently, your budget goes further in the slow season. And your schedule moves along more quickly, saving carrying costs and annoying delays.

Sentimentality sells

People are nostalgic about winter holidays, family traditions, and the school vacations they’ve taken when they were young. You can stage your home to capitalize on that warm and fuzzy feeling of a home that’s special, inviting, and approachable. Seasonal decor plays an important role when you stage your home.

During a home showing, a sports fan might be pondering where the big-screen television will go, while his partner might be planning where the Christmas tree will go and whether the dining room is large enough to accommodate extended family for Thanksgiving. If you traditionally stage for the winter holidays, she'll have her answers.

A decorating style that feels "just right"
in winter is an English cottage look

Buyers are on vacation

People travel during the winter holidays. Do you live in or near a travel destination? Most of us have visited a place or traveled through a town, and thought, “I would love to live here!”

No matter where I am, when I meet new people I always ask them why they moved to where they live. It’s interesting how many times I’ve heard the same story. “We were on vacation and we fell in love with the place.”

Let’s not forget that people buy second homes. If they are financially comfortable, a home that offers amenities unlike their primary residence is a serious option for many. So, even if your home isn’t on the water, or in ski country, it could have features attractive to buyers such as proximity to family, tax breaks, being close to recreation areas, or simply offering a different local culture, a new view, or another lifestyle.

People on vacation are often attracted to
the local climate, the views, or the
gardens...and start house-hunting!

The climate can be a draw

If you live in the Southern U.S., winter could be the most attractive season for your particular brand of buyers. Northerners relocating, retiring, investing in properties, or shopping for a vacation home are actively looking all year. Winters in Tampa, San Diego, Atlanta, Tucson and similar hot spots (and in neighboring small towns) are still prime time for buying and selling.

Because people shop online more during bad weather, your web listing is especially important. It helps to have online photos that show off your property favorably in all seasons.

A fireplace, either wood-burning or gas logs, can be
appealing to winter buyers. Photo: Susan Glick Interiors

Buyers want a tax advantage

A person looking for ways to lower his income taxes could be your perfect buyer. By purchasing before the end of the year, he’ll be able to deduct what he spends, including points, interest, and property taxes. If he happened to sell his residence during the summer and needs to reinvest that money, he’ll be motivated to close in order to avoid paying capital gains tax.

So, if you want to list your property during the "slow season," there’s no reason to wait. Home buying doesn’t stop and start when a calendar page flips over. Stage it, price it right and they will come. But don't stage your home before downloading my eBook, DIY Home StgingTips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar.

Homestaging Wall Art: It's Day 31!

Friday, October 31, 2014

A month doesn’t seem like a long time. But it is when you commit to doing something every one of those days, whether you want to or not.

I never ran a marathon, I’ve never been called an overachieving type A, and I’m about as competitive as a jellyfish, so pushing myself to create a new blog post for 31 consecutive days didn’t come naturally.

In one way I enjoyed the test to come up with fresh content under pressure. I was almost glad that the self-imposed deadlines came at me fast and furious.

But I missed the satisfaction that I was posting the best tutorials, photos and writing that I could – if only I had more time.

I’m Hanging It Up

I learned quite a bit searching, dreaming, experimenting, and writing about wall art for homestaging in the past month.

I hope you’ve learned along with me. I hope you’ve picked up some tips about decorating your walls.

Whether you are staging your own home, staging other people’s homes, or just having fun with art, I like to think I helped.

Everyone needs a creative outlet. Blogging is mine. Maybe you’ll find a new creative outlet or art form in the tutorials I’ve posted.

Summary of home staging art basics

An effective home stager should know these facts when choosing wall art.

Art for staging should never be offensive or controversial
Big is best.
There are economical and easy ways to create your own art.
A variety of media are suitable for staging art -- paintings, textiles, collages, photos and combinations of these forms.
Framing and matting can make all the difference.

As your high school teacher might have said, “If you forget everything else I’ve said this semester, remember those points.”

Be sure to download my eBooks for home staging. You’ll find more ways to increase the value of your home.

Rugs, Wreaths, and Quilts

Thursday, October 30, 2014

I've posted plenty about paintings, but often a home stager's best friend isn't what you see framed on the walls of a traditional museum or gallery.

It's the quirky "finds" that get pressed into service as wall art.

Need examples?

How about an area rug like the one on the left?

Can you believe that all it took to fasten it to the wall were three dressmakers pins along the top edge, pins that are all but invisible? And they leave almost invisible pinholes in the wall.

The floppy fringe on the top of this rug doesn't bother me, but you could tuck it behind a rug as an alternative.

Look again at quilts

Another common textile used for wall decor is the quilt.

I've written in my home staging eBook that the wrong kind of quilts, and you know the grandma kind I mean -- as beautiful as they might be -- can age a home.

But today's artsy quilts are a different story. They can make your home stand out in buyers' minds. Confused about how to hang them? Don't be. Just don't hang them from rings or tabs, but from a rod that distributes the weight of all that fabric. This is the way to go with rugs, tapestries, weavings, and other textiles.

You can easily hand stitch (or glue if the piece is not precious) a casing, a simple strip of strong fabric, to the top back of your hanging, and insert a rod that fastens to the wall.

Another method is to attach a strip of hook and loop tape to the top edge, and the other strip to a wood strip firmly mounted on the wall.

Or Command strips from 3-M might be your choice for getting textiles on your walls. They come in all shapes and strengths, so I know you'll find one kind that's right for what you're hanging.

For more delicate textiles like scarves, lace and antique fabrics, you can attach these to a base fabric like linen or upholstery weight fabric to stabilize them. Mount this backer fabric on a stretched canvas, foam-core board, or even under framed glass.

Third dimension

For directions to DIY textural wreath
go to my tutorial for making a pine cone wreath.

Wall hangings that have more body to them than flat art will add an interesting layer to your staged spaces.

The most common of these is The Wreath. Pinterest overflows with ideas for wreaths!

My favorites are the seasonal ones.

Just make sure that your Halloween wreath gets replaced before Christmas. There's no reason your potential home buyers need to know how long your unoccupied home has been on the market and an updated seasonal wreath tells people that you still love your home.

Check that your wreath is an asset to the room, something that adds texture and quality, and that it ties into the colors you've chosen for staging.

Most of the wreaths on my Pinterest Board for wreaths are more suitable for exterior decor, but not all. My square wreath of pine cones looks super indoors.

If you need ideas for current fabric wall hangings, use search terms like "Quilts as Wall Art" on Pinterest, and get ready for some treats.

Consider other options

Here are other possibilities for filling up blank walls with art other than traditional paintings, whether your home is for sale or forever.

Clothing, like saris and silk robes

Hand-dyed masterpieces of your own like tie-dyed work

Batiks and ikat patterns from fabric samples

Machine-stitched free-form embroidery

Flags (as long as they do not announce a preference for specific sports teams or impassioned nationalism for a foreign nation)

New upholstery or drapery fabric

Have fun with all the possibilities to fill your walls with subtle pattern, color and texture. With the right wall decor, buyers are bound to be impressed with the specialness of your home. Yours be the one house on the tour they remember.

When to Go Frameless

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The edge of the art canvas is usually framed.

At least, it used to be. But now, I'm seeing more and more unframed art.

And I'm not talking about art students who don't have the cash to frame what they've painted.

I'm talking about giant canvases hung over drop-dead-gorgeous stone fireplaces in second homes featured in Traditional Home Magazine. So it's not about frugality or speed.

It's about style. And I rather fancy it. It's a contemporary look that fits into almost any decor style.

The frameless look certainly makes DIY decorating a bit easier. Happily, it updates a home that looks stuck in an earlier era.

Imagine the room pictured above, and how old school it would look with an old-fashioned frame surrounding that painting of loopy circles.

But the edge of an unframed painting still has to look finished. It should be clean and free of paint drips and stains.

If you stretch a piece of decorative fabric that you've purchased around wooden stretchers, then the design will wrap around the stretchers. But generally, a painting ends at the edge of the front surface. A painting that wraps around the stretchers is often a painting that was printed in a factory and then stapled onto stretchers. Not exactly one-of-a-kind art.

Buying your canvas stretched and ready to go is the simple solution if you want to do your own artwork for staging, but can't prop up or hang a piece of unframed thin-style canvas board. Your canvas has to have that boxed edge that stretchers provide.

There is an answer to the question, when is it a good idea to skip the frame? The answer is, "Almost anytime!" Most house styles can support this kind of look. It's casual and creates an approachable atmosphere.

Are you working on a redesign of your rooms? Don't leave here without downloading my furniture arranging eBook!

It's Typography. But Is It Art?

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

In case you've been living under a rock for the past few years, I'll explain that signs and lettering are kind of a big deal in home decor right now.

You know a decorating craze has reached its zenith when you can buy it by the bagful at the dollar store.

I'm all for beautiful calligraphy. I appreciate the finer points of typography.

Many years ago, as a young magazine editor, part of my job was "spec-ing type." That means I had to mark up typed manuscripts so the printer would know what style and size type to set them.

It wasn't nearly as much fun as all we can do on our computers now.

Today signage is everywhere in homes, proclaiming the love we have for our families, the strength of our faith, the quotes we find uplifting or amusing.

Witness the avalanche of "Keep Calm and ..." signs. Enough already! It's clear that signs and any art with typography or handwriting are appealing. When used for home staging art, it can add drama and some quirkiness, but there are limits to its practicality.

Let's look at the plus side of the ledger first. Here are some of the benefits of using signs for décor:

They can set a mood with a message.
They can be inexpensive.
They are easy to hack (except for the fine art of real, hand penned calligraphy).
They can add a touch of lightheartedness.
Foreign languages look sophisticated when used as art.
Handwriting can look funky-fun-decorative.

I loved this image the moment I saw it on
Centsational Girl's blog. It feels so personal,
nostalgic, and graphic in all its overblown glory.

You can't go wrong with a vintage travel poster.

This one is from Lakehouse Outfitters.

The pitfalls of using lettered art

There is something compelling about the written word. People stop and read words. For this reason, I never encourage people to load up with anything that people want to stop and read.

If you feel compelled to announce your philosophy of life to the world, may I suggest that you write it in Spanish, French or Chinese or another language that speaks to you. "Carpe Diem" looks so much more sophisticated than "Seize the Day." And how about, "Dérouler le tapis rouge," for "Roll out the red carpet."

Keep it short.

Get your message across to your potential buyer by decorating in a style anyone could love, and leave the lettering for your next home when this one sells.

Top photo: Apartment Therapy