Home Staging was new to this investor but he felt he needed some help on this vacant investment property in Minneapolis, MN. He was thrilled with the home staging results but even more thrilled when he received an offer a week later.

Excuse my language but I just need to tell you what the investor said when he first called me, “I am trying to polish a turd”.

Well, okay. I can’t say I had ever done that before but I was up for the challenge! LOL

This home was in the process of being condemned by petitions from the neighbors. Yes, it was that bad. Weeds half way up the outside walls, total destruction inside. I can see why the neighbors wanted it torn down.

But this investor had the gumption to take it on and save the home. When I saw it he had already done an incredible amount of work. Take a look:

Well, it didn’t look like a turd anymore. But the question was……could I polish it?

LIVING ROOM AFTER POLISHING

DINING ROOM AFTER POLISHING

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER POLISHING

MASTER BEDROOM SITTING ROOM AFTER POLISHING

I think the proof is the ‘offer in a week’ don’t you? Oh, and how do you think the neighbors feel??

Ecstatic!!

You may not have a property on the verge of being condemned but Home Staging can make the difference in ALL properties.

Rooms With Style Home Staging and Redesign has the experience to work on all types and price levels of homes. Serving the entire Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN metro areas.

POLISHING WORKS ON AT LEVELS!

www.roomswithstyle.com

952-567-1124

Is It Ever Okay to Paint a Room Stark White?

Home Staging and Redesign in Minneapolis, MN

You know us home stagers, one of our mottos is “Neutral Does Not Mean White”.

We are always telling our clients: “Paint the room a warm color, it’s okay to go a little darker, don’t worry.”

So, I ask again, is it ever okay to Paint a Room Stark White?

“Maybe”.

Ha, Don’t You Love That Answer.

But seriously, rooms can be all white, soft ivory, etc. It is all in how they are finished off and their purpose. When I say white I don’t mean builders white throughout the home. But a room in white or ivory is okay.

Let me show you an example. I designed a porch for myself off of my dining room. I designed a room that felt like it was floating in the trees, like you were outside but that you could enjoy even in the harshest blizzard.

The windows reach almost to the floor and almost to the ceiling. And guess what? I painted everything white!

I thought the contractor and his workers were going to kill me. They almost refused to do it. All the wood for the walls and ceiling is tongue-n-groove bead board and they insisted it needed to remain natural wood. They said it was a crime to paint it. (I think that is a guy thing, or a Midwest thing).

“Ya,…but I don’t want a brown wood room. I want an all white room and I’m the client!”

So here is the results:

The walls are white, the ceiling is white, the window casings and trim are white.

As you can see most of the furniture is white, even the TV is white!

I bought a big old ugly oak table second hand and painted it white, I added in antique and flea market dining chairs and side tables also painted white.

I added little pops of color for some fun and “Wallah”….a porch that is bright and cheery on a dismal winter day and part of the outdoors in the summer when the windows are open and the breeze is coming in.

Do you know why it works? It is grounded by the Douglas Fir wood floors below and the brown rattan ceiling fan above adds some interest. It’s all in the details.

So it’s okay, paint a room white…..just remember it is all in how you finish the room with the accessories. Don’t forget the details!

Not sure if you want to tackle it yourself? Rooms With Style Home Staging and Redesign would be happy to give you pointers or design it for you.

Are Your Kitchen Cabinets Dated but You Don’t Have Thousands of Dollars for New?

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis, MN.

As a Designer and Home Stager I come across many kitchens that need updating. Many homeowners want to update their kitchens, either for gaining top dollar when selling or for their own enjoyment.

I can’t say it enough, “KITCHENS SELL HOMES”. Period.

A total kitchen update costs tens of thousands of dollars and if you are staying in your home it is okay, do that and spend the money. If you are selling you may be wondering the best place to spend your money to update the kitchen to receive the greatest return on your investment.  Or you may be staying in your home and want to update but have limited funds and are wondering what you can.

I have a suggestion. Paint those dated cabinets! Yes it is okay to paint wood……trust me.

It’s an easy update that will cost fractions of what new cabinets would cost and is especially the way to go if the insides of your cabinets are in good shape.

Take a look at this kitchen. Nothing has been updated for at least 20 years. The homeowner did not want to invest the money for new cabinets or counter tops but wanted an updated look.

My suggestion? Paint the cabinets, change the hardward and buy stainless steel appliances.

As you can see I suggested a two tone look for the cabinets. Dark on the bottom, light on top that is fresh and modern.

The wall color was also selected to enhance the color of the cabinets and counter top. Darker than the tops cabinets and lighter than the lower cabinets. A new faucet also added an instant update and the entire kitchen looks new and fresh.

So if you are asking my opinion “Is it okay to Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets?”

“ABSOLUTELY!!’

Rooms With Style is a full service Home Staging and Redesign Firm. If you need suggestions to update your home for selling or for your own enjoyment please give us a call.

 952-567-1124

www.roomswithstyle.com

How to Create an Outdoor Living Space: Ideas and Inspiration. (Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis, MN)

In my personal opinion outdoor square footage is as valuable as the indoor square footage in the Spring, Summer and Fall. It is a space so valuable to me I can’t imagine not making it as cozy as a room in my home.

When you go to sell your house of course it is not “counted” as square footage but can it add value in the buyer’s eyes? Absolutely. They see it as another living space already done for them and most people love the outdoors, especially for entertaining.

So how do you create one? Here’s what I did……….…

1)      Find comfortable furniture. This is key. If the furniture makes your back side sore after a short period of time you won’t spend any time there and you’ll be heading inside for the comfy furniture.

2)      Color. Who doesn’t love color outside. It is all around you in nature and why not add it to your outdoor living space. Multi-colored pillows is a quick fix and of course the easiest way to create color is flowers. Flowers, flowers, and more flowers in my opinion. And don’t be shy with the throw pillows. Flowers come in multiple colors so use multiple colored pillows as well.

3)      Lighting. This sets the mood as well as extends the hours of enjoyment in your space.  As the sun slowly sets a couple lights turned on in your space create atmosphere and warmth. You’ll find yourself lingering over a game or curled up with a book long after the sun has gone down. Or, if you are like my husband, we now have a TV cable outside and watching baseball lying on the outdoor sofa at night is almost better than being at the game.

4)      Water Feature. This brings tranquility. Who doesn’t love hearing the soft sound of water in the background. I made my water feature a personal one, a St. Bernard drinking from a fountain.  It looks just like one of my St. Bernards and now that he has passed away I bring out my ‘Roby’ fountain every Spring and think of him.

5)      Incorporate Flea Market Finds. Not only will they save you money they add character and charm as well. Here a flea market table is one of my favorite things on the patio. A flea market wood crate that holds flowers adds extra color. An old wood bench can make a great coffee table or put a few colorful pillows on it for additional seating.

6)      A St. Bernard. Oh, just kidding…….just passing through. LOL

7)      And if you have the space, a small bistro table in the sunshine to enjoy the morning paper with a cup of coffee.

I hope these ideas inspire you to create an outdoor living space or jazz up the one you already have. Spring is finally here in the North so get out and enjoy!

If you would like assistance with your outdoor space Rooms With Style would be happy to help.

952-567-1124

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330 Days on the Market then…….Home Staging in St. Paul MN sells it 5 Days later!!

Yes, approximately 330 days on the market and then a home stager was brought in. What a transformation. This house is magnificent and because of that the owner thought the bones of the home alone would sell it.

As you can see it had very dated gray carpet and very cold gray paint. It did nothing for the architectural features of this 1928 house. The owner listened to the advise and pulled up the carpet, refinished the floors (STUNNING) and repainted the cold walls. As you can see this alone was a HUGE improvement.

The owner also listened to the home stager’s advice and brought in fresh furnishings to replace the very tired limited furniture. This really created a “WOW” factor and showed the home at its full potential.

Yes, the owner did invest some money to do this but it paid off. Not only were they thrilled with the results but they got an offer 5 days later.

Home Staging is important any time in the process but before the home is ever listed is the best. This home is almost 6000 sq. ft so although they spent some money to update it, if they had done it from the beginning they may have saved 11 months of carrying costs such as heat, electricity, and insurance ; not to mention the daily trips to the home to check on it.

At the second Realtor Open for the ‘unveiling’ of the new and improved home , Realtor’s mouths literally dropped for those that had seen it before. The purchase agreement says it all.

Rooms With Style Can Assist you with All your Home Staging and Redesign needs.

I just got home from a tiring day; running all over the metro to take “before” photos, appointments, tax forms to pick up, post office, and all of it in bad traffic and slick roads due to a nuisance snow fall. I hadn’t had time to check my Blackberry so when I opened my email I was thrilled to find the following testimonial:

“Our family decided to turn our unfinished basement into a family room.  We didn’t really have a vision for the room – nor did we know how to break up the space,  We thought about getting an architectural designer in – but that was going to cost us $2500 just to hear his thoughts.

 That’s when we hired Shar – and we are so glad we did!  She sat with us and heard our ideas.  She worked with the company doing the remodel and was our ally in discussions.  She was incredibly creative with the space – not to mention coming up with wonderful ideas for furniture, heating and lighting.

 Not only do we think Shar saved us literally thousands of dollars – but the process was fun!  She was never condescending (even when she knew she was right!).  She always provided us with options, and then more options.  She worked with our young daughter to design the bathroom, and let her create a space that made her feel like she was really designing her own space.

 We couldn’t say more about Shar.  We will never even think about remodeling anything in our house (or office) without contacting her.”

So how’s that for an end to my day!!

Attract More Tenants – First Impressions are key. If you are a property manager of an apartment complex the most important thing is keeping the apartments full. 100% occupancy is your goal.

What if your property is in a very young and hip area but what the potential tenant sees upon entry is this:

A tired and worn out entry may not set the tone of who your target market is for the area which is young professionals. The first impression is important so this may attract more tenants to your property:

Here are more before and after pictures of the apartment entryway and sitting area:

Rooms With Style can assist you in updating any office, common area or property. Set the tone from the minute the potential tenant enters the front door.

Home Staging Tips – Inexpensive Bathroom Upgrades make the difference in Maple Grove, MN. When I suggested a few easy tips during a Home Staging Consulation to update this Maple Grove bathroom I knew it would make a difference and it did.

This bathroom was stuck in the 80′s and needed to be updated for as few dollars as possible. The homeowner was a hard worker and ready to do what it took to sell his house.

A little sweat equity to take down the wallpaper, less than $30 on a light fixture instead of a Hollywood light bar, and need we even mention the mirror which was less than $10 in materials and 4 cuts with a miter saw!

As they say, proof is in the pudding, I mean the pictures!

A Home Staging Consultation is priceless. 

Each house is different and what works in one home may not work in another. Ask a professional what is best for your home to get it sold.

The changes and suggestions from a Professional Home Stager can bring more money to the bottom line as well as a faster sale.

“A family room addition returns an average of 65% of its cost at resale, as long as the improvement is in line with other homes in the neighborhood” says houselogic.com, a website giving ample advice on making improvements to your home.  That rate of return may be even less for those of us in the midwest, more for homeowners on the west coast. HouseLogic is a site provide by the National Association of Realtors. A lot of helpful information is provided on any addition you may be thinking of making to your home, even a second story!

To see more on this article go  to: http://www.houselogic.com/articles/family-room-addition-return-investment/

I love these as we have probably all heard them, or done them ourselves!

1)     Any Remodel is a Good One. Not the case. As I discussed in my last blog you need to check out and consider many things before considering ANY improvement.

2)   “I CAN DO IT MYSELF”. Sure you can. :-)  All of us have seen the “DIYP” – The ‘Do it Yourself Project’ when our best friend or spouse is so proud of their work but they really should have let a professional do it.

3)    ADDING A POOL ALWAYS ADDS VALUE. Not so. Pools only add value if they are in a climate where they can be used year round. In many cases a pool can reduce the value of a home.

4)   I SHOULD FOLLOW THE LASTEST DESIGN TREND. The key word here is “trend”. That’s what it is, it’ll be on it’s way out before you even get it done. That is fine for $8 throw pillows, not for major improvements.

If you have more myths that you have seen, done or heard, please add to my list!!