Bathrooms – Easy Updates, Fixing Awkward Builder’s Errors and A Room That Makes Them Smile!

Home Staging Minneapolis, MN

Yup….you heard me. The bathroom is the perfect place to make the buyer smile.

But first, lets look at how Home Staging can assist with easy updates.

The Master Bath is more important than a guest bathroom. However, the buyer almost always comes to the guest bathroom first as they walk through a home. So don’t let it set a negative tone that your house is outdated.

Outdated immediately screams ‘MONEY NEEDED’ to the buyer and so many times there are easy and inexpensive fixes to update the space.

This guest bath has many negatives but take a look at the mirror.

A standard builder’s mirror can be made to look like an expensive framed mirror for less than $20. Easy as 1 – 2 – 3.

1) Purchase one piece of pre-finished white molding.

2) Measure and cut 4 mitered cuts.

3) Glue directly to the mirror.

That’s it!

A boring mirror now takes on the look of an expensive classy framed mirror. A new light fixture along with a neutral and modern paint color completes the total updated bath. A new light fixture is the easiest way to update your bathroom!

Second, Home Staging can fix awkward wasted spaces.

Some builders just don’t think things through and miss some details no matter how thorough they are. As a Home Stager it is my job to make the space seem natural.

In this luxurious Master Bathroom, the builder left a very awkward space next to the vanity right before the linen closet. It was too late to add more cabinets and fix the error. NEVER LEAVE AN AWKWARD SPACE FOR THE BUYER TO FIGURE OUT.

I decided this was a great space to add some glitz and glamour and actually get them to walk over to the  space to take a look at the detailed touches!

What awkward space??

And last but not least……. make your buyer smile. And isn’t the bathroom the perfect place to do that.

This house had an outdated bathroom but with classic HIS and HER spaces!

Love it. Accent the positive I say….

HERS……. spa, tranquil, sparkle and feminine.

HIS….testoserone, shaving, and flexing his manly biceps!

Who wouldn’t remember this house! But no need…it sold at it’s first showing on Day 1.

Emotion will get them every-time. Every-time. Just make sure it’s a good emotion. LOL

BATHROOMS – they are the most important rooms in the house after the kitchen. So update them, fix awkward spaces and make the buyer remember your house over your competition’s by making them smile.

If you need some suggestions on how to update your bathrooms, call Rooms With Style to set an appointment today! 952-567-1124.

www.RoomsWithStyle.com

2012 – My Most Meaningful Project. Home Staging & Redesign Minneapolis MN

At the end of each year I like to look back and think about the projects I have worked on. I had some that were great, some that were easy, some that were tough and of course I had my favorites or most memorable projects.

At the completion of each project I have almost always had fun but there is always one or two that stood out.  For 2012 I had a few:

1) Favorite Home Staging New Construction,

2) Favorite Redesign Project and,

3) Most Meaningful Project

So here is the third of my three ’2012 Year In Review’ posts: My Most Meaningful Project!

This project won’t make it on the cover of Home Beautiful….it won’t bring any Woos and Haaas over the spectacular furnishings and color.

But….it did bring tears to my eyes and joy to my heart to have the honor to do this quick project.

I received a call one day from a developer that I had staged Model Homes for before but this time he needed some help closer to home. His Mom was going to be moved into a Nursing Home as she was in the final stages of Parkinson’s Disease.

The move was taking place in a couple days and on that day, I only had a few hours to complete the project. My assignment:

1) Pick pieces from her home to take to the nursing home room to make it feel like her home,

2) When I removed pieces from her home….fill in with other pieces so the home looked unchanged, and

3) Do the entire selection, packing, loading, move, unloading (we even moved her hospital bed) and decorate the nursing home room in 3 hours or less.

On the day she was being moved I showed up at her home with my movers and waited to the side as she was put into their vehicle and left her home for the last time.

Her husband of 60 years whom I had never met sobbed in my arms. He couldn’t believe she was leaving their home.

I was then told to also pack up a room of items for the husband as he was going to get an efficiency apartment at the same facility down the hall from her so he would be close by. I still had only 3 hours total!

Nursing Home Room Before:

After: She was greeted with her own items when she was wheeled in…..

I made sure she was surrounded with small mementos and family pictures.

Her Husband of 60 Years: His efficiency down the hall before…..

A few hours later……A cozy room for him at the end of a very difficult and emotional day.

Bedroom on Left Side:

And on the right his favorite recliner, TV and an extra chair for his Grand-kids when they visited.

And a few special photos and mementos to make it seem like home for him. I felt he deserved some flowers too…..

I want to commend the son for what he did. He wanted his Mom to enter her new home (the nursing home room) having it look as much like her own home as possible.  He also wanted to ease the pain for his Dad in taking her there.

What a true sign of love for his Mom and Dad.

I felt the pressure to get this one right more than any other project. I had 3 hours while they drove her around and fed her lunch to do the impossible but in the end it was the best 3 hour project I have ever done.

If you missed the first two 2012 Year In Review Posts check them out at:

2012 – My Favorite Home Staging for New Construction.

2012- My Favorite Redesign Project of the Year.

If you would like assistance with your home contact Rooms With Style. 952-567-1124

2012 – My Favorite Redesign Project. Home Staging & Redesign Minneapolis MN

At the end of each year I like to look back and think about the projects I have worked on. I had some that were great, some that were easy, some that were tough and of course I had my favorites or most memorable projects.

At the completion of each project I have had so much fun and gotten so involved that it feels like I have given birth to a child and it is my favorite. We really shouldn’t have favorite children but how can you not?  For 2012 I had a few:

1) Favorite Home Staging New Construction,

2) Favorite Redesign Project and,

3) Most Meaningful Project

So here is the second of my three ’2012 Year In Review’ posts: My Favorite Redesign Project!

This project was so much fun! First of all it was a lake home about an hour outside of Minneapolis so I got to spend the entire beautiful summer day at the lake!

Second, when working on Redesign projects the purpose is to use as much of the owners items as possible. You take what they have and ‘Redesign’. Well this client had the COOLEST items!

I had worked with this client before on her principal residence in the city so when she called me to come Redesign her lake home I couldn’t wait. I literally arrived on moving day with the movers taking out the past owners things and bringing in my clients things.

I had free rein to do what I wanted and put things where-ever I thought they should go.

Take a look:

Entryway Upon My Arrival:

Entryway Upon My Departure:

Living Room Upon My Arrival:

Living Room Upon My Departure:

Family Room Upon My Arrival:

And My FAVORITE AREA EVER!! Hip Urban Chic Meets the North Woods!!

Family Room Upon My Departure:

So….can you see why it made my Top Favorites List of 2012?

If you missed My first 2012 Year In Review Post check it out at: 2012 – My Favorite Home Staging for New Construction.

If you would like some assistance with your home contact Rooms With Style. 952-567-1124

You Know That Ugly Bookcase You Have?

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis, MN

You know….the one you got in college that you have been moving with you to every new house. Or is it the one you got as a hand me down when you got your first place? Or maybe the one your spouse brought into the marriage that you have always hated?

We all have them. Tucked somewhere in a corner crammed with ‘stuff’. Off in a forgotten guest room or office.

Well, I had one. And it wasn’t tucked in a forgotten guest room. It was in the room right inside the front door. Big, bold and ugly for everyone to see.

(I was already packing up the ‘stuff’ from my husband’s desk that had been in here thus all the piles. And I moved my husband’s office upstairs out of the line of sight of the front door. LOL)

I have been wanting to do something with this ugly bookcase for years and just never found the time.

Well, I still didn’t have the time but when we got new carpet throughout our home last month, everything had to be moved out and I decided I was not going to move that ugly bookcase back into the house until I did something with it.

First step….cut a small hole in the back of the bookcase if one is not already there so you can feed a cord through it. A bookcase with a lamp inside is always a cozy touch.

Second, a coat of Primer which in this case was actually two coats to absorb into the dry wood. (I did not sand down the bookcase).

Then two coats of my favorite white paint color: “White Dove” by Benjamin Moore.

Looking better even with just the primer!

But it is still kind of boring. I wanted to have some fun with it.

So with a rounded tipped paint brush and an image in front of me of a scroll pattern from the internet, I started to free hand the back of the bookcase.

I used my favorite color….any lime green is my favorite color. LOL. In this instance it was “Guacamole” by Pittsburgh paints.

Now that is looking more fun!

For durability I put a coat of urethene over it. Please note that the one I used turned the white paint a soft ivory. I was okay with that. For pure coatings use a water based sealant.

Here it is….dressed for success in all it’s new coats. Ugly no more.

I now love my new sitting area and the bookcase is an eye catcher instead of an eye soar!

So go ahead, take your ugly bookcase and be inspired to make it into something special!

For more DIY Projects and Ideas Follow My Blog!

www.roomswithstyle.com

952-567-1124

DIY: Do It Yourself!  You Never Know Where You Will Find a Treasure!

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis MN

I love to go to flea markets when I have time to browse and let my imagination go. But sometimes you will find a treasure where you least expect it.

I did a home staging consult for a woman who’s mother had passed away and she was getting the house ready to sell. She had emptied the home of many items already but there was still a lot of ‘stuff’ her Mom had collected in her 93 years.

Down in the basement sitting in a corner was an old laundry cart. Rusted….dirty…..wheels not turning anymore. It caught my eye right away!

“That laundry cart is so cute!”

“Do you want it?”

“Absolutely”.

That was the short conversation and I was loading it into my car after the consult and taking it home.

The cart is cute as can be just as it is in red. But nothing in my house is red.

What shall I use it for?? Hmmm…so many choices.

I already have a large round antique laundry cart that I use in my laundry room for dirty clothes so I don’t need a small one.

Hmmm……then it came to me.

So I got busy. I washed it off. Then I spray painted it with Primer.

I let it sit a few hours and then spray painted it with my favorite color. If you say my post “I HAVE A NEW FAVORITE COLOR. DILL PICKLE!”, you probably have a clue.

It’s not Dill Pickle as I wanted a spray paint, not something I had to roll on, but it is close.

Now it is my Craft Cart!

It is perfect. It holds all my spray paints, gloves, canvas boards, cork board, stencils, and more.

This is what worked for me. But how cute would it be in a kids room filled with stuffed animals?

How about in a bathroom filled with rolled up towels? Or by a pool filled with beach towels or water toys??

So be on the lookout for treasures wherever you go. If you like it….get it. You’ll always find a place and a purpose for it.

www.roomswithstyle.com

You know that jingle…..”Gedney…It’s the Minnesota Pickle”. Well….if you are not from MN you probably don’t know it but it is a great pickle made here in MN and their commercials can stick in your head for awhile.

When I go to the MN State Fair I always stop by the Dill Pickle booth and get the Fried Dill Pickles stuffed with Cream Cheese. OH MY GOSH is what I say.

Okay….I digress completely. This really is a Design Blog! Not a Food Blog!! LOL

As much as I love Pickles and as much as my favorite color is Lime Green….there is a paint color by Benjamin Moore called Dill Pickle so how could it be bad?? And it’s not.

I have been wanting to paint this boring white outdoor table I have for 2 years. Plus the tin top had gotten very weather beaten.

I finally got a little break in my schedule and got going.

It was okay white….but it’s outside. Let’s have some fun!

So there is Dill Pickle the paint color for you. What do you think?

I spray painted the worn stainless nautical lamp in gloss white as well to perk that up. Much better.

This color is part of Color Preview by Benjamin Moore. A collection of bold, saturated colors that brings spaces to life for those looking to illuminate their world with pure, extraordinary color.

Have some fun! Eat Dill Pickles and paint Dill Pickle. It’s only paint for crying out loud!

Be Inspired! Add some pieces that make you smile.

THEN RELAX. ENJOY.

www.roomswithstyle.com

Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis MN

952-567-1124

Yes Irene..that’s what I said! Free paint on Saturday!

Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch paint anymore.

All day Saturday at your local ACE HARDWARE store they are giving away a quart of free paint to introduce a new premium paint found exclusively at ACE called Clark+Kensington.

Only a quart you say?? Hey…if you are picking out paint colors for a new room you need a quart to test it out on various walls so this is perfect.

Or if you are like me and have been putting off painting an ugly pine bookshelf you can paint it now for free as all you need is one quart. Or maybe you have a small table, bench or chair that needs a fun color??

See how many things you can do with a quart of paint! Clark+Kensington has the primer already included so I won’t even have to prime my ugly bookshelf first!

Let your Redesign or Home Staging juices flow!!

And here’s another secret…..ssshhhh….on Memorial Day weekend the paint is going to be $7 off per gallon! So get a free quart this weekend to test your color and then get the paint on Memorial Day weekend and save big!

I love my local Ace store! They are friendly, knowledgeable and

most important….available to help you unlike some Big Box stores.

They are each locally owned so even better! Check out your local ACE Hardware today and see if they are giving out free paint on Saturday too!

Need help choosing your paint colors? Let Rooms With Style help!

I am Now a DCC!! And of Course I Had to Reward Myself!

Yes….I just completed my training and received my DCC certification.

No, not Doctor of Chiropractic, that is a DC.

This is much better! Dewey Color Consultant!! How Fun Is That!

Yes, I went throught the two day class to learn now to put together 25,000 color combinations and make no mistakes. I learned so much.

“We Make Color Easy”!

Undertones. Blends. Neutral blends. Split Compliments. Triadic Color Schemes. Achromatic Color Schemes.

What if my client wants a triadic color scheme with a neutral blend? Is that okay??

Now I know with certainty! My clients don’t need to know those terms, I just need to help them decide what colors they love and how to put them together.

Better yet, if a husband and wife have totally opposite tastes in color I now know how to find some common ground. I now have the tools to do so.

OH…AND OF COURSE I HAD TO REWARD MYSELF AFTER COMPLETING THE CLASS.

What better way than with a new bag. AND WHAT A BAG!!

It holds my ‘Dewey Color Coordinator’ and ‘Embrace Hue You Are’ Books perfectly plus my note pad.

Isn’t it fun? Oh…and what color scheme is it?? LOL

Are you looking for assistance with color in your home but are afraid of color? Don’t know where to start or what colors to put together?

As a Certified Dewey Color Consultant Shar Sitter from Rooms With Style can give you the confidence to pick the right paint and fabric colors for one or multiple rooms.

Yes….That’s What I Said. This is Part 5 in my 4 Part Series on “Home Staging is More Than De-Cluttering and Moving Furniture”.

So don’t tell me I can’t count, I know, I know!

I first told you that this would be a four part series featuring one home and suggestions I made in each room. I wasn’t going to include the bedroom and I wasn’t going to include the kitchen because that had been a separate post.

But then I thought, why not highlight the Master Bedroom even if the suggestion was basic? And why not show the kitchen again for those that missed it since it is all the same house.

So, the bedroom.

My suggestion: buy some simple luxurious bedding and make this room feel like the best Five Star Boutique Hotel you have ever been in. Think escape, retreat, a sanctuary from the kids and life.

The homeowner decided at the last minute to have me bring in furnishings from my warehouse since I was doing other rooms. This wouldn’t have been needed as there was nothing wrong with her furniture. But she wanted to get settled in her new home.

I also suggested paint for the room and it definitely added warmth.

When staging a bedroom the linens should be neutral but it doesn’t have to be boring. It can be fun and have some pizazz.

Throw pillows, large lamps to frame the bed….you get the idea.

So now for the kitchen. In my post: “Are Your Kitchen Cabinets Dated But You Don’t Have Thousands of Dollars for New?” I highlighted the kitchen in this home. You can link back and read the entire post but I wanted to recap it here so you can see the entire house with all the suggestions I made. Here is the kitchen.

I suggested painting both the upper and lower cabinets and purchasing stainless steel appliances. What a difference!! The counter tops look like new and the modern “dark on bottom light on top” cabinet mixture looked great.

Miss any of the series? Here is a recap so you can catch up on what you missed:

Part  1: The Family Room

Part  2: The Living Room

Part 3: The Dining Room

Part 4: The Porch

The Kitchen Post

Home Staging is so much more than de-cluttering and moving furniture so call Rooms With Style for expert advice on how to get your home in top selling condition.

952-567-1124

www.roomswithstyle.com

Home Staging Isn’t Just About De-Cluttering and Moving Furniture Around – Part 4

Staging A Home – Minneapolis, MN

This Four Part Series takes place in one home and I am highlighting the suggestions I made to the client in various rooms.

Part 4: The Porch

This porch was an addition; built around the original stucco exterior of the home. It looks out onto a stunning landscaped yard. Let’s take a look.

ERRrrrrrrrkkkkkkkkk……hold on! Is it the porch???

Let’s check again……maybe we took a wrong turn.

Nope I think it’s the porch but it sure is looking like an office to me.

Pretty tough to sell a wonderful 4-season porch (a huge plus in Minnesota) when it isn’t looking like a porch.

Easy Home Staging suggestion: Stage it for it’s original purpose.

That’s it. No paint, no repairs, no lighting changes. Just stage it for what it is.

Priceless!!

To Read More From This Series:

Part 1: The Family Room

Part 2: The Living Room

Part 3: The Dining Room

Oh….and Surprise!! I decided to add a 5th part to this 4 Part Series!

Need home staging advice? Rooms With Style is the Premier Home Staging Firm in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area with an entire warehouse of furniture and accessories to assist with your every home staging need.

952-567-1124    www.roomswithstyle.com