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 So don’t let it set a negative tone that your house is outdated.

Outdated immediately screams ‘MONEY NEEDED’ to the buyer and so many times there are easy and inexpensive fixes to update the space.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This house had an outdated bathroom but with classic HIS and HER spaces!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 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

2012 – My Favorite Home Staging for New Construction - Home Staging and 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 favorite and memorable projects.

At the completion of each project I always have so much fun that I think it is my favorite project but upon reflection there are three that really stood out for me in 2012.

The three projects that stand out are:

1) Favorite Home Staging for New Construction.

2) Favorite Redesign Project and,

3) Most Meaningful Project

So here is the first of my three ’2012 Year In Review’ posts!

My ‘Favorite  ‘Home Staging for New Construction’ was not your typical new construction in an all new development in the suburbs. This one was in the heart of the city in an area known for it’s great restaurants and shopping near the “50th and France” area of Minneapolis.

Here is what I saw on my visit to the property:

The house was done in white on white which I love. When I met with the owner he told me he had a vision while designing the home which was the lakes of MN. The blues of the water, the sand of the shores, the peace and calm of the scenery.

Although Home Staging is not decorating, I wanted to do what I could to incorporate his vision for the project as it was close to his heart.

I think the pictures will tell a thousand words of why this was my favorite new construction project.

An incredible entryway to greet you:

A living room for the adults to gather:

A kitchen to make you jump up and down:

A Dining Room of simplicity:

A cozy Family Room for entertaining:

I love working on Home Staging for New Construction projects but this one is at the top of my list. I think you can see why.

Stay tuned for my next post: Favorite Redesign of 2012!

If you have a Home Staging Project of any size contact Rooms With Style, we listen.

“I don’t have time to decorate”.

“I’m starting to dread the holidays because it is so much work”.

“My house is for sale and I don’t have time to take everything out and bring in Christmas items. Plus I need to keep it simple”

“I love the holidays but there just isn’t time for everything”.

“The older I get the harder it is to get it all done”.

Have one of these quotes come from you? Maybe if you are like me it is all of them! Well, the selling part isn’t me but many of you are in the process of selling your home and decorating for the Holiday is a challenge.

I used to decorate for days….and I mean days of decorating for the holiday season. I have at least 25 bins filled with Christmas decor not to mention shelves filled with Christmas Snow Villages.

A few years ago I decided I couldn’t do it all and I needed to pick a few things to make my home feel festive but have it take me only an hour or two to pull together. You can do it too.

The key….keep as much as you can in place and just add a few holiday items to it. Save yourself all the time of carting things to the basement, packing them away only to have to dig them all out again in a few weeks.

Here are some suggestions for my “Easy As 1 – 2 – 3 Holiday Decorating Tips”. If your home is currently on the market these tips will save you a few gray hairs.

Holiday Decortating for Dining Room Center Piece

Don’t remove anything from your centerpiece, leave it as is.  Before……

Just add a string of metallic garland and two metallic Christmas trees. That’s it. Now if your center piece doesn’t look exactly like this it’s okay. My point is take what you have and just add some glitz and glamour.

After…..

Holiday Decorating With Urns

It’s easy to take out whatever you have inside your urns.  Before…..

Simply remove the candles and rocks and replace with Holiday Ornaments. Choose ornaments that you like. White satin is timeless and classic. Okay….move the urns to another table in the house and really mix it up! LOL

After…….

Holiday Decorating with Trays

We all have them and they are a great decorating tool. If you have a tray on a coffee table, side table or buffet it is so easy to change it up for the holidays. Before….

Add  Christmas Ornaments, a string of garland and a couple funky sparklers. Use the same color ornaments that you used in the urns for a consistent look. In this example I stayed with white but I used gloss ornaments and silver metallic for more shine and a few tone on tone patterned in white.

After…..

Holiday Decorating the Tops of Accent Tables

If you have a large floral arrangement don’t struggle to take it away. Use it as a backdrop for your Holiday Scene. Before……

There is nothing better than lights at the holidays so adding something with a string of lights in front of  your arrangement makes it new and fresh for the season without much work.

After……

Holiday Decorating with Open Glass Candle Holders or Lamps

Any open glass item can be changed for the seasons. Candles and lamp bases are the most common. Before……

One $4 glitter filled branch cut into separate twigs and inserted into the base of glass objects changes it from everyday to holiday.

After…..

Holiday Decorating with A Special or Meaningful Piece

We all have special pieces that mean so much to us. A piece that has been handed down in the family or a piece that is the heart of the holiday for you. For me it is a Manger Scene.

Putting in a little thought in the first year to simplify the process will turn your “decorating  day” into an hour or two process. But it will look like you spent all day.

Holiday Decorating really can be as Easy As 1 – 2 – 3!

Before…

An hour  later…..

If you would like assistance with creating your easy holiday decorating plan contact Rooms With Style.

www.RoomsWithStyle.com

952-567-1124

I love outdoor urns in the winter months. They add so much to the front of your house in the cold and drab winter months in the Northern Lands.

Start with basic treetops that you can buy almost anywhere….I got mine at Home Depot in two different heights.

It doesn’t matter what size or color of your urns. I have large black urns by my garage doors as they are a great contrast to the light tan house color.

On the front step I have a smaller white urn that is softer in appearance.

The #1 way to add interest to your Urns is to use different colors and textures of greenery.

Add some twigs and a birch bark branch. These basics in the urn will get you through until April when you are ready to plant flowers.

For the Holiday Season add some drama and pizzazz. You can choose classic and formal or you can do what I did and add some whimsy.

Why not lime green with glitter!

Sparkly white and red for the Christmas touch.

The urns can bring a smile to your face. They are Happy Urns!

Add a touch of glam…..

Gold bejeweled twigs also pick up the sunlight….

Make your guests want to walk up and see what you have hidden…..

Do the unexpected…..

Have some fun with your Outdoor Urns this winter season and think ‘outside’ the box!

www.RoomsWithStyle.com

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.