I normally try to keep my blogs very work targeted, but I recently came across a really heartwarming story that I wanted to share here.
Gracy Bonney, whose blog Design Sponge is overflowing with design inspring posts, recently found a stray kitten. The poor little thing was out in the freezing cold, underweight, and when they took her to the vet she tested positive for FIV. You can read the whole blog here (and I suggest you do, it is really wonderful), but the quick version is that becuase Gracey blogged about this and reached out to her readers, she was able to find a forever home for the kitten.
Just look how happy that kitty is : )
Not only is this story inspiring to me as an animal lover, it is inspiring to me as someone who blogs. No only is blogging a tool for building a business, it is also a way to connect people from all different spheres of life. The internet has given us instant access to people near and far, who come together to read and share and bond over common interests. So, I just wanted to post today to celebrate that : )
Large rooms are a great selling feature, but without staging, the empty space can feel hollow and lack that home feeling that helps potential buyers bond with the house. I staged to show off the spacious rooms, high ceilings and natural lighting. For more pics or to check out the listing, click here.
I meant to write a new years post on the first of this year, and somehow it is already over a week in and time is flying past at full speed. So, one of the things that made 2011 great was that I increased my blogging…
Now admittedly I had only posted 4 blogs in 2010, (so maybe that 850% is not quite so impressive). But in 2011 I made it a goal to try and blog at least 3 times a month, as a first time blogger it was a big step for me.
Some other things made this year so great:
–Having one of my staged units toured by the mayor, and featured on our local news
–Having a blog post featured on ActiveRain
–Finally getting an Ipad (goodness is that a lifesaver)
And of course:
– Working with so many wonderful clients and Realtors : )
“Warm colors are said to advance or appear more active in a painting, while cool colors tend to recede; used in interior design or fashion, warm colors are said to arouse or stimulate the viewer, while cool colors calm and relax. “
Home Stagers have a lot of experience working with neutral tones: such as tan. When talking about tradition interior design using warm and cool color pairings, this neutral tone needs special consideration.
Tan is a unique color, it combines the warm tones of brown with the cool tones of white. Because of this it can read as either cool or warm depending on the accent colors used with it. Since tan is also a neutral tone (and us stagers love our neutrals), it is important to anchor it to a strong accent color. In the case of a recent staging I did on 5930 SE Lafayette St, Portland OR, I used blue (which is one of my favorite colors to pair with this tone tan) as the secondary color in the staging.
If sites like PSDisasters are any clue, people have become keenly aware of photoshoping and photo editing in mainstream advertising; and can recognize when it is manipulative and done poorly. I personally don’t consider myself a “technology person” but even I have been able to recognize some very poorly manipulated photos posted online by well meaning Realtors (not by any that I’ve worked with ; )
So, I thought I’d post some examples of what not do to. Ever. Seriously!
Original:
Here is the example photo I’ll be using, and I will be manipulating to show off the kinds of things I’ve seen done online : )
The Stretch:
I think that this is a mistake that is often started honestly. The Realtor decides to crop out something along the edge of the photo, and then stretches the photo to fit the original size.
Look at the way the microwave and stove are stretched. I have seen this technique used on photos of small kitchens, and bathrooms (where all of a sudden the sink looks disproportionately huge).
People viewing this photo can tell it has been cropped and stretched, and it will make them question the integrity of the Realtor (as well as assuming the worst about the size of the room).
The Color Change
Again, this can start as an honest mistake. The coloring of the photo are off, or the lighting is off, and all of a sudden what started out as a few simple tweaks spirals out of control. A potential buyer should never be surprised that the wall color/carpets/etc. are not as they appeared in the ad.
The Eraser/ Clone Away:
I’m sure everyone has seen this at least once. Where obviously there was something in frame that the Realtor decided would be better to just paint or clone out. Of course the potential buyer can tell this has been done, and the things they imagine could have been in that photo are nearly always going to be far worse then whatever it was. They will also wonder what else the Realtor is trying to hide about the house.
Easiest way to never have these problems? Hire a professional stager and professional photographer : )
Staging doesn’t have to cost a bundle; even just staging a few rooms can help a potential buyer see the potential in your home. In the case of this house, we ended up just staging the dining room and the living room.
Though only these two rooms were staged, they set the tone for the entire home – making it much easier for the potential buyer to imagine what all the rooms would look like fully furnished.
I just saw an article about a woman who is camping out in front of a Best Buy with her friends just to make sure they don’t miss out on any of those Black Friday sales… So I guess it’s that time of the year again, where soon enough our tummies will be full of Thanksgiving treats, and we will be gearing up for Christmas shopping (and those who don’t celebrate Christmas will be trying to ignore the frantic herds of people shopping).
Now, as you guys know, I’m a big supporter of living Green and eco-friendly companies. Since I like to not just find that perfect gift, by also support companies that have strong environmental values, I decided to showcase an up and coming local Portland business:
Ah!Natural Baby focuses on making safe, organic, eco-friendly baby toys. It was created by two brothers who wanted their nephew to have safe toys to play with. As their slogan says: “Your child never worries about what goes in their mouth, neither should you!”
All their blocks are made from Pacific Northwest wood, and the dyes they use are natural plant based; made from berries, spices and vegetables. Their blocks are so adorable, and they ship anywhere in the U.S.
So, check them out, and why not take this time of the year as an opportunity to support our local businesses : )
K-Station is promoting a portion of their housing to lower income, and first time home buyers. This has created a unique situation for staging, because there are two distinctly different demographics that the Killingworth Station Condos are being marketed to.
While both share green ideals, one is a slightly older well established upper or middle class professional. While the other is the young artistic Portland hipster or trendsetter who is a first time homeowner hoping to find an eco-friendly home.
I ended up staging two different condos, below is a side by side of the different ways I staged each in order to better target that demographic. The images on the left are for the first time homeowner condo, and the images on the right are targeting the established professional.
Just click on the images to enlarge them. And click HERE for Killingsworth Station’s official webpage : )
