Staging in an Artistic View

This video captures several rooms we staged in a home that recently sold in Louisville. The owners had remodeled the home and put in new finishes and paint. They picked neutral colors to help the home appeal to as many buyers as possible, but still, the home needed a little color and life. That's what furniture and accessories added! Our friend Leigh Cushing created this video and took the pictures. She is just starting to get her feet wet in the photography world and we think she did a great job on this one! Hope you enjoy!

Boxes Everywhere

I probably don't need to tell you that moving is a pain. Overwhelming is not a big enough word for it. I've moved six times in the last eight years, so maybe that makes me an expert, or maybe not. At any rate, I have learned a few things that have helped me feel less overwhelmed.

If you're moving yourself, spend a hundred dollars and buy some boxes from U-Haul or Lowe's. Pack everything possible in the boxes and label them--what's in the box and what room it goes in. It's easier to pack things up ahead of time, label your boxes, and stack them neatly in a designated area. I suggest buying from U-Haul or Lowe's or some other box store because they'll be uniform and easier to stack. When it comes time to move, just load them into the truck. They ride safely, then at the new location, you can stack the boxes in the garage or in one room, out of the way, and haul them in one at a time to the right rooms and upack them as you go.

When I helped Conor and Liz move last year, late in the afternoon, after making many trips up and down stairs, Liz stood in the middle of boxes piled in the kitchen, looking overwhelmed and said, "Tell me what to do." Everywhere she looked there was work to do!

I know from experience that you will feel beetter if one room looks done, while the rest of the house looks like a warehouse. "Put your dining room table and chairs together, " I told her. "Clear everything out of the dining area and you'll have one finished room (albeit the easiest one.) So, she found a screwdriver, put the legs on the table, set the chairs around it, and even found the modern decorative bowl for its center--and felt better.

Which brings me to a final point. Make the place yours as soon as you can. That means hanging artwork and setting out your favorite things. It will make you feel at home, and the sooner you feel at home the better!

Update a Living Room

Recently I worked with a client who wanted me to help her choose paint and "do something" with her living room. The room featured a comfortable neutral couch and loveseat, oak tables and entertainment center, lots of pictures of family and lots of doonies. A couple of crocheted afghans covered the backs of the furniture. The room was fine, looked lived-in, but she asked for my help, so I made some suggestions:

Paint-As I've said before, paint is the cheapest most wonderful way to add color and warmth and to update a room. She chose taupe for three walls and rust for the accent wall.

Entertainment Center-Downsize to a television stand and a smaller piece of cabinetry to house some of her collectibles. This would give her more options for placing furniture and take the focus away from the television.

Afghans-They were dated and made the room look like Grandma's house. Fold them and put them in a basket beside the couch or hearth. Buy a colorful, modern throw and a few pillows to tie in with the new paint colors she chose for the walls.

Declutter-DVDs and CDs were arranged neatly on racks and on the entertainment center, but they contributed to the clutter. Since they rarely watched the DVDS or listened to the CDs, I told her if she must keep them, but put them away in a closet.

Doonies--This is a word my friend Julie usess to describe little stuff--mementos, souveniers, little gifts your kids gave you--you get the picture. To update a room, decide what really has meaning for you, get rid of what is there just because it's always been there and think of new ways to display what you already have. For example, framed photographs. Why not buy a beautiful album and put your 8 x 10s in the album. Then set it on the coffee table so you and your guests can flip through and see your unique family.

Fireplace Mantel-Clear the mantel and decide what really needs to be there. Large pieces of art, pottery, or a vase with sticks or reeds may be all it needs. Add a large framed picture, either lean it or hang it (off-center is very now). Make the mantel a showcase for your finer things.

We get used to spaces we see every single day. If you haven't changed a room in seven years, it's probably time to take a fresh look. Of course, SpaceLift would be glad to help!

Staging Consultation Gets Rave Review

In May, a realtor client of ours hired us to do a walk-through of her seller's house . The home owner was delightful--funny and receptive to our suggestions. We enjoyed working with him so much. Here's what he thought of us:

I have a very unusual, beautiful home in the foothills of Boulder that needed help in preparation for sale.

My first impression of the SpaceLift team was that they were friendly, professional and thorough. Their advice was very practical, well thought out and did not require large expenditures. They also knew how to take what existed and just rearrange it to make an incredible feel and visual difference.

For example, after their two-hour survey of my home they verbally conveyed some of the ideas that they had. In one instance I asked for a clarification. The next thing I knew they were running up and down stairs carrying furniture, lamps, etc. This was beyond what they had signed up for. They took one of the most important spaces in the house, the main one that you see upon entering, and turned it into something stunning. They used items that I was planning on throwing away--junk! For them, it was just a little rearrangement, but to me it was like magic. It was like something out of HGTV. I wanted to say OMG, but of course didn't--maybe I did. It was a very powerful example of what they could do.

So, yes I recommend them.

Jerry

Solving Problems

It seems that each project we have is about solving problems. How to make a room look larger, how to bring more light in, how to make clients' furniture work in an awkward space. How to update a faux-stone fireplace.

Back to the CWEE boutique I blogged about last time. When I made the curtains for the dressing rooms I had to solve the problem of how to hang them. The rods were glued together so whatever I used had to be removable. Plus the rods were too large to use shower curtain rings. When I have a problem to solve, I involve other people....anybody who will think with me! With the suggestion of the Lowe's lady in hardware section, I bought 40 U-bolts. I made button holes in the curtains so they would slide through easily. Conor and Liz and I had to brainstorm about how to make sure the curtains would balance without sliding to one side or the other. The solution was to bend the bottom bracket so they would fall to the center. I love the way the bolts fit in with our industrial theme!

We are still solving problems on this project---the CWEE Staff, Conor and Liz, the Lowe's lady, the guy in the plumbing department--the list goes on. Next week we'll finish the display cases, hang mirrors and plan our Open House. I'll post pictures when we get it all finished.

CWEE Gets a New Boutique

Do you remember when you were a kid, dressing up the basement to make a clubhouse? Well, that's what we've been doing lately--converting a basement storage room into a funky place for a used clothing boutique for CWEE--the Center for Work Education and Employment. Check out their website to learn more at http://www.cwee.org/.

We chose an industrial theme--since it is a basement room, with chain link fence dividing each storage area--we decided we would just make the most of it.

On Saturday, Conor and Liz used black ABS pipe and fittings to create the framework for three dressing rooms. We made side walls out of faux-leather and curtains from funky black, white and gray fabrics. To hang the curtains, I bought U-bolts that would fit around the pipes.

CWEE staff, Key Bank volunteers and Zonta volunteers cleared the room on Monday and Tuesday and cleaned it from water pipes to the cracked concrete floor. Then the painting began--one brick wall was transformed from dingy white to crisp, spring green.

My Grandma said, "Many hands make light work." Well, it wasn't light work, but many hands did some heavy-duty work and really made this project come together.

I've attached some pictures of the first stages and will post the rest when the project is finished. We're pretty proud of it!

A Little Help from a Friend

Here's a note from our friend and client, Jan in Denver. She has fabulous taste in furniture and art! She just wanted a little help with her bedroom and office.

Last year I had my bedroom painted--three walls are orchid and the accent wall is salmon! I lived with this for a year, wondering if it was too bold, not sure if the colors were right at all. This is a departure from my usual choices of warm, neutral colors. I needed help, though, pulling the room together. My spare room was also dismal. It lacked a purpose. It was Lois to the rescue. She lent me the push I needed to finish both rooms.

For the bedroom, we went shopping and chose funky fabric for a chair that really works with the room. We found a metallic framed mirror to hang above the dresser, checked on lighting and an area rug and decided to remat and reframe a print from my trip to Singapore to pull the colors together. I'm still looking for a trio of prints to mount above the headboard. All the accessories really brought harmony to the room! It is a wonderful place to read and tuck myself into at night.

I had already chosen paint for the office, a gold/brown, an Elfa shelving unit for the wall above a simple desk and a great paprika chaise for reading. Lois painted the office and helped arrange the books and accessories on the shelves so that it looked artful, not just functional! We shopped for an area rug, hung artwork, positioned the chaise perfectly so that this room says "this is my space to work and relax!" I love it!

Thanks, Lois!
Jan H.

Everywhere We Look There's Work To Do!

If you haven't heard, we've moved. Liz and Conor moved to a new condo and then I moved two days later. We helped each other in both cases and therefore didn't get our own houses in order as fast as we usually would. Now, everywhere we look, there's work to do!

Moving to a new home is physical, but it's also very emotional. If you're downsizing, you miss all the comforts you had in your bigger place. If you're combining households, compromise brings harmony, but also the pain that comes from relinquishing control. On the other hand, moving to a new home can be a thrilling experience--full of anticipation for the new life ahead that it symbolizes.

My move is a temporary one--so that brings a different set of emotions. I'm unsettled and feel like I don't belong here. I'm nesting in, but not too much. I miss having all my things easily accessible. I focus on the white walls and want oh-so-badly to paint so the rooms don't feel so bland so I can feel at home.

No matter what the emotions you experience, I go back to my old rule. Hang your pictures and create familiar spaces with your things in the new unfamiliar place. Invite friends over--they will help you feel familiar and at-home in your new habitat. I know I will feel at home eventually--just about in time for the next move!

Celebrate Earth Day

Tomorrow virtually every country in the world is celebrating Earth Day. The first Earth Day was in 1970--that was before the first energy crisis, before PCPs were banned because of their effect on wildlife and ground water, before recycling was common.

I recycled when it wasn't popular, have carried canvas tote bags to the grocery store for the last 25 years, turn my heat down when I'm not at home or when I'm snug under the covers. I have high efficiency appliances and don't run my dishwasher till it's full. But still, there are many more things I could do as an individual to make my home more energy efficient and to reuse natural resources or recycle manmade materials.

Today Liz, Conor and I attended the Rocky Mountain Green Expo in Denver, hosted by the Colorado Chapter of the Green Building Council. We checked out all kinds of sustainable building products: composite deck materials made from recycled materials, flooring made from recycled nylon carpet, plaster made of clay for redoing walls. We talked to vendors about solar panels and the latest in skylights, and zero VOC paint.

As we move our business forward and do more interior design, we will recommend more earth-friendly materials to our clients. We want to build our reputation as being green designers.

As I write this, I'm thinking about other things I can do as an individual to protect this good earth. Will you let me know how you're going green these days? I hope to hear from you!

Life is Good!

April Fool’s Day

I really have to get better at blogging. It’s been two months since I posted here. I’m pledging to do it once a week--no fooling. Please check back and keep me honest!

A lot can happen in two months. Liz and I have had several successes lately.
I sold my house! Actually the buyers and I agreed on a contract seven weeks after I listed it. We’ll close on April 29.
We staged a house in Lafayette on March 18 and two days later it was under contract.
We asked the Universe to give us a place to put our furniture and just today got a client who wants his house staged this weekend. It is our intention to move furniture from one house to another without having to store it. Life is good!

Repurpose Furniture for a New Look

One of our favorite clients, Bette, called us and wanted us to redesign her master bedroom. She was nervous—her furniture was old, mismatched, just stuff she liked that she'd picked up at thrift shops and yard sales. Could we help?

We assured her that most of us have mismatched furniture—things we’ve gathered over the years and maybe that don’t have much value, but we love those special things.

I have repurposed a couple of old pieces in my bedroom. My dresser is a beautiful buffet that used to be a dining room piece. It’s mahogany and I first bought it to serve as storage in my office when I was working in a Victorian-style house. I refinished it when I brought it home and have used it for storage in my home office, as a buffet in my dining room to hold placemats, napkins, candle holders and china, and now I use it as a dresser.

The nightstand beside my bed is an old treadle sewing machine—the first piece I refinished back when I was 22. In the 70’s this was a popular thing to have—filled with ferns or other plants. It is still pretty, a little wobbly, but holds a lamp and goes with the rest of the room.

I recently added a headboard. I wish I’d taken a picture of it before I worked on it so you could see the improvement. Painted white, chipped and plain, it was the pearl I found at an antique street fair in September for $25. It is not a great piece of furniture, but I stripped it, stained it, added scroll-work I bought at Lowe’s and painted the edges with a brass patina paint. It looks great! For less than $50 and a few days’ work in my garage this winter, I’m pretty pleased with it.

So, take a look at what you have that you could move around in your house and repurpose. Would painting or adding new drawer pulls help update it? You’d be surprised how you can add new life and beauty to a room. Maybe when times are better you can go out and buy that $2,000 piece of furniture. But for now, reusing or repurposing is environmentally friendly and easy on the budget.

Staging My Own House for Sale

Between Christmas and New Year’s I decided to put my house on the market. So my family put it in gear to make it look the best it possibly can so maybe a first time buyer will come along and fall in love with it and take advantage of the tax credit.

When Liz and I stage a house we give sellers this advice: repair what needs to be repaired so the house is in move-in condition, add an area rug in the living space to pull it together and add color, remove clutter and family photos so the buyers can see the space and imagine themselves living in the house, and clean everything so it shines!

So I took our advice:

I bought an area rug for the living room. The carpet is contractor beige, and the new rug really adds color and style to the room—pulls it together.

Conor laid a new floor—oak laminate—in the kitchen and entryway. When I bought the house almost two years ago, the floor was scarred from someone scooting a refrigerator into place. So, for future reference, always put something under the wheels—plywood or carpet—to roll the fridge into place. It’s heartbreaking to tear flooring you just put down.

I replaced the ceiling in my coat closet that Handyman Judd cut out when looking for a burst pipe before I moved in. That hole has been there all this time—so I finally got around to it. Working in a two by two foot cubicle, trying to nail boards to brace the drywall above my head, standing on a step stool that doesn’t fit so I had to lean it against the wall, dropping every other drywall screw as I drilled them into place—well, needless to say, that little project took entirely too long. But when it was spackled and painted and dry, it was a lot better than the hole!

Conor replaced a doorknob on the kitchen door that leads into the garage with a lever handle and deadbolt that will use the same key as the front door.

Liz took down my Christmas tree and decorations, took pictures and will list the house this week. She reminded me to take down my family photos—now, that’s a hard one. Do I really have to take down my son’s precious baby pictures, toddler pictures, high school pictures, oh, and my nieces and nephews—everyone I love? Yes, that’s what we tell our clients, so that’s what I must do. I’ll get a head start on packing and pack those distractions away. Buyers need to look at the house and picture themselves living here.

I bought new hand towels for the powder room and touched up paint around the house, and painted the handrail going up the stairs. I cleared out some of the stuff in my closets so they look bigger. And I gave the house a good cleaning—ceiling fans to baseboards. It does look fantastic!
I have to admit, I love this little house even more now. I plan to enjoy the improvements until moving day.