What is this Space?

What is the purpose and function of this space?  Can you guess?  Well prospective buyers can't either and really you don't want them guessing.  When you are selling your house the spaces within need to plainly let the buyer looking know what they are looking at and what the space is used for.  The picture here is a rather extreme example but is one that many homeowners make and don't rectify when selling.  This is the master bedroom but when space is short homeowners often double up the function of the room so that it does double often triple duty.  So then what are the messages given to the prospective buyer.  Yes, there isn't enough space here for my needs either and I thought there were 4 bedrooms. . . hmm!   This next picture clearly lets the prospective buyer know what they are looking at.  Yes, no mistaking that this is the Master Bedroom.  No clutter of office/den/whatever you guess it to be. 

Master Bedroom - same view as above!

Now what do you think about this space?  Again the purpose and function of this space is confused and so will be buyers looking at your property.  Is it an office, a den, a family room?

Well it is actually a family room and has a wonderful view to the back garden.  However, all that buyers will see here is the office clutter.  After being staged, the function of the space became clear although the owners still insisted that they needed a small desk for their computer.  Well, OK.  The house sold in three days over asking!  

 

View into the Family Room after.  The small desk is more discreet.

The final example here is that of a wasted space that was being used for storage mainly.  It is just inside the front door and off to the side.  When staging it is often a good idea to give the prospective buyer an idea of what they might use the space for other than just storage.  

Just the spot for a chair for reading in the sun and let's move the desk into the alcove behind the staircase so that you might also have a place to write or use your laptop. 

                

Reading nook after

                      Now the prospective buyer will have no difficulty knowing what they can use this space for.  The purpose and function have been clarified.

Small desk in the corner

What Makes Me different?

I pride myself on what makes me different.  I value being with my clients and associates so much that I usually turn off my phone when I am with them so that I can fully attend to them without interruptions.  I find it very annoying when I am with someone and in the name of "good customer service" they are constantly attached to their phone.  I find it highly insulting actually to be in the middle of a conversation to realize that the other person is actually reading their latest text message.  Come on now!  Or their phone is constantly ringing and they say "Oh, I just have to get this quickly".  OK, what were we talking about?

I always return calls when I leave a clients' appointment to others.  I think that waiting a bit doesn't really hurt.  One can be too accessible and no, I don't take my phone into the bathroom and I don't talk when driving (usually).  Clients give me feedback that I don't rush them, that I pay full attention to them and this is what I am striving for.  Being "client-centered" means just that; being present fully when there with them.  Thank you Carl Rogers - I knew that some of those psych courses would pay off!  Actually it's just good common sense and respect for others!  So be assured that when we are meeting you will have my full attention.  How else will I get to know you and understand what your needs are?

I Like to Create Beauty in Homes. . . but

I love nature and I love to create beauty in homes both inside and out.  However, I am now faced with a dilema.  Wasps have decide that one of my gardens was prime real estate for them and they moved in.  Don't blame them you know, I like it too.  So what to do.  I first noticed this nest a week or so ago when trimming some overgrowth.  I actually bumped right into it. Boy did I move quickly as wasps flew all around me.  Guess they didn't like the intrusion.  I received only two stings, but felt very insecure as previously I have been told that I am allergic and must use an epipen and go straight to the hospital.  Well the nearest hospital is 20 minutes away and I was all alone.  No epeipen either as the latest advice is that I really don't need one as I only swell up and don't experience breathing difficulties.  So this was a test.  (I guess I passed as I'm still here writing this).  I swallowed a few allergy pills and went out to look at the nest again; this time from a safer distance.  The wasps had attached their home to the side of one the the plant supports and it was the size of a small hardball. 

A few weeks later and the nest has grown to the size of a small canteloupe.  So I have made a decision.  My garden is becoming too overgrown so the nest has to go.

I feel like such a home wrecker!  If I could only transport the nest into the field or somewhere else where we could all live in harmony, but alas, this is not to be.  I bought wasp spray and one of these nights my husband will be out there spraying away (what, you thought I would do it, not in your life!).  Sorry wasps but location, location, location is sometimes not all it's cracked up to be (wasp, lol)!

"Living in Your Home" Re-Staging - The Master Bedroom

The bed bumps into you as soon as you enter the room.

This Master Bedroom needed a makeover.  My task was to make an appealing and calm retreat with very little budget.  This is the goal of re-staging to re-use, re-purpose, re-arrange and re-organize.  The owners liked the paint colour so this was one of the areas not needed to be looked at.  The layout of the room was awkward.  The bed bumped into you as soon as you entered the room.  Not very inviting.  And as you can see, the bedding colours dated back to the 90"s.  Also, there appeared to be too much stuff everywhere; books and magazines mounted up on the bed-side tables spilling onto the floor and way too much clutter to have the room be the haven they desired.  So the room was stripped down to the bare essentials - just the furniture.

Too much clutter spilling onto the floor.

The bed is now the focal point of this room

The first thing to do was to look at the layout.  What did the homeowners want the focus of this room to be.  To give them a hint, they were shown pictures of other Master Bedrooms and they soon realized that moving the bed around to the far end wall would place it as a welcoming focal point as soon as you entered the room.  The dresser with the triple mirror was then moved around to where the bed used to be and everything was moved down the walls a few feet to effectively utilize more of the room space.  The only purchases that needed to be made were new bedding in a soft sage and new lamps. Other items were re-purposed from other areas of the home.

The less cluttered look makes the room appear more peaceful

View of the other side of this Master Bedroom

Simple changes, big difference.  This is what re-   staging can do for your home at very little cost.  For more information about "Living in Your Home" Re-Staging, contact HomeReady Home Staging.