http://homesite.obeo.com/708123

http://homesite.obeo.com/708123

http://homesite.obeo.com/706220

http://homesite.obeo.com/706220

Bathrooms are very personal spaces

Bathrooms are very personal spaces in our home.  We do very personal things in the bathroom and here we use and store very personal products ranging from soaps to shampoos to creams, toothpaste and so on.  It's usually the first place we visit in the morning and the last place we go to in the evening and then, if you are like me, you may visit the bathroom during the night too!  We usually are the only one in the bathroom too for many of the activities that take place here. 
So what is the point here you might be asking.  Well, think of me as a potential buyer for your house.  Knowing that the bathroom is a very personal place, I would not want to see this:



Bathroom is dingy and cluttered with reminders of others using this very personal space.

I don't want to be reminded of all the personal things that take place by others in a bathroom that I will use if I buy the house.  I want to see a bathroom that is pristine, unspoiled by the reminders of other's use so that I will feel comfortable doing the very personal things that I do in the bathroom.  This is often how potential buyers will see a bathroom so it really is up to you as the seller to ensure that your bathroom is presented in the most acceptable way as possible to help get your house sold most effectively. 

This bathroom invites the buyer by its pristine presentation.  Who wouldn't want to use this bathroom?

A Professional Home Stager can help you with all the tips to so that your bathroom will look like this too when you are selling your house.

You can contact HomeReady Home Staging at 613-894-4155, homeready@homereadyhomestaging.ca for more information about booking a consultation appointment.

Luxurious Living On Any Budget

Luxurious Living On Any Budget - by Lori Gilder

Even in this tough economy, people have maintained their taste for luxury in spite of their budgetary limitations.   But there's always a little wiggle room when it comes to indulging - and adding a touch of luxury to any space doesn't need to cost a fortune. 
   

Photo via Elle Decor



For an instant infusion of luxury introduce a wall or two of exquisite wallcovering.  From the most magnificent laser-cut patterns, flocked textures, subtle grasses, silks and metallics - the products available are endless - and a little goes a long way. 
  

Photo via Elle Decor



Add mirrors into your design scheme.  I'm not just referring to wall hung mirrors - although they're great - but introducing strategically placed mirrored surfaces into any room of your home. 
Reflective surfaces brighten a space and create that extra layer of sparkle, texture and luxury.  A mirrored chest in the foyer or master bedroom, glass or mirrored tiled backsplash in the kitchen, or inset mirrored sections framed by paneling and molding to add glamour and sophistication in your living room.

Frette Linens and Towels



Luxurious towels are the ultimate indulgence that makes your bathroom an oasis.  Get the feeling and look of richness by cocooning in some Egyptian cotton towels.  The longer the loop the softer and more absorbent the towel.  Display them if possible stacked neatly in an open shelf or on top of the bathtub decking. 

Photo via Freshome



Luxurious metallic fabrics in silver bronze and gold layered with sheers are very beautiful and indulgent in formal living room and bedroom spaces.  Keep it classic by draping these fabrics from a classic metal rod.   

Photo via Barclay Butera



Splurge just a little by investing in some of your favorite fabrics and trims to create those sumptuous accent pillows to sprinkle throughout your living spaces.  Use contrasting fabrics on the reverse sides for greater flexibility and just flip them when the seasons change.
What have you done to add a touch of luxury to your home?  

Lori Gilder, is an Award winning Interior Designer specializing in high-end residential renovations and additions. Lori is the CEO and Founder of Interior Makeovers Inc. and LoriGilder.com. She is dedicated to providing accessible design expertise and guidance, tailored to fit each individual homeowners lifestyle.  Sign Up Now to receive your FREE copy of "15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation" LoriGilder.com


To help you get some of the looks posted here contact HomeReady Home Staging and Interior Redesign, 613-894-4155, homeready@homereadyhomestaging.ca .  I'd love to meet with you!  Cheers!
Kathryn

Buyer Beware

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a tree-hugger, so when I found out that Hydro One had marked about 20 trees to come down behind my neighbours house, I was pretty upset.  The trees in full foliage have provided a beautiful living screen to the open field and road beyond.  It was like living in a park! 

Taken in May as the leaves were coming out

View of the "park" through the trees!

So you can imagine how awful I felt earlier this week when Hydro One crews came by to do their dastardly deed!  One by one the trees toppled and we were left with an exposed view.  Gone was the pretty park like setting and home to many different bird spieces.  I actually haven't heard the birds singing for a few days now at all. 

Hydro One at work

View after of the "park"

Under the hydro wires where there used to be trees!

The exposed view!

Is there a lesson to be learned?  Sure and buyer beware, if you are looking at a home to buy that has trees planted under hydro wires - look out - soon enough the hydro company will come knocking on your door with their chainsaws.  And if you are thinking about planting trees on your property to create a lovely view, look up first - and then plant where they will have freedom to grow and for you to enjoy for years to come!

Roses For Love

I have been working lately with a delightful elderly woman who is hoping to sell her home of 49 years.  Well you can imagine all the collections of things this lady has accumulated during this time.  It seemed that the biggest part of the job was to rid the house of all the stuff so that prospective buyers might be able to see what the house had to offer.  However, I soon realized that it really wasn't all the things surrounding the owner but the memories that this house held for her.  She had raised five children in this house, had been very active in the community and had now been a widow for 21 years.  The plan originally was for her to move from the house shortly after her husband passed away but she couldn't leave and so the years came and went and now here she is, tying to put on a brave face as she sees her possessions being packed away and loaded up.  She has many stories and I sit and listen as she tells me about this painting or how she used to sit at the counter in the kitchen and parpare a meal with her husband.  There is no rushing her.  At times the tears flow but she regains her composure and smiles.  The roses over there she says were the last ones from her husband before he got sick.  I've kept them all these years but I don't think I'll be taking them.  I promise to put together a memory book for her. 
I wonder what this lovely lady will do when she moves.  I've helped her select what she will take with her to the senior's home she's moving into and maybe I will go and have tea with her then.  But she won't have her constant companion, her beloved pet dog.  She has to go elsewhere.  This tears at my heartstrings too. 
My work as a Home Stager, as you can see, is not just paying attention to the physical surround but it is often the people who have lived in the home that has now become simply a house to be sold that makes this work so satisfying.



What's in Your Garage?

What's in your garage is a question that I always ask my clients when I am conducting a Home Staging consultation.  Invariably, I get an embarrassed or sheepish look back and an explanation that it isn't really organized or worse, it looks like bomb has gone off in it. Then they reluctantly open the door and wozzers - they will never or ever have been able to get a car in there.  Toys, bikes, lawn furniture, tools, lawn mowers, and junk can quickly fill up a garage leaving no space for  a single vehicle.  However, a garage (for cars) is often on a home buyers wish list, so it behoves the homeowner to get their garage in order to suggest space, organization and adequate storage.

This is often the most neglected space in a house and unfortunately most often falls short of buyers expectations.  In our climate, a garage for cars is really a welcoming part of the house.  Cars stay cooler in the summer, dryer in the rain and most importantly, in winter, remain warmer (ie they start) and isn't it nice to not have to clean off the snow too! 

As a Home Stager, I do go through the garage with the homeowners and yes make recommendations for organization so just maybe a car can be housed there.  It is not a storage unit for the rest of the house when selling although I have seen many home owners do just that.  Maybe a prospective buyer won't look in the garage.  Yeah, right, but I'm not betting on it if they are serious about your house!

Contact HomeReady Home Staging and Interior Redesign for a free quote on services offered.  You'll be glad you did as You only have one chance to make a great first impression even in the garage!

www.homereadyhomestaging.ca , homeready@homereadyhomestaging.ca , 613-894-4155