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.