Sale! Sale! Sale!

If you enjoy holiday decorating this is a great time to visit stores and take part in some great sales! Many decorations are marked down to 50% off the original price. Saving money is always a good thing and next year you won't have to run out and gather any pieces. Another great way to save money is to make your own decorations. It's also a fun thing to do with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

Natasha, Jennifer & I would like to take this time to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Keep safe, reconnect with friends and family members and we'll see you in the new year!

Toilet Sale

If you are in need of a new toilet they are having a great sale this weekend at Lowe's. A new Lowe's store just recently opened it's doors in Orleans. To keep up with other retail stores they have created some great deals. If you buy an American Standard Flowise Dual Flush toilet you will receive another one for FREE!!!! Hurry in because they are only offering this until Sunday to first 300 customers. The toilet is worth $209 and has the advantage of having a low water consumption. It also has a good MAP rating of 800 grams. The MAP rating is how many grams of solid can flush per one flush, 1000 grams being the highest. The higher the toilet is rated on the MAP test, the better it is.

Happy Toilet Shopping!

Wall Tattoos

Wall tattoos are a distinctive and creative way to liven up a space. They provide a unique solution to décor dilemmas as well as create an eye catching feature that is sure to attract attention. Wall tattoos are easy to remove wall applications that are available in a broad range of categories. Pictures, words and phrases are available and the option to create very your own artwork. Installation is just a matter of peel and stick because of a self adhesive finish on the back. This makes wall tattoos very easy to remove or reapply. These tattoos are used both residentially and commercially and provide a space with one’s own personal touch.

One way to learn about wall tattoos and where to find them is to research the internet. The internet provides flexibility allowing an individual to browse at their one pace and compare prices with different companies to get the best deal. An additional advantage to the internet is that you can read past customer’s comments on the product and get an overall rating.

Another method to learn more about wall tattoos is to go to a Home Show. Because wall tattoos are such an up and coming product, make sure to stop by and speak with a wall tattoo employee. This way you can directly ask what kind of service they provide and also get to see the product first hand which can help you with your decision. I went to an Ottawa Home Show and spoke to a wall tattoo employee. Not only was this employee so keen on the product, he was also was very helpful when I asked him questions about the company he worked for.

I asked him about the market for Ottawa. He informed me that there was a huge market in Ottawa for wall tattoos. Because the company offers such a broad variety they are able to please most customers’ personal style and taste. Young couples in their first home can integrate styles with wall tattoos. Commercially it would be a fascinating approach to embellishment in pattern and graphics. Advertising would benefit greatly from displaying messages, product logos and brands in such an appealing method. Since ‘graffiti’ is such a widely witnessed art form then wall tattoos are sure to attract the attention to a younger generation. However because of its flexibility in style, wall tattoos can also be sophisticated and subtle. Any modern business would be wise to invest in wall tattoos for perhaps an office or a workspace of sorts. Trendy restaurants would also benefit for wall tattoos.

Downtown Ottawa is filled with design studios and furniture stores that personify retro and modern décor. Wall art is such an ingenious way to provide a mood and make a statement about the existing space. These eye catching pieces can draw in business just simply based on curiosity itself. I know that I was immediately attracted to the display at the Home Show and being an accredited Interior Decorator and Home Stager, I took a mental note of the amazing capabilities of this product and how I would be able to use it for so many different projects. This product is sure to please the market and satisfy the needs of many people who are looking for solutions to their decorating dilemmas.

Happy decorating!!

Jennifer

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

Decorating 101 - Part 2

Found your inspiration? GREAT! Let’s say you’ve chosen a beautiful scenic painting to be your inspiration for your new room. What design elements can we pull from this painting? A colour palette to start! If you have a busy painting or picture and you’re not sure what colours to pull from it to accent it best, try this simple trick. Stand back; blur your eyes and whatever colours you can still see in the fabric, painting, or picture are the dominant colours. These colours can come into play when picking out fabrics, accent pillows, accessories, paint colours, and even furniture selection. This is now your colour scheme!

Try to maintain a sense of harmony in the space. Coordination is one of the keys to a beautifully decorated space. Make sure there is a sense of rhythm when selecting finishes, furnishing, accessories, etc. For example; you’re decorating your new dining room. You have a new stunning crystal chandelier and you feel it is the best part of the entire space. How do you accentuate its visual impact? How do you create that ‘wow’ factor and make it work within your space? Take that crystal element and disperse it throughout the room. Crystal (or glass) knobs for the buffet or reflective surfaces like mirrors to highlight the sparkle. Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to take your time. After all this is a space FOR YOU! Love it and be proud that YOU made it beautiful!

Inspiration is in check, coordination is key, ideas are flowing. You're off to a great start!

What next? Even more decorating 101 to come...

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

Courses available for 2010

If you are interested in some general interest courses I will be teaching 3 during this winter & spring season at Bell High School:

Home Staging 2 pt class
-February 16th
-March 23rd
-May 25th

Home Staging 1 class for Real Estate Agents
(How to sell home staging to your clients & utilize it to make you more productive)
-April 20th
-June 8th

Colour Consulting
-February 2
-March 2
-May 11

For more information visit my EVENTS page on my website.

Paint Tip

When choosing a paint colour it gets overwhelming trying to envision what your whole room is going to look like from a 2"x 2" sample. When you've narrowed it down to the specific colour you want, try going to the paint dealer and asking for a bigger paint chip. Sometimes they can give or sell you a larger sample of the colour you are interested in. When you are home, tape this sample to the wall and it will give you a better idea of the colour you are wanting to paint your space. Some companies also have small 8 oz. containers that you can get mixed to any colour. The containers are around $5 to $7 and will cover a large area on the wall to give you a good idea of the colour you are choosing. Using these tips will help you choose the right colour the first time and save you money in the long run by not having to re-paint the original colour you didn't like.

Have a good day!
Natasha

Defining a rooms purpose during staging.

Office Nook BEFORE
Office Nook After

When it comes to home staging, defining a rooms purpose is very important. Before you can see that this nook was used as a guest bedroom & Storage. Since this space did not have doors because it was an open loft leaving it as a bedroom would be in appropriate. Especially since the bed was way to big for the space.

Since 1/2 of this room was used for an office I decided to make the nook a nice reading/ relaxing space. Adding a rug, 2 chairs, and table with the owners existing accessories allowed this space to become an actual focal point.

HOME SOLD IN 2 DAYS, with MULTIPLE OFFERS.

Silgranit Sinks

When doing renovations on your kitchen one of the things that gets changed is your sink. Instead of choosing the ever so popular stainless steel, many people are opting for a Silgranit sink.

This specific product is made by Blanco and is constructed of 80% natural granite. It's very strong and durable but also has the beauty of a natural product. The acrylic and granite mixture gives the sink a hard scratch, chipping and stain resistant surface. Silgranit is also heat resistant up to 280 degrees Celsius.

Just like many other different types of sinks it is available for both under mount and top mount installations and in many different shapes and sizes. You also have the flexibility of choosing from 7 of it's colours.

Next time you are remodeling your kitchen take a look at Silgranit. This product will add that touch of uniqueness that will make your kitchen stand out from others.

Decorating 101

A lot of people tend to struggle when faced with decorating an empty, white-walled room. Struggle no more! There are simple ways to approach an ‘empty canvas’ and transform a room into your own work of art.

Before I received my professional education in interior decorating, I always assumed picking a paint colour was the first step. This is the wrong approach. In fact, picking a paint colour should be one of the very last steps you make. You immediately limit yourself to your decorating possibilities.

Firstly, it’s important to find an inspiration for the room. Browse decorating magazines, internet sites, visit model homes and markets, and watch decorating inspired shows. Keep in mind most decorating shows are not realistic to the actual timeline it takes to fully design and decorate a space properly. Trading Spaces, for example, had many, MANY people contributing to the end result. So on top of finding inspiration for your space; be realistic with your time line. Rome wasn’t built in a day!

Jennifer


What next? More 'Decorating 101' to come....

Making old into NEW

The funny thing is when I purchased my 2nd home it came with this bench, a fish tank full of fish and some random things in the garage. Originally I was going to throw this unit out because I thought it was ugly and served no purpose in my home. Then as I was sitting in my living room I wished that I had a bigger couch or at least some more seating space. And it hit me! I could transform this unit I was going to throw out to a nice seating area for occasional guests.

First I removed the cute "lion head holding a ring in it's mouth knobs" then I washed the unit with TSP which helps get dirt and grease off easily. Then I lightly sanded the whole unit scuffing it up so the primer would adhere. Next I took a "high stick" wood primer and primed the whole unit. I let it sit for 24hrs to try properly then I continued with painting the whole unit a high gloss white wood paint. This time I let it dry for 48hrs just to make sure I wouldn't scratch it.

Add a plush top for seating and accent pillows and your done! This project was very easy and fun to do. If you have any item with in your home consider using it in a different way. Even an older dresser unit with a fresh coat of paint, new hardware and a little bit of handyman work you can transform it into a beautiful bathroom vanity!!

If you have an item that you are not sure what to do with give us a call and we'll be able to provide you with suggestions.

-Kristy

We did it again for 2010! Thank you

For the second year in a row I am RESA's Rookie Stager of the year Finalist! We are VERY excited to have been nominated as well as picked under peer review of one of my staging jobs.
2009 was a very fun and busy year and I am excited to submit my business package to RESA for viewing.
Awards ceremony is in January 2010 and I will keep you posted on the winner!

Newest Addition to the CHS&D Team!

Hello Everyone!
I wanted to take this time to introduce our NEWEST Team Member! Jennifer Anthony is a very excited and passionate individual and we are proud to have her on our team!Jennifer’s initial interest in design began when she worked in a china shop creating window displays. Design elements such as balance, emphasis, rhythm, and scale slowly revealed themselves to her as she built detailed vignettes with distinct design flair. This interest led Jennifer to further her education. She received accreditation from Algonquin Colleges in Interior Decorating Program. During her time at Algonquin she was featured in the Ottawa Citizen for winning 1st prize for ‘Best Design Concept’, for the college restaurant ‘Restaurant International’ makeover and 1st place for ‘Best Custom Light Fixture.’ The decorating industry is such a diverse field that upon graduation Jennifer still wanted to explore the many different avenues available. So she pursued certification in Home Staging with Haverhill and have found it to be a true passion of hers. Jennifer has also been featured on HGTV and the DIY Network with some of her staging & design concepts. She is also currently pursuing her interests in feng shui, and would like to offer this service to her clients in the future.

Jennifer will be going through our rigorous training program for the next 6 months to get her in top form for our 2010 projects! So when you see Jennifer and I out and about doing our training please feel free to say Hi and ask her some decorating & staging related questions!
Cheers
-Kristy

Using Artificial Plants in Your Decor

I don't know about everybody else but when I buy a plant it usually ends up dying on me. I fail to remember that I have a living thing that needs to be taken care of and forget to water it. Well don't worry because there's a cure in sight...get a fake plant! Using artificial plants in your decor is a great way to bring life into a room but are also maintenance free. There are numerous stores that sell artificial flowers, plants and shrubs in the Ottawa area, ranging in price from $1 and up. Also remember that you get what you pay for. The more realistic artificial plant tends to be the more expensive one. On the other hand, I have bought them from Dollarama and from afar they look great! Have fun and good luck decorating and don't be afraid to use an artificial plant!

Natasha

Orleans STAGER takes advantage of real estate agent!!

This get's me soooo mad!

One of my real estate agents I work with recently obtained a listing where the home owners have requested that they use their "friend" who is an interior decorator as their home stager. The agent we will call Agent X said sure I will look into it. So she contacts the "Friend decorator" and asks her fees and decides to agree to let her client use their friend.

After the appointment the home stager sends an e-mail to Agent X and says "Hello Agent X I was at your clients home for longer than expected i was there from 6-9pm and your first invoice is $398.00. For the rental of accessories your second invoice will be XXX.XX"

Agent X was COMPLETELY Blown away because the home stager A) did not stick to her quote and proceeded with the consultation into "After hours" with out obtaining permission prior. and B) TOLD the home owners that Agent X will cover the cost of the accessory rental. C) charged her 5x the price of what her usual home stager charges as well as provided Agent X's clients with unnecessary recommendations that really did not apply to the home.

I AM ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED not at the agent but at this so called "HOME STAGER" her business ethic is sooo poor i do not know how she remains in business.

1) The home stager should have NEVER proceeded past the discussed hours set by the agent this is not acceptable. When I go into a consultation I tell the agent that the average home will take me 2 hours to finish my report and discuss it with the client. SHOULD I require more time I will first of all contact you to discuss why I need more time and if you are ok with it and if you ARE NOT then I will FOCUS my time on the most important area's within the home EX: Kitchen, Bathroom, Living, Dining, Bedrooms and the basement usually last.

2) This stager should have NEVER told the clients that Agent X will be covering the cost of the inventory rental especially when the "stager" didn’t even discuss this with the agent.

3) The invoice should NOT have been increased because she dilly dallied through her appointment if she said to Agent X the apt will be 2 hrs but it took her 4 hrs and DIDNT tell the agent then that is her own fault and the "Stager" should NOT have invoiced for that un-estimated time.

This is a hard industry to be in, tight deadlines, scared clients because they might be offended etc. WE DO NOT NEED TO ADD POOR STAGING SKILLS AND BUSINESS ETHIC to this list! so this Home Stager in the ORLEANS, "Ottawa" Area should take a close look at her business because if she keeps doing this to her agents then eventually she'll have no clients left!

AGENTS PLEASE TAKE NOTE DO YOUR RESEARCH ON YOUR HOME STAGERS and find out...

a) Do they have an education in the home staging & decorating field?

b) Do they have insurance?

c) Ask them how long their consolations are and for how much...also ask what happens if you need more time.

d) Ask the process in their staging company, each company will do things different and this does not mean its wrong just know WHAT the process is.

e) Are they members of the RESA (Real Estate Staging Association)?

f) Do they work alone or do they have help to move items around if needed?

g) GET REFERRALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

With in my own company customer service is #1! I am sure many people hear that but we MEAN IT!! We are the ONLY Home Staging & Interior Decorating Company in OTTAWA ONTARIO To have won the Better Business Bureau's TORCH AWARD for Marketplace Ethics. We will ALWAYS provide everything that we say we will provide as well as NEVER invoice for something we have NOT Quoted for unless we have discussed it prior to implementing it.

Please real estate agents use your stagers, do your research and form relationships with great companies.

-Kristy

Purple House Living Room

The Living room before & after.
When I walked into the living room it was dark purple, random items though out left to "show space" from the home owners, older furniture that was full of dust and was empty so its served no purpose which made the room absolutely dull, dark, and lifeless. When it comes to home staging we need to make the home bright, inviting, and appealing to the majority of home buyers.
What I did to the space was paint the walls a neutral colour called "Brazil Nut" brought in some twigs, couch, table, bench, art, drapery and an area rug to take away from the purple carpet that can not be replaced at this time. A great investment for the living room would be to remove the carpet and add hardwood though out but since this home will not be listed for a while we've decided to hold off so the dog's in the home don't add their nail marks.
As you can see from the before and after bringing in items makes a major difference making the space more appealing, inviting and showing home owners the potential of the space.

Staging Drapery Qucik Fix

Have you ever walked into a home and they had no drapery and the view is looking onto other houses or construction site?? Definitely not a selling feature of having to look at that.

When I am stuck and I do not have drapery for the room I head off to Bouclair. Bouclair has a WIDE variety of drapery in a one stop shop so essentially all you need is 10 minutes in the store and your good to go on your staging adventure.
Another great place to obtain drapery and cheap is IKEA, their sheers start at $10.00 for a package of 2 which is good enough for a whole window!!

I have heard of stagers using bed sheets for drapery but I find that lazy, cheap, and unprofessional looking. We are selling a house not a frat room.

Good luck & Happy Staging.

Staging Tip of the Day

Today's staging tip is COLOUR APPROPRIATELY.
So many home owners paint their home as a reflection of who they are and what they believe in which is GREAT! but not when it comes to selling. We need to make the space appeal to the most amount of people in the least amount of time so what appeals to people? A colour they can live with or stand until they can afford to decorate their home.
The best thing to do in a home for sale is to add colour through accessories such as lamps, pillows, art, decorations etc and have the walls a warm creamy beige colour. This colour goes with pretty much any decor so home owners will be glad they do not have to move in and repaint the offensive mustard yellow wall colour the previous owners had.

It's not to say all colour in the home needs to be removed with a beige colour, if the colours with in the home are neutral enough and reflect natures natural colours and go well with the decor then it could be safe to just keep it. Soft yellows, greens, blues etc can be beautiful if used appropriately. If their is painting required to tone down the decor beige/ tan is best, don't let decorating get you carried away.

2009 Better Business Bureau's Torch Awards

(Natasha, Kristy, Roy)
It is with great pleasure I can announce that Capital Home Staging & Design is the OFFICIAL recipient to the 2009 Better Business Bureau's Torch Award for Market Place Ethics. Because of my clients who nominated us we had to jump through some hoops by submitting a large amount of business information from my business plan, mission statement, our values & ethics with in the business and more! This took me quite a while to pull together but we did it in time.

2 Weeks ago (Oct 6th) I received a call from Claudette one of the staff at the BBB letting me know that we are one of the finalists for the torch award.....I was so ecstatic that I am even a finalist I was so proud!

Oct 20th 2009 was the awards ceremony and I got to meet many local companies large and small that were there also wondering if they would win. I had brought the whole crew to this event my senior decorator Natasha, my brother, mother, father/ behind the scenes man. The event was hosted at the Hampton Inn and the food was delicious! the guest speaker from IBM presented very useful information regarding social marketing and the way of business for the future. Then came the awards time, calling the "runners up" watching them make their way to the stage to accept their award. Then the announcer started with the Small Business Award and all I remember hearing was "Capital Home Staging & Design" I was so excited and nervous walking up to that stage to accept that beautiful crystal clear torch with my company name engraved into it! I got up their and met the head of the BBB I was so nervous of falling or tripping as I went to accept the award.
Being a small company and receiving this award in my second year of business is absolutely astounding! I am so proud of our hard work and dedication to our industry and company.
I would like to thank all of my clients, business associates and employees for all their support.
-Kristy

2010 Home Staging Confrence in LAS VEGAS

I am wondering if this trip to Las Vegas for a RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) conference is really going to blow me away or just provide me with the information that I already know.
I figured if I learn at least one thing during this event then it will be worth it! I am already set with at notebook and presentation out lines! oh to be so organized its wonderful!!

Now what do I have to look forward to?
-Using Social Media to Grow your business
-10 Critical Keys to successful websites
-Unlocking the mystery with Realtors..........looking VERY forward to this one lol
-Photography 101
-One Day Decorating
And more, this should be a very exciting conference and soon to be announced a special guest from HGTV. Very exciting I am hoping to god that it is Mathiew Finalson from THE STAGERS!
that would be absoultly priceless.

It is very important to keep up to date on current trends with in the market as well as the latest and greatest way to improve your staging skills.

Purple House Transformation UPDATE

Dining Room BEFORE
Dining Room AFTER

When I redesigned this space I kept the majority of things the same. The carpet was in excellent condition so we decided to keep it for the time being and then eventually replace it with hardwood. We painted this space the "Brazil Nut" I chose this colour because we wanted to keep resale in mind and not have to paint the majority of the house over again. So we will be adding colour through accessories.
The table and hutch are a dark chocolate colour the drapery matches the drapes in the living room since they are on the same wall. The tan, purple, and gold colours in the curtain shows really well in this space.

Living Room BEFORE

Living Room AFTER

Since the living room and dinging room are joined in an L shape I wanted everything to work together. I chose to add a neutral small area rug to the space to take add a division and definition to the space.
I am very happy with the mid-term results I am sure there is much more I will change in the future.

STAY TUNED to see results for the master bedroom and guest room.

-Kristy

Curb Appeal

I found this picture somewhere on the web and it absolutely astounds me that someone would do this to their home! CURB APPEAL does not exist with this home what so ever!
I am hoping that these people do not ever sell their home or even their neighbors because I can pretty much guarantee that no one will want to buy any house that surrounds this one unless they are willing to take a hit on their selling price.
Curb appeal adds thousands of dollars on your list price, and it is really easy to obtain a good curb appeal on a budget.

How can these people improve on their curb appeal instantly?
1) Remove clutter from the yard & house front,
2) Paint the exterior of the home one colour,
3) Trim their hedges in front of the windows (no one wants to look out a window to a bush)
4) Adds some flowers to the front area to form a garden,
5) Keep the garden constantly weeded during the selling process,
6) Paint the front steps a lighter colour (anything but the black that is their)
7) What number is this house? always have large visible numbers that buyers can see from the street.
8) They did do a great job of keeping the leafs off of the yard so keep it up!

and VOILA! a beautiful home ready for sale.....or at least keeping the neighbors happy with bring back some normalcy into the area.

GOOOOO STEALERS!..................keep it inside! :)
Note: These tips can also be applied to die hard Leafs or Senators fans!

Nominated

Oh wow!
I have been nominated by someone for the Top 40 under 40 award! I am absolutely floored! Thank you very much for nominating me for such a prestigious award I hope I can show the judging panel what Capital Home Staging & Design is all about.
Hard work, Dedication, Community Involvement and Professional Service and outstanding results.

We will continue to provide top notch service to all of our valued clients! It really means so much to us that you have taken the time out to nominate us for any award.

Thank you

Getting to know the colour BLUE

How well do you know BLUE?

• Associated with spirituality
• Represents wisdom, trust, loyality
• Lighter shades are tranquil and passive
• Brighter shades are stimulating
• Darker shades are moody and full of depth
• Positive feelings: Clean, crisp & airy, people are know to be less aggressive or violent when surrounded by this colour so its popular in prisons
• Medical: Lowers heard rate, pulse rate & breathing rate. Has a cooling effect in hot or humid weather. Preference for blue tends to develop as people mature due to a yellowing in the eye lens that requires balancing.
• Cultural: in western countries blue has remained a favorite colour for decades.
• Places to use: Bedrooms & Bathrooms
• Places not to use: No where!
  

Blue is an excellent colour to use in your home. Its relaxing, cool, tranquil and can be stimulating if you choose the right colour. I absolutely love BLUE in bathrooms & bedrooms places where you want to feel relaxed and not too stimulated.

Do you have blue is your home if so where let us know were interested to see who has blue and where.

-Kristy

Fall Decorating

Its that time again, Fall. When the nights get cooler and the days get shorter we know that the time is here. Decorating your home in the fall will not only make your home feel warm, cozy and inviting but it will ease you into the winter months.
No matter what style or decor your home has you can always add a few fall decorating elements to warm it up. What are items can you use to decorate your home? here are a few ideas.
-Blankets & Throw pillows in earthy tones.
-Firewood +/- Fire
-Candles
-Branches or trees
-Some greenery (green or with fall colours)
-Pumpkins (does not have to be a jack-o-lantern)
-Books
-Leather accessories or furniture pieces

and more there are endless possibilities. Take a few elements you have around the home bring them out and have them as your fall features.

Play, have fun & decorate

Agents do you know how to sell home staging?

Telling your clients that you work with a home stager should make them jump for joy! but as a matter of fact some are quite scared and even may put up a fight to bring one in....why is that?
I mentioned earlier that home owners are very protective as well as sensitive about their homes. They frequently confuse a home stager with an interior decorator, WE ARE NOT (we may have credentials as a decorator but that is a bonus, decorating has NOTHING to do with staging)
Since sellers confuse staging with decorating they worry that the stager will be critical of their belongings.

As a professional home stager we will NEVER criticize someones decor no matter what it is like. The whole home could be decked out in Christmas decorations all year round because it's their favorite time of year, well that is great all the power to them! but when it comes to selling a home it becomes a PRODUCT this is what we need to convey to every home owner, to make their home compete in the market it must become a house.

Now, what do you tell your clients about home staging?
well first of all you need to decide who, when, and why you will be providing this service to your clients. Hear are a few options:
- Some agents will choose to stage 100% of all of their listings no matter what the price, condition, location, or willingness of the owners are to participate.
- Stage only homes over a certain price range
- Stage only ugly homes
- Stage 90% of their listings
- Use "Basic package" for homes $XXX and the "Enhanced package" for home over $XXX
- Stage only if the owners request it
ETC their are a million possibilities to how and why you should choose to stage a home. The choice is ultimately up to you but this is how you can sell home staging so it works for you, your clients to the maximum potential.

I suggest you incorporate home staging to 100% of your listings, first of all what do you have to lose? You will make more money by selling faster for top dollar, you will make your clients more money by selling for top dollar and they will love you for ever for that, you will show your clients that you are a modern day real estate professional who keeps up with the changing times by providing them with top notch services.

So lets assume you choose to use home staging on 90-100% of your listings now what do you tell your clients? Tell them the truth!
Tell them that you are dedicated to getting them the best price for their home as well as doing it in a timely manor. Tell them that you use home staging on ALL of your listings no matter how they are decorated (this will ease your clients mind that you are not "singling" them out because of "poor decor"). Inform your clients that home staging has been proven to work and by using this in your marketing plan you are better than all other agents out their (Especially against the ones that don't use home staging or don't use it often)

We all know that times change and we need to adapt. We are in the era of social networking with twitter, blogging, facebook and more. Home Staging is like home inspections, when they first came out people did not see the point now it's necessary to have a home inspector with all home purchases, home staging is obtaining that necessity as well so why not start before EVERYONE else does it. You will have developed a great relationship with your home stager and be on their top list.

If you are a dedicated real estate professional obtain a home stager and use them frequently this will free up some time for you to do your job as a realtor and in turn not only providing top notch service to your clients but also rewarding them and yourself with an appropriate sale price in the end!

Help your clients hold on to their equity in their home once you explain this they will thank you for your effort and once it becomes a reality you will have their trust, support and recommendation to their friends and family written in stone! Home staging is an invaluable tool that you can easily use for your clients.

Happy Staging.

Attention REALTORS do you know how to use Home Staging properly?

It has come to my attention that many real estate agents do not really know how home staging can benefit them especially if the market is considered a "sellers" market where homes are not having a problem getting the SOLD sign up quickly.

"98% of Realtors perceive staging as having value, yet only 20% use it."

So why is that? let's discuss the importance of staging no matter what market and how you can use staging from a professional to make you money....

HOT markets

In a market like this home buyers buy the home that they are attracted to the most and FAST. They even sometimes put in offers OVER asking price to ensure that they get that home over anyone else. Now if someone is willing to pay OVER asking price for a home in the first place they why bother staging it?

Home staging does not cost a lot to provide for your clients with most companies in Ottawa you'll be looking to pay around $200 for a 2hr consultation. With home staginging we are appealing to the most amount of buyers in the least amount of time. When we appeal to the most amount of people in a sellers market this will stimulate the likelihood of a bidding war which is where you and your client can make a large profit on their home. I have never walked into a home and said this is so perfect it does not need to be staged! EVERY single home needs some sort of tweaking here and there whether its moving furniture to improve on traffic flow, removing a few decorative pieces that are distractions or even recapping how the home should be presented on show days. Since home staging is such a minor cost with greater benefits it should become part of your marketing plan for ALL of your listings. Considering that the statistics prove that home staging will cut back listing time as much as 50% of more and typically for more money then what as an agent do you have to lose by providing this top notch service to your clients?

Slow Market

We just came out of a slow market here in Ottawa. I had frequent calls from agents during this time because they knew that home staging is very important when their home is competing against 10 others in that location with the same features. Home staging in a slow market will again appeal to the most amount of buyers in the least amount of time but in this situation instead of bidding wars (which can still happen) you are more likely to sell faster than the rest of the competition and also hold onto your list price rather than do a price reduction.

Why Use Home Staging on All Listing Properties (Recap)

-Affordable: budget this into your marketing plan and buyers will be thank full that you have an elite program geared to get their home sold as fast as possible for the most amount of money.

-We're the "polite badguys": Many home owners are fearful that their furnishings will be criticized and judged so this is a VERY sensitive topic for most home owners. Let a professional home stager explain the importance of getting their home ready to sell in a way that appeals to the most amount of people in the least amount of time and why we are doing it. Don't put yourself in a position of potentially offend your clients.

-We ensure the best results: Our packages are not only affordable but they are designed to ensure the best end result leaving you more time to focus on your client and not the preparing of the home.

-We know what sells: No matter what market we are dealing with we need to put our best home forward! We will be able to assist clients with getting the home "move in ready" because 63% of buyers are willing to spend more money on a house that is in great condition over one that needs work.

-We save you time: You are very busy so free up some time by allowing us to keep the project of getting your clients home ready for sale. We keep your clients motivated and on track to obtain the best end result.

-We save you and your client money: As an agent we save you money by reducing the time on the market so your advertising costs are lower and your client will not have to pay their mortgage for a longer period of time by selling faster.

Remember even if the home is considered "attractive" or "well decorated" I can guarantee that I'll find something that will need to be addressed that will improve the likelihood of selling even faster and for top dollar.

if you have any questions on home staging please contact me for a FREE presentation.

Happy Staging

Purple House Update.....

Well it's been officially 1 week and the "Purple House Transformation" is taking way nicely. We have been with out Internet for the past week and that has put us out of the loop quite a bit. But it did allow us to focus 100% of our attention to getting this purple house transformed!

What's been done so far? Well....
The living room has had it's vertical blinds removed, and 4 coats of "Brazil Nut" applied to each purple wall. The purple trim around the patio door and window has been painted (again with 4-6 coats of paint) with "Crisp Linen". We also have some pieces of furniture and art taking place on finished walls. Since the dining and living is essentially one space I have chosen to have the same drapes for both spaces.

The kitchen's older cabinetry is 1/2 painted (white) with the other doors on it's way....The eating nook has had it's pine wood wainscoting painted a white with "Tibetan Orange" on the top as a POP of colour with in this home. The counter top has been purchased but not installed yet and the brick walls are being 1/2 ripped out and 1/2 painted. (due to time constraints and budgeting we have decided to keep the original kitchen and just spruce it up with easy fixes ANYONE can apply to their own home for sale or for living)

The master bedroom is finished with an accent wall in a turquoise that was pulled out from a favourite painting of elephants running in the African desert with dust being kicked up into a turquoise sky. The bedding is a chocolate colour with minor detailing to it in tan. This space is peaceful and a great bed time retreat.

As you can see lots has been done in the past week and I'm sure as you can imagine much more needs to be done, finish the kitchen cabinetry, paint the sitting room, remove wall paper and paint in the guest bedroom, set up office, replace ALL electrical switches and outlets etc.

so with time and persistence this home will be finished hopefully by the end of September for sanity's sake! lol it's a great home, great location and great spaces.

After photo's will be posted once the whole home is done to leave you in suspense!
Cheers

Purple House TRANSFORMATION commencing

Have you heard of my "purple house project?" well the transformation of this deep dark purple house is about to commence. All the purple house before pictures can be viewed on my FACEBOOK page (click HERE for a direct link).
First observation.
When you drive up to this home it looks like a stacked deck of cards, the garage on the bottom with two more levels directly above it. After parking I walked up the side steps to the door located on the right and a dark blue door welcomed me.
Entering the home.....WOW DARK PURPLE EVERYWHERE......I though the owners said decorating in 2008! Entrance, Living Room, Dining Room, All Hallways, All Bathrooms, TRIM, ceilings, and i would not be surprised if the floor is purple too......oh wait....it is! PURPLE CARPET!
To be honest it is a very nice colour of purple but it is used inappropriately. A dark colour should not be used in every square inch of any room. Why? its too dark, if you painted every square inch of your home in a dark colour it makes each space feel small, and uninviting.

These clients had their home on the market for 6 months! this is TERRIBLE especially since we are in a "Sellers" market. Homes are flying off the market selling left right and center for top dollar and many times even OVER asking price. This was a great home no structural issues, large rooms, large closets, ensuites, appropriately priced and more. What was the #1 comment on this home? "Its too dark" Home Staging could of fixed this and had the home sold in no time.

Who bought it? someone who knew what potential this home held, someone who can see beyond the dark paint, purple carpets, and very dated kitchen, someone who has a passion for fixing and beautifying homes over and over again.......can you guess who?

This homes transformation will start tomorrow September 4th 2009 and finish October 1st 2009 (not including the flooring this part of the project will happen later on in the year)

Colour Scheme
Colour is the most important aspect to a home, it is a reflection of who the home owners are as well as adds personality and definition to the space. How do you come up with a colour scheme? lots of self exploration and question asking.
- What colours do you like
- What colours do you hate
- Are you keeping resale in mind or will you be staying in this home for a while?
- Is there a style of decor you like? Modern, Traditional, Country, Eclectic, Casual etc
There are many many many questions that a professional colour consultant will ask you and all of them are very important. What is this homes NEW colour scheme?
I like to call this "A Casual Modern Oasis" now what does that mean in paint colours? Let's take a look.Whole Home:
Primary Colour: "Brazil Nut" (A1820) Trim Colour: "Crisp Linen" (A0057)

Main Bathroom: (Photo above)
Primary Colour :"Brazil Nut"
Accent: "Brown Bag" (A1804) New counter top: "Jamocha Granite" from Home Depot.

Choose a primary colour for the MAJORITY of the home. I have chosen "Brazil Nut" this colour will be used as the main colour in all rooms from the living and dining all the way up to the bedrooms. Having one primary colour will allow for a few things 1) it's cheap to buy a 5 gallon vat of it for all areas 2) it is easier to paint corners and and lots of spaces if it's the same colour 3) it allows for the home to be more uniform and cohesive.
So the top lighter colour is "Brazil Nut" in this picture above this is the palate for the main bathroom. I wanted something neutral so I can add and change my colours as frequent as I want through accessories. The darker brown is called "Brown Bag" this will be used on the farthest wall to bring that wall closer in to make the large bathroom more cozy.

Master Bedroom
Primary Colour: "Brazil Nut"
Secondary Colour: " Forrest Glen" (A1243) ......"turquoise like"
Accent Colours: "Chocolate Brown" -Bed Spread & Crisp Linen (A0057) trim

I decided to add a punch of colour in the master bedroom. The neutral wall colour of "Brazil Nut" and the chocolate brown bed sheet set was monochromatic, adding a punch of "Forrest Glen" adds some colour well still feeling refreshing and relaxing.

Guest Bedroom
Primary Colour: "Crisp Linen" (A0057)
Secondary Colour: "Seal Grey" (A2013)
Accent Colour: RED -Fitted Bed sheets

This all ended up the way it is because of the bed sheet colour of RED. I loved this colour and wanted it to be the focal point so I chose the grey for one wall and crisp linen for the majority of the other walls so this red sheet set will POP.
Kitchen
Counter Top: "Mineral Sienna" from Home Depot has orange & grey colours in it.
Primary Colour: White (Cabinetry)
Secondary Colour: "Meadowlark" (A1838) -painted backsplash
Accent Colour: "Tibetan Orange" (UL120-19, Behr) punch of colour in the eating nook.

The kitchen is where I wanted to go really fun and funky, the Tibetan Orange colour will add a strong POP of colour in the eating nook which is located at the end of the kitchen. The cabinetry will be painted white (it is now currently and old wooden colour) with the NEW granite resembling counter top and grey backsplash. This is the one room I am most excited to see upon completion.

NOW that you've see the plan check out the BEFORE photos on my facebook page the like is located above. AFTER photo's will be posted as soon as the job is done.

cheers!

To Decal or not to Decal this is the question!

What is your opinion on Car Decals!??
This is a mock up of something we were thinking of doing to my new car. I think the side of the car is a bit too much, I think it might be best to have less stuff on the side and more on the on the trunk like a picture.

What is your opinion?

Can you see past the Clutter?

Kitchen Before Staging


This kitchen's main function here not only is it to house kitchen items and cook but it also housed the child's frequently used toys. 90% of buyers can not envision the potential of a space. That means 90% of the people walking into this home to view it and decide if they want it will not see the clean, cleared out kitchen they will use but what they see in the above photo. Clutter and instantly think that there is not enough room for cooking, storing kitchen items or even eating.


Does this kitchen make you go WOW I want to cook here!?..........I bet you your answer is No! The point of home staging is to make the home appeal to the general home buyer, and the general buyer will not want a kitchen like this. What should be done to be ready for viewings!?



1) DECLUTTER: remove 100% of the children's toys. Toy's belong in the kids room only not all over the house.


2) Declutter Some More: go though your cabinetry and remove anything not used frequently this will free up space for your frequently used items kept on the counter top to be placed in the cabinets out of sight. If you have cabinets that do not go to the ceiling make sure you do not store anything on top of the cabinetry this will draw the buyers attention to that space and the attention is required to the kitchens actual space not on top.


3) Clear Your Countertops: On show days make sure your countertops are 100% cleared of items (even knives) place only accent pieces like a small plant or fresh fruit or fresh bread.


4) Clean Your Appliances & Kitchen: If there is one space I highly suggest spending some elbow grease is the kitchen. Everyone gauge of cleanliness is different so make this spot military clean, white glove everything especially your appliances if you are selling them with the home.
5) Turn on the Lights: Turning on the lights will show buyers how bright the space is, bright and clean are TOP selling features. People can live with a dated kitchen as long at its bright and clean.


6) Paint: If you have a dark or vibrant colour in your kitchen its worth your time and effort to paint it a neutral colour like ICI's Pillar. Buyers don't want to feel like they have to paint prior to moving in and 90% of the buyers may not like your colour selection. Play it safe stick to neutral colours.



Using those above steps in your kitchen will allow any space to be sought after. Check out the AFTER photo of the one above to see how it looks once those steps have been completed.

Kitchen After Staging

(Photo provided my Liam Swords Royal LePage's Professional Photographer)

Happy Staging!

-Kristy

Need to get organized? Use these tips!

It has been proven that clutter and disorganization causes stress, which leads to increased chances of sickness and poor relationships. Don't fall into the trap of being disorganized it's easy to get organized as well as stay organized. Try these simple tips to get any room or space started:

Once you have decided on a space to organize you can achieve order in 3 easy steps.
1) Cutback Clutter
We are in the middle of the green movement so let's use the 3 R's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Now add the 3 D's Decide, Donate, Discard. I suggest having LOTS of clear garbage bags and boxes on hand for your donations and green garbage bags for garbage and recycling bins for paper you can recycle. Start in one spot and work your way out. Do not get distracted but take frequent breaks, when you break you allow yourself not to get overwhelmed. On your breaks take out what you have sorted out already this will free up your working space and show you your improvements you are making. Use our list of expiry dates and keep / toss log items (e-mail us to request those sheets)
2)Optimize Space
This is where a professional comes in handy but you can definitely try your self. Take a look at your newly "sorted" room it should look disorganized but yet a little bit more empty. Remember in a room you generally have 4 walls that go floor to ceiling, a closet and storage areas. Take a look at your left over items. Do you really need what is left? I always suggest taking another comb though once the initial purging has been done because you will see that once the initial purge is done you kept a few things that you really could part with. Discover your "hidden" space with in your room. can you bring in a floor to ceiling storage unit? do you have a wall where you can hang a cork board and filing racks? do you have a closet that you can optimize for your extra storage? instead of paper copies can you have electronic copies and back them up? Every room has a hidden space to help you with your organization. If you can not see it bring in an outside opinion for help.
3) Encourage Order
Once you have sorted & optimized your space you room should appear to be organized. To keep it this way you really have to "encourage" yourself to maintain this space on a daily basis. Do not let it slide because one day you'll walk back into that room and wonder what happened. Daily maintenance is the key to long term success.

If you have any organizing questions please do not hesitate to call we would be glad to help!

Chamber of Commerce NEW BUSINESS OF THE YEAR!?

The 2009 Ottawa Chamber of Commerce awards are here!
As you know we here at Capital Home Staging & Design pride ourselves in providing the best possible service to all of our clients. please click HERE to nominate us for "New Business of the Year" Entry form is at the end of the nomination.

If you believe that we provide the best possible service please nominate it us!

2010 IKEA Catalog out! Great items to buy!

YEAH! my favorite time of year is here, the 2010 IKEA catalog is out and it yet again has some great buy's!
FIRST PAGE: $99 dresser NOW $69.99 to go modern buy black, to be classic buy white!
Page 14-15: ECO friendly products from solar power lights and energy flow taps.
Page 51: Modern armless chairs very space friendly and sexy looking.

No matter what you need IKEA has it and for a good price! This comes in handy for staging homes, you need you home to appeal to the most amount of people in the least amount of time so buy colourful accessories to brighten up the room. They even have plants that are perfect for any small space that needs to add life.
IKEA is even eco friendly, did you know there chairs do not contain PBDE (Polybrominate diphenyl ethers) which is a flame retardant chemical on most mattresses, couches and cushions. PBDE becomes air born and can migrate to the lungs and blood stream causing serious medical issues. IKEA is the only store that provides this eco benefit at an affordable cost.

See you at IKEA!
-Kristy

July 2009 SOLD more homes than 2008

The numbers are in! you may or may not have seen the article in the Ottawa Citizen where it talks about the Ottawa housing market and how it has increased 11.5 % higher than July 2008. That is fantastic news! (CLICK HERE for article)

Just because homes are selling like hot cakes DOES NOT mean you do not need home staging! Having your home staged in a hot market will assist you in getting MORE money for your home. Since there are lots of buyers and less inventory this will put your home in a position to have a bidding war...BUT it has to be staged properly. Do your research and hire a professional who's gone to school and received an education on real estate and the art of staging, there is much more to know than what you see on TV.

Happy Staging
-Kristy

Improving our Profesionalism

At Capital Home Staging & Design we have invested in the 2009 Saturn VUE. This will allow us to better serve our clients by allowing us to transport staging inventory with ease. We are very excited to perform more jobs requiring inventory. Keep your eye out for the Capital Home Staging & Design VUE (to be decaled soon).

Happy Staging

-Kristy

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

August is Capital Home Staging & Designs 1 Year Anniversary, Congratulations!
In honor of our anniversary we are offering 20% off any service listed on our web page all you have to do is sign up for our Monthly e-Newsletter and we will send you a coupon for you to use! (To sign up for our newsletter e-mail us your e-mail info and we'll add you)

Through the past year we have accomplished so much. Not only have we assisted some great clients in selling their home for top dollar but we've assisted many of Ottawa's real estate agents sell their properties faster saving them lots of advertising costs in the end.
Let's reflect on great moments we've had in the past year......
-Oct 08 1/5 Live 88.5 "Pimp my Biz" Finalists, we appeared on the Radio talking about Home Staging.
-Nov 08 Participated in many local charities donating over $2000 in services to be won.
-Dec 08 RESA Rookie Stager of the Year Nominee. We were the ONLY Canadian in North America to be nominated for such an award!
-Feb 09 Ottawa Citizen Features Kristy Morrison on the Front page of "Real Deal" talking about home staging and tips.
-April 09 Suzanne Somers Event, Staging the media room for Suzanne at the Tudor Hall.
-May 09 Mattamy 1/2 moon bay block party participant & sponsor, we got to meet lots of new home owners & raffle off a colour consultant appointment.
-June 09 Offered a teaching position at Bell High Schools general interest course to teach:
-Home Staging, Colour Selection, & Professional Organizing. This coming September.

Because of you my valued clients Capital Home Staging & Design is becoming Ottawa's top Staging & Decorating company. I would like to take this time to Thank You for welcoming us into your life and business venture.
Here's to the coming years for us providing you with outstanding, quality service!
-Kristy Morrison

Keeping up with the Work

PHEW!
What a summer, the market is usually slow in the summer but this one just keeps on going! that's great, get those home's staged and sell your home faster.
It's very important to provide fast, effective, practical, and professional services to any and all of my clients! That is why I am dedicated to getting all of my jobs done in a timely manor. It is very important to you as a home seller to have your home ready and I'm sure you would like to do it as fast as possible!
That's why were here, My self, Natasha & Amelie are all available to assist you with your home staging or decorating needs. No matter how busy we are we will make the time to talk to you as well as return your VIP calls.

Have a great rest of the summer and we'll see you soon
-Kristy

Staging Tip for Living with Kids

Kitchen Before over run with toys

Kitchen After, toys removed looks clean and organized.

Your kids may fight you on the moving process (depending on how old they are) but if you get them involved it makes the process much easier. Make a game about it, try going in their room with him/ her and say "choose your top 10 toys you really like" and set those aside. Then ask "choose your top 10 toys you haven't played with in a while" so on and so forth. Getting your child involved allows them to feel that they are apart of the process and that you are not leaving them out. Or try a points system for every toy they can pack up give them a star.
When it comes to your home children's toys should NEVER be strewn around for them to use, when it comes to selling it is very important to keep those toy's contained in either a designated play room or their own bed room. These toys really need to be organized so keep them in bins out of site and organized in either the bottom of their closet or stacked neatly in the play room corner.
It is important for home buyers to see that toy's do not rule the house because you don't know who's buying the home it could be a professional couple that don't have children but they like the location of your home.

Happy Staging
-Kristy