Flashback to Suzanne Somers

Flashback to April 4th 2009.

This was the most nervous and exciting day in CHS&D history. We were staging the media room for Neutrichem's Event with special guest Suzanne Somers. Yes THE Suzanne Somers, She was staying in a local hotel but 1 hr prior and 2 hrs post her talk about her new book "8 Steps to Wellness" she would be relaxing and lounging in this media room.

(1 month prior to event)

When I first walked into this room I was stunned. Hot flamingo pink with pail pink sponged over it for the walls with a bright pink carpet with black accents......."Can we paint" I asked the event planner at the time......she already asked the owners of the location and they said no AND I wasn't allowed to tape, tack or hang anything on the walls anywhere. So, I have to stage around this vibrant colour as well as make it feel warm, inviting, relaxing and comfortable. Ok, so I had thousand of ideas spinning though my head spitting one out after another. The event planner loved the ideas and gave me full reign of the room's lay out and furniture selection, she was very happy with my idea's and knew I was fully capable of making this room the perfect location.

I jetted off to my furniture place and started to pull together my ideas for what we need. This was quite a large room so I decided to make 2 separate seating areas (one for Suzanne & her posse and the other for guests). Furniture selected, room layout planned, accessories selected, flowers done.....were ready to go!

(The Day of the Event.....April 4'09)

Today is the day! WOW it's finally here!......

.....Where are my furniture delivery guys? it's 9:00 and no sign of them........9:30, 10, 10:30, 10:45 the show up 1 hr 45 min late.....Suzanne is arriving at 11:30 do i have time?? the event planner is getting nervous, and I tell her we have plenty of time, I know my lay out it's just a matter of getting these items up the stairs and into the room which is true but I like to plan for the worst & hope for the best.

We had luck on our side, everything made it upstairs and Natasha & I got to work moving the couches, chairs, tables all around the room in the plan that I prepared. It took us 20 min to arrange the furniture and then another 10-20 to set out the flowers & accessories. DONE!

Phew! The event participants trailed up to see the room one by one.....they LOVED it! yeah! now the real test is coming up faster and faster every minute.....will Suzanne like it??

...........She's HERE! Suzanne arrived and walked in the front door absolutely stunning and I'm in LOVE with her rain jacket she is wearing...I wondered if she brought that from California or was out shopping here in Ottawa, it's probably from California...oh well. She goes up stairs and disappears into the room.

.......................................................................EVENT SPEAKER..................................................................

Suzanne did her talk for a couple of hours it was very inspiring and educational, everything she said made total sense! the use of pesticides and chemicals are on the rise and so is cancer, she feels it's related and I think that is a great hypotheses! I ended up buying her book "8 Steps to Wellness" which I am currently working my way though, the book is much funner than I anticipated!........The even speech ended and the 10 Majic 100 winners got to go upstairs and meet 1 on 1 with Suzanne. This is very exciting! The event coordinator pulled Natasha & I aside and told us not to stray too far we were next......next to meet Suzanne. I was so excited and nervous it's dooms day in a way I find out what Suzanne thought of my room, my staging / decorating of this room. A million possibilities filled my head, I liked the room, others like the room but would her California nature make her likes completely different from ours here in Ottawa?? "Time to go up now" I hear, WOW......Natasha and I head up stairs it seemed like I was climbing the empire state building the stairs kept growing and growing....we got to the door and it opened. THERE she was! wow she's tiny I thought she was so fun and vibrant and was absolutely stunning (hardly looked 62) we were introduced "Here are the Stagers to Staged your room"........Suzanne replied "Oh! you did all of this for me!? it's absolutely beautiful and I'm so comfortable here!" WOW...........she loved my room! I am so excited! she signed my book "Many Thanks -Suzanne Somers" and then we finished with some photo's of us together.

That was exhilarating! Suzanne loved our room, we were proud of it and now the long day was over PHEW! Here are the before and after shot of the room.

High-ho High-Ho it's off to School We go......

Well, I received a fabulous call from Bell High school recently....They have asked if I would be their teacher for a general education course on Home Staging, Choosing Colour & Professional Organizing! Of course I said MOST DEFINITELY!

Starting September 2009 I will be teaching these 3 general education courses for 10 weeks! More information can be found in the printed books that come out at the end of the summer. We are going to learn how to stage a home to make it look it's best for sale. How to determine what colour you should be choosing for your walls and how to get organized in ANY room!

if you have any questions about the up coming courses let me know and I'd be glad to help!
-Kristy

Glebe Garage Sale: A great place to find treashure!

Attention everyone...hello! I'd like to introduce myself!

I'm Jonathan James Bailey! Recently I joined this strong and hard working team at Capital Home Staging and Design!

In the past 6 years I have worked as a Project Manager for many commercial and residential projects in the Ottawa area am now using my talents to include Staging!

But enough about me! I am here to tall you about the annual Glebe Garage Sale more commonly known as "THE GREAT GLEBE GARAGE SALE" or GGGS

I had a blast! and if you read this soon enough you can still make it there! Hurry go now!

If you don't know what this GGGS is all about then get your walking shoes on and your bargaining chips ready because its the biggest out door garage sale of the summer in Ottawa!

Just south on Bank St around first street, second street and 3ed street is hosts of great deals, chip waggons, live music and excited people from Toronto, Montreal and most of Ontario!

The neighbourhood contributors are many and start to set up their tables as early as 6:30 -7:30 am. They unpack their boxes and began selling everything even as they take things out of their garage, box's and cars! Almost anything you could think of for your home, garden, office, collection, cooking needs, theme party, clothing, children's toys, furniture, jewelry and accessories is being given away for 90% less then any store would ever allow as a discount!

This year I decided I had to take all my roommates (who have been living in Ottawa all their life and never attended) with me for their first experience. Starting at 6:30 am this Saturday morning we where out and about. We didn't know what we wanted but were hoping to find the best stuff at the best price's before everyone else!

What we found was that no matter which way we went we stumbled upon treasure's that we have been in need of.

I went out looking for office supplies to replace and electronics that I have at home! With a coffee in my hand and a bag on my back I soon realized neither I nor my roommates where prepared as we walked around the beautiful homes and busy streets of "The Great Glebe Garage Sale".

What did we find??? We found its soo hard to turn down a good deal! :)

Here's some examples:

A large square mirror for $2 dollars framed in a thin sold oak frame, A clay vase for indoor plants only 2 dollars, $1 dollar to $40 dollars for a old school sewing machine. (the type that folds into it's self for easy storage 45 dollars. Printers, scanners, TVs fax machines all in good condition ranging from $5-15 dollars seemed to be a standard. We even got a new bread maker to that I can not wait to use that only cost me 15 dollars. I found a great selection of home Design books showcasing master Designs for your living room, Bedroom and Bathroom that I am glad to add to my collection! Oh and I can not forget to mention I found myself a laser leveler for when I need to check if wall hanging art and shelving are level or not!

Then it happened we found our most expensive item...our new glass table and living room area rug! Mint condition peaces from a family who cared for their belongings and keep everything in good condition helped us redecorate our spaces at a low cost! Our new glass coffee table is a modern clean lined charcoal framed dinning table that sits 6 people comfortably and allows our home space to feel brighter and bigger! How much $60 dollars! With it we have the flexibility to add what ever chairs we want in our space.

Latter as the day progressed we ran out of ways to carry all we had purchased and where forced to go home with our hands full!

Being involved in Staging, Design, Decorating and a number of different projects you can imagine that I enjoyed every bit of the day today.

All the great deals were shocking but the real fun was the crowd and seeing all the happy people having fun and getting along! It's hard not to be excited when a dollar and a toonie can get you so far! I think this year (maybe due to the recession) the great prices were more appreciated and rewarding then ever! Many charity events are involved in the Great Glebe Garage Sale but the tables and food stands seems to be organised by the community!

I encourage all of you who didn't make it this year and enjoy decorating and hunting down sales to book some free time for the event next year and join the fun! Thousands of people from all over Canada turned out for the event today and took over the streets and side walks!

Another great aspect about the GGGS is that your chances of running into a few people you haven't seen in a while are high! So get on your walking shoes and get shopping!

A big ya to to summer being here and letting us all get out and have fun! I hope we all remember it doesn't have to cost allot to find great items for your home it just might take some muscle and determination!

TIP: Ask your friends to let you know when their basements need a spring cleaning! You might be surprised at what they don't use or have a place for anymore! It just might be the exact thing to complete your room at home!

Capital Home Staging and Design
Jonathan Bailey
www.webstarts.com/Jonathan James

Staging to Live!

Home Staging is a fast growing phenomonum for home sellers and agressive & up to date real estate agents. It helps homes sell faster than a non-staged home (about 50-80% faster) which is a huge significance when it comes to the crutial time table of selling a home. These homes are very appealing to the general home buyer so have you considered "Staging to Live" or what I like to call Interior REDESIGN!?

Interior redesign takes in principles of home staging such as lighten & brighten, traffic flow, focal points & and of course decluttering. Simplify your life by becoming organized and living in a "staged" home. Interior redesign is much cheaper than interior decorating just for the simple fact is that we do not need to buy new furniture. We may suggest what would look good in a specific area if it's not found with in the house from another room but it's only a suggestion whether the owner decides to take the info or not is completle up to him/her.

With our redesign packages you can expect to recieve:
-Birdseye view layout of the chosen room to redesign
-Different lay out options using your existing furniture
-List of accessories that would look good in a specific area if needed
-Paint colour chosen for the room if needed.
-Free quote from our painter (to be booked at a later date)

So, if you love your furniture but dont love the way it is positioned or just wonder if there is something else you could be doing that you are not seeing then this is the package for you!

Staging to Live is the new Cost effective decorating program!
Any of our decorators will be able to assist you with your home project!

-Kristy

The Color Red and How it Effects Us!

Red is the warmest of all colors. Red is the color mostly chosen by extroverts and one of the top picks of males. On the negative side red can mean temper or anger. In China, red is the color of prosperity and joy. Brides wear red and front doors are often painted red. Red is Tuesday's color. Red roses symbolize passionate love. Ruby rings should be worn on the left hand. Red is the color of Mars. This planet is known as the God of War.

Red Energy:

Red is associated with fiery heat and warmth. It can also mean danger (burning).

Red is the color of blood, and as such has strong symbolism as life and vitality. It brings focus to the essence of life and living with emphasis on survival. Red is also the color of passion and lust

Wearing Red:

Wear a red accent piece when you want to present yourself as bold and dynamic. It can boost your confidence if you are attending a function or interview where you feel unsure of yourself. If a woman wears a red dress it usually is associated with sex appeal..

2008 Staging Stats PROVE Staging works even better then in 2007

The RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) has come out with the 2008 Staging Statistics. As you can see in 2007 staging helped occupied homes sell 46.6% FASTER than a non-staged home. In 2008 staging helped occupied homes sell 89% FASTER than a non-staged home. This just shows that as time goes on and home buyers realize how important it is to buy a staged home the stats will continue to grow.

How does staging work?? Well, when you go into a home for sale that is NOT staged you are over whelmed by so many distractions, the cleanliness of the home, personal photo's, clutter, wild colours, pet toy's & dishes, damaged to the home whether it's minor or major etc etc. Home Staging addresses all of those issues. We take away the distraction so you can SEE the home for what it is. Take away the clutter to display the beautiful mantle, Hire a professional cleaner to get in places that have been ignored, address minor issues such as a cracked tile or damaged cabinetry doors.

Home owners are looking for a reason to "low ball" you in an offer, they will take into consideration absolutely everything even if it's minor for example some reasons home buyers low ball an offer: need to paint, need to fix floor, need to fix cabinetry, need to fix damage from that leaky roof from 5 yrs ago & they will also plan for the worst. That leaky roof could of been addressed immediately and appropriately by the owners but home buyers will assume the worst and estimate a possible NEW roof needing to be built because of mold or rotting wood when in reality that is not the case. When we stage a home we take the owner out of the home (not physically but emotionally). Many home owners are emotionally attached to their homes and buyers find it hard to buy something that they do not feel is entirely for sale.

The RESA statistics has proven home staging works and I know it does also from staging homes for many of Ottawa's Real Estate Agents. For example I staged a home out in Carlsbad Springs, this home was decorated to their specific tastes which would be a distraction for any home owner. Well I got the owner to paint 2/3 of his home prior to the listing of the home as well as we went back for the showcasing of the home. This home sold in 24 hours for FULL asking price!

Ready, Set, Start Blogging.....

Hi everyone!
Here we are the Capital Home Staging & Design Team to blog about absolutely everything & anything relating to the design industry or staging industry. If there is sale for a local store we'll let you know, we'll post statistics, tips on decorating, and more!

We have a growing team of excellent designers / stagers so expect to see lots of different content from them all! They'll even start with a blogging bio so you can get to know them better.

We look forward to being your information portal on anything housing & decorating related!

Cheers
-Kristy