Real Estate Agents in VA - The Melton Team, Realtors
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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Orange can be a great color for adding curb appeal, and it fits perfectly into the fall season too. Bright orange pumpkins and flowers can add just the color pop needed to get potential home buyers looking straight at that front door. Check out some of these photos from the remodeling site Houzz and see how designers added inviting fall curb appeal to their front stoop.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
So you don’t typically think of concrete as a decor item inside your home but something more reserved for your driveway or a home’s foundation. It can be a cold, harsh surface. So, why are so many designers now using it in the design of interior spaces?
The faux industrial look is very popular at the moment, and concrete sinks, flooring, countertops, or even a concrete accent wall fits right into that style. Polished cement countertops or even concrete soaking tubs are on-trend.
Concrete’s neutral gray can appear less harsh too when used against whites, marbles, or wood.
A perk to concrete is it’s relatively easy to maintain, durable, and eco-friendly. It can retain heat and help keep moisture out—a reason we’re seeing it surface in more bathrooms lately.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Getting a little mismatchy in kitchen cabinet color designs is no longer being viewed as an unfinished reno job, but instead perfectly stylish in fitting with today’s trends. These “tuxedo kitchens,” as they’re nicknamed, are where the upper cabinets may be in one color—like in all white—and then the lower cabinets are in a contrasting shade, like a gray or dark walnut. It’s essentially a way to color block your cabinets.
The idea of going with two different shades on your kitchen cabinets may make some homeowners’ a little uneasy, but it’s nothing to fear nowadays and can actually make your kitchen look more open.
Typically, with tuxedo cabinets, the lighter color is on top and a darker color is on the bottom. It can help make a kitchen seem taller when the lighter color is above. It can also create a focal point, when a contrasting color is used on a kitchen island. And the differing shades can also break up the monotony of all one color cabinets, particularly in all-white kitchens.
Some real estate studies are suggesting that white cabinets contrasted by a dark navy blue or black kitchen island is among the most common tuxedo kitchen pairings in some real estate listings too.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine
Photo credit: Behr
The paint company Behr has named a rich, bluish hue its 2019 Color of the Year. Blueprint is a mid-tone blue that is described as warmer than denim but softer than navy.
Behr is predicting that embracing a full range of blue, teal,and gray will be a key style for home design in 2019. “Layer light and dark blues on walls, cabinets, furniture, and decor for impactful results,” Behr says.
The color matches with the jewel tone trend that has been taking off in 2018, which also has seen the popularity of dark greens and purples in decor.
Blueprint is a dark color but can also be a classic that can be mixed with many color combos and in different home styles too, the company notes. The color can work as an accent wall color, on kitchen cabinets, in home accessories, bedding or blankets, or furnishings.
Gray will remain a hot neutral in 2019, but color forecasters believe that as warmer tones in taupe and terra-cotta rise in popularity, earthy blues and brown combinations will grow too.
Also, Behr predicts that powder blue, blush peach, and tinted lilac will emerge as new neutrals in the new year as well. These colors create “relaxed and expansive spaces,” the company says. “Matte finishes emphasize softness, while metal accents add glamour.”
Photo credit: Behr
Photo credit: Behr
Source: National Association of Realtors
Photo Credit: Crate and Barrel
By Laura Love Bardell, guest contributor
This year in home decor, green is really having a moment. Far from being a short-lived trend, however, this verdant color is definitely here to stay. Luckily for us, green goes with just about everything, and it’s easy to incorporate into any room of your home.
Add some life.
The simplest way to add green into your home decor is with botanicals, which blend effortlessly into any color scheme. Place a cluster of potted succulents on the coffee table, and fill that empty corner behind the sofa with a statement fiddle leaf fig tree. In spaces that lack sufficient natural light for live plants, consider faux varieties. With advances in manufacturing techniques, many artificial plants look just as convincing as the real thing and require no maintenance.
Accessorize.
In rooms with a neutral color palette, use green accessories to add a pop of color or texture. Swap out existing window treatments with curtains featuring botanical leaf prints or patterns. Layer throw pillows and blankets on the living room sofa. Avoid choosing all solid color pillows as the effect can be a bit flat; instead opt for complementary patterns and textures for a fresh, updated look.
Style your bookcase or end table with a vibrant emerald centerpiece bowl, or intersperse green vases with on-trend marble decor on the console table for a chic, of-the-moment look. For a bolder statement, consider a kelly-green statement wall, palm print wall decals, or a luxe velvet sofa in a rich olive hue.
Mix it up.
Beyond neutral palettes, green works beautifully in any number of color schemes. Many shades mix easily with black and white; use this combination for a classic, timeless aesthetic. Juxtapose a muted lime green with pops of red, orange, and yellow for a playful, energized space. Paler hues mix well with pastels or jewel tones offer a rich, vibrant look.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laura Love Bardell writes for Crate and Barrel, where she creates design-savvy content on the latest home-furnishing trends. Laura enjoys giving tips for how to use furniture creatively for any space, big or small.
Source: National Association of Realtors
Home stager: Justin M. Riordan, founder of Spade and Archer Design Agency, with offices in Portland, Ore., and Seattle
The home: This Portland, Ore., home was a “complete and total fixer,” Riordan says. But it wasn’t anything that some savvy staging couldn’t fix. The 3,180-square-foot home was built in 1906 and features five bedrooms, 3.5 baths. It’s listed for $875,000.
Riordan’s Staging Tips:
Photo Credit: Justin Riordan, Spade and Archer Design Agency
Photo Credit: Justin Riordan, Spade and Archer Design Agency
2. Mix styles because not everybody loves modern or Victorian or vintage. By having an eclectic mix of styles in each room, the staging can appeal a little bit to each person.
Photo Credit: Justin Riordan, Spade and Archer Design Agency
3. Use color blocking. By assigning a single color to each room, buyers will have a way to discuss each room. This house has a green bedroom, a pink bedroom, a grey bedroom, and a brown bedroom. When the buyer say, “I think Sally should have the pink bedroom,” the other buyer will understand immediately which room they were talking about.
Have a home you recently staged that you’d like to show off here at Styled Staged & Sold? Submit your staging photos for consideration, along with three to five of your best spruce-up tips. Contact Melissa Dittmann Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating
What is the key to staging a home in appealing to a broad demographic? Presenting a property’s main rooms so buyers can see its true potential beyond what they read in the listing.
A room showcased in a way that features the best use of the space will not only get noticed but will increase the perceived value and ultimately reduce the time spent on the market. The following are some examples of rooms that were “styled to sell” by meeting targeted buyer specific needs.
Feature a Room’s Original Purpose
Take away the guesswork from buyers by converting the key rooms of a home back to their original purpose. A living room that was being used as a library or office space (as shown in the example above) lacks the “wow factor” when entering the home and is a turn-off to young buyers looking for room to entertain guests.
By adding cozy furniture and modern accents such as a plush rug, wall art, and colorful throw pillows, the space has a fresh, welcoming appeal and helps buyers see the home’s true potential.
For the bedroom above that was used by the sellers as a wardrobe closet, it’s safe to say that buyers would lose interest if they can’t see how a full-sized bed, side table, and shelving would work in the room. Presenting a more functional use of the space rather than one that appears tiny with nothing but racks of hanging clothing, immediately might increase the property’s perceived value for buyers with young families.
Use Furnishings That Fit a Small Space
When staging a small, vacant property such as this flip/investment property shown above, choose the right sized furniture and don’t overdo with too many accents.
Try a love seat and smaller accent chair in the family room or position the head of a bed in front of a window to save space and increase perceived room size.
Present Creative Options For A Large Space
Or when styling a large space such as this living room, divide it into distinct sections to show creative uses of the space. We created a cozy game zone in this living room by incorporating a large round table and chairs accented with wall art by the window for an extra inviting touch. Buyers will not only be attracted to the style of the room, but the potential function as well.
For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit www.pjstagingdecorating.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patti Stern is principal, interior decorator, and professional stager of PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating. She has been decorating and staging homes since 2005. She and her team provide turnkey, full-service home staging and interior decorating to clients across Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. She also developed an award-winning staging program for the luxury homebuilder, Toll Brothers. Her company received the Houzz 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Awards for Customer Service.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
From rustic to modern to even the most luxurious interiors, homeowners are sprucing up their spaces with cowhide. Cowhide rugs have seen one of the biggest jumps in Google searches on home design trends over the last decade, according to Digital Third Coast’s latest design trends study, based on search engine results.
There are many types of cowhide to choose from, such as solid colored, cuvy shaped ones to black and white cowhide to ones with brown accents. The brown accent cowhides can be more subtle when used up against hardwoods or brown leather furnishings. The black and white cowhides, meanwhile, are for the wishing to make a bigger statement.
Where should you add a cowhide? Here are a few ideas to show how the trend is being used in home design.
FURNISHINGS: A cowhide accent chair or ottoman can create a focal point in a space.
RUGS: A curvy cowhide rug under a coffee table in the living room can help anchor a space. Designers say the cowhide even helps “loosen up” an otherwise perfectly symmetrical balanced space.
One thing to add with this trend: Don’t overdo it. You don’t need a lot of cowhide to make a statement.
Source: National Association of Realtors
Calling all stagers! Realtor Magazine is on the lookout for great examples of staging a space in some of today’s most popular home styles, from farmhouse chic to modern or contemporary. I’m looking for some real estate professionals and stagers who would be willing to show off some of their favorite staging styles.
If you have a great example of a home staged in one of the styles listed below, please contact Melissa Dittmann Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org. Share with us a room photo and some of the staging accessories you used to enhance the look. We’ll be sharing some of our favorite submissions in an upcoming guide at Realtor Magazine online.
Design Styles for Staging Photos
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Outdoor lighting isn’t just for the holidays. You can illuminate your outdoor living areas anytime of year. Stringed bulbs are becoming a “hot” outdoor trend this year. These outdoor clear, vintage lights have big rounded bulbs that can really create a festive flair in a backyard. They’re reminiscent of the lights used at an outdoor street fair.
Homeowners are draping them across the top of their pergola, or along their back deck. Some owners may stretch them above and across their yard to create a canopy of lights.
Watch out that they don’t become an eyesore during the daytime. The glow at night are when these lights shine. Tuck them into the top of a pergola. Or, for a photo op, drape them temporarily across a courtyard. Take a picture of it at dusk for a listing photo that shows off the entertainment space of a backyard.
Or, string the lights to illuminate the backyard during a twilight open house. Check out how these designers used them.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Pantone selected Ultra Violet as its 2018 Color of the Year. The vibrant color is popping up in more fashion, but when it comes to home design, is it just too bold for staging? After all, no one wants to deal with a purple elephant in the room when trying to stage a home for sale.
But designers are showing tasteful ways to weave in shades of purple to brighten otherwise neutral decorated rooms. Purple up against a mostly all-beige or all-white room can be just the colorful statement to welcome in the spring buying season.
Purple painted rooms still may be a harder sell in a home for sale, but purple hues in pillows, throw blankets, accessories, florals, or even accent chairs or a tufted couch may just be the touch of purple that takes a room from blah to memorable.
Below we feature a few examples from the popular remodeling site Houzz that show how purple accents can be used in a chic way to brighten up a space. What do you think? Will purple be a hot accent for your spring-time staging?
Purple Velvet
Purple velvety accent chairs against an otherwise neutral backdrop helps make this room more eye-catching.
Purple Pattern
The lime green patterned bedding helps to offset the purple statements in this bedroom design.
Purple Accents
All shades of purple help spice up the décor in this living room, from the flowers to the ottomans, pillows, and blanket.
Purple Accent Walls
If you do purple on the walls, you may want to make it in just a small spot–careful not to overpower the room. Check out this example below, in which the designers use purple wallpaper to accent a fireplace nook in the dining room. The purple hue is then repeated in the lighting fixture and curtains.
Source: National Association of Realtors
Article Submitted by Fixr.com
Before you’re able to successfully stage a home for sale, you need to understand your target audience, and the kinds of things they’re looking for in a home. Home buyers today are much more savvy than previous generations; they know what they want, and they’re willing to wait to get it.
In a recent survey, industry influencers shared what they felt were the top trends in single-family homes for 2018. These trends took a good look at what home buyers were looking for, and what potential sellers and real estate pros can do to help make properties more attractive to those looking at them.
Before you stage another home this year, be sure to consider these top single-family home trends in 2018 to truly understand your audience.
The Purchasers
Before you can stage anything, you need to know a little more about whom you’re staging the rooms for. And while in years past, Baby Boomers made up the bulk of the home buying market, in 2018, you’ll be seeing a predominantly younger demographic.
Fifty-three percent of industry influencers surveyed believe that members of Generation X, aged ages 38 to 53, will compromise the majority of the market, while an additional 34 percent feel that Millennials, ages 21 to 37, will make up the remainder. With this younger group of buyers purchasing more than ever before, you need to pay more attention to what they want during your home staging rather than relying on trends of years past.
Keep in mind that influencers also feel that things like faux finishes and jewel tones—popular design trends of years past–are all out as far as today’s buyers are concerned.
Floor Plans
While you can’t always change every floor plan of every home, you can remove a few walls from a home’s interiors if it means making it more appealing to buyers. More than 70 percent of real estate influencers believe that an open floor plan will be something that home buyers want to see.
Open floor plans are great for entertaining, they help maximize natural light, and are extremely versatile in terms of how the space can be set up and used. These attributes are helping drive more home buyers, especially younger buyers, toward open concept homes than ever before.
Smart Features
When you’re staging a home for sale, don’t overlook one of the most popular trends right now–the smart home. While you don’t have to automate everything in the home to entice buyers, switching out lights for smart bulbs, and adding in things like a smart thermostat and front door lock can go a long way toward encouraging interest amongst buyers.
Fifty percent of influencers surveyed feel that smart homes are going to be the biggest feature that home buyers are looking for in 2018. Smart homes are accessible, functional, and according to Energy Star , they can also save homeowners money–10 percent to 30 percent on energy bills just by switching to a smart thermostat alone. That can certainly be very attractive to prospective buyers.
Exteriors
Everyone knows how important curb appeal is to a home. And today’s trends for home exteriors can help you make the most of a property’s curb appeal during the staging process. This includes using cool colors on the exterior, and for a fast and easy update to the yard, add some potted or raised planters to create a cozy atmosphere that attracts those who enter the yard.
Voice Control
As long as you’re including a few smart features in the home design, be sure to introduce voice control features as well. Surveyed influencers believe that voice control as part of home automation will be a very attractive addition to many homes for today’s buyers.
Luckily, with so many voice-controlled devices on the market, it’s easy to find one that will fit seamlessly in with the rest of the home’s design, helping to capture the attention of any prospective buyer who stops in.
To learn about the cost of household remodeling projects, visit the Cost Guides.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine
Pocket doors are not only getting a chic makeover in recent years, but they really can be key to solving some design challenges in small spaces too. And for the “wow” factor, try a double-pocket door.
Pocket doors are those that slide right into the wall when opened. It’s like they were never there. You don’t have to account for a door swing like a normal door, which is a bonus in areas tight on space.
Pocket doors are hardly new. They’ve been around for ages. But they did once suffer from an image of looking flimsy and cheap.
That’s not today’s pocket door. The double-pocket pocket door has doors that slide open from either side, tucking into their corresponding wall.
There are many styles to choose from. For example, an all-white French door one with glass window panes allow more brightness and can dress up the doorway even when you want to close off a space. Or, there also are some double-pocket doors that can stretch all the way to the ceiling for some added drama.
Pocket doors can be a great solution to section off closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or a home’s study. They also can add more privacy to a home with an expansive open floorplan. After all, the one growing gripe from homeowners with open floorplans is that their floorplans at time feel too open. The double-pocket door just may be one stylish solution to help solve that problem. And when the doors are tucked into the wall, you may never even known it was there.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Supersized tiles are making over more floors, and this may be welcome news to many homeowners. Large format tiles means less grout to clean. The large tile trend may be partially motivated out of function, not just aesthetics.
More homeowners are experimenting with larger tile sizes, whether with porcelain, ceramic, or vinyl flooring.
Tile squares may be about 12 inches or so in most standard kitchen floors. But now sizes up to 24 inches or more are catching on.
Besides the easier-to-clean aspects of this, the larger tile squares often can make a space look bigger. That’s because there are less grout lines breaking up a floor into boxy squares, which leads to the perceptions of elongated spaces. (Another tip from designers in elongating a space with your tile: Be sure to select a grout color that most closely matches the color of your tile. That will also help make your floors look more expansive.)
The larger tile formats are popping up in kitchen flooring and as in bathrooms surrounding the tub or shower. Designers say the larger formats offer a more modern, “clean lines” vibe to a room’s flooring.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Patti Stern, PJ & Co. Staging and Interior Decorating
The new year and the upcoming spring season brings with it a fresh outlook and new beginnings. What will prospective home buyers be thinking about while searching for their new “happy place”? For sellers preparing their homes to sell this spring, that means engaging buyers by showcasing a warm, welcoming and cheerful property that others can easily envision living in. The following are our spring décor styling tips to help sellers prepare their property to stand out among the sea of new listings.
Natural Elements Paired with Metallics
One of our favorite trends is plants of all shapes and sizes–succulents, trees or plants in baskets and colorful planters, and fresh or synthetic garden flowers in vases and wreaths. Since metallic accents continue to be on-trend, we love pairing the two together for an elegant touch to appeal to today’s buyers who like to feel close to nature.
Pops of Bright Accents
Pair bold pops of colorful accessories such as accent pillows, throws, artwork, glass bowls filled with fruit, and fluffy bathroom towels against a neutral backdrop to give any room a boost of energy and warmth. Mix and match different textures and patterns for added depth and a modern style.
Update Paint Colors
Whether you repaint an entire room or an accent wall, a fresh coat of paint works wonders to instantly brighten and open a space to make it appear larger. To spruce up your curb appeal, try a fresh coat of a trending spring color such as Benjamin Moore’s Caliente for your front door to create a welcoming first impression.
Fresh Bedding
To create a spring-like oasis in the bedroom, switch out winter bedding and replace it with fluffy duvets in white, or on-trend floral patterns paired with a soft, cozy throw and accent pillows in different sizes, colors, and textures. To complete the look, add soothing nature-inspired wall art in complementary colors.
For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit www.pjstagingdecorating.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patti Stern is principal, interior decorator, and professional stager of PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating. She has been decorating and staging homes since 2005. She and her team provide turnkey, full-service home staging and interior decorating to clients across Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. She also developed an award-winning staging program for the luxury homebuilder, Toll Brothers. Her company received the Houzz 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Awards for Customer Service.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Since 2000, the standard home for-sale was about 1,800 square feet – which mostly stayed steady for several years. But lately, the standard new home has swelled to 2,200 square feet, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Where is all of that extra space going? Bathrooms.
Builders are adding more bathrooms to homes, reports CNNMoney.
If buyers are putting so much more emphasis on bathrooms, you’d be wise to focus more on it in your staging too. Take a look at some of these photos below from Houzz to get inspiration for some simple, affordable ideas to stage bathrooms.
1. Try a luxurious, fluffy bath rug.
2. Add some fresh flowers, like a vase of hydrangeas, for some added color pop.
3. Show off some smart organization. You know, buyers will be peeking in the closets.
4. Set up like a spa: Fluffy folded towels with lotions on a cart.
5. Swap out for a framed mirror.
6. Try a slightly bolder shower curtain and tie it back to add more drama.
7. Bring in some bling: Silver accessories can add some shine, as long as your home owner is committed to keeping them sparkling.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Love is in the air with Valentine’s Day this week. But a romantic flair to warm up your home design may very well be in style year-round.
In fact, one-third of homeowners say they intended to renovate their master bedrooms to create a more romantic or intimate space, according to a 2015 survey of more than 1,500 homeowners conducted by Houzz, a remodeling website.
How do you achieve a more romantic style with your décor? Here are a few ideas.
1. Fluffy pillows
The more pillows on the bed, the better. Decorative pillows can add a softness to a room. Read tips from stager Audra Slinkey from the Home Staging Resource: How to Use Pillows in Staging
2. A lush Rug
A faux sheepskin rug under the bed may add a touch of luster to the flooring.
3. Whites and pastels
Softer colors can add a more romantic vibe. Pristine white mixed with soft pastels may add warmth to a bedroom. Try whites or pastel bedding and accessories up against a slightly darker wall color for just the right contrast.
4. Fireplace
Illuminate a space with the glows from a fireplace or candles.
5. Flowers
Fresh flowers can spruce up any room in the house–and as an added bonus they often bring a pleasant scent too. Even small bouquets can still make a statement.
6. Chandelier
Add in more glam in the bathroom with a crystal chandelier that can reflect the light and bring a little sparkle.
7. Intimate outdoor spaces
You can get romantic with your landscaping outside too. Set a scene with a small table and chair set, greenery surrounding, and strung lights to create a cozy spot to unwind or dine.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
Consider adding more floral patterns into your staging. It’s bold and trendy, home designers say.
Floral prints are seeing a revival in home design, according to the design community on Houzz, a home renovation and design platform. In fact, they are calling florals one of the hottest home design trends of 2018.
But its re-emergence in interiors does come with a twist this time around. Floral designs in contrasting colors is trending. It can make a big statement and can be an eye-popping pattern to jazz up a space.
“Forget low-energy patterns and think botanical references in high-contrast colors, such as black and white, or teal and gold, and over-sized blooms,” Houzz notes in its forecast.
Floral patterns of roses, peonies, and lilacs are popular in wall art, throw pillows or bedding, rugs, or furnishings. It can feel vintage, and add a little flair to an otherwise neutral staging palette.
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Audra Slinkey, Home Staging Resource
A lot of people don’t realize just how much home stagers do for their clients. Certified professional home stagers are true artists and will go to great lengths to get that “right look,” as well as help seller’s maximize the return impact on the sale of their home.
Here are two, behind-the-scenes staging stories that show you how far your home stager will go to GET IT DONE RIGHT…
You may have seen this unique residence in your news stream a while back, but did you consider how it got staged? It is on an island just off the Connecticut coast and the residence spans the entire three-acre island.
There were five houses to be staged (a main house, guest house, tea house, game house, and pool house.) The real kicker is that the caretaker’s boat had weight restrictions and could not hold couches, beds, or larger pieces–so the stager had to be creative!
HSR Certified home stager Leia Ward of LTW Designs in Fairfield County is the brave home stager who took on this property, and using only accessories, staged it beautifully! Here is a photo of her loading up the boat with all her gorgeous furnishings.
Imagine how hard it must have been to crate all of those items over two docks, open sea, and yard space using just the wheel barrel you see here!
Leia and her team staged all day and into the evening but the outcome and sale of the home is what drives dedicated stagers like her.
Since staging outdoor spaces has become much more critical to buyers, Leia makes sure no stone is unturned using what the client had and adding many more accessories to update the look.
View photos of Leia and her team’s staging of the property.
My second story entails a home that most people had given up on…
Looking more like an Amityville Horror Movie, this home had been neglected and abused for years and unfortunately the inside was not much better…
When RESA Stager of the Year, HSR Grad Brad Fletcher of the Home Staging Pros in Orlando, Fla. got a hold of this property … everything changed!
The transformation is unbelievable, and it’s hard to envision this is the same house! Updated flooring, paint, fixtures, A LOT of clean up, and staging makes this a home that buyers will pay A LOT more for!
Professional home stagers make this kind of magic happen every day for their clients. They are tireless, they are dedicated, and they are worth every penny.
Buyers beware … not all home stagers are equal. Is Walmart equal to Restoration Hardware in quality and design? It’s not about getting the best price for your sellers; it’s about getting the best return on their investment. Brad and Leia are stagers who do just that.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Audra Slinkey is president of the Home Staging Resource, a RESA Accredited home staging training and certification company. Slinkey has personally trained over 3,000 stagers worldwide and is a bestselling author and international speaker. She also serves as president of the American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners. Connect with her on Facebook!
Source: National Association of Realtors
By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine
The mega consumer electronic showcase, CES, lands in Las Vegas this week. It may not be the place you typically go to for décor trends, but technology is having an undeniable influence in home design, like see-through refrigerators and smart lighting.
Consumers look to you for expertise too. Forty-two percent of Americans say they would look to their sales agent to provide suggestions about how staging their home with smart home products could impact the sale of their home, according to a newly released Coldwell Banker Real Estate survey of more than 3,000 Americans.
So what do we see that has potential this year to spice up some designs? Here are a few picks from CES 2018.
Accent Wall Light Show
Photo credit: Nanoleaf
Nanoleaf’s color-changing Aurora light panels would make for an attention-getting accent wall in small or big doses. Connect them in any configuration you like. They just stick to the walls. The panels change colors, and you can sync the lights to music and also with one of your AI’s, Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. The panels are touch-sensitive so with a tap you can turn them on and off, dim them, or change the color.
Statement Refrigerators
Refrigerators just keep getting smarter. LG’s new InstaView ThinQ smart refrigerator features a 29-inch touchscreen that becomes transparent if you knock on it twice. You can also use the touchscreen to manage your food and get automatic reminders when items are running low.
Photo credit: LG
Samsung has a similar model in appearance with its 2018 version of its Family Hub smart refrigerator. This year’s model offers support for Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant to handle voice commands. It can connect to other third-party devices for the smart home too. So you can actually view what’s happening outside your front door from your refrigerator door.
Photo credit: Samsung
Notice both the Samsung and LG models are both featured in black stainless, which we still believe will be a growing competitor to traditional stainless steel.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall …
Photo credit: Kohler
Check out this smart mirror. Kohler is introducing a new Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror, which is a bathroom mirror that has Amazon’s Alexa built-in. It features a dual-microphone solution for accuracy in voice-control and speakers are housed in the casings. There is also a motion-activated wayfinding nightlight for safety, and LED lights for makeup application or other grooming needs. It can also communicate with other connected products in your Wi-Fi network.
Is that an AI in your ceiling?
Photo credit: GE
Talk with your ceiling lights. You’ll be able to with GE’s Smart Ceiling Fixture. It is a large disk that boasts a speaker in the middle. You can give it voice-driven tasks on anything, like adding an item to your grocery list or telling it to play music. You can also tell it to adjust the warmness or coolness of the lights. It responds to your commands. Flush mount or recessed can lighting options will be available.
Source: National Association of Realtors
