Interior design advice and ideas |Decor Ideas and Home Styling Inspiration – Interior Design Page 13

Bathroom Make-Over Without A Renovation

January 8, 2015 by magda Filed Under: Chester County Bathroom Makeover, Chester County Staging, home makeover, quick updates, staged to sell

Whether you’re looking to sell your home or just to improve it you’ve probably asked yourself if there are ways to make a bathroom show better without a complete renovation.

While a complete renovation is not what I recommended when selling your house because the buyers would more likely want to renovate for their own tastes and preferences, we all know kitchens and bathrooms sell a house. So the objective becomes to remove the buyers turn off and to update the space enough so the potential home buyer will think they can move in and live with the way it looks until they’re ready to take on the renovation.

Most important a bathroom should be CLEAN.

Get rid of mold. Almost every bathroom contains some form of mold, especially in corners.
If wallpaper is peeling, steam it off the walls and paint the walls with a light-colored semi-gloss. Even if it is not peeling I always recommend removing it. Home buyers see it as outdated and a lot of work!
Throw out worn, frayed, or outdated rugs and towels.

Think hotel! Or spa – you get the picture! When showing the home the bathroom should be sparkling clean and free of any personal toiletries, shampoos, toys, etc.

The biggest impact in updating a bathroom without spending a fortune is changing outdated or items in poor condition like

Lighting fixtures and cabinet door/drawer handles.

Fix leaky/dripping faucets or change them if they are really beaten up

You don’t have to go high-end on any of these items. You can find nice things at Home Depot, Lowe’s or even on Ebay I found nice cabinet hardware at really good prices

Bathroom Before Updating

Bathroom After Updating

On the list of biggest impact for less is to paint the walls and paint really freshens up any space. But if the tiles are white, don’t paint the wall white. There should be a little contrast otherwise it may look like a hospital.

If you have one of those large, frameless mirrors that span the length of the vanity like in this example consider either removing it or adding a frame. These are screaming 80s! and if adding a frame/trim around it seems too much and you repaint anyhow adding smaller framed mirrors are more in fashion these days.

If the tub is in poor condition, or of a dated color(think pink!), it can be re-glazed by a professional and it would be much cheaper than removing and replacing the tub.

If the grout between the tiles surrounding the tub is mildewed or crumbling (which is most of the times) keep in mind that a re-grouting can do wonders. If the grout is really not that bad but could use a face lift there are quite a few products on the market that can be used to paint and seal the grout and the end product will look like you just had new tile installed.

If you have an outdated oak vanity, like my clients did here painting it or staining it in a darker color with a semi-gloss finish, and adding new hardware will go really help to get an updated look. Or you can just choose a paint color that is going to tone down the oak and just tie everything in so it wont scream at you anymore 🙂

Then there comes the fun part, the finishing touches: new shower curtain, bath rug, and fluffy towels, accessories, and shampoo’s/oils placed in a tray or a basket with rolled up towels, but

Keep it Simple! If you’re tempted to add a few too many cute touches resist it! and stay focused on your goal, a quick and profitable sale!

Why stage your home?

January 4, 2015 by magda Filed Under: home stager, home stagers, home staging

First and foremost You have only one chance to make a first impression and real estate staging is exactly that: giving the best first impression to potential buyers. A professional home stager will research the current trends in the market and the buyer demographics in the area. A professional stager will strive to provide emotional connections to buyers to your home and will provide furnishings and accessories that appeal to broadest range of your buyer demographic.

2. Staging sells your home faster.
You heard it thousand times but lets really think about it: the longer your home is on the market, the longer you are stuck and not able to move on with your life. No matter if the market is hot or not it is physically and emotionally draining be opening your home to buyers while having to keep it in show-ready condition. And then it comes down to the cost of “hanging” onto a home more than you want. Which is my next reason why staging your home works:

3. Staging sells your home for more money.
For most of us homeowners our home is our largest investment, so when time comes to sell we should treat it as just that: an investment. Staging studies show that staged homes sell for at least 8-10% more than their non-staged counterparts. Today’s buyer is more likely to pay more or have less objectives if the house is perceived as turn-key.

4. Staging is a great listing tool.
Having your home staged will make it look better in the marketing materials which results in more showing activity. Real estate agents will be more likely to bring their buyers to see a staged home as they see them as properties ready to sell. The result is a lot more EXPOSURE for your home and a product which will stand out from the COMPETITION.
As a seller you might want to consider staging your house if it is ‘market-worn’ or at the end of the listing period. The house can then be re-introduced to the market as the “Hot New Property”!

5.Staging always costs less than your first price reduction.
The BEST time to stage is BEFORE you list your property. When a house first goes on the market, it usually receives a lot of interest from real estate agents and the buyers. That’s the time to strike. Once that first wave of interest passes, time can become an enemy for a seller.
The next best time to stage is NOW. Consider staging before reducing your price – you wont believe how much impact staging your home can have!

Contact ReImagine Interiors today for a consultation. Home staging services for Chester, Delaware, Montgomery Counties and the Main Line Philadelphia.

Chester County, PA Home Staging Tip: How to Live In A Staged Home

December 29, 2014 by magda Filed Under: home stager, home staging tips

So you’ve had a professional home stager come to your home and you’ve done everything that they recommended in order to get your home sold fast and for top dollar. Now you probably wonder how are you going to keep your home show ready all the time.

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Model homes make us dream about living there, but living in your own home while it is being staged can be exhausting. Your home doesn’t have to look show-ready ALL the time because the way we live is different from the way we stage a home to sell. The key is to contain you personal items so your home can become show-ready at the last minute.

Now that you’ve packed up all the things that are not needed for the next few months, keep in mind this is not the time to be buying more toys or kitchen gadgets.

We want buyers to think that there is adequate storage and staying organized is easy so don’t try to shove everything off counters into kitchen cabinets and closets at the last minute. Buyers will probably open every cabinet and drawer unless it’s furniture.

Instead you can use a basket or a box to store keys, mail, bills, unread magazines etc. and keep it in an out-of-the way place such like in a drawer in a desk. It will not only eliminate a cluttered appearance, but it will also protect your privacy.

Remove all toiletries from the bath counters and showers because buyers don’t want to see your used bottles of shampoo and body wash. Think “spa” or “hotel”. If you don’t have a closed cabinet under the sink, purchase baskets to store these items.
Your home stager probably recommended white, new and fluffy towels be displayed during showings. You can keep the display-only towels, on the towel bars, and hang your regular towels elsewhere. Before a showing remember to remove the laterr and put in the washing machine or laundry basket. Another option would be to have the new towels neatly stored in a linen closet or in the cabinet under the sink. Before an open house do the towel switcheroo.

Farmhouse Bathroom by Williston Home Builders Bickford Construction Corporation

Contemporary Kids

At the suggestion of your home stager you’ve probably packed away some or most of the toys(children only play with maximum 10-20 of them anyhow!). Make sure you have storage bins or chests in which to put these items. They make for a much neater appearance.

For a fast clean up another suggestion would be to take a laundry basket and walk through the home and put everything in there that you don’t have room to store away. The laundry basket can be stored in the basement, or the trunk of your car to be safe:)

There are many other things that should be done prior to showing your home and having an open house checklist handy is helpful so that you know exactly what you have to do.