Wednesday, March 28, 2012

2 Bdrm/2 Bath condo with Marble Floors - $176,900

Check out another BTSH staged property - great listing at a great price!

Roger's Daytime today at noon, 3pm and 6pm

Attention KW residents - be sure to check out Roger's Daytime today live at noon (replayed at 3:00pm and 6:00pm) as Shauna Lynn, also Chair of the KW MS Walk, talks about the upcoming walk and other MS events. She is honoured to be joined by Linda Jarrett and her service dog Pina.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Another BTSH Staged Property sold in a day...

Can hardly keep up - staging and de-staging within a matter of days is exhausting, but keeps my inventory fresh - contact me to find out how I can work with your budget to get your listing sold!

Shauna Lynn to Appear on Roger's Daytime!

Attention KW residents - be sure to check out Roger's Daytime, this Wednesday live at noon (replayed at 3:00pm and 6:00pm) as Shauna Lynn, also Chair of the KW MS Walk, talks about the upcoming walk and other MS events. She is honoured to be joined by Linda Jarrett and her service dog Pina.

100 Days of Staging Tips coming April 1st!

Stay tuned for 100 days of staging tips from Home Staging Professional and Owner of Beyond The Stage Homes, Shauna Lynn Simon - starting April 2nd!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Decorating Tip - Buy It!!

I know, women everywhere are showing this post to their husbands - "See? She's a professional, she's telling me to spend money!"

What I mean by "Buy it" is that you need to shop to find the right pieces for your home, and sometimes you really can't tell if something is going to work until you get it into your house, in your lighting, surrounded by your things. When I'm staging a home, I always explain that it's easy for me to decorate their home because I have a practically unlimited supply of items to choose from - it's like bringing the store to their house and choosing which items work best. Pay attention to a store's return policies, most offer hassle-free returns, and if you're unsure of what is going to look best then simply buy more than what you need and return what you don't use. In essence, bring the store home.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sexy Soap Dispenser Covers!

While I understand the convenience of the disposable soap dispensers, I miss the classic look of a decorative dispenser. I always advise clients to replace their soap dispensers with decorative ones - the branded ones tend to look cheap in a beautifully decorated bathroom. I do however understand that some of these soaps are premium quality and love that Bath and Body works has introduced an attractive solution - check out these hot soap pump sleeves:

Monday, March 19, 2012

Myth: Home Staging Is Expensive

7 pillows
2 pieces of artwork
$52.50

This is my favourite myth to dispel - home staging CAN work with any budget!

This before and after photo gives a great example of staging on a budget. As a professional home stager, my aim is always to work with what the homeowner has available to showcase the space to it's fullest potential. Sometimes less is more.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Considering a Home Reno? Be sure to read this first!

If you're planning a spring/summer renovation project, regardless of the reno, there is one thing that every homeowner should be sure to consider before construction begins - resale. You might be thinking why is this important if you're not planning to sell your home? You may not be planning to list your home in the near future, but before making any permanent changes to your home, you need to think about what a potential buyer will think. I encourage you to make the home yours, be creative with the design, and allow it to reflect your style, but keep in mind that at some point you are likely to choose to sell the home, and you want to be sure that your renovations will pay off by increasing the value of the home - how easy will it be to neutralize the home if you do choose to sell? Is it as simple as a coat of paint, or will it require tearing down walls? I recently worked with a home staging client that had installed a jacuzzi tub right in their master bedroom, and despite my best efforts, all the staging in the world couldn't hide the fact that there was a tub in their bedroom. They eventually ripped the tub out and replaced the carpet after several potential buyers were turned off by this. No matter what your plans for the immediate future are, be sure to consider the long term effects as well.