Home Staging Blog

“Luxurious Living” is what describes the home we staged today in Westwood.  This home, located near UCLA, is in the heart of the Wilshire Corridor and offers tremendous views from virtually every room.  We used the homeowner’s existing furnishings and accessories and brought in just a few new items to give it a fresh look.   This home is now staged and ready to sell.

If you have dreams of living the high life along the Wilshire Corridor, give the agent a call.  His contact information is on the details page of the real estate show.

Homes with walls of glass can be very dramatic, particularly when they overlook a fabulous view such as the city of Los Angeles.  Imagine walking into a home at the top of a mountain where the back of the home is hanging over a cliff; the entire back side of the home is a wall of windows and the entire front and side portions of the main living areas are lined with mirrors, reflecting the window’s views. 

While this sounds fabulous, when you walk into a vacant house like this, the feeling you get is not an inviting one.  Instead it feels cold, unsteady, and insecure.  With the use of color and furniture placement, you can balance the elements in the home and create an environment that will produce a space where you will feel comfortable, relaxed and be in a state to enjoy the surroundings.

In the home shown above, we used furnishings and accessories that reflected the colors of nature in the hills outside the home.  We brought in the color of the earth in the sofas and chairs.  The trees and plants gave the room life.  Splashes of color warmed the room and touches the emotions of the viewers.  Since the walls are glass, art was hung on easels to add another layer of interest within the room, making the space feel grounded.

By bringing in all of the elements of nature into a room, even in a house of glass, you will make a buyer, and yourself feel safe and comfortable.  No matter what kind of challenge your home might have, think of balance as you stage your house. 

If your dream is to own a house with a professional recording studio, then this Sherman Oaks home is just for you.  We staged this home yesterday, and I can assure you, it is a beauty.  The studio speaks, or shall I say, sings for itself.  It doesn’t end there either.  There is a pool, a large private yard, and a covered patio for every type of outdoor entertaining you might enjoy.

The homeowner let me know it will be open this weekend, so please be sure to contact the real estate agent for Open House information.  His number is on the details page of the real estate show.

If you end up famous and on stage after buying this home, be sure to let me know.  I will definitely want tickets.

Wow, amazing views! The home we staged today is up at the top of the hill above Sunset Blvd. in Bel Air.  And the views are not just from one room, oh no!  They are from virtually every room in the house!

These homeowners are just finishing up the last of some updates.  By the time the Open House comes this weekend, the landscaping will be complete and that deck with the lonely little table and chairs on it will have some gorgeous potted plants and flowers.  (I got to see them, they were there, just not put into their new containers yet)

So give the agent a call and stop by this weekend.  This home is just minutes from anywhere you might want to be, but it is oh, so private.  And if any of you buy this home, please be sure to give me a call…  It would be a great place to spend a Friday evening hanging out!

You can find the agent’s info on the details page of the real estate show.

In business, just like in personal life, communication is key.  Can you imagine being in the midst of a project and your client is suddenly unable to reach you?  How would they feel?  Lost?  Abandoned?  Concerned?  Maybe even a little (or a lot) frustrated?

Some of my clients may be feeling that way this evening.  With my recent relocation, I made the decision to have my land phone line ported over to a cell phone line.  There was miscommunication on the part of both the wireless provider and the land line provider.  As a result, I am feeling all of the emotions that my clients may be experiencing this evening, myself.  It seems there is a message on the line that says the phone is disconnected.

Says what?!

When you contact a service provider and make arrangements for them to take care of you, you trust they will follow through.  If you come across a problem, follow up with them, (in this case-both of them) and they reassure you everything is “going as it should”, you trust you are in good hands.  How much more disappointing it is when things slip through the cracks and you (and your clients) are let down.

The folks this evening had a much harder time dealing with me while I was upset than the people I spoke with the several times before when I called asking why the line wasn’t responding as I had expected.  If the person working the phone at either company had taken the time to work through the issue this morning or yesterday, or last week, no one would have been upset today.

I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced this evening by this situation.  I am grateful to those who have contacted me at my alternate number to alert me so that I can work on rectifying the situation.  After speaking with both providers, I am trusting that when we wake up tomorrow, all will be “as it should be.”

I encourage everyone to take the time to keep communication open.  When you choose to work with someone, you agree to focus on achieving the same goal.  Listening and responding is just as important as it is to speak up.  If you ever have trouble reaching me, please try my alternate number or drop me an email.  We are all on the same team.

While out shopping today for a client, I stopped by Pier 1 and had a chance to check out their great selection of new lamps.  They are having a sale right now too, so of course they are displayed abundantly throughout the stores.

I wasn’t in the market for lamps today (darn!), but they definitely had some that were tempting.

You might want to go check them out while there is still a great selection.  Home lighting can be fun, sexy and functional.  Use your imagination, see what kind of difference you can make in your home with some exciting new lighting!

I just finished posting a real estate show for you on a staging we did last week in West Los Angeles and I am pleased to say, that unit is in Escrow!  But there are more of these homes available and they are all great units!

So I ran over there this morning, (well, ok, I drove) and we quickly moved everything and set up another model.  This one is an upper unit with a loft and an enormous rooftop deck with ultra cool views. 

You can check out the real estate show, or better yet, go visit their Open House.  They are open 2pm to 5pm today and tomorrow.  You can also give their agent a call; her info is on the details page.

Cool, built in lighting is abundant in homes these days.  I see it in just about every new home or newly renovated home I visit.  Recessed lighting, pendant lighting, cool fixtures and sconces, classic or funky chandeliers, the variety seems to be endless.  But when a staging client stopped by a project and saw lamps on the tables, I was shocked when he remarked, “I didn’t know anyone was using these anymore!”

My head popped up and I had to do a double take.  Was he really talking about the lamps?  Did he really assume that because there were lights in the ceiling that no other lighting would be appropriate?  By the quizzical look on his face, I could see he was serious.

Lighting does so much more than pure function.  Lighting can evoke such a warm ambience in a room.  Used properly, it can create dramatic shadows that are in and of themselves, natural artwork.  I love to use small lights under plants and in corners to play up these elements in ways that will balance and complete a room.

 And just as there is a wide variety of hard wired light   fixtures, so too is there an even wider variety of table and floor lamps.  While we typically keep them fairly simple for our staging inventory, if you are shopping for your personal home, have some fun!  Lamps are fantastic accent pieces and can instantly cheer up a room.

Don’t think that just because the builder put 30 light fixtures in the ceiling you have to use them all or that you are limited to just those.  Go out and find some cool lamps that will fit your home’s design.

I love classic, traditional homes.  We staged one recently that has some really cool features.  It is located in San Marino on a quiet street, close to shopping (and a Starbucks :).  There is a huge picture window in the front, gorgeous hardwood floors, a double sided fireplace and four large bedrooms.  Pretty cool.

I love the fireplace in the dining room and the sliders leading to the rear patio.  Indoor/outdoor dining is California living to me.  If you want to check it out, contact the agent; the info is, as always on the details page of the real estate show. 

I’m sure they will be having some Open Houses soon.

We staged a unit at a new condominium development in West Los Angeles this past week.  The floors are gorgeous and each unit features its own private outdoor space.  They were still wrapping up some of the work while we were there, but I know they have Open Houses planned for this weekend, so it should all be completed by now.

The planters arrived for the patios while we were there too, so I’m sure the landscaping for them is in now too.  Be sure to contact the real estate agent for more information.  Her contact info is on the details page of the real estate show.