Exploring Art

Milwaukee Art Museum

I spent a day off this week exploring various forms of art at the Milwaukee Art Museum.  The building itself is a work of art with wings atop the roof that open and close during the day.  We arrived early enough to enjoy the artistic interior angles before the halls were crowded with other visitors.

 

We took in the current exhibition of Impressionist drawings, but my husband is always drawn to the sculptures.  We marvel at the fact that this work of art began as a solid block of marble with little room for error.

 

 

I enjoy the oil paintings and appreciate how painters of an era influenced each other.   The amazing realism of the facial features and the texture of the wood defy the fact that this is a two-dimensional painting.  I want to reach out and touch it to make sure.

 

Which one is art?

We were captivated by “Janitor”, as were most other visitors.  We watched children approach this statue and almost will it to speak or move.

Having spent time in the visual merchandising field, I am impressed by the placement of the art in each gallery.  Each piece is positioned to its best advantage.  “Janitor” was lurking around a corner, surprising visitors as they entered the room.

At Premiere Home Stagers we express creativity by maximizing the appeal of a home.  We have a starting point, an existing space and often furnishings in that space.

The art I experienced this week began in the mind of each artist and emerged from the medium chosen to express the idea.

 

A New Beginning . . .

Rear View of Cottage

Last September I put an offer on this cottage near my house.  We were able to close on that property this morning. Isn’t she a beauty?

This is what I saw when I entered for the first time today:

Living room

Kitchen

Toilet & Sink (No bathtub or shower)

So why did I purchase this piece of property?

Porch with lake view

Two reasons: 1)  it abuts my backyard, thus I can subdivide it so that my current house has a larger backyard; and  2) it has lake rights.

Because this cottage sits on footings and doesn’t have a  basement, it would cost more to bring it up to code than to build new.  Therefore, this spring we will have it razed, clean up the surrounding land, regrade and plant some grass, perennials, and shrubbery.

Premiere Home Stagers has been involved in a total rehabilitation of a property a few years ago and relished the challenge:

Kitchen Before Renovation

However, that property was structurally sound whereas this cottage is not.  We understand the value of salvaging older properties, but safety comes first.

So, 2012 brings a new beginning to this property.  Hopefully in the future a new “green-built” abode will sit proudly on its crest.

Premiere Home Stagers wish you all a new beginning of growth, success, and health in 2012.

 

Time to Tackle Clutter

 

With Christmas around the corner and a couple extra vacation days ahead, it’s a great time to get a handle on the clutter that has accumulated over the year.

You may be considering a move in the spring. Tackling clutter now can give you a fresh perspective on your home and a jump on preparing your home for sale.

 

 

I just spoke with a homeowner who is considering a move this spring.  She is beginning the process of preparing their home for sale by weeding through stored items, reorganizing, donating and more efficiently using the storage space they have.

 

 

Bookcases, desks and play areas are frequently used spaces where items accumulate.  Targeting these areas with an eye toward orderly storage is a great way to prepare for sale.

At Premiere Home Stagers we remind homesellers that the way they live in their home isn’t necessarily the best way to list it for sale.  Potential buyers are distracted from the features of the home itself by clutter and personal items.

 

Another key place to pare down is an area that contains a collection.  When we proudly display every item of a collection, the result can be distracting to a potential buyer.  Pausing to view a collection sidetracks them from imagining themselves in the home.

 

So whether you are in your home to stay or contemplating the next step, approaching the new year by reducing clutter is a great idea.  Your home will have a fresh feel as you streamline problem areas.  And you’ll have a jump on packing if you list your home for sale.

Premiere Home Stagers would love to help maximize the appeal of your home.  Call us at 608-217-8058.

 

Holiday Decorating

Cheerful Entrance

Whether you are entertaining this holiday season or not, a cheerfully decorated front door brings the holiday spirit to your home.

A simple natural evergreen wreath tied with a red bow was purchased for a fundraiser from the neighborhood kids’ school.  The artificial greenery around the door already has white lights embedded, making this a very simple decoration to put up.

Traditional Holiday Colors

You can decorate with traditional red and green colors, or mix it up with non-traditional colors such as silver with blue, gold with red, or even a monochromatic white.

Monochromatic Centerpiece

Don’t forget the smells of the season.  Light a pine-scented candle, simmer some cinnamon on the stove, or place some cranberry potpourri in a bowl.  These kinds of smells evoke peaceful, happy memories.

Table Top Tree

You may want to choose a theme when decorating so there is some cohesion and direction–such as angels, snowflakes, Santas, or nature.  However, when decorating a Christmas tree, the most sentimental ornaments bring out the best memories.  Who doesn’t remember those bird seed kindergarten ornaments or those paper chains from pre-school.

Paper Stockings

You might need to rearrange your furniture to make room for the tree or to make more conversation areas.  It doesn’t matter if or how you dress up your home for the holidays. The most important part is the spirit of the season.

Premiere Home Stagers wishes you and yours a very special holiday season.

 

The Allure of Wall Color

Thousands of Choices

A redesign project has a definite progression.  We begin by selecting the most permanent, and usually most expensive, elements of the new decor — flooring, tile, countertops, etc.  When these are chosen we move to furniture.  Finally, we consider wall color.

With literally thousands of choices paint selection can be an overwhelming task.  But if it falls at the end of the redesign process,  the choices are narrowed greatly by the other elements of the new design.

Paint is the easiest and least expensive decorating change in a room.  Natural light, room size, floor color and furniture colors all contribute to determine the best paint choice.

We have all witnessed color choices that have gone awry.   The wall colors like these are too harsh for the space, used in the wrong rooms, or in the wrong combinations.  These walls draw our attention away from the atmosphere and furnishings of the room to the wall itself.

Wall color should create a backdrop for the other elements of the room.  It should foster a mood and pull the other pieces of the room together.  Wall color can bring different rooms of the home together for a cohesive feel throughout.

This warm neutral color plays off the light in the room.  It allows the fireplace to be the focal point.  It also provides a backdrop for the pop of color — the cottage rocking chair.  The red of the chair draws the eye while the wall color creates the warm mood.

The bolder color of this room is tempered by the amount of natural light.  It is complemented by  neutral furntiure, a glass coffee table and light wood flooring.   The overall effect is not overwhelming because of the other elements in the room.

So as tempting as it may be to design a room around a paint color, the best decision is to save the wall color for last allowing it to tie together the rest of the room.

 

All I Want for Christmas is . . . A Sold House

Earlier this year, this house was put on the market.  Their realtor took online photos and waited for prospective buyers to show up.  Unfortunately, they waited about 10 months for prospective buyers to show up.  They took their home off the market and called Premiere Home Stagers for a consultation. A very wise decision.

This extra bedroom could be spruced up with placing the daybed under the window as the focal point, getting a new spread and pillows, and painting over the stark white paint with a warmer color.

Extra Bedroom

Another easy thing to do is to replace some flooring. Having carpet in a bathroom may be warm on your barefeet, but is just not sanitary.  Replace this carpet with vinyl or even tile with in-floor heat.

Carpeted bath

Too many cooking spills and dining spills make carpeting a poor choice in a kitchen.

Carpeted Kitchen

We also suggested painting just the exterior front portion of the house to match the rear.

Premiere Home Stagers offer a $99 Grand Finale Staging Service to return after the “to-do” list is completed. We stage your home so that each room has a focal point and a purpose. We also take photos for you or your realtor to post online. Why have prospective buyers filter out your house because of poor quality photos?  Remember that saying….”You only have one chance to make a good first impression.”

This house will go back on the market next year.  This time, they will have increased their chances for a sale.

 

Where to Put the TV?

TV above fireplace

As Premiere Home Stagers considered the current redesign project, we wrestled with where to locate the TV.  In a room where TV viewing is a primary function, this determination must be made first as it dictates furniture placement later on.  Our first inclination was to use the wall next to the fireplace to accomodate the TV.   Later we decided that, although it gains more prominence above the fireplace, this spot was best for furniture arrangement.

Our constant dilemma:  How to incorporate the TV into room decor without allowing it to be the focal point.

The current array of flatscreen TV options help to minimize the impact of a TV in a room.  This wall-mounted unit is on a side wall, allowing the upholstery grouping to capture attention.

 

 

Distracting View

This is the scenario we sometimes encounter in a home.  The TV is perfectly positioned for bedtime viewing but a potential buyer is greeted with the back of the set when entering the room.  Our recommendation:  remove the TV when preparing the home for sale to draw a buyer’s eye to the appeal of the room.

In this same home we recommended relocating the living room TV and cabinet to an empty spot right next to the front door.  This new location minimized the impact of the TV and made the focal point the furniture grouping.

We often remind clients that the best way to stage a home isn’t necessarily the most convenient way to live in it.  We seek to draw the buyer’s eye to the features of a home by enhancing those features with inviting furniture and accessories.  TV placement definitely takes a backseat.  We’d love to help you enhance the features of your home.

 

Custom Choices

Premiere Home Stagers is currently helping clients make some choices in decorating their new home. After completing a layout, it became obvious what was needed to fill each space. When we went shopping, we discovered that we liked one chair’s style but wanted it in another fabric.  These days, furniture stores are happy to oblige.  The only downside is waiting 6-8 weeks. It’s likely we’ll order custom window treatments as well.  A perfect fit is what we’re after!

Custom headboard and draperies

Here are other custom choices:

Semi-custom kitchen cabinets

Custom Electronic Cabinet

Ill-fitting off the rack drapery panels

Custom doesn’t necessarily mean expensive.  Not all pieces need to be custom, but perhaps a piece that fits a unique space or a color that complements the rest of your decor is a better choice.  Why settle for an ill-fitting item when custom fits better.

Premiere Home Stagers has access to a variety of suppliers, both custom and ”off-the-rack.”   Let us help you make the right choice for your home.  Call Premiere Home Stagers at 608-345-9396.

 

Choices, choices

When Premiere Home Stagers approaches a redesign project, our ultimate goal is to incorporate the homeowner’s style and taste into the new decor.  We will make selections based on an understanding of the preferences of the client, but the final decision is theirs to make.  That’s why we present options and work from there to come up with the right redesign plan.

Ready for a facelift

Candidate for Upgrades

These two areas are opposite sides of the same greatroom.  The homeowners want to update and enhance the living area with new surfaces — flooring, fireplace surround, countertop and tile backsplash.

We are presenting two scenarios — one more rustic and natural using a slate application on both the fireplace and the kitchen backsplash.   We have chosen an alternate quartz tile for the fireplace as well.  Coordinating granite would be used for the kitchen countertop.  The overall color palette is green tones with hints of rust and gold.

Scenario #1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second scenario is a more transitional look — smoother, sleeker surfaces and a warmer overall palette.  The fireplace wall would be covered with a porcelin tile.  A warm-toned 3″ square ceramic tile would be used as the backsplash with a coordinating ribbon of smoked stainless steel tile.  A gray/taupe quartz countertop would pull together the other surfaces.

We present these choices as equally viable alternatives.  We may have hit the mark or perhaps will tweak the palettes as we meet.  Our clients will make the final determination.

With so many choices available we are certain to land on the right combination!