Small Investments, High Impact

On the blog this week we've taken a look at a number of things you may need to tackle in preparing your home for sale. The two previous blog posts - repurposing a room and updating your kitchen - were biggies in terms of both effort and/or cost.

Not all home sale preparation has to cost a lot to have an enormous impact. See other posts on the vast improvement that new hardware or fixtures can have on your home - particularly when selling. The key here is bang for your buck - replacing only the most distracting, time worn items with the most stylish, most affordable options.

My recent client serves as a great example. Their home is positively lovely. The entryway fixture, however - not so much. The 80's called and would like this particular item back! All kidding aside, as soon as buyers enter this home, this fixture is what they are faced with, leaving them with a dated first impression.

Brushed nickle fixtures and hardware are used in other portions of the house, so we decided to go with brushed nickle in the entry. We found the fixture below at Lowes for only $39. Stylish, affordable....high impact.
A similar type of dated fixture lurked in the hallway so we switched those out as well with another $18.00 (!) Lowes fixture. See below.
Small investments, high impact....the key to getting top dollar for your home!

Kitchens Sell Homes!

The blog theme this week is preparing your home for sale. Today, I'm focusing on the kitchen. It's conventional wisdom that kitchens (and baths) sell homes. Buyers may overlook a family room that needs painting or a backyard in need of freshening up, but kitchens are the center of the home.

Kitchens are the most expensive remodel/update projects homeowners can tackle. Making wise decisions that maximize your return on investment - especially when you are selling your home - is key.

The kitchen in a recent client's home (photos below) is a great example.

The kitchen is light (very!) and bright, well cared for with good cabinetry and the floor plan is very workable. However, the kitchen has not been updated in 15+ years. Buyers viewing homes in this price point would generally expect that some updating would have occurred.

These homeowners decided to take on a few high impact - some low cost and some not so low cost - projects to get their home ready to sell. The higher cost projects are the countertops and back splash. Granite is a very desirable countertop surface in this area as is tumbled marble on the back splash. The neutral colors selected below will appeal to a wide variety of buyers and will add a great deal of color and interest to an otherwise "white" kitchen.

The homeowners also considered glazing the cabinets (you can see the sample drawer below) but we determined that the glaze would be too taste specific and probably wouldn't provide a solid return on investment.
Instead of glazing the cabinetry, the homeowners have chosen to replace the appliances. While the appliances were in good working condition, they were more than 15 years old. Often buyers will assume that an appliance replacement is in their near future in these situations and factor that replacement cost into their buying decision and their offer. Also, the upgrade to the countertops and the back splash would make the existing appliances seem even more dated. We found a group of stainless steel appliances that were surprisingly affordable and will likely have a much greater return than the cabinet glazing.

Other updates will include changing out the cabinet hardware and hinges and the addition of a new stainless sink and faucet. Lastly, a BIG declutter is in the works! Most items are coming off the countertops and all of the accessories on the top of the cabinets are heading to storage. The walls are being painted a soft taupe and the paint on the cabinetry is being touched up.

Updating your kitchen is a big project - especially when you are selling your home, but after a careful consideration of the market and your competition, it can be the best investment you can make.

Repurposing a Room When Selling Your Home

In spite of this cold, wet winter that we have experienced lately, spring will arrive. Along with the warmer temperatures and spring break, the spring home selling season will soon begin. As many homeowners begin to contemplate getting their home ready to sell, I'm going to focus the blog this week on some often asked home preparation questions.

Today's question: What should I do with a multi-purpose room - specifically a living area with multiple work spaces?

A lot of homeowners will squeeze a work space into a living room, dining room or even a bedroom. Using rooms for multiple purposes while you are living in the home makes sense. If you co-op part of your living area, you can be in the middle of the family action and keep an eye on other activities. If you use a bedroom, you can occasionally find a moment of peace and quiet to focus on work.

When you are selling your home, a room with a number of functions can be a detriment. Buyers make decisions very quickly. An initial impression of "what is this room and how am I supposed to use it?" can create unnecessary confusion for a potential buyer. Secondly, offices and work spaces by their very nature can be filled with a variety of items - computers, paperwork, and general clutter - none of which are positives in selling your home.

The pictures below are from the living area of a recent client. It's a great home with a big, light filled living area that both homeowners used as office space.

These homeowners are getting this room ready by doing the following:

1. Moving the two desk spaces to a secondary bedroom and storing the furniture currently in that bedroom. I've said this often; rent a small storage space while your home is on the market. You will probably get a 10 fold return on your investment.
2. Store smaller, ancillary pieces of furniture like the children's' table and chairs.
3. Declutter. Follow the guidelines in this post.
   
4. Rearrange the remaining furniture. Pull the sofa away from the wall and use the chairs to create a more conversational seating area.
   
5. Remove the window treatment and switch the chandelier out for a ceiling fan that is now used in the dining room. (We'll address that in another post.)

These changes do take a bit of effort, but in a real estate market still trying to recover, making a few high impact changes can make all the difference.

Trend Watch - Ikat Fabrics

Happy Friday everyone! I keep seeing gorgeous ethnic prints in fabric, upholstery, rugs and drapery. The same fabrics are all over the runway during this past fashion week in New York. The designs, such as ikat, lend pattern and texture to a variety of styles. Try a little bit of ikat in your home for a dash of color and ethnic beauty.

A rug from Williams-Sonoma Home...

Bedding from Pottery Barn....

A bright fuchsia recycled cotton throw from Green With Glamour....

Throw pillows are an easy way to inject the ikat pattern into your interior....these are from Grandinroad....

Rules of Thumb for Staging Your Home

I'm lucky to have some of the most prepared clients when it comes to staging homes for sale. Currently, I have a family that has done everything right - even biting the bullet and renting a storage unit.

Most homes show better with fewer furnishings and accessories. A talented designer once told me that the best designs leave 30% open space. Eyes need a place to visually "rest" and that rule of thumb makes for a calm, clean design.

The 30% rule is doubly true for homes that are on the market. We all have a tendency to collect an enormous amount of stuff. Here are some additional rules of thumb to use when preparing your home for sale:

• If you haven't used it in over a year, you probably won't. Donate or toss.
• Reduce the amount of furniture in a given room by 1/3.
  
• Pair down the contents of your bookcases (including books!) by at least 1/2.
  
• Pack up 90% (yes, 90%!) of your knickknacks.
• Clean off kitchen counters leaving only a few decorative items and potentially a good looking coffee maker (such things do exist!) or a fabulous mixer.
• The above goes for your bathroom counters. Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a drawer or closet when not in use.

Think of this effort as a head-start on the packing, you will eventually need to do anyway!

Dealing with Builder Basic Blah...

Lisa, We just moved into our new home in a brand new subdivision. The house was already complete when we purchased it and it is COMPLETELY beige. We are lucky to have some hardwood floors and granite in the kitchen and master bath, but in terms of color, that's it. Most of our furniture is neutral too! We don't want to start painting right away - especially since this is likely a 2 year home for us. Any suggestions? Thank you! Jeannie

Jeannie - Congratulations on the new home! You do have a lot of things going for you - wood floors, generous trim and considerable architectural interest. I love a neutral backdrop - even in furnishings. It gives you a classic, clean starting point and lots of options. Some suggestions:

• Inject color. I talk about injecting color in this post. Pillows, rugs, throws and accessories are easier and less expensive to change than paint and larger pieces of furniture. Images from Williams Sonoma Home.

• Add texture. Iron, mirrors, sea grass and textured fabrics are a few of my favorites. The antiqued copper mirror, the aged iron wall piece and the sea grass rug below are all from Home Decorators.

• Use shape. Often the silhouette of a piece can make a stronger statement than color or pattern. Injecting shape into smaller, classic accent pieces is not only economical, but will allow you to move the pieces to your next home seamlessly. The round side table, the sling seating piece and the glass lamps are all from Pottery Barn.

Keep me posted. I'd love to see it come together!

The Beauty of a Record Snowfall in Dallas/Fort Worth

While this amount of snow is no big deal for our friends in the Northeast, it's an all time record for the Dallas Fort Worth area! We received about 14 inches of snow since yesterday and it's beautiful! It's tough to improve on mother nature....

We even spotted the elusive "snow schnauzer" ....

Be safe and have a great weekend!

Selling Your "Older" Home - Think About the Ceilings

I'm in the process of working with a client to update their home in anticipation of selling in a year or so. The home is situated on a beautiful, treed half-acre lot in a very desirable area. It was built in 1984 and like a lot of homes built during that time period, it has "popcorn" or acoustic ceilings, similar to the picture below, throughout the house.


Popcorn was an cheap, fast way of finishing ceilings back in the 60's on through the 80's. Popcorn is almost impossible to clean and gets dingy through the years. If the popcorn texture has been painted over, well, it's not a pretty sight either.

We're in the process of removing all of the popcorn from the ceilings and re-texturing to match the walls. The DYI website eHow has detailed instructions on how to remove popcorn. It's a messy, tedious project and some homeowners might want to hire a professional.

Also note that popcorn installed prior to 1979 could contain asbestos and should be tested and treated with appropriate asbestos precautions.

Why am I blogging about this? The removal of the popcorn, texturing the ceilings and painting has literally moved the house I'm working on from the 80's to the 21st century! It has taken years off the appearance of the house and in a competitive real estate environment with very discriminating buyers who have a lot to choose from, popcorn could potentially be the reason that a buyer bypasses a home. If you are considering a high impact update - whether you are selling your home or not - think about the ceilings.

Punch Up Your Neutrals With Bold Accent Color

It's a rainy, cold day here Texas where we've been in gloomy overcast for what seems like a month. OK East coast friends who are still digging out, I will stop whining!

We can all use a little jolt of color during the winter months, but for those of us with a predominately neutral backdrop in our interiors, a pop of color works wonders anytime. Williams Sonoma Home recently offered up a great choice - coral!

Pillows....

A needlepoint rug or ginger jar....

Budget friendly bath accessories or towels.....
Even a faux alligator inspired clock in an unexpected coral....

Feels like spring....!

More on Choosing the Right Sofa

I blogged earlier this week in this post about style and color considerations in choosing a sofa.

Style isn't the only consideration. There are a number of other things to think through while you are shopping for this important piece of furniture.

• Cushions - the style and the number. Cushions come in both loose and attached versions for the back. Seat cushions come in single, two or three versions. Single cushions are often more contemporary in feel and multiples can be more traditional. Sit on lots of sofas to see what feels the best to you and to see if the cushions stay put and or move around or flares up.

• Arms and legs. You can choose from armless, traditional rolled arm, curved English arm, or a straight style. The rolled arm has a flat front panel and is often outlined in cording. English style is rounded at the front, with fabric formed into sunburst-type pleats. Straight arm sofas are most often seen in contemporary settings. Do you prefer a skirted sofa or one with the visible legs? Choose from leg styles that vary from heavy square chunks and wide bun feet to more delicate tapered legs or carved and curved formal versions. Legs are usually available in a number of finishes as well.

• Sofa construction. Look for frames of kiln dried hardwoods for the frame and construction using screws, not staples. Pillow construction can be done in foam of various thicknesses, down or a combination - foam wrapped in down. Quality sofa seats are generally 8-way tied springs. Wire coils are a cheaper, less long wearing option.

• Fabric. Consider how much wear your sofa will get in addition to the overall style of the room. Chenille is a popular and durable choice and leather is long-lasting and attractive. Velvets can be lovely but may not stand up to heavy use over the years. Don't forget trim and other options, they can add to the cost, but can give your sofa a custom look.
  

The beautiful sofas in this post are courtesy of Southern Living.

The Perfect Sofa - Style and Color

Selecting a sofa can be a little intimidating. It's usually the largest piece of furniture in a room and it's often the piece that you aren't going to change out every year or so if you tire of it. A sofa typically gets a lot of use so choosing one that is comfortable for the long haul that will stand up to heavy wear is key.

Given all of that, I encourage my clients to make an investment in the sofa - consider it a foundation piece and choose a style with classic lines that will stand the test of time. Keeping foundation pieces neutral and using accessories to add color and texture (those less expensive items that can be changed out often!) will result in furniture selection that will stand the test of time.

Below are two classic options from Pottery Barn - their Seabury and the Square Upholstered. Either of these sofas would work well in a variety of interiors from traditional to contemporary.

Bassett Furniture like many manufacturers offers a variety of sofa styles that can literally be built from scratch. You select the frame, the arm style, the number of cushions, etc. and the furniture is built to your specifications. This is a great solution when you can't find just the right combination of characteristics on the showroom floor.



Think about classic lines and neutral tones if you are sofa shopping. I'll blog about sofa construction in a future post so that you'll be well armed (no pun!) to head out and shop for that great foundation piece that will last.

Sculptural Lamps

One of the best ways to freshen your interior space is to update the lamps. There are loads of great choices today that work in a wide variety of decorating styles. Recently in sourcing lamps for a client, I used Visual Comfort Lighting - a great source for a wide variety of styles and designers.

I was completely taken with the clear and almost translucent lamps. I was searching for bedside lamps for a transitional bedroom that has both traditional and contemporary elements and uncovered some great finds.

The three beauties below are from Chart House - stacked ovals, a scored column, a crystal spire and one with an interesting white marble base....



I love the linear quality of the Barbara Barry soft silver "Carousel" lamp below.

The mercury glass Thomas O'Brien "Fiona" lamp with the narrow drum shade adds just the right amount of sparkle.

The traditional gourd shape is found in the Studio Lamp below.

Lastly, I loved the Alexa Hampton polished nickle "Kate" lamp below.