Final Result-Staging

/


Do you notice we changed the rug? We liked it much better but the agent liked our first rug. Sister Ex has the highly sought after job of hauling the old one out of the warehouse and switching them back. (Have fun..I'm off tomorrow!)
In process with a "leather" shag rug. I like the texture but not the size.
This was a cute alcove. I thought the "dining room" could have been here but it's a bit, hmmm...snug?

 If I were a true photographer that cord would not be slithering around in the photo. I often search for the cords when looking at professional interior shots in home magazines. (we all have our hang ups.)

Remember this was our original dining table? The accessories on top were never going to stay...just want you to know we wouldn't leave it like that. Below our final product after trying a cute Crate and Barrel blue table cloth we ended up with a desperate Fred Meyer purchase a la moi-the nonshopper.
Don't forget this is literally in what most would call the entry way but it actually works.
See?

Here was the original "dining table". Isn't it cute working for its keep in the bedroom?
And... we are finished after getting the kids to school with a late 10am start and snowy slush on the ground. I look like I have actually been sipping the make belief wine.

Listing by Cathy Millan for Windermere.

The Process

/
I thought it would be good to show how we get to our finished product. I was not very good at taking photos each step of the way. It's difficult when Sister Ex is asking me to help carry something or I simply get caught up in the moment of designing.

Here is just about the smallest home we have ever staged:




We brought a lovely brown chair which worked but wasn't a 10 so the boys grabbed another from the warehouse which we immediately did not like. Tara took the chair meant for the bedroom and that was perfect. (Not shown in photo)


 See how that is the entry? We are attempting to create a dining room as there is not a single natural place for a table. The kitchen, you will see later, was remodeled with out a bar or table area in mind. Go figure.



We started with this look. But didn't like the casualness of the chairs and the table still is a bit too small. The table ended up in the room in the photo below, the chairs are being traded out (hauled in our cars) and today we will try another look.



Our movers forgot the bed and a night stand so they had to head back to the warehouse.

 Finishing up today....

Staging

/



The smallest dining room in all the land...

I thought this was the smallest home that we have ever staged, that is before I saw the home we are staging today. It was a miracle to find petite chairs and a scaled down couch to make it all work. It's actually cute. (Never mind that the neighbor has a pet hawk that sits in his front yard. Yikes.)

Listing by Kristin Munger for Windermere. The "after" photos were taken by professional photographer Iain Tucker. This was the day we had to finish 3 houses and I forgot to take photos of my own...grrrr.

Working with whatcha got

/

We were asked to take a very dated home with zero renovations and stage it to sell. This is what we had to work with. For starters the master bath wall paper....





This is the biggest transformation...













To be fair, this was an estate sale. The grown kids had to do a ton of cleaning out and they did a great job.

Living room and a bedroom will be on tomorrow's blog entry.

Listing in the Maple Leaf area of Seattle by Windermere agent Mike Nicon.



Still thinking about my goals

/
Okay, this is really easy and a reminder to be simple about our list.

Top 10 New Years Resolutions by KIDS!

1.Eat healthier - try to eat five fruits and vegetables each day and drink no sugary drinks.


2.Get active - spend less than two hours each day in front of the TV, computer or playing video games and get at least one hour of physical activity each day.

3.Take care of your teeth - brush your teeth twice a day. Tooth decay is the number one chronic childhood disease.

4.Be safe - make sure everybody in the car (including parents) is properly buckled in with a car seat, booster seat or seat belt.

5.Give back - help someone else in the community through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.

6.Be kind - a smile and a kind word can go a long way. Tell your mom and dad, brothers and sisters or your friends that they are appreciated and loved. Be friendly to kids who don't have any friends.

7.Try new things - find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding a bike) you like and try to do it a few times a week.

8.Protect yourself - never give out personal information such as your name, home address, school name or telephone number on the internet. Never send a picture of yourself to someone by cell phone, e-mail or the internet without your parent's permission.

9.Lend a helping hand - pick up after yourself, put your toys away when you're done playing with them and don't leave your dirty clothes on the floor. Your parents are very busy and need a little help.

10.Express yourself - when you feel angry, frustrated or stressed out, take a break and find better ways to deal with these feelings, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or talking to your parents or a friend.

COUNT ME IN!