What Makes a Great Tablescape?

<div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-P1060923_zps97f32bcf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-P1060923_zps97f32bcf.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A good tablescape juxtaposes rustic and refined, tall and short, new and old.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Do you wonder why, despite your efforts, your tabletop displays don’t look like those you see in magazines and decorator showhouses?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are some simple steps you can take to turn those lackluster displays into pleasing, vignettes.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Why bother? Because in a staged home on the market, tabletops can help you sell your home. They are one of the few areas where you can play with some details to <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-make-your-home-look-new.html" target="_blank">make your home look newer</a> and more interesting, where you can add another layer to capture the imagination of buyers. They can also <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/02/if-youve-got-location-flaunt-it-heres.html" target="_blank">stress the uniqueness of your locale</a>, the pedigree of your home, or an appreciation for the current season.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Easy as One, Two, Three</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There are three steps I depend on for a winning tablescape. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">First is to use something from nature such as flowers, fruit, coral, plants, pine cones, acorns, shells or rocks. These things might be painted or left natural, real or artificial, large or not-so-large.     <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Second is to add something refined or glamorous such as a hand crafted ceramic piece, a beautifully framed sketch, glassware, leather bound books, or a lacquer box. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Third is to choose something that serves as a background that ties it all together such as a tray, a large open basket or bowl, a cutting board, a table runner, or a garland.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">To create a table centerpiece suitable to stage a dining room in autumn (above photo), I made a simple grapevine wreath. My other natural element is green apples. The glass bowl holding the apples is my requisite "refined piece," even though it isn’t cut crystal or hand blown glass. And the checkered table runner is my background layer. Like I said, easy as counting to three.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">You can elaborate on these basics if the area you are staging is large. Just add more props from nature or some beautiful <i>objet d'art.</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> Don't think that you need to bust your budget at the home decor store, although that's a great place to go for inspiration and ideas. Often the <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/03/finishing-touches-department-where-to.html" target="_blank">home staging props</a> that make sense for the style and location of your home are all around you -- in your closets, supermarket, backyard, garage, attic, bookcase, or local thrift stores. </span><o:p></o:p><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1060909_zps1eab7b7f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1060909_zps1eab7b7f.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Small items can be pilfered when your home is being shown, so stage with props that<br />are too big to fit in pockets, or that don't have much value, like these nuts in a bowl.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-blog-tablescapesdownloadsdavidjimenez_zps12f8a688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/1-blog-tablescapesdownloadsdavidjimenez_zps12f8a688.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Decorator David Jimenez uses a simple black and white color palette to unify<br />all the objects on a bedside tabletop, Some are organic, some are reflective,<br />and there's always some kind of tray to gather up the little things.    </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Stay with the Season</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">All of the elements in my fall centerpiece reflect the time of year in my mind. The apples and grapevines represent harvest time. Other autumnal props you might prefer are the ubiquitous pumpkins and gourds in all shapes, sizes, colors, designs and materials. Bittersweet berries, leaves, and other woodsy elements are natural fall choices. When I think of the fall I also think of sweaters, plaids, and houndstooth patterns (especially popular this year), baskets, old barn wood, corn husks, quilts, and dark leather.    <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Candles are especially <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-abcs-of-staging-seasonal-mantel.html" target="_blank">appropriate decor accessories for autumn</a>. Bring on the pillars, the votives, and the tapers!  During the summer, I don’t stage with candles. They just seem too “hot.” When days shorten in September, I'm glad to re-introduce candles.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My checkered tablecloth is reminiscent of a homey country kitchen. A crisp black and white pattern is always in season and a checkerboard design is classic. Generally, autumn colors are the warm, muted, muddy colors of the season's diminished natural light and of the drying vegetation. But I like to use more urban touches as well, such as black, white and metallics.     <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">More Staging Tips</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When you are choosing props to stage a table vignette, whether it’s a simple tabletop, a mantel, bookshelf, a bath vanity, or dining table, remember to choose objects of different heights, shapes, textures, uses and colors. It sounds like it might get chaotic, but trust me. As long as you choose items that share some unifying theme such as similar color or mood, you’re good. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Is your home for sale? Have you staged it? Is it staged to sell? Order my $5 <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for More Money,</i> and you’ll learn all the big and little tricks to make your home appealing to buyers.  <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

What Makes a Great Tablescape?

A good tablescape juxtaposes rustic and refined, tall and short, new and old. Do you wonder why, despite your efforts, your tabletop display...

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Five Tricks Professional Stagers Use

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2008/08/Sparrow.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2008/08/Sparrow.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Plants are one of the most important props that a stager needs. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Selling your home can be stressful. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It's one of the big transitions in life, and there are so many details to take care of. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But staging your own home needn't be something to stress and obsess about. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">To help you get up to speed with staging, I've collected some of the best sure-fire secrets of the homestaging trade.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My favorite way to learn a new skill, whether it's knitting or Qi Gong or batik printing (something I am working on for an upcoming project) is to look at what the experts do, then follow their lead.<br /><br />No one learns in a vacuum.<br /><br />Why learn staging by making mistakes or looking at examples of what doesn't work? You have just one chance to make a first impression on buyers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So, here are my favorite professional shortcuts to success that will be easy for you to follow. Ready, set, go! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Paint All Your Walls One Friendly Color</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Stagers call friendly colors the ones that most people like. Most people feel comfortable around warm whites and pale neutrals. Avoiding strong colors lets people touring your home relax and get a sense of the room, without the distraction of saturated or unusual colors.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It also lets them know they can probably move in without having to paint the walls.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Unwise wall colors to use when staging? Purples, deep red, Pepto Bismol pinks, black, chocolate, or dark greens. I've already written about my own <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-to-choose-paint-color.html" target="_blank">method for choosing a paint color</a>.<br /><br />Why one color? Because one color will unify your house, so that rooms "talk to each other." It will also make the house feel newer and larger. And it will save you money on paint, and save you time when you have to touch up. One color. Everywhere.<br /><br />If one color just doesn't work with existing fixtures (maybe you have a fireplace with yellow <a href="http://www.mariakillam.com/category/understanding-undertones" target="_blank">undertones </a> in the living room, and countertops with pink undertones in the bathroom) chances are you can find two colors that still "talk to each other." </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2006/10/100034202.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2006/10/100034202.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>Forget the bad rap neutrals get for being boring. You want benign colors that offend no one. </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>You want colors that will unify all your furnishings. You want colors that anyone can live with,</i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>at least temporarily. No one would call this entranceway boring. Photo: BHG</i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Start with Some Matched Furniture Sets</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I know, I know. Matchy-matchy is passe. All the decorators, the shelter mags and bloggers are raving about mismatched and eclectic furnishings. I’ve even written and blogged about <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2010/05/yes-you-can-stage-with-mix-of-furniture.html" target="_blank">how an assortment of styles works well in the staged home. </a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But, darn it, there are times when a couple of perfectly matched pieces of upholstered furniture in a living room that’s otherwise a jumble of assorted furniture styles, just pulls everything together and elevates the perceived value of the room. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you don’t own matched furniture, often <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/02/slipcovering-101-learn-from-my-mistakes.html" target="_blank">slipcovering</a>, reupholstering or <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/06/painting-furniture-dont-make-these.html" target="_blank">painting</a> some existing pieces works the same magic. Adding sets of lamps, vases, or framed art also works. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2012/01/101503816.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="533" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2012/01/101503816.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>It's not just the upholstered chairs that match in this living room. The tables and pillows are </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>pairs as well. A matched set of prints on the wall reinforces the idea of a cohesive, </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>planned design, rather than just a collection of furniture in one room. Photo: BHG  </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">3. Mix in Some Stuff That Shines</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Every room needs a shot of shine. Mirrors and glass fill the bill. These reflective surfaces bring to any staged room more light, more space, and more upscale glamour. Since mirrors bounce back whatever is before them, they create the illusion of larger, more open areas. Make sure they're reflecting something pretty!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/tables-with-glass-tops-home-stagers.html" target="_blank">Glass topped tables</a> show more of the floor, so a room appears bigger. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Do a walk-through and check your home for furnishings that add some gloss, some glimmer. It could be mirrored picture frames, mercury glass on the mantel, a glitzy chandelier, or a Lucite table. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2011/10/101517316.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2011/10/101517316.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>A grouping of small mirrors in wooden frames was all it took to add some sparkle to this </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>dining area. The mirrors act like windows to create the sense of openness. Photo: BHG  </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">4. Make Those Window Look Tall and Wide</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although the simplest way to hang curtains and draperies is to place a tension rod inside a window casing, that’s not always the most flattering treatment. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Professional stagers know the bigger the windows, the more interesting and generous a home feels. So, mount your hardware high on the wall and away from the sides of the window. Screwing hardware to the window trim makes holes that are difficult to fix with putty and paint. Holes in the wall are way easier to repair.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t want to mess up your walls? Then, consider the nifty brackets <a href="http://www.readyhang.com/home" target="_blank">Ready Hang</a> sells. They clamp onto the window trim, and elevate the rod above the window opening without putting any holes in the wall. So clever!<br /><br />Exceptions to the rule? Historic homes where you want to show off architectural details around a window. Or ultra modern spaces where you want the minimalist look of unadorned glass. Or a small room with a small window where small is part of the charm and large window treatments would dwarf the space.  </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2011/10/101398512.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2011/10/101398512.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>Big, beautiful windows become the room's focal point when dressed like this -- </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>with plenty of fabric surrounding them. Imagine this room with skimpier draperies,</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i>and you'll see how important <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-sew-window-treatments-why-stitch.html" target="_blank">window treatments </a>are. Photo: BHG  </i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Freshen Up With Greenery and Blooms</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Real ones or silk ones, the debate goes on. But one thing’s for certain: plants add a certain <i>je-ne-sais-quoi.</i> Ya just gotta have ‘em! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I lean towards silk plants as long as they are good quality and not cheap cemetery-style blossoms.  Other stagers swear by orchids. I don’t like clients to have to care for plants. There are <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/seven-secrets-to-making-silk-plants-and.html" target="_blank">ways to make silk plants look like real plants.</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And I think that, except for Open House Day, cut flowers just don’t make any sense in a staged home. They require too much attention and don’t last long enough for me. If you have an unlimited floral budget or an abundant cutting garden of your own, maybe it’s possible. Otherwise, silks to the rescue!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2010/11/101345335.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://images.meredith.com/content/dam/bhg/Images/2010/11/101345335.jpg.rendition.largest.jpg" width="575" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>There's always room for some greenery or flowers. At least, there should be! </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>Silk plants and flowers are easy to care for, look terrific, don't offend the scent-sensitive,</i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><i>and you can take them with you when you move. Photo here and at top: BHG </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><i>  </i></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">The Wrap:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve decluttered and cleaned, take some time to run down this list of five steps the pros know. These are the methods decorators and stagers use daily to get homes sold! </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to stage your home. Tricks like these and my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast For Top Dollar</i>, will make it easy to stage a home that buyers want. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Five Tricks Professional Stagers Use

Plants are one of the most important props that a stager needs.  Selling your home can be stressful.  It's one of the big transitions in...

Read more »

Thrifty Decor: How to Give Rooms a Fresh Look with Greenery

<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000570.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The vase that accompanied the flowers I received for<br />Mother's Day has become my favorite for arranging greenery</span></i>.</td></tr></tbody></table>Greenery is a big deal. It's essential in every room of the staged home.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, maybe not the laundry room.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve blogged often about the reasons I prefer silk plants and silk flowers.<br /><br /><a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/seven-secrets-to-making-silk-plants-and.html" target="_blank">Silks </a>are especially helpful if the home you're selling is unoccupied, because they look beautiful without any attention.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But, if you are living in the home you're selling, and you have a yard or garden, it seems a shame not to spruce up your staged home with the real stuff. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Rather than </span></b>traditional floral arrangements, I prefer simple arrangements of greenery for staging. Here’s why: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Greenery</span></b> lasts longer than flowers. It’s less likely to wilt, discolor, or drop pollen. In other words, it will save you time and trouble. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Plain </span></b>foliage it less distracting –- and that’s important in a staged space. You want buyers to notice the persuasive selling points of your home rather than a bunch of blooms that take over the room. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Natural </span></b>greenery goes with any interior color scheme. While you may not have enough of the perfect color blossoms to carry you through the summer selling season, there’s always something green growing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Green</span></b> leaves look refreshing. I love flowers, I have my own cutting garden, and I keep fresh cut flowers in the house from spring until fall, but when it comes to adding a living, vegetal quality to a room, nothing beats well-groomed greenery –- either a plant or a simple cluster or foliage.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000596.jpg" width="506" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">If you prune shrubs around your home, use the trimmings like these <br />Euonymous clippings to make a simple arrangement in glass. </span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000625.jpg" width="462" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Almost any plant gives you something to work with. This <br />bud vase holds the strappy leaves of daylily plants.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-size: large;">Simplicity is  </span></b>what we’re talking about here. To make that simple cluster of greens extra refreshing and upbeat, I like glass containers. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Nothing matches the clean impression that glass gives.<br /><br />Whether it's that spa-like vibe you want in bath or bedroom, that spotlessly clean feeling in a kitchen, that sophisticated mood in the living room, or that  uncluttered sensation in the foyer, glass is your go-to floral container.<br /><br />Glass vases will never clash with a room's color scheme. And they won't steal the show from the arrangement itself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Here are some pointers to make your greenery in glass even more successful as props in a staged room. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Use </span></b>real glass, not plastic. Real glass looks clearer and reflects light the way plastic doesn’t. <st1:city w:st="on">Crystal</st1:city>is good too, but I always discourage people from displaying anything too valuable in a home for sale. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Clean</span></b> your glass until it glistens. Scrub it with a magic eraser, rinse it well, and dry it with a microfiber cloth to remove spots and stains. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Fill</span></b> the container only half full. People feel good when they see the surface of water. It’s a flat and level surface, so it’s grounding. Clear water builds trust; it sends a subtle message of transparency.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Choose </span></b>only unblemished specimens. Since, without flowers, there won't be a riot of color and textures, each stem, leaf, or blade of grass should be as near to perfect as you can manage.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000576.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">These branches of Photina I cut from a hedge on the edge of my yard didn't look<br />like the sole makings of a striking arrangement, until I removed the leaves.</span></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div><i><span style="font-size: small;"></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="522" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/P1000581.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">These are the same Photina branches. Don't be afraid to remove parts of plants <br />to focus exclusively on more interesting parts. A fishbowl makes an ideal container. </span></i><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">   </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">No yard</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"> or garden? No problem. Most florists will sell assorted greenery like ferns and stems</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">of tropical plants. If you regularly buy floral bouquets for your home, remember to save</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">the greenery after the roses or daisies or lilies have lived their lives.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Be bold.</span></b><span style="font-size: small;"> Try placing just one stem of elephant's ear plant or long needle pine in a glass </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">vessel. Chances are it will look downright elegant.  </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can stage your home on a shoestring and you can do-it-yourself! I show you how in my </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">$5<a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank"> eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Download yours now and start staging today. Every home is staged, whether intentional or not. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stage yours to win a buyer.  </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>

Thrifty Decor: How to Give Rooms a Fresh Look with Greenery

The vase that accompanied the flowers I received for Mother's Day has become my favorite for arranging greenery . Greenery is a big deal...

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Roundup of 2011's Most Helpful Posts

<div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/wreathonMirsdoor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/wreathonMirsdoor.jpg" width="344" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>An herbal wreath is good for curb appeal.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for 2011. I chose these posts because I think they are the most helpful. If you are selling your home in 2012, you could consider this your basic reading list.<br /><br />Of course, I also recommend you download my $5 <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar</i>. It's indispensable, guaranteed!  <br /><br />With this kind of preparation, those wishes -- my own included -- for a happy and prosperous new year are bound to come true.     <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Take Step One</b></span>. I always work with a realtor. Do you know how to find the best one to sell your home? Here's my tips to guarantee you'll have the best salesperson and partner. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-not-to-hire-realtor.html">How to hire a realtor.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Put chairs in Place.</b></span> Where to put what is a topic that drives lots of traffic to my site, so I know people are looking for answers. Read about the common mistakes of furniture arrangement and how to avoid them. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-arrange-furniture-most-common.html">How to arrange furniture. </a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Make Baths Win Buyers.</b></span> Bathrooms can be deal breakers. They are <i>that</i> important to buyers. Learn how to make yours pass the test, even if you're on a budget or your bathroom is dated. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/07/is-your-bathroom-staged-to-impress.html">How to stage a bathroom.</a><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Rubberduck-1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Rubberduck-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Do you know the right way to stage a bath?  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Decorate Outside, too.</b></span> We hear a lot about curb appeal, but yard art is something not always discussed in polite circles. Here's what even your best friends might not tell you. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-guidelines-to-choosing-and-using.html">How to choose yard art. </a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Learn Thrifting Tips.</b></span> I'm telling you all I know about how to get deals at garage sales, from what to wear and what to drive, to how to score those deals! <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-every-garage-sale-shopper-needs-to.html">How to be a great garage sale shopper.  </a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Minimize Stress and Get Results.</b></span> Need advice on making staging your home go more smoothly? Want to be more creative? Looking for ways to increase efficiency? Need to get organized and stay organized? Manage your time better? Develop a positive mindset? Let me point the way. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-take-work-out-of-staging-almost.html">How to make home staging less work.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Learn the Secrets.</b></span> To using fake plants, that is. Yes, silks make a room come to life. But you need to know how to make them work for you, not against you. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/seven-secrets-to-making-silk-plants-and.html">How to stage with silk plants. </a><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/setingroupwithrealstuff.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/setingroupwithrealstuff.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Artificial plants done right are convincing and add value to your rooms.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let's Make a Deal.</b></span> You can learn to negotiate like you mean it! How you deal with your buyer determines how much money you make. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/03/negotiating-101-how-to-get-what-you.html">How to get what you want when you sell your home.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why You Should DIY. </b><span style="font-size: small;">I talk about what professional home stagers may not want you to know</span><span style="font-size: small;">. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/05/five-reasons-to-stage-your-own-home.html">Why stage your own home. </a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Make a Headboard. </b></span>This post solves a common problem. And it's a quick and economical solution. <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/10/bedroom-staging-diy-headboard-and-make.html">How to make a DIY headboard and a bed for staging.</a><br /><br />I hope you will continue to visit my site in the coming year. Whether you're a home seller, a decorator, a builder, an investor, or a do-it-yourselfer, you'll find more home staging advice and encouragement here in the months ahead.<br /><br /><br />

Roundup of 2011's Most Helpful Posts

An herbal wreath is good for curb appeal. In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for 2011. I chose these posts because I think t...

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Seven Secrets to Making Silk Plants and Flowers Look Convincing

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/usevarity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/usevarity.jpg" width="411" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If your home could talk,</b></span> would it say to a prospective buyer, "I've lived a pampered life. My owners give me the best of everything. All that you see here is fresh and new and of the highest quality?"<br /><br />One simple way to get that message across is with greenery. And I'm not talking labor-intense house plants. I'm talking silks. Don't be turning up your nose. Here are ways to make silk plants look better than their pedigree might indicate.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">My first tip</span> is to <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>choose a </b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">variety </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">of containers</span>, </span>and a variety of plants. Look for baskets, vases, wooden boxes, clay flower pots, vintage vases, new vases, ceramic cachepots, hurricane chimneys, glass fish bowls, metal bins, or whatever else you think adds to the character of your home without distracting the people who come to tour it.<br /><br />To vary the greenery itself, mix cut "flowers" with "live" plants. You might have a decanter of roses in the bedroom, two topiaries in the foyer, and a fake cactus in the bathroom. Silk plant styles come and go, but unless you are staging something for an very hip market, like a New York City penthouse, a Hollywood mansion, or a St. Martin beach house, you're safe with most styles available in home stores today.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">My second tip</span> is to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>cover the surface</b></span> in a potted plant with something that looks convincing. My favorite is sheet moss, but I also like spaghnum moss. Both really work to ground the plant and add a realistic touch. I also favor smooth river rocks to cover the surface under a fake plant. Look for other natural materials like sand, shells, pebbles, and lichen.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/usequalityvesselwwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/usequalityvesselwwater.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>Next, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>use good vessels</b></span> for all your fake flowers. In fact, a rule of thumb might be that the less you paid for your silks (hello, dollar store), the more expensive your container should be. In my photo, this beautiful crackled glass bowl holds an inexpensive bunch of silk blossoms.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">To add to the realism</span><b> </b></span>of these blossoms, I've added gel that imitates water. Available at any craft store, faux water makes the flowers look like someone was just there arranging them -- an important consideration when your property is staged but unoccupied.     <br /><br />Readers of my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook,</a> <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar</i>, know the high value I give to silk plants. Why? Because they add an irresistible vitality to a room. If you doubt this, do your own experiments with adding and subtracting plants and flowers.<br /><br />I always emphasize that your greenery needn't be the finest quality, especially when seen from a distance, such as on top of a bookcase or on the ledge above a bathtub. Typically, house hunters spend 30 minutes or less walking through a home on the market. Relax. Your budgeting secrets are safe.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">Another way</span> to keep the faux greenery from looking phoney has to do with what you put next to these arrangements. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Surround them with class</b><b> </b></span>-- other objects what  have a stylish look of their own, and the whole grouping looks classy.   <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/setingroupwithrealstuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/setingroupwithrealstuff.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This pretend orchid sits in a real terracotta pot, on an antique music box of burled wood, in front of a large, beveled edge mirror, next to colorful, matched candlesticks. Decor props as well as people are judged by the company they keep.<br /><br />One mistake that homeowners are sometimes guilty of is thinking that faux plants require no care. In fact, the cleaner your plants look, the more they will contribute to the room's overall appearance.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />So my fifth tip is to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>clean your plants.</b></span> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/keepclean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/keepclean.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>  <br />Most silks can be rinsed in the tub or gently hosed off out-of-doors to bring them back to "life" occasionally.<br /><br />The containers that hold your fabulous fakes need to be smudge-free and dust-free as well.<br /><br />Hey, at least they don't beg to be watered every few days.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">If you do have</span> a green thumb and a collection of house plants, make sure they are healthy and clean as well. The reason I don't recommend staging with real house plants is that often they are in less than perfect condition, or in their dormant state.<br /><br />Yet, if you have a shelf of beautifully blooming African violets in your kitchen, or a collection of gorgeous indoor succulents on your sun porch, they can become an important part of your home's staging.<br /><br />Often indoor house plants are large potted plants, but sometimes they are small and insignificant. Find a new home for these little guys. Big is better with almost all staging props.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/supersize2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/supersize2.jpg" width="356" /></a></div>  <br /><span style="font-size: small;">In fact,</span> when in doubt about the size of a fake plant for staging, <span style="font-size: large;"><b>supersize it.</b></span><br /><br />A large plant can fill an empty corner, bring life to a dreary hallway, or add color to a plain bathroom. As long as you aren't crowding the room, obstructing a good view, covering up a focal point, or creating a tripping hazard, I say, the bigger the better.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">One current sty</span><span style="font-size: small;">le</span> that's easy to imitate is a stem or two of oversized tropical foliage in a large glass container, with or without some fake water, or with some rocks or shells to weight the vase. It's a very carefree, young look.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">My final tip</span> is to <span style="font-size: large;"><b>add some age</b></span>. Let your container be something with patina. Many decorators suggest that every room needs a touch of something old.<br /><br />Adding a vintage or distressed clay pot, metal urn, concrete planter, classic ice bucket, worn wooden box, antique wastebasket or old- fashioned wicker chest that's been around awhile, adds interest. It keeps the room from looking like you pulled it all together with one trip to J.C. Penneys.<br /><br />Slight distressing on this old clay flower pot makes the one dollar fake ivy more acceptable than if it were in a cheap plastic container. I've covered the floral foam in the pot with stones gathered from the beach.<br />  <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/distressedcoversurface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/distressedcoversurface.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Don't be shy about dressing up your staged home with some inexpensive artificial plants and flowers. Done right, they add the perfect element of freshness and even drama that's essential to a home for sale.<br /><br />Get more of my helpful advice on staging your own home by downloading my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar.</i> It's a $5 pdf bargain, that comes with my money-back guarantee.<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/"><img border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/lars72/733blog%20design%20images/WAW_BUTTON.png" /></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://arosynote.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz248/arosynote/Buttons/PhotoButton2.jpg" /></a></center>

Seven Secrets to Making Silk Plants and Flowers Look Convincing

If your home could talk, would it say to a prospective buyer, "I've lived a pampered life. My owners give me the best of everythin...

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My Favorite Fake Plant for Home Staging? Cactus!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_6817-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/fauccactus1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="464" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/fauccactus1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The only real plant here is the spindly little sedum coming to life after a winter slumber. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who adore artificial plants, and those who abhor them.   </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe there is a third group -- those of us who didn't sign on with either team, but certainly find plastic and silk plants useful for home staging, and at other times when we want to decorate with a bit of drama, but be sensible about it.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_6817-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_6817-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This cactus is "growing" in an abalone shell. Or is he?</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am linking this post to Photo Feature Friday, at <a href="http://arosynote.blogspot.com/">A Rosy Note</a>. I took these photos of succulents I have used for home staging. See if you can tell which are real and which are made of plastic. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A small grouping of succulent plants in natural stone or clay pots can create an outdoor focal point, just the way a small herb garden does, as <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/2011/04/very-short-course-in-herb-gardening.html">I wrote about last week</a>. These kinds of focal points are part of exterior staging. They actually make your home feel more friendly. And I'm guessing that's the first time cactus plants have been called friendly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/fauxcactus3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/fauxcactus3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This perky guy is living in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TjzpX3cCG8">hypertufa </a>planter I made to resemble stone (more trickery!).  </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But succulents, either real or faux, make excellent accent pieces indoors as well as outdoors. They are the ultimate houseplant, making minimal demands for attention. Some sun, a little water, and they are happy. And if you choose plastic cactus, well, all they ask for is to be dusted!  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_6799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/IMG_6799.jpg" width="586" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You can buy a collection of succulents like this one ready-made, pot and all.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've found that although most of the really convincing silk plants like orchids, ferns, lilies, tulips, and peonies are pricey, you can easily get away with buying dollar store cactus and still pull it off in style. Perhaps it's the nature of these plants, their simple structure and smooth textures. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To make them appear even more natural, put them in natural clay or stone containers. Stick their stems in floral foam or sand, and cover the surface with pebbles or river rocks. Or just let the sand be visible. Bingo! You're done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/succulent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/succulent.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The only real cactus represented here does, I admit, have a luminosity the others don't.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Using pretend plants is one example of smart DIY home staging. Staging your home for the real estate market doesn't have to take big bucks. Most of what you have will serve you just fine, thank you. I can show you how to refresh and update. My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar</i>, concentrates on saving money and getting results. It's  easily down-loadable now, and comes with my money-back guarantee.  </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><span id="goog_1413172433"><span id="goog_341284800"></span><span id="goog_341284801"></span></span><span id="goog_1413172434"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://arosynote.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz248/arosynote/Buttons/PhotoButton2.jpg" /></a></center>

My Favorite Fake Plant for Home Staging? Cactus!

The only real plant here is the spindly little sedum coming to life after a winter slumber. There are two kinds of people in this world. The...

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Q. When Does Staging End? A. It Ain't Over till It's Over.

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="440" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/Barbarawvan.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We loaded our van five times to reclaim the staging furniture </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>and props we used  </i></span><i style="font-size: medium;">to stage the condo we just sold.</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Even though we've had a signed offer and binding contract on the condo we staged five months ago, we didn't remove any of our precious fluffing until we were almost ready to close. Why wait so long?  Two reasons.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">First Reason</span></b><br /><br />Until you leave the closing table, the deal isn't done.  Sometimes snags and glitches appear at the last minute. Someone gets sick. Or dies. The bank's papers don't arrive. There's a last minute question about an easement, a will, a lien, a signature.<br /><br /> Whenever real estate changes hands, there are plenty of t's to cross and i's to dot.<br /><br />If the deal does fall through for some crazy reason, and you have to relist the property, the staging is in place, ready to show. This event is rare, but why take a chance?<br /><br />Mr. Lucky and I spent a few hours the day before our closing on Tuesday, carrying couches, tables, chairs, lamps and <i>everything else </i>out of the condo.  Everything. You don't want to do that in reverse the next day.<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Secondly...</span></b><br /><br />The other reason staging should stay is you want your staging working its magic when inspections are done.  The buyer of our condo hired a home inspector, and the bank hired an appraiser.<br /><br />Both these people, on different days, went over the unit looking for problems. It's nice to think that they are objective professionals, filling in blanks, checking off boxes on forms, and multiplying numbers to determine things like square footage, cost per square foot, and bottom line worth.<br /><br />But, you know what?<br /><br />These people can't help but be influenced by how clean a property looks, feels, and smells. Ms. Speedy told us this was true, and other realtors have told us the same thing.  Leave the staging up until all inspectors have come, poked around, and gone.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">Staging Works!</span></b><br /><br />Knowing that nuts and bolts people like appraisers and home inspectors are influenced by staging affirms my belief in the value of staging a home on the market.<br /><br />Even the numbers people can't ignore the value of freshly painted walls, shampooed carpeting, handsome furniture, uncluttered surroundings, and beautiful props.<br /><br />That's why it surprises me that more homes aren't staged.<br /><br />Even the big boys miss the point some times.  A realtor friend arranged a tour for me of some luxury condos in our town. These units have been for sale for over a year, and they are all very nice. Yet, the builder has had to reduce the prices gradually until now they are about 40% less than they initially were.<br /><br />Sure the economy is the problem, but isn't that one more reason to stage?  I expected to see at least one model unit furnished, but no. Hello?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/SkySailkitchen-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>They couldn't have found a vase of silk flowers, some faux lemons, </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>or a colorful teapot to liven up this high end kitchen?</i></span>  </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/SkySailkitchen-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I'm convinced that our simple staging helped sell our condo.  Comparable units in the same complex are still waiting for a buyer.<br /><br />In fact, for the past month, Ms. Speedy has marched clients past our Sale Pending sign and through our unit after they have walked away from the other units, so they could see "what can be done."<br /><br />Most people want to move right in to their new home. They don't <i>want</i> no stinkin' repairs! <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Modest Celeebration</span></b><br /><br />To celebrate the closing of our property, Mr. Lucky and I went out to dinner.  We both ordered the same thing -- Low Country Steamed Seafood.  Clams, crab, shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage.  What's not to love?  For dessert, we stopped at the dollar store for a treat -- Good Humor Oreo Ice Cream Bars.  Now, that's a celebration. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/Harborwalk/GoodHumorwrapper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Can you tell that the wrapper on mine was torn off in a hurry?  </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Was I afraid it would melt, or could I just not be patient? </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>If you are on the fence about staging the home you are selling, I hope I've helped you see the value staging has. My <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook,</a> <i>DIY Home Staging Tips</i> <i>to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar</i>, tells you how to do it yourself so you don't have to hire a home stager.      <br /><br /><span id="goog_21283543"></span><span id="goog_21283544"></span>

Q. When Does Staging End? A. It Ain't Over till It's Over.

We loaded our van five times to reclaim the staging furniture  and props we used   to stage the condo we just sold. Even though we've ha...

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Staging with Fake Greenery

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/flb108-wg_main1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/flb108-wg_main1.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>SilkFlowers.com</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Whether you call them fakes, silks, artificials, or faux flowers, these "naturals" should be in your arsenal of props when it's time to stage your home for sale.   <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Even though they</b></span> are not real, these touches of green add a freshness to rooms that can't be duplicated unless you replace them with healthy, growing house plants and fresh flowers.<br /><br />As someone readying a home for the real estate market, and preparing for a move, I'm guessing you don't welcome the challenge of tending to houseplants (unless that has been your love all along) and of making sure your cut flowers look like they just arrived from the florist. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Enter silks.</b></span> Although today they are made from synthetic fibers, these imitations of nature are still called silks by florists, craftspeople, decorators, and event planners.<br /><br />They can come from the dollar store or be quite expensive. The price difference reflects how closely they mimic the real thing. <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tradeshow.co.za/silkflowers/Images/silk-flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.tradeshow.co.za/silkflowers/Images/silk-flowers.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TradeShow.com</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Since I encourage </b></span>people to stage on a shoestring, I won't direct you to the high end retail silk floral websites and stores.<br /><br />Instead, I encourage you to keep your eyes open for realistic flowers and greenery at garage sales, flea markets and second hand stores. Especially second hand stores, where there is usually a box of these things in a neglected corner.<br /><br />Often they are outdated, formal, dusty arrangements that can be bought cheap, taken home, pulled apart, rinsed off, and recycled into more casual decorating props.<br /><br />I also believe that the bargains at dollar stores qualify for staging.<br /><br />My rule is that cheaper greenery and flowers have a place but it isn't up close. These less convincing specimens are fine when viewed from a distance, but not so great sitting on the bath vanity or kitchen counter. I use them in flower boxes outside, on porches, and in out-of-the way locations indoors. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Often, it's the container</b></span> that makes the whole arrangement classy. I look for these also at second hand stores. They needn't be fancy. Sometimes an old terracotta flower pot, metal bucket, or distressed wooden box is perfect for an orchid or cluster of ivy.<br /><br />All you need are some chunks of dry floral foam, and some sheet moss to make some simple stems come to life.<br /><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/daisiesinfakewater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/daisiesinfakewater.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br />The trend now is away from large, complicated, contrived arrangements, which most people associate with funerals, department stores and hotel lobbies.<br /><br />Even a few stems in a glass vase filled with artificial water (a gel available at craft stores) gives a room the fresh factor so important to a staged house.<br /><br />Here is a site to go to for ideas and supplies.  <a href="http://www.save-on-crafts.com/newsilflowse.html">http://www.save-on-crafts.com/newsilflowse.html </a><br /><br />So, build up your stash of faux greenery and have fun making pretend plants and bouquets, ones that need no care other than a occasional quick rinse.<br /><br />Hopefully, your home on the market will be sold even before they get dusty.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>If you like these ideas</b></span> I have for staging your home, there's more advice in my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">eBook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.</i> You can download it now. I guarantee it will make money for you!

Staging with Fake Greenery

SilkFlowers.com Whether you call them fakes, silks, artificials, or faux flowers, these "naturals" should be in your arsenal of pr...

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Flowers in the Staged House

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/Lantana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://i951.photobucket.com/albums/ad351/2painters/homestaging/Lantana.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I thought these cheery, scented lantana </i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i>blossoms would be ideal by the front door,</i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i> but, alas, they needed more care than I gave them.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span id="goog_1430144311"></span><span id="goog_1430144312"></span>Those of you who have read my <a href="http://diyhomestagingtips.blogspot.com/p/ebooks.html" target="_blank">ebook</a>, <i>DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar</i>, know that I am big on greenery. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Today I want to talk about outdoor greenery.</div><br />I hate it when I don’t listen to my own advice and it comes back to bite me. I’ve written that in the staged-for-sale home, outside greenery, unless it is part of the maintenance-free landscaping, should be faux. Good quality faux. Not cemetery flowers faux.<br /><br />What can be more inviting that a basket or bucket of colorful blooms by the front door?<br /><br />Or even a convincing silk fern?  Really, they’re made so well today that unless you go the really cheapo route, or leave them in direct sun for months, they look fabulous.  <br /><br />But while staging the front door area and the deck of our condo on the market, I convinced myself that real flowers were the way to go.  <br /><br />They’re fresh, they’re genuine, and they’re even fragrant, I mused as I potted up some geraniums, lantana and petunias. Since we live about two minutes from the property, I told myself that I’d be by daily to water them.<br /><br />Wrong. We’ve had weeks of high heat with scant rainfall, so I’ve already replaced some dead plants, and the ones remaining don’t seem all that happy.  <br /><br />I think I’ll follow my own instructions and go shopping for pretty silk greenery. Where’s that coupon for 50% off any one item priced under $20 at the home décor store?<br /><br />

Flowers in the Staged House

I thought these cheery, scented lantana  blossoms would be ideal by the front door,  but, alas, they needed more care than I gave them. Thos...

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