Staging vacant homes are always a lot of fun for Preferred Staging. It's a great creative challenge to walk into an empty house and then envision how it will look furnished and accessorized. Although it's not quite as simple as it sounds. Room measurements, zones (like space between furniture, walking paths, dining versus living, etc.), floor and wall colors, windows placements, and natural light all have to be taken into consideration.
We staged this fabulously renovated 1937 townhouse on 4th St. SE in Washington, DC. The developer had really made this a showcase house with a huge kitchen, wonderful modern baths, a spacious master bedroom, and beautiful hardwood floors. The front and back yards and patio are perfectly landscaped, too.
The approach to staging row houses like this one is to consider the long and narrow living space and the presentation. How we stage to present a house may not necessarily be how the new owner is going to arrange their furniture to live in the house. Our goal is to stage the house with the best possible layout and arrangement so the house shows well, and potential buyers can see not only how much space there is, but also what furniture and how much furniture can fit into a room.
Of course, if a buyer walked in on staging day, they would probably stand there shaking their head wondering how we're going to make it all work. It's CHAOS (or in home owner parlance, Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). But it's all controlled creative chaos - yes, we actually know what we're doing! - and at the end of the day the final results speak for themselves.
Before: During:
After:
Check out this house and others that we've staged at our Gallery.
All the best,
Monica
It looks like your firm does a great job Monica. I've always felt an empty home is almost as bad as a too-cluttered one.
That looks HOT!! GREAT job and love the Before/During/After....it always looks worse before it looks HOT!!
Accurate terms Monica. Your job came out great and proves there's order out of chaos!
What a great title for this post. Controlled-Creative-Chaos indeed.
Monica - you worked your magic. The after pictures looks gorgeous.
Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.
Kathy
Gary, I couldn't agree with you more! Either way, the buyer has can't see the potential the room - and therefore the whole house - has to offer.
WOW Kathy! Thanks for the awesome feedback! This was really one of my favorite stagings. When I came back a little over a month later to destage, I had forgotten how nice it looked staged. It was almost sort of sad to see it all taken apart. But I'm sure the new owners are enjoying their new house - it's really fabulous, especially for being in the city.
Karen and Kathy - Isn't that was a stager does? Brings control to the chaos??? Thanks for your comments, and thanks for featuring my post!
Wow, that really defines the space. A buyer would have had a very hard time visualizing how to utilize that area.
Cindy, that's the challenge with row houses in Washington DC. By their nature, they're all very narrow with the kitchen in the back, a combined living/dining area, and a bay window. What you don't see in the picture is the 2 lovely chairs and accent table that were set up in the bay window space - it's where I'm standing to take the pictures. It's a nice quite spot in the living room that's next to but not a direct part of the main living area.
Looks SHARP!...very tastefully done!
Valerie, thanks for your comment! Yes, this house really needed to look shsarp and sleek, as it was not too far from Capitol Hill and needed to appeal to younger Hill employees, or a young couple/family. I'm glad to say that it sold in less than 40 days - a major achievement since it's located next to a major highway!
Monica,
You did an excellent job. I always did like your work. What stlye!! Vivian
Monica,
You did an excellent job. I always did like your work. What stlye!! Vivian
Thanks for the double compliment, Vivian! (Just teasing!)
Beautifu job! Controlled "creative" chaos... I think that is the state of my house much of the time!
Thanks, Leanne! I'm with you on that - my own house is the same!
Ha! We've all been there, haven't we? I love that bold rug! I want it.
Monica,
Great post!
Yes, we have all been in the middle of that crazy chaos and hope the client doesn't walk in wondering whether they've made the right decision in hiring you. The good news is as you have shown the creative chaos does become organized and shows off the beauty of the home. GREAT end results... absolutely beautiful!
Thanks, Michelle! What's even more amazing are the neighbors that want to stop by and see what you're doing - they get more excited about it than the seller! "Oh my gosh! This is just like on TV!!!" Well, not really... but it's always good PR for us!
Monica, I just love your work. This is just fantastic!
I hope we can work together again soon. I had a blast with you and Lynn on both of Vivian's projects we participated in. What class, techique and hilarity, too!!!!
Wonderful post. It should be a featured post! Get info.
Deb
I have no idea how - Get info.- appeared. I went to your fabulous gallery from the post and returned. There it was in my comment! Hummmm