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Sometimes real estate agents and home sellers either forget or don't realize that we don't
only stage vacant homes. Our
Staging Success Story this month is the quick and profitable sale of an owner-occupied three bedroom apartment on the Upper East Side.
The owner accepted an offer just
19 days after going on the market and the sale closed at 3% ABOVE the $2.825M
asking price!
Warm Regards,
Do
nna M. Dazzo, President
Designed To Appeal
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After receiving several recommendations from real estate agents for home stagers and meeting with them, I found their prices to be out of line with their services offered and their experience. I found Designed to Appeal after my own search online and couldn't have been more pleased. Not only was she responsive, but I also found Donna's services and expertise to be extremely value-rich, and she was also sensitive to my needs for timing and expense. She over-delivered beyond my expectations and the team effort resulted in tremendous results. I would use her again in any future sales of my apartments and whole-heartedly recommend her for your staging needs.
"
Homeowner - New York, NY
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As with all owner-occupied homes like this one, we start out with a
Home Staging Consultation where we spend several hours assessing the home from a buyer's point of view, and prepare a written report of our recommendations.
The major recommendations usually involve painting, furniture removal/rearranging/additions, personal clutter removal, and purchasing decorative accessories such as bedding, towels, decorative objects, throw pillows, etc.
We endeavor to use as much of the homeowner's furniture as possible, if it makes sense for the space and the style and price point of the home. We do the same with the homeowner's accessories and artwork.
After working our "magic", this apartment "sold" in just 19 days and eventually closed at 3% over its $2.825 million asking price!
Living Room Before Staging
Living Room After Staging
As you can see, we used most of the owner's furniture, but just brought in a rug to warm up the space and a TV console from a furniture rental company that fit more with the style of the rest of the furniture.
Dining Room Before Staging
Dining Room After Staging
The wood dining chairs were the wrong color and texture for the dining table, so we brought in these gray upholstered chairs. We removed the large white cabinet and replaced it with the piano that was formerly blocking the hallway from the foyer to the living/dining area. We continued the black, gray and white scheme by moving the owner's black and white photographs from other rooms to this room.
Master Bedroom Before Staging
Master Bedroom After Staging
The upholstered bed in this room needed to be replaced as it was worn and damaged. The artwork hung above the bed was the wrong scale. Proper sized lamps were needed especially as there was no overhead lighting. And as always, fresh bedding does the trick!
Daughter's Bedroom Before Staging
 Daughter's Bedroom After Staging
The teenage daughter's room just needed some tweaking such as getting rid of personal clutter and purchasing some fresh bedding.
Son's Bedroom Before Staging
Son's Bedroom After Staging
As you can see, a brighter color paint did wonders for this room. While painting a room a dark color is fine from a decorating point of view, it's not so good when you are trying to sell your home.
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To view the entire report click
here.
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Tips and Tricks of the Trade:
Tips for a Well-Dressed Bed!
Here comes that age old question, "How does one properly decorate a bed?" Perhaps a different question than you were thinking, but still an important point to ponder when it comes to the comforts of home!
How many pillows do you use? How many is too many? What kind of bedding - a coverlet, a duvet, a comforter? So many to choose from, so little time!! Luckily you can turn to the experts at Houzz for help, and contributor Jason Ball of The Decorators Unlimited has compiled some simple principles to keep in mind as you make your way in the world of home decor!
1. All components of a well-appointed bed serve a function
Our starting example shows all the important components:
decorative pillows, a coverlet and a comforter. Decorative pillows can also be used for additional support while sitting up in bed to read. They would be used behind the night-time pillow to ensure they don't get dirty. The coverlet is usually a lighter weight blanket or quilt (of sorts) used on a nightly basis. The comforter would be used on chillier nights.
2. Biggest to smallest, back to front
This simple rule ensures that the selection of fabrics and colors of the decorative pillows are all highlighted. This African-inspired bedroom is casually elegant with its carved
panel headboard
, prairie-grass colored walls and saffron fabric. A single spring green bolster tops off layers of simple white pillows in front of pillows with a subtle pattern.
3. Vary the sizes, colors, and textures of decorative pillows
Even though there are a total of 7 pillows on this bed, the different sizes and colors provide interest and variation. In this contemporary master retreat, all pillows except the two smallest decorative pillows are solid fabrics, keeping the overall look from getting too busy. Notice how the decorative pillows pull colors from around the room, giving them purpose.
4. Play with color and patterns for a more casual look
Simple, clean white bedding is offset with a highly patterned coverlet for an artistic feel. In this modern room, the palette is simple: grays and white, with strong punches of color.
5. For a more contemporary look, pare down the decorative
pillows,
but attend to the details
I want to stay in this room so bad! It has that high-end luxury hotel feel that we all strive for. Again, simple white linens,
a luxurious throw at the end of bed (I really want this to be cashmere) and one simple decorative pillow completes the look. The straightforward palette is sophisticated and calming.
To read the entire guide click
here!
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Did You Know.....?
The Top Destinations To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day!!
What began as a religious feast day has since evolved into a globally recognized festival, celebrating Irish culture, dancing, singing, food - and a whole lot of shamrocks, leprechauns and Guinness.
Booking.com
, in partnership with the Huffington Post, has put together a list of the best destinations around the world to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - because if anyone knows how to party, it's the Irish!
For any St. Patrick's Day fan, a trip to the Emerald Isle is a must. The Irish go all out and celebrate their national holiday with a host of activities.
Located in Dublin's famous Temple Bar district, the contemporary Temple Bar Inn is a short walk away from the Dublin Tourism Center, Dublin Castle and the Guinness Storehouse. This is a great choice for travelers wishing to partake in the nation's festivities. Guests will love the spacious and contemporary rooms and have access to a gym, swimming pool, sauna and steam room.
London
Hotel Café Royal is an iconic, luxury five-star hotel in the heart of central London. It is a London landmark itself, comprised of 160 contemporary guestrooms, including 54 suites and seven signature suites. Venture out to the famous shopping scenes of Oxford Street and Bond Street, then after some retail therapy, unwind at the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Center with its selection of indulgent spa treatments, a gym, pool, sauna and steam room.
If London is a bit too far away for you to travel, venture to the city of Chicago for an all-out celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Irish taverns are bustling, joyful people are singing and dancing in the street, and even the Chicago River sparkles a brilliant shade of emerald green.
The exquisite Staypineapple at The Alise Chicago was designed by renowned architect Daniel Burnham, with beautiful mosaic floors and marble ceilings oozing luxury, class and style. Select suites offer stunning views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan, and the hotel is ideally located for shopping on the famous Michigan Avenue.
As the country's most Irish-American city, Boston is one of the best places to be for St. Patrick's Day. Visitors can grab a drink or some corned beef and cabbage at the local Irish pubs, hop on a bar crawl, catch The Dropkick Murphys perform, or take a guided walking trail along the Boston Irish Heritage Trail.
Located in Boston's Back Bay district, the Newbury Guest House consists of three connected town homes. Guests can explore the shops and restaurants along Newbury Street and at the Prudential Center, or walk to the Boston Commons or the famous Fenway Park.
With
one of the largest parades
in the world, Savannah is the perfect place to be on St. Patrick's Day. Each year thousands flood the cobblestone streets to watch traditional Irish dancing and professional bagpipers, eat delicious food, and drink. Plus, travelers can stop by Forsyth Park's fountain to see the water dyed an emerald green.
The historic 1851-era Savannah Hotel Indigo lies in the heart of Savannah's historic district. Perched on the corner of Bay and Jefferson streets, the charming boutique hotel combines modern luxury and contemporary design with southern hospitality and charm.
To read about the other destinations that made the list,
click here!
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The following is a comparison of January 2018 vs. January 2017, annualized by town, according to
Suffolk Research, Inc.
To read the entire article, click here. |
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For More Info
During the Month...
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| FREE Closet Organization, Open House, and Moving Checklists  Download your FREE Closet Organization, Open House, and Moving Checklists. |
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Try our
Home Staging Savings Calculator developed by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)
Click on the calculator above, which will launch in a new window. For more detailed instructions, click here.
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