January 2015
Patti Stern, Principal, PJ & Company 
Staging and Interior Decorating


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2014 proved to be a very prosperous year for our company. We were lucky to have so many staging and interior design clients with projects that both inspired and challenged our creativity and project management skills. Staging two model homes in one day for Toll Brothers Luxury Builders was definitely a treat for our team and an example of how our talented staff of stagers, designers, and carpenters come together to deliver the results our clients are looking for. Several interior decorating projects led to major transformations including one dream kitchen and some wonderful new friendships. Our team also had the opportunity to stage a 10,000 sq. ft. 1930's mansion in the historic section of Hartford, CT where John F. Kennedy once attended parties. We loved listening to our client, Joanne Hoye of Berkshire Hathaway and the property's listing agent tell stories about the history of this exquisite home. This was also the year that we launched our new website and logo.

One of the most important factors that drives any company is its people. PJ & Co. has a talented team of professional stagers, interior designers, and vendors that provide their expertise for our clients. I wanted to share a little bit of their stories with you, because they too helped to make 2014 a great year.

Connie Klanica, Accredited Stager, has been with the company since 2009. She has worked on more staging projects than I can count and has an incredible eye for detail, organization, and room design. Connie and I also worked together on several holiday decorating jobs and there is no one better at making bows than Connie. Her warm personality shows through when working with our clients. 

 
Katie Samuelson, Interior Designer, ASID, joined PJ & Co. almost one year ago after helping us from time to time with various interior decorating projects including a Toll model. She is an expert in color (she is also an abstract artist) and design and has helped to create some beautiful palettes for various client interiors and model homes. With an interior design degree from the Parsons School of Design, she spent several years with an interior design firm in NYC before coming to CT.


 
Pam Bingman, Marketing Associate, recently joined PJ & Co. after creating our new company logo (which we love) and demonstrating her expertise 
in all areas of marketing and love for home decor! She has over 10 years experience as a graphic designer and truly hit the ground running for our company with the new design of our Style Report newsletter, email marketing, and social media campaign. She is also the one who created our Pinterest Board which we hope you will check out for some design inspirations.




This is our core team that works in conjunction with our carpenters, painters, flooring specialists and other vendors whose services we offer to our clients. Please feel free to reach
out to any one of us as you look to redesign, renovate, or simply refresh the decor in your home. If you are thinking of selling, we are definitely the team to call.

Here's to a great 2015!

2015 INDUSTRY COLOR TRENDS
How To Incorporate These Fresh New Colors Into Your Home Decor

It remains to be seen which color will dominate everything from home appliances to fashion runways in 2015 but the top picks have been announced by industry experts at Pantone, Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. We love these colors and feature different ways 

to incorporate them into your own home decor below. 

 


Marsala: Pantone Color of the Year
This rich, dramatic color is a modern take on burgundy and wine. It is such a versatile hue with equal appeal to both men and women. We like how it brings an earthy warmth into the home 

by creatively using it in all kinds of accessories from coffee pots to pillows. Consider using this color on an accent wall in your kitchen or as an accent color in your family room, study, or 

master bedroom.

Guilford Green: Benjamin Moore Color of the Year
According to Benjamin Moore, "a neutral that's natural" will be the color of choice for decorators and designers. Their pick of Guilford Green is inspired by a citrus grove or sprig of silver sage and contains a hint of gray and brown which gives it a soothing, neutral feel. This color also compliments a range of design styles from traditional to contemporary and can be used as the main design element as well as an accent color. We are really drawn to how well it pairs with warm wood tones in baskets, flooring and furniture. Also when paired with white, it feels very clean and crisp. 

Coral Reef: Sherwin Williams Color of the Year

Sherwin Williams' selection, Coral Reef, is very different from Guilford Green. In fact, they are on opposite ends of the color wheel. We agree with Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams, that "Coral Reef embodies the cheerful approach to design that we're seeing for the coming year. Its unexpected versatility brings life to a range of design aesthetics, whether traditional, vintage, cottage or contemporary." Consider using it with a variety of blues including navy for a Coastal style, or with browns for a more modern approach. We will be using it as a key accent color in a model we're decorating this month.


 

  FRESH AND INSPIRING DESIGN TRENDS FOR THE NEW YEAR
Creative blends of materials and styles dominate home decor

The year ahead in the world of interior design is about creating versatile and personalized living spaces by using unexpected fusions of traditional and new materials.


 

  Detail of kitchen featuring industrial style pendant lighting, stainless steel accessories coupled with quartz countertops and stone tile work which provide a natural, organic look.

Kitchen designed by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

 


Materials: Metals and Textures  

 
Some of the current trends include blending industrial accents (shiny metallics and warm bronzes) with various natural materials such as marble, granite and glass. Metallics are being used often in industrial style lighting such as hanging pendants and lamps as well as in furniture design. Textured fabrics from luxurious velvets and silks to leather furniture and accessories also bring sophistication, comfort and elegance to a more casual room. 


Natural Themes and Organic Design

Earthy touches such as reclaimed, rustic and exotic wood accents continue to be used in creative ways to bring the outdoors inside. Organic shaped decorative pieces and floral patterns in wallpaper prints and fabrics represent an eco-friendly, contemporary style which appeals to many. We recently incorporated a gorgeous, textured grass cloth wallpaper in a simple client's powder room to create a sophisticated style. 

 

Bright Hues and Patterns  

The popular soft, neutral tones of gray and creams are set off by beautiful, rich contrasts of pastels, unexpected bright colored fabrics, artwork and glass accents. We will see more ethnic patterns in fabrics used for cushions, pillows, and window treatments including geometric, watercolors with soft edges, floral compositions and other exotic styles.

 

 

HOW STAGING IS KEY TO TACKLE THE EMERGING GENERATIONAL GAP 

 

1930's mansion staged by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating


Patti recently wrote an article for the National Association of Realtor's blog, Styled Staged & Sold, predicting that the 2015 housing market will continue to be a buyer's market, particularly in certain areas where homes are older. 

As more Millennials (the generation under the age of 33) enter the market and baby boomers downsize, the generation gap between buyers and sellers will further drive the market. 

Younger home buyers make up the largest group of today's consumers. According to a National Association of Realtors survey, Millennials and slightly older Generation X represent over 60 percent of today's home buyers. The bulk of housing inventory over the next 15 years will come from retiring boomers who want to downsize and embrace a more modest lifestyle. The challenge will be enticing younger buyers - who want an already updated home - with a large percentage of housing built before 1990. Older, outdated homes give buyers a lot of reasons to cross the property off their list. 

 

Sellers who adapt to the changing marketplace and understand that today's buyers don't have the same vision when it comes to updating a home will position their property in the market and stand out from the competition.

 

Therefore, staging continues to be more important than ever before - whether it is a $250,000 home or a $2 million dollar home - to preserve and in some cases boost a home's value and get it sold.
 
  

SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE
Follow us for the latest industry tips and inspiration 

We enjoy staying in touch with our clients, colleagues and friends through a variety of communications. Most recently PJ & Company can be seen on Instagram, Pinterest, Houzz and Google +. Take a moment to click on the icon below to follow our profiles and stay connected to the latest in interior design and home staging. Of course you can also continue to find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

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comments, or questions to marketing@pjstagingdecorating.com
or contact us at 203-640-3762.


The Style Report is PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating's
e-newsletter designed to inform, entertain, and engage our clients, colleagues, friends, and other style followers about topics in interior design, fashion, 
and special events.  

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