12/25/12

Merry Christmas from Redesign Etc. Home Staging of Houston


It's Christmas and we just wanted to say 

"Thank You" and that...

It's been a pleasure working with you this past year...

Hope you and your family have wonderful Holidays and...

A Happy New Year!www.redesignetc.com

12/13/12

Home Staging Holiday Gift Certificates for Houston


Redesign Etc. Home Staging Christmas Gift Certificate

Home Staging Holiday Gift Certificates for Houston.

How about giving a gift certificate for one of our many services?  A great gift idea for the person that has everything, or that is hard to buy for.   Do you live out of town but have someone in or around Houston that is on your Christmas list?  Surprise that someone special. This is a gift that anyone can use!  

It's great for Singles, Newly Marrieds, Blended Families, Empty Nester's, Mom & Dad, Family members, Co-workers, Neighbors, Friends, Pastors, Secret Santa, College Graduate!

Excellent for Real Estate Agents to give to their clients or as listing incentives.

Here are some of the services Redesign Etc. provides:

  • Home Staging (We stage your home getting it ready to put on the market to sell.)
  • Interior Redesign/Mini-Makeover (Rearranging your rooms by using your existing furnishings.  This is a service for when you are living in your home and want a new look.)
  • Home Staging Consultations
  • Color and Paint Consultations
  • Vacant Home Staging (We offer furniture furniture and accessory packages for unoccupied vacant homes)
  • "Lite" staging Packages (Using less furniture and accessories in key rooms for unoccupied vacant homes)
  • Move-In Decorating

Check out our services page.  If you don't see what you're looking for just ask, chances are we offer that too!
Please contact us for prices or more details.  To make it more convenient you can pay with PayPal.

* Gift certificates are valid for one year from date of purchase.

12/6/12

The Pantone 2013 Color of the Year is Emerald!


Pantone's color of the year - Emerald Green for 2013!
Image sources from top left: Studio M Interior Design on Pinterest // Marie Bourlet onPinterest // Lynn Galloway on Pinterest // Nuria Arfa on Pinterest // Kirtsy // Grant K. Gibson // Marie Bourlet on Pinterest // Centsational Girl on Pinterest // Redesign Revolution on Pinerest

11/14/12

Home Staging By Redesign Etc.

Living Room Before

Living Room After


All-Inclusive Personalized Home staging Consultation Includes:
  • Preview home and take photos.
  • Verbal "Walk-n-Talk" from curb, home to the back fence. (Written report is available).
  • Specific room-by-room recommendations and evaluation.
  • On-the-spot recommendations.
  • Top 5 Priority "Sellers To Do" List for the highest R.O.I
  • How to showcase features that may get overlooked by buyers.
  • Suggestions on updates or cosmetic changes.
  • Do you need to make upgrades?  We'll tell you whether it will be cost-effective for the sale of your home.
  • Cost effective tips and Ideas.
  • Ideas for furniture and accessory placement.
  • Recommendations of possible items (if needed) to purchase and where to purchase them.
  • Hands-on redesign of furniture or accessories if time permits.
  • Paint and Color recommendations.
  • Address any necessary items, issues or deferred maintenance.
  • Ideas for awkward spaces or floor plans.
  • Clutter control tips.
  • Showing Instructions.
  • Hands-on staging estimate for vacant & occupied homes (furniture & accessory placement and arrangement).
  • DIY staging plan if sellers want to implement changes.
  • Furniture & Accessory Rental estimate if applicable for unoccupied vacant homes.
  • Flooring recommendations.
  • Hardware, Lighting recommendations.
  • Curb Appeal including landscaping Ideas.
  • And More!
Most home staging consultations are $150 depending on the size and location of home.

  • RESA 2011 study proves "it does not benefit the homeowner to list their property first to see if it will sell. When they invest in staging before listing, they sell 79% faster". 
  • RESA 2011 study showed "84% of buyers (some estimates are higher) look on the Internet to preview homes before they go to see a home in person. Properties with beautiful photographs will be looked at first. A staged home photographs better and looks better on the MLS". 
  • RESA 2011 study showed"Professional stagers can “see what the buyer sees”. Buying decisions are made very quickly. Professional stagers know how those decisions are made and create an environment that allows for a favorable decision to be made when buyers look at a property".



8/20/12

7 Fads from the 11980's & 1990's to Remove Before Selling a Home


Fads from the 1980's & 1990's to Remove Before Selling

Totally 1980's: dense floral wallpaper, brass fixtures and a Jacuzzi tub.
By Linda Merrill, Networx

There is no question that decorative fashion and trends come and go. The hottest trends today will start to fade in a year or so and by 2025 and beyond most will be looking tired and out of date. When you are selling your house, "old" and "out of date" are not good messages to be sending. While intellectually we all understand that the furnishings are not staying and most decorating such as paint or wall coverings can be changed fairly easily, our emotional brains take over when evaluating a property. When we see things we don't like because they seem old, dingy or outdated we start wondering more about the things we can't see and how old they might be as well.
Today's empty-nesters were in their "up and coming years" during the 80's and 90's, when careers were settling in, families were growing and homes were purchased and decorated. In the intervening decades, those freshly decorated spaces have aged, and quite frankly, they haven't aged very well. Here's a list of the seven biggest offenders of 1980's and 1990's home decorating that sellers should consider removing or replacing when preparing the house for market:
1) Dense floral wallpapers and fabrics: For a long time, wallpapers were actually quite taboo in home decorating, specifically stemming from papers used in the 1960's to the 1980's. One of the biggest design trends in the 1980's were dense floral wallpapers with the pattern carrying over to the fabrics on the windows and furnishings. Nothing says the 1980's faster than a riot of roses coming at you from all sides. Slipcovering the furniture or replacing the wallpaper will relieve the overwhelming feeling of age.
2) Wallpaper borders: Along with floral wallpapers was the heavy use of decorative wallpaper borders, which were applied at the ceiling, as a chair rail or on top of the baseboard, sometimes all three at a time. As homes became larger during the period, we were seeing less fine detail such as crown moldings or paneling. Paper borders were used as a cheap and cheerful alternative but aren't very much in use today. It is best to remove all the borders and simply paint the walls.
3) Overwhelming pattern and texture: In the 1980's and 1990s, we saw a lot of mixed patterns and colors in our interiors. There was a lot of visual stimulation going on. This can include lots of different fabrics used in a single room, the use of mixed decorative tiles in kitchens and bathrooms and even the ubiquitous sponge painted walls. Too much pattern is overly stimulating and we don't know where to look when faced with it and buyers may be less likely to spend time in a room that is too visually cluttered. Today's style tends to be simpler with fewer colorful and textural elements. Replacing most of the older materials with solid colors, or simpler patterns will bring things up to date.
4) Brass hardware: Unless it's of exceptionally high quality, brass fittings such as doorknobs, drawer pulls, hinges, electrical back plates and faucets do not stand the test of time. Most become discolored and even pitted or rusty, depending on the location. While we have seen a recent spike in the use of brass or gold-toned metallics in the home, the safest choices remain matte or shiny stainless steel, nickel or chrome fixtures and knobs, simple ceramic pulls and electrical plates that match the wall coverings. Most of these are easy to switch out and will make a world of difference.
For an example of how much of a difference replacing outdated brass fixtures makes, check out thisHometalk.com post detailing the overhaul of a 1980's kitchen. Note the brass chandelier; then note how much more modern and attractive the new light fixture is.
5) Overstuffed furniture: In the category of "bigger-is-better" was the overabundance of sofas, loveseats and chairs-and-a-half with the really fat rounded arms. Not only are these now out-of-fashion, they simply take up too much room in a space thus reducing the feeling of spaciousness in even the most generous rooms. Again, not the impression one wants to be projecting to the homebuyer. It's rarely even possible to purchase slipcovers for these gargantuan pieces. If you're selling, it is time to toss or donate and either purchase new (to be used in your new home) or rent some suitably subdued replacements.
6) Wall-to-wall mirrors: Mirrors are a fantastic way to create a feeling of spaciousness and light in a room (when used well). However, the days of floor to ceiling mirrored closet sliders are pretty much over. It's best to remove the mirrors and repaint the doors underneath, or replace the doors altogether.
7) Carpet in the bathroom: One wonders really how this was ever popular, but for a while carpeted bathrooms were done. The first rule of home staging is that cleanliness sells and there is no way that a twenty-year old wall-to-wall in a bathroom will ever look or feel clean. Today's bathrooms are spa-like in their Spartan cleanliness with little use of fabric at all. Rip out the carpet; new linoleum is a better choice if wood or tile isn't in the budget.

For a consultation on how to update your home for selling contact Redesign Etc. Home Staging

8/4/12

DIY Melt Proof Outdoor Candle Props for Staging

This is such a clever idea, especially for 100+ degree summer days since almost anything decorative will melt outside.  Perfect for staging an outdoor space to get the look of candles.  It's hard to find items that will take our Texas heat with intense sun and humidity when staging patios, this will be an excellent prop to use.

No melt Candle Props that won't melt in 110 degree summer heat. Made from PVC and hot glue

8/1/12

Add a high-end look to your home instantly! Painting the interior of a door automatically gives you a more expensive elegant feel.

5/26/12

Special on Vacant Home Staging Packages for Greater Houston Area


Special Offer
on
Vacant Home Staging Packages
Buy 3 months Get 1 Month Free!
(Limited-Time Only)

Here we grow again!  We will be moving to a new location to better facilitate our clients.  Act now to guarantee your vacant home will be ready for the summer selling season.

Check out our website or
Contact us or for more information.




4/20/12

Free Home Staging Cleaning Checklists

Free Home Staging Cleaning Checklists



When selling your home there's one thing that has to be a top priority... your house has to be clean.  It's got to be squeaky clean so that it sparkles, shines and smells fresh. Unless you're looking for an investment property to rehab or a fixer upper, buyers will take note on a homes cleanliness.  Buyers want a pristine home, that they can move right into.  Can't blame them for that, and the houses that I've seen that have sold the fastest have been the ones that literally outshine the competition.

I always advise home sellers to do a one-time deep cleaning, and then you will only have to do light cleanings thereafter.  If you don't have the time to clean, I would recommend hiring a professional house cleaning service that offers this type of service.  Make sure that they have some or all of the following:  references, is bonded, insured and accredited with the  BBB.

If you are a DIY'er and prefer to do the cleaning yourself, I have found a really thorough checklist of room by room instructions.  I've seen a lot of lists over the years and really like these, they even tell you what tools and products you can use.

Don't forget the outside.  Curb appeal is initially what draws buyers to your home, it's what peaks their interest.  If they don't like the outside, chances are they won't bother with the inside.

Checklists:  Free Downloads to Print

Bathroom


Bedroom


Home Office/Study 


Kitchen


Living Room/Family Room


Utility Room


Outdoors


Professional House Cleaning Services in the Greater Houston area:


Molly Maid


Merry Maids


White Gloves Service


The Cleaning Authority


Maid Brigade

Natural Care Cleaning Service

Redesign Etc. Home Staging will be happy to advise you on actions that need to be taken before staging your home.  We offer an in-depth home staging consultation to prepare the home for your buyers market.  Contact us today!

4/16/12

Tips On Clutter Clearing Before Staging Your Home

Tips On Clutter Clearing Before Staging Your Home

Decorate with Intention: Clutter Clearing 101


Getting organized is something of a passion of mine. Yes, I consider cleaning out my junk drawer a leisure activity — I love labels and have been known to put my books in rainbow order, so make fun if you must! But over the years I have honed a simple routine for paring down and creating order in the home, and I want to share these 10 tips with you today.
Before we dig in, it is important to understand what we are up against. What is clutter exactly? Excess stuff, right? Well sure, but more than that, clutter is a sign of procrastination. It is the bicycle you've been meaning to have repaired, the books that need to be returned to the library, the hideous vase from Aunt Mildred you can't bear to throw out, and the heaping piles of paperwork that need sorting. I think this is why we find it so hard to declutter. It requires a lot of decision making, some that you may have been putting off for years — no easy task. Let's begin by setting an intention to fearlessly face the decisions that need to be made. You can do it!
eclectic bedroom by French Larkspur
1. Get motivated. Clutter clearing can be physically and emotionally exhausting, so now is the time to gear up and fuel your motivation. Tear out images from magazines, or create an ideabook on Houzz that you can refer back to when inspiration flags.

If you enjoy keeping a journal, here are a few questions you might like to ponder over a mug of hot tea before getting started:
  • How would clearing the clutter from my home make life easier?
  • What will be the most challenging area to work on?
  • In three words, how would you like your home to feel when this is done?
  • My intention for this project is: _____
modern living room by Chloe Warner
2. Pick the low-hanging fruit first. Get started on the right foot by making a quick sweep of your whole house, pulling out the obvious clutter. This includes items going to the trash or recycling, things you have been meaning to return to other people, and other things you know you want to be rid of.

This step is meant to be easy and lightning fast. Put on upbeat music, grab a few bags or bins, and set a timer for 15 minutes. I am always amazed at how much better my home feels after a short clutter-busting spree!









contemporary kitchen by Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs
3. Pretend a camera crew is coming over. This is a fun little mental trick to play: Imagine that your favorite home design magazine is sending a full camera crew over to photograph your house for the cover story. What would you hide? How would you change your furniture arrangements or displays? Once you have made a room "camera ready," consider making some of the changes permanent.
eclectic bathroom by Jenn Hannotte / Russet and Empire Interiors
4. Repeat after me: less is more! If you find yourself using "But I might need this one day... !" as an excuse, this step is for you. Be honest. Do you really need two dozen ratty old towels, or will four nice fluffy ones for your family and two extras for guests do? When you winnow down to what is truly needed, loved, and used, you will begin to find cupboards and shelves opening up and daily tasks becoming a little easier.

eclectic bathroom by Jenn Hannotte / Russet and Empire Interiors
5. Separate emotional clutter from the gems. I am not going to tell you to get rid of Grandma's wedding dress or those bins full of your child's artwork. The point here is to be intentional about what you are saving and why. Items that you want to be able to pass down to your children should be stored properly to avoid damage, while other mementos could be put on display where you can appreciate them on a daily basis.

On the other hand, beware of memorabilia that carries negative emotions, like photos of exes, gifts you feel guilty for hating, and diaries from really low points in your life. Out they go! There, doesn't that feel good?


eclectic bathroom by Nirmada Interior Architectural Design
6. Curate your collections. Collections can be wonderfully creative additions to your home, but they have a tendency to get out of hand and lose their impact. The solution is twofold: curate with purpose, and create intentional displays. By narrowing down the focus of your collection — white ironstone, say, or plates featuring birds — you can create a more interesting and cohesive collection.

Then, find one location where you can fit all of the pieces in one display for maximum impact. Still have too much? Try selling a few pieces on eBay or locally.




modern bedroom by Nicole Hollis
7. Make your bedroom a sanctuary. As the least public room in the house, it is all too easy to let the bedroom become neglected. Piles of dirty laundry on the floor, unread magazines spilling out of the bedside tables, dust bunnies, shopping bags, children's toys, you name it, it ends up here. Which is a shame, because having a tranquil bedroom can promote restful sleep and help reduce the stress of busy days — something we all can use, right?

The good news is, while other rooms may be difficult to pare down because they must perform so many functions, the bedroom is pretty simple. All you really need are the essentials: nice bedding, lighting, a hamper, alarm clock, and perhaps a scented candle or small vase of flowers. I'm going to take my own advice this weekend and spruce up my bedroom!

modern kitchen by Van Wicklen Design
8. Give frequently used items pride of place. As you move through each room, think about which tools you reach for most often and try to put these items within easy reach. Place your favorite long-handled wooden spoons in a crock on your counter top and a pot of fresh herbs in a sunny window near the stove. I am constantly surprised at the beauty in useful objects, artfully displayed.     
contemporary entry by MuseInteriors
9. Involve the whole family. Sigh. Not so easy, I know, but so important! Encourage children to fill a box with old toys and clothes to bring to a children's charity. If it seems difficult, try timing the big giveaway before a birthday or major holiday when new toys will be rolling in. Once you have purged your home, set up new systems in key areas used by all. Baskets and hooks in the entryway or mud room and bins at the foot of the stairs would be great places to start.





Published February 11, 2012
for Houzz by Laura Gaskill 
eclectic bedroom by Aristea Rizakos
10. Maintain your space. Think about instituting a "One In, One Out" policy in your household. By letting something go each time you bring in something new, you can easily stay on top of the clutter in your home before it reaches epic proportions. For instance, if you purchase a new pair of sneakers, toss out an old pair; when you buy a new book, choose one you've read to donate to your local library.

Similar to caring for a garden, doing a little each day or week will help your home flourish.













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