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How To: Decorate for Fall

Posted by: admin in how to, Decorating on Oct , 2010

a99889_05_pumpkincenterpiec_lIt’s fall! While most people profess that their favorite season is summer, Fall has a lot of fans. Fall is my favourite season by a big margin (more sunshine than spring, less humidity than summer), and that means I always want to get into the Fall spirit by decorating my house. 

That said… I prefer a more minimalist approach to décor. All my furniture is white. Lines are clean. Clutter is forbidden. I might love fall, but I’m not going to start making Martha Stewart style pinecone bouquets and sticking them around my home, or suddenly feeling the pull of big wooly plaid blankets draped over all my furniture. First of all, who has the time for that? Secondly… just no.

So, if you’re like me, how can you feel like you’ve got a bit of fall in the home, without going full Little House on the Prairie?

Here are some fun, LOW HASSLE ideas, from my own mind and the internet:

1. White Pumpkins

They used to be rare, but nowadays they’re popping up in local grocery stores – white pumpkins, sometimes called ghost pumpkins are a neat way to get the shape of the season, but in a new way. You can:

  • Line up white mini pumpkins on a mantelpiece
  • Turn white mini pumpkins into votive candle holders
  • Cut off the top and remove the seeds from a full sized white pumpkin. Don’t carve it though! Put a flower vase into the pumpkin and display some seasonal blooms - (note, these won’t last more than a few days inside – best done for a special occasion!)

2. Pinecones

Yes, I realized I just disparaged pinecone crafts, but this is as easy as it gets. Take a contemporary, low silver bowl or tray and then fill it with the nicest pinecones you can find. Looks seasonal, not kitchy.

 

branches-in-a-vase-284x3003. Branches and sticks

Trees and wood grain have been big design trends for a while now, so don’t pay for artfully arranged, carefully chosen dead branches from a florist, go pick your own out. They’re plentiful this time of year, and FREE. Besides, what says fall more than a branch without leaves? The easiest way to bring the outside in. Best yet? These displays don’t need water.

Photos: Pumpkin Vase, Martha Stewart.com; Branches, Vastu Design Clique

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7 Steps for Perfect Home Staging

Posted by: admin in selling, how to, Decorating on Aug , 2010

So you've painted, repaired, cleaned and gardened to within an inch of your life – yet buyers are still underwhelmed with your castle. What do you have to do to get your home a little love? You might want to try staging your home.  A study by Coldwell Banker Realty found that homes that had been staged sold in just under half the time, and for over 5% more than homes that hadn't been.
Home staging can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. You can pay a professional, or you can follow this guide we've put together by consulting with professional home stagers. Start by assuming your house is cleaner than it’s ever been, and there are no minor repairs that need to be done.
What you’ll need:
  • A critical friend who hates clutter
  • Containers and boxes for storing extra possessions in
  • A strong will
  • Lots of Patience
  • People to help you move furniture
Step 1:  Review
Invite your critical friend over and tell them they don’t get a snack until you walk them though the house. Ask them to point out everything that they think is cluttering up your rooms and take notes. Observe where their eyes are drawn when they enter a room, what features they like best, and what puts them off. If they notice dirt, grime or little things that need to be fixed, make note to go back and take care of those spots.
Step 2: Purge and Pack
Now that you know that your bookcases look overstuffed and your personal collection of vintage staplers is weird, you can start taking things out of your space. Don’t think of it as a chore either – think of it as pre-packing for your big move. Ditch family photos and personal brick-a-brack. Take your groaning stack of old magazines to be recycled and pack away all those extra shampoo bottles lining your bathtub.  Consider donating extra stuff you know you don’t really need (books you’ll never read again, unwanted Christmas gifts) and renting a storage locker for the things you do (out of season clothes, extra bedding, personal pictures, family heirlooms etc).  Getting rid of little things like fridge magnets, countertop appliances, figurines, and floor mats can make a room look much bigger and making your home impersonal works wonders because it helps buyers imagine they could live there.
Step 3: Clean Out Your Closets
Buyers are just like you. They have a mountain of stuff they’ll need to stash away once they’re in their new home. Take half the things out of your closets and neatly sort the rest. Invest in some storage boxes to hold little things and colour coordinate the rest. This way when buyers look in your linen closet (and you know they will), they’ll see a neat pile of linens, and not a mess of multicoloured beach towels jammed into every available inch of space.
Step 4: Clear the Way
Consider getting rid of some furniture. Yes, having an extra couch is great because of the kids and the dogs, but if getting rid of it makes the living room look much more airy and open – not to mention easier to get around, it should be a no brainer! If your basement is filled with shabby old furniture, it might make the whole room look shabby, even if it’s in good repair. Ditch the old stuff and put in more contemporary furniture. You can rent furniture, borrow from friends and family, or even move your furniture around within the house. Don’t forget pictures and artwork for the walls either – the house should look like someone lives there, but they don’t have a lot of stuff.
Step 5: Maximize and Minimize
Rearrange your rooms to take advantage of your home’s best features. Move the sofa away from the bay window to let it give more impact – conversely move a bookcase in front of faded wallpaper. While these layouts might not be how you’re used to having your furniture, they’ll be the best for showing off your home’s assets and minimizing flaws.
Step 6: Freshen Up
Now that your house is de-personalized, de-cluttered and sparkling clean bring in some life. Fresh flowers can bring a big impact to a room and make it smell great. Open all the windows for at least 10 minutes the day of your open house to clear out the air. If your house still has some lingering personal odours, try baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies right before the showing! Buyers will smell the cookies and not your dog.

Step 7: Set the mood
Turn on all the lights, open all the blinds and clean any last minute messes up.  Voila – your home is ready to knock people’s socks off.

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What to do if you want to sell your home

Posted by: admin in selling, Realtors, moving, how to, CMHC on Aug , 2010


sell your homeSelling real estate can be a big headache. Finding a realtor, showing the house, entertaining offers… then worrying about taxes, fees and other administrative details can make the process seem far more complicated than it needs to be.  So, if you want to sell your home, doing your homework before you get onto the real estate listings can save you a lot of hard work and sleepless nights.
Step 1 - Decide what your home is worth:
This might seem like a no brainer, but many people don’t do this. They forget to factor the costs of improvements or pre-sale repairs into their home’s value. Getting the property appraised, then comparing it to other, similar homes can be very helpful. If you’re not prepared to accept what similar properties have fetched, you might need to wait. Only you can decide how much you’re prepared to gain or lose if you sell your house.  Set your minimum price and stick to it, unless you really need to get out of your current situation, it will help you decide what offers you’re willing to entertain.
Step 2 - Really get to know your Realtor:
Realtors can be incredible assets, but they don’t work for free. Ask them about their commission fees – what can you expect when you sell your home. Realtors can also help you figure out all the other taxes, fees and paperwork that will go with selling your home. Knowing what to expect ahead of time will make the process go much faster when it starts.
Step 3 - Scope out the competition:
Visit other open houses in your neighbourhood and see what your direct competition is doing. Ask your realtor what the best features of your house are, and how you can really use them to entice buyers.
Step 4 - Take care of repairs:
Sometimes it’s little things that can put off buyers – doing small repairs and freshening up paint doesn’t cost much, but it can make your house look far more appealing to buyers who aren’t interested in getting a property that looks shabby and comes with a to-do list a mile long. You might also consider having a professional inspector look at your home.  If there are serious problems with your home, you can have them fixed before putting them on the market and letting buyers discover them.  If there are not problems, you can show buyers that your home has been professionally inspected and they can have confidence in it.
Step 5 - Make it look great, inside and out:
Removing extra knick-knacks, clutter and personal items can also make a big difference. For better or worse, buyers will be looking for a blank slate that they can imagine themselves living in. You may love your bright pink sofa and shag rug, but some people won’t be able to look past it. If you’re bad at this kind of thing, consider hiring a professional stager.  The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has an excellent and thorough checklist you can work through.
And there you have it. If you start work ahead of time, you’ll have a property that looks great inside and out, has no major issues and has killer features that make it shine above the competition. Better yet, you’ll know how much money to expect from your sale, and will have already planned for the fees. Selling real estate isn’t without complications and hitches, but you can make it run as smoothly as possible.

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The Best Paint Color Trends for 2010

Posted by: admin in property, how to, Decorating on Jul , 2010

 

Any realtor worth their salt knows that the quickest way to freshen up a property is a simple coat of paint. So how can you catch a buyer’s eyes? Painting everything builder’s beige won’t cut it anymore, but a paint job with an on-trend contemporary colour can elevate a property above its peers.

Does this mean you should paint the walls of a small, dark bedroom grey because it’s a popular colour right now? No. To be blunt, that would be stupid. However you could paint it a soft grayish blue, then add some grey and white accessories and capture the trend in a way that works for the space.

So, if you’re looking to improve a space, what are the hot colours for 2010?

colour trend 1Soft pastels like pale pink (yes, pink!) are popular, and don’t have to look girly. The important thing to note is they’re warm and cheerful, but not hyper-saturated. Colour may be in, but it’s muted. This grey and pink living room provides a perfect example.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

colour trend 2Blue rules – but like the pinks, they’re not bright – they’re airy and light and take colour cues from aquatic colours like ultramarines and turquoises.  If I had to pick one colour I’ve seen pop up on every “colour trend” list, it would definitely be a turquoise blue. However, keep in mind that light blue isn’t the best colour if your room lacks natural light – a safe bet is to pick a bluish grey, which won’t seem overpowering in bright light, and will play better in a darker room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

colour trend 3Overall colour palettes are ditching cool beiges– warm, earthy neutrals with names like “sand”, “clay” and “mushroom” rule the day – look for infusions of gold, lavender or cream instead of beige if you want to spruce up the paint on a family friendly home.

 

 

 

 

colour trend 5Grey, grey, grey! It’s a tricky colour to work with, but the rewards are an almost ethereal look to your rooms. Greys can have an undertone of blue, green or even purple, so it’s best to test a grey to see how it looks before you commit. However, when you get a grey right, the results are simply stunning.

 

 

 

 

colour trend 4Citrus can add a splash to your décor – it could be small hits of a pumpkin colour, or a muted, softer orange as a colour to brighten up a room with neutral furnishings and accessories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want more information or a little more help with your paint choices? These are the sources I used to put together this list:

Apartment Therapy - Inspiration from Crown Paints, Colour Me Happy - What Everyone Should Know about Grey, Style At Home - Paint Colour Trends for 2010, Sico Paints Trends for 2010-2011, Apartment Therapy - The Best Grey Paint Colors

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How To: Get Great Real Estate Photos

Posted by: admin in tips, Realtors, property, photography, how to on Jun , 2010

Whether you’re a realtor, someone trying to sell, or someone looking to buy, great photos are some of the best tools you can have in Real Estate.  A Realtors’ association survey found that when it comes to web features that buyers consider “very useful,” 83 percent cited pictures. Great photos are much like having great curb appeal – they draw potential buyers in. Bad photos don’t just leave a bad first impression; they can turn off buyers before they even set foot in the property.

Unfortunately, there is no single magic bullet or secret camera setting to ensure that pictures will be good – however, here are some Dos and Don’ts from professional photographers:
Do:
Use a good camera – do you need a top of the line Digital SLR? Probably not – but will a lower end one like a Cannon Rebel make pictures look better than a cell phone or a point and shoot? Yes!  DSLRs can accommodate different lenses and can have the shutter speed and aperture adjusted – meaning your can take longer exposure pictures – longer exposures means more light can reach the lens, avoiding pictures that make rooms look dark and uninviting.
Pro tip: Camera shops often have consignment sections where you can purchase used entry level DSLRs for below retail price. This is a good way to get a starter camera, and allows you to ask as many questions as you need to learn how to use the camera.

Do:
Get some equipment if you’re going to take a lot of photos: A simple tripod can solve a lot of bad picture problems. While you will never need all the gear that a professional photographer has, if you find yourself always wishing you had more light, you can find compact fluorescent versions of studio lights for a fraction of the price - $80 to $100 USD; they cast wide, soft light, meaning they can illuminate a dark room without casting hard shadows.  Finally, consider a wide angle lens – using one means you can show a lot more of the room in the photo, meaning the viewer can get a better idea of how spacious the room actually is.
Do:
Think about the weather – if you photograph a house on dull, dark day, it will look dull and dark on the inside. Open the curtains, lift the blinds, and turn on the lights! Get it as bright as you can. When photographing the outside, try to do it on an overcast day to avoid harsh shadows.

Do:
Tidy up first! You can have lovely pictures with lots of natural light taken from the best angles, but if there are dead flowers, toys scattered everywhere, dirty dishes or too much clutter, you’ll end up with great pictures of a messy house. Clean up the setting and stage everything before you start – it will save your time in the long run and will make sure people viewing the pictures will notice the lovely bay window, not the toddler playing in front of it.

Do:
Be afraid to take lots of pictures from different angles. When inside shoot from a doorway or corner to show as much of the room as possible. Step back and try to find the best angle to capture the room.

Do:
Embrace technology! If you’re already tech savvy, you can use Photoshop to add perfect finishing touches – remember though, with all Photoshop fixes, its best not to go overboard.  However, if you know what you’re doing, you can straighten walls, adjust shadows and colour, crop out unwanted details, remove imperfections, or stitch photos together to make a panorama.   If you’re not a Photoshop wizard, you can use free programs to adjust lightness and contrast, or hire a professional to do touch ups on your images.
Pro Tip: If you’re really good, you can take photos using the HDR (high dynamic range) technique to make a composite image. Basically you take several photos of the exact same scene using different exposure values (and use a tripod!) Then you combine the photos, so you have your darks, lights and midrange covered (newer versions of Photoshop have an option for this) – allowing you to see a lovely room, AND the view outside the window, rather than just a blown out block of white.  There are many HDR tutorials online that can tell you more.

Don’t:
Use a flash. Unless you have absolutely have to. Seriously.

Don’t:
Be afraid to hire a professional.  If all this seems daunting and you have no photography skills, consider hiring a professional photographer. They have all the equipment and the knowhow to take the best photos possible, and great photos can be a great investment.
Want more information? The website All Things Photography has an excellent e-book on Property Photography – a must read for anyone who will be taking property photos.

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