Fresh colors help sell a home

Last week we staged our biggest project yet -- a 3-bedroom, 3-bath (plus office) home with an in-law apartment in the back. We were really happy with the results, and so were the developer (who hired us) and the real estate agent! After just one open house, they are expecting several offers this week.

Take a look at the photos below, all shot by the talented Lisa Ratner.

Family room

Living room

Dining room

Office

Kids room

In-law apartment

What made this house so sellable? First of all, the developers did an excellent job. All the material selections -- lighting fixtures, tile, cabinets, etc. -- were spot on, and their work was high-quality. The floor plan was very livable and the home got lots of light.

As far as our contributions, the two top reasons the staging worked so well are:

1. Color choices. We selected a modern fresh palette based on light grays, warm white trim and pops of citrus colors. Note the yellow bedroom, the orange accessories in the in-law, and the green accent walls in the dining room, office and family room.

2. Mixing old and new items. In our staging we take advantage of some Ikea favorites as well as Eames classics, flea market finds as well as new CB2. It's all about mixing the vintage, modern, bold and good old stand-bys.