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.

Knock knock! Who's there? COLOR!

Want your house to stand out from the others on the block? Try painting your front door a bright, cheerful color. We just completed a big Style to Sell job in Berkeley, which included choosing all the paint colors, inside and out. We jumped at the chance to select citron for the front door. We love it with the beautiful gray and clean white trim.

Here's the front door of the main house . . .

And the front door of the in-law apartment in back.

They are actually the same colors, although the lighting makes them look different.

Here's some more bright door inspiration for you!

(via Pinterest, via bhg)

(via Pinterest, via the stir.cafemom.com)

(via Pinterest, via apartmenttherapy)

Style to Sell Success!

We just completed a Style to Sell project and we love the way it turned out. This was a full staging, meaning we brought in everything -- furniture, rugs, accessories, etc. Our goal was to make this cute little bungalow fresh and colorful.

We'll start with the "after" photos . . .

And here's how the house looked when we first saw it . . .

Of course, we can't take all the credit for the transformation . . . the homeowner and real estate agent put in a lot of work cleaning, painting and fixing things up.

Inspiring, isn't it? Of course, no one's real house is going to look as perfect as a staged home, because everyday living means everyday messes, stacks of paper, etc. But you can refresh your own house -- without putting it on the market -- by taking these three steps:
1) Declutter! Pretend you are moving, and challenge yourself to keep only those things you would take to a new home. Box the rest up and donate or recycle it.
2) Paint! Lighter neutral colors always look fresh.
3) Use colorful accents! Notice the pops of color in the pillows and artwork we chose.

Just try this 3-step refresh strategy in one room -- you'll be amazed at the difference.