You have to share the rest of the world with everyone else.  But, your home is yours alone.  So you get to decorate it the way you want, right?  Absolutely!  Until you are ready to sell that is!

If you’re planning to put your property on the market you have to take your personal decorating preferences out of the equation.  Even though your home may be beautifully decorated, you have to remember your taste might not be the majority’s taste.  Nothing personal…. it’s business.  While it’s hard to separate years of memories and personal style from it, real estate transactions really are purely business or should be.  If you’re having a hard time seeing past your decorating preferences and all those fond memories, hiring a professional stager is a great way to help you gain needed perspective on this important financial transaction.  We’ve just had the pleasure of working with mom and daughter in South Elgin to do just that.

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

LIVING ROOM AFTER

LIVING ROOM AFTER

Starting with a staging consultation a few weeks ago, we determined just what needed to change in order for their updated, single family home to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers.  Beautifully decorated, clean and largely de-personalized, this home had one glaring problem.  We’ll just call it the purple elephant in the room… and the purple paint, purple rugs, purple sofa, purple towels, purple shower curtain, purple accessories.  Well, you get the idea!  While a lifelong love of purple had made this house a home for our client, we decided it might not serve her as well while trying to sell her home.

FAMILY ROOM BEFORE

FAMILY ROOM BEFORE

FAMILY ROOM AFTER

FAMILY ROOM AFTER

After agreeing on a staging budget, we went to work crafting a plan to subtract as much purple as possible while making the rest appeal to buyers.  We picked neutral paint colors to address the purple walls in the master bedroom as well as other areas that needed a fresh coat.  We also had the forest green fireplace tile surround primed and neutralized for a more updated look.

DINING ROOM BEFORE

DINING ROOM BEFORE

DINING ROOM AFTER

DINING ROOM AFTER

While that work was being completed, we went shopping for things we could layer in to create even more visual appeal and to play down the purple elements (like the sofa) that couldn’t be removed.  New ‘staging’ art, a couple of slip covers, new window panels, throw pillows, shower curtain and accessories were just enough.  On the day of staging, we rearranged furniture and removed area rugs to show off the beautiful hardwood floors and maximize the visual square footage.  We repositioned many of the homeowner’s things while layering in jewel tone teal and cream accents to compliment and “distract” from the purple.  Purple is an awesome accent color on its own and one of my favorites as well.  In this case, however, we needed to introduce an even stronger accent like the rich teal so the purple would act more like a unifying neutral.

OFFICE BEFORE

OFFICE BEFORE

OFFICE AFTER

OFFICE AFTER

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE

MASTER BEDROOM BEFORE

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER

MASTER BEDROOM AFTER

GIRL'S ROOM BEFORE

GIRL’S ROOM BEFORE

GIRLS ROOM AFTER

GIRLS ROOM AFTER

BOY'S ROOM BEFORE

BOY’S ROOM BEFORE

BOY'S ROOM AFTER

BOY’S ROOM AFTER

HALL NICHE BEFORE

HALL NICHE BEFORE

HALL NICHE AFTER

HALL NICHE AFTER

The end result speaks for itself.  With selective editing, improved flow and furniture placement and the additional pops of color and texture, the “neutralized” purple now shines in this home.   In a great location with great curb appeal and a beautiful back yard and pool, this purple elephant won’t be on the market long!