Anyone here got good taste, artistic flare?

[Spiky Bugger]

So...last move was a bit over a year ago and a few hundred miles and I was sick...I asked a cousin who is a decorator to help long distance with staging. She wouldn't take money and I don't want to take another freebie, so I'm asking you guys. This time the move is probably going to be about ten miles or less and no one is hooked up to an IV (yet...there will be iron infusions.)

We are packing up for our next move...one room at a time...leaving only the barest of essentials needed for staging. (We won't be listing this house until we are moved into the new house, and we haven't even opened escrow yet.) Today's problem is the guest room. We have a (really old) handmade Amish quilt that is what it pretends to be, and we know because we drove out into the country behind buggies with orange triangles to buy it for ourselves for an anniversary.

It has an off-white background and the colors involved are bold...a burgundy and a navy in addition to small floral prints. All things that are not "in." We love it and use it, even though wet don't decorate in "country," because of the memories that go with it. But looking at staged houses, decorators seem to be going more neutral these days.

So, for staging that room, do we:
A) Stick with what's there...it's cheaper and everything is already coordinated; or
B) Go buy some neutral color bed-in-a-bag that isn't bright and lovely, but won't offend anyone's sensibilities?


Deal is, staging is CRUCIAL. I know this because when my mom and I used to go house shopping, we'd leave and share our impressions. I'd talk about lot size, the electrical panel capacity and load bearing walls. My mom would say, "Did you see the mess that woman had on her dresser?"

And, of the two of us, my mom had more money to buy a house. So I am convinced that staging helps because too many buyers look at houses the way my mom did...very concrete images...they may be able to imagine THEIR stuff where YOUR stuff is, but can't "see" it in an empty room. (I'm that way with clothing patterns...whatever the fabric example is on the package is what I'll end up buying. I just can't "see" anything else.)

There will be more questions later, you know.

 

[southernlady]

I'm not much help as I can look at an empty house and see my stuff in it. Things easily changed (paint colors for example) do not bother me as I know I can always repaint.

I'm more likely to notice drippy faucets, water stains, electrical panels, water lines, etc.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I'm not much help as I can look at an empty house and see my stuff in it. Things easily changed (paint colors for example) do not bother me as I know I can always repaint.

I'm more likely to notice drippy faucets, water stains, electrical panels, water lines, etc.

Yup...that's my style...and why accommodating other people's styles is such a challenge for me.

 

[bearmom]

I suspect I know less about this than you, but I have learned a few things that really helped me stage homes. Too many people look at homes the way your mom does, so it's good to take out every single bit of stuff that is extra. I like my home decorated with things that are beautiful and meaningful to me, but my bright art glass collection is just a distraction when I want people noticing maple trim or whatever. One exception is if I have a room that is lacking, like a too small bathroom with no highlight-worthy feature. I few distractingly lovely things on the counter are good there.

I have had good luck using not more than one attention grabbing thing per room with the other less interesting stuff, whether a piece of furniture (if not too big) or nick-nack, as it seems to leave people with the idea of high end-ness, even though they aren't things that usually stay. These things do sometimes get asked for in purchase offers. It makes it much easier on me to use these as bargaining tools if it was a new "wow" item I purchased for staging instead of grandmas barley twist hall table.

The bedding and bath towels are the only things I actually have brand new, super plush stuff. While I'd probably prefer an Amish quilt for my personal decor, I have learned the beds, particularly in the master make a huge impact, and neutral, 5 star hotel look is what I have the best luck with. The bed looking as cloudlike as possible is good. Highest possible thread count sheets if they show at all, and same for the duvet and any pillow shams. High thread count Egyptian cotton doesn't just feel good, but lays nicely and has a different sheen than cheap stuff. I stick with that, or maybe silk, but I've sold several of my houses on irresistible bedrooms, and that inviting bed is the only constant.

I have justified spending so much on the bedding telling myself I will just get to use it myself when the house sells, but then there is always another house that we need to deal with within a month or so, so I still haven't inherited it.

I have to throw in, I have had to do the bedroom thing when there was no real bed, so it was rows of packing crates, with an air queen mattress, and then just super nice bedding and pillows. It looked so inviting some people would be commenting how wonderful it would be to.... and then they'd sit on the bed, which always led to a "WTF" look. I only warned the first 2 or 3. Smoke and mirrors.

Of course I'm in the usually cool rainy pacific northwest, so what looks super comfy here, may look cloyingly warm in your climate. The only other thing that seems to help is that I usually paint over any of my accent walls with boring beige. I like some color and usually like a few accent walls, but they seem to be a real distraction for some, and so easy to change.

 

[Terri]

I say spend the extra get a nice bed in a bag. Sometimes you can find them with curtains or valances in them. I found that our tastes are very individual. I am one that figures on painting at least one room because there is always that kitchen or bathroom that was done all modern 5-10 years ago so bedding wouldn't bother me, but different strokes for different folks. Plus if someone really likes it you can throw it in. Everyone likes to feel they get something for free.

 

[Munchkin]

I would turn it over to the beige side. And you are right about getting the house down to the bare minimum!

 

[Sheanie]

Don't leave any heirlooms in the house that you don't want to lose. When I staged our cottage, it sold after the first viewing, but they wanted it furnished. I cried. Since we needed to sell, I was forced to give up my oriental rugs (5 in all), my fancy schmancy cappuccino maker, my commercial Kitchenaid mixer, every kitchen gadget, all the beds, bedding, quilts I made, wallhangings I made, and several antiques I refinished. They offered our asking price, we countered that we wanted our anniversary Mackinac Island painting off the wall. They squawked but folded, and we sold.

I still wish I had my rugs, quilts, and silver. I never really liked cappuccino.

So I guess stage carefully with things you can lose.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

@Spiky Bugger -- what is the quilt's backing? Is it plain off white? If so, how about flipping it over, using the plain side and folding down the top edge to reveal just a thin line of the burgundy and pink blocks?

I will say, that's an unusual Amish quilt tho -- most of them are on black backgrounds and tend toward solid fabrics.

Generally speaking, if you clear out all your personal stuff and keep every surface free from any sort of clutter, most people can imagine past a wall color or bedding they don't care for as long as it isn't tooooo memorable (like a burgundy room or lime green or something)

I know nothing about this stuff, but it's kind of like this, but with less green. But it was an Amish community and they even let me use their outhouse!
http://aprillwood.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/amishquilt.jpg

 

[Sheanie]

That would be a wedding ring quilt. If it's hand quilted, it's worth more. The closer and tinier the stitches, the more valuable. If you have a label or the quilt is signed, it's even more valuable. Provenance, or some ****. But more importantly, Amish quilts are valuable. Don't stage with it unless you can part with it easily.

 

[Sheanie]

Double wedding ring VARIATION.

 

[Whit]

I would not leave it if it has sentimental value. I would spring for the Bed in the Bag.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

That would be a wedding ring quilt. If it's hand quilted, it's worth more. The closer and tinier the stitches, the more valuable. If you have a label or the quilt is signed, it's even more valuable. Provenance, or some ****. But more importantly, Amish quilts are valuable. Don't stage with it unless you can part with it easily.

Yeah...it was "costy" back when...and it has spent a lot of time boxed up. Once, I fired a " housekeeper" over it. I walked into the bedroom and she was cleaning and had put the furniture OIL bottle down on top of that thing. I took one look at it and told her that it didn't really matter how much it cost, since no one with a brain would put a bottle of any kind of oil on any kind fabric...but just for the record, she wasn't going to make enough to cover the damage...all week and part of next. Good bye. Just get your stuff and go away....right now.

It was my Emily Gilmore impression.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I suspect I know less about this than you, but I have learned a few things that really helped me stage homes. Too many people look at homes the way your mom does, so it's good to take out every single bit of stuff that is extra. I like my home decorated with things that are beautiful and meaningful to me, but my bright art glass collection is just a distraction when I want people noticing maple trim or whatever. One exception is if I have a room that is lacking, like a too small bathroom with no highlight-worthy feature. I few distractingly lovely things on the counter are good there.

I have had good luck using not more than one attention grabbing thing per room with the other less interesting stuff, whether a piece of furniture (if not too big) or nick-nack, as it seems to leave people with the idea of high end-ness, even though they aren't things that usually stay. These things do sometimes get asked for in purchase offers. It makes it much easier on me to use these as bargaining tools if it was a new "wow" item I purchased for staging instead of grandmas barley twist hall table.

The bedding and bath towels are the only things I actually have brand new, super plush stuff. While I'd probably prefer an Amish quilt for my personal decor, I have learned the beds, particularly in the master make a huge impact, and neutral, 5 star hotel look is what I have the best luck with. The bed looking as cloudlike as possible is good. Highest possible thread count sheets if they show at all, and same for the duvet and any pillow shams. High thread count Egyptian cotton doesn't just feel good, but lays nicely and has a different sheen than cheap stuff. I stick with that, or maybe silk, but I've sold several of my houses on irresistible bedrooms, and that inviting bed is the only constant.

I have justified spending so much on the bedding telling myself I will just get to use it myself when the house sells, but then there is always another house that we need to deal with within a month or so, so I still haven't inherited it.

I have to throw in, I have had to do the bedroom thing when there was no real bed, so it was rows of packing crates, with an air queen mattress, and then just super nice bedding and pillows. It looked so inviting some people would be commenting how wonderful it would be to.... and then they'd sit on the bed, which always led to a "WTF" look. I only warned the first 2 or 3. Smoke and mirrors.

Of course I'm in the usually cool rainy pacific northwest, so what looks super comfy here, may look cloyingly warm in your climate. The only other thing that seems to help is that I usually paint over any of my accent walls with boring beige. I like some color and usually like a few accent walls, but they seem to be a real distraction for some, and so easy to change.

Is this a full-time gig for you? You sound SO experienced...I swear, I just read a blog that had enough of this info that I now suspect you of leading a double life! Thanks...I'm going to read it a few more times.

 

[Larra]

Personally, I would love your Amish quilt...but people these days seem to want everything modern, with clean lines, neutral colors, etc. From what I gather from HGTV shows, the idea is to create a room that people feel like they could live it. The more personal it is to you, the less personal it is to someone else. So remove the quilt, and also any personal pictures, momentos, etc etc and create a very generic, bland but pretty room. And your valued belongings will be safer that way as well.

 

[Parousia]

I know nothing about this stuff, but it's kind of like this, but with less green. But it was an Amish community and they even let me use their outhouse!
http://aprillwood.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/amishquilt.jpg

I'm not into country-style decor, but I love that quilt! Those are the colours I choose to wear, usually.