I love East Coast Living!  Both the actual living — and Atlantic Canada’s exclusive homes magazine. It’s got lush photography and great articles on home-life improvement topics.

Great mag!

Each issue, I get in-depth profiles of incredible Atlantic Canadian homes, practical information on building, renovating, gardening and decorating—all from a unique East Coast point of view.

It’s inspiring ideas for home stagers, too.  Have a look.

eastcoastlivingmagazine.ca

What’s one of the easiest (and most economical) home staging or home décor accessories you can use?  Tissue (Kleenex) boxes.  All brands (even no-name) have created the most amazing designs and colours for every room and season.  My tissue box is always on my marble in the kitchen, blending with the décor and within easy reach for all — especially when I’m watching Oprah and her favourite things!

After our home staging consultation we had decided on our floor plan and wanted to make sure that the window over looking the lake was our focal point.

But the condo we were staging with next stage furniture was on the third floor.  The third floor and 12! tote bags of our cardboard home staging furniture.  Yikes!

Well, after a year’s practice, we have a formula that works.  Plenty of smiles and “hold the elevator” works great, too.

But imagine trying to stage a third-floor condo with ordinary furniture!!!!  With NextStage home staging furniture it was a breeze by comparison.

One trip for the furniture and another for the accessories, and with the job done, photos taken, and key placed in the lock box, the Chips and Kerry van hits the road home via Tim Hortons or Starbucks!

You can dim lights just slightly to extend lamp life and save energy, without the change in light level being noticeable.

When we stage a home we use a low-watt bulb which enables the Realtor to switch on the lamps to create an appealing glow in each room. Most homes work with a combination of warm and cool tones to provide what is normal to the eye. Balance and layering are the two keys to success. Now what wattage would I need to read the latest Billy Connolly’s novel? LOL!

This handy picture hanging tool can be used with Sawtooth Hooks, D-Rings & Keyholes.

A cool home staging tool for hanging pictures

Decorate your wall with these basic steps:

1. Place the item on the hook(s)
2. Use 1 hook for small or light items, 2 hooks for larger heavier items.
3. Position your item and the tool on the wall. Find the right spot.
4. Press the button(s) to mark exactly where the nail goes.
5. Hang your item & then level it using the tool.

Plaid or tartan?  This conundrum has plagued designers for ages.  At last, here’s the simple secret that will unlock the decorating door and dispel any confusion.

They’re both the same thing!

And they’re everywhere: Christmas balls, wallpaper, perfume bottles, scarves, cushions, foot stools, jackets, and now on chairs in a nice base of caramel… mmmmmmmm

Concentrate your decorating in one area.  If you have a fireplace, then the mantle is a good place to start.

Choose a colour scheme to complement your room, but the look should always be festive, and decorate using two or three colours only.

Don’t overdo it! Too many ornaments and greenery look nasty.  You just need enough decoration to give the room a pleasant, polished, festive look.

Amazing product just recently advertised on the TV & various décor publications which eliminates a hammer, nails & plugs.  By using the Command, their  hooks or picture hanging strips make things so much easier – all you do is pull on the strip & remove the hook.  Even better there’s no damage & no repairs to the walls.

It’s perfect for home stagers and what a fantastic tool for Christmas to hang up all your decorations & a stocking filler for the other time of the year.

www.command.com

Which reminds me … need to get my list of to Father Christmas or Santa as my boys say !! wall.

Prior to any job we always go to the property for our consultation to check-out colour schemes for accessories & the layout of the rooms for furniture placement.  One thing we have noticed with some older vacant homes is that they all need a spruce up.

Window are dirty, window casings laced with dead flies & cobwebs holding the masterful spider.  Dirt bunnies in corners hiding from the stagers, & the bathrooms  OMG no toilet roll & squeegee soap on the side – not a pump insight!

Rest assured the Dirt Devil is always in the pimped out van for quick fixes & once staged the Agent makes sure everything is checked before the Agents Open House & Open House.

 Networking is building relationships.  Networking is attending events and meeting new business contacts so you can get a referral or lead.  Networking is helping each other grow your business.  Networking is  teaching others about your product.  Networking is having a plan before you attend an event. Networking is arriving on time to your event. Networking is being prepared Networking is doing your follow up.

With our business of staging homes with fibreboard our Networking is after we have staged the home the Agent in turn will host an Agent’s Open House which is a great form of advertising since all Agents are seeing our product & picking up our business cards & leaflets.  However most of our business has come from presenting at the variousRealtors Offices via the Broker.  Everyone likes to see who is behind the business card!