In previous posts I have mentioned the importance of a staged home, briefly outlined the things a professional stager will do for your home and even blogged about things you should look for in a professional stager. Still not convinced that this approach to selling a home pays off? You’re probably visual, so here’s hard evidence. In the following photos you will note the dramatic differences in each “Before” and “After” shot. At this time I would also like to note that in many cases, the only cost to the client is paying for the stager’s time. In my experience, we are usually able to use the client’s existing furnishings, although some items may need to be purchased or rented depending upon the situation. Your realtor may even purchase the stager’s time for you so that you do not have this added (although worthwhile) expense. Many of the homes I stage are completed in one day and result in a less cluttered, more spacious layout that grabs buyers’ attention before they’ve even passed through the foyer.
A master bedroom & living room with their "Before" and "After" shots
The above rooms were staged by Designing Diva Interiors, LLC. The photos below were staged by others. All are prime examples of how home staging-when done right- utilizes what already exists to bring out the very best in each room.
This outdated bathroom gets a makeover that appeals to buyers without costing the homeowner a fortune.A cluttered bedroom never goes over well. This stager presented the room's best attributes with small changes!
Designing Diva Interiors LLC is proud to work with Edmond Realtors to sell homes faster and often times for more money!
Just when you thought you were done with it. Just when you have finished scraping and peeling the last of it. Now that you have had the entire house faux finished from top to bottom. Wallpaper is back. And its coming for you. (Cue “Jaws” theme music here.)
Fear not! This isn’t your 90’s “fruits and plaids” paper and the papers of today bring a lot more to the table than grapes. Surprised? No one was more shocked at the selection than this girl. The last time I looked at wallpaper it was for a client’s pre-teen who wanted to look at nothing but purple and blue flowers. Easy enough. But this week my challenge was..well, actually challenging. My mission was to find a wall treatment that complimented the architecture of a 1908 historical home
Last week I did my video blog from a beautiful Manchester Green model home in the Barrington addition of Edmond, about why you’re not getting any offers on your home. Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and find out more about this home at http://www.youropenhouse.us.
There’s some craziness going on in our market that I’ve found myself explaining to several of our clients this week, so I thought it’d be a good idea to share it here.
If you’re thinking about putting your house on the market, I know you don’t want to be rushed, but right now, you can’t afford not to be rushed. Here’s why:
Any buyer who wants to take advantage of the tax credits currently in place has to have a house under contract by April 30th, less than 30 days away, and close on that house by June 30th, which has created a massive rush of buyers into the market. These are the buyers we’ve
For many home sellers, among the greatest concerns on their mind are things like “Where will we store our extra furniture?,” “We need this house to sell in ___ days,” or “I hope we can keep the house picked up for showings.” All of these make valid food for thought, although most sellers (and even many Realtors®) overlook a very important and inexpensive weapon in their arsenal: Color.
The color of a home can turn buyers on or off before they even hit the driveway. Personally, I have been in love with an all-white 1890s Victorian in Yukon for years, simply because it looks inviting from the outside. On the inside it could be completely disheveled and crawling with rats but I continue to admire it because of that gorgeous eye-catching exterior. We have all seen those houses that tried to be the “cheerful” one on the block and instead ended up looking like a failed Crayola Crayon experiment. If you personally love color outdoors (as I do), you certainly have the right to paint your shutters Sunshine Yellow, unless you’re selling your anything-but-a-garden-cottage home. But there are other ways of keeping the front and rear of your home from being mediocre, such as potted flowers and large ceramic vases.
Already have a nice, neutral color on the exterior of your abode? Look at
Last week’s video blog from West Edmond is for the local Realtors and the home sellers, about making your home/listing as easy to show as possible, and why it’s so important. Please feel free to voice your opinion on this topic in the comments below, and have a great day!!
Whether you are selling your home or staying put, chances are you have (or will have) a small space on your hands. Most of us are not lucky enough to have walk-in closets the size of kitchens, so what’s a girl (or boy) to do? Below are my top 5 tricks to making any room feel more spacious!
Large artwork will make small rooms appear bigger, so skip the random hanging of small prints and go for one sofa-sized painting or blow up a photograph using a site like Photogonia.
Monochromatic color schemes can be your best friend, especially when staging a home to sell. Using many different colors causes the eye to jump around and can visually break up a room. A monochromatic scheme (the use of various shades of the same color) encourages an ebb and flow appearance and makes even dark, small rooms less claustrophobic. For example, a bedroom could be visually enlarged by using a khaki-colored carpet, beige bedding and a neutral paint on walls (try Sherwin Williams’ ‘Trusty Tan’ or ‘Macadamia’).
Speaking of paint, a ceiling that is painted lighter than the walls
In Saturday’s video blog, I went a little more in-depth about how to help your house feel like a home during showings. Please feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below.
Yesterday, I did my video blog from a beautifully-updated house for sale in the Oak Tree addition of North Edmond, about whether or not your listing Realtor should be present every time your home is shown. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below, and you can find out more about this and other beautiful homes for sale at our website.
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Aug 31, 2010 
Jennifer Hicks is a Certified Interior Decorator and Owner of Designing Diva Interiors, LLC
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Fear not! This isn’t your 90’s “fruits and plaids” paper and the papers of today bring a lot more to the table than grapes. Surprised? No one was more shocked at the selection than this girl. The last time I looked at wallpaper it was for a client’s pre-teen who wanted to look at nothing but purple and blue flowers. Easy enough. But this week my challenge was..well, actually challenging. My mission was to find a wall treatment that complimented the architecture of a 1908 historical home 
