Looking for something above and beyond what the big box stores offer?  These Samoan Porcelain Tiles are well suited for your backsplash, fireplace, bath, or pool area.  In shades of cream, beige, brown, blue, and green…these tiles are sure to make a statement.  Can be installed vertically or horizontally.

Sold in cases of 10, each tile section measures 10.75 x 12.75 x .25

From www.overstock.com, $2.95 shipping per order.

Keep your basement dry while the snow melts this spring!  The Fridgidaire 70 Pint Electronic Control Dehumidifier covers a lot of ground, holds a lot of water, and is priced right!

$179.00 from www.sears.com

Help save the planet!  Invest in this reusable tote for all your shopping needs.  Made from 100% recycled cotton.  19″ W X 15.5″ H  X 7.55″ D

$14.99 for one, $13.99 for two or more.

from www.ecobags.com

Made from re-claimed, weathered English pine, this industrial-inspired console is sturdy enough to hold your books, a buffet, or perhaps your t.v.

63″ w X 19 3/4 ” d X 33″ h

$1895.00 from www.sundancecatalog.com

Pleated, yarn-dyed silk catches the light in new and beautiful ways.  Comes in Eggshell, Oat, or Truffle Gray.

Stunning!

Full/Queen $348.00  from www.garnethill.com

“The gently weathered look of our Lutyens Bench will gain even more character with time.”  – Grandin Road Editors

I have always love the look of this bench!  And now it’s on sale, so there’s no excuse not to buy it.  Handcrafted in solid hardwoods.  Comes in weathered black, celestial blue, or weathered red.

On sale for $249.00 from www.grandinroads.com.

I am often asked what kind of magic I am pulling out of my bag to make my clients cabinetry look so darned good!  And guess what?  This is it!!  Not only does it clean off grime and smell phenominal, Orange Glo will put a nice luster back in the wood.  The trick?  Spray it on generously, let it set an hour, then wipe it off twice.  The first time will help you to clean, the second swipe will remove the residue and give your wood that nice warm ‘glo’ you’ve been looking for!  Well worth the $3.99 a bottle price tag.

Approximately $3.99, available at most major superstore retailers and home improvement stores.

Create a focal point in your garden or lawn with this stunning Garden Trellis Bench!  This version was inspired by a rustic Italian garden bench spotted just outside of Rome.

$749.00 from www.potterybarn.com

One of the saddest aspects of my job as a Home Staging Expert is the fact that I just meet too many people who’ve wasted too many good years with a house they didn’t love.  Unfortunately, I am usually called in as a last resort, when they’ve finally given up and decided it’s time to move on.  Of course this often walks hand-in-hand with one of the happiest moments for me, as in this case, when the house sells within two-weeks of putting it on the market!  So the sad yet happy truth is…while the former owner could no longer see the potential (until I arrived, that is), the new owner could and was more than happy to make the commitment!  (Click on photos to enlarge!)

When I arrived, both the sofa and the loveseat were pushed up against the window and the chair was shoved in the back corner, a large rug and heavy wooden coffee table were hiding the floors, the fireplace was buried under clutter, and there was no lighting or artwork to be found!  The entire house looked a little depressing to me…definitely just a house and not a home!  (PS – I found the heavy resin lamp at a yard sale for $2.00, spray-painted it green, and added a new shade!  Does it rock this room, or what?  The perfect touch of color!)

By giving the living room a more pleasing layout, I was able to make the space feel more inviting!  To make the house more welcoming and add a sense of style to the space, I traded out the oversized rug for something less overwhelming, swapped the heavy wood coffee table for a glass table I found on the lower-level, added artwork and throw pillows for color, then balanced out the lighting!

To add a little excitement to this basic dining room, I teamed the larger area rug that had been previously weighing down the living room with the owner’s beautiful dining room set and placed them both on an angle.  The fun mirror also belonged to the owner, as well as the greenery.  For a pop of color, a simple centerpiece was created using an embossed bronze tray, lemons, a couple of glasses and a bottle of vino!  🙂

The sunroom was the easiest to stage!  I just got rid of all the clutter and gave the space the most functional layout possible…then added a basket full of happy greenery to draw the buyer’s eye through to the furthest corner of the space.

In the kitchen, a new stainless steel stove replaced the one that didn’t work and matched the existing stainless steel dishwasher.  (PS – Doesn’t the dining room look HOT from this view?)

Dated tile floors look  new with a complimentary paint color on the walls!  (So here’s a tip…whenever you want to downplay flooring, be it dated tiles or carpeting…a paint color that blends rather than a contrasting color will do the trick!)

The bedroom was given a neater appearance!  By moving one of two dressers that had previously taken up the far wall, I was able to simplify the look.  Then, a dash of color…in artwork over the bed, with throw pillows on the bed, and a silk orchid on the dresser…gave it just the right amount of ‘va-voom’ to make it inviting!

The lower-level family room turned out great!  Flipping the coffee tables made a big difference.  The wooden coffee table made so much more sense down here!  The wood helped balance out those heavy bricks.  And kindly note that scrabble game on the rattan table (moved downstairs from the previously cluttered sunroom)…I spelled out “Buy this house” on the board!

And guess what?  Someone did…in just two weeks!  Did I mention?  🙂

Want to learn how to stage a home for market?  Go to www.homestagingexpert.com and sign up for our Home Staging – Home Study Course!  Only $299.00 and includes a lifetime listing on our website!

Adorn your front door and make a statement at the same time!  This traditional Lion’s Head Door Knocker comes in antique brass distressed (pictured), polished brass, or verde finish.

$87.02 as shown, plus free shipping.

From www.knobsandhardware.com

PAPILLION, NEBRASKA – USA
$198,500.00 USD
This updated 4-bedroom, 3-bath home is both welcoming and inviting! Amenities include a gazebo-style breakfast area, remodeled bathrooms, and a large, fenced backyard.

Listed by Ellen Blinn with CBS Real Estate
www.ellenblinn.com
(800) 235-3486 homes@ellenblinn.com

D’ESCOUSSE, NOVA SCOTIA – CANADA
$149,000.00 CAD
Estimated to be over 150 years old, this home for all seasons has an ocean view from every window! An absolutely ‘must-see’ amazing interior with vaulted beamed ceilings. Launch your canoe from the front door and paddle to St. Peter’s Bay!

Viewable at www.canadahomesforsale.ca listing #32913
revisions@eastlink.ca (902) 226-0030

KIRAZLI VILLAGE – TURKEY
$190,000.00 GBP
Fully renovated, this traditional Turkish stone house offers 3-bedrooms, a fully equipped cook’s kitchen, air conditioning, garden courtyard, private pool with waterfall, and much more!

For further information, go to www.kirazlivillage.com and check out ’villa for sale.’

The perfect accent for your spring table…and when spring is over, replace the nest for your favorite disply du jour!  13.5″ h X 10.25″ dia.

$99,95 from www.williams-sonoma.com

When I was growing up, Saturday was always ‘Cleaning Day’ and that’s still the way it is at my house!  And while my routine hasn’t changed, the cleaning products have.  Using this eco-friendly kit, just add vinegar, baking soda, or olive oil and you can create an all-purpose spray cleaner, scrub cleaner, or wood polish without harming the environmnet.

$19.76 at www.luckyvitamin.com

So how fun is this?   Here’s a bulletin board kit to help you recycle all those corks from your old wine bottles…or perhaps give you a good reason to start popping open a few new ones!

$21.95 from www.thetipsygrape.com

(check under ‘fun stuff’ for details!)

Staging a Vacant Home, Staging an Occupied Home, Interior Redesign, and Business & Marketing…we cover it all!  Sign up for the most COMPREHENSIVE workshop in the industry, limited to 6 for individual benefit.  Only 1 spot still available!  $1499.00 per person

Includes manuals, starter kit, lunch, and lifetime listing at www.homestagingexpert.com  Sign up now to start a successful career and be your own boss!

“From a cluttered storage room to a beautiful sunroom in less than a day…using what the homeowner already had on hand plus a few quarts of paint!”

Cultivate healthy plants with this Victorian Terrarium!  Keeps moisture and humidity in.  Ideal for growing orchids.  Comes with wood frame and stand.

50″ tall by 14″ wide

$249.00 and available at www.windandweather.com

Invest in this stylish Entryway Boot Tray before all that slush makes a mess of your floors!   Antique copper finish in fleur de lis or quilted design.

$49.00 from www.ballarddesigns.com

New from Yankee Candle and totally appropriate for the first day of March….’Spring Days’ is a lovely blend of lavendar, jasmine, and rose.  Perfectly scented in anticipation of the wonderful days to come.

$24.99 from www.yankeecandles.com

(Free shipping on orders over $100!)