wide open spaces...yikes!

Yesterday morning, this was an empty house. And by empty, I mean not a single stick of furniture or accessory in sight.

By last evening, this was a nicely staged home that is now warm and inviting to potential buyers (I think!).

This lovely house has been on the market for a little while now. It’s a newly renovated, beautifully finished, family home in a great neighborhood. But it didn’t necessarily show that way to those who visited simply because it was entirely empty. And empty can come off as cold, echo-y…and this may surprise you…but smaller than it actually is.

So, with a little rouge and a lot furniture that the client could “beg, borrow and steal” (thankfully he and his friends have good taste, so there were some gems tochoose from!), the key areas in the home are now warm, welcoming and much more inviting to potential buyers.

Dining room, kitchen, living room, main floor office, one kid’s bedroom and master bedroom were addressed. Very minimal staging was done in the kitchen and all three bathrooms just to add a little something as well. Two bedrooms and the finished basement were left alone.
The key to staging an empty house is to put just enough in so that potential buyers can instantly see how the room would be used (as in “ah...this is an office. This is the dining room”…etc). You may think that should be obvious, but trust me, it’s not always the case with potential buyers. And if they have to think too hard to figure out what the space actually is, they won’t buy your house.
Put just enough in for them to get a sense of how their own furniture could fit in that space. When a room is completely empty, it’s kind of like shopping at Costco. You lose all sense of scale. Ever get home and wonder just where exactly you are going to store 72 rolls of toilet paper?

Well, it’s the same here…an empty space can be deceiving and may look small. You may be left wondering if bed will fit in the room because you have nothing to give you a sense of size. So put enough in the room to leave no doubt. A good tip is to not push all the furniture against the walls…leave breathing room to show potential buyers that not only is there room for furniture, but there is plenty of open space to accommodate other things as well.

You also want to put just enough in so that the eye skims over what’s there, rests for half a minute and then easily moves on to admire the selling features – the view, the wonderful flooring, the fixtures or architectural details. Nothing too personal, nothing to showy, nothing too unique that would attract and hold attention.

rouge is happy with the results and hopes that our work may help generate new interest in the house. Another open house is planned for the weekend, so time will tell….



For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

before and afters

rouge completed a staging job on Thursday, so I thought I’d give you a sneak peak at the house that will be on the market early next week.

We did our home evaluation about a month ago…and since then the homeowners, handyman, and realtor have been busy ripping up some carpets, painting all walls, repainting and polishing the concrete floors, and a whole lot of landscaping.

We did our thing on Thursday and staged as much as the budget allowed….the main entrance, sunroom/laundry room, loft office space, dining room, living room, family room and three bedrooms. We didn’t even touch the kitchen, any of the three bathrooms, or the attached studio and workshop. But we left good instructions for the homeowners to tackle these areas on their own over the weekend.

It’s a beautiful home…full of large windows, loads of light, and a spectacular view of the ocean.

Here are some of the "before and after" shots…



living & dining room before










living & dining after

living & dining after

loft office before

loft office after

bedroom #1 before

bedroom #1 after

family room before

family room after

bedroom #2 before

bedroom #2 after

We wish the homeowners a speedy sale for the full asking price!

For more about rouge, visit www.littlered.ca or check out past blogs at www.justalittlerouge/blogspot.com

take it outside!

Whether preparing your home for sale or just looking for ways to spruce up your home this spring, here are 20 (ish) staging and design tips that will greatly increase your curb appeal.

 Leaves and debris – they constantly accumulate, so clean them up and be diligent about maintaining a tidy look
 Replace all dead plants and flowers
 Remove all decorations from the front yard, porch and door
 Remove all kids toys from the front yard (and the backyard, if selling)
 Garbage and recycling days – don’t miss them! Put out your cans and bins just before garbage day and commit to putting the cans/bins away again as soon as you can after it’s picked up.
 Check garbage cans to make sure they are neatly stored and not overflowing or smelly between scheduled pick up days. If possible, store out of view from the main approach to your home.
 Hose down or power wash driveway and all pathways to the house
 Hose down or power wash patios and decks
 Power wash house (if applicable)
 Repair any crumbling stone, brick, or concrete
 Replace any rotting wood on stairs, railings, and porches
 Clean the bbq and any outdoor furniture & accessories
 Paint front door (see painting tips below)
 Embellish the door further with a new knocker and/or a polished-metal kickplate
 Add new matching house numbers – place them somewhere near the front door & make sure they are easily visible from the street, even at night.
 Make a small entryway more inviting with a pair of urns or planter boxes flanking the entrance, or display a hurricane lamp on a small side table next to the door
 To create drama, install lighting along a walkway, between shrubbery, or in trees
 Consider what indoor lighting looks like when viewed from outside. A light in a small round attic window lends character to a home's exterior

A few tips on painting:

 Historical paint colors with grey undertones always work best for exteriors
 Warning: the sun makes strong colors appear bolder and vibrant colors appear brighter. Save bright & vibrant colors for accessories like sun umbrellas, side tables or porch chairs
 Paint your front door with a strong color so that it stands out from the rest of the house
 The color of house trim should complement the color of the roof

These easy tips can dramatically increase your overall curb appeal and make your home look well taken care of, much more inviting and welcoming. This is your one and only chance to make a first impression…and you know what they say about first impressions!

news at rouge.

There’s been lots of exciting things happening at rouge, so I thought I’d share a few highlights with you…

rouge staged a home that sold in one day – to the first person who saw it. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Next up, was helping the same client move into his new home…a 500 square foot condo with an incredible waterfront view. Downsizing to the ultimate in downtown living, this was a design challenge where every single piece brought into the new space had to be highly functional. Creating a new design in a different space by choosing from the existing pieces in the old space was great fun!

rouge was also hired to refresh an existing living space – a lovely old home built in the late 1800’s located in Lunenburg, NS. From top to bottom, this is home offered lots of living space that was practically bursting with fine, old character features. The homeowner is a collector of many eclectic and wonderful things – artwork, furniture, handicrafts, family heirlooms and more. Unfortunately, these treasures were simply taking over the home and interfering with the ability to actually live comfortably in the space. Lots of elbow grease in sorting was required here…deciding what to keep, what to store, what to give away or sell. And more than a few tough decisions about what would best fit a whole new lifestyle. This home “makeover” was an emotional journey that was well worth the effort. Pictured below are just two of the rooms that saw big transformations – a space room turned guest room/dressing room and the master bedroom.

As a member of Home Stagers Atlantic (HSA), rouge is proud to be the chair of this year’s community project. Each year, the members of HSA choose a deserving organization and redecorates their space. This year, a community resource centre located in a low income housing neighbourhood will get a new look. The folks here do incredible work with very, very few resources and we are thrilled to be able to make their space more welcoming and comfortable. The project planning is moving forward nicely, and we are on track to take over the center during the last week of June. The entire project will be done in one week, so we can give the newly revived centre back to the staff and community. More to come on that one!

Behind the scenes, rouge has been a beehive of internal activity from late winter to early spring, too – everything from getting the website designed and launched, designing and printing business cards and all other marketing materials, to building a portfolio and writing the weekly blog. Not to mention making some great new contacts in the industry and exploring a few intriguing opportunities. Phew…

Thanks to all rouge clients and supporters – you know who you are.

Looking forward to what the spring and summer may hold…bring it on!

xx Suzanne.

“The Unsellables” – best staging stat, ever.

Sofie Allsopp, host of HGTV’s fantastic show “The Unsellables”, gave an incredible stat in a recent episode. Here it is:

“Every box of clutter removed from your home during staging is equal to $800 - $1000.”

Read that again.

Consider that the reverse is also true…every box of clutter you don’t remove before staging / selling your home will cost you.

Remember that “clutter” means personal items, collections, extra furniture…etc.

Here’s another gem from the show:

“Having your home professionally staged can increase your selling price by up to 30%.”

Enough said.

(oh…and if you really want to learn more about staging, this is a great show. One of my absolute favorites. In a short ½ hour episode you get a real picture of how & why staging works. And always some good how-to’s for simple DIY projects.)

decluttering - tips & tricks

As promised last week, here are some tips for tackling the two most often cluttered areas in your home – closets and home offices. Take small bites. You can do it…and you’ll thank yourself later. I promise. Probably the very first time you are in a hurry, go looking for something, and you actually know right where it is!

Linen closets
This is a good place to start. Usually relatively small spaces and not too overwhelming a task.

Remove everything from the closet and sort into piles – according to use (towels, facecloths, hand towels / bedding, sheets, pillowcases / extra blankets…etc.).

Get rid of towels and linens that are stained or torn. These make great rags for the workshop, gardening shed or for cleaning up the aftermath of arts & crafts!

Fold towels neatly and stack them by size and color. This gives you a practical view of the contents.

Fold linens and stack them by the bed they are used for.

Hall closets
This is your guests’ first impression of the neatness to your home. It should only contain what is used on a daily basis and all clothes that do not belong there should not be stored there.

Leave empty hangers to hang guest coats.

Keep gloves, mitts, hats and scarves in a basket on the shelf.

Hang umbrellas on the bar or lay on the shelf.

Hang purses and bags on a hanger on the bar.

Boots and shoes should be the only thing on the closet floor. Place them on a rack or clean mat.

Bedroom closets
Don’t be afraid to clear out the clothes that you no longer wear. Bag them up and donate to any number of local charities.

Sort clothes and re-hang by category – shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, suits…etc – and by color. This makes choosing what to wear much easier!

Organized this way, you get a better handle on what you already have in your closet, so you avoid buying items you already have.

When you declutter or change clothes for the season, hang items on the rod with the hook turned backwards. Each time you wear an item, re-hang it facing forwards. After 6 to 8 months, cull out everything still facing backwards.

Use the one-to-one rule – for every item you purchase, get rid of something you have. This is an effective way to avoid an over-stuffed closet of unworn clothes. You will buy less, wear what you have, and save a startling amount of money.

Home office
A good filing system is key. Take time at the beginning to set this up in a way that works for you. You will increase efficiency and effectiveness. Neat, clean and accessible.

Unfortunately, you have to go through each piece of paper and decide to keep or toss.

(I know, I know...this stinks...and there are at least a million other things you can think of that would be less painful!)

Shred or throw out what you can toss.

Now decide where and how everything kept should be filed.

Not everything needs to be kept indefinitely. Check municipal and other government regulations to confirm how long certain documents (like tax records) need to be retained.

Many statement & bills are now also available on-line. Switch to electronic versions and be amazed how much paper you save.

It’s a good rule of thumb to keep all paid bills for a year, if you need to track annually. But credit card and other bills often don’t need to be saved once reconciled.

File insurance and medical records separately and keep for at least three years.

Use technology, such as a scanners, to help streamline files. Switch from paper to storing “soft” copies in well organized computer files.

Plastic storage boxes, baskets and similar storage solutions are readily available -- and better looking then ever! This is the best way to store items and keep them easily accessible.

One word of caution – don’t move the clutter from one room to another. You’ll never finish! Just remember, take small bites. Before you know it, you’ll be a de-cluttering expert. And keeping it up on a daily basis will be second nature.

Good luck!

decluttering – is it really worth it?

Let’s face it. “Decluttering” is not the sexiest part of a staging or redesign job. But I’d argue that it’s the most important. As far as staging goes, it can dramatically affect both the price and speed at which a house sells.

I recently read that “…an uncluttered home will help you achieve inner peace.” Wow. That’s a large, bold statement. Could it really be that easy to achieve inner peace? It made me giggle. Then, it made me think.

I’ll admit a cluttered space does make me crazy. Cluttered and cramped spaces do cause me some anxiety. I just want to clean and organize them. I can’t help myself. These spaces make my thoughts feel just as cluttered and cramped. I can ignore other people’s clutter to some extent, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t also mentally organizing things around me when I find myself in such a space.

“Clutter” can be hard for home sellers to recognize. It can be as obvious as piles of newspapers, clothes, mail, files and magazines. But it can be photos, shoes, toys and dishes….the list goes on. It can also be an expensive collection of antiques or collectables.

Try to imagine what a potential buyer feels like when looking at a house that’s cluttered. They are not imagining themselves living in the space. Instead, they are distracted by, and focused on, the people who currently live in the space...and wondering what’s the story behind that collection of roosters?

They will likely leave your home feeling negative emotions that are daunting, overwhelming & consuming. They will identify your home as the one with the {insert item name here}, instead of the one with the {insert wonderful feature / strongest selling point here}. That’s it. You just blew your opportunity to make a good first impression. And first impressions are what will make or break you here.

Trust me, it has nothing to do with your decorating style or your taste. It’s not personal. As a home seller, you must remember that you are trying to sell the space, not your stuff. If a potential buyer can’t see past the things in your house, they certainly won’t be able to see and appreciate the space. And then you’ve lost them. This is why how you live in your home is completely different from how you stage your home for sale.

Let me say it again – this is why how you live in your home is completely different from how you stage your home.

Some say that your space is a reflection of your life. I whole-heartedly agree. It stands to reason then, if you are trying to sell your space, it should not reflect your life. Instead, it should reflect the life someone else could have in it.

Go on, be brutal in your quest to declutter your home. Let potential buyers be wowed by the space, the natural light, and all the wonderful details that they will want to own and enjoy for themselves. Pack up those treasures and safely store them while your house is on the market. You’re moving anyway, right?

Achieving inner peace? I’d say I’m a believer.

Be sure to read next week’s blog for room-by-room decluttering tips.

big art in small spaces

I love big art in small spaces. It’s a fantastic way to make a huge impact in a room. And it’s an easy way to add personality into a small space that may otherwise go unnoticed. It gives that modern and contemporary feel I am always drawn to.

I discovered this painting at a friend’s place that was earmarked for the garbage (what? Are you kidding?). I rescued it and added it to the small wall in their entryway. What was once an unassuming (and necessary) spot by the door to dump your stuff, really draws your eye now. I think it welcomes you to the house with the pizzazz of those who live there.

Here’s a bedroom wall of a staging client of mine. It’s not the traditional focal point in the room. It’s an unexpected corner behind the door. As you enter the room, you see the bed and the beautiful vaulted ceiling and skylights. All key features important to highlight when selling a home. But once inside, with the door closed, you now see this small space and are drawn into the painting done by the client’s favorite artist. Moody and intimate, this is a small space that adds another layer to the tone and feel in the room.

Warning! Don’t go cramming lots of big things into lots of small spaces. Pick one small space and give it a try. Keep it simple. It doesn’t have to be your own work of art or that of an established artist to reflect your personality. It can be anything that speaks to you…a photograph, a wallpaper sample or beautiful paper, even your kid’s artwork.

Go on, use your imagination!