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

rouge secrets

Here are just a few secrets of the industry that I thought you might find useful in your own home. And this bunch of little tips and tricks are also entertaining! Trust me, these are not old wives tales. Mostly, because I’m not an old wife. But I know you won’t believe some of these until you try them out for yourself, and that’s ok.

Candle drippings -- for spilled wax on a carpet, use a brown paper bag as a blotter and run a hot iron over it, which will absorb the wax.

Removing scratches from wood furniture/floors – rub mayo into the scratches on furniture with your finger, let it stand, and remove with a soft cloth.

Deep scratches – for a deep scratch, break a walnut or pecan meat in half, and rub scratch with the broken side of the nut.

Nicks and scratches – mix enough water with instant coffee to make a thick paste. Rub it into the scratch or nick, let it dry, rub off the excess, and wax as usual. (only use on dark wood)

White water rings – rub the spot with petroleum jelly, let stand 24 hours, and rub into the wood. Wipe off excess and polish as usual.

Refrigerator odor – place a cotton ball soaked with vanilla on the lower shelf to eliminate any nasty odors.

Stainless steel sinks – remove spots on stainless steel sink with white vinegar. Use carbonated water to add shine.

Shiny kitchen chrome – parts made out of chrome can be polished with flour. Pour some flour on a dry cloth and polish for a bright shine.

Window cleaning – the best mixture for cleaning windows is ½ cup of ammonia, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bucket of warm water.

Remove rust – if you need to remove light rust from metal, take the skin off a potato and dip it into baking soda. Keep dipping it in the baking soda and rubbing the rusted area to remove rust fast.

Clean toilet – pour your not-so-favorite cola in the toilet and let it sit for an hour. Flush it and it’s clean as new.

There are lots more to come…stay tuned to future blogs for more handy tips & tricks like these!

size it up!

Have you ever found yourself asking….”is this hung too high?” or “should the legs of the chair or sofa touch the edge of the rug?” or “does this chandelier look funny?” How about…”do these pants make my butt look big?”

Well, I can’t answer that last one for you, but here are a couple of staging tricks and guidelines that will steer you in the right direction for those other pesky questions.

Area rugs: use a rug to ground or define a space. Most people buy their rugs too small. A typical sofa and chair or loveseat configuration works best with a 5 ft. x 8 ft. rug.

If you are creating a conversation area, have all front legs of your furniture sitting on the rug by at least an inch.

If you decide to use a rug under your table and chairs (not recommended if you have nice floors), look for one that is 24 to 30 inches wider than the table and chairs.

If you are putting down one big rug in a room to cover most of the floor, leave 25 to 36 inches between the edges of the rug and the walls.

Artwork and photographs: ground your art to furniture pieces. Place the bottom edge of the artwork 4 to 6 inches above the surface or the back of the furniture.

If the art is alone on the wall, hang it 54 inches from the floor to the centre of the art piece. This is a comfortable eye-level for most people.

Chandeliers: to hang a chandelier in an entry way, measure the height of the space from floor to ceiling. The chandelier should hang down 3 inches per foot of the height. For example, if the height is 12 feet, the bottom of the chandelier should hang down 36 inches from the ceiling.

If you are hanging a chandelier in a dining room, the bottom should hang anywhere between 30 to 42 inches above the table top.

Hanging curtains: be sure to place the brackets a couple of inches on the outside and a couple of inches above the moldings around the window. When the curtains are pulled back, you don’t want them to obstruct the view or the light. When they are closed, you want a nice clean line that covers the top of the window & molding.

Never, ever screw anything to the face of the moldings. It looks bad and it’s much easier to repair the wall where the brackets were, then trying to repair damage to the face of molding surrounding the windows. (Of course, hanging window treatments -- like blinds made to fit -- on the inside of the window is fine.)

If you want a window to look bigger, mount the curtain brackets well beyond the edges and the top of the window and make sure your curtains are large enough to cover the entire space when closed.

Miscellaneous tidbits: if traffic flows around a table, make sure you have at least 48 inches between the edge of the table and other furniture or walls.

Be aware of what’s being reflected in your mirror. Put it where you are reflecting greenery, light, the outside view, a backyard or garden. Rethink it if you reflect the ceiling, wall, closet...etc.

As for the pants question, well…I know there is a theory about what the back pockets are like and where they hit you, but I'm never so sure... that’s why I’m mostly a “dress and skirts” girl!

You big faker!

I have an instant dislike of all things fake – fake people, fake tans, fake boobs. And while I agree that most things sound better in the beautiful French language, I’ll continue the list with faux finishes, faux leather and yes, even the “fauxmance”.

I will choose, 99.9% of the time, real plants over fake ones. Plants add life to a space both literally (they add oxygen to the air and act as a natural air purifier) and figuratively in the context of staging and design. But I will acknowledge that once in a while, a real plant just won’t work in a space that is practically screaming for some life.

So, for today, let’s consider the fake plant.

If you must explore this direction, look carefully and be creative before buying. There are lots of options that don’t make me shudder – natural wood sticks, palm leaves, life-like flowers, and even plastic grasses can add life to a room and work well within a design. But beware: there are many, many more options that look truly terrible (where you’d be better off having nothing at all)…and you’ll have to search for the right solution.

Like real plants, there are a number of things to consider to help ensure you make a good decision. Here are a few tips:

1. location – where will it be located? At eye level? On the floor? Consider how far from eye level this plant will be in your space. Be sure you look at it that closely with a discerning eye…and if you think it looks too fake, or if you can’t decide, then it is probably not a good choice.

2. lighting – what will the lighting be like in this location? Bright lights will only highlight the plastic or unreal look of it. Darker and dimmer areas are much more forgiving. Remember: adding beautiful little white lights to a fake plant is ALWAYS a bad idea.

3. potting – most fake plant options seem to come in horrible looking pots (why is this??). If you see an option where you like the plant part, but don’t like the pot, make sure you can take it apart when you get home. If not, give it a pass. There are lots of fake plant options that come without containers. I like these better because you can make them look much appropriate for your space. Plan to put your faker in a nice pot or container. One that fits your existing décor. Be creative, but keep it simple.

4. rocks and soil – I recommend “planting” your fake plant in something more natural to balance it out and increase the style quotient. Choose natural colored sand (white, tan, light grey-ish), rocks or real soil.

5. dusting – just as your real plants should never be dusty, neither should your fake plants! Take a minute to do this very small task and keep your fakers looking as “fresh” as you possible can.

6. price – don’t be fooled. More expensive is NOT always better or more real-looking. I have found some lovely options and have paid anywhere from $1 upwards, but am always happiest with the ones I’ve pulled together myself.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to create a one-of-a-kind solution that fits within your décor and your style. Used sparingly, the fake plant option can effectively add life to your troubled space.

Just don’t hold your breath waiting for oxygen…

{Editor’s note: I realize I am writing about fake plants on the heels of Earth Day. Understand that I’m not advocating the consumption of more plastic products here. Please know that I try to treat every day like Earth Day…and know there is always more each and every one of us need to be doing to be kinder to the great Mother Earth.}