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Archive for July, 2015

Slide the City in Calgary Home Stager’s Favourite Neighbourhood

July 31, 2015 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

You already know I love the Hillhurst, Sunnyside, and Kensington neighbourhoods of Calgary. You already know that I live and work here. And here’s the newest reason why I LOVE this place: Calgary is one of the Canadian cities where Slide the City will be offering a unique and fun 2-day event in August.
 

Slide the City Calgary 2015

Slide the City Calgary 2015

On August 1-2, a 1000ft slip and slide will pass right in front of my place next to Riley Park. Described as “the biggest water party of the summer”, this Slide the City event will include music, dancing, food, drinks and all round fun in the sun. What’s better? They’re partnering with the Canadian Cancer Society and Ronald McDonald House, adding to the feel-good factor of the event.
 

Plus, because environmental awareness is important to me, I appreciate the water conservation component of this event. “We are asking participants to pledge to reduce shower time, forego frequent car washes, update shower/faucet heads, fix leaking sinks, reduce watering of lawns and take other steps to decrease water usage.” Water will be re-circulated through the day to operate the slide and, after the event, water is recycled back into the community.
 

The Slide the City event is sold out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t come by and take a look.
 

While you’re in the area, check out some of my other favourites: The Beehive, The Vendome Café, Gastro Pub (previously known as F.A.T.S Bar and Grill), and the Dairy Lane Café.
 

And if you are a home owner living nearby who is going to be selling, find out how your Calgary property can benefit from professional staging and discuss the results Set Your Stage clients have achieved. Schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment by contacting Jen at Set Your Stage today.
 

In the meantime, enjoy Slide the City and share the love for Hillhurst, Sunnyside & Kensington Calgary!
 


Home Staging Design by Set Your Stage in Calgary

July 27, 2015 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Home staging continues to grow in popularity with home owners and realtors alike. But some people are still sitting on the fence because they assume that home staging design is unaffordable. It doesn’t have to be. There are many options when it comes to professional home staging services.
 

Does this room look familiar?

Before: Master bedroom before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes.

After: This stylish bedroom is the perfect retreat for any homeowner.

Part of my job in providing professional home staging design services in Calgary is to meet my clients where their wallet is at. Ultimately, I work to accentuate the positives in a property to make it easier for potential buyers to fall in love ~ which usually leads to a listing selling faster and at a higher price than its competition. But there are many ways to accentuate the positive. And this is where your budget comes into the decision making process.
 

For the DIY seller who is willing to do the staging work on his/her own, a Home Staging Consultation is an extremely cost-effective way to ensure that you focus your time, energy, and money where it counts most. The consultation includes a complete walkthrough of your home with a detailed step by step guide on how to prepare your home for staging.
 

Does this room look familiar?

Before: Living room before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes.

After: This cozy open concept living & dining room is the perfect space for entertaining or relaxing.

If DIY makes you cringe (or you simply don’t have time), you can pay a home staging design company to Prepare Your Property for you. This can look different for different situations. For example, Set Your Stage has done full staging for rental properties, added rental furniture to update the look of a dining room, and re-arranged existing furniture while adding new art to refresh the rooms. These are some of the creative ways to benefit from home staging design beyond the full home, full furniture rental option.
 

Does this room look familiar?

Before: Living room before home staging.

See the difference professional home staging makes!

After: This colourful living room is a great place to entertain.

Still sitting on the fence? Find out how your Calgary property can benefit from professional home staging design and discuss the results Set Your Stage clients have achieved. Schedule your personalized Home Staging Assessment by contacting Jen at Set Your Stage today.
 


How to Use Artwork for House Selling

July 21, 2015 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Art inspires my work every day. As a visual person, I pay attention to the colour palettes and also notice the feeling that the art inspires. Then I use that as inspiration in my work to stage properties that sell. Done properly, using artwork for house selling can entice potential buyers with a sense of home.
 

In my home staging business, I’m often advising people during consultations to de-clutter and remove personal photos/items – but not to go so far as to make the property feel lifeless. That’s how artwork plays a role. Selected strategically, and Hang Artwork Like a Staging Pro, artwork can be a perfect tool for creating a listing that appeals to buyers by making it feel lived in but not too personalized.
 

Here are three tips for how you can use artwork for house selling:
 

Set the Tone:
 

See the difference professional home staging makes!

After: We used an elongated piece of art to bring this hallway to life.

Think about the sightlines and what feeling you want to suggest for that zone. In this Copperfield Photo Album, the blue is consistent in the two prints, but the red gives a kick of energy to the downstairs main living area and the calmer tones of beach and sand that greet you upstairs suggest a quiet zone for winding down at the end of the day.

 


Think outside the box:

 

See the difference professional home staging makes!

After: Laundry room after home staging.

Artwork can go anywhere – 3 Easy Laundry Room Ideas for Home Staging!

 


Be strategic:

 

See the difference professional home staging makes!

After: A welcoming front entry way.

Place art where you want to draw the potential buyers’ eyes. In this Cranston Photo Album, placing art on both sides of the window draws the eye to visibly pull you into the space and to notice the natural light.

 

I love to support local artists, but inspiration can come from anywhere (you can see some of the art that inspires my work on my Pinterest ‘Artwork’ Board). When you focus on the feeling that you want potential buyers to experience, using artwork for house selling can set just the right mood.
 

For more staging inspiration, check out the various boards we have at Set Your Stage on Pinterest.
 


Transform Your Kitchen with Staging

July 15, 2015 (posted by Jennifer Campbell, Home Staging Calgary)

Not every kitchen needs an expensive makeover to create a positive first impression. When selling your home, it’s possible to transform your kitchen with staging to appeal to potential buyers. And, it’s possible to do it on a budget with some simple changes.
 

Before we staged this home in Cranston (SE Calgary), the kitchen felt a little dark and dated, despite the quality finishings it already had. Walking in, the feeling it inspired was a little blah. That’s definitely not how you want potential buyers to feel when they view your listing online or in person.
 

Does this room look familiar?

Before: Kitchen Before Home Staging

Instead, you want to transform the space into something memorable.
 

That’s exactly what professional staging did for this kitchen. We didn’t transform the actual space. We transformed the feeling of the space. After staging, this same room feels like a modern kitchen ideal for entertaining guests. It feels bright and airy and like a place you really want to spend time in.
 

See the difference professional home staging makes!

After: We staged this kitchen with bar stools and trendy accessories.

How did we transform this kitchen?
 

The simple addition of modern bar stools with lux feeling fabric, art, and some fresh accessories is all it took. It’s a perfect example of how it’s easy to transform your kitchen with quality staging AND on a budget.
 

Of course, proper lighting and professional real estate photos perfectly highlighted the staging to add to the impact of the transformation.
 

And the small investment for professional staging definitely paid off in this case. After staging, this property had an offer within the FIRST DAY it was on the market!
 

For more examples of the power and impact staging can create in a space, take a look at the rest of the Set Your Stage Facebook albums featuring many before and after photos of the various homes and condos that we’ve successfully staged to sell.