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STAGING TIPS SPRUCE UP ANY INTERIOR
We are putting our house up for sale in the near future, so I am putting
my skills as a home stager to good use. There’s a long list of cleaning,
repairing and decluttering that precedes any sale, but it occurs to me
that many of the tips used for resale are also excellent ways to liven
up any interior. With a little cash, and a little time, you can add
major zest to your rooms.
Take advantage of January white sales, and treat yourselves to new
sheets. Add different colored towels to your bathroom, and fill a few
glass canisters with soaps, cotton balls, and shells or colored glass.
It the bathroom sinks look tired, consider adding new faucets with
nicely arched spouts, and new towel racks. Having just done this, I can
vouch for the rich appeal this provides. The finish you choose is not as
important as the quality, but strive to keep them in the same family, or
blend similar colors such as chrome and nickel.
Swapping out old pleated lampshades, especially if the undersides are
torn or cracked, will reinvigorate old lamps. White shades emit the most
light and are especially good for reading, but mixing in amber, bronze,
silver or black shades avoid a monotonous appearance.
Artwork is a finishing touch in most rooms that draws attention, pulls
the colors together, and adds a bit of your personality. Yet we often
cling to the same print we purchased two sofas ago. In that case it’s
time to go art shopping, but it you still love the piece, and it works
in the room, give it a makeover. If it’s matted, choose another color
from the print and have it rematted. Suede and linen matting have great
texture. Think about adding a new frame to oils or acrylics, or at least
painting the existing frame in a different color.
Replacing worn out sofa pillows is perhaps the snazziest pick me up for
any room that has throw pillows. Put aside the pillows that came with
the sofa, and add a highlight of contrasting or complimentary color,
such as aqua on a brown toned sofa.
Never underestimate the power of aroma in your home, and I don’t mean
the pet or cabbage variety. Purchase a scented oil lamp for a lingering
whiff of vanilla or summer breeze, or burn clusters of scented pillars
in various rooms. Remember that higher quality candles burn more evenly
and have a more pleasing fragrance.
My final suggestion for today may elicit a “you must be kidding’
response, but your thirsty baseboards and wood trim could probably use a
treatment. I’m in the process of using a mix of stain and sealer on the
woodwork. Apply in thin layers to avoid drops using a sponge brush, and
you won’t believe how rich all your trim will look.
Don’t wait until you’re moving for these mini “décor lifts”. Reap the
maintenance benefits now.
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