Building & organizing my shed

Building and organizing my shed was a time consuming project, but well worth the time and effort. I needed a shed to put all my tools and yard items. So, I brought one of those pre-fab shed and had my contractor, New Island Remodeling, put it together. They did a great job as usual!!

Reading those instruction was time consuming!!

We're almost there!!

Construction is done, now the fun begins! A lot of work on my part, but worth it. I painted the inside and the outside. Why you ask? Because it  brightened up the inside, and protects the outdoor against the elements.

This shed came with two shelves! Very handy, it allowed me to store my tables and outdoor area rug. I added hooks to hang items that were large or bulky.

I added a peg board and even added a table. This allows me to use it as a small work station. 

I labeled all my items. This way when my CHILDREN use the items, they know where to PUT IT BACK!! No excuses!!

I brought these white storage cubes from Home Depot. They are great because they are plastic. I brought  six of them. They come 2 in a pack.

I brought these fabric storage bins from Target. They're called Threshold Fabric Cube. They come in different colors. They fit perfectly in those white storage cubes.

I use PVC tubing and cut them on an angle, then nailed them to wood. This allowed me to store my long items, without taking up space!

Lastly, I use these hooks to hang my ladders, hose and eventually my snow shovels!!

It's not done until I add some piazza to it!! Couldn't help myself!!

Now it's all done. It gives me lots of storage space. I'm very proud of what I accomplished on my own!! But I'm not done yet. I will be adding cement (no I will not do it), sometime in the fall. This way, there won't be such a big step getting in or out of the shed.

#AbellaHomeStaging

Think outside the box!!

Think outside the box, that is what I'm always telling myself. How can I repurpose this?  What can I use this for? So when I had three empty Harry & David Moose Munch Canisters, I decided to repurpose them.

Here is what they looked like. Nice size canister.

I sprayed painted them silver gray.

Next, I use rub-on calligraphy. I used three different styles, but you can use one style, if you prefer. I also used stickers to add some glamour. These were simple swirl stickers. It look nice enough, but it was missing something. 

Color, I wanted to add some color!! So I use this colorful scotch tape. Comes in different sizes and colors!!

This is what the finish product looks like. Not bad!! I will be putting this on my shelf in my new home!!

What do you have that you can repurpose? Remember to think outside the box!!

#abellahomestaging

     

Why it's so important to stage a vacant house.

The number one reason a buyer purchases a home is because it “felt home.”  It was warm, inviting and the buyer made an emotional connection with the home.  When have you ever heard of an empty room described as warm and inviting?  Sterile, cold and uninviting are the three most popular words to describe an empty room. That is why staging is so important.

What feelings does this room convey?

Warm and inviting!

Can you imagine buying a new Mercedes without a paint job? Do you think people would notice the beautiful car or the missing paint? It's so much easier to notice that crack in the wall, or the chip in the tile when there is nothing else to look at. Home staging capitalizes on the positive aspects of a home, while de-emphasizing negative aspects in order to position a home that will make an emotional connection with the buyers.

Would you spend 1 million dollars to purchase this home?

This home will connect with buyers on an emotional level!

Nine out of every ten people walking in your home have no imagination of the wonderful possibilities your home has to offer them.  They just can’t picture it.  Don’t let a simple thing like no furniture or limited furniture ruin your sale.  Don’t take those odds; they will hurt you in the price significantly!

With no frame of references, buyers can not see how the room can look!

Staging gives buyers the WOW factor they are seeking!

According to the Census Bureau the vacancy rate of homes is at the highest level they have ever seen since they started tracking it 40 years ago!  Your home needs to differentiate from all the empty homes on the market that will continue to stay there without considerable price decreases.Give the buyers the wow factor they are looking for, stage your vacant house!! 

All photos provided by Abella Home Staging & Redesign

#AbellaHomeStaging

The Impact of Color!!

The impact of color in a room's design is critical. Choose the wrong color, and your design will fail! May seem like a simple statement, but color is that significant in a room's design. As a certified color specialist, I have done a tremendous amount of color consultation. Many times my clients will pick the wrong level of saturation (intensity),  rather then choosing the wrong color!! This is where a color specialist can help.

In today's market, I am seeing bright colors being painted on walls. Many of my clients are tired of beiges, and want a change. Colors can dominant a room. Cool colors are striking and intense. Warm colors tend to be calm and soothing.


Cool  colors are especially popular among children and young teens. They love the vibrant colors!!

Adults tend to gravitate towards warmer colors.

As you can see, colors are being used in room designs. And when you choose the right colors, like this photo shown below, you can see how well it works. This design uses a warm color palette. Works beautifully!!

When choosing colors, make sure you stick to one palette, either warm tones or cool tones. And if you have problems choosing colors, consider hiring a color specialist. Besides it's less expensive and time consuming to hire a color specialist, then to paint the room and decide you DON'T like the colors!!

#AbellaHomeStaging  #Pinterest

Resurfacing, a great alternative for remodeling or updating your home!

Resurfacing is a great alternative when remodeling or updating your home. As a Home Stager and Interior Decorating, I often see bathrooms and kitchens in need of updating. When the homeowner is looking to sell, they don't want to incur added expenses. This is a great way to update, at a fraction of the cost.


Think of the possibilities. Updating your countertops without removing or replacing them. Saves on labor and material costs, as well as time!!

Old and outdated bathrooms are expensive to update. By resurfacing the bathroom tiles and bathtub, you can update your bathroom at half the cost.

An amazing transformation!! What is old and dirty, is now new and clean!!

 Armour poxy is a resurfacing product that is sold by the kit. Resurfacing can give you an porcelain-like finish in just a few hours. It can withstand many years of constant use. Easy to use and everything you need comes in the kit. Comes in many colors and has many uses. This is one solution that I will definitely recommend to my clients.

#AbellaHomeStaging  #ArmourProxy

The Do's and Don't of a Room Design!

Designing a room can be a daunting task. Many of my clients don't know where to start. There are so many elements that need to be addressed. So I put together a list of what I consider to be important. The do's and don't of a good design.


Lack of Cohesion: This room can't decide what it is. Contemporary? Traditional? Does the items serve a purpose? Pay attention to all the elements in the room. Nothing pulls this room together!!

(Client's photo provided by Abella Home Staging & Redesign)

Overdone symmetry: Becomes redundant and uninteresting. You don't need to have two of everything. The only exception may be in the master bedroom.

Houzz

Color gone wrong: Understand saturation of color. Saturation is the purest form of the color, the highest level. Don't mix cool and warm colors. The cool color will make the warm color seem "dirty" or "murky".

Harmony: The way the rooms flows together. Does it tell a story or is it fragmented? What story does this room tell? Too much going on!!

 HouseBeautiful

Scale: The way things relate to the room. Example - is the lamp too large for the table? Is the table too small for the room?  

Heather Scott Home Design

Balance: Have you achieved balance? Color? Texture? Metal? Vertically? Horizontally? This room is a well balanced room, the color hits all three zones. Metals co-ordinate and there are different textures displayed in the room.

 Abella Home Staging Design

Proportion: The way things relate to one another. Example - are the accessories the best proportion for the fireplace? How about the centerpiece? All the elements & accessories are the right proportion in this room design. 

Abella Home Staging Design

Style: Does it have flair and have you honored what it is you are trying to achieve? Does it pull al the elements together?  Round lamp, round table. Centerpiece right proportion for table. Color in all three zones. Room has achieved all design elements.

Abella Home Staging Design

Color: Does it hit the three zones? Function Zone 0" - 36". Power Zone 36" - 78". Skyline Zone 78" to ceiling. Color hits all three zones.

Abella Home Staging Design

Rhythm & Flow: Keeps the room moving. This is where you're going to repeat things. Be true to the form. Example - round table has round centerpiece. Doesn't mean everything has to be round. 

Abella Home Staging Design

Making sure your space has all the important elements will help you achieve a well design room. Use these tips as a guideline. And if you need help pulling the room together, consider hiring Abella Home Staging & Redesign. Hiring a professional will actually save you money in the long room by avoiding costly mistakes!!

Creating vignettes.

Creating vignettes isn't as hard as you may think. As a decorator and home stager, I often see my clients creating this decorating mistake I call, "ducks-in-a-row". You know, when you go to the county fair, and they have the game that lines, "ducks-in-a-row" where you shoot and win a prize? Yes that one!! I often will see that style of decorating in a client's home.  But vignettes are more about grouping then single lines! There are guidelines you can use, to help you get started.

1. Assemble. Go corral  items you want to display. See what jumps out at you.

Dorascottage.blogspot.com

2. Anchor.  It's the first thing you see and it sets the tone. Anchor objects tend to be larger in scale. They can be a painting, a sculpture or even a lamp.  In this case it's the Juju hat.

3. Scale & shape. Use odd numbers when creating vignettes. Why? Because they are more harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Also, make sure all your pieces aren't the same height. So if one of you items is 2", pair it with another item that is 1". This creates variation in height, which create symmetry.  Notice the two flower arrangements? One half the size of the other.

4. Create a theme. Some of the most striking and interesting vignettes have some sort of theme through them. Themes can be color, elements - like wood or metal, or collections - like nautical. The key word here is assortment. Just remember when using collection, ex..elephants, don't use ALL you elephant pieces together. Why? Because you don't want it to look like you're in a zoo gift shop!!

5. Create depth. Place your items from back to front, instead of a straight line. Remember ducks-in-a-row? This create dimension and interest.

6. Vary the texture. Mix rough with smooth, shiny with dull, wood with iron. This will offer an array of texture.

7. Edit and admire. Take a step back and look at your work. Is it "working" for you? Something not quite right? Edit it until you feel it, "works" for you. Have fun and enjoy the process!!

#AbellaHomeStaging&Redesign       #Pinterest