Home Stager as office designer

Thought I’d share an office design I worked on recently.

My client, the owner of a financial services company was moving into a new office in Milton. He knew what he wanted from each room but didn’t know what layout or furniture would work best. He needed to move some furniture with him but was happy to buy lots new too. Could I help him source some furniture for him? Yes I could!

I love sourcing furniture, artwork and accessories to a brief and my client gave me a great brief. He likened each room in the office to a room in a house as he wanted the office to have a family feel and not feel too ‘corporate’. So the boardroom he saw as a formal dining area where all the relatives gather for important occasions and everyone needs to be on their best behaviour. The kitchen/diner on the other hand was for team members to use for breaks during the day. It therefore needed to be more casual.

The building has a bit of a retro feel to it which I took advantage of. I also wanted to use green throughout as this was the client’s corporate colour.

Here are some photos

This is ‘the green room’, a Qantas club type lounge room for client meetings or for clients to use themselves. The chairs and coffee table are from Matt Blatt. The bookcases are from IKEA and came from the previous office. I styled them with the client’s collection of business books. Square rugs for under the table are hard to find and expensive so I recommended a piece of carpet cut to the perfect size.  Kathy at Choices Centenary is my go to contact for carpets. The green on the feature wall is Simpson Surprise by Dulux.

 

Onto the boardroom…. This fabulous table was sourced through the furniture hire company that I use. The artwork in this room, the green room and reception is from Moving canvas. Kaye and Mike from Moving canvas will bring lots of artwork to choose from, you decide on the art you want in-situ and the artwork is hung the same day. If you hire then you can change the artwork at intervals if you fancy a change. Highly recommended, Moving canvas also hire artwork for home staging.

The reception area just needed an injection of  green through the chairs (Again from Matt Blatt) and the beautiful canvas. The map of Brisbane to the bottom right of the picture is from Hard to Find

This company has a great space next to the main office  that is used for morning meetings and quick catch-ups. The aim here is for no one to get too comfortable so I recommended cafe tables and chairs form Cafe Ideas. These can double up as balcony chairs for the outside patio that overlooks Suncorp (see below)

This is the informal dining room. I choose this great artwork from Brisbane based artist Kylie Farrelly as this room and the balcony it leads onto over looks Suncorp stadium. My client, who is a sports fan, wanted some artwork that spoke of location and the Suncorp and XXXX brewery artwork work really well here.

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the Western suburbs of Brisbane. I love to source ideas and products for clients whether it is for their home or office. Sometimes you don’t need an interior designer, just someone who can help you choose some products and where to put them. All at a reasonable price.  With no fuss. If you’d like to talk I’m on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website.

You may also like:

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Children’s bedroom redesign

 

 

 

How to get rid of your clutter before you stage your house to sell

It’s often a question from a client that prompts a blog post. I figure if they have an issue others may have it too.

Today’s question comes from a lady whose husband died 3 years ago. She never sorted through his things and now wants to move to a smaller house. She has a lot of ‘stuff’ to get rid of. She knows what she needs to do but doesn’t know HOW to go about it.  She wants to sell some things if possible.  She also lives alone so trust and personal safety are big issues for her.

The contacts in this post are Brisbane centric as this is where my clients and I live but the principles apply anywhere – you will just have to do some additional asking around/googling.

This was my advice to her:

A. ONE STOP SHOP

If you want to make one call and have one contact sort everything out for you then an Estate Clearance is a good way to go. In Brisbane I recommend Dave’s Estate Clearance. I love Dave’s website as he has a real understanding of the process and the emotions involved in clearing a full or part estate. He gives you a roll of green tape. You mark everything you want to keep/give to relatives with this tape. He then makes an offer on the rest of your stuff, takes it all away and even vacuums up after himself. From overwhelm to problem solved!

If you want a company to help you downsize, pack and dispose of or sell unwanted items then House Clearance is another option. Particularly good for relocating seniors who do not have family around to help. Or take a look at a specific senior relocation option. These options both solve the ‘how do I go about it’ problem as everything is done for you.

 

B. ORGANISE IT YOURSELF

1. SELL WHAT YOU CAN

Here are your options:

• Estate clearance, antiques/collectables company or auction house. They won’t take everything, just what they think they can sell. Try Dave’s Estate Clearance, or a dealer from either the Wooloongabba Antiques centre  or the Paddington Antiques centre (click through to see a list of dealers) I particularly recommend Katherine from The Old Boathouse  If you have antiques then the Queensland Antiques Dealers association has a list of members here  An alternative is an auction house.
• Sell on-line through e-bay or Gumtree  Pick the one you’re most comfortable with. If you’ve never listed anything on-line before I think Gum Tree is probably easier and has a more local feel.
• Old school local classifieds such as courier mail weekend shopper
• Garage Sale of Car boot sale.  If you’ve never run a garage sale before click here for a great ‘how to.’  To list your sale for greater exposure try  Traderoo  or egaragesales  If the thought of running a sale is too much, ask someone to run it for you. There’s a lady on Brisbane Northside who will organise a sale for you. Click here for details.  Car boot sales are less popular in Australia than in other countries but are still a good option. Sales are listed on Gumtree or just google for upcoming sales. A note about garage sales – they are time consuming and you will be left with a lot of stuff that didn’t sell. Only attempt if you have the time/energy!

2. GIVE AWAY WHAT YOU CAN

• You may want to give away some of your possession to relatives and friends.  Arrange a ‘cut off date’ for this. You don’t want to be holding things for people long after you’ve given it to them.
• Charities.  Charity begins at (or near) home so think about any local community groups e.g. church that you could give some things too.  Here are my 3 favourite websites for charity donations. 1. Givenow has a list of charities by state that are looking for donations. Great if you want to support a specific charity. 2. Givit  List what you’ve got and charities will find a person who needs it. 3. Heart for the Homeless Register for a free collection.

3. THROW AWAY THE REST

• Options are:  Aussies Skip Bags. Buy the bags from selected stores. Fill the bag in your own time then ring for them to take away. Better alternative to a skip.   For large junk try 1800gotjunk or Brizzy rubbish removals
• Don’t forget your council refuse site or kerbside collections. All information is here

C. ADDITIONAL SERVICES IF NEEDED

• If you need to hire a bit of muscle to move things round at home or to get boxes into storage then I recommend The Van that Can Well priced and happy to help.
• Storage solutions are National storage or PODS (they deliver a container, you fill it in your own time then they move and store when required)
• If de-cluttering by yourself is too overwhelming then look at Australian Association of Professional Organisers for an organiser in your area

 

Once you’ve de-cluttered I can help you maximise the price you receive for your property by staging it using the furniture you have or by hiring new. I can also give you advice on actions you will need to take to give you the best return on investment e.g. new carpets, painting, repairs. Give me a call on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website  for more details.

So not many pretty before and after pictures today but hopefully lots of information to help you get rid of your clutter before you stage your house to sell

 

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the western suburbs of Brisbane. If you would like some advice on how to prepare your property in the best way so that it sells quickly, for the best price and with the least stress all round then give me a call on 0432994056 or contact me through my website

 

 

Sold in 5 days for 5% over asking. In this Market? Staging works

Just got a great text from a client:

“Hi Imogen, the house has sold!! Contract exchanged today and more than asking so we are very very happy. Thanks you again so much”

I know that staging works but there are no guarantees – price and agent have their parts to play too. So kudos to my client for investing time, effort and money in preparing her house to sell.

When I first met my client she was in the process of boxing up her house (as you will see in the photos below) and about to move out. She had already painted many of the walls, installed a new counter top in the kitchen and ordered a new carpet for the lounge and bedrooms. I love working with clients like this. Motivated and prepared to do whatever it takes to get their house sold.

Here are the before and after photos (NB: After photos property of LJHooker, Albany Creek. Agent was Vicki Harper)

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane. If you’re moving out before you sell and your house is going to be empty – give me a call on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website I can hire furniture, artwork and accessories aimed at your most likely buyer so that you can sell quickly, for the best price and with the least stress all round.

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Staging Works

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Home Staging the Pottery Barn way

My social media stream has been full of excitement today. This is the day that Pottery Barn, West Elm, Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn kids have launched in Bondi, Sydney. For those of us who don’t live in Sydney the great news is that each store has an Australian website where you can buy on-line and have anything delivered anywhere in Australia.

If this is too exciting and you don’t want to stay and read the rest of this blog (and I don’t blame you!) here are the websites:

www.potterybarn.com.au

www.potterybarnkids.com.au

www.williams-sonoma.com.au

www.westelm.com.au

I’ve looked at the websites with my home staging hat on and pinned onto pinterest a selection of bedlinen, towels and accessories that could be used to help you stage your home.

To see the items click here

Here are a couple of pictures to whet your appetite:

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Remember, this is not about going on a mad shopping spree. It’s about finding the finishing touches to help you prepare your property to sell. Think return on investment. For more posts on shopping when selling see below:

Before you run shopping to Freedom read this

Home Staging made easy with IKEA

The 6 best shops when staging your house to sell

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the western suburbs of Brisbane. If you are looking to sell your house and need some objective advice on how to prepare it for sale so that it sells quickly, for the best price and with the least stress then give me a call on 0432 994056 or contact me through my website

 

Staging Works

A home I consulted on before Christmas listed last Friday. Today I received this e-mail from my client

“I’m extremely excited to report that we’ve signed an offer on the house. We had 4 groups through on the Friday and another 38 at the open house on Saturday.  We ended up with 9 offers”  Not bad for under 48 hours

I’m assuming the real estate agent had a part to play in the sale of this house (!) but I’m also going to sing the praises of home staging here for the following reasons:

• The house was a normal mid-priced house on a normal street in a suburb of Brisbane. It was like many on the market at the same time
• The furniture wasn’t hired from a furniture warehouse and wasn’t especially ‘trendy’ or magazine shoot worthy.

BUT

• The client followed all the principles of staging a house to sell:
• They  used a home stager
• They saw their home as a house to be marketed to their most likely buyer. They no longer saw it as their house
• All repairs were attended to eg: peeling exterior paint
• They re-modelled where appropriate – new counter tops and appliances in the kitchen made a huge difference
• The house was clean clean clean!
• Each room had a purpose
• The house was de-cluttered to showcase the features of the house not the owners ‘things’
• Each room was styled in a simple way using what the client already had.
• New bedlinen was bought for a couple of the bedrooms and fluffy new towels were bought for the bathrooms
• Importantly, the house looked well maintained and ready to move straight in.

Here are a couple of pictures. Staging Works!

 

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the Western suburbs of Brisbane. If you are ready to sell your property and want to experience how Staging Works then give me a call on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website 

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Just starting out as a home stager? I’d like to share a few things….

I get a call a week from people who are just starting out as home stagers and want some advice or work experience. I love to speak with them and share whatever information I can. I remember ringing another stager when I started out 2 years ago and will always appreciate the time she spent with me. The more we can help each other as home stagers the quicker the category will grow, the more agents and sellers will understand staging and the more business there will be for everyone.

So this post is about sharing what I’ve learnt in the last 2 years. I don’t pretend to be the expert just a little further along the way. I know I still have lots to learn, I would still like to get more business and make more money but I’m getting there. Other stagers may give you different advice, you might not live in Australia and therefore stage in a different market but this is what I’d say to you if we were meeting for coffee (I’ll have a skinny flat white) in a no particular order kind of way.

• Just do it. Just get up one day and start calling yourself a home stager. It’s as easy (and as difficult) as that
• You will not get rich overnight. You will want to give up most weeks
• Keep going
• Do something every day. Write a blog, update your face book page. Go to Target to check out their homewares department, attend an open house
• Agents will not fall at your feet. At all. Only 5% of agents ‘get’ staging
• Find that 5%  (clue: they are the ones most likely to be using social media ie: embracing new things). Don’t forget the remaining 95% just don’t put all your energy here.
• Sellers who find you are the best clients – motivated and happy to pay for your advice. They will google to find you. Make sure they CAN find you.
• Don’t listen to well meaning partners and friends. I ignore my husband when he tells me ‘this seems to be a lot of effort for not enough reward.’ I know I’m doing the right thing, going in the right direction and money isn’t the only reward I’m aiming for here!
• Get out there. Networking groups (if you find the right one) are great for meeting new people, building your confidence and getting your name out.
• Present to a real estate office: It won’t bring you business overnight but if you keep up the dialogue they will remember you down the track.
• Be big on social media. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, WordPress, Pinterest and Instagram (phew). Yes it takes time but it’s free and it works. Be the expert, give help, answer questions, chat to people.  Most of the media coverage I’ve received has been through conversations that originally started on social media eg: answering a question on a real estate site.
• Be consistent and…
• Just keep going

• See yourself as a teacher first, then a marketeer, then a home stager. Ask, how can I help sellers?, how can I help agents? How can I solve their problems? Then show them how.
• Don’t SELL
• You WILL know what to do when you go for your first consultation. Start with the easy rooms – I usually start in the bedrooms and leave the difficult room (often the living room) till last. If you don’t know something say “I’ll find out for you” Then do just that.
• Pinterest is the biggest referrer of visitors to my blog. By a long way
• Stage with love. I love my clients and I love their homes. Sounds soppy but I’m cheerleading them all the way.
• A big part of your job is to motivate your clients into action. Show them the pay off, give them the ‘how-to’
• Get yourself a website. It doesn’t need to be an expensive one but it does need to look professional. You can build it yourself on WordPress. Staging Diva offers a directory service whilst you get up and running or instead of a website.
• Spend time on your gallery and update regularly as you go. Your before and after pictures will get better and better (note to self – my gallery needs updating!) Start with pictures of your house, or a friends.
• Blog: Blogging has forced me to learn new things and get my thoughts clear on a particular subject. It also provides original content to share on social media. It allows me to write about projects I’ve done and I can link to specific blog posts when clients ask me a question. It is one of the most rewarding parts of my business.
• Don’t buy your own inventory. If it’s possible use a furniture hire company. Don’t even buy accessories. Don’t let your love of shopping bankrupt your business. Get the client to pay.
• Keep it simple. Keep your admin to a minimum. You don’t need to write a staging report or provide fancy invoices
• Do it your way – it’s your business
• But it is a business (not a hobby)
• Keep going – it took me 6 months to get my first client.

• Trust that you will work it out. Got a problem? Google it – the internet is like one big on-line tutorial
• Most home stagers work on their own. They may hire in help when they need it but don’t bank on them giving you work. Just set up your own business and start generating your own work. This is what I say to everyone who rings me asking for work experience.
• Do NOT pay for advertising. People do not know what home staging is. You will need to teach them through other channels
• YOU are your business and your brand. This is what people are buying. Think about how you ‘show up’ on social media and in real life
• Set boundaries. I hate working in the evening so I don’t offer it to clients.
• Pay attention to the work you most like doing. Attract more of that business. I like working with owners of mid priced ugly ducklings.
• Remember that just because something comes easily to you or that you enjoy it doesn’t mean that you can’t get paid well for it.
• Your rates are your rates. Make them decent ones. Don’t negotiate
• Never consult for free – it does the whole industry a disservice. As soon as you open your mouth you are giving valuable advice. Get paid. There and then.
• There will be times of the year (Xmas/January in Australia) that business goes very quiet. Go to the beach or find another money generator.
• A newsletter is a good way of reaching agents on their terms. Keep reminding them that you are there and they will come to you when they are ready. Or not, but you can’t force it.
• Home staging is not a hard sell. It is a solution to a problem
• Your home will probably suffer as you pour your creative love into other peoples houses and that’s OK
• Get some training if you think you need it.  You probably know how to style but you will need help on running a home staging business. I trained with Staging Diva and highly recommend her.  Click here then click on the ‘interested in becoming a home stager’ link at the bottom. Courses in Australia include Australian Institute of Home Staging and International Institute of Home Staging
• The best stylists are often NOT the most sucessfull stagers. The best business people/marketeers are!
• This is not rocket science – remember to have fun
• Buy lots of tape measures. You will leave them places
• Say yes to things especially if they scare you. I said yes to furnishing and choosing specs for 2 display homes and it’s been the best learning experience
• Get some training but don’t let the need for ‘getting it right’ paralyse you.  You will learn along the way. Again, just start

• Ask for feedback and listen to it.
• Don’t give up too early. Others will. You can’t help but be a success if you believe in what you do and just keep going
• Wear comfy shoes (you’ll thank me for this!)
• Your greatest barrier will be yourself. Stop the negative talk and just do something, anything to move you closer to growing your business
• This is your business. Whether you are a success or your business doesn’t work is down to you.  That is scary and THE best feeling!
• Don’t see other stagers as competition. Stagers can support and learn from each other. They are also a source of business and contacts.
• Surround yourself with positive and inspirational people. I follow a lot of stylists and interior designers on Instagram and their work inspires me daily
• Find yourself some good suppliers to recommend to clients. This may take some time. Keep looking and asking for recommendations
• Take snacks. Make them healthy. You will get hungry
• Stay hungry.

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the Western suburbs of Brisbane. If you would like to ask a question or offer some of your own advice then comment here, give me a call on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website or on social media (link through website homepage) Good luck… and keep going!!

You might also like:

Real estate agents. You don’t have to put up the red light (with apologies to the Police)

Real estate agents: How to sell home staging to your clients

I’m happy for you to share any of the above, just credit me with the content and link back to my blog – thanks

 

Selling your house the Bruce Lee way

 

I got this short e-mail from a prospective client yesterday:

“I would like to sell our family home. We live in an area that seems to have houses on the market with little movement and I would like to give myself the best possible chance of a sale from the getgo. What do you suggest?”

How I love a proactive client!  This client wasn’t prepared to just list, wait and hope. She wanted to give herself the best chance of a sale from the ‘getgo’

My response included a link to a post I wrote nearly 2 years ago. The point I made in the post is that there are 3 keys to selling a house especially in a difficult market. Those keys are Price, Promotion and Presentation.  The 3 keys are like the legs of a 3 legged stool. They all need to be in alignment for the best chance of house selling success.  A home stager looks after the presentation component, the real estate agent looks after price and promotion. However, underlying all of this is the part and attitude the seller plays in the whole process.  The truth is, the more proactive and involved a client is the better the chance of a sale. To read the full post click here

I’m lucky in that my clients are proactive rather than reactive by default. Ringing a stager for help to get your property sold is a proactive decision. But this is where Bruce Lee comes in….

By the time I leave a consultation my client usually has a long list of actions to take – mending handles, painting walls, clearing the shed, de-cluttering kids rooms, cleaning cleaning and more cleaning. They have the knowledge, they might by willing but then I pretty much leave them to it.  I often don’t see the house again until it lists and the biggest buzz for me is that the knowledge and willingness changed into action after I’d gone and they completed everything on the list. It’s hard, sweaty and tiring work getting a house ready for sale and yet my clients do it anyway.  They so deserve to sell their property. I’m proud. Bruce Lee would be proud.

I’m Imogen Brown, a home stager based in the Western suburbs of Brisbane. If you want to be proactive about your house sale then I’m happy to help. Give me a call on 0432 994 056 or contact me through my website

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