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A Quick Summer Refresh

Summer is a great time for a home cleanout and refresh. More often than not, I miss the opportunity for spring cleaning, and find myself in my dusty basement and dirty garage in July, preparing for a garage sale I wish I had done in June with the rest of my neighbors. With two toddlers, this year in particular I noticed my days of cleaning up our walls with microfiber cloths and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are over, and it’s time for a fresh coat of paint. Here are a few of A Home Revival’s designers’ current favorite paint picks:

Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams

This warm, gray color is perfect for Minnesota winters and low light areas of the home. We love how it looks in this modern, home office!

@ivoryoakdesign

Photo Credit: #SWColorLove on Instagram

Pure White by Sherwin Williams is our go to paint color for trim, and pairs beautifully with Repose Gray in any room. With trim, we recommend using a semi-gloss paint for easy cleaning, especially in high traffic areas of the home! The color also works well for walls thanks to it’s yellow undertones keeping it from being too sharp.

@homecrushdesignsllc's pure white bedroom project

Photo Credit: #SWColorLove on Instagram

If you’re looking for a little more color in your home, but hoping to still stay in the neutral zone, try out Sherwin William’s Sea Salt. This green/blue hued color is still in the gray family and creates a warm, calming space. We especially like the idea of this in a primary suite, paired with coastal bedding and décor!

bedroom painted with Sherwin Williams Sea Salt

Photo Credit: The House of Hood Blog

Have you done a summer paint refresh this year? We’d love to see your color choice! Tag us on Instagram with @ahomerevival and show us your space!

 

Guest Blogger: Katya Larsen, Stager, A Home Revival

April Showers Bring Staging Flowers!

It’s almost May here in Minnesota, and that means we are crossing our fingers and toes hoping that spring, and the beauty it brings, will be arriving soon! There is nothing better than the blooms of a magnolia tree, the bright colors of tulips and daffodils emerging once again, or the sweet smell of lilacs in the breeze. Close your eyes: imagine the scent, the joy, the warmth a fresh bouquet of flowers brings!

When staging a home, or during a staging consult, we suggest using plants and flowers to bring additional color and life to a home. It is a simple, lower cost way to add color, texture and freshness to a home.  Consider these basic methods for sourcing and displaying greenery in your home.

Trader Joe’s is A Home Revival staff favorite for sourcing fresh flowers and house plants. They have a variety of sizes and styles of plants and flowers, and tend to have a reasonable price point! A few ideas for Trader Joe’s greens:

  • Grab some baby blue eucalyptus and baby’s breath, toss them in a simple, neutral vase, and you have yourself a centerpiece that will last for weeks! Center it on the dining table, an entryway credenza, or on the dresser of the primary bedroom.
  • Take home a few succulents to stage bathrooms. Set small succulents in the corner of the vanity along with a candle or soap pump for a fresh, spa-like effect!

Treat Yourself to Fresh Flowers - The Purple Hydrangea

The Purple Hydrangea

  • Toss a mixed bouquet of bright, fresh flowers in your cart and use as a focal point in the kitchen or dining room during your home photo session! A fresh bouquet is also a nice touch for showings, but should be replaced when blooms begin to wilt. Bonus? They smell great without the overpowering effects of fresheners and spray (which we do not recommend using for showings).
  • Use a variety of house plants on coffee tables, nightstands, sunrooms, etc. to add interest and livability to the home. Plants tend to reduce stress and increase creativity, just what a potential homebuyer needs to envision their new life in your property!

Maybe you’re not into live plants, I get it! For vacant staging, we use artificial plants and stems for the sake of maintenance and longevity. A few favorite spots for faux plants:

Ikea – low price point, good variety of plants and stems, and cute pots and baskets to boot!

FEJKA Artificial potted plant, indoor/outdoor/lavender lilac, 4 ¾ "

World Market – great for artificial trees and larger house plants.

Target – wide variety of styles and price points available.

Medium Ribbon Fern Leaf in Pot - Threshold™ designed with Studio McGee, image 2 of 10 slides

Nearly Natural – an online retailer that has mastered the art of the faux plant. At a higher price point, this is a great option for investing in faux greenery you can incorporate into the design of your new home.

spring captions when in doubt add flowers

Good Housekeeping

When deciding whether or not to incorporate greenery in your staging design, just remember, plants are lean, mean, selling machines! They are one of the simplest, low cost ways to freshen and brighten a space. Not up for the effort of purchasing and placing plants? No problem! You can always reach out to us to do the heavy lifting with an occupied or vacant stage of your home.

 

Guest Blogger: Katya Larsen, Stager, A Home Revival

 

A Peek Behind the Curtain

I’m sure you’ve wondered, how does staging actually work? Is it just moving a bunch of furniture in and out of homes all day every day? Does staging make that much of a difference? People don’t reaaaaalllly care how a home looks when they’re in the market for a new one, right? They can see the potential and know my couch won’t be here when they move in, of course. Today, we’re going to give you a sneak peek into just how exciting and effective staging a home can be!

Preparing for a stage is a multi-week process. We hear from a realtor that a client is looking for our support. We begin the process with a staging consult — up to two hours walking through a client’s home and prioritizing together the work that should be done and that changes to be made for the seller to receive the maximum price for the sale of their home. We take pictures so we can get to work designing and packing all the furniture and décor needed to impress buyers. After the consult, the seller gets to work cleaning, repairing and packing.

While the buyers are working hard at home, we are busy buzzing around our warehouse selecting furniture, bedding, lighting, art and décor that we strategically pack and ready for staging day!

Once the home is vacant, the selling family moved out, and everything spick and span, it’s time for us to bring our design to life with the help of our very beloved movers! We bring a big moving truck, full of beautiful items, and two amazing movers who help us thoughtfully and carefully curate homes. We place furniture, hang artwork, toss throws and do our absolute best to highlight the home’s best features and greatest potential. Again, our goal is to help you gross the most profit.

Here’s the best part — the final product! There is no higher compliment that a seller returning to their staged home and saying, “gosh, it’s so beautiful I’m not sure I want to leave anymore. I wish I had you come design our home years ago!” Check out these before and after photos from a recent stage!

Dining room before

 

Dining room after

Eat-in Kitchen Before

Eat-in kitchen after

Office before

Office after

Primary bedroom before

Primary bedroom after

Livingroom before

Livingroom after

A little paint, some updated, neutral décor, and voila! You have yourself a top-notch home for sale! Check out this beautiful home’s listing photos, and who knows, maybe its your next dream home!

Speaking of dream homes, you don’t have to wait until you’re moving to have us come to your home for design help! We offer design services, in addition to staging. We love helping clients fall in love with their homes all over again, so don’t hesitate to reach out, we are here to support you!

 

Guest Blogger: Katya Larsen, Stager, A Home Revival