Making your world beautiful

I received a call the other day from a neighbor of mine who was in a panic.  Having a three month old baby, I thought she needed motherly advice.  As it turns out, the problem was much worse.  Her hubby had invited the family for a weekend barbeque….a mere 3 days away.

I should tell you that my neighbor and I share a fence, and looking out my window it wasn’t hard to understand her dilemma.  The patio was there, along with a plastic table, 4 chairs, a barbeque, two side tables, and 2 big bags of dirt.

Not exactly what I would call entertainment-ready. I know some of you are already thinking, “does Ginger live near me?  Does she see my patio or deck?” No, I don’t, but I do feel your pain.

So if you’re in a BBQ mood, here are 5 easy ways to transform your deck or patio so you can be outdoor entertainment ready:

1. Clean – I mean, really clean….remove all furniture before you start. Sweep and power wash the deck.  Restain the deck if it needs it.  Sweep, and power wash the patio, removing all debris, and/or weeds around an in the patio (in the cracks). Next, clean your grill…yes, all of it, even the lava rocks.  When your mother-in-law says she’s checking the hamburgers, don’t believe it for a second.
2. Invest in an outdoor carpet – They are available at all Target, Home Depot and Lowe’s stores.  The carpets come in an array of designs, are under $100 depending on the size, and are easy to clean. This one item really does wonders for an old, cracked patio or old weather worn deck by framing the space.
3. Patio Furniture – Here’s where you can really get inventive! First, wash the furniture.  Already, the furniture looks better. Inspect the chairs…is your set the ‘used to be white’ PVC plastic?  If so, you have a few choices, depending on your budget.  You can replace the chairs with new ones relatively easy..again, Target, Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot have a great selection.  You can also use your dining room chairs, and cover them with fabric (just for the day). Use a colorful table cloth. Get inventive. I’ve also asked guests to ‘byoc’ (bring your own chair..this is a real ice breaker when you have guests that don’t know one another).
4. Flowers/Plants – Shop your house…I know there’s a silk ficus plant somewhere just waiting to be brought outside.  Or, while you’re at the home improvement center, choose a few sun-loving plants, like geraniums or petunias.  If you have more shade, choose from a variety of impatiens, which come in may colors.  Clay pots are inexpensive and always look great!  Buy starter plants like basil, rosemary, or oregano and make a nice table arrangement.
5. Use the good Chinet – Paper plates, the upscale kind. Or melamine plastic plates, along with colorful napkins and cutlery. This insures that you will have a great time, enjoy the food and the guests, and clean up will be a snap!

Another added benefit is that now you will want to spend more time outdoors!

Here’s to Brilliant BBQs!

All best wishes,

Ginger

You hear it all the time. Home Depot runs a TV ad where a smiling employee says: ‘you can do it, we can help!’ Or ‘why pay a carpenter extra when you can install the crown moulding in 3 easy steps?’

Or my personal favorite, ‘I never pay full price for anything!’

We (Americans, at least) love a discount. Granted, some jobs are easier than others, and we CAN do them ourselves … but at what price? Are we beginning to discount the value of goods and services? Is discounting making us discontented?

I happened to be watching HGTV, and there was a show called ‘Takeover My Makeover’. The show’s premise is about people who decided they could redesign a specific room by themselves (note: we’ve all been there!). With a $2,000 budget, a designer, a construction crew from HGTV and one episode later, the room is transformed!

Check out: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_living_area/article/0,1793,HGTV_3376_5175583,00.html

The DIY movement is big business. And most of us like having small projects that we can feel good about completing. But our home is our largest investment, and sometimes DIY isn’t the best way to go.

Recently, I decided to make use of the huge unfinished space that is my basement. With nearly 1,000 square feet of open, empty space I knew it could be spectacular. If only it was finished. I know that my talents are best used in redesigning a room, not in designing empty space. I called an interior designer to help me ‘plan’ the space. Rita came to my house, listened to my thoughts, asked many questions, and then left to do what an Interior Designer does best … design! Two weeks and several drawings later, I now have a plan that I can move ahead with. The cost? A few hundred dollars. The feeling I’ll have when the space is finished … priceless!

Don’t discount the value of professionals. As a Redesigner and Stager, the value of my services far exceeds the costs. Call or email me to find out how I can bring out the value in your home.

All best wishes,
Ginger

Some of you who read my blogs may already know that I am a Realtor by trade, and have been for the past eight years. Those of you who didn’t know may be surprised. I can understand that. What could Real Estate possibly have to do with Staging & Redesign?

I was recently asked if I am now IN the Staging and Redesign business and OUT of the Real Estate business. So I’ve decided to tell you a bit more about me … am I in the process of changing careers?

Starting with a lemonade stand at age 7, I have had several ‘careers’ before Real Estate. I also sold the most girl scout cookies in the third grade (183 boxes to be exact). I’ve been a cashier, a bank teller, a customer service rep, a Systems Liaison, the Vice President. Lots of titles, I know. The consistent theme is that I’ve always been attracted to meeting people, finding out their needs, and then delivering great service!

In my Real Estate career, listing homes for me has always included a checklist of what needs to be changed in order to show the home in its best light. I often arrive at a house with my own stash of stuff (candles, pillows, pictures), and I’ve always been known to move furniture around before an Open House starts.

When I’m acting as a buyer’s agent, I can visually ‘see’ where their furniture could go, along with Aunt Mable’s antique coffee table (my success at getting a client to give away his ratty college couch is the subject of another blog!).

When I began seeing Staging & Redesign techniques on TV (you’ve seen them on HGTV’s Design to Sell and Decorating Cents), I saw that I had a unique opportunity to build on the talents I already possessed.

In the world of Real Estate, where you can buy, sell, invest and flip, the services of the Staging and Redesign business provides enormous value to an already complex transaction.

Starting with HGTV programs and going to the internet, you can get lots of tips about Staging and Redesign. But there’s SO MUCH information out there, it’s hard to know exactly where to start. What will my specific house require? What about the dark green walls in the living room, should they be changed?

Now, that’s where a professional comes in. Someone like me. You see, I’m someone who’s seen (literally) the insides of thousands of different houses. I can tell you what works, and what sells.

The fact is staged homes sell in less time, and usually for more $ than other homes in the area. And the cost of staging is much less than your first price reduction (which I know is usually about $10,000). Well, then that makes the services of a specialist in Staging and Redesign nearly priceless!

It’s sleeting outside again, and the weather report is calling for 6 to 8 inches of snow. What better time than when you’re housebound to select a room for an interior Redesign?

For those not familiar with the term, an Interior ‘Redesign’ is the artful ‘rearrangement’ of existing furniture and accessories (i.e., artwork, candles, plants) that you already own. The room can be your living room, family room, or it can be a dining room or even a bedroom (see my blog on bedrooms).

Before you go room hunting, here’s a list of the top 5 signs that a room is in need of a redesign:

1. It’s full of furniture, but there’s nowhere to sit.

This is because there is STUFF covering the actual seating, or the furniture is mismatched, uncomfortable. Forget about a space to place a glass or plate. Is it any wonder why people don’t come to visit you anymore?

2. Your friends ask if you’re getting ready for a yard sale.

There’s so much stuff in the room itself, your friends and family are looking for the little tags that say ‘how much’, so they can get in on the pre-yard sale.

3. You’ve forgotten the room’s real purpose (the room is masquerading as something else).

When did your dining room become the home office? When did your bedroom become the gym? When did the guest bedroom become the house storage facility? Why are your (adult) children’s trophies still on display in the basement rec room? And my personal favorite…when did the bathroom become the library? You know what I’m saying.

4. You avoid the room as often as possible.

You pass this room on the way to kitchen or out to the back porch, but you rarely, if ever, step into the room. Doing so would at the very least, confuse you and quite possibly make your head explode from wondering why you’re here and can’t find your way out.

And the top sign it’s time for a redesign?

5. You look around and realize that someone has stolen your house …

and they’ve replaced it with a huge playground of kiddie toys that beep, talk, sing, squeak, and demand to have their diaper changed.

If you’ve decided it’s time for a redesign, please contact us for a consultation. We’ll help you make your world beautiful, one room at a time.

All best wishes,
Ginger

Mes Chéries (my darlings)…

Many of you wrote to say that your bedroom said many other words (including ‘help’), so I’ve decided to share the next five steps with everyone.

Let us begin so you can transform your bedroom into a Boudoir.

Here are the next five steps:

1. Take out the family photos. They belong in the living room or the family room. I do love you, Mom, but not in the bedroom where I want to be sexy and intimate. How does one ‘get in the mood’ when Grandma is staring at you? If you have a partner, put pictures of the two of you on the nightstand or the dresser. Without a partner at the moment? Find a picture of two people and put it in a frame. If you expect to have a relationship, let’s set the stage for one.
2. Change the bed linens. Really. Take a good look at your bed. See? I rest my case. Flannel and fleece are warm and cozy, but do not exude romance. Whereas 400 thread count cotton sheets, are heaven to touch, and feel wonderful when you are between the sheets. A bed should be inviting. It should say, ‘come and lie down’. Invest in a good comforter or bed ensemble that makes you feel wonderful when you are in it. Try out fabrics like silk, chenille, and down. Remember, the ‘Bed in a Bag’ ensemble maybe on sale, but it doesn’t say Romance. It says ‘I came in a bag, on sale’.
3. Are there mirrors in your bedroom? Feng Shui principles say if there is a mirror that faces you, you will find it difficult to sleep, and this is not restful. If your closet doors are mirrored, that’s not a problem. You can either replace the doors (if you really don’t like them) or simply add a curtain rod and cover the door with the curtains in the evening. Pull the curtains back during the day when you need to take items from the closet. Choose a nice soft, full fabric to soften the space.
4. Remember the treadmill (don’t work out in the bedroom)? Well, having a home office in your bedroom is like working in the bedroom. And, Chéries, we all know that our Boudoir is for resting or receiving intimate friends. The electrical equipment humming and cheering ‘You’ve got mail!’ is not restful. Not to mention your mind will be on checking emails, instead of checking out your partner. Find another space — any space. If you truly cannot put the office anywhere else, my suggestion is to put it in an armoire with doors that close. There are many types of office furniture now which, when closed, look like they belong in the bedroom, and hides the ‘office’.
5. Add warmth to your Boudoir. If you have the space for a fireplace, but don’t have a fireplace, consider buying an ambient electric one. There are many models available now, which come in a variety of sizes, and finishes. Check out http://www.heatilator.com. The fireplaces offer two functions. The first is a ‘view’ of a crackling fire. If you’d like a bit of warmth, then switch on the heat fan. Voila! Instant ambience. Set the mood. Any time. Any season.

So there’s a good start for you to transform your bedroom into your personal Boudoir. Let me know how you’re doing and if you need help. I’d love to hear what you’ve done! Send me an email to ginger@signaturestagingandredesign.com.

Then you can say, Je t’aime, to your loved one in your Boudoir!

All best wishes, Ginger

Although yesterday was THE day for love, most of us here in the Northeast U.S. were coping with freezing rain, sleet, and in some cases even a foot of snow. As it was Valentine’s Day, my thoughts turned to the bedroom. Or as the French say, ‘Boudoir’.

A boudoir is, quite simply, a room, elegantly furnished, to which a lady may retire to be alone, or to receive intimate friends; a lady’s bedroom (or sometimes a gentleman’s private room). The French have always had a way with words.

It’s easy enough to figure out if you have a boudoir, or not. So I invite you to take a quick look now, and come back to the blog. It is important enough, I’ll wait.

Back already? What is that look on your face? Ah, it must be the look of a bedroom.

It’s easy to transform your bedroom into a Boudoir. Think Red. Think romance. Think inviting.

Now you’re ready. Here are the first five steps:

1. Clean up your bedroom. When your bedroom is cluttered and untidy, you feel tired and not in the mood for much else other than sleep. Clear out the extra clothes lying around, the stacks of magazines and newspapers and any extra furniture that you didn’t know what to do with.
   
   
2. Don’t work out in the bedroom. Is there a treadmill staring you in the face while you’re lying in bed? Not good for love, mi amor. Do you want your relationship to feel like a tough workout? Move it to another room, or garage or basement, if you have one.
   
   
3. Make room for love. To attract a new love or rekindle the love you have, make sure there is room for them! If your closets and dressers are filled with your own stuff, there is literally no room for anyone else. Make some room for someone else’s things. Visualize them being there with you (if they aren’t already).
   
   
4. Bring romance into the bedroom. Take down that huge fan over your bed, and replace it with a romantic crystal chandelier … not a big one, of course! Bring in two lamps for either side of the bed to set the lighting … just right. Install a dimmer switch. Now that will set the mood!
   
   
5. Bring in the color. If you rent an apartment, and cannot paint the walls a soft pink, bring in the color through bedding and pillows. Replace the regular bulbs with soft pink bulbs. Add beautiful romantic artwork to the walls, even if your budget calls for posters (checkout www.allposters.com my favorite is anything by Michael J. Austin; check out ‘Entwined’).

That’s a good start to transforming the bedroom into your personal Boudoir. Want to know more? Send me an email with the word ‘Boudoir’ in the subject line and I’ll send you the next 5 steps.

Then you can say, Je t’aime, to your loved one in your Boudoir!

All best wishes, Ginger

Open the Sunday Times, go directly to the crossword puzzle, and 14-Across says:

“Word meaning the color is Red and of such surpassing brilliance or excellence as to suggest divine inspiration.” Hmm …

The answer my friends? Inspi(RED)!

There is a RED movement with this title that launched in America, opening a new front in the war against AIDS. Please check out this link.

But today I thought I would talk about Valentine’s Day and how the color red and the love of decorating inspires us in our homes. Let’s face it, the winter is still upon us, and everything seems drab. A bit of red or pink (for those of you who like a choice), in any room can inspire you.

Here are a few quick ideas to get you started:

• Put fresh flowers in your favorite vase in your favorite room. Roses or carnations will uplift your spirit in a matter of seconds.
• Put some new inexpensive towels in the bathroom. Hot pink if you will … think Caribbean! I think ‘pink’ myself and Bermuda always comes to mind.
• Set the table with a nice creamy silk fabric, as the backdrop for red plates and red cloth napkins at the table (or paper heart napkins for the kids) any time this month.
• For our creative friends, try a few hearts that are peel and stick … not only on your windows, but on your microwave or glass cabinets as well.
• A nice red mat for the front door or foyer entrance.
• Pink light bulbs in the bedroom lamps (more on this in the next blog).
• Two or three new red/pink throw pillows for the living room sofa or chairs or a red throw over the couch, for a burst of color.
• A fresh bag of pink and red M&Ms placed in a small, crystal dish which can be displayed in any room … even the bathroom, if you dare. Who can resist one or two Godiva chocolates on a crystal dish flanked by champagne glasses by the Jacuzzi?
• Hang a few crystals in a window that catch the sun.
• Buy an inexpensive book of poetry and put it on your coffee table or nightstand (try Love Poetry Out Loud).

These are just a few ideas to get you started. What do you like to do to get inspi(red)? Email me and let me know.

In the meantime, stay tuned for my next blog: “How to turn your bedroom into a Boudoir…”

All best wishes, Ginger

I am not, repeat, I am NOT a winter person! Watching snow on TV, perusing the channels to find the Ice Dancing world finals …. that’s about all I can muster for the white, cold stuff! I barely made it through the Penguin documentary, shivering on my sofa, just watching the colony in Antarctica huddle together amidst the 70 below temperatures to keep their baby penguin eggs warm.

These last few years, one of my best new friends has become Phil. Phil’s ‘the MAN’. Some of you may know him as Punxsutawney Phil. Nice fellow. Brown hair, a little on the short side.. Famous for his shadow or lack there of. Check him out on http://www.groundhog.org/ [the site may be busy today!]. This year, Phil was kind enough NOT to see his shadow. To people like me, it is cause for a celebration! No shadow means an early spring. I can hardly contain myself!

Here’s what was said:

And Spring to me means rejuvenate, change, and REARRANGE!

According to Phil, there will be 46.6 days until Spring! So, it doesn’t matter how cold it is, the countdown has begun. Now is the time to plan for Spring!

What does this mean for you? Time to choose a room in your house that needs to be ‘sprung’! 46.6. days to Spring. 46.6 days to work your plan on how to ‘rearrange’ and rejuvenate the space. Start with the furniture. Make a list of the piece or pieces you do or don’t want to keep. Be very selective! Continue the list with tables, lighting, and accessories. Be diligent … keep only what you love. Give away or throw out the rest! The final consideration should be selecting a paint color, if you intend to change the color, or ‘feel’ of the room.

Phil is a master of knowing when Spring will arrive. You can be the master of artfully changing your space. If you need a jumpstart, email me with the word ‘checklist’ in the subject line, and I will send you a free checklist to help you get started!

All best wishes, Ginger

The biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. This is a Japanese proverb, and is as true today as when it was first written. It’s a wonderful thought as 2007 begins to unfold. Read no further if you think I’m blogging about Goals!

As a Re-designer and Stager, ‘room’ and ‘improvement’ are my most favorite words. I get excited just saying them … just ask my friends and clients!

Improving a room can be as simple as adding a vase of flowers, clearing the clutter off a desk, putting the magazines back in the magazine rack, or moving the chair to the left of the fireplace. It doesn’t need to be a huge improvement, but it does have to make you feel better. Whatever you do to improve a room will affect how you feel whenever you are in the room.

Granted, being in my laundry room didn’t excite my senses, until I added a small plaque above the entry of the room which reads, “Men sort their laundry into two piles: Filthy and filthy but wearable.” I grew up with three brothers, and my son is carrying the Laundry DNA. My sister put a sign in her laundry room that reads ‘Laundry Room … Drop your Pants!” A sense of humor and a few signs are often the biggest improvement for some rooms.

Sometimes improving a room means taking all the furniture out, and only bringing back the furniture you like and want … this is what Re-design is all about. Aunt Edna’s brown candy dish may not make the cut. Same with your mother-in-law’s family heirloom clock that doesn’t go with anything else you have in your house (or the neighborhood).

The best thing about rooms and improvements is that the result makes you happy to spend time in that particular room, whether it be the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or even out on the patio or front porch.

Try this … pick a room, and just sit there 10-15 minutes. Slowly scan from left to right. Notice what bothers you: an object or picture that you don’t like, or a ‘bare’ space. Now ask yourself, “what can I change in 15 minutes?” Is it a table cloth, or a coffee table book, or a bedspread, or perhaps bringing in a plant from another room? Take out a chair, bring in a different one, switch the lamp.

Try it, and email me with what you did. If you get stuck, you can send me you your dilemma (and a picture, if possible) and I’ll help you out!

Here’s to helping you improve your rooms in 2007!

All best wishes, Ginger

The Thanksgiving Day table had just been cleared, and already the talk about decorating for the holidays had started. The sighs of exasperation were already forming a melody, just thinking about retrieving all of the lights, and ornaments, and for the unfortunate lot, the additional outdoor lawn ornaments.

Call me silly…I get excited looking in every window, and at every lawn that has been lit up, seemingly, just for me! But do I want to do it? Heck, no!

This year, I came to the conclusion that Small was in. Could it be possible to only decorate with half of what I owned? I was starting to really get excited at the prospect of decorating with less. The wheels started turning, and I was off…..

The nearest home improvement center yielded the first ‘small’ treasure…a 4ft. tall Christmas tree already adorned with lights. With one sweeping motion, the tree was out of the box and ready to be trimmed.

I was beside myself with joy, knowing that at least 30 boxes of ornaments would not be making an appearance this year! But could I do it? Could I manage to only use 100 or so ornaments? It was not easy. My son’s (he’s 19) twenty five ornaments, recounting each Christmas didn’t make the cut. Neither did the sports collection, the Norman Rockwell collectibles or the talking star trek space ship. Ditto the snow babies, beanie babies, and Aunt Martha’s handmade dough ornaments. No, these stayed in their boxes. I opted for small, and simple. But, the ornaments kept calling to me, to be let out of their boxes to take their rightful place(s) on the tree.

What about my selection of hand painted, fiber optic, blinking in 12 different directions angel tree toppers?? No, they weren’t selected either. A simple gold star…that made the cut.

The collection of nutcrackers, now that was hard. I selected only 3. One made it to the tree display; the other two I kept, in case of nutcracker withdrawal.

And tree skirts…I will admit to owning 5, after all, I like to change the ‘theme’ every year. After looking them over, a sniffling a bit, four went back in the box, and the winner, a traditional red and white was placed on the side table, where the new tree would go.

All right, one angel made it on to the table as well.

I stepped back and thoughtfully looked at what I had just done. Would I miss the real, live 7 foot fir that I trudged out every year to get, tie to my car, bring home, set up and water every day? Not this year!

My son, having arrived home from seeing friends, looked at the tree and said, ‘Cool, you put the tree up…looks nice!’ Yep, going small is BIG news!

Check out my tree below..