Summerland & Penticton Okanagan BC Real Estate, Homes For Sale and Revenue Properties - Raymond MAASKE

Before & After Photos - Home Staging Vancouver, B.C.

My company, Exit Stage Right, had the pleasure of staging this condo for sale in the Cambie area of Vancouver.  This property was an absolute delight to stage.  The building is only three years old, and it has a lovely view of downtown Vancouver and the mountains to the North.  The finishes are high end, and there are many professionals in this building, including many in the medical profession, due to its proximity to Vancouver General Hospital. 

We sourced furniture that would fit well in a condo-sized setting, using several glass pieces to emphasize space and light.  We also made a special effort to include many textures in the accessories and furnishings, bringing in wood, rouched fabric, smooth metals, and organic materials such as grass balls. 

This condo appeared as just another generic, beige condo before staging.  After staging, the condo was vibrant, oozing with personality, charm and a dash of zen.

Here are some "Before & After" photos.

Paris Haute Couture Meets Vancouver Home Staging

When I was in Paris recently... one of my favourite past times was keeping a keen eye out for the latest in clothing fashion.  Whether through observing well dressed Parisians rushing off to work in their 4" stilettos on cobbled streets, or getting a glimpse of the latest scarf or purse as it rushed by, it was evident that Paris Haute Couture is alive and well, and living in Paris!

This window display in a clothing store in Paris certainly caught my eye.  I love the combination of the colour red with the leopard print fabric.  There's something very eye-catching and vibrant about this combination.  Since returning to Vancouver, I've actually seen leopard print everywhere, so this mode has definitely made it across the pond. 

As a Vancouver Home Stager, I look for inspiration everywhere.  I decided to take the leopard/red combination I'd seen in Paris, and apply it to a living room we recently staged.  If this interesting combination caught my eye in Paris, certainly it would have the same results in a staged home, and would catch a potential home buyer's eye, creating a memorable impression.  Here are a few before & after photos:

Grab home buyers' attention with exciting, memorable designs.  Property styling works when selling your home!

What's In A Name?  That Which We Call A Rose-Vancouver Home Staging

When I was in Paris (oops, there I go again!), I would walk down from our hotel to the local cafe for my daily cafe au lait and croissant.  Every day, I would pass this flower store on Victor Hugo street, and just looking at the display of roses would set my heart a flutter.  I had an emotional response to this flower shop.  Actually, the store didn't even sell flowers in general, but specifically, roses!  My mind wandered back to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet play, and the quote:  What's in a name?  That which we call a rose.

Now, I don't know about where you live, but in my city, we can buy roses.  They are in the refrigorator section in a big, white, plastic tub!  Not very romantic, eh?  This shop in Paris, aptly named "Au Nom de la Rose" (In the Name of the Rose), seemed to understand the concept of retail merchandising. Every morning, the shop keeper would come out and display all the beautiful rose bouquets, cleverly crafted in rose topiaries and various beautiful arrangements.  Then she would sprinkle rose petals all over the side walk, and sweep them into carfully designed trails.  The pink banners and green painted trim of the shop echoed the colours of the roses. This display delighted my senses!

Being a Vancouver Home Stager, I couldn't help but think about how we market a home.  Do we use the "plastic bucket in the fridge" approach?  Or do we take a petal leaf out of a shop like Au Nom de la Rose, and carefully seduce our buyers, by presenting the home in a way that will speak to their emotions? 

A rose is a rose is a rose, and a house is a house is a house, so how do we differentiate our home for sale from all the other homes on the market?  With careful attention to detail, and staging the home to really capture the heart of the potential buyer.  This may be through a bistro set on the patio with an outdoor hurricane lamp and a book with sunglasses carefully placed on top.  It could be a flower arrangement placed on the coffee table, along with treasures from the sea, such as coral or driftwood, sending an organic signal. 

Yes, we are Home Stagers, but we are also Merchandisers for the Real Estate Industry, tugging at Buyers' heart strings, just as this shop tugged at mine. 

Home Staging Vancouver Causes Reenactment of the 7 Years War

Like a scene out of the movie, Night at the Museum, I may have unintentionally caused a second chapter to the 7 Years War, the infamous war between the English and the French during the mid-18th century.  Let me back up and explain...

I was called in to add a bit of "wow" to an already gorgeous home for sale.  This home was built in 1998, but you'd swear it was built 100 years ago.  The builder really focused on recreating a period home, with beautiful wood moldings and paneling.  The hardwood floor is gorgeous, and looks like it should creak, just as in an old home.  There are nooks and crannies everywhere, and the home is oozing with charm and character.

However, there was still room for improvement. 

- The formal living/dining room lacked a dining room table.  In this $1.5 million home, buyers want to see a dining room area where they are able to entertain.  Solution:  We added a beautiful dining room table and chairs, appropriate to the style of the home.

- The rooms appeared very dark.  Due to dark paint colour choices, the home felt very dark and dreary.  Solution:  We advised the homeowner to paint the living room a lighter, neutral colour, but in the meantime, we lightened and brightened the room using light coloured cushions, furniture and rug.

- The great room area felt very stark and empty.  The sofa and t.v. off the kitchen seemed like an afterthought, and wasn't very inviting. Solution:  We relocated a side table from upstairs to the family room, and added a coffee table, artwork, rug and accessories.

We addressed the above points, but what on earth does this have to do with the battle between the French & English, you ask?  Well, above the fireplace sat a beautiful portrait of a distant relative of the home owner.  This ancestor stared at you, sporting full British regalia.  Clearly, the British were holding fort in this beautiful home.  As the homeowner said herself, it felt as if the portrait was following you around the room with his eyes!  We relocated the portrait to the study, where he would feel more comfortable.  Now everyone knows I'm a francophile, so of course I had to bring in dining room chairs with French script and added an Eiffel tower. 

What do you think will happen when the owners retire for bed and the lights are turned out?  Will it be just like a scene out of Night at the Museum?  Will the British ancestor leap from the confines of the picture frame and declare war against the French chairs?!!  I guess we'll never know...

Here are some "Before & After" Photos:

LIVING ROOM - BEFORE

LIVING ROOM - AFTER

LIVING ROOM - AFTER

DINING AREA - BEFORE

DINING AREA - AFTER

DEN - BEFORE

DEN - AFTER

FAMILY ROOM - BEFORE

FAMILY ROOM - AFTER

 What's Yellow and Black & White All Over? - Home Staging Vancouver - Before & After Photos

My company, Exit Stage Right, Vancouver Home Staging, had the pleasure of staging another condo in this new-build apartment tower.  This unit is pretty small, so making the space look spacious and yet have multi functions was paramount.  The demographic for the building is very mixed.  There are older buyers who are gravitating towards the more expensive units and penthouses, and then there are the younger crowd, just getting in the market, who are happy with a smaller, less expensive unit. 

For this condo, I went with attracting a young, hip, happening crowd.  Ironically, I used some mid-century modern pieces, such as the LC1 chairs by Courboisier, but hey, what's old is new again.  These are classic pieces of furniture that look sleek and don't take up a lot of room.  I brought in texture with the black and white cow-hide cushions, and added edgy artwork.  I'm happy to report that this condo sold within a couple of days, while other vacant condos are still unsold.  Staging makes a huge difference in speeding up the sale of a condo. 

Here are some before & after shots of this staged and sold condo.

North Vancouver Home Staging - Lower Lonsdale "Before & After" Photos

My Vancouver Home Staging Company, Exit Stage Right, was very happy to stage this vacant townhouse, located on Lower Lonsdale in North Vancouver.  The location for the townhouse is fantastic, situated only one block from the Lonsdale Quay Market, and a quick Sea Bus ride away from downtown Vancouver.  Everything is within walking distance.

The townhouse itself looked pretty stark, bare, and uninviting with no furniture, colour or life to the property.  The beige walls and empty, cavernous space was not very appealing to a young, urban professional or couple, who are looking for a certain lifestyle.  Enter Exit Stage Right!  Alright, I will admit that I will be traveling off to Paris this weekend, and was perhaps influenced by the excitement my future trip holds.  I couldn't help myself.  I went with a Euro-Parisian theme.  Can you spot the Eiffel Towers?!!  To me, there are many parallels between this townhouse and an apartment you might find in Paris.  Because Lonsdale Quay Market is so close, you could very easily shop for fresh produce every day of the week, just like the Parisians.  Also, around the corner are some wonderful bistros and restaurants, including Italian, Greek, French (!), Japanese, Irish and British/Canadian fare. 

By adding a little "ooh la la" to this townhouse, we are able to capture the sophisticated buyer who is looking for a little slice of Europe in the heart of Lower Lonsdale.  Of special note: the townhouse right next door is also for sale.  The owners of that townhouse have not staged their property property for sale.  It is slightly bigger, with a higher price tag than the $750,000 for this townhouse, but it will be interesting to see which property sells first.  I'll keep you posted on the developments. 

Here are some more before & after photos:

NORTH VANCOUVER HOME STAGING - LOWER LONSDALE "BEFORE & AFTER" PHOTOS

Exit Stage Right Home Staging Vancouver is excited to announce the real estate staging of this newly built condo complex at 1033 St. Georges Street in North Vancouver, B.C.  Our show suite is located in Penthouse 8 and offers buyers a glimpse at how beautiful these condos can look when furnished and accessorized.  The high end finishes make this condo a pleasure to show and the breath-taking views of the North Shore mountains and ocean, enjoyed from two separate balconies, are the icing on the cake.  For more information, please contact Mark Rasmussen with the Rasmussen Group at Sutton Westcoast Realty.

The is the view as you enter the condo. 

LIVING ROOM BEFORE:

LIVING ROOM AFTER:

DINING ROOM BEFORE:

DINING ROOM AFTER

Does Mrs. Danvers Live Here? - Home Staging Vancouver, B.C.

I recently read a funny post  by Alan May.  The gist of the post was that he went into the creepy basement of a home, and there was a make-shift bedroom in what normally would amount to a basement storage area. 

My comment to him was that it looked like the quarters of the Housekeeper from the old, classic movie, Rebecca.  Remember Mrs Danvers?  She was the Housekeeper who tried to slowly drive the new Mrs. DeWinter crazy.  Mrs. Danvers would creep around the cold, stark mansion, causing trouble and havoc and succeeded in making the new bride very  uncomfortable.  Anytime the new Mrs. DeWinter would suggest changing something in the house, Mrs. Danvers would do her utmost to ensure that  nothing was ever moved or changed.

How many times have we, as Home Stagers, come across those cold, stark homes, devoid of personality?  How many times have we entered homes in an effort to improve the look of the home for sale, only to be thwarted by the home owner, who has lived there forever, and doesn't want anything changed?  Yes, Mrs. Danvers is alive and well and living in our communities.  It's time to throw her out and be open to beautifying homes for sale.  It's time to pack away years of possessions, knick-knacks, collections, and clutter.  It's time to throw open the windows and bring in fresh air and light into old, stale rooms.  It's time to glam up the home with new, fresh bedding and linens, artwork and accessories.

If you're thinking of selling your home, call your local Home Stager.  They can achieve a happier ending than the tragic fate that befell Mrs. Danvers.

Staging is Like a Cement Truck - Vancouver Home Staging

I was sitting in downtown traffic yesterday.  It was a miserable day.  The rain was pouring continual buckets, and I was stuck in 5 o'clock traffic and a construction site.  I looked over, and there was the cheeriest cement truck (sorry, ready-mix truck) I'd ever seen.  Several thoughts crossed my mind, as I sat there, waiting for the officious flag person to switch their hand sign from Stop to Slow...

First, I thought, wow, design is really all around us.  We come across it when we least expect it.  Someone had the creative idea of painting a giant strawberry on that ready-mix truck.  I love the whimsical sense of humour and the fact that the designer really thought outside the box.

Second, I thought, gosh, this is just like home staging.  We take a run-of-the-mill or ordinary house, dress it up, and make it look extraordinary, just like someone did to this truck.  You have to admit, this concrete truck sure stands out among the competition.  And, just like staging, this truck is memorable, just like the homes we stage.

Third, I thought, interesting.  This is the only working concrete plant on Granville Island, a public market that grew from industrial land.  Therefore, to fit into the neighbourhood, the concrete truck embraced the whole fresh market environment.  That's what we do in home staging.  If we're staging a downtown condo, we make sure it fits into the neighbourhood, with the look and feel of a downtown, young, urban condo.  

Fourth, Pat Benatar's song came into my head, but instead of humming "Love is a battle field", I was humming "Staging is like a cement truck" (sorry, ready-mix truck takes too many beats). 

Sometimes It's the Small Picture that Helps Sell a Home - Home Staging Vancouver, B.C.

We're often concerned with the "big picture" when staging homes.  Sorting out furniture that needs to be brought in, or rearranging existing furniture is extremely important.  The big picture concerns itself with where art should be placed, adding area rugs and dressing the sofas with coordinating cushions.  Once the big picture is complete, the rooms usually look very nice.  However, you can't just stop at the big picture.  Staging is all about layers, and another layer would be to now focus on the small picture, or the tiny details that are very subtle, and yet speak to a buyer's psyche.

The small picture can be a little vignette here, or a small grouping there.  In my opinion, the small picture can have the biggest impact if it's extremely subtle.  It needs to almost whisper to the home buyer, rather than shout out its presence. 

Here are some examples of the "small pictures" that we've used when staging homes.  A sweet tea pot, cream & sugar that reminds us that every so often we need to take a break and pamper ourselves with a nice, restorative cup of tea.

Often there are tables, desks and nooks in kitchens that end up becoming the dumping ground for keys, mail, pens, elastic bandsand odds and sods.  In this kitchen, we edited out this catch-all area, and placed quaint items that remind us of cooking in France.  A French cookbook, a sunny, yellow pot of flowers, and a wrought iron rooster, like one might find in the South of France.

Here's another example of the power of suggestion.  This bodum coffee maker was filled with coffee beans, and placed on a side board with pretty, fresh, green coffee cups, and a colourful bowl of green fruit.  It suggests quiet Sunday mornings drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. 

Sure, adding just furniture is fine, but the life and appeal is added to the home through these little staging touches, that speak to buyers and tug at their heart strings.