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.
Exit Stage Right - Home Staging and Redesign Sally Weatherley 604-838-9431
Sally Weatherley is a full time home stager and owner of exit stage right - home staging, Vancouver, B.C.
We help home owners and real estate agents sell their homes quickly and for maximum profit. When selling your home you want to "set the stage for a lasting first impression".
Home Staging Website: www.exitstageright.ca
Before & After Photos: Exit Stage Right Portfolio
Email: sally@exitstageright.ca
Blog: Exit Stage Right Blog
Sally- I'm an old movie fan but don't think I ever saw Rebecca. What a great point you make... there are so many homes who've resisted change, with nothing moved. Time to move on.
Ok....I'll date myself....wasn't the lead actress Joan Fontaine! I think I kinda remember this creepy lady (who was younger then, than I am NOW...OMG!)!
Kathy S. - Oh, you've got to rent this movie - it's a classic and so well done.
Kathy B - Well done! 10/10, yes it was Joan Fontaine. Lawrence Olivier was Mr. De Winter, and Mrs. Danvers was played by Judith Anderson.
Actually, we as stagers are sometimes cast as the Mrs. Danvers character.....walking around the various mansions that we're assigned to, making the owners crazy with our to-do lists. (Actually, I'm more of a Mrs. Habersham type of stager, wandering around Houston in a torn wedding dress with only one shoe on <EG>).
Hi Sally, You hit it right out of the ball park again!
Oh yes....the creepy basements we see. Sometimes entire creepy houses we see! LOL. Love this post Sally. The AR birthday bash must have stirred up your imagination.
Tom - Ahahaha! I can just imagine you setting the dining room table, complete with a 40 year old wedding cake, spiders webs and your full 90 place antique settings!
Marilynn - Bam! Thank you!
Shar - Yeh, I think there was something mixed into that A/R birthday cake!
And who better to "glam" up that home but you Miss Sally..............love Tom's comment!
Roger - Why thank you, you're so sweet. I'm still laughing at Tom's comment. Oh no, another visual of him!
The new Mrs. DeWinter is really cute, I can see why Mrs. Danvers would be a bit jealous. I don't think I ever saw that movie, but I am familiar with Miss Haversham and her 40 year old wedding cake.
Oh Sally - one of my FAVE movies of all time! Mrs. Danvers always trying to cover up the true nature of the first Mrs. DeWinter...
Malcolm - Oh, you've got to watch the movie. You can watch it on YouTube, although it's cut up into 13 parts. It was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and I feel it still holds up today.
Julie - Oh, wasn't Mrs. Danvers a complex creature? The scene where she shows the "new" Mrs. De Winter Rebecca's former bedroom is great. I just love the twist at the end of the movie.
I've been in that basement! LOL! We stagers get to see it all I think ;). And deal with it tactfully of course LOL.
All you stagers should just move here, to the NC Coast....No Basements :0) Oh....Our sellers still have issues that could benefit from your expertise, but You aren't here! We are totally lacking in the home stager department!
I love movies, but must admit, I've never seen this one..... Gotta add it to my list!
Janice - I think we've all been down in that basement! Pretty creepy, huh? Good thing we Stagers don't scare that easily!
Amy - Seriously? You don't have many Stagers in NC? Here we have so many Stagers that you can't swing your staging kit without hitting one in the streets! I would truly love to have no competition.
Oh yes, Rebecca is a must see movie. The best is if you watch it on a dark, stormy night.
Hi Sally--cute post. I'm with Amy--no basements on Maui. But that doesn't change the premise of homeowners not wanting to change the way things are.
Janet - Well, you're not missing anything. Nicely finished basements are great, but creepy, unfinished basements aren't much fun. Yes, it's imperitive that homeowners be open to changes, for their sake.
Hi Sally....so True, I have a condo client who is a bit arty and very personal decore, not most people's taste...all recently done. if you look at the previous owners decore(from last year when my clients boght) it was Wow!..I can't tell them the decore is too personal, first they need to get the price right...same old issue
Fred - Oh boy, I feel your pain. It's such a balancing act between the right price and presentation. I just viewed a home that had Betty Boop stuff - everywhere! Need I say more?!!!
Hi Sally ~ Hitchcock's Mrs Danvers was a scary old witch! As you said, homes need to be light, open, fresh, and devoid of all of the sellers' personal collections. Our work is cut out for us, for a long time ;-)
Great analogy! That darn Mrs Danvers send shivers up my spine!! Something you don't want happening to potential buyers! Home Stage to bring on the warm & fuzzy feelings!! :)
Maureen - Yes, Mrs. Danvers was a scary witch in a wonderful, evil sort of way! Ha ha - yes, we will be in business for a long time to come...
Janice - Shivers up your spine, but in a bad way, right? Agreed, buyers want to be sent a "come hither" feeling, not a "go away" feeling.
Sally, I love the line "It's time to glam up the home with new, fresh bedding and linens, artwork and accessories." And I am smiling back to your new profile picture. I like it a lot.
Anna - Thanks! I thought it was about time to change my photo, and Kathy Burke kept bugging me to change it!
Cute! I met a Mrs. Danvers last week. When I mentioned painting her cherry kitchen cabinets (25 yrs. worn), she recoiled in horror. I never saw the basement. Maybe it's a good thing.
Patsy - Ah yes, the age old debate. What is the objection to painting tired, worn wood? It's just wood! Yes, definitely sounds like a Mrs. Danvers clone. Glad you escaped the basement - yikes!
What a great analogy, Sally! I love how you compare our staging role to the movie. I think I saw the movie many years ago, but I am going to have to add it to my Netflix list and watch it all over again. I love the profile pic too!
Sharon - There are so many great old movies that I'd love to watch again. Especially ones with Cary Grant in them! Oh, Netflix, there's an idea. (I was told my old photo was too aloof!).
What a great read. I suggested it, even though I'm kinda late to the party. i think I'll Netflix this one, and those old classics are GREAT. Your analogy is wonderful!! Who wants to work with Mrs. Danvers?
Carla - That was sweet of you to press that button! The Mrs. Danvers of this world are preventing themselves from a quick sale, that's for sure. Hmmm, must investigate Netflix...
Sally: This is such a good post. Of course, Mrs. Danvers lives in many many homes across North America. Everything was perfect 20 years ago and everything is still perfectly good so why change? Good one.
I always tell my clients to do 3 things:
1) De-clutter
2) New/Clean Flooring
3) Paint
They know that I am not insulting their home because I tell all of my clients to do the same thing. And if they are truly ready and prepared to sell their home they usually listen to my advice.
Sally, great post! It is so true that we need to make homes presentable when trying to sell to buyers.
Valerie - Yes, the Mrs. Danvers of our community don't like change or aren't open to change. It's up to us to convince them that change is good and will attract more buyers and interest in their home for sale.
Nina - It's definitely all in the delivery. Often clients are willing to make changes because subconciously they're still not sure they really want to or are ready to sell. I like your list of 3 items. These are all great points when selling.
Love this analogy! We staged a house once where one of the teenaged sons didn't want to stay in his room, as it was staged, and moved himself into a storage room in the unfinished basement. Mattress on the floor. Mom called and asked if that was "OK"...NO, it's not "OK" buyers will think you have dungeon for when the kids misbehave! Hmmmm...=o(
Cheryl - Oh dear, so the teenage son "staged" his very own flop house in the basement?! No, definitely not a good idea.