How to Bring Spring Into Your Home
Spring is just around the corner. And with the warmer weather comes the desire to freshen up our homes. It’s not just about Spring cleaning but we crave to give our home decor a lighter, brighter facelift. Gone are the dark days of winter and bring on the sunshine in our homes. We’ve got five ways to bring spring into your home without breaking the bank. Little touches like these will bring the spring vibe inside and hopefully not cause spring allergies like the outside.
Pillows Pack a Punch
Consider buying new throw pillows in light, airy colors and patterns. Just say no to the heavy fur or textures because spring vibes need soft colors to bring a sense of clean to a space. You will be amazed how new pillows can give life to a tired sofa or bed!
Fresh Florals
Whether your florals are real or faux, fresh, new flowers and greenery help bring the outside into your home. Florals have come a long way in the past few years to the point now that many require a double take to tell if they are indeed faux. Consider some simple floral stems in a vase for your dining centerpiece. Or try out your green thumb and add a new houseplant to your home. Spring will be represented with small touches like this around your home.
New Linens
With the onset of warmer temperatures and gorgeous sunshine, many fall into the spring cleaning frenzy. New linens to your bedroom and bathroom can evoke that fresh clean feeling into your home. Don’t be afraid of white linens - particularly towels. They wash well and can be bleached to keep brilliantly white.
Mirrors are Magical
Consider replacing darker wall art with a mirror. Mirrors can bounce light into a room therefore causing the room to look bigger, lighter and brighter. Such a small change with such a great impact!
Add some Curb Appeal
Small touches such as a new doormat and some beautiful flowers accenting your doorway create a fresh spring vibe for you and your guests as soon as they arrive. Both give off a clean, polished look - but make sure those winter cobwebs are all cleaned up around that entryway too. And, if you’re feeling adventurous, consider a fresh new paint color for your front door (but make sure your HOA approves before preceding)
Bringing a little spring into your home doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. These five cost effective ideas will certainly allow spring to come alive indoors and create a ray of sunshine into your home. If you’re looking to refresh your space we offer redesign services. We design and find the products, then you choose and purchase at your own time that fits your budget. It’s a cost-effective way to get design help and inspiration without breaking the bank. You can schedule an appointment online at your convenience.
Let us shine a spotlight on your home!
Best Curb Appeal Ideas for Any Budget
First impressions never get a second chance! According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 93% of home buyers use online websites to search for their ideal new home. This means photography play a huge role in whether or not a buyer likes the home. And what is the first photo in a listing? Generally, it’s the exterior of the home. We have created a list of the best curb appeal ideas for any budget to ensure your home is picture perfect and generates a profitable first impression!
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN
One of the first steps to a great first impression is cleaning the outside of the house. This can be done very simply with a good pressure wash. If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can easily rent one or hire a professional. Not only does the siding need to be cleaned all the way around the home but also the front porch area, deck and any walkways around the home. And don’t forget to clean those windows. And while you are at it, remove those screens altogether!
PLANT SOME COLOR
Plant some nice colorful flowers in your flower beds, front porch containers and/or window boxes. If it isn’t springtime, there are some great options that can last through tougher conditions like pansies and fresh greenery. To show off those new beautiful flowers and to present a clean landscape, we would also suggest a nice new layer of mulch in your beds around the front of the home.
PAINT
As we have mentioned before, paint is money in a can! Consider sprucing up the front of the home by painting your front door, trim and/or shutters. This presents a clean finished look to the house and tells the buyer you take pride in the appearance of our home.
SHOW OFF YOUR ADDRESS
Make sure your house numbers are clearly visible and easy to read. This may seem silly but when a buyer is looking for your home you don’t want them to accidentally pass you buy because they simply can’t see your house numbers. If your numbers are in good condition, consider cleaning and/or giving them a spray paint to make them stand out. Otherwise, consider purchasing a new set of numbers to install.
LIGHT IT UP
If your porch lighting is outdated or rusted, replace it. Below are some very affordable options on Amazon. Before purchasing anything, make sure to pay attention to the size and shape of the base plate of your existing light fixture and buy accordingly. Another source of light that should be addressed are any lamp posts that may be in your front yard. Make sure the glass is clean, the bulb is bright and the paint is refreshed. Before addressing these lighting concerns, check with your HOA to make sure they do not have any stipulations as to what kind of light can be used on the exterior of the home or if they can repair lamp post if needed.
MAKE IT WELCOMING
Adding a new doormat is an easy way to make your home inviting. Buyers spend quite a few minutes standing on the front porch waiting for the realtor to get the lockbox to open for the key. For these few minutes the only thing the buyer has to do is study your front door. Seeing a clean entry with a clean welcoming door mat is appealing to any buyer. You may also want to consider another rug just inside the home for buyers to step onto when entering the home and a place to take off their shoes.
ADDRESS YOUR MAILBOX
If your mailbox has seen better days, consider giving it a fresh coat of paint. If it’s beyond the paint cover-up, just replace it with a new one. Once again, you will need to check with your HOA if there are restrictions to what kind of mailbox can be used.
These quick updates can do wonders for your curb appeal. The goal is to draw buyers inside your home. Showing them you care enough about the outside tells them you care enough about the inside too. Remember, first impressions never get a second chance. Take that first step and book a home consultation online with us - we would love to shine the spotlight on your home and get it market ready!
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided
The Mother of All Quarantine Holidays
Mother's Day is right around the corner! Friday is May 1st. The Mother of all quarantine holidays is quickly approaching! Mother's day is the 10th (just in case you don't know what time, day or month it is right now....we get it). But don't worry, our staff has rounded up some great Amazon gift ideas for mom.
We can't count on those precious homemade gifts this year for Grammy since kids aren't in school. And social distancing, as well as a short time frame, have limited our resources. So, our staff picked out some great Amazon gift ideas for mom you can ship directly and act as if you had a plan all along. These gifts are sure to please the mom you haven't seen in a few months due to COVID-19, or the mom who is working from home and juggling online school with her kids. AND if you're a mom reading this, there's no harm in forwarding this on to special members of your family to "suggest" a nice gift idea. Let's be honest - sometimes they need a little push in the right direction. Am I right?!?
If you missed our blog earlier in the year on Top Picks for Design Books, these make GREAT gifts for some design/decorating inspiration. We are all getting rather bored with our homes at this point and wanting to freshen up our spaces. Go check it out!
Now for our Staff picks:
Leigh - Half Baked Harvest Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard
This is great for those who are home cooks that are pressed for time or just starting out. It's a go-to for hassle-free meals that never sacrifice taste.
Wendy - Harney & Sons Tea Sampler + Cute tea mug
Tea lovers will enjoy the variety in this sampler pack and who wouldn't cherish a mug that reminds them of the greatest song ever by Whitney!
Lauren - Best Mom Ever Wine gift set
What mom doesn't need this during quarintine? Enough said.
Kim - Hand lettering workbook by Amy Latta + Tombow dual tip pens
We could all use a little distraction in our days - why not learn a new hobby? Create beautiful art with easy step by step instructions.
Tracy - Biking outfit
Since the gyms are closed, try something new. Biking the trails is fun and why not look cute while you do it?!
If mom is a "hard to buy for lady" - try to support a small business with a gift card. We offer online redesign consultations. You can book online at https://sbd.appointlet.com/ - distance is not a problem! Find a way to honor mom - THIS year she deserves the attention since we can't be together! We hope you all have a safe, relaxing Mother's Day 2020.
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided
Zoom Room Makeover
Zoom meetings have replaced the usual company/client meetings these days thanks to COVID-19. And society as we know it may just continue using this wonderful new way to communicate. However, if you are like me, do you find yourself inspecting your meeting attendee's room backdrops? Asking myself are they real or a green screen type backdrop? Deciding what they should do in order to freshen up their room. All those designer thoughts. Well, maybe now is the time to think about that zoom room makeover to give you a polished look in your meetings. We all know first impressions mean a lot! Zoom meetings are going to stick around well past COVID-19 so we might as well freshen up our work space in order to give that good first impression.
If you read our last post (and if not click here), you know we gave you some fun new office accessories to brighten up your office space. This time we went a little further and created a whole room for your zoom backdrop! The beauty of this zoom room makeover we have curated is it's all click and ship with Amazon! So in 2-5 days you could have a total makeover and woo your co-workers or clients with your hip new office space. AND have absolute social distancing while purchasing.
Paint color selected for this room was Benjamin Moore Gray Owl with an accent color of Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.
This zoom backdrop gives you a polished, subtle look so people can focus on you and your ideas and not your space. If you would like a more tailored look for your zoom space, give us a call at 703-552-4545 or book a virtual interior redesign consult online. We would love to shine a spotlight on your home office!
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided
Home Office Mini-Makeovers
Since the COVID-19 quarantine began, most of us have been in our home office more so than ever before. And most of us could use a little pick-me-up to freshen up the space. We've created some home office mini-makeovers for you to 'treat yo'self' and bring a little sunshine to your quarantined work space.
No matter your style, there's so many fun, whimsical office products out there to incorporate in your space. Here's a couple styles we have curated for your online shopping retail therapy.
This modern style is all the rage. Mixing matte black with brushed gold and/or copper is so on trend.
Joanna Gaines would be super happy with our picks for a farmhouse style home office. We hope you are too.
We are confident these fun mini-makeovers can freshen up that home office space and spark your creativity while you work from home. If you want a more tailored design, feel free to give us a call at 703-552-4545 or book online for a virtual redesign consultation. We would be delighted to shine a spotlight on your home office!
*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided