Maximize Natural Light In Your Home

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Many of us are starting to feel the winter blues. Natural light keep us healthy and our homes looking fresh all while saving energy.  Studies show that people are happier and more productive when exposed to natural light. Here are some tips to maximize the natural light in your home.

When I stage a house for sale, I always remove the window treatments. Most people have bulky dark curtain to block the sun out or for privacy. A better solution would be shears, light-colored drapes, or blinds this will allow you to control the light. Bright rooms tend to appears fresh, energetic and more inviting exactly how we want to greet buyers.

The color scheme in your house could be swallowing the natural light. Lighter colored wall and furniture will reflect the natural light making the space seem larger.  Add color with cushions or accessories, this will add visual interest to the room. Bright colors seem more vibrated in well lit spaces. Using high gloss paint on the ceiling is a great way to increase natural light because it reflects light better than matte finishes.

Mirrors are a great way to add more light to your space since they are reflective.  Stagers love mirrors for the fact you can double your space visually, try to hang the mirror so it catches the rays of the sun though the window to maximum the light it reflects.

One of the most obvious ways to increase the natural light in your home and most overlooked is to clean the windows. Dirt and grim gives everything a dull look, the light filters through the dirt making the cleanest room dreary.

Making the most of light is economical, energy efficient and keeps us healthy. Sunlight will help your home feel bright and warm even in winter. A few simple and easy changes will make a big difference in maximizing natural light, changing the mood and attitude of the space. 


Simply Stylish Staging 
Elysse Bulloch

Cleaning Tips to Prepare for The Spring Market

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When buyers get more serious about making an offer they start looking closer and closer at the property. At a closer glance buyers can get scared away if appliances are not well maintained. Red flags are raised and buyers wonder if sellers are hiding anything else, stop these thoughts in there tracks by making sure everything is Q-tip clean.

 Spring cleaning time is fast approaching especially if you’re trying to get your home ready for the spring market. The one thing that seems to always be the “to do list” is to clean the oven. We all hate cleaning the oven, procrastination makes this worse. The longer you put it off the harder the job gets.

Without proper maintenance the oven vents clog up and the oven will start to smoke. Here is a step by step guide to cleaning your oven chemical free. If you clean your oven after every use, you will never need to spend hours scrubbing away again.

For gas stove tops remove all grate and griddles and wash in hot soapy water. Scrub with a scouring pad; dry all part thoroughly before putting back. Look for blockage on all fuel parts use a paper clip to free blockage. For spills soak a cloth in hot soap water and place on the spill let the water penetrate the spill for a few minutes. Remove build up with a rubber scraper. Wipe the surface clean with a damp sponge. Make sure the sponge is not to wet ,excess water can damage the igniter on glass or ceramic stove tops.  

If you have an electric stove top the first thing to do is remove the coil and reflector bowls, wipe coil with a damp sponge. Clean out the reflector bowls with hot soapy water and a scouring pad. I you have build up on the coils put the stove top back together and turn the burns on high let the build up burn off.

Now for the hardest part cleaning the oven, starts by removing the racks .Soak them in hot soapy water using a scoring pad to remove splatter build up. If you have heavy build up sir together ¾ cup baking soda and 1/4 cup water Smooth paste all over oven accept the door. Let sit a few hours or over night. Wipe out with a damp cloth, repeat to remove any streaks. The oven door should be cleaned with equal parts water and white vinegar. The baking soda mixture can run down in between the glass which can only be removed if the oven door is taken apart.

Now that you have tackled the oven, you might want to start on the microwave. In just 5 to 10 minute it can be sparkling too. The easiest way to clean the microwave is to prepare a bowl with one cup water and 1/2 cup lemon juice, the lemon juice act as a deodorizer. Heat the bowl for three minutes and let sit in the microwave for 5 minutes. The stream will loosen build up. Wipe out the inside of the microwave with a sponge dipped in warm soapy water. Clean the control panel with a very damp cloth.

Please feel free to share your oven cleaning tips. Look forward to hearing what works for you.

Elysse Bulloch

Simply Stylish Staging

Create a New look with Redesign

It does not matter where you live over time you get bored with your surroundings. The same furniture and accessories become ordinary over time.  What can you do to freshen up your current space? A few small changes even on the smallest budget can breathe new life in to your space. These simple steps can be applied to any room in your house.

When I help a client with a redesign or staging, the first thing I address is clutter. We all have stuff and most of us have too much stuff. Overtime we don’t even realize that our stuff has accumulated. My rule is to remove any and all items that you have not used in the last few months. You will be surprised how much bigger and brighter your space will be when you edit your belongings.

Do your research; know which styles, textures and fabrics you like. When working with redesign clients I encourage them to go thought magazines and books to get an idea of what they like. I ask them to look for colors, pattern and textures they can see themselves living with.

 If you have not moved your furniture around in the last couple years, it’s probably because you don’t have any idea how else it could go or it won’t fit any other way. A good trick is to pull the furniture away from the wall by a foot or so. This allows the piece to breathe. You may also consider repurposing furniture and artwork from different areas of your home.

Take a good look at the color scheme in the room. I like to follow 60/30/10 for diving up color in the space. 60% being walls and ceiling, 30% is furniture and 10% being the accent color.By switching out the accent color which is 10 percent of the color in the room it will freshen up the look and feel of your room. This is also a great way to change your decour with the seaons and trends.

Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish Staging

Dealing With Pets And Selling Your Calgary Home

   When you have pets they become part of the family, but when you sell your home pet could be a turn off to potential buyers. How do you deal with Miss Kitty or Fido? First you have to realistic only about half the people that tour your home with be pet people the other half not so much. The best way to combat this is to remove all signs of pets, food dishes, toys, cat litter and even the food in the pantry. Oh and don’t forget to remove the pets as well.

   

   If you have an outdoor enclosure for your pet, be sure it’s clean and in good condition. You don’t want buyers to form any kind of ideas. Sometime buyers think that if you don’t care enough about your pets to keep them clean, then how bad is the rest of the property.

  

 Don’t lose out on buyers, because you don’t attend to pet details outside. Their are plenty of services that can help maintain a doggy doo free yard for minimal cost.. If your yard is a selling feature it might be worth the few extra bucks.

   

   Cats tend to have strong odor, its best to scoop the box everyday and when you have showing remove the litter from your home. Scooping everyday with ensure your home does not take on any odor, that could scare off buyers.

   

   If you have exotic animals you may decide they take a small vacation while your house is on the market snakes, spiders, and lizards are not for everyone and might even scare or shock potential buyers touring your home. You don’t want your house to be remembered as the scary one.

  

  Get resourceful with solutions for your pets; ask friends and family to take care of your pets while you’re selling. Check out doggy day cares or pet spa in your area or perhaps take you pets to work with you.

 Elysse Bulloch
Simply Stylish Staging

Staging Ideas For Small Spaces

Image by caribb via Flickr

If you have a small space in your home it can be a challenge to show its function and show its potential. Staging your small space can make huge impact on buyers here are some staging tips and tricks for small spaces.

• Small living room - to show off small spaces make sure to use smaller scale furniture or eliminate a few large pieces. Couches take up a lot of your square footage, try using the love seat instead. Use floating end table instead of a coffee table.
• Storage- Buyers need to see that you have lots of storage. Decorative box and baskets are great way to hide remotes, toys, magazines and  personal items. Buyers only know what they see, you need to show buyers how your space can be used.Storage ottoman and floating shelves are great way to show buyers you have lots of storage.
• Patterns - stick to solid neutral colors they help brighten your space. Patterns tend to be to busy and over powering. Use textures to add some interest .
• Paint- dark colors absorb the light  making  your space appear smaller. Pick a lighter color to expand your space
• Lighting- upward lighting creates an impression of more square footage.Trim back tree to allow lots of light to come through the windows,lighting can increase the illusion of space in a small spaces.

Staging can help sell your home quickly often for more then asking. If you have any question about Calgary Home Staging please feel free to contact Simply Stylish Staging


Elysse Bulloch

Related articles

• Make a Room Look Bigger in two Hours (interiordecorating.suite101.com)
• How Can I Sell My House Fast? (brighthub.com)