To all my friends…may this beautiful holiday be filled with family and friends, faith and love, happiness and joy. This Easter I am so happy because there was a rift in my family – but it’s beginning to mend. Everyone will be at the table this year – I am so grateful for that.

Happy, Happy Easter to all!

The post Happy Easter to You! appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

I recently helped a client revamp her Laundry Room. Her dark brown cabinets were getting her down and she needed a change. White cabinetry was the answer – Annie Sloan Pure White Chalk Paint was the tool. It’s so important to make our more utilitarian spaces look beautiful and fun to be in. Most of us forget that (me included). When a room we labor in is beautiful, stylish and functional – we don’t mind being in there and we don’t mind (at least we mind it less!) doing work there.

Selling Your Home? It’s even more important to have work spaces in our homes look beautiful and a pleasure to be in. When selling, you want to keep the notion of the word “WORK” out of Laundry Rooms, Kitchens etc. I always tell clients to hide the paper towels, dish detergent, toasters and the like in kitchens…and the same goes for the Laundry Room.

Here were some inspirational rooms that I used to get the creative juices flowing…..

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

 Pinterest

My client had attempted to paint the cabinets herself with some chalk paint but she was nervous because they weren’t coming out at all like she thought. Chalk Paint is kind of thick and if you put it on too thickly – it can crack and not look good at all. A phone call to me and my painting partner, Marty Wiesehahn – and she could relax and do other things rather than toil away painting cabinets, walls, moldings etc.

Here are some before shots…

 While Marty went to work fixing and priming the ceiling and painting the walls (with a gorgeous color I love to specify, Grey Owl by Benjamin Moore), I went to work on the cabinets. An issue that my client’s room had was that a few of her lower cabinets were white laminate – and the rest were dark wood. She wanted to have all the cabinets match (who wouldn’t? I didn’t ask her why some were white and the rest dark – I was only there to help!) The laminated cabinets had a slight shine to them – so we had to approximate that shine on the other cabinets as well as get the right color white! Luckily – the chalk paint (Annie Sloan’s Pure White) she started out with turned out to be a really good match. We had to do 4 coats for total coverage. For protection, I decided to use a wax that only had a slight, satin shine that would be a very close match to her laminate cabinetry’s shine.

Here are some photos of the process…..

My client had a section of one wall framed – apparently she thought about installing a corkboard.  I suggested that we paint on a blackboard with some Graphite Chalk Paint. This was one of the pics I showed her for inspiration…

Via Dear Lillie

She loved the idea…

I left her with a cute saying on her blackboard!

And, of course, I had to stage the laundry room for her. Naturally!

The most difficult (and frustrating at times) part of this job was that there had to be complete coverage (so, no distressing). We had to match as best we could the white laminate cabinets on the lower left side of the room. We applied 4 coats (plus a wet sanding) and if the underneath color came through – apply more paint! Then a clear wax coat…then a buffing. Tedious – but it was exactly what the client wanted.

If I can help you with your laundry room – or any other room you’re not happy with…just let me know. I am only a phone call away – 631 793-1315

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The post Reviving Brown Cabinetry with Paint appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

• Look at the competing homes in your area to see how you “stack up.” Are the homes that are selling in your area updated? Granite countertops and new cabinets? All hardwood flooring? Freshly painted? You want to be in line with your competition (but better!)
• Make sure that you have packed away everything that you need to take with you (that doesn’t need to be “displayed” in your current home/listing online). A clutter-free home looks great and sells fast.

• Check to see how “dated” your accessories are: If your home has doilies, bathroom seat covers and matching toilet rugs, vertical blinds, dusty faux florals, mirrored walls, dark paneled rooms etc. – it may be time for some changes and some updated accessories!

• Do you have wood floors hiding under wall-to-wall carpeting? It’s time to show your beautiful floors. Today’s buyers want hardwood flooring.

• Does your home have bold colors in flooring, walls and accessories: It may have been great for you and your family but think about how today’s buyers might think. Not everyone can “move in” with purple walls, teal carpets and floral wallpaper: Today’s buyer needs a neutral palette that can accommodate any kind/color of furnishings. They want to be able to move right in.

• Use color wisely – don’t overwhelm a buyer with it but employ it to bring attention to important characteristics of your home (fireplace mantels, large windows etc). Buyers will remember a home and its assets that way.

• Use a professional photographer for all of your photos. Great online photos will bring more potential buyers to your home. Over 90% of home searches today start online.
• Look at (really study!) the homes in your neighborhood that sold quickly. Did they sell because of price or because of condition? If you don’t know how to do this – ask your realtor or look at a website like redfin.com. You can check to see how long a listing has been on the market, how many price reductions – and who the realtor is. This information is so invaluable to you. Please – do your homework before you list your home!!

Here’s some of my company’s other photos of homes we have staged. Most of these homes sold before or at the Open House – or in less than a month. Please call us to help you. Preparing and staging your home can make a significant difference in the sale of your home (quicker) and the profit (more than your competition!)

Don’t make the mistake of being penny-wise and pound foolish. Every day that your home is not presented well and staged properly could be costing you thousands upon thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

The post How to Sell Your Home Fast: A List of Do’s and Don’ts appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

So why not at our own dinner tables…on July 4th especially?  Do we really instill the reasons why we celebrate the 4th? We need to – more and more. Our family had its share of political talks but also of the reasons why we wanted our freedom – and why this is so important. But, of course, the celebratory part took over.  I wanted it to be a memorable one for our family so I tried my best – I think it worked. Here are some pics from the party…and a recipe for a Summer Sangria, if you’d like to make something special for your guests this season.

I am still trying to get the hang of icing cupcakes – but this cream cheese icing (usually what I use for carrot cake) tasted delicious with the devil’s food cupcakes. It was entirely by accident that I did this. I ran out of the vanilla icing and I needed a substitute. I had cream cheese in the fridge – so….

My attempt at making trifle…and making a star out of raspberries!

My inspiration from thekitchn.com

My family was greeted at the door with some colorful décor. This part was a lot more fun for me than the baking!

Because we’re a sailing family, I had to include some nautical decoration.

My oldest granddaughter, Meghan, arrived first. I am so proud of her. She graduated from college this year (full scholarship) and she is now going for her Masters in Psychology. I know …she looks like she’s 14! She was just awarded a grant from NASA too. She’s a brilliant young lady.

But she’s still young enough to eat the star shaped watermelon, blueberry and cheese kabobs I made for my 3 year old granddaughter – who wasn’t that interested in them!

I just did a simple red, white and blue for the outdoor table setting. I didn’t want to do that much ‘cause there was the threat of rain – and it did come. But it didn’t rain that hard and, thankfully, it didn’t last that long!

I snapped a few Limoncello Sangria shots before it started sprinkling. My husband and I had visited Italy last October and we ordered several bottles of Limoncello when we were on the Amalfi Coast. We still had a few bottles left so I thought that I could use some for a different kind of Sangria.

Here’s the recipe. You can make your own Limoncello, or buy it online (much easier!)

Limoncello Sangria

Serves 6
3/4 cup limoncello
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup hulled and quartered fresh strawberries
1 750-ml bottle chilled demi-sec rosé champagne
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced, seeds discarded

In a large pitcher, combine the limoncello and the strawberries. Top with the chilled rosé champagne and stir in half of the lemon wheels.

Pour the sangria into ice-filled stemware. Scoop some fruit into each glass and garnish with a lemon wheel.

When the rain subsided, it was time for fun – in the pool. My granddaughter Peyton had so much fun with her dad. She would have stayed in for hours…but by the time the rain was through, it was about 4PM.

She was exhausted – but she had to do some “fireworks” – some safe ones (snaps). Safety first!!

All in all, it was a great day. A big thanks to my husband, Richard, who did the barbequing (great job!!) and my daughters who brought appetizers, libations…and their children (most important!).

And to my family – kids, step children, grandkids, brother Dan and sister-in-law, Marie…I love you all. Thanks for such a great day!

The post July 4th: History, Fun, Family and Some Recipes appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

We staged this unfurnished home for a real estate investor that we had worked with before – and the home sold even before there was a public Open House. Here are some of the before pictures.

The layout was a little problematic – and that’s where I believe that home staging really can make a huge difference in whether a home gets purchased quickly or not. Narrow living rooms, small bedrooms, open floor plans – these kinds of spaces confound a potential buyer. If a buyer cannot figure out where to place their furniture and if they wonder if their furniture will even fit – most likely they will not make an offer.  It’s always best to stage an unfurnished home. It’s also important to rearrange and edit furnishings in a home for sale that has furniture. Most people have too many furnishings, accessories etc. in their rooms  and the spaces look cramped and small. Here are some other pictures from this project.

 

If you would love some help getting your Long Island or Queens home sold, please give me a call at 631 793-1315.

The post Home Staging: Elmont NY Home Sells Even Before the Open House appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

We staged this vacant home in Dix Hills in mid October of this year and it sold before the month was through.

The Story

Act 1: The homeseller was relocating and, at first, put the home on the market with his furnishings (very dated and the furniture arrangement left a lot to be desired). It didn’t sell.

Before: The home seller used a bench that was too big and dwarfed the entryway

What you notice first is the huge bench (and not the space) – and then your eyes would go to the dingy carpet in the living room. (see pics below for the “after” of the entryway).

Here is a before pic of the family room…

Typical furniture lined up against the wall and ignoring the obvious focal point – the fireplace

And here’s our “after” pic – making two seating areas and utilizing the focal point

After: We created 2 separate seating areas in the family room and we placed a curved sectional in front of the fireplace – the focal point of the room

Act 2: He then tried to sell it vacant but all that did was call attention to the dingy carpets (and the need to remove them!) and the need to repaint. Even though the homeseller had the carpets cleaned – it didn’t help at all…they were very soiled and worn.

The vacant room called attention to the dingy carpets and the outdated verticals

The home looked the worse for wear without any furniture in it. The home had a great layout – and an incredible backyard – but all of those virtues were trumped by the dinginess and the home being vacant. Potential buyers could not “see” how they could live beautifully in this home.

Before: Dingy wall to wall carpet in a dining room? Not for today’s buyers

Act 3: We staged it with beautiful furnishings and accessories – and we gave it a new lease on life. We convinced the homeseller that it was in his best interest to remove the dingy carpeting to show the hardwood flooring beneath. That brought more value to the home and gave it a lighter and cleaner appeal. It only took a day – what a difference.

After: Showing hardwood flooring in a dining room will attract buyers

We wanted the homeseller to repaint some of the rooms (the color on the first floor was a very, very pale violet) but that wasn’t in his budget. So – we avoided bringing in any yellow (which would have helped amplify the violet hued walls). When we were finished staging, the walls didn’t scream violet – they appeared more like a pale gray.

Removing the dingy carpet helped to brighten and modernize the living room

A few more pics…

The kitchen, although dated, looked bright, functional and move-in ready

Double sinks are a key feature for buyers

Another view of the kitchen

After Staging: Using a console table that fits the space.

If you have a home (or a listing) on the market that’s vacant, please consider staging it first. According to the National Association of Realtors, it takes twice as long to sell a vacant home. Don’t wait it out (plus a probable price reduction…or 2 or 3!). Stage it before you list it. It will always cost way less than the first price reduction.

Today’s buyers are hypercritical – if they can’t figure out how to place their furnishings because a home is vacant – they will take your home off their list…and make an offer on another.

Staging works!

My thanks to Janet Manno, Associate Broker and Relocation Director of Douglas Elliman for bringing me in to help this home get sold…and to Catherine Lindstadt, Associate Real Estate Broker of Douglas Elliman for doing a great marketing job.

Call me if you would like to learn more about vacant staging, staging consultations…and how to sell your home or listing faster.

Thanks,

Linda

631 793-1315

PS – sneak peek of our latest vacant staging in Bohemia NY! Another Douglas Elliman listing. To see the full listing go here

Our latest vacant home staging in Bohemia NY

The post Sold in 2 weeks: A Successful Staging on Long Island appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

I was so happy to hear from Dan Adams of Real Living Innovations Realty in Wantagh, NY. Dan hired me several times when I was a fairly new home stylist, so I give him credit for helping to jumpstart my business. The first vacant property I staged for him sold in 1 day for list price! This was back when my inventory consisted of a cream love seat, a sofa, 2 faux TVs, some pillows, several end tables, two nightstands, a coffee table, a few console tables and occasional chairs – and some art and accessories. Hardly a small corner of a warehouse – to say the least! But, I put what resources I had to good use and with the money I made from that home staging – I bought more.

Dan acquired a condo listing that had been languishing on the market for years. The previous realtors only listed it as a rental. The owner, who works for the TV show Million Dollar Listing in California, just wanted it sold…like tomorrow. When I went to see the condo, it looked cold and uninviting and, because there were no furnishings, your eye went to every dirt mark on the walls, every spot on the carpeting, every crack…any little thing that was wrong with the home. There really wasn’t anything wrong with the home at all – it was in great shape. But with vacant homes, this is what happens…you see very minor flaw.

Here are some before and after photos of the kitchen, living and dining room areas…

 A little color and personality go a long way to make this condo more inviting!

After…

The condo boasts a separate Master Suite upstairs (which, I believe will be the key selling feature of this house), so I wanted to make this space really welcoming and special. There was a nook in the suite, so I made that into an office space.

I wanted to create a home that would appeal to the most likely buyer in this area. With some Census research, I figured an average age range of 35-44. While $50-75K was the majority income range, Long Beach has very healthy statistics for higher family incomes of up to $200K plus. It could be a family moving in – either a married couple or married with children under 18. But a telling statistic was a very large number for females – with no husband present – with a family and an even larger number was a householder living alone.

Taking that info…plus injecting the Long Beach style, I created my staging plan. Beachy casual – but with a year round look that will work for those who don’t have another home and with relaxed and comfortable rooms for kids and guests.

If you would like to view this condo, contact Dan Adams at 516 729-8288. There’s already an offer on this home (yeah!!), but if you are interested, please call Dan.

Click here for website and more info.

 And, call me at 631 793-1315 if you have a vacant or occupied home that needs some love and an updated look. I do long distance home staging (e-staging) as well…a budget-friendly way to get your home into buyer-ready shape!

The post Vacant Home Staging in Long Beach NY appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

I have a habit of changing the decorations on my great room mantel pretty often…but sometimes I am guilty of being lazy and not changing it soon enough. Up until a few days ago my mantel was stacked with bunnies and nests – so it was surely time for an overhaul!

Pretty boring, huh?  l love a blank canvas and sometimes I can go overboard (an apt expression for this post!) but I have to admit I had a little trouble with this mantel. I had to keep rearranging things – editing, adding, editing again, switching things around. I told myself that I wasn’t going to overload the mantel this year – but when I held myself back…it just didn’t look right.

I always start with a focal point, like the artwork, and build out from there. Scale-wise, this lovely sea turtle art could have been a bit bigger, which probably was one of my problems to start with!  But, it reflected the feel and theme of what I was going for – a relaxed coastal vibe – so I went for it! My husband loves anything connected to the beach and the sea – so this turtle was going to have to pull his weight!

I like to have the eye travel kind of up and down, from left to right, so I place varying sizes of objects on either side. My husband loves these shorebird decoys that I found while buying a rattan sofa set on Craigslist a few years ago, so they fit the summer mantel bill (OK, I’ll stop the beachy puns soon enough!)  And I just fell in love with these rope candles I found at HomeGoods and I thought they would add some nice texture to the mantel. But right now – everything looks a bit boring!!! Height and interest are needed!

No…not there yet! But the sea fans and coral look good. The rope candles are too heavy – need to remove a few and re-arrange

I usually need to add height, so I do that with books that act as lifts to create different height levels. A mantel decoration can look so stagnant if everything is the same height! I tried adding the lantern to add some height and interest – but it just looked out of place. So finally…things came together!

So, as I was snapping these proof pics with my iphone (the previous shots in the post) and showing them to my husband, he suggested something floral could be added on the left. What? That’s usually what I would say…not him. I was trying to avoid adding anything floral and I only had what was growing in the yard – but I gave it a try. It worked! I added some more coral, sand dollars and some reindeer moss that I had forever in a glass jar full of sea shells and seaglass – all things we found on our honeymoon. It brought me right back to that beautiful week we spent in Amagansett, Long Island.

Incorporating some personal items, things you know your family loves – and creating a theme for your mantel always helps to give your room a new life…and new spirit, while it helps lift the mood of anyone who enters. After the long (way too long!) winter we had here on Long Island – I really needed to have my mood lightened as well. I am so ready for summer! Below you’ll see a few pics of what my mantel looked like last summer.

A little darker…a little different. Click here to read the story behind last year’s mantel.

Which one do you like better?  Comment below and let me know how you are decorating your home for summer!

The post Birds, Reindeer Moss, Sea Turtle Art, Coral…Sea Fans: A Summery Coastal Mantel appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

I had to give this a try…been reading about it so much on different blogs. I watched Annie Sloan’s YouTube video on the subject, read some other tutorials as well (11 Magnolia Lane  ) and I just decided that I would just jump in and see what happens to a loveseat that I had purchased a few years ago that had seen better days.

Of course, I started with something “big” instead of a small seat cover – that’s my nature…just go for broke. The worst thing that could happen would be that it looked terrible and I’d have to scrap it or bite the bullet and get it reupholstered.

Here’s what it looked like when I bought it. I got from a lovely husband and wife who were moving the next day to Chicago and so I was in a position to get it at a pretty good price. I’m not the best bargainer but I got this loveseat, 2 wing chairs and a coffee table – for $150. Not too bad.

I originally bought this furniture for home staging purposes and I did use the loveseat the following month in a house that I staged, so it came in handy. But I hated the look of the dark wood and the shiny (cheap) damask patterned fabric. I knew that this loveseat could look great if you lightened up the dark wood and added beautiful linen upholstery.  That would cost $$ – maybe $800 or more with fabric…and that was just not in my budget at the time. So, the piece sat in my storage unit after the house was sold.

Painting the dark wood frame with Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Pain

A few months later, I thought I would just start working on this poor little loveseat, so I brought it back home. I started with just painting the dark wood with Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint and distressing it a bit first to see if that could improve it – and it did.

Wet sanding back to expose some of the dark wood

I kept it in my house for a year or so like that and it came in handy when we had holiday dinners etc as extra seating in the dining room. Two of my kids would sit on it at the end of the table – and my husband and I had two seats at the other end…and then I could fit 10 side chairs around the table – easy seating for 14.

However, the thing I hated the most about the piece was the upholstery. It was cheap, shiny and had some soiled spots on it as well (ones that were stubborn and wouldn’t come out with any cleaner). So, two weeks ago I started experimenting with painting the upholstery. Here’s what I did…

• First, I vacuumed the piece and I tried once again to get any soiled bits clean.
• Next I mixed up some Annie Sloan Old White with some Cream Chalk Paint, just to give it a bit more of a warm linen tone. I don’t remember my exact measurements, but about 80% Old White and 20% Cream

The steps in painting fabric

• I took a spray bottle and wet the surface area of what I was painting first. I did try (on the underside of one of the cushions) a full strength mix at first but I felt that that left too much of a thick chalky finish so I switched to adding about 40% water to my Chalk Paint mix.
• You want to scrub the Chalk Paint into the fabric – let it get absorbed. Multiple light coats are better than heavier coats.

Comparison of one coat of chalk paint vs. bare fabric

• After it was dry, I took a medium sanding block and sanded the fabric a bit. It helped to get it smoother. Before putting the second coat on, I sprayed the surface with water again. It goes on smoother this way. You may need to spray while painting as well – I did. It helped to spread the mix on the fabric better and helped even out the coat. I sometimes had to sand again, if there was any pilling of the fabric. You may or may not come across this but I was working with a slightly textured inexpensive fabric that tended to pill even without the Chalk Paint on it.

In the tufted sections, I used a smaller brush to get into the folds in the fabric

• I had to go over some areas that had a blue coloration on them – they didn’t seem to want to go away so easily! But – all in all they were not that noticeable.
• I let the painted fabric cure overnight and then I waxed it with Annie Sloan Clear Wax. I buffed it a bit after about a half hour after application. I noticed that the fabric became so much softer – not stiff at all (which it was before waxing). The wax helps to bring it back. Some people who have done this method say their fabric looks like soft leather. Mine didn’t really take that soft leather look. It just looks so much better…cleaner and newer than it did before.

Don’t be afraid of trying this. It’s time consuming (at least on a sofa or love seat!) but on a small chair or seat cover – it won’t take you very long at all to do. So, if you have something that’s been sitting in your garage or your house and you hate the upholstery – try it. With a small chair you could even do it with one of the sample sizes that cost so little.

My advice – try it! You have nothing to lose…except a little time, a little money and some elbow grease.

The post Painting Upholstery: A Tutorial on How to Use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on Fabric appeared first on The Colorful Bee.

Here is another guest article from my friend, Jo Lee of Swedish Interior Design, in our “View From Europe” series. Handmade furniture from craftsmen who are applying timeless, painstaking techniques to make beautiful, lovingly crafted pieces, are being edged out it seems in this economy of fast, soulless, cheaper MDF-type case goods. Here Joe looks at the benefits to be gained by ordering a custom made piece of furniture.

The world of interior design is increasingly cluttered by poorly made reproduction furniture in a wide range of styles coming from China and the Far East. This is all to satisfy our unshakeable desire for something new, different or exciting in this world of transient tastes and ever changing fashions. We forget, as we spend to maintain our ‘habit’, about the attendant environmental costs of mass manufacture, carbon intensive shipping and cheap Third World labour. These become ever more important as resources become scarce and the quality of human life lessens – just remember the recent factory collapses and death tolls in India as a direct result of our need for new things.

It’s also sad too because as we hunt online for bargain after bargain, we forget about our local craftsmen. Those with time honoured skills who find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. As all of you know, there’s something very wonderful about a piece of furniture lovingly crafted from a beautiful piece of well dried timber – honed, carved and polished to perfection. Its filled with life and spirit in a way that mass produced pieces never can. Like this…

A Handmade Bespoke Armoire

 It takes years to perfect the kind of talent that creates graceful curves and sweeping arches by hand – something a machine can replicate but never quite match. Only a human hand can create that extra mojo that you find in something made with love and attention to detail that works with the vagaries of wood to create beauty – that’s why antique pieces continue to command a strong following – from people who appreciate artistry and the feel of real wood.

Handmade Bespoke Bed

Of course, economics requires the presence of the reproduction market serving customers in different price ranges. But I am continually surprised that even at the extortionate prices at the high end of the market, companies still make gaudy copies of antique furniture from veneered MDF and plywood with the lame excuse that “Chippendale would have used MDF if it had existed in his day.” Hmpf!

 I don’t think so. Yes, inert wood gives stability in our age of central heating but it’s the natural movement and vibe of real wood that we love and this creates something special that we want to hand down over generations. Here’s some real wood that we made for a client!

Handmade Swedish Dressing Table

Reproduction furniture is fine…from a distance, although at the cheaper end of the market it just doesn’t look or feel right. Look closely at the finish, the way drawers are jointed – is there hand dovetailing? Do the shelves use handcarved dog tooth racking? How are the carvings made and applied? How does it hold together as a piece overall – does it have the essential ‘unity of being’ that all great furniture has?

A great piece of furniture is so much more than the sum of its parts – it’s the way it is put together and the feeling and love that is put into it – something that cannot be hurried – and there are no short cuts for handshaping and burnishing.

 Again this jars with today’s “I want it now” mentality where no one is prepared to wait for anything and they expect to just pluck it off a shelf. That’s fine – but what you gain in instant choice, you lose in the quality of the final product.

Looking at the interior design market as a whole, there is so much ‘instant redesign’ based on looks popularised on TV. It’s become like the fashion market – disposable styles changing so fast to drive the great god of consumerism and satisfying the empty soul of mammon that today’s consumer seems to exhibit. Nothing built to last or built with care.

Didn’t the Supremes sing “You can’t hurry love”?  It’s the same with real furniture and unless we support the younger craftsmen, restorers, French polishers and the like who are all too few, we will end up in a world where ‘business’ not ‘craft’ is all important. That would be so sad.

Joe Lee is the Director of Swedish Interior Design

 Swedish Interior Design designs and hand makes one off bespoke furniture, beds and dining tables for clients all over the world to their specifications and dimensions.

The post The Beauty of Real Craftmanship in Handmade Furniture appeared first on The Colorful Bee.