The more I do this, staging that is, the more I think we need, I need, some items recreated specifically for us stagers. Items that really wouldn't be useful to anyone else quite this way. More than the plastic onion, tomato and artichoke for a kitchen "set-up" I've started to re-think what I want out of pillows.
Most of us use brightly colored accent pillows to
- add color
- draw the eye one way or the other
- add texture
- demonstrate lushness
- cover up the rubbishy sofa we rented that arrived with dirty spots that will look worse if you try and clean them!
I no longer think they need to be REAL pillows. I've started using what might be called a prop pillow - it's sewn up 3 sides, with an open bottom. It has lush fabric, usually tone on tone, or migrating tones so that no matter what the light, the pillow matches something in the room and closes with velcro. For 3 reasons
- so that it stands up straight - the velcro creates a little ledge for the thing to sit on.
- so that I can make my inserts work all the time, and just swap out fabrics.
- I'm only storing the covers, not the bulky bags of pillows pairs.
I started with napkins, but now buy yummy fabric remnants for $1 a yard... and I'm off. Now, I don't sew particularly well, but even I can haphazardly make it up 3 straight lines!
Whadya think? Want photos?
Here's the first episode of the napkins... will go over to the house tomorrow for a closeup.
You can see what I mean on the orange one and the green. I didn't attach velcro to these ones, but do now. And you can see the results - they don't stand up properly.
Juliet Johnson Staging offers home staging for sale services and furniture rental services throughout New Jersey, with special emphasis in Essex, Morris and Union Counties. More informatio can be found at www.julietjohnsonstaging.com.
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Yes Photos would be nice...My brain can't picture what you mean? lol
I am as I write, sitting in an open house in a vacant home. I brought a card table and chair, with a nice table cloth.This is not my listing and the owners live elsewhere and are not willing to rent furniture. I brought towels from my home for the bathroom, and two nice place settings to put on the island in the kitchen. As I plan to sit this listing as much as I can, I plan to bring more "things". But i do not have an extra couch, or bedroom set! Nor do I personally want the expense of renting.
Have you ever heard of a furniture store that would allow you to "use" their furniture in return for free advertsing? Just a thought, they might think I'm nuts! Maybe a consign and design.
Also, I was thinking of huge Refrigerator or chair boxes to drape material over.
I know first hand that a staged home does well. I had a listing that had been on the market for 265 days!(By another realtor) When it expired...they listed with me. ort was empty..sort of...old tvs...storage stuff! Yuk! So I suggested that we stage it. The selller had extra furniture, so we cleaned it staged it and it sold in 45 days!!
This is my colleagues listing and it too has been on the market a very very long time.
What do you think of the above ideas, and do you have any of your own? Thanks
Hey Juliet,
I'm an Accredited Staging Professional from Stages Homes.com with Barb Schwartz. I love helping my Sellers stage their homes so they sell better. I'm starting to run into more vacant properties. I wish there were blow up chairs for familiy rooms or something. I know alot of people use the blow up beds, and they are great. But is there such a thing to buy blow up couches and chairs, etc. I can carry a table and lamp to a home, but don't want to lug big furniture in and out?!
Jeannette Kohlhaas Keller Williams Realty JAX 904-735-8666
Big lots has an inflatable loveset in their weekly add for $50. Check it out online!
Julia - there are places that will "lend" you items in exchange for a mention. Certain furniture stores will do that. The problem is that it doesn't work. It makes the house look like a furniture warehouse, not a home. Nothing warm about price tags and advertising all over the place. Now, if you could get them to do it for a quiet mention, you might have something.
I have a furniture re-finisher who has run out of warehouse space. He is desperate for me to let him "park" his finished items in a large vacant home. I'd like to help him, but cannot be sure it's in the homeowner's best interest. We tried it in a house that was on a busy corner with a very "enthusiastic price tag" and we achieved very little for the seller. We then organized a sale of art and furniture and did quite nicely for him; still no interest in the house. I have to ask myself, which business am I in, and who is my client?
That being said, let me recommend you have a chat with Terry Haugen, who is trying out the cardboard furniture. Here's her report - http://activerain.com/blogsview/196217/Fake-Furniture-com-The
Dawn - have you tried that thing? I saw it in Walmart yesterday and wondered what one would have to do to give it some elan... Here's what she's talking about, folks
I haven't tried it. Has anyone else? If it looked good with a throw or sofa cover it might be worth it. THe inflatable beds look good, so maybe...
Juliet - Great idea! I buy a lot of my pillows at IKEA because you can keep changing them up with different covers. Your idea is definitely cheaper. Thanks for sharing.
Good idea about the pillows. Not all of mine work in all houses. So I am going to try this one. I had a pile to give away but now I will recycle them with new fabric! I bet some of the clearance drapes that I see at Bed Bath and Beyone could be purchased and cut up for nice pillow covers.
Hm, Susan, good idea about using clearance drapes. You might get a nice runner out of it, too. I think I might recommend the more vibrant colors, interesting textures though, no?
Janice - yeah, I've started with Ikea pillows of late. It's taken them a while to get nice enough stuff. I now have some really nice silk stripes in maroon, orange and red - fits my tone on tone rule. But you can NOT beat their price on the inserts!!! They're smaller than they say, though. So a 20 x 20 insert works best in a 16 - 18" pillow.
Love it, love it, love it -- you are a genious! I buy fabric all the time, but never thought of this idea! So cool; and so are you. Got more ideas!; cause I just love this one!
pistachio (my graphic) love them too!
I really need to start making my own pillows and covers for those wooden tables and I can sew a straight line but with everything else I have to do I just haven't been able to sit down and make myself do it. Kudo's for you for doing it!
Now who but you would think of fake pillows? How about if we take this one step further and use the blow up inflatable ones that they have for water use or camping?
Flat for storage - up for pillows!!!
This just came to me - haven't tried it - don't blame me, it is late.
I wonder if the blow up pillows would work...We have begun changing the covers rather than to buy more pillows-I already have bins and bins of them. Great topic and good idea