Often in a vacant home, there's a room or two that doesn't immediately indicate what it's purpose is -- that's where creative staging comes into play! If buyers can't see how to use the room, they'll get confused and just move on to the next house....so we want to capture their imagination and let them see the possibilities.
This week we staged a 1912 vintage vacant home that had several challenges. One of them was this upstairs room that had been converted from an attic. The sellers had used it as a family room, which was great for them as it has wonderful light and a large area for family fun, but this house also lacked a well-defined master bedroom downstairs. Our solution?
We showed potential buyers that this room would work as a master bedroom if that's what they needed ... just doing some light staging. In case they had another use in mind, we didn't add our usual dresser, chair, etc. One of the benefits of staging is that it shows buyers how the space might be used ~ and vacant rooms just lack warmth and an inviting look.
Maureen Bray and Room Solutions Staging in Portland Oregon offers professional staging services to homeowners, realtors, and investors. Give us a call so that we can help you sell your home faster and for maximum profit.
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My first thought would have been a bedroom - nice work - it looks great!
Dawn ~ Thanks for your input -- we thought it could be used as a bedroom too -- there is an adjoining bathroom as well. The sellers were probably a bit hesitant when I proposed the idea, but they quickly agreed it was the best use of the space once they saw the results.
I love rooms with a challenge... FROGs are similar to this and have so much potential. I love what you did with this room.. The layered bedding adds a touch of Class... Keep the great B & A's coming...
Kathy Holbrook
CT Realty Staging
Kathleen H. ~ Thank you! What are FROGS, would you please expand on that? :-)
Nice Maureen! I liked the purple and olive touches!! I recently had a strange room that I thought was a 'lovely study' with windows....and it turned out that the previous owner used it as her Clothes Closet!! I need to get on the ball and start uploading my photos.....ugh. Thanks!! Regards-Kathleen
PS-- What is a FROG?
hi Kathleen G. ~ Thanks for your comment....I'm amazed that you could distinguish the purple and olive colors in the bedding set! Yes, please upload some of your photos for Before & Afters to share with us!
I'm waiting for Kathleen H. to let us know about the FROGS too!! Maybe it's stagers' secret code I haven't learned yet? :-)
I agree with you. I did an open house on a vacant place, and one room was questioned many times about what its purpose was. If it was staged, it would have given buyers an idea of what it could possibly be used for.
Amy ~ Thanks for your feedback. It's true that sometimes we really need to show buyers how to use the space. Staging always makes it look better regardless of the room's function, doesn't it?
WOW - Maureen, what a transformation. Great use of space and color. This is definitely one to be proud of! - Calie
Calie ~ How nice of you to say. I just don't understand why some homes are still being shown vacant....I guess we have a lot more educating to do with sellers and agents, don't we?
I am curious about the FROG also! The room looks elegant, Maureen.
Thanks for pointing out the importance of giving each room CONTEXT! Keeping this in mind you can change a forgetable walkthrough into a sold sign.
Kathy R. - Thanks for stopping....we all seem to want to know about the FROG!
Robert ~ For some reason it's hard for buyers to imagine how to use each room, but staging it does open up their eyes to the possibilities. Thanks for your comment!
Hi Maureen, I really like what you did in the space. It looks great. Good work. Still not sure what a FROG is? If you find out let me know. Karen
Hi Karen -- how are you doing? Nice to hear from you, thanks for commenting. I'll let you know about the FROG mystery as soon as I find out what it is!
Ha! "candlenut" is my graphic word. I'm a candlenut when it comes to staging!
Good Job Maureen! I really appreciate how creative people can be with staging. I cannot visualize--that's why we need you people.
Leslie ~ Thank you very much for your comment.....and be sure to call an A/R stager in your area to help you with any of your vacant listings. I'm sure they love to use their creativity to create a warm and inviting look to a home, as much as I do.
Maureen, you just added about 20k of value to that home. The sellers should be happy.
Susan ~ Thanks so much for your feedback. Let's hope the sellers get an offer now after several months on the market with no activity....fingers crossed.
Let me move right in.
It looks phenomenal and the walls actually look taller. I have a room just like this that I am staging on Monday. Hope it comes out as good.
Phyllis pafumi
I have a frog in my pond out back. We have named him Greensly. He says "Rrribbbittt" and everything, but I see no connection between Greensly and this room you have staged. So I am pretty sure that what ever FROG Kathleen is referring to isn't the same as our frog Greensly.
Another great stage job, BTW!
Akanke ~ You're welcome to move in! :-) Thanks for stopping by.
Phyllis ~ Isn't that something that when you stage an empty room, it almost always looks bigger? Interesting phenomenon....good luck with your similar staging project on Monday....I'm sure it will look beautiful. Post some photos OK?
Karen ~ Ha Ha - I hope Greensly doesn't keep you awake at night! I'm still curious about the FROG that Kathleen referred to! Always nice to hear from you.
Cute, cute, cute! I've noticed those green florals in a couple of your pics. Are they from Sam's club? Have you noticed the tall very real looking ones they've carried lately? Love Sam's for some of their stuff!
Did you ever figure out the FROG mystery???
hi Beth ~ Those green ferns in a metal stand are from Pier 1 --- got them on clearance! :-) Oh, and I never did hear back about the FROGS comment from Kathleen -- but I just thought about it and wonder if it might mean Family Room Over Garage?? Does that make sense?
Ahhhh, Maureen...that sounds very belivable! Do you win a prize!??!
Ribbit!
Wow! What a transformation! This area makes an excellent guest room or even a great master suite!
Susan ~ I'm not sure about the prize or if I figured out correctly what "FROG" means or not .... I'll have to check with Kathleen Holbrook! :-)
Kristina ~ The room had previously been used as an upstairs TV room, but I wanted to show more options for it as a possible Guest or Master bedroom, especially since the downstairs didn't have a clearly-defined master. Thanks for stopping!
Anthea ~ Thanks for your kind words. You're right, the angles in the room did make it fun. However, I recall bonking my head on the ceiling when I plugged in one of the bedside lamps!! (Oh well, that happens a lot and so far no permanent damage that I know of!!)
Room looks great. My first thought was a play room, but of course I didn't know anything about the house! Nice job!
Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging
Hello Maureen,
I am so sorry... I always try to explain when I use a term that most people won't know...FROG = Finished Room Over Garage.... I think that describes the space perfectly. I learned that term from a Broker in North Carolina. Barbara Johnson www.NCBeach4sale.com .
She used it several times to describe homes I have been looking at for my Next Big Move.. To a warmer Climate. Yes I know I live in New England and I hate cold weather... Silly Me..
I want to wish everyone here a Wonderful Holiday... There is nothing better than sharing holidays with my AR friends...
Kathy
CT Realty Staging
Kim ~ It could easily be a play room, too! The low ceiling makes that a perfect option. Thanks for your comment.
Kathy H. ~ THANK YOU for solving the mystery about FROGs!! Makes perfect sense to me. This room is over the living room rather than the garage, but anyway I like having an easy-to-remember word like that to describe that type of room. Thanks for coming back to let us know ... and Happy Holidays to you as well!