Stager found design inspiration during Capital Design Days!

My fellow stagers - I hope you are mad busy this time of year. In the midst of the busy-ness, don't forget to take the time to get inspired for each project that you complete. sometimes using the same decorative accesories and props can make your work dull and lack-luster. I suggest you add yourself added to your local design center's emailing list and get ready to get inspired!

I have been on the list of the DC Design Center for a while now and to stay connected to events in the design world in DC. Any talks about photography or styling will find me front and center. So I was excited to see Eddie Ross, a MASTER photo stylist and interior designer, during the Design Center's Capital Design Days last week. He styles for national and regional design magazines and publications so learning how he works was fascinating. to say the least.

Don't we all want to style bookcases like Eddie? One of the main things he said was to style things that make sense for the space- don't put in items just to fill the space, if it doesn't make sense. Do perfume bottles near the bathtub REALLY make sense? Maybe not but towels and nicely wrapped soap do - so think about that the next time you are looking to highlight a gorgeous tub.

He also advised for your items to go together in a space so the items on the top shelf make sense with those on the bottom shelf. Fill in the spaces and give it some life! You don't have to do all of the books vertical with their spines out - make some horizontal too! Of course, stagers already knew that - right?! :-)

Would totally advise you to check out his website and catch him an at upcoming event or talk if you can. You can see more pics of the event on my Unexpected House Guest blog and even a picture of myself with Eddie, his business partner Jaithan and a designer friend Sheryl.

There are TONS of ways to get inspired with staging but after seeing this presentation, I totally want to revamp all of my staging props! Now I know that won't happen overnight! And going to events where you meet interior designers is good too. Many times, designers may be asked to stage properties and if aren't able to turn around a finished product in a short time frame, (that we do all the time) they can easily refer to the stager they met at that design event - YOU!!

Happy Staging ... and Styling!