San Rafael, CA

You've remodeled, renovated and refurbished. You've streamlined and polished to glow. You've staged to perfection, the photos are grand -- the home is now ready to show.

But...ummm...how are your guests are going to get in?

Yesterday I attended an Open House in Marin County, and spoke with the Realtor as he was closing up the property. He wrangled with the key and struggled with the lock, his face reddening as he worked with the ill-tempered deadbolt. I can only assume that it was just as difficult when he originally unlocked the door when he entered.

I smiled with recongnition. While staging homes through the years I've also struggled with ragged door keys or stubborn locks (often in the dark, with no porch light on). Last year when placing our own family home on the market, I had to return to the store four times until the new key copies properly unlocked the front door. What seems like a simple concept can really derail interested buyers' access. It's just too easy for them to turn around and visit the next property.

Please don't leave Realtors and potential homebuyers pressing their noses against the windows of your lovely home. You've worked so hard for this moment to arrive!

Thank you for stopping by!

Leslie Olson - ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors Marin County, CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Providing Home Staging, Redesign and Residential Design Services for Marin County and surrounding areas north of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

As promised in my recent blog Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1, I'm including additional before and after photos of this Upper Lucas Valley home in San Rafael, California designed by prominent architect Joseph Eichler.

The original post featured before and after pictures of rooms surrunding the central open-air Atrium of the mid-century modern Eichler home. This post shows before and after photos of the four bedrooms in the house, as staged by Leslie Olson Interiors of Marin County.

Before staging, the vacant Master Bedroom hinted at possibilities, with outdoor space beckoning. But unfurnished, prospective homebuyers would quickly sum up the empty room and move on.

Muted plum and coral tones of the bedding compliment the stone wall and pristine hills beyond, viewed from the floor-to-ceiling windows. By drawing the eye outside, the space is visually enlarged.

Additional accessories inside and out compliment the Master Bedroom. leading to the Patio, and Office.

Before, the Master Bath seemed unexceptional.

After staging, the Master Bath harmonizes with the Master Bedroom. Natural light from the skylight illuminates the space.

Additional bedrooms staged in this four bedroom home now compliment the architecture, and emphasize the indoor-outdoor spaces. Before staging, Bedroom #2 had an open view to the open-air Atrium, but while vacant had no warmth or personality of its own.

Staging transformed the room into a serene Guest Bedroom, enhanced by the Atrium view.

Vacant Bedroom #3 showed potential with natural light, but wasn't inviting to future homebuyers.

The newly-staged "Girl's Room," as the original homeowner referred to it, now shows its own personality.

Finally, Vacant Bedroom #4 looked tired, indeed.

Spunky modern bedding, lighting and accessories enliven this now contemporary bedroom.

For further information on Eichler-designed homes, check out http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENHist.html. The black and white photograph at the bottom of the page is an example of the popular Atrium model, which is the design of the property listed here.

This MLS listing number for this active property is 20838561. Agents listing this home are John Ewing (415-246-2220) and Julie Mendonca (415-328-0147) with Bradley Real Estate.

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Before and After Photos - Part 1

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin County Staging

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Thank you very much for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors, Marin County CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

Recently I had the opportunity to stage a vacant home in the Upper Lucas Valley area of San Rafael, California, north of San Francisco. The house was designed by prominent mid-century architect Joseph Eichler.

The original homeowners contacted Leslie Olson Interiors to professionally stage the home in preparation for its sale. We were delighted that not only is this neighborhood featured prominently throughout the book Eichler/Modernism Rebuilds the American Dream by Paul Adamson, but in showing the book to the homeowner who grew up in the house, we found that he recognized photographs of his young brother playing in the neighborhood!

Shown below are Before and After pictures of several of the rooms in the home. Each of these rooms overlooks an open-air Atrium in the center of the design. Before and after pictures of the home's four bedrooms can be viewed in the blog, Staging an Eichler-Designed Home - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2.

The Atrium before staging -- not exactly showing the best features of the space:

After Staging by Leslie Olson Interiors: Lively colors and outdoor furnishings appropriate to the tone of the architecture lend a playful note to the open-air space.

The Atrium after staging -- an important area, as it is viewed from most of the rooms in the house.

Before staging, the Family Room/Kitchen area seemed sparse and cold.

After lightly staging the Family Room with furniture and original art (paintings by Dawn Winter), this cozy room basks in natural sunlight.

Across the Atrium, this vacant room lacked a clear purpose for future homebuyers.

Now transformed into a light-filled Office, showing that Professional Staging can highlight the architecture of a home to its best advantage.

For further information on Eichler-designed homes, check out http://www.eichlernetwork.com/ENHist.html. The black and white photograph at the bottom of the page is an example of the popular Atrium model, which is the design of the property listed here.

This MLS listing number for this active property is 20838561. Agents listing this home are John Ewing (415-246-2220) and Julie Mendonca (415-328-0147) with Bradley Real Estate.

Original paintings by Dawn Winter

For more of Leslie's blogs regarding Modern and Mid-Century Modern Staging, check out:

Staging an Eichler-Designed Home in Marin - Bedroom Before and After Photos - Part 2

Modern Architecture Staging Photos - Marin County Staging

Mill Valley Film Festival - Smith Rafael Film Center - Before and After Photos

Marin Home Staging - What a Difference a Door Makes...

Thank you very much for your interest!

Leslie Olson, ASID, RESA

Leslie Olson Interiors, Marin County CA www.leslieolsoninteriors.com leslie@leslieolsoninteriors.com 415.233.2633

As of January 13, 2009 an encouraging 24% of available listings in San Rafael are in escrow.

For the month of December 2008 31 homes sold in San Rafael for an average final selling price of $534,850.

The average original asking price of these homes was $614,884.

The range of final selling prices was from a low of $140,000 to a high of $985,000.

Of the 31 homes that sold 3 sold at their original asking price and another 3 sold for more than their original asking price.

16 of the 31 homes were distress sales.

To see everything that is currently available for sale, click here.

To learn more about this area visit my website or contact me directly.

I just represented the buyers for this classic Eichler in San Rafael, California.  Located at 617 Las Colindas Road, this contemporary Eichler home was sold for $770k.

Located in the family-friendly Terra Linda neighborhood, this single-family home was built in 1955 but included a variety of tasteful, designer updates to the kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor living space.    Property features of this classic post-and-beam Eichler home included:

• 4 Bedrooms and 2 Bathrooms,
• Open floorplan with floor-to-ceiilng glass throughout,
• Updated flooring (cork) compatible with in-floor radiant heat,
• Modernist kitchen,
• Spa-like bathrooms,
• Easy access to shopping, public transportation, and top-rated San Rafael schools

The sale price was $770k.    You can preview additional property photos at 617 Las Colindas, San Rafael, CA.

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Renee Adelmann specializes in assisting buyers and sellers with the purchase and sale of real estate in San Rafael California.  Contact Renee at (415) 342-4537 to buy or sell a home, loft, or condo in San Rafael.