Kim Dillon

I had visitors last week, and so, I took them to the area sites that I usually don't take the time to enjoy myself. Why do we wait to enjoy the things we already have?

One of the things we did was to visit the Brandywine Museum in Chadds Ford, PA. This museum houses three generations of Wyeth art, as well as other artists that are part of, or close to, the Wyeth family. If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, I urge you to visit this museum--not only because it has great art, but also because it is small enough that you can truly enjoy the entire visit. As an added bonus, it is situated on the Brandywine River and the views from the museum and its grounds are spectacular. But on with my point. . . .

Looking at the art, the docent pointed out how the artists used object placement, light and color to pull you into the paintings.

Part of this particular tour was a side trip to the Kuerner Farm. This was the neighboring farm to Andrew Wyeth growing up and where he painted many of his works. As the tour guide pointed out various scenes from the windows and then showed the art they inspired, she stated that what Wyeth seemed to do was, "clarify, simplify, and accentuate. . . sometimes to the point of starkness".

Is some of this starting to sound familiar?

• How many times do home stagers hear, "why did I wait until I was putting my house on the market to fix it up and enjoy it?" If you are even thinking about new flooring, carpet, solid surface counters or upgraded lighting fixtures, DO IT NOW!! Enjoy it yourself. Then you won't feel so bad about the money you have to invest to make your home market competitive. Painting may not apply here if you love bright colors, but painting is relatively inexpensive.
• OK, I've heard it, but at the museum it hit home! Don't home stagers use placement, color and light as an artist would? Staging is an art! We know how crucial furniture placement is for directing traffic flow. Similarly, we use color and objects to direct the buyer's eye to the features we want noticed. Stagers are sure to make use of natural light and try for triangles of light with artificial lighting.
• Clarify, simplify, accentuate. . . that is the goal of every home staqer! We remove clutter to place the focus on the features of the home. We simplify wall collages, fabric patterns and contents so that the buyer is not overwhelmed. We accentuate architectural design elements or other selling features of the house. And yes, sometimes it appears a bit stark to the owner who is used to seeing it the "way it was."

The rooms are our canvases; the showings are our museums! Staging Is An Art . . . .

Kim Dillon, founder of Creative Eye Home Staging, serves parts of Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania including Chester County.

Don't miss the 70th annual Chester County Day House Tour on October 2, 2010. This tour is always the first Saturday in October. It is the oldest house tour in the nation and features some of Chester County's most beautiful homes, gardens and landmarks.

This year the house tour features homes in the northeastern section of Chester County from West Chester to Chester Springs, PA. Three of the homes for this year's tour were on the very first tour in 1940! Some of the properties featured this year include Town's End Farm (one of the original 3), Heartwood Farm (with a koi pond in the wine-cellar), Woodrow Home with its Mediterranean flare, Alderbrook Farm boasting scenic views from every window, and St Matthews Place, with a barn housing 16 carriages and sleighs. There are a total of 28 properties on this year's tour.

You can purchase tickets for $35.00 in advance or $40.00 the day of the tour (provided they aren't sold out!). Purchase locations are the Chester County Hospital, 701 East Marshall St., West Chester, PA in the main lobby, WAGS Gift Shop at Fern Hill Medical Campus, 915 Old Fern Hill Rd., West Chester, PA in the lobby, and at The Chester County Historical Society, 225 North High Street, West Chester, PA. Proceeds benefit the Chester County Hospital and Health System.

Enjoy one more thing that beautiful Chester County has to offer!

This recount of the Chester County Day Home Tour is offered by Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging. Creative Eye offers home staging and redesign services to clients in parts of Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

Home Stagers don't just prepare homes for sale!

Home Staging Professionals offer a variety of services to anyone occupying a home. These services usually fall under the category of "Redesign, or Staging to Live". Color Consults are just one of these services.

A color consult can help if you are painting an entire home (inside or out) or even just doing an accent wall. This is how you should prepare and what you can expect when you schedule a color consult:

1. Call to schedule the appointment. Realize that for best results this consult needs to be done during daylight hours when there is a lot of natural light available. Evenings and rainy days should be avoided.

2. Allow at least an hour to speak with the consultant and make choices. For several rooms, more time will be needed. Ask in advance what the charge will be. Some consultants charge a flat fee while others will work by the hour or by number of rooms.

3. Do your homework! The better prepared you are, the more effective your consultation will be. Your consultant will take many factors into consideration when helping you make your selection. Be able to provide the information. Things that need to be considered are:

• Your Personal Style and Taste

Collect pictures of rooms you like. Don't worry about what they depict. The only criteria: YOU LIKE THEM! When you have collected several images, a pattern will emerge. This common thread may be through color, lighting, style or another element, but almost always there is something consistent about your preferences. Don't be surprised if you find that what you have selected isn't what you thought you were looking for! This can be evaluated before you even look at color chips.

• Room exposure/natural lighting

Know the exposure of the rooms you will be painting. Do you have windows/glass doors on the north, south, east, west or a combination?

• Design elements already in the room

Know what will stay in the room. Are you working around an upholstered piece, carpet or a window treatment?

• The flow of the rooms

Where should the paint color start and stop? To avoid a patchwork effect in open areas, there should be a flow. This can be accomplished with consistent trim, various shades of the same color, or by matching intensity.

4. Once you have narrowed your selections, ask for larger paint chips. The consultant should be able to leave you with small paint chips and have larger ones (up to 8.5 x 11") delivered inside of a week.

5. Don't be in a hurry! Live with these larger samples tacked to a wall for a while so you can see the color at various times of the day before making your final selections.

6. If you still can't decide, you may be able to purchase conceptual image(s) of the areas in the colors you are considering. Pricing for these services vary so be sure to get a quote. Some paint sources offer online programs where you can upload your rooms and view the choices on your computer screen.

7. Enjoy the results! Painting is one of the least expensive and most dramatic changes you can make to your living space.

Kim Dillon, founder of Creative Eye Home Staging, offers services to Cecil County Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania. This article is part of her series titled STAGING SERVICES. Call 610.563.0899 to see how your home can benefit from these services.

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania is best known for its annual Mushroom Festival, but its residents and other visitors think it offers much more!

Homes located in the Borough of Kennett Square are much sought after because they offer the ability to walk to the shopping and dining in the downtown area. Tulula's Table is actually the toughest reservation to get in the country--there is over a year wait for this night time reservation that can seat up to 12.

Anson Nixon Park is a well-hidden treasure with beautiful bridges, walking paths, tennis courts and even a frisbee golf course. And if nature is your thing, the beautiful Longwood Gardens are in close proximity.

To vote for Kennett as the "Coolest Small Town in America", visit this link: http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/CST2010.html

You can vote everyday until May. See you at the Mushroom Festival!

over 100,000 attended last year's Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, PA

Submitted by: Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging. Serving Chester County, PA, New Castle County, DE and Cecil County, MD

The disaster in Haiti leaves many of us wondering how we can help and make a difference in people's lives. Outside of sending a contribution, most of us will not be able to help the situation in Haiti. But we can make a difference. Chester County, PA is desperate for volunteers in many areas.

Here are ways to make a difference in Chester County.

The Volunteer English Program (VEP) in Chester County is in urgent need of volunteers to help immigrants or refugees improve their English speaking skills. There are at least 50 students on a waiting list. Volunteers provide one-on-one tutoring and help in understanding the American culture. A three-session workshop to train tutors is scheduled beginning January 21 in West Chester, PA. For more information, call 610.918.8222 or visit www.volunteerenglish.org

The American Red Cross Blood Services is holding blood drives in Chester County.

In West Chester, the hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

In Coatesville, you may donate blood on Friday, Jan. 15 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Pope John Paul II Regional Elementary School, 2875 Manor Road.

Chester County Compeer is a nonprofit organization that pairs persons of the same gender. Volunteers give the gift of friendship to a person in recovery from a mental illness. Volunteers are asked to participate in a training session. For more information, call Robert Chisholm, director at 610.436.4445

Thresholds in Chester County is looking for volunteers to teach decision-making skills to inmates at the Chester County Prison in Pocopson. A training weekend for volunteers is required, with no obligation to become a volunteer. Interested persons should contact Dick Bergesen at 610-436-6469, email RBergesen@verizon.net or call Thelma Douglas at 610.644-9077.

Senior Citizens, don't think you are left out of the opportunities to volunteer. Chester County residents have plenty of opportunities through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). This nonprofit organization is in need of volunteers at museums and historical societies, food banks, shelters, schools and day care facilities. Their most pressing need currently is for assistance with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VISTA) program. This program gives free tax preparation to low and moderate income families. The end goal is to encourage the families to use their refund as an investment in themselves and their future. There are training sessions available and you do not need to be an accountant or bookkeeper. Not your thing? No problem lots of other areas could use your help. Call 610.696-4900 or check the website at www.familyservice.us/rsvpvolunteer

Make a difference in someone's life today-volunteer. You may be surprised to find that you are the one who profits the most!

Submitted by Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging. Creative Eye provides assistance for residents in areas of Pennslyvania, Delaware and Maryland to enjoy their own home or prepare a property to sale.