Michelle Minch Home Staging Los Angeles & Pasadena, CA

Staging an updated Craftsman in Alhambra CA.

Moving Mountains Design Home Staging is know for staging multi-million dollar luxury estates in the Los Angeles Area. But we also stage lots of more modest homes in lower price points.

Last week we staged a beautiful updated Craftsman home in Alhambra CA. The homeowners were very willing to do most of the suggested repairs and fixes, beyond those they had already undertaken, and they followed my instructions to the letter, especially on the curb appeal issues.

Living room of updated Craftsman in Alhambra before home staging. Those window treatments darkened the room and made the ceiling feel lower.

Living room of updated Alhambra Craftsman after staging. Notice the difference removing the window treatments made.

This home had many beautiful upgrades (like granite counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms) yet still managed to maintain the period charm characteristic of many Craftsman homes like a beautiful fireplace and wainscot.

Fireplace does not stand out. And the window treatments make the home look dark and fussy, not light, bright and updated.

Now the fireplace is the centerpiece of the living room and the room is divided up in a way that each area has purpose.

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*Alhambra Home Staging - An Updated Craftsman*copyright 2008 Michelle Minch and Moving Mountains Design. All rights reserved.

For more information about Michelle Minch and Moving Mountains Design, please visit our Los Angeles home staging web siteor call Michelle at (626)441-8975. Moving Mountains Design has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Sunset Magazine and numerous other national and international publications. Don't settle for second best: choose the home staging company with the track record and portfolio that demonstrates our ability to help your home sell faster and for the best price.

Los Angeles Interior Designer on Hollywood Hills master bathroom design project - the design. Part one of a multi-part series.

I was recently called to redesign the bathroom of a gorgeous two story Spanish home in the Hollywood Hills. When I was first contacted, I asked the homeowners to peruse some shelter magazines and compile photos of bathrooms that they liked, and photos in general of any subject that appealed to them either by color, composition or just gut reaction. I find this approach helps to save a lot of time in determining the direction the design should go to best suit the tastes and expectations of the homeowner.

During our first meeting the homeowners showed me several photos, but kept going back to one in particular. By the end of the meeting we had decided that this photo best represented what look appealed to them for their new bathroom. Through my questions and their answers I learned how they would be using the bathroom, how that use would differ from their current bathroom, what were the absolute "must haves" and what were the "we'd really like XYZ if it will fit and we can afford it". We also discussed color with the help of my trusty Benjamin Moore paint fan. I took copious measurements and photos (I will post before photos after we empty the rooms in a few weeks to protect my clients' privacy). Once we settled on a color scheme, I used a photo similar to this one (this is a stock photo I purchased; the actual photo was taken from a magazine and I don't own the rights to publish it:o)) as color inspiration.

Here are the Must Haves that were on the homeowners' list:

• 2 separate sinks, his and hers
• Make-up/vanity area included with her sink
• Lots of closed storage space for beauty products and cosmetics
• Soaking tub large enough for two
• Insulate wall of bathroom to help with afternoon heat gain
• Replace 3 windows with low-E dual pane casement windows to help with heat gain
• 2 ventilation fans (currently none)
• Faucets with lever handles instead of X shaped handles
• Undermount tub and sinks
• Add HVAC ducts to bathroom (currently none) for heat and A/C

Would Really Like to Have (if space and budget permit):

• Separate tub and shower
• Steam shower
• Separate enclosed WC room (toilet)
• Nickel finish (brushed) on faucets and fillers
• European style frameless shower glass
• Small refrigerator for cosmetics built in to her vanity area

This is an older Spanish home with lathe and plaster walls, some of which are curved (on purpose!). In order to accomodate their "Must Haves" and as many of their "Would Really Like to Haves" as possible, I was going to have to "steal" a closet from an adjoning bedroom for more space. I'll tell you, measuring the space and figuring out the relationship of the various spaces (some curved) we were going to use to create this bathroom was very complicated and required taking measurements from several different directions to make sure everything lined up.

Here is the as-built (before) floor plan:

And here is the floor plan of the final design:

As you can see, by "stealing" a closet from an adjoining bedroom (lower right, where the tub is) I was able to give my client all of their Must Haves and all of their Would Really Like to Haves:

*Separate tub and shower

*Separate private WC

*Her sink and vanity/makeup area with plenty of room for storage

*Separate sink and counter for him

To Be Continued: Hollywood Hills Master Bathroom Design Project- Material Selection

*Hollywood Hills Master Bathroom Design Project - The Design* Copyright 2008 Michelle Minch and Moving Mountains Design. All rights reserved.

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Michelle Minch, Principal Designer and Owner of Moving Mountains Design is an award winning Interior Designer and Home Stager. Her Interior Design, home staging and film design projects have been featured numerous times in national and international publications. Michelle can be reached at (626)441-8975 or visit her Los Angeles home staging and design web site.

This Long Beach home sold two weeks after staging (after sitting for two months with no offers) and the homeowner was thrilled. 60 DOM before staging - SOLD in 14 days after staging by Moving Mountains Design. Here is her testimonial:

"Michelle Minch is absolutely delightful to do business with, and a genius at what she does (STAGING!!). My beautiful "cottage" was on the market for two months without a decent offer. I had the greatest realtor ever and she was working the property. And we had to keep dropping the price along with the crazy and difficult market. But no offers!!

I read an LA Times article about Michelle and her staging successes and decided I needed her help. When I called Michelle, she responded quickly and professionally and got my home staged quickly. And two weeks later my home was in escrow!! I only wish I had called on her to stage my house when I first put it on the market. I am convinced I would have gotten a far better price and sold my house much quicker. Thanks to Michelle and her crew for all their great work and for helping me and my realtor get the job done. Great work!!"

The homeowner had already moved out of the house and up to Oregon where she was hoping to purchase a new home and retire. She had left a lot of furniture and accessories which were going to be sold in an estate sale once the house sold. The garage was packed to the rafters, and much of what we used we found by digging through the boxes and stacks. We staged this house with the homeowner's own furniture (mostly) and some accessories. I brought some accessories, bedding, towels, artwork, silk plants, a blow up bed and a coffee table.

Dining room before staging (above)

Dining room after staging (right)

Master bedroom before staging (left)

Master bedroom after staging (right)

Staging by Moving Mountains Design Home Staging was a very inexpensive and cost effective way to get this home sold quickly. This was a modest house and we staged with modest furniture. Staging doesn't have to be fancy or complicated to be effective. But it does require an experienced professional stager who understands the market and how to best use the available resources to squeeze maximum appeal from the home and furnishings.

When we staged this house, I could see 4 other houses for sale from the front yard. When we destaged, the same 4 houses were for sale and an new one had been added.

While we were staging, after we first got there, a Real Estate Agent showed up to show the house to a client. They practically ran through the house and back out the door. 3 hours later, after we were done staging and I was photographing the house for the listing agent, another Real Estate Agent showed up with another client. They walked slowly through the house and lingered in every room. They were there for over 1 hour. I know because I couldn't finish taking my photos. I kept hearing the client (and potential buyer) exclaiming how cute the house was and how it was everything she was looking for. Would she have felt the same way if she had seen the house unstaged? Probably not.

Here are some shots of the family room:

Can you hear the echo looking at this before picture?(left)

Family room after staging (right)

*Long Beach Home Staging: Photos and Testimonials* Copyright 2008 Michelle Minch and Moving Mountains Design Home Staging. All rights reserved.

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Please contact Michelle Minch at Moving Mountains Design Home Stagingfor more information about staging your Los Angeles area home. Call us at (626)-441-8975 or visit our Los Angeles home staging website. Don't settle for second best. Choose the home staging company that has the track record and home staging portfolio that proves our ability to help get homes sold quickly.

I am often asked by clients and colleagues where is the best place to shop for tile for remodeling projectsand new construction in the Pasadena and Los Angeles area. My first, and often only, stop when I am working on a kitchen or bathroom interior design project is Mission Tile West in South Pasadena.

This is one of my personal favorites: glass mosaic tile in a paisley pattern. It is available in pretty much any color way imaginable. (Warning: it is not for the faint of wallet or if you are in a hurry, but worth every penny in my opinion)

The depth and breadth of their tile offerings is truly, well, breath taking! They have tile covering every architectural style or period.

They have a huge selection of Batchelder tile. The tiles can be customized in an array of colors.

They are world famous for their Revival Tile, which they manufacture themselves. It is the perfect tile if you are remodeling a early 20th Century home and want to maintain or expand upon the period charm.

Revival Tile: The color combinations and patterns are limited only by your imagination!

Mission Tile West is located at 853 Mission Street in South Pasadena. Their telephone number is (626)799-4595. Click here for directions and hours for Mission Tile West in South Pasadena. They also have a showroom in Santa Monica, as well as Palm Desert. While you are welcome to visit the showrooms and browse, an appointment is recommended in order to speak to a salesperson.

It is always a pleasure to shop there. Their sales staff is very helpful and knowledgeable about their tile lines, installation and technical questions.

If you would like assistance selecting and purchasing tile for your home, kitchen or bathroom remodeling project, please contact Moving Mountains Design to arrange for an appointment. Moving Mountains Designprovides complete home staging and interior design and decorating services in Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. We are an award winning home staging and interior design company. We can be reached at (626)441-8975 or please visit our Los Angeles Home Staging and Interior Design web site.

Copyright 2008 Moving Mountains Design. (626)441-8975

Los Angeles home staging company, Moving Mountains Design & Home Staging has formed a strategic alliance with Chatsworth, CA based moving and storage company North Star Moving.

I first found out about Ram Katalan and North Star Moving from an article in Fortune Small Business Magazine titled Moving On Up. When I read the article, I realized this guy Ram was one smart cookie. After realizing that the imploding real estate market in Los Angeles County would probably effect his bottom line with his middle income clients, he set his sites on the high-end market, which tends to be more stable during market downturns like the one we are currently experiencing. He added premium services such as pet sitters, professional organizing and professional nannies and baby sitters to add more value for his clients. And his business has grown where other moving companies are seeing their business shrink. I thought that forming an alliance with an exceptional home staging company would fit his business model and be of benefit to his clients.

Here is a video How Do You Move A Hollywood Mansion which was produced by North Star Moving:

I felt that a strategic alliance would be beneficial to both our companies, so I called and set up a meeting. We discussed what we felt our companies could offer each other, and both of us agreed that forming an alliance would benefit both our bottom lines. Besides being an incredibly nice guy, Ram has an amazing customer service ethic and tons of awards, recognition and the highest ratings from Angie's List , The Franklin Report and www.MovingInsurance.com.

Here is a quote from Ram's AR profile: "The company's services include local, long distance, international, residential, and commercial moves, as well as full-service storage. NorthStar Moving Corporation’s mission is to exceed their clients’ expectations with graceful customer care and to move service back into what should have always been the ultimate service industry: the moving industry."

Since we have formed our alliance, I have had the opportunity to recommend North Star Moving to several of my home owner and real estate agent clients. In every instance, North Star exceeded my clients expectations and they made me look like a genius for recommending them. And in return, they have referred clients to me. It is a win-win situation for us and for our clients.

Moving Mountains Design & Home Staging offers full service home staging in Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia, Los Feliz, Silverlake, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Van Nuys, Encino and other areas of Los Angeles County. We provide exceptional customer service helping homeowners and real estate agents sell their home or listing faster and for the best price. Even in this market, 80% of the homes we staged sold in 60 days or less, half of those sold in 30 days or less, and many sold in 10 days or less. For more information, visit our home staging web site or call us at (626)441-8975.