So you've moved into your new home- now what?...
You've finally finished the paper-mill marathon that is closing on your
new home. Soon You'll be moving in- now what? Keep the old sofa or buy a
new one? Stick with taupe or paint the whole place blue? And woe to the
bachelor who must face the labyrinth of drapes, sheers, blinds, scarves,
rods, and rings.
Tackling window treatments doesn't have to be like plotting the Normandy
Invasion, if your lucky enough to work with someone like Paula Henry of
Simply Put Interiors in Reisterstown.
"Everything that I do is to honor the homeowner, to honor their budget
and to work with what they have," Henry said. "The questions are-How do
you use your space? What's important to you? Do you have pets? You don't
have to build Rome in a day."
Generally speaking, the rooms to decorate first are the kitchen, the
family room and the master bedroom. "Some people may have a home office
and prefer to start there," said Henry.
"We talk to our clients, find out what's important to them and start
from there," she said.
Laurie Katerle, of Hunt Valley, has taken the do-it-yourself approach,
thought she admits that an innate love of decorating has helped her
along the way. " I decorated my first boy friends place; that was 16
years ago," she said.
Katerle recommends starting with the big pieces, like your couch, dining
table and bed, and then you work from there. If you're not sure where to
begin, think of those homes you like. Or go to furniture showrooms and
see how things are arranged. Look in catalogs, " she said.
Coldwell Banker Realtor Mary Widomski, likes to assist both buyers and
sellers with decorating and renovations. "For my sellers, I stage the
properties- rearrange furniture, provide accent pieces and suggest minor
purchases to create the inviting home," she said. "For the buyers, I
often help with furniture placement, select colors, assisting in
renovation planning and contractor selections.
Like Widomski, Henry also offers professional home staging. "There is a
lot of competition out there, so properly staging a home for market
gives it an appeal to a greater audience of buyers," Henry said.
"I make a report card on each room of the house, and suggestions on what
the homeowner can do to bring it up to snuff- de-cluttering, rearranging
furniture painting replacing the carpet."
Read another home staging article...
Consider Resale Value when Remodeling
Annual Update Most often, a person’s home is their largest investment.
It’s therefore wise to consider resale value when undertaking any
substantial remodeling project.
