Ana's Blog: Ana Hitzel - California Home Stager - Staging Inland Empire and Palm Springs ( AccentPositives Home Staging )

Pretzel (German: Brezel) a type of food made from baked dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape.

Cookie (ko̵ok′ē)

1.  a small, sweet cake, variously shaped, filled, etc., but usually flat and either crisp or chewy.

   Your house a pretzel or a cookie? Which sounds more interesting?

Consider this when placing a home on the market.  How will your listing stand out in a crowd? Will it be just a run of the mill cookie with the same old cluttered décor and tired or outdated color scheme?  Or will it grab a buyer’s attention with crisp, clean, clear and attractive pictures on the internet? Will it be cozy, spacious and inviting in person?

The same applies to choosing an agent or a stager.  Do both use the same old recipe to market their listings or stage each home?  Do they turn the oven to the same temperature always and walk away until the buzzer goes off?  How long has your listing been in the oven? 

It may be time to change recipes. Start the New Year off with a staging consultaton that will get you on the right track.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging Consultations and services on site and on line.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 8529.  Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

Although I don't share the same religious belief as those who celebrate Christmas, I don't really get why people become offended by Christmas greetings and decorations.  Every year there are stories of cities and towns being forced to remove wording and decorations from stores and displays.  What's all the fuss about?  Walk on by....try smiling and being glad people are in a good mood! People tend to perform random acts of kindness not otherwise forthcoming during the rest of the year.  Relax, take it in!

For everyone here in the U.S. Christian and non Christian, this time of year can be special if we look past the symbols and reach for the greater meaning.  It can be a time of reflection, a time of gratitude and a time of anticipation, especially for kids.  Little things tend to mean a lot.  Even if you don’t celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus or prepare for a visit from Santa, the air is somehow changed.  I know I get pretty jazzed just finding a parking space within 5 miles of my favorite store!

This time of year brings out the best in some and the worst in others.  I often wonder why that is.  I mean why are people more generous this time of year instead of throughout the entire year?  Why are some willing to injure others trying to get to that sale item first or that parking space that just opened up?  Maybe it’s because even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, this time of year can be a symbol of renewal and hope for better things to come.  To a few it could be the last chance to make the entire year’s trials matter or make sense which leads to crazy stress.

In our home we celebrate both Christmas and Hanukah this time of year.  The “purists” say this is wrong and confusing to the children.  How could this be?  Technicalities aside, both celebrate a rebirth or renewal of faith and hope, a great message for anyone “believer or non believer”.

Although the stories are very different, they are the same, at least they are to me. The message is an important one.  The message is that love, faith and hope are constants, not yearly events.  Live your lives well and respect all others.  No man is perfect and each is capable of learning and starting again each and every day.  This is the message I hope my children can understand better as they mature and this is the message I pray finds all of us everywhere no matter what our faith and differences in our belief or non belief.

So in a very politically incorrect and hopefully offensive way… I wish everyone a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and blessed New Year!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging Consultations and services on site and on line.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 8529.  Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

Better Living Through “Staging Tricks and Deceptive Design.”

The days of the “Mc Mansion” are on the wane.  The current housing trend is toward smaller multi-functional  rooms and greener living.  Small spaces can present a design challenge if you want to make do with less but not sacrifice comfort and style.  Here are some “tricks and deceptive techniques” that I recommend to all my sellers and redesign clients.

“Tricking” the eye with freshly painted walls is highly recommended.  It’s great for “camouflaging” and “covering up” faded and worn looking areas and eliminating stale odors that date a space.

Color is a major player in setting the stage in small spaces.  Variations of one color or colors in the same family can expand an area and create freshness or warmth and interest.  Tone on tone fabrics and upholstery that coordinate with wall color visually expand a space.  Paint is one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to make a space more livable but if painting is not an option, accessories, slip covers and simple window treatments that are a variation of the current wall color will help.

Whether trying to open up a current space or moving to a smaller space, you needn’t run out to the “TINY” furniture store and buy new furniture.  

Starting with a review of how you live is essential.   Do you entertain a lot?  Who uses or will use the space the most at any one time? By doing this you have the starting point for a floor plan that best suits your needs.  The flow should allow you to walk about the room freely.  Avoid mashing everything along the walls.  It’s always best to have dead space behind rather than in front of your arrangements whenever possible.  In combination rooms (i.e. grate rooms, living and dining combos), furniture placement will define the purpose of each section.

Less, not smaller, can be more.  

By using pieces that are of appropriate scale and serve more than one function, you can achieve a more spacious look.  Ottomans are great as they can be used for storage, a coffee table and extra seating.  Instead of a love seats which many use as space saving, try a lower profile sofa or a couple of club chairs; roomier seating that does not wall off an entire area visually.  One or two clean lined larger pieces anchor a room and also convey a feeling of spaciousness.  Remember too many things floating around a small room can make it seem cramped and cluttered.  “Tiny” furniture fits in this category.

Finally, proper lighting and the use of mirrors can also help in making a space feel more open.  Mirrors reflect light and brightness.  Don’t go crazy or you will have a fun house effect but place them where you would a piece of art and make sure they are always reflecting something beautiful or of interest like an outdoor view or a pretty light fixture.  Heavy window treatments are depressing and dated. Lighter and flowing fabrics or sleek roman shades and blinds not only expand a room visually they create interest and can define a room as casual or sophisticated or both!

If you follow these simple and inexpensive “deceptions” when selling or considering what could be while looking at a potential living space, you can’t go wrong!

 AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging Consultations and services on site and on line.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 8529.  Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

Lighting Your Home Inside and Out

Now that the clock has turned back and darkness sets in early, it may be time to assess your home lighting situation indoors and out.  Good lighting can add cheer and a sense of security to your home whether you are selling or staying put.  This is one of the most overlooked areas by sellers. Good lighting is one of the single most important aspects of effectively showing a property.  During home staging consultations I often see homes with rooms having little to no lighting and burned out or dated outdoor fixtures.  So lets look at the good stuff for staging or just everyday living...

Exterior lights welcome visitors and provide a sense of safety and security while flattering a home's best features be it landscape or a substantial front door or entry. Well placed fixtures that are of the proper scale are like jewelry.  They can really make a home shine, literally.  Bright porch and garage sidelights can be combined with inexpensive and energy efficient solar path lights that guide people to your cheery door.

Indoors and out, layered lighting is the way to go and is easy to set up even if outlets are not available.  When we say "layered lighting" this means using various fixtures and brightness levels to effectively light an area.  Inside, combining lamps, overhead can or ceiling lighting with softer "mood" lighting gives a room interest and impressions of bright and fresh to warm and inviting.

Interior lighting can enhance wall and furniture colors or ruin them.  It is so important to brighten your spaces. Dark corners and dimly lit rooms are depressing and can bring down and age a home.  Single over head lights or ceiling fan lights are harsh and unflattering and just don't get the job done.  Main living areas and bedrooms should always have two 2 to 3 lamps depending on the size of the rooms and other lighting available such as overhead or can lighting.  In large rooms set up lighting in a triangle so there are no dark corners or unlit areas.

Bathrooms, Kitchens, and laundry rooms should be very bright areas. These can look dingy and don't feel clean even if they are. 

Make sure your fixtures in these areas are equipped with the highest watt bulb the fixture will safely allow.

Same rule for garages. Dimly lit garages are scary and dark.  When showing your home for sale, remember to check for burned out bulbs, inside and out.

Today, wireless lights and wireless light systems are a growing trend. There are products to fit every budget from simple battery operated switches that you can place where needed to operate a lamp to elaborate systems that not only enable flexible placement but are very energy efficient as well.  It's worth your time to check out what is going on in the wireless lighting world.

Have fun with it, experiment and see what makes you feel best, chances are it is what will give potential buyers a good impression also.  Even if you are not selling, these tips will make your home more comfortable for you!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging Consultations and services on site and on line.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 8529.  Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

The staging materials allowance for this 1300 square foot condo was around $800 that includes the paint.  

We added lighting, a ceiling fan, cabinet hardware in bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room and also changed sink fixtures and painted every room. No fuss low cost window treatments cover dated but expensive to replace verticle blinds.

We reused or repurposed many existing pieces such as the old and dated dining room table. Getting creative in the money saving department is a must in today's market so every penny saved is a penny earned for a client. 

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging Consultations on site and on line.  We are located in Corona and service the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 or email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

Fall is in full swing and winter is on its way. We here in California are more fortunate than other parts of the country when it comes to climate this time of year. While most don’t think of winter design themes other than holiday décor, there are ways to bring the nicer parts of winter into you interiors and get that refreshed look that complements the season. 

Adding splashes of white to your decorating is the obvious and easy way to give your home a neutral base you can work with.  However, bringing the outdoors in will really make an impact and cheer you up during the blah cloudy days of winter. Make the inside of your retreats more like a snowy day with clear bright skies. This can be done with accessories, good lighting and the addition of indoor plants that can thrive in your home if cared for properly. Here are a few suggestions.

Potted Gardenias make great house plants and bloom year after year. They bring that splash of dazzling white to your interiors and the bonus of great fresh smells. Place them where they will get full sun during the day and water them regularly two to three times a week.  Put them in decorative containers that fit your décor in colors like darker greens and steely blues and grays that say winter…but in a good way!

Potted Lavender is another great choice.  Its silvery grey leaves and dark blue or pink blooms bring color and a pleasant scent to any room.  It also has the added bonus of being an herb that has many uses.  Keep it in bright sunny spots all day or in well lit bright rooms like a kitchen or sunroom. They don’t need much water so keep them mostly dry and water when the top inch of dirt feels dry.

Begonias come in many colors.  Their foliage is rich looking and beautiful when the plant is not blooming, which is not often.  They adjust to the lower light levels of winter very well and will bloom throughout the winter.

Topiaries, not often thought of as indoor displays, can make great house plants that infuse winter color and scents to your living spaces. You can prune them into interesting shapes if you are the artistic type!  They are also a great way to bring height and interest to a room. Some bloom and they blend well with most color pallets.

As with any house plant, make sure all your containers drain well so you don’t end up with unwanted bugs or rotted roots. Pick off dead leaves or blooms to keep them all growing healthy and looking fresh. 

Winter doesn’t need to be dull and gray. Fresh white and greens can be cheery and cozy too!  For more tips and information visit our blog at www.accentingspaces.com or visit us on face book/AccentPositives.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging and Redesign consultations on site and on-line. We are located in Corona and serve the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529 or email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com or www.accentingspaces.com.

 
Aaahh…fall is upon us; crisp cool nights, sunny bright days and darkness descending at 5 P.M.  Who doesn’t like this time of year?  The promise of holiday fun is just around the corner.  First stop Halloween.  Spooks, gouls, candy…..and hideous decorations!

Yes, the holiday season brings out many things in many people; good cheer, generosity, a tad more food and adult beverage consumption and yes…the need to express latent decorating and design passions.  People morph in to Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor.  You all know what I’m talking about right?  Every year I marvel at the money, energy and passion poured into the fine art of holiday décor, especially Holloween, or The Great Pumpkin night as we call it around our house.

Look it, I’m no witch but people come on!  You make it almost impossible for me to do my job during this time of year.  I am the fun police.  As soon as I say “tone it down and pack some of it up” I’m toast!  That’s right toast!  I am no longer the professional Stager come to save the day….I’m “Ana the WITCH”!

Less is more, less is more.....LESS IS MORE!  How many ways must I say it…drat. Have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and serve the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529. Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

I have always been a huge fan but lately I am thinking maybe Anthony Bourdain should be required viewing.  Yes…he’s sarcasm on overdrive…yes he can seem crude to the over sensitive type… and yes he seems skeptical of all that is “sacred“… but the one thing he is not is a waste of time or another stupid uninformed celebrity  using his reach to preach his views on what we should or should not believe.  His program more often than not is the messenger of good, interesting and thought provoking information when it comes to viewing other cultures.  It’s not all about the food.  

In this week’s installment of No Reservations you could possibly walk away with a lesson or reminder of what we as Americans as a whole seem to have forgotten.  It was a look at Kurdistan, the semi autonomous region of Northern Iraq.  A region and people who have long fought and suffered to retain their identity as a people and live freely.

In one segment over a feast spread out before Bourdain, the subject of politics was discussed.  Aside from the stated fact the consensus of Kurds is they are grateful the U.S. took down Saddam, the stand out statement of this discussion was one made along these lines…everyone in Kurdistan is involved in politics “because they know what they spent to get this freedom.”

Now ascending my soapbox…..

 

In my opinion we as Americans have no notion of what that means any longer.  I go crazy when I hear some lame person, politician or celebrity declare they have the “courage” to speak up against whatever it is they are speaking up about.  Really?  What’s courageous about saying whatever you want in a society that was founded on the right of free speech to begin with.  Is someone going to show up at their home in the middle of the night and drag them away or kill them?

The courageous are those who fought and died (and still fight and die) to give even the stupid and ill informed the right to do it.  Ask the Kurds about sacrifice and courage.  When Saddam was committing his mass murders and gassings of the Kurdish people, where were these brave “courageous” types.  Were they in Kurdistan speaking up?  No wait… here at home “courageously” fighting for the right to line their own pockets.

Over the generations, Americans have sacrificed good men and women to spread the gift of freedom to others and preserve our own freedom.  A gift many take for granted each and every day.  We in our apathy re-elect the same scum over and over and then complain…complain…complain……Many Americans can tell you what happened  on American Idol and what Charlie Sheen just said but they don’t know who their own congressman and senators are.  America GET A GRIP! Look at who you have accepted as your “representatives” Maxine Waters?  just sayin…

Descending my soapbox now. Ahhh, I feel much better, can’t wait for next weeks episode!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and serve the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529. Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

DOES THE HOUSE COME WITH THE TV?

I first posted this blog about a year and a half ago but it is always a relavent topic when preparing a home for sale.  Televisons seem to be getting bigger and bigger each year.  The bigger TVs have become so affordable to most that they are common place.  They have gotten so big that Tim "the tool man" Taylor would grunt his approval!

Today the average American home has more TVs than people.  Over half of all homes have at least 3 or more sets.  Even in homes of families considered below the poverty line, televisions are plentiful. 

Big screen, flat screen, everywhere a screen screen.  Those dang outlets are everywhere and such an eyesore when trying to present a property for sale.  Not to mention the sets themselves. 

Not everyone who buys a set takes into consideration how it looks and where it will look and fit best.  They wing it and many times end up with something too large for the space or too awkwardly shaped to fit against the wall leaving an eyesore of exposed cables and wires.  Poor choices are often made when it comes to the size and placement of furniture used to house the TV or set it on.

TVs are even being substituted for or presented as art.  I guess that's ok, I am not really of that mind but they certainly are more stylish than they used to be. 

You will see them over fireplaces like this.  Many times they are placed too high, a common mistake made with art pieces also.  You need to crane your neck to view the screen.  I am not a fan of this placement, as in this photo, I think it takes away from the lovely fireplace.  

I think the TV would look nicer in the big empty hole to the left.  If a TV is to be wall mounted, mount it as art at eye level. As a seller, I would want to have the prospective buyer notice the beautiful stonework that stays with the house, not the cool TV.

How many homes have you been in where the very first thing you see is the TV?   The picture below is a good example of how a large TV can really cut into small spaces if not placed in a more open location suited to its size.  This home has beautiful wood floors and a great view to the outdoors but as soon as the front door is opened and you step inside... boom! There it is!

Funny how house hunters can be put off by this but have the same going on in their own homes most likely. I always tell sellers to pack em up, all but one.  The horrified expressions are mind boggling.  It's like you may have told someone to pack grandma off to the old folks home. TVs in bedrooms and bathrooms detract and are huge dust collectors.

Buyers do like to be able to visualize where their set or sets will go though. If the spot where the set sits is awkward and cumbersome, consider moving the outlet to an area that makes more sense.  Builders choices and prior owners choices don't always make sense.  Moving an outlet is not a huge cost. 

The local cable company charges $19.95 to move an outlet to another wall or room and will put it on the regular cable bill.   A small price to pay for better flow and function.   The whole look and balance of a room could change on simply moving one outlet. this applys to lighting as well.

Many times it is hard to talk a client into these small but effective changes but it is worth the effort and result.  As a seller, you don't want the buyer wondering if the house or your TVs are for sale!

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging consultations on site and online.  We are located in Corona and serve the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area.  Call 951 833 8529. Email staging@accentpositives.com.  Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.

Verb

fish or cut bait

1. (idiomatic) To choose between taking action now, or forgoing the opportunity and putting that energy into another endeavor; to decide.
   It's time to fish or cut bait: either we buy this house now, or we must start looking for another one.

[edit] Synonyms

• fish or get off the pot (merged to avoid the vulgar word)

Do you want to hook a big fish or not?  Does your listing say not? Which says not and which is bait?

Does this really look like bait?  Seriously, why would you even think of marketing with this photo?

Just Sayin....

Sellers and Agents, if your listing is not moving or getting offers, re-examine what type of bait you are throwing to buyers.  A staging consultation may point out the obvious if you are not able to see it. A professional Stager specializes in pointing out the obvious and the not so obvious. We can be the difference between you hooking the big fish or just chumming for scraps.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical Home Staging and Redesign Consultations on site and online. We are located in Corona and serve the Inland Empire of Southern California and the Palm Springs area. Call 951 833 8529. Email staging@accentpositives.com. Visit www.accentpositives.com and www.accentingspaces.com.