There’s No Place Like Home.
A Foyer To Remember
From online advertising to inside the home, what a prospective suitor sees first, matters. That first glimpse sets the tone for the rest of the experience...and your closing sale price. It's very similar to online dating...bad thumbnail image gets a swipe left, but a gorgeous photo will almost always guarantees a more in depth look and a swipe to the right...
The same tricks I use to stage homes for sale can easily be applied your home, even if it's not for sale. I don't just stage to sell, I stage to live. While creating a visually impactful space is critical, this is your opportunity to get organized and to take a deeper look at how you function in your home. You want to strike the balance of engaging and appealing, while efficient. After all, how much longer do you want to dig through your closet like some archaeologist trying to discover Fossil in the bedrock when all you need is an umbrella. I once saw a friend put one of those cavern climbing headlights on before he dove in just to find bike helmet.
Consider this your apartment therapy session. Now let's get down and dirty...Does it take you 20 minutes to leave every morning? Did someone once make you a t-shirt that says "Where are my keys?" Dare i even ask, where is your umbrella? Do you think guests enjoy stepping over your piles of sneakers, carefully trying to hop scotching over them as if they are participating in a Spartan Race style obstacle course? Why is there a bag of empty soda cans hanging from your front door handle (for two weeks)? This an opportunity to work with what you have. I always create an action plan of the key focal target zones. Essentially the spaces that buyers eyes fixate on and where they spend most of their time in. You'd be amazed how long someone will take in a hallway...you'd also be amazed how many times, upon entry a buyer has whispered in my ear something to the affect of "this place is going to be a disaster"
It's important to create a master plan for what other spaces to conquer (but let's just stick with your entry foyer for now. I’ll be gentle, i promise). Even if you have a compact foyer, you can still make it feel like its own room.
10 tips for having A Foyer To Remember:
1. Focus! Take a deep breath and eschew the immediate impulse to dash off to The Container Store (No disrespect. I spend so much time there I know staff names. Hi Stephanie!) to buy tons of organizing bins, jars, etc. But you should call your mother and ask her to mail you a stack of those 20% Bed Bath & Beyond coupons she has neatly organized in her storage closet (you know...your old bedroom.) You'll need them at some point and they never expire... We're going to try something different. We're going to map out a plan, create a budget and hold off a hot second before we buy anything.
2. Make a list of your habits. The things you are always looking for. What items are always in your foyer. What items do you need. What habits do you have when you get home. What habits do you have when trying to leave. If you're going room to room for the essentials (phone charger, change, wallet, keys, running shoes, poop bags for your dog... You need to make sure all those items are available and easily accessible.
3. A fresh coat of paint or wallpaper will make the biggest impact. A small foyer is a great place to use a wall covering. If you're in a rental and don't want to lost too much of your security deposit, Tempaper.com is my go to resource for amazing and affordable removable wallpaper. Sometimes you only need one roll...or less. That's some good bang for your buck.
4. Swap out dated hardware. A cheap fix. It's also one of the key tactile pieces most everyone will touch. A hollow, fluted, shiny, golden door handle that reminds someone of an episode of Three's Company is not smart look. I scour vintage shops and salvage shops for old brass or glass door handles. But you can easily go to Home Depot. Oil Rubbed Bronze looks great on almost everything...
5. Look up! And do the same to the generic or out dated light fixture above. You'd be amazed at what you can get for less than $200 at West Elm. If you're in a prewar space...a ceiling medallion ads another layer of detail and sophistication. If you have crown moulding, consider painting the ceiling a different color from the walls and moulding. A third color can make a huge impact, it can also be a hot mess, so tread carefully.
6. Reconsider what you have. This isn’t about acquiring more stuff, it's about using what you have. Think of it as reacquainting with old friends: How about that vintage trophy you still have from your 2007 design crush obsession.... poop bags. Tall clear glass vase from flowers that's under your sink...umbrella stand. That really nice candle your ex got you...finish burning it and then use for the change that's currently in 26 different piles around your apartment. Those soy sauce bowls, still in the box with matching chop sticks...keys. That old deer antler would look great spray painted yellow and makes a perfect dog leash holder.
7. Layering isn’t just for clothes. Layer objects to make them look more interesting. Consider the console or shelf color. How will other objects/materials appear on it? Try to group things in sets of three. What are your main 3. Mine are; Phone charging area, keys and wallet.
8. Go Green. I always put a plant in the entry. It's a way to communicate you can keep something alive, other than yourself. Nothing says, "Im a grown up, quite like a lush plant. If you can get a MBA, you can learn how to keep a plant alive. If you've killed every plant you've ever had, google "Snake Plant." They can thrive even in a space with no natural light/window. Set a GCal reminder to water it every two weeks, It's easiest to do the 1st & 15th of the month. Calendering these types of tasks will help you stay organized. Price range for these plants is $515.
9. Size Matters. It's true. This is where you can make every inch count and having the right sized pieces is critical. Measure the space before you buy anything. Does the moulding impact the depth of how deep an entry console can be.
10. Have some fun. Seriously, don’t take this too seriously. Okay, take it seriously, but a sense of humor goes a long way. Give people something to talk about, in a positive way. When someone walks into your home, you want them to smile...not cover their nose with their hand.
Golden’s Child Play
Golden Child’s Play and how our favorite moment at 23 East 10th came to be dice roll.
I had this acrylic coffee table custom made for my recent Greenwich Village project with the SR Team at Compass.
In a late night creative moment I thought to create a neutral home with lots of customizations and one crazy visual gimmick to act as the proverbial #clickbate to engage buyers immediately.
1000 ball pit balls arrived 2 days later from Amazon.
It would be that gimmick that buyers would reference as they walked in the door, but as much as I loved it, it felt out of place.
I tried everything from ivy, to books and then the pages of an old weathered French dictionary. Things were looking up, but as I sat there and looked at test shots, it also sorta read like someone filled a box with trash.
Not exactly what I was going for... then in true Compass: “Collaborate Without Ego” a winning idea came from the listing agent, Tim Rothman.
“Gold leaf the pages” he said... and just like that it all came together. 🔮
We Give Good Nooks!
After just one weekend back on the market, 656 Carroll Street, Apt 3L went into contract & over ask!
I love finding these little moments in a home that often go unnoticed.
Every day workhorse space that you use so much that you sort of take for granted and forget it’s there.
We’re all guilty of overlooking spaces in our homes that serve so much purpose they can feel almost too functional.
Like...who wants to see my spice rack?! That’s where the opportunity arises for a fresh perspective when listing a home for sale.
Here at Staged To Sell Home, we bring homes back to life!
You should come meet her... and when you get there, “tell em Large Marge sent you.”
Hitting Rock Bottom
15 years ago the apartment I lived in became infested with rats and I lost my home and most everything I owned.
The only thing more devastating than losing everything was trying to find a new home. This is back when apartments were advertised in newspapers that no longer exist and information/details were scarce.
It was this series of unfortunate events that led me to change careers and become a real estate agent. 15 years to the day I closed one of the most challenging and rewarding projects I’ve ever taken on.
208 West 11th Street wasn’t just a house that needed some furniture, it was a complex series of unfortunate but fixable problems that needed to be proactively addressed. This single family townhouse has been on and off the market for years and failed to find a buyer. The reality was a new building was being built right next to the house and that first moment of walking to the stoop was filled with debris, noise and a lack of life...
Easily remedied with $700 in fake ivy, a case of boxwood cover, a staple gun, 6 trips to the green market and a 10 foot tall ladder...
Real Estate is a completely different industry from where it was when I began in 2004. As a real estate agent, you don’t just have to go the extra mile, you have to be prepared to run a whole new marathon.
208 West 11 was my marathon transformation and it began by creating immediate curb appeal. I redid the stoop for every season... even put a Christmas tree out front over the holidays. Offers came shortly after we relaunched the house with a fresh new face. I’m honored to have been the one to give it a new face... and stoop.
Hallway to Heaven
Lately I’ve been taking a closer look at the parts of the home we often overlook
I recently staged and refreshed this 2 bedroom residence at 34 Gramercy Park East, it’s one of the most historic residential buildings in the city.
It’s one of those buildings you read about with bold faced name residents, its elegant prewar pedigree... and a coveted key to Gramercy Park.
And as crazy as it sounds the space I fell head over heels in love with was the expansive hall that lead to bedrooms...
I wanted to turn it into a moment that transports you to the halls of Hotel De Crillon in Paris.
Behind The Stuff
From Trash To Treasure…I focus a lot of time to make my work and every home I create look and feel unique. It takes decades of collecting pieces and I want to introduce you to one of my new favorites, Harold. He’s my rescue Black Panther. And here’s Harold’s story...
Last year I met with a friend and their family to discuss the process of listing their beloved and recently deceased family member’s home of over 40 years.
At just over 80 years old he was quite the bon vivant and collector. At a certain point all those beloved pieces can turn into another family members emotional clutter. At our meeting the family said “if there is anything you want, just take it, we want everything out.” I looked down and there he was... in all his black ceramic glory. When I held him up and asked if I could have the ceramic black panther they all sort of looked at me with equal parts of confusion and relief. In all the time clearing out the apartment, they had not even seen this buried In a dark corner.
One person asked “you actually want that thing? It’s awful”. And I loved him instantly and wanted to give him a better life than ending in some dumpster.
I took him (in a cab) from his coop on the UES, to his temporary house in Bed Stuy.
I get he’s not for everyone nor for every home. But I named him Harold after his original owner and he’s graced over two homes recently.
I believe what could have ended up in a trash heap has brought us so much good luck, love and initiated quiet a few conversations at open houses. So while all the articles you read will tell you to depersonalize the home before trying to sell it. I’m here to tell you, it’s those small treasures that make the home special and real.
A Fresh Look
One of the secrets to redoing and staging a home is spending a good amount of time in it...before you begin...to understand how to properly layout the space ensuring you create the best possible experience. How a home is lived in, is not always the best way to showcase its selling features.
In the previous version there was a home office in the front of the house. Functional, but not exactly super charming... it may have given the impression there wasn’t a proper family room. There are also 3-4 other areas where an office could be created. To me, this is one of the most important rooms and it had some of the best details. I spent an hour in the empty room trying to create a new perspective and use. I fell in love with the rounded windows, dual exposure and two points of entry. I wanted to make sure when we photographed it, the room had an open, airy aesthetic and those elements were captured.
I did my best to keep it simple...and it also helps to have the team at Nomad Rentals, on speed dial to ensure I got the best pieces of furniture that not only fit in the room, but accentuate the rooms luschious curves. We truly believe that one of a real estate agents roles is to take a space from what it is, to the home it needs to be in order to create the best experience for everyone involved.
Razzle Dazzle
Sprinkling a taste of the Rainbow in this kitchen refresh.
I got to spend time with the soon to be former owner, she’s a celebrated baker and pastry chef and her passion of sweets and her humor inspired the cosmetic facelift of this kitchen.
It may seem counter intuitive to focus on the inspiration on the seller, but who doesn’t love candy colored confection, cakes and cookies?! The odds are 376 Bergen Street, Apt 4F will sell to a young first time buyer.
Often the last thing that person wants to do is renovate a kitchen. In this day and age of instant gratification, 3-4 months of renovating can be deal killer.
To me, my job was to take all the pros I saw... a large kitchen, with lots of counter space, tons of storage, mostly new appliances and incredible skylight and make it look and feel brand new... and fun!
And let’s be real, no one has any love for those 1980s manilla wafer yellow colored cabinets. So a few rolls of removable paper from Devin Color and a life saving trick from a colleague to paints the counter tops and seal them took this kitchen from drab to fab in a few days.
What do you think of the refresh? Do the kitchen feel newer?
In the Name of Pride
The brownstone is filled with original details dating back to the 1800s and is the perfect juxtaposition for the owner’s collection of art.
This one piece in particular completely captivated me when i first passed it in a hallway months ago... it’s an original Hugh Steers painting.
Hugh was a New York artist who painted realist narratives at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
His work gave morality and at times humor and kindness to one of the people suffering in one of darkest periods in gay history.
He referred to his own work as “Gorgeous Bleakness” in the vulnerable subjects he painted.
While we were shooting the house I asked if I could temporarily relocate the painting to this mantle piece so that we could capture it and share it with others.
I deeply wanted to give the painting, the subjects and this period in history the respect and remembrance it deserves.
Pride and Pride Week for so many people means celebration and parties, it wasn’t that long that Pride was about radical protests, fear and demanding an ounce of respect.
Key Factors
We transformed and sold our 2nd home at 225 East 74th Street! Our secret you ask (you’re asking right)?
We took some time to get to know and understand our seller’s and their needs while also ensuring that our action plan would appeal to buyers. We helped them (ruthlessly) pair down their apartment... and most importantly we turned their home office into proper bedroom. We always think this is obvious... don’t ever list a home with a second bedroom and not have it be a bedroom.
From a marketing perspective it’s one of the key factors that set this home apart from the 145 other apartments on the market. Then we had it freshly painted and in just over 48 hours we brought in a truckload of new furniture and art that accentuated every gorgeous curve of this timeless home.
Repurposing Owner’s Furniture
One of my favorite types of projects is working with other people’s stuff. Being asked to recreate a home, while using some of the current owners furniture can present a lot of challenges... but these restrictions force the greatest opportunity for creativity and beauty.
The first thing we did at 44 Gramercy Park North was flip the orientation of the bed. Previously the view from the bed was a wall... once we flipped the bed to the other wall, buyers would see that they would awake to a glorious and direct view of Gramercy Park.
The 2nd staging trick was to repurpose and realign different traditional paintings and add in some of our own more modern pieces and some new lighting that heightened the space. Then we layered a variety of rugs, that were gorgeous, but on their own individually felt small. It may seem counter intuitive but by layering them and spreading them all or even larger... it visually showcases how much floor space the master bedroom has.
We learned this layering trick from some vintage Ralph Lauren Home campaigns we’ve loved for decades!
Never An Easy Task
Give us your most lived in before... and we’ll get you your best offer. We're going behind the curtain and couch at 22 West 26th 6E. 🏢
We took this well-loved and lived in home to to sleek and chic gallery like space. 22 West 26th 6E is officially sold and closed...in record time!
When someone has owned a home for decades it's their entire world, opening it up to a stranger and giving them creative control is no easy task for any homeowner.
But magical moments abounded as we reconfigured their existing pieces and brought new elements. Our new polished look created some very compelling metrics.
Call Me Colorful
Today’s New York Times Real Estate cover story highlighting the year left me feeling, well... colorful and affirmed.
“Before putting a home on the market, sellers have traditionally been advised to make the space as plain as possible — avoiding bright colors, bold patterns and any sort of provocative furniture or art — to appeal to the largest possible pool of buyers. And developers have largely followed suit, creating model units with decidedly safe design schemes, awash in neutral colors. Not anymore.
As new condominiums languish on the market, that thinking is beginning to change, and the past year has seen a number of developers hiring cutting-edge designers to create eye-catching model units that are anything but generic.”
This NY Times cover story surmised everything we believe and stand for. People want to be excited, intrigued, they need stimulation and something that feels authentic and interesting. I hope this cover story begins a trend toward bright, happy, colorful homes that make us feel and act better in the new year.
Call Me Colorful.