How to Light up Your Life

Many people are choosing LED lights for their homes these days, but many have no clue where to start when shopping for LED bulbs. We’ve got some great resources and tips for you to figure out just how you can light up your life with cool products that are available.

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Proper lighting is essential to create ambiance and enhance online photos. We are consistently asked about what type of bulb to purchase. The way to go these days is definitely LED bulbs. BUT they can be so confusing to shop for when you are unfamiliar with LED terminology such as lumens. Kristie Barnett, the Decorologist, has a helpful guide to wade through the myriad of options in LED lighting and WHY you should replace the bulbs in your home. Read it here. There she delves into the color (temperature) of LED bulbs and she also breaks down the conversion of watts to lumens for the brightness level of a room.

Sufficient lighting can be a huge problem when a home was not built with overhead lighting into rooms. There may be a switch attached to an outlet in the room that you can use to turn on a lamp, but that switch could be inconveniently located. Or better yet, one lamp just may not put out enough light for the entire room. One of our lead stagers, Kim Jones, found a cost effective solution to this problem in her own home. In the video below she demonstrates how you can light up a room with new smart bulb technology even when you don’t have overhead lighting. Take a look:

Say no to dark rooms and turn on the lights! Lighting technology has come a long way in the past five years. There’s so many cool products out there that provide the right light no matter your problem or area. Better lighting can increase your mood and your productivity levels. AND its especially helpful to have sufficient lighting when selling your home!

 

How to Bring Spring Into Your Home

Spring is just around the corner. And with the warmer weather comes the desire to freshen up our homes. It’s not just about Spring cleaning but we crave to give our home decor a lighter, brighter facelift. Gone are the dark days of winter and bring on the sunshine in our homes. We’ve got five ways to bring spring into your home without breaking the bank. Little touches like these will bring the spring vibe inside and hopefully not cause spring allergies like the outside.

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Pillows Pack a Punch

Consider buying new throw pillows in light, airy colors and patterns. Just say no to the heavy fur or textures because spring vibes need soft colors to bring a sense of clean to a space. You will be amazed how new pillows can give life to a tired sofa or bed!

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Fresh Florals

Whether your florals are real or faux, fresh, new flowers and greenery help bring the outside into your home. Florals have come a long way in the past few years to the point now that many require a double take to tell if they are indeed faux. Consider some simple floral stems in a vase for your dining centerpiece. Or try out your green thumb and add a new houseplant to your home. Spring will be represented with small touches like this around your home.

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New Linens

With the onset of warmer temperatures and gorgeous sunshine, many fall into the spring cleaning frenzy. New linens to your bedroom and bathroom can evoke that fresh clean feeling into your home. Don’t be afraid of white linens - particularly towels. They wash well and can be bleached to keep brilliantly white.

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Mirrors are Magical

Consider replacing darker wall art with a mirror. Mirrors can bounce light into a room therefore causing the room to look bigger, lighter and brighter. Such a small change with such a great impact!

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Add some Curb Appeal

Small touches such as a new doormat and some beautiful flowers accenting your doorway create a fresh spring vibe for you and your guests as soon as they arrive. Both give off a clean, polished look - but make sure those winter cobwebs are all cleaned up around that entryway too. And, if you’re feeling adventurous, consider a fresh new paint color for your front door (but make sure your HOA approves before preceding)

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Bringing a little spring into your home doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. These five cost effective ideas will certainly allow spring to come alive indoors and create a ray of sunshine into your home. If you’re looking to refresh your space we offer redesign services. We design and find the products, then you choose and purchase at your own time that fits your budget. It’s a cost-effective way to get design help and inspiration without breaking the bank. You can schedule an appointment online at your convenience.

Let us shine a spotlight on your home!

No Fail DIY Quarantine Home Improvements

As we approach nearly two months of quarantine thanks to COVID-19, most of us are getting a little tired of our homes and considering improvements. We wanted to give you some no-fail DIY home improvements you can begin now that will give you a nice return on investment for your home. In other words, these improvements will not waste your time or your money!

PAINT!

As we say in the staging business “Paint is like money in a can!”. It’s true – fresh updated walls not only make your house feel cleaner but it improves the look and condition as well. Statistics show paint can increase your home’s value overnight. Newly painted interior walls result in an increase in the return on investment (ROI), by over 100%. And, painting can also be therapeutic, that is unless you try it with spouse:) Here are some no-fail interior paint colors that are pleasing when it comes time to sell your home. We do, however, want to caution you to please leave ceilings and trim to the pros.

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REMOVABLE WALLPAPER

If you want a fun way to freshen up a space, removable wallpaper is all the rage right now. There are SO many fun patterns and it’s such a great way to add color and life to a space without committing. We love the fact that you can have your fun now but when it comes time to change it’s easy to remove. Think outside the box when using wallpaper. You can use as an accent wall, line the back of bookcases, or even use in a closet or fun play space!

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Blue Diamond: Amazon
Geometric print : Etsy
Palm leaves: Amazon
Rose Gold Blue Floral: Amazon

CHANGE HARDWARE & LIGHTING

Cabinet hardware and light fixtures are the “jewelry” of our homes. They add that little bit of drama that provides immediate impact. These small investments are not costly nor do they require a lot of DIY skills. Updating these items can provide a great return on the investment of your house. Here’s a few of our favorite touches:

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Birdcage Light Fixture: Amazon
Flushmount Light: Amazon
Large Pulls: Amazon
Small Knobs: Amazon

DECORATING

There’s nothing like lifting the spirits of a woman in quarantine like new decor for her home. Am I right ladies? Depending on where you live, you might not be able to shop in store right now (we miss HomeGoods!). The online options are endless! Target also has a new line we LOVE from Studio McGee. Here’s just a sample below:

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Believe it or not, but the way you decorate your home can and will impact the ability to sell. Staying minimally on trend shows the buyer you care enough to invest in the small things of your home so you probably invest in the larger, unseen things of the home.

BACKSPLASH

If your home doesn’t have a back splash in the kitchen now may be a good time to watch some how-to videos and get your tile game on. Do not, I repeat, do not try to take the easy way out and buy peel and stick tile. It might look good and does trick the eye, but has no return on investment. Subway tiles are a guaranteed option for resale. They have been around for years and never go out of style.

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CURB APPEAL

First impressions mean the most. The weather is finally getting nicer, so now might be a good time to get outside and take on some of those exterior items you’ve been meaning to address. Getting some much needed Vitamin D can lift your spirits and at the same time you will be providing a fresh ray of sunshine to your home.

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We hope you make the most of any extra time to create a space you love and check some of those nagging “to do’s” off your list. If DIY is not your thing, we would be happy to help. Just give us a call at 703-552-04545 or go online and sign up for an online consultation.

We would love the opportunity to help you shine a spotlight on your home.

*Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon affiliate links which means Staged by Design® may earn commission if you use links provided