It's Spring! Be Bold with Color - Don't Be Afraid!

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Questions I get a lot as a Designer and Home Stager are ones that relate to color. The answer depends on whether you are selling your home or looking to change the look for yourself.

If you are selling, neutral does not mean white!! You need color to sell a home but of course it cannot be taste specific.

If you are refreshing your own home for personal enjoyment, don’t be afraid of color. Color is powerful and it can calm your mood after a hectic day or energize you in the morning. Paint color sets the immediate feel of a room.

You need to think about how you use a room and what feeling you are trying to convey or want to experience while you are in that room. Is the room for rest and quiet time? Is it for cozy family and friends gatherings? Or is it where you want to be uplifted and energized.

One look I love is black and white. You can do so much with these two basic colors and combine it with almost any style. It can be extremely elegant, funky, or art deco. From black on white toile fabrics to popping it with hot pink, lavender or lime accents, there is no limit to what you can do. Use seasonal colors to change it throughout the year.

Warm wood tones of furniture or flooring will ground and balance the room. And don’t forget about texture. This can be done with the fabric in linens, throw pillows, or sofa throws.

I totally redid the look of this bathroom for under $200. Latte colored paint, classic black and white textured shower curtain, fresh black, white and khaki towels and a couple black and white photos. Simple, easy and affordable.

If you are nervous about using color, start small. A guest bath, a bedroom or how about something fun for the kids?  Yes....that is orange on the wall!

Be inspired. Take a risk. Have fun. Don't Be Afraid of Color!

If you want a fresh look for Spring or are selling your home.....Rooms With Style Home Staging and Redesign can help with your color selections.

Rooms With Style

Home Staging and Redesign

Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN

952-567-1124

http://www.roomswithstyle.com/

Selling Your Home In The Near Future? Be Careful With Home Improvements!

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Are you selling in the near future? Or are you making Home Improvements and not sure when you will sell? If so.....be careful with those Home Improvements. In my last few blogs I discussed the Top 20 Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home.

There are many questions to ask and Words of Caution to take note of before any improvement is started;  AND don't buy into any Home Improvement Myth.

1)     Look at how long you are going to be in your home. Some improvements are imperative to make to get your home in sellable condition. Other improvements should only be made if you plan on being in your home for a while.

2)   Check out your Neighborhood. You never want to improve beyond the value of your neighborhood. Being the biggest or best house on the block is not the best thing for resale.

3)   Check out your Market. What is the current housing market in your area? Who is the potential buyer of your home when you do go to sell?

4)   Don’t design yourself into a corner by being too specific. You don’t want to limit who you can sell to. Personalize your home through paint and accessories that are easy to change rather than having to replace walls.

5)    Balance your style and area. Again, keep in mind what will sell in the future if you choose to do so?

1)     Any Remodel is a Good One. Not the case. As I noted above, you need to check out and consider many things before considering ANY improvement.

2)   I Can Do It Myself.  Sure you can. :-)  All of us have seen the “DIYP” – The ‘Do it Yourself Project’ when our best friend or spouse is so proud of their work but they really should have let a professional do it.

3)    Adding a Pool Always Adds Value. Not so. Pools only add value if they are in a climate where they can be used year round. In many cases a pool can reduce the value of a home.

4)   I Should Follow the Latest Design Trend.  The key word here is “trend”. That’s what it is, it’ll be on it’s way out before you even get it done. That is fine for $8 throw pillows, not for major improvements.

If you are planning to make improvements and potentially selling in a shorter period of time, check out the statistics listed on my website on the return on your investment for certain improvements. Return on Investment Chart 

Remember to consult a professional before starting any major Home Improvement. Rooms With Style can help with paint color, tile and flooring selections as well as general Redesign and Home Staging Questions.

Top 5 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home - Part 4 of 4

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We are at the Top 5 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home in this last of a four part series of the Top 20 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home as stated by HGTV. Check out Parts 1, 2 and 3 if you missed those.

And the Top 5 are............

# 5    Add a Second Story Addition – Obviously this is an improvement you make only if  you are sticking around for a while and you love your house, your lot, and your neighbors but need more space. This addition usually costs 50% of the cost of the first floor so not a cheap improvement.

# 4    Don’t over Customize Rooms – Especially if you are selling soon or if the customization means knocking down walls and creating a room so specific for your hobby that only one in a million other people can use it. For example, don't create an Artist Studio that cannot be used for something else by the next homeowner.

# 3    Minor Kitchen Remodel – These are the easier things that don’t entail knocking down or pushing back walls. New appliances, change the handles on the cabinets, paint, add a back splash.

# 2    Minor Bathroom Remodel – Here you are keeping the basic footprint of the room but you may need to replace the sink, stool or flooring. An easy update is new lighting and fixtures. If the vanity is dated, replace it or paint it.

And the #1 Best Way to Improve the Value of Your Home…………………………………..

#1     Replace Old Siding – This sets the tone for the house. Yes, you can judge a book by its cover in this case. And as they say, First Impressions, First Impressions, First Impressions.

**Caution - Improvements do not necessarily give immediate value at a dollar for dollar return on investment. If you are selling your home in the near future please consider major improvements carefully and seek the advice of a professional.

Rooms With Style can assist you with your Home Staging or Redesign projects.

My next post will talk about some myths of Home Improvements so stop back!

Twenty Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home - Part 3

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Are you ready for Five More Tips to Increase the Value of Your Home??

 In Part 1 of this series we looked at #20 - #16. Part 2 showed Tips #15-11. Now we are getting into the Top 10 Ways to Increase the Value of Your Home as shown on HGTV.

Here are #10 - #6:

10   Basement Remodel – Basements do not have to feel like basements. No one enjoys being in a dark dungeon or a 1970’s paneled room with orange shag carpet. Make it a room your family will love to be in.

# 9    Add a Deck – You don’t want your deck to be more than one-third of the square footage of your house. Bigger is not better in this case. You normally get only a 76% return on this investment so you must plan on living in your home awhile to consider this improvement.

# 8    Major Bathroom Remodel – This means all things torn out, walls knocked down and pushed back. Basically starting from scratch. If your bathroom is outdated and cramped, especially if it is the master bath, it is time to get going.

# 7    Paint! Paint! Paint! – This is the easiest and usually most inexpensive way to change the appearance of your home. If you cannot afford anything else but want a new look, paint. If you are selling and need to freshen up the house, paint. Color choice is important, especially if selling. And no, neutral does NOT mean white!

Look what a difference a warm paint color can make!!!

# 6    Renovate the attic (or the space above the garage) – This is square footage that many times gets forgotten and can be great space for a family. A bonus room, an exercise room you have always wanted, a place for the teenager and their friends to hang out…….

**Caution - Improvements do not necessarily give immediate value at a dollar for dollar return on investment. If you are selling your home in the near future please consider major improvements carefully and seek the advice of a professional.

Rooms With Style can assist you with your Home Staging or Redesign projects.

Check back in a few days for the Top 5 ways to Increase the Value of Your Home!

20 Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home - Part 2

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Are you tired of some areas of your home and thinking about updating them? Whether selling or staying there are many things to consider.

In Part 1 of my series I listed #20 - #16 of the Top 20 Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home as listed by HGTV. 

Now let's look at #15 - #11:

#15    Landscape your Yard – Not always the best return on your investment but definitely the best for curb appeal to get buyers into your home and it may make for a quicker sale. Not to mention the enjoyment you will get out of a perennial garden in the mean time.

#14   Major Kitchen Remodel – Kitchens are the heart of the home and can always make or break a sale. Major kitchen remodels are great if you are not selling immediately. Do the major remodel, enjoy it, then it is ready for sale down the road. Rooms With Style can help you choose your counter tops, back splash, cabinets,etc.

#13   Add a bathroom – If you have fewer faucets than beds, adding a bathroom can not only add value but save family arguments.

#12   Make sure Additions Match the House – If you have a traditional home, don’t add on a contemporary addition just because that is more your taste. If your addition doesn’t match, then change the look of the house at the same time.

#11    Replace Old Windows – Save energy and dollars now. Reap rewards at selling time.

In each of the next two posts I will list Five more ways to increase the value of your home, working our way up to the #1 improvement. So stay tuned and check back!

**Caution - Improvements do not necessarily give immediate value at a dollar for dollar return on investment. If you are selling your home in the near future please consider major improvements carefully and seek the advice of a professional.

20 Ways to Improve The Value of Your Home - Part 1

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A while back I saw HGTV's list of the Top 20 ways to improve the value of your home. I think they are still important and relevant.

Let's start with #20 - #16:

#20   Home Office Remodel – A large percentage of the population works at home full time or at least spend off hours doing work at home to catch up. Home Office Space is valuable square footage. If at all possible it shouldn’t be part of another room and it definitely shouldn’t feel like a dungeon to be in it.

#19   Add a Sun room – Everyone loves a sun room. A place to read, have quiet time, enjoy a cup of coffee, and unwind with family and friends.

#18   Create or Renovate a Master Suite – Next to the kitchen, the master bedroom with adjoining bath is the most important area of the house. Adults want a place to escape at the end of the day. Think of the best five star resort you have ever been in. Aaaahhh. This area of the house is always a draw for buyers.

#17    Renovate or Add a Family Room – It is where all families spend the majority of their time. Make it warm, inviting and cozy.

#16   New Roof – Maintenance on a home is key and the roof is the best place to start.

In each of the next three posts I will list Five more ways to increase the value of your home, working our way up to the #1 improvement. So stay tuned and check back!

**Caution - Improvements do not necessarily give immediate value at a dollar for dollar return on investment. If you are selling your home in the near future please consider major improvements carefully and seek the advice of a professional.

For more blog posts visit my Facebook Page: Home Staging and Redesign Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Shar Sitter Has Been Chosen as The Designer for the PartyLite National $10,000 Makeover Sweepstakes!

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I've been chosen as the Designer for the PartyLite $10,000 Makeover Sweepstakes and I am so excited!

PartyLite, a national candle and gift company, held a National Sweepstakes for a $10,000 Home Makeover and the winner is from Minneapolis, MN. I received a call from PartyLite's Promotor last week and she had seen my website, loved my work and asked if I would be interested in being involved in the project.

I love PartyLite, have their products and can't wait to incorporate them into the design. Stay tuned as the project gets going and the 'after' photos are posted.