"Keep It Simple" Fall Decorating Tips

Now that summer vacations are over and the kids are back in school, it’s time for us to start thinking about getting our homes ready for fall and the fast approaching holidays. The more you can do to prepare and be organized, the less likely you’ll be stressed, which means you can enjoy your family, friends and the holidays more.

Keep it simple. Start with your outside front entryway. Try adding some potted plants such as colorful mums, which will last a long time. How about a few pumpkins and gourds displayed together on a small table, or by the front door. Of course, you can carve the pumpkin with your children for Halloween. Then simply replace the jack-o-lantern with a new pumpkin and your fall arrangement will continue to welcome visitors.

Continue your “keep it simple” fall decorating inside your home by including some colorful fresh produce, which is readily available at this time of year. Make a centerpiece for your table. Several varieties of apples and nuts along with some fall leaves, purchased at your local craft store, will add some nice color and texture to your display. Don’t forget to protect your furniture surfaces. Fresh produce often become soft overtime.

With all the choices of fragrances available now, be sure to switch from those "summery" florals to something that reminds you of fall, such as pumpkin or apple. Don't mix too many scents or it will become overwhelming. Just a few of your favorite will add a wonderful aroma to your home.

All the home decor stores have a variety of fall themed decorations if you want to really get in the mood. Just remember that once the Christmas decorations come out you can get the fall items at a greatly reduced rate. Then next year you will be all set. Check out Kirklands, Pier One & Pottery Barn, just to name a few.

Finally, change out your place mats, furniture throws, decorative pillows and even your bed linens with fall themed pieces. This will give you a chance to clean the linens you’ve been using all year. When Spring arrives, they will be fresh and clean when you bring them out again.


Author: Julie Martelo

Julie is the owner of TIME TO REDESIGN. Call her @ 941-748-0300. Her services include Interior Redesign, Staging, Color & Decorating Consultations in the Bradenton & Sarasota, Florida areas. Also serving Palmetto, Parrish, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Port Charlotte, Brandon, Sun City, Anna Maria, Longboat Key and all of Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Visit Julie's website at www.timetoredesign.com.

What is Interior Redesign?

Interior Redesign may be referred to as One Day Decorating OR Use What You Have Decorating. An interior redesigner will use your furniture, lighting, artwork & accessories to give you a completely new look. It all begins by emptying the room completely so the redesigner can see the rooms architecture. A redesign is all about the homeowner, so it's important for the redesigner to start with a consultation where your desires for the room are discussed. If you have any dislikes, those concerns will also be addressed when making decisions about the furniture placement. With the homeowners permission the redesigner will "shop the home" to find forgotten treasures that may be used during the redesign process. The goal is to maximize the space and address the function of the room. With each item that is placed your personality and style will be considered. If there decor items needed that are not available, you should receive a list with specifics about sizes, colors, styles, etc. . Then as your budget allows you to shop for the items it will be easier to make the right decisions. It's important for the homeowner to receive the "WOW" effect, therefore while you are working, running errands, or just relaxing, the redesign will take place. Here are the basic steps of a living room redesign.



EMPTY THE ROOM - creating groupings of like items; furniture, lighting, artwork, accessories, etc.



LOOK AT THE ARCHITECTURE - is there a focal point? Is there some interesting architecture that should be highlighted? Determine what the focal point is: View, Fireplace, T.V. etc.


BRING IN THE FURNITURE- start with the largest seating piece (sofa) and place it in the room so it addresses the focal point. Continue with medium, then smaller seating pieces, and finshing with area rugs, tables and large plants.


GO SHOPPING - Yes, but don't leave home! Shop your closets, garage, attic, basements & look under the beds and in all closets. You may find some great items you haven't used in awhile. Bring them out and add them to your accessories.


LIGHTING COMES NEXT - Bring in your lamps. It's important to create a triangle with your lighting. You need different types of lighting; ambient, task & accent. Make sure your lamp shades are the correct size and table lamps are placed where they are functional.



DON'T FORGET THE ART - Be sure you are using the correct size and shape of art. Don't hang your art too high. Make it relate to the furniture it is placed near or above. Use several pieces (3, 5 or 7) to create a grouping if you don't have a large piece. Don't fill every wall with art. Let your eye rest as you scan the room.



ACCESSORIZING - This is the fun part. Be sure to use various sizes and odd numbers in your groupings. Don't line up accessories in a row like soldiers. Use like shapes, like colors or like textures in a grouping to add interest.



EVALUATE - Is there anything missing? Is there adequate lighting? Is your area rug large enough to anchor the seating arrangement? Make a list for yourself. Keep in mind colors, sizes, shapes& styles.



GO SHOPPING AGAIN - If you've made yourself a list, keep it with you and next time you are shopping, pull it out and look for at least 1 item on the list.



If you love decorating, give redesign a try, but there are some tried and true rules that work and a Redsigner will incorporate these important design elements in a redesign. Nothing is left unfinished. You can hire a redesigner for less than the cost of a new piece of furniture. Changing your surroundings is one of the best ways to lift your spirits and give you a new outlook on your life. GIVE IT A TRY!

Author: Julie Martelo

Julie is the owner of TIME TO REDESIGN. Call her @ 941-748-0300. Her services include Interior Redesign, Staging, Color & Decorating Consultations in the Bradenton & Sarasota, Florida areas. Also serving Palmetto, Parrish, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Port Charlotte, Brandon, Sun City, Anna Maria, Longboat Key and all of Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Visit Julie's website at www.timetoredesign.com.

QUICK FIX DECORATING

In this age of fast food, wouldn’t it be nice to have a quick fix for your decorating dilemma? Here are five tips to help you re-arrange your room. Just a few small changes can make a dramatic difference in any room.

Empty the room: In order to visualize all the possibilities of your room, you must first take everything out. Sort items as you remove them into categories such as: large furniture; small furniture; lamps; décor; greenery, etc. This is where you will do your shopping.

Eliminate some items: When you clean out and re-arrange your closet what do you do? You eliminate older items to make more room. This is a great way to help your room feel new and energized. Edit some of those older photos, outdated greenery, or décor you may be tired of. You can pack and store them away and bring back another time.

FOCUS.. on the focal point: There may be 2 focal points. A fireplace or french doors may be one. A TV or large picture window may be another. Place your largest piece of furniture (usually the sofa) so it will be addressing the focal point. If you place the largest pieces first it will help determine where the smaller items can go.

Think out of the box: Don’t automatically place your furniture on the obvious walls. Think about trying a diagonal furniture arrangement. This is a great way to add interest to a room. If your room is large enough, add an extra seating area, away from the main area, for a cozy conversation or reading.

Three is the magic number: Whether you are placing lighting or a vignette of décor items, 3 is the magic number. Three sources of lighting will ensure all areas of the room are lit. Also think about 3 different levels such as a floor, table & accent lamp. Odd numbers are more ;visually appealing, so you can use 3, 5 or 7 when placing your accessories.

Your room will get a good cleaning at the same time. Vacuum, dust and clean the windows. It's amazing what transforming your space will do for your emotional well being. TRY IT! You won't be disappointed.

Isn't it TIME TO REDESIGN? Coming next week: A step by step guide to an interior redesign.

Julie Martelo, owner
TIME TO REDESIGN
941-748-0300
Offering Interior Redesign, Staging, Color & Decorating Consultations in the Bradenton & Sarasota, Florida areas. Also serving Palmetto, Parrish, Ellenton, Lakewood Ranch, Port Charlotte, Brandon, Sun City, Anna Maria, Longboat Key and all of Manatee & Sarasota Counties. Visit Julie's website at www.timetoredesign.com.

THE ART OF PREPARING A HOME FOR SALE

Real Estate Staging is the process of preparing a home for sale. Staging is really about un-decorating and removing years of living, collecting and decorating so a buyer can visualize themselves living in the home. When a seller “lets go” of some of their own things, it then gives permission for the buyer to buy! If you are a REALTOR®, the preparation of a home for sale can be a difficult subject to approach with a seller. Some things are obvious such as worn, dirty carpeting that needs to be replaced. Or maybe there are minor repairs needed throughout the home. Often times the home is in fairly good condition but just needs a little “TLC” before that first showing.

Here are the top 5 things sellers need to know.

1. YOU DON’T LIVE IN YOUR HOME THE SAME WAY YOU SELL YOUR HOME - Many of the items that you showcase for the home you live in may need to be eliminated when your home is being shown to potential buyers. This does not mean that those items are not beautiful or important. It just means that they may be a deterrent to a buyer.

2. SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE – While you may need places for 6 family members to sit and watch television, having several extra chairs in a room may make it appear smaller. Therefore you may need to remove some of the extra furniture in a room.

3. YOU HOME MUST BE CLEAN - It is important for your home to be clean when you begin to bring in buyers. If you cannot do a thorough cleaning yourself, you may want to hire a professional cleaning company. Everything should be as clean as possible, including windows, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, floors, carpets, grout, etc.

4. YOU ARE SETTING A “STAGE” - You want your home to be cozy, colorful & inviting. It’s the little things you do like adding decorative soaps in the bathroom, setting the dining room for a romantic dinner, or lighting candles. (only if someone will be there to blow them out!) These are some of the things that will make your house feel like a HOME.

5. MOVING DAY IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER… START PACKING NOW! Many closets and cupboards are full of extra items. Start packing up those items now and put them in storage, or in your garage. You want each closet, cupboard and countertop to appear spacious and uncluttered.

In addition to these 5 areas, there are some other very simple things a homeowner can do to add appeal to their home. Paint the front door and buy a new welcome mat. Pack away those worn tattered towels in the bath and replace them with some new ones. Remove all personal photos from the home, especially from the refrigerator. Remove everything from the closet floors. Be sure the windows are sparkling clean.

Lastly, on the day of a showing open all blinds so the home is bright. Play some soft music. Turn on at least 1 light every room, including the closets, so there is a soft, warm glow throughout the home. If you must place air fresheners in every room be sure they are the same fragrance. Vacuum and dust before the showing if possible, so everything feels clean. If homeowners will just spend a little time preparing their homes for sale they will be amazed at the positive feedback they will receive. Hopefully, their extra time and effort will be reflected in a quicker sale and a large profit.

Julie Martelo is a owner of Time To Redesign. Time To Redesign offers interior redesign, real estate staging, decorating and color consultations and interior decorating in Manatee & Sarasota counties. Visit her website at www.timetoredesign.com or call 941-748-0300.

My Top 10 Staging Tips

This is my first month blogging.. Each week I will give you a new idea, tip or suggestion to help you with staging, redesign, color or decorating. This month I will be talking about Staging. Here is my first post for August.



TOP 10 STAGING TIPS

THINGS TO DO BEFORE CALLING THE REALTOR TO LIST YOUR HOME. THEY WILL BE THRILLED AND WILL POSSIBLY LIST THE HOUSE FOR A HIGHER PRICE IF YOU DO THE FOLLOWING...

1. CLEAN OUT CLOSETS

2. PAINT THE FRONT DOOR

3. PRUNE BUSHES AND WEED FLOWER BEDS

4. RE-PAINT ANY BOLD INTERIOR COLORS

5. REMOVE HEAVY DRAPES TO LET THE LIGHT IN

6. DE-CLUTTER THE ENTIRE HOUSE; COUNTERS, BATHS, CABINETS & DRESSERS

7. CLEAN THE CARPETS, TILE & GROUT

8. COMPLETE ANY UNFININSHED PROJECTS SUCH AS TORN SCREENS, BROKEN OR CRACKED WINDOWS, PRESSURE CLEANING POOL, PATIO & DRIVEWAYS.

9. CLEAN ALL WINDOWS & SCREENS. GIVE HOUSE A GOOD SPRING CLEANING (VENTS, FANS, WINDOW SILLS, BASEBOARDS, ETC)

10. CALL A STAGER: THEY WILL BE SURE YOU HAVEN’T MISSED ANYTHING AND CAN ALSO WORK WITH YOU DURING THE STAGING PROCESS.

If you are contemplating selling your home next month, next year, or in a few years... consider starting to address each of these 10 items. When the time is right, your home will be buyer ready. Just a few additional tweaks here and there and you'll be on your way to a quick sale and larger profit.

I'm now a BLOGGER!

I finally decided it was time to move into the current internet craze of blogging. I hope to inspire and encourage those "decorating" lovers out there to follow their passion. Opening my own decorating business, TIME TO REDESIGN, has been so rewarding and I can't imagine my life without it now. There are so many areas you can focus in the decorating field. For many of you, decorating your homes is a hobby. I will try and bring you ideas that you can use as well as motivate you to create beautiful rooms that you will love. Isn't it TIME TO REDESIGN?