Looking to buy your first home this year?

If you're a first time home buyer, you'll get a significant tax credit for signing a mortgage this year. The new stimulus bill will give you a refund for 10% (up to $8,000) of the total amount paid for your new house. Just don't sign a subprime mortgage.

What's Your Style?

I am Cottage Chic.

Shabby, yet stylish. Cozy and comfortable with muted shades taken straight from a flower garden. 

Shabby Chic and Cottage work in my home.

What's your style?  Follow the link below and click on "restart quiz".  The site may prompt you to sign up for a free account at HGTV, so go ahead, sign up. Then click the link below again and find out what your decorating style is. 

What's your style?

Reclaimed Timber Wall

I have been inspired in the last few weeks to take a closer look at eco friendly products and materials.  

We are re-doing our camp in the 1000 islands and found this cool wall at Livingetc.  It is made out of reclaimed timber. 

I could see doing one wall like this. What a great focal point it would make!

Staging Fixes

Problem:  large outdated furniture,  wall print too small for the space, no coversation area, awkward flow

Fix:  Rearrange furniture to create better conversation area and flow, replace small print with large print, separate furniture, add pillows and throw to distract from outdated furniture.

Problem: Bookshelves look messy, broken ottoman stored under shelf, bar and kitchen area is lost behind clutter

Fix: pack away half the toys, remove ottoman and organize bookshelves, clear bar to show the  potential of kitchen area

Problem: furniture and packed boxes stored here for moving. Area shows messy and with no purpose.

Fix: Packed boxes moved to an outside rented storage unit. Oversized and outdated kitchen set was moved downstairs to give this space purpose and free up space in the kitchen.  Stereo was removed from the over crowded living room and moved down to the family room.

Home Staging Tip

Here are some handy dandy household uses for dryer sheets.  Some would be quite helpful for quick clean ups when showing your home.

1. Freshen smelly shoes. Insert a dryer sheet into the offending pair and let sit overnight. 
2. Remove static from clothing, hair, TV screens, and computer monitors. Wipe the surface with a sheet. 
3. Clean pet hair from the floor or furniture. Rub a dryer sheet over the spot where Fluffy left her fur. 
4. Replace a sachet. Keep a dresser drawer smelling fresh and clean by placing a dryer sheet on the bottom of it. 
5. Loosen caked-on food from a pan. Place a fresh sheet in the bottom of a dirty pan, fill with lukewarm tap water, and let sit in the sink overnight. The pan will be easier to clean in the morning. 
6. Tackle suitcase and gym-bag odors. Place a dryer sheet in your suitcase or gym bag so your clean clothes won’t take on the odors of the dirty ones. 
7. Prevent old books from smelling musty when in storage.Stick a dryer sheet between the pages of your beloved copy of Pride and Prejudice. 
8. Wipe up sawdust after working in the garage. Rub a dryer sheet over the fine wood particles. 
9. Prevent thread from tangling when sewing. Run a threaded needle through a dryer sheet right before you begin your handiwork. 
10. Dust venetian blinds. Close the blinds, then wipe up and down with a dryer sheet.

credit: www.realsimple.com

Smart Move Design, a home staging and redesign company serving central and northern NY

Staging and Redesign Tip of the Week

Choose a focal point

Try to give each room a focal point, whether it's a fireplace, a window with a great view, the television, a bed, etc.  Determine what your focal point is and then rearrange furniture to bring attention to it.  A focal point will make the room look more unified.

Smart Move Design, a home staging and redesign company serving central and northern NY

Bring the outdoors in

Now is the perfect time to bring some nature into your home and add a little "wow" 

Cattails make a dramatic display -  Cut them down to place in a vase on your mantle or table. 

Leave them long and put them in a large vase in a corner of the room.  

Add some of those feathery reeds you see along the side of the road. 

You can also turn your bed at an angle in a corner of the bedroom and place your display in the corner behind it.  Don't forget to coat the cattails with hairspray so they don't explode! 

 

For another look - pick up some dead tree branches and spray paint them. Put them in a vase,  alone or in an arrangement. Black is dramatic, but don't stop with black - experiment with different colors and coordinate with a set of dishes, a decorative pillow, a throw, etc.  

Pinecones are plentiful now and look great in a bowl as a centerpiece. Add some acorns and nuts. Use individual pine cones as place card holders at your next holiday dinner.

Smart Move Design, a home staging and redesign company serving central and northern NY