The right size rug for your room. Go big!

Area rugs are one of the very best tools to use to transform a room, second only to paint in making a big impact.  But that tool is only effective if you size the rug properly.  Often I find that my clients are living with a rug that is much too small for the space, and as a result no matter how many accessories they add the room won't ever feel quite finished.  If in doubt I always recommend going bigger.  Sure, it is more expensive, but a too-small rug only accentuates the unfinished feel of a room and you'd be better off not buying a rug at all until you can get the right size.  Otherwise, you may just be wasting your money.

Before: the rug in this room was much too small to add any interest, softness, or grounding to the space.  In a room that can't be painted (like this rental) the size and impact of the rug is even more important!

After: a much larger rug, even though it is still in a pale color palette, adds much more warmth to the space and, by tying all the furniture together makes the room feel larger, too! 

I'd like to share this fabulous guide from MI Corp. in the Seattle Design Center for sizing a rug for your room.

Five steps to a better guest room

“Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even if you wish they were.”  

~Author Unknown

What message does your guest room send to your friends and family when they come to visit?  Is the room the collector of the cast offs from the rest of your home?  The resting place for all the memorabilia from your kid’s school years?  

If your goal is to make your guest feel out of place and eager to leave, no changes need be made, but if you want your guests to feel cherished and welcome, a few minor adjustments can take your guest space from shabby to sophisticated quickly and easily.

Before, this guest room was uninviting and lacked style.

Guest room redone by Rivalee Design

• Remove everything from the room that is not related to your guests - ironing boards, the goodwill pile, christmas decor... it all has to go.

• Repaint the walls.  This is a wonderful first step for making over any room, and will instantly clean and freshen the space.

• Put new sheets on the bed and cover the old comforter with a new duvet cover.  This doesn’t need to be expensive - a decent set of sheets and a clean white duvet cover from Target can go a long, long way.  You can splurge as much as you want on thread counts and fine fabrics, but the point is to make the room feel fresh, clean, and prepared.

• Accessorize sparingly.  The room should have enough art and accessories so as not to feel empty, but you want to leave lots of clear space on dressers and side tables for them to easily put their own belongings while they stay.  Be sure they have a table surface next to the bed and adequate lighting should they wish to read in bed.

• Add in some extras.  Set out fluffy white towels and a small basket with little things they might have forgotten - contact lens cases and solution, travel toothpaste, shampoo and soap, lotion, a razor... think of what a five star hotel might provide.  Even a fluffy robe!

These changes can easily cost as little as a couple hundred dollars and can be done in a weekend.  It's not too late to have your holiday guests feel welcome and appreciated.

Staging your home for sale

“You should detail your house like you’d detail your car if it were for sale.  The cost of staging your home is usually less than your first price reduction!” Barb Schwarz

It's hard to stage your own home, and even harder to find the time when you are busy working, raising the kids, and trying to get ready for your next home.  But when you don't stage the house, you're often throwing money away!  

A staging professional can help - they can be objective about your stuff, set clear goals and timeliness, and make the job their number one priority while you go on with your life.  But if you want to tackle staging on your own, here are some tips to help:

1. 

   Before, this unused guest room hadn't been set up properly.

   

   After, the room showed it's potential as a bright, cheerful space.
   (Makeover by Rivalee Design)

   1.Landscaping - This is the first impression of your home.  Some buyers won’t even go inside the house if the grass is dead and the trees and bushes are overgrown and abandoned. There is no need to re-landscape your yard, but do bring in fresh mulch, trim back the trees and bushes blocking views of (or from) your home, and try to plant some long lasting blooming plants near the front door and walkway.  If you have a lawn, mow it once or even twice a week.  You only get one chance to make that first impression! 
2. 2.Painting - Fresh paint can make an old house fresh, clean and inviting for very little money.  In general you want to choose light, neutral colors - you don’t want any buyer making a list of rooms they’d have to paint before they’d move in. Keep color consistent throughout the home (this doesn’t mean all room must be the same, but there should be an easy flow through the house). 
3. 3.Cleaning - The house MUST be clean and smell fresh. All your personal belongings (laundry, dishes, shoes, mail, toys...) must be put away.  (And don’t just stash it in a closet - buyers look in there too!)  Vacuum the carpets, open windows for fresh air.  Clean the bathroom, especially the toilet and shower, so it sparkles!  The kitchen, too, must be sparkling clean and all pots and pans should be put away.  Make the bed, clear off your night stands.
4. 4.Lighting - Turn on the lights and open all drapes so the house looks as bright and airy as possible.  If you can arrange it, make all showings during daylight hours.  
5. 5.Fixing - Get the to-do list DONE, but don’t waste time, because every day your house is on the market costs you MONEY!  So hire a handyman to fix minor items around the house - railings should be secure, sinks should never drip, door handles should turn easily and doors should open and shut without jamming.  These tiny fixes suggest to a buyer whether or not the home has been cared for, and can make or break a sale!
   Your goal is to freshen and update the space enough to show off its assets and get it on the market ASAP.  Spend your time and money wisely and you'll be taking a much bigger check to the bank!