Living Accents: Limonium

 Misty Blue Limonium is beautiful fresh and dries exactly the same.  This house staged by SVA Home and Garden has a lavender bordered walkway leading to the entry and fringing the infinity pool, so it made sense to carry the look inside.  I repeated the whispy blue/purple mist in the kitchen and master bedroom.  Because it is simple, the repetition doesn't feel overdone and is maintenance free!.  Whether it is in a sparkly silver cachepot or Tuscan pottery, it is a stunning addition.  Fill your container with florist's foam and stick the limonium in one piece at a time until it is very full.  That's it.  No water needed!

In the Garden: Patio Makeover

What do you do with a tired run down patio?  Start with the floor of course!  Painting a tile pattern to match the indoor flooring created indoor/outdoor continuity.  Vintage seating provides a comfortable outdoor living room and frequent gathering place.  A former eyesore now enhances the view indoors and out. Can you tell which is tile and which is paint?

Before: Unappealing and rarely used...

Why Stage a House?

You might well ask.  After all, it is the house they are buying, not whatever you put in it, right?  Wrong!  People buy the space they need and can afford in the location they want, but what makes them sign on the bottom line is their heart.

What's more appealing:  this

The goal of any home seller and realtor is to sell the house quickly and at the highest price.  Right?  What will make that happen?  Having a house that shows well, that's what.  If a house shows well and is priced right, then the Broker's Open will create a buzz and the house will immediately see a lot of activity with brokers bringing their clients over to view the property.  If it doesn't show well for the Broker's Open, then fewer will bring their clients by and the house may sit on the market.  This is death, because then it becomes old news and will get even less attention.

or this?

The result is a house that sits on the market for months.  This costs the homeowner in time, additional mortgage payments and the realtor in increased advertising costs and open houses.  Ultimately the result will also be in reducing the asking price by $10,000, $100,000 or even $1,000,000 depending on the market.  Staging effectively is a small price to pay to save yourself time and money.

The Bellavista Staging Project Part 6: The Master Bath

Finally, this Master Bath is beautiful but accessorizing brought warmth and livability to it. The chocolate touches echo the woodwork, while lush towels, plants, soaps and candles welcome you in.  Doesn't the aqua doggy standing guard at the fireplace make you smile? .

before

after

Practical Matters: The End of 3-way Lights Bulbs

This is a reminder that as of January 1, 2012, incandescent light bulbs will no longer be available.  To conserve energy they are being replaced by LED (Light emitting diodes). While I am all for saving energy, the loss of incandescent bulbs raises a few concerns. First  LED light is much bluer than regular incandescents, and this alters color.  The other alternative,  fluorescent light bulbs (which will continue to be sold), have improved significantly in color value in recent years and they will continue to be on the market, but lack the characteristic brightness and warmth of incandescents.  However, neither the LED's nor the Fluorescents are available in 3 way light bulbs, which provide you the option of using the lowest wattage of the three settings, thus saving energy while using traditional lightbulbs.


For those who like to use 3-way bulbs in table lamps, now is the time to stock up.  I like the GE Reveal light bulbs because their  brighter, clearer light is easier to read by and has the truest color rendition.  They come in a 50/100/150 watt or 30/70/100 watt combination, and right now are available wherever light bulbs are sold. It won't be illegal to use them, but it will be to sell them after the end of the year! 

Favorite Things: Century Furniture: American Made

Celebrating an American master!  North Carolina has been the center of  fine wood craftsmanship for over a hundred years.   In recent years many of the old furniture manufacturing firms have moved their production offshore to save cost.  The result is that many families who have passed on their skills from generation to generation are now out of work.  Century Furniture is one company  committed to building in America, and with the exception of their outdoor line,  all their fine furniture is made here.  Their extensive lines are available with many finishes and custom options in traditional, transitional and contemporary styles.  Check out centuryfurniture.com.  I love them!

Weekly Schedule

Here  is what to expect on any given day of the SVA Home and Garden Blog:


Mondays:      Practical Matters: Updates on a range of  Home and Garden subjects from light bulbs to soaker hoses. 
Tuesday:       Home Staging, from basics to wow!
Wednesday:  In the Garden: outdoor living at its best
Thursday:      Filling in the Details: accessories and finishing touches
Friday:            Favorite Things: best resources out there
Weekend:      Creating Change: Transforming Spaces to Change Lives


I look forward to sharing with you through the coming days.


I hope this day is a good one for you.
Susanne