MANN REPORT: February 2009

Love your Lair

By Jill Vegas
Jill Vegas LLC

Before photo: In this room, a calm hue of blue accented with white was okay for living but for selling buyers complained that the room felt dark and small and didn’t want to live there.

After photo: The trick to brighten up the room was white, white, white. By painting the walls white and layering on white bed linens and features, it created a feeling of space, air and cleanliness: all things buyers like.

Photo credit: Juris Mardwig

Love is in the air/ everywhere I look around
love is in the air/ every sight and every sound
and I don't know if I'm being foolish
I don't know if I'm being wise
but it's something that I must believe in

Love is in the air/ in the whisper of the trees,
love is in the air/ in the thunder of the sea,
and I don't know if I'm just dreaming,
I don't know if I feel safe,
but it's something that I must believe in
         -Tom Jones, Love is in the Air

Tom Jones reminds us that when we set our minds right, love is all around us.

New York City in February can look like a black and white cartoon of a very sad day: devoid of color. And while that can be a downer, it’s the interiors—homey, comfy, and cozy--that bring love and lightness to our hearts in winter.
At Jill Vegas staging, we bring vitality to properties on the market, following a mantra of “love your home,” and “light is everything.”

This month, focus on how to bring love and light into the home, whether your property is on the market or you are just sprucing up your living space.

Here are a few things you can do to lighten your lair:

  • If it feels dark and dingy in your apartment or house, change your light bulbs. Use clear, clean white light. Replace burned out bulbs.
  • Go through your house and clean your light fixtures.
  • Stoke the fireplace. If your fireplace is decorative, add birch logs for a nice touch, or candles. Lighting candles in a fireplace adds a beautiful look to a room, and creates a marvelous smell.
  • Indulge in new bedding. Luxurious bed sheets, pillows and comforters are the best gift you can give yourself. Buy the most expensive ones you can afford in Egyptian cotton.
  • Buy a cashmere throw to add warmth and bring color to a couch or chair.

In our example this month of a property staged by Jill Vegas, the bedroom was painted a dark blue. It was like twilight in the room: too dark for selling purposes. Potential buyers complained about how dark and small the bedroom felt.

The solution was to paint the room with a fresh coat of white. We layered on texture by adding sheepskin rugs and wood in the fireplace, and putting a fluffy cover on the duvet.

Another great option in lighting up your space is to add lamps and sconces. Sconces are good if you have little room for side tables.

In our staging example, we used a mirrored lamp base to brighten up the room. You can also buy table lamps with a dimmer, to get the light just right. Or, if you are on a budget, buy new shades for the lamps you have. If money isn’t a problem, invest in a chandelier. They are very romantic, and give incredible light and romantic sparkle to any room.

I like to add dimmers to the chandeliers, so you can control the light whether its night, afternoon or day. And remember, love is in the air.

Jill Vegas
212-627-9402
jill@jillvegas.com

 

©2009 Jill Vegas LLC