Get Served!

Bar stools don't usually move me.  Sure, I like to sit on one and get served, but this one takes it to another level.  As soon as I hit the lottery I'll be buying 5 of these from  Anthropologie!

Secrets of Staging

If you're putting your house on the market you've probably already heard of "Home Staging".  It's the process of making your home as appeal as possible to the buying public.  Lots of webites will offer you the Secrets of Staging.  HGTV has a list of 15 ideas here:

HGTV Secrets of Home Staging

The ideas are good ones, but it's easier said than done for most people.  A few VERY basic suggestions that aren't listed and that your realtor may be too sheepish to tell you are: CLEAN METICULOUSLY and make sure your home SMELLS GREAT!   People are looking to have a positive emotional reaction to your home, so dirt and strong food odors (curry, garlic) or pet odors are a giant hurdle to making a house feel like home. 

Please don't overcompensate for odors with cover up scents.  You know the ones...  they are supposed to smell like flowers or the ocean but they always fall flat.  Open some doors and get fresh air, clean with products that have orange oil or natural lemon, make cookies, or in a pinch use a candle or scent that smells like yummy baked goods, apple pie or cookies. 

The market is always more kind to a well presented home, make sure yours gets the attention it deserves!  

Insider Trading

Hardly a day goes by that I don't receive an invitation to join an "exclusive" shopping site that promises insider deals.  The goods range from wine to clothing to decor, and all are overstocks which seem to sell out with a week or so.  Personally, I don't like wading through Overstock.com so these make it a little easier to see a few deals at a time.  If you can tolerate a few extra emails coming your way, it's worth doing for the deals and the inspiration!

Here are a few of my favorites: 

One Kings Lane

Fab

Gilt

Joss & Main

Happy Shopping!

Clear off the coffee table, Magazines are going virtual!

The latest trend in home design magazines seems to be going digital.  Personally, I like a real magazine so I can fold corners and rip out pages, but the digital variety is great for those who are pretending to be hard at work.... or those who need to de-clutter their coffee tables.  Here are a few of the latest:





http://www.ruemag.com/



http://www.lonnymag.com/decorate



http://matchbookmag.com/




And a few more... 

http://www.highglossmagazine.com/




http://www.elledecor.com/