Blog posts created to help clients with any required renovations, redesigns, and staging alterations in their home!


Now you might be asking yourself - what is virtual staging?

And fair enough, virtual [or digital] staging has been around for a while BUT it's only really been impressive or impactful for say the last 5 years. Before that a lot of the images looked a little rough. Think 'cut, copy + paste' on the good old paint program on your computer. You looked, you chuckled, but you appreciated the person's effort to 'fill' the space with some personality. Nowadays though, when done right, virtual staging can deceive the eye to really make you look twice - is this real furniture in the space? Or digitally enhanced pieces?

But virtual staging is the art of photographing an empty property and then digitally inserting faux furniture precisely into the space. The…

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In 1985, Prince serenaded us with his hit 'Raspberry Beret' - a song so catchy that I still have troubles turning the radio dial when it comes on. Fast forward nearly 40 years [wow] and Benjamin Moore is calling their 'Raspberry Blush' the colour of the year for 2023. Apparently it's a vivacious shade of coral tinged with pink and enlivens the senses with an electric optimism. I love a great, descriptive marketing line. 

It's important to remember that unique, bold or designer colour choices can be subjective. I wouldn't exactly race out of the house to go pick up a couple of cans and start slapping them on the walls right now to ensure your home sells quickly in the coming months. The majority of the shades even listed in the 'Colour Trends for…

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If any of these reflect any of your past listings, you might want to fire your Agent!

The best part of these pictures? Most of them are from actual listings in Calgary.

1. The Realtor and home owners didn't want to be in the picture...

2. Just in case you were wondering what the blinds looked like in this Penthouse condo.

3. And the lights on the mirror.

4. Maybe if I take the picture fast enough my arm won't be in the picture?

5. Actually a very well staged property, they just forgot to take away a key garment.

6. Clutter is a selling feature, right? Too bad, because the washer + dryer were likely expensive.

7. Don't worry son, enjoy those cartoons, I'm sure this place will sell ASAP.

8. Mirrors,…

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You’ve already heard of smartphones and smart cars but the next major player in smart technology is smart homes. Below are some of the gadgets that were featured at the biggest tech show of the year, CES 2015.

Bosch’s Home Connect App allows users to use their smartphones to check the status of their dishwasher cycle, or to program temperature and time settings in their oven, and users can even receive photos from their smart fridges interior, so you know what to buy at the store! However this amazing app is not yet offered in Canada, bummer.

 

QardioBase by Qardio is a wireless smart scale that tracks your weight with emojis, and with the slogan “start your day with a smile” it would be hard not to.

 

Petcube camera lets you stay connected…

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Condos in Calgary are getting more functional, fashionable and modern. People’s lives are becoming more minimalistic. However, construction costs and price of homes tend to rise with time. So what does this mean? Small, boutique style condos are becoming popular due to their affordability.

Upcoming Calgary condo developments seem to be introducing smaller floor plans to appeal to individuals looking to enter the market sooner. Here are a few examples of condo designers making the most of out of a small situation:

STEPS [Bridgeland] units start at 344 sqft [nope, not a misprint]

Drake [Connaught] units start at 398 sqft

6th And Tenth [Connaught] units start at 449 sqft

Mark on 10th [Connaught] units start at 452 sqft

To answer your…

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1] Cleaning, Organizing & Staging

Simple and inexpensive! By far the biggest overlooked item on a seller’s to do list is the overall cleanliness & presentation of their space. Instead of immediately looking into fixing up items, renovations and alterations, consider de-cluttering and re-organizing your interior space to maximize the size and layout. Consult an interior designer or stager if it’s in the budget, it will definitely pay off. Don’t forget a complete cleaning of the property prior to initial viewings, you want to ensure that wow factor with potential buyers.

2] Interior Paint

Colors and tones pose a big impact into the overall impression of a property. An investment into interior paint typically returns very positively, not to…

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A lot of people ask about color schemes, how we come up with them and the reason behind the choices. Coming from a resale real estate background, I think the word most synonymous with color success is neutral. Soft toned, neutral palettes typically tend to sell better and are usually more appealing to the eye. We’ve all been told not to go off the deep end when painting, choosing flooring, tile, countertops, etc., which is completely accurate when worrying about the cosmetics for resale down the road. But what if we’re thinking long term, like a “I want this house to feel like me, with my style and my touch” scenario? Is it ok to go a little bold and courageous? Yes and no. I know a lot of individuals that are over dramatic or bright with their…

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Other than paint, flooring may be the easiest way to make the most dramatic improvement to your home! With our redesign projects, we prefer to use real hardwood floors/bamboo or engineered wood floors, but you can use whatever material you prefer and/or fits your budget. Many people are overwhelmed by the thought of and process of tearing out an existing flooring material and installing a new one, however if you use a professional installer and learn what to expect, it can be quite painless. First things first, examine what existing flooring you have , what thickness it is and what you will be able to install. If you’re going to use hardwood, you will want to decide on whether you’re going to go with a nail-down, glue-down, or floating floor system.…

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