There's Something About Marsala - PANTONE's 2015 Color of the Year

PANTONE Marsala (Photo gallery selections: Source)

PANTONE the leading authority on color has announced their color of the year. For most, you know PANTONE by seeing the PANTONE 'color and paint' display at home improvement store Lowes. But for design insiders they are the guru's of color marketing trends - From fashion and makeup to autos and appliances, their color collections are what we see transformed into new products all over the world.

PANTONE Color Studio

So this year they selected a mellow, red/brown color "Marsala".  They say: “PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala is a daringly inviting tone that nurtures; exuding confidence and stability while feeding the body, mind and soul. Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this robust shade incorporates the warmth and richness of a tastefully fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots point to a sophisticated, natural earthiness" I like it! There's something exciting and a bit daring about the color and such a refresh change. We've already seen it in high end fashion, but could we incorporate into our home interiors?

Marsala Color of the Year PANTONE - Fashion (Photo: Source)

Sure, it's the color of brick, wood tones or a rich berry paint color.  So if you want to warm it up or add a bit of spice to a space - incorporate away.  If you like a more neutral backdrop, try pairing the color with cooler tones, for juxtapose pairing of warm and cool.

Marsala can be translated into Home Decor options.

PANTONE also said to pair Marsala with two other 2015 trend colors - Aquamarine and Glacier Grey.  Both of these colors have a strong presence already in home decor and perhaps already in your home.  Why not add a pop up your place with easy purchased pillows, a rug or accent accessories to add a bit of Marsala to your mix?

SPRING 2015 PANTONE COLOR TRENDS

Looking to step up for more Marsala? It could be a option for creating a statement in a space. perhaps a piece of furniture, bold window treatments, or a wallpapered accent wall. Consider this new trend color and I think you too will see - there's something about Marsala.

Hooker Furniture - Bombay Chest (Photo: Hooker Furniture)

Marsala toned fabrics and textiles by Ralph Lauren (Photo: Source)

Holiday Home: Start You Amaryllis Bulbs Now For Christmas Blooms!

If you want to have some beautiful Amaryllis blooms for this year's Christmas season, start growing them now. I love having fresh or live floral in my home rather than silk or faux. These little wonders which are easy to grow - pack a huge decorative punch and create just the right ambiance for a beautifully dressed Holiday Home. 

Amaryllis Centerpiece (photo: Country Living)

You can buy Amaryllis bulbs in a nice little kit, complete with soil and a pot, or if you have just a bit of a green thumb - buy loose bulbs which you can plant collectively in a large vase or bowl.  You can purchase the kits at any home improvement store and bulbs at a garden center. A collection of bulbs will create a lovely centerpiece or entry statement maker. A single bloom is lovely on a counter, mantle or part of a tablescape. When to start? Below is a planting and bloom guide to help you determine when to get indoor gardening.

Amaryllis Bloom Chart (photo: Source)

I added a few more pictures to get you inspired to get a bit of dirt under your nails and celebrate the season with Amaryllis.

Amaryllis Tablescape (photo: Southern Living)

Amaryllis in Mercury Glass Vase (photo: BH&G)

I too started a Pin Board on Pinterest with more ideas: AMARYLLIS CHRISTMAS

Home Staging Tale: Wanna Be Stager vs. Professional Stager

A beautiful Victorian on an extraordinary property get's its just debut with some strategic updates and professional staging and styling. The home was on the market prior and had been staged by a non-professional or as the homeowner said... "The Other Stager"

With a new upgraded kitchen, effective changes, keen usage of what the owner already had, and resourceful accessory shopping - the home's transformation is remarkable. A team member of the new listing agent, exclaimed how amazing great staging showcases a home! And best of all, the homeowners, who had a bad previous staging experience, were just over the moon and thrilled with the results.

Reinventing Space's Diana Burt,  who helps clients in the Naperville/Aurora/Oswego/Plainfield area, lead this project.  She did a phenomenal job, didn't she?

BEFORE...

Kitchen AFTER Professional Home Staging

Family Room AFTER Professional Home Staging

Dining Room AFTER Professional Staging

Property details, location and showing information - Please contact The Anderson Team, 
John Greene Co.  

PROPERTY LINK: 3426 Stewart Road OSWEGO, Illinois 60543

Hip House! A Mid Century Modern Home Staging

Hey Daddy-O!  - Last week team HouseStager of Reinventing Space of Chicago had a gas staging and styling an empty custom remodeled 1960's home in the Fox River Valley area of Chicago.  Prior to staging, we consulted on new paint choices and a few other changes to the home to get it prepped for the market.  As the contractor did his thing, we came up with a cool plan to fully celebrate the stature, architectural details, as well as embrace the era of when this home was built.  We were totally jazzed with the amazing results.  Can you dig it?

For property details, location and viewing contact : Mandy Montford / Baird & Warner Real Estate: 815-245-8195 .

BUDGET Home Staging Ideas - A Bedroom with 5 Easy Pieces!

Home Staging ideas - Stage a bedroom with five pieces.

Do you have a need to create, stage & style a bedroom in an empty room? Think you need to go out a buy and lug in heavy furniture? Think again. Today's home staging & styling job was for a client that enlisted me to to do a budget bedroom staging. Here's how I did it.

1. The bed is the focal point of a room, so start here.  My client owns this great air bed that basically is a rolling suitcase and you unzip, plug in and within minutes POOF turns into a queen size bed.  Frontgate has a few to choose from.
2. Head Board. The head board are 2 plastic decorative fencing panels from Home Depot. I know, I know, super clever, weigh nothing and you can attach them to the wall with a nail. Instant headboard. Acurio Panels from Home Depot. 
3. Bedding. A bed should be lush & lovely.  Chic bedding, fluffy pillows, cute accent pillows -and always throw a throw at the end of the bed for a bit of interest and texture. I found this great microfiber duvet set (almost no-iron) at HomeGoods and bird accent pillow from Michaels. (had the shell pillow and throw in my staging stock pile.) 
4. The Night stand is a butler tray table. A butler tray is meant to be mobile, so easy open and close. This is a great what I call "Good Bones" piece of furniture.  The tray comes off and the base just folds up.  I found a close one on Amazon: Crosley Palm Harbor Outdoor Wicker Butler Tray 
5. Lamp.  Just make sure is substantial enough to work with the scale of the bed.

Accents pillows add detail and ambiance to a bed.

Home Stagers LOVE-HATE Relationship with House Cleaners

A house cleaner moved home staging - shower curtain pushed to other side, accessories squished.

Ahhh.. cleaning people.  The coveted crew that makes us, the Home Stager, happy and horrified at the same time. In our perfect world, the cleaning people sweep in just prior to our detailed obsessed styling when we stage a home.  We love them because they're the experts in cleaning and polishing a home to make it fabulous for the prospective buyer.  The down side is, they clean the home after our job is done, moving what we've styled, squishing our perfectly placed accessories and moving everything around from furniture to window treatments in their quest for a tidy home - forgetting to put all those things back.

Our obsession with perfection has a goal - it produces a great online photo and gives the room optimum visual appeal. We take spaces and stage and style them not only visually appealing, but attractive to everyone who takes a peek. We showcase the best of the room which is why it is important to retain the product we produce.

Here are some ways a homeowner can preserve the integrity of the original staging.

1.) Have an photo archive of the recent staging for each room on your cell for reference.

2.) Print out a picture of the room/space and slip it into a plastic protector for the cleaning crew.

3.) Have a plastic storage bin that can house and protect staging props when the space is being occupied for daily usage or cleaned.