Author Archives kathyregini

My business, A Change of Space, specializes in both Staging and Redesign and I am frequently asked what the difference is. I can see how it can be confusing. Both involve making a house more beautiful. The difference is who it’s for.

With Interior Design/Redesign, a unique and customized home is created focused on the client’s vision. It is an environment full of personal touches, a reflection of the people who live there. It can have many layers, and every design decision must be approved by the client, since the ultimate goal is the enhanced quality of life of the occupants.

Staging is the professional merchandising/packaging of your home for a targeted buyer’s market. It influences prospective buyers by showing a certain lifestyle, creating a memorable impression, and evoking a positive emotional response. It showcases a home’s best architectural features and focuses on improving a property’s value. A staged home is the silent sales person that has a buyer thinking, ”Wow, I’d love to live here!”. Usually a staged home only has enough furnishings and accessories to create vignettes that show people how to live in a home, and the design choices are made by the staging expert. Staging does not create the home of your dreams…it is the house of a buyer’s dream!

“Be a good editor and only buy things you really love” -Thomas Pheasant

“Interiors speak. Rooms emphasize whether one simply exists or lives, and there is a great difference between the two.”- Van Day Treux

“There are as many styles of beauty as there are visions of happiness.”-Stendhal

Black is timeless and elegant, and most women have tons of it in their closets. Nothing is more chic than the little black dress. I worked for Chanel Inc. for a decade, and I think at one point two-thirds of my closet was black!

But when it comes to incorporating black into the home, people tend to shy away from it. But it doesn’t have to be scary! Especially with soft, neutral rooms, (which I am a big fan of!) black helps bring focus. The trick is to use it SPARINGLY, I like to have a touch of black in every room…it adds a little modern. I also love its ability to update and pull together disparate pieces of furniture and accessories. When you paint different wood tones black, they magically all seem to go together. I’ve spray painted furniture, frames, chandeliers, candle sticks, and lots more with amazing results. Let me know how it works for you!

Have you ever noticed how light and airy staged homes feel? It’s not by accident! There is an art to making rooms feel bigger than they actually are. If you would like to achieve this at home, here are a few tips.

-Use NEUTRAL COLORS through out the living room and to connecting spaces for visual consistency.

-Emphasize the VERTICAL SPACE. Floor to ceiling window treatments, tall floor lamps, tall artwork, tall bookshelves, are all great ways to draw the eye upward.

-Choose VISUALLY LIGHTWEIGHT FURNITURE, as a space appears larger when you can see under & through pieces. Glass coffee tables, furniture with legs (as opposed to solid, box style) wall mounted storage units, are all good examples.

-Use SMALLER SCALE PIECES. Low backs, and thinner armrests on sofas & chairs, rather than overstuffed. Avoid bulk…go for an overall smaller footprint.

-DUAL PURPOSE furnishings, such as a pair of ottomans that double as a coffee table and provide extra storage as well. Poufs, too.

-FEWER ITEMS to simplify the space. Keep the walls, floors and other surfaces as uncluttered as possible. Think larger art and accessories, but fewer of them.

-Add MIRRORS to add the illusion of depth.

-Provide GOOD LIGHTING, as well illuminated spaces appear bigger.

Over the years I have seen how an over abundance of “things” constitute a major problem in most American homes. When you prepare a home for sale that is owner occupied, I help the sellers remove about a third of their belongings to have the home show well. Seems like a lot, right?

Some items are boxed up early and put in storage ’til the move, some items can be sold at a “pre-listing” yard sale, some things get donated, and some recycled.

It is a purging process that some people have a difficult time with, but they almost always love the end result.

Even if you are not selling your house, having less stuff is a good thing. Stuff brings stress. The more you have, the more you have to manage and that means less time for the things you really want to be doing. Clutter makes a big impact on your emotional well being. Feng Shui, the ancient art of placement, believes that clutter represents stagnant energy, and it reminds us of the things we haven’t dealt with, weighing on our minds. Everything we do not use and takes up space, constitutes clutter. By removing clutter, you can de stress the environment you live in.

Come home to a peaceful & calm retreat.  It’s the beginning of a new year…maybe it’s the year you get rid of that extra stuff you aren’t using. Remember, one person’s garbage is another person’s treasure…it can go to good use.

Mirrors are widely used in residential home staging because one of the goals is to have the home look as spacious & bright as possible. Kind of a trick of the trade. Large mirrors are my favorite…the kind that almost go floor to ceiling. You may think that you do not have space for something as big as that, but when you see what it does for your room, you may find a way!

1. Mirrors can widen a narrow room or hallway, creating the illusion of space.

2. Mirrors reflect light and make a room brighter when placed across a window or next to a bright lamp.

3. Mirrors reflect beautiful views and artwork positioned on surrounding walls..

4. Mirrors can be works of art in themselves.

Select a frame that compliments the room’s decor to make the mirror an integrated part of the design.

The interesting shape to this mirror gives the illusion of a window being there!

So, what are you waiting for…go get yourself a mirror!

Everyone says the kitchen is the most important room of the house and the heart of the home… family & friends love to spend time here. When a house is for up for sale, the kitchen can make or break the deal! When I am called to stage a property, I frequently recommend certain cost effective changes that homeowners can do themselves prior to listing to have the kitchen show it’s best. They also happen to be great improvements for anyone with a kitchen that is past it’s prime!

1. Update the cabinets with paint. This is the most impactful change you can make. Try dark chocolate brown, cream, white or mushroom.  Choose a cabinet color that contrasts with your wall color- if your walls are dark, choose a lighter color- if your walls are light, choose a darker color. No color is too dark if the space is properly lit.

2. Add glass fronts to one or two upper cabinets. On many cabinet styles, you can simply pop out the center panel inset and take it to a glass company to have glass fitted & inserted. If there is no center inset in your doors, cut out a center portion, leaving a 3” frame around the edges. Look for interesting glass such as frosted or reeded (a modern vertical design.) You can also paint the inside of the cabinet a beautiful accent color. Once dry, fill with decorative dishes, glassware, or serving pieces, and reinstall the doors.

3. Remove an upper cabinet altogether and replace with open shelving, or take off the doors and create “open shelving”. This is a clean, modern look that can make a smaller kitchen feel really spacious. You will need to keep things arranged nicely on those open shelves, but it’s worth it when you see the fresh look this will give to your kitchen!

4. Replace the fluorescent box. Install some recessed lighting, pendant lights, a track light or a chandelier. Consider installing a dimmer for more lighting options.

5. Place Cork flooring right over your old vinyl, wood or even outdated tile floor. Cork is incredible…it comes in many colors and patterns and is a very resilient and flexible floor. Plus, it’s a renewable resource.

6. Replace outdated cabinet knobs and pulls! Satin nickel, stainless, oil-rubbed bronze, or iron hardware will instantly bring new life to your old cabinetry.

7. Brighten your kitchen with new linens. Try a new table cloth and dishtowels to refresh instantly.

Try any combination of these ideas to dramatically transform your kitchen!

In case you are entertaining at home this year, here are two beautiful Holiday tables with a fresh & clean color palette of whites, crystals, metallics and just a touch of green. The first is a little more modern and the second a bit more traditional. Both lovely!

Happy New Year!

This time of year all the design pros predict where home decor will go in the New Year. Although there are some differing opinions out there on which will be the new hot color and other style choices, most everyone agrees that a few important concepts continue to gain momentum.

Realtors & builders have been saying that the new home buying trend is toward smaller, but better designed and equipped houses. According to the U.S Census Bureau, the average size of a new family home has decreased to 2135 square feet. Because of this, open floor plans are in high demand, as fewer walls make the home seem bigger. Also, modern consumers are conscious of their surroundings and their well being, and prefer homes with quality, eco friendly features rather than homes with lavish amenities and wasted space. And last, buyers are looking for flexible, multifunction living spaces so the home can adapt to changing lifestyles and needs.

All these trends are also reflected in interior design for 2012…

-Sustainable design & materials.

-Reclaimed wood flooring & furniture. Repurposing.

-Doing more with less, but investing in higher quality items that will last. Well designed, multi-function furnishings with durable materials & finishes.

So, rather than worrying about which shade of yellow is the perfect accent color this year, keep the big picture in mind! Happy Holidays to all!

I’ve talked about how the right holiday atmosphere can help sell a home. Many of those same design principles can apply for decorating a home that you plan on enjoying for many holidays to come…the cohesive color palette, the simple and elegant, look & feel.  If you are looking to redesign your home this holiday, (the ideas are introduced in my blog “Selling your Home during the Holiday Season”) here are a few more beautiful images that I hope will inspire you…

Natural greens and white flowers.

Natural accessories… pine cones, bundles of cinnamon sticks, fresh cranberries, cream-colored candles, and mercury glass for a little sparkle.

Edible decor: fruit, berries, fancy cakes, holiday cookies, special candies chocolates & nuts. Champagne and festive flutes.

Gift wrap with an organic touch.