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It used to be that open floor plans were limited to a specific geographic area, like California…the land of casual, informal living. Now the open floor plan is popular in pretty much every market. The old formal living & dining rooms that our parents loved, have been replaced by large, flexible spaces that are used as needed. Walls are being torn down…and many new construction homes don’t even have formal rooms in the floor plans.

But there is an art to making an open concept home look great and work well.  For starters, it’s important for all the elements in the living areas work together and that the adjoining areas are cohesive. When I stage an open concept home, I start by using a monochromatic color scheme. Also, furniture can be placed to create different seating areas to break up a larger space.  Examples would be maybe two large, comfy chairs by the fireplace, a leather reading chair by a wall of books to give the library effect, a conversation area, a tv lounging area…you get the picture. Since there is no division between rooms, another way to define spaces is to use area rugs. Take a look at the photo below.

Take a look at these before & afters and you tell me!

When staging a home for sale, I have my little bag of tricks. Illusions, really. How do you  make a smaller room appear larger? Paint it the same color as the adjacent room. This works well with a kitchen and dining room, for example. The continuous color joins the rooms seamlessly, make them feel like one big space. There you go.

Kelly Hoppen is another designer I like . Her style is Zen, no clutter, minimalist . She frequently uses monochromatic color schemes to create calm. Her rooms are modern but don’t read cold and are still functional.

“Spaces that are calm, comfortable and elegant travel really well in time.” Vicente Wolf

When Pantone announced that the Color of the Year 2013 was Emerald, I wasn’t that excited. Can’t say I love it and I’ve been hesitant to incorporate it anywhere unless someone asks for it. I’m a bigger fan of Chartreuse!  My favorite combination right now is a background of neutral grays with chartreuse and plum as accents. Just love it.

1. Price it right to begin with. If anything, list it just a tad under market value to get tons of showings and hopefully they’ll be caught in a bidding war!
2. Curb appeal. Make a great first impression with things like a newly painted front door and pots of colorful flowers by the front door. Think: warm and welcoming.
3. Replace anything worn or broken and make needed repairs. Your home must look well maintained, inside and out. Clean goes without saying.
4. Update your kitchen and baths. New hardware, faucets, whatever you can afford…put the bulk of your money here.
5. Have the home professionally staged and keep show ready. A stager will declutter, depersonalize, and arrange the furniture to showcase the floor plan. Your house will be more appealing to a greater number of people.
6. Lighten Up. Keep all curtains and blinds open during the day and put high voltage bulbs in all light fixtures. The home must be bright and cheerful!
7. Empty out your closets/storage areas. Remove whatever you can live without for the next three months and place in storage. Organize what’s left…buyers do look inside! Over stuffed closets signal not enough storage.
8. Remove all signs that a pet lives here.  Some equate animals with dirt ,smell and a wornout house. Don’t plant that seed.

You know how you can put on a great little black dress, but without jewelry, heels and a cute bag, it won’t look amazing. You have to accessorize! In your home, accessories are the touches of color, texture and shape that finish a space. They make a room come alive and are an integral part of the design. It’s important to set aside a budget for these elements when you are creating a new look.   Here are a few ideas for successful accessorizing. 1. Use special items that speak to you. 2. Your accessories should reflect your personality. 3 You can have a theme-modern, beach, etc. 4. Choose colors that add interest and coordinate with the color palette of the room. 5. If you have a neutral color scheme,  add a pop of color and repeat three times. 6. Create groups of 3 or 5 by similar object or color. 7. Vary the height of tabletop accessories for balance and interest ____________________________________________________________________________________________

There are fads and there are trends. A fad comes and goes very quickly. It’s a “flash in the pan”…very short term with lots of enthusiasm around it. People run out and buy the same few “hot “ things! All of a sudden everyone has the same area rug!

But trends can go on for years, even a decade or longer. It has long term influence and staying power.  So, it makes sense to stay away from the fad and adopt the trend. But only if it really speaks to you. If you just love it  and it’s in your budget, get it! But don’t do it just because it’s popular. Better off sticking with the classics…looks that stand the test of time.

My new favorite magazine is House & Home. It is Canada’s number one selling interior design magazine, and I can see why. The rooms are beautiful and on trend,  but most important, totally livable. Not just rooms for the rich & famous. Next time you see one at the new stand , pick one up and you’ll see what I mean!