St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) April 24, 2006 -- The popularity of television programs like "Designed to Sell" (HGTV) and "Sell This House" (A&E) has brought the importance of home staging to the forefront of sellers and buyers alike. A well-presented house sells faster and it can increase the selling price by 6% to 20%, says Barb Schwarz, founder and president of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals, or IAHSP. Although paid consultants exist to aid in this endeavor, there are many things that money-conscious home sellers can do themselves to sell quickly and get top dollar, and many affordable items from Home Decorators Collection® (http://www.homedecorators.com/) can help.
After all of the cleaning (under the beds, too), repairs and yard work are done, the next step is to organize and depersonalize. Note all of the sentimental items, collections and photographs. Although the items might be tastefully displayed, potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in the house, not the seller living in the house. A solution is to use some attractive storage to conceal your belongings. Stanton Storage Carts (http://www.homedecorators.com/Home_Decor/Storage_Solutions/), available from Home Decorators Collection, provide the perfect catchall for treasured possessions. Better looking than a cheap plastic container from the local discount store, the carts are made from kiln-dried Brazilian pine and come in a choice of five finishes (oak, black, white, natural or dark cherry) to tastefully match décor. Removable casters add mobility. Sizes range from a standard 6-drawer model to the triple-wide with 15 drawers and a storage compartment. Another excellent remedy for clutter is a storage ottoman or trunk-style cocktail table. And in the new home, these items will help maintain an organized household.
Area rugs (http://www.homedecorators.com/Rugs/) are quick and easy decorating tools that accomplish many tasks at once. In addition to covering traffic-worn floors and carpet stains, they inject color, texture, and pattern. A rug can take a large spacious room and pull it together, or a couple of rugs can be used to section off the same room – one for the dining area and another for the lounging area.
Light the home as much as possible. Removing heavy draperies from the windows and allowing in natural light is best, and it makes the house seem cleaner. For those dark corners and evening showings, make sure to have plenty of great-looking lamps and lighting fixtures (http://www.homedecorators.com/Lighting/). Home Decorators Collection offers Hand-Painted Porcelain Table Lamps starting at $99 each. Dozens of versatile designs with cream silk shades will match most tastes in home décor. Tiffany-style light shades will dress up dated ceiling fans. Light glows through hand-fitted stained glass for an opulent, timeless effect in any interior; and they won't break the bank at only $22 to $26 each.
It's also a great idea to scatter some plants throughout the house for more depth and interest. If live plants require too much care, consider silk or resin topiaries (http://www.homedecorators.com/Home_Decor/Room_Accents/Topiaries/), also available from Home Decorators Collection.
The object of the game is to make the house look like a model home or a suite in a fine hotel – a place where anyone can move in immediately and feel comfortable. Although most people don't want to spend a lot of cash on a home that they're selling, staging dollars can actually multiply themselves. Conservative estimates show a $2 to $3 return for every dollar invested in staging.
Home Decorators Collection is one of the nation's largest direct sellers of merchandise for the home. In addition to catalog and website, it has retail stores in St. Louis, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. For further information, visit www.HomeDecorators.com or call 1-800-245-2217 for a free catalog. Also check out www.HomeDecoratorsOutlet.com for discounted new furnishing and accessories.
Press Contact: Heather Pyle
Company Name: HOME DECORATORS COLLECTION
Email: hpy@imail.kwcorp.com
Phone: 314-684-1148
Website: www.HomeDecorators.com
AndhraNews.net News for April 24, 2006
