Thursday, April 30, 2009

Benjamin Moore Paint Workshop



I've just returned from a paint workshop at Gregory's Paint & Flooring in Duluth, Ga. and let me tell you... paint is changing!
Rebecca Dumas, a design consultant and owner of this fantastic establishment was full of knowledge about the new LOW-VOC and NO-VOC paints available by Benjamin Moore. I tried to take notes and want to pass along some of what I learned for your use in updating your homes.
1. The first paint that she introduced us to, was Aura Waterbourne Interior Paint. They say it's "quite simply the finest paint we've ever made." More customers are asking for "GREEN" products in their environment and this one is their top of the line. It's LOW-VOC (volatile organic compounds ) for environmental protection, low odor, mildew resistance and fully washable in ANY SHEEN! "Ben" developed a collection of 144 hues that harmonize with one another. In other words, we can choose any 3 colors in the paint deck and they will work together. WOW!

2. The second paint that Rebecca introduced us too was called Natura, an interior waterbourne paint. This paint offers the "green promise" meeting the strictest industry standards. It is NO-VOC both in base and colorants and they offer over 3,000 gorgeous colors. If your family has sensitivity to paint odors, this is the way to go. I did not know that paint is considered low or no voc until the tint is added. The tints added to produce the colors is not low/no voc. Most companies promise low/no voc's however once the colorant is added, that promise is not quite so true.
3. The other two products that she discussed was their Regal and Super Spec products that are their mainstays. The Regal is "scrub-able" in any finish and the Super Spec is their contractor line.
Rebecca educated us on their Metallic products and how and when to use these as well as some of her favorite colors that are tried and true every time she uses them. We talked about neutrals, the best shades of green, blues, reds, browns, yellows and whites.
She did say that the trend now is to "de-gold" the paint color choices and choose more muted earth tone colors. It must have something to do with the "going green" wave that the public is going toward.

Let me tell you, it's a long way to the Johns Creek, Georgia area, but it was worth the drive to receive this information that I can share with you. Give me a call and let's set up a consultation to update your space. I have new knowledge and I'm ready to share.

Call and arrange your re-design consultation now!

Southern Staging & Redesign
770-251-0608 home/office
770-301-4786 cell

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Good News, Bad News


Good News: Spring is here! The flowering trees are gorgeous and the birds are building nest for their babies.

Bad News: The pollen is intense and the birds often build their nest in areas where their not welcome, such as at the front door or in the garage.

We have to take the bad with the good, don't we?

When you begin the process of placing your house on the market, you have to take the bad with the good. The house will be listed and marketed by a professional agent that you chose to suit your needs, however you have to start working to get the house ready. And let me tell you, it can be a daunting task.

Staging your house to sell is more than just cleaning and de-cluttering, although that is a huge part of preparation. Its about being "cut to the chase" honest with yourself and making the decision to edit the things in your space that make it feel like home.
Once you decide to sell the house, it stops being your home. It becomes a commodity that you are selling and you have to make it as appealing as possible to attract a larger pool of buyers. That means removing personal photos, changing that themed "Star Wars" bedroom to a more neutral palette and hiding the daily signs of everyday life in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry rooms. It means that the furniture will need to be re-arranged to show off the selling features of the room, not leaving it where it is because it works for you.

Having a third person come in (professional home staging consultant) and look at your space objectively is more affordable than one would think. Most staging companies offer a variety of services at different price points for potential clients. Most consultants offer a "walk n talk" consultation beginning at $150.oo and the home owners do the work themselves, or they can hire the consultant to do the work for 1/2 day, full day or what ever it takes to make the house marketable. Consultants can take the home sellers accessory's and arrange them so that once a buyer walks in the room, there will be an emotional connection. This is often a skill that the average home owner doesn't have because it is so difficult to disassociate themselves from the home where they have built memories.

It is well worth the investment to hire the services of a home staging consultant to help you with the preparation of your home. Why wouldn't a home seller want to increase the chances of selling their house by making such and investment?