Archive for the ‘Home Staging and Decor’ Category

If the Price is Right, then it’s Sold!

ikea A few weeks ago I went to IKEA to get some few items for my children’s room. I was surprised to see how packed it was.  I’ve never seen that much people in IKEA even during the clearance season.  I’m pretty amazed that a lot of people are still buying things, even if the news is all about tough times.  I was even observing if people are just there to browse or to really buy.  Based on my observation, people are spending money to buy things in IKEA and some are even hoarding things from IKEA.  I’ve seen a lot of carts packed full and some cars stuffed with items (with the only space left is the driver’s seat)! ikea in car I feel sorry for some of the retailers near IKEA.  Most people seem to go to that particular shopping complex only to shop at IKEA. However, I’ve seen some stores offering some sale items that benefit from the crowd who go shopping in IKEA. 

In the current market situation, people still spend.  However, many are looking for great deals, bargains and value for money.  Some businesses maybe losing money, but some are growing their market shares.  The real winners during a downturn are the discount shops, bargain centers or any establishment offering low-priced items.  People tend to flock to them and veer away from buying luxury items.

The same applies to real estate.  There are still buyers in the market.  However, most are looking for good deals and bargains.  Gone are the days when people are motivated to buy based on the look and feel of the house. Having the right price is one of the main considerations of most real estate buyers now.  During the real estate boom, “Monopoly” is the name of the game.  In the current real estate downturn, “The Price is Right!” is the new name of the game!

Photo Source: (1) flickr.com by OiMax, (2) flickr.com by milele

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Bring in the Plants!

I was looking for a privacy screen or divider for our house when I chanced upon these web sites with some great "green" ideas for indoors.

www.ecospecifier.org

breathing_wall_11_medium  breathing_wall_hotel1_medium

"Breathing Wall"

www.treehugger.com

vertical garden

"Vertical Garden"

www.eltlivingwalls.com

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"Living Wall"

My version of plants on the wall in our house…

our wall

 

The Chinese refer to plants as the "living energy".  It can add instant life to any dull corner of your house or even office.  Moreover, according to scientific studies having plants inside your home can be good for you physically, emotionally and psychologically. They are also proven to remove harmful chemicals from the air, absorb the noise and promote the feelings of relaxation and well-being.

Here is a link to the Top 10 Plants for Purifying the air.  It is also good to take note of some indoor plants classified as poisonous, such as those listed in the Canadian Poisonous Plants Information System.

Do you have indoor plants? Which one do you like best, the "Breathing Wall", the "Vertical Garden" or the "Living Wall"?

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Your Home is Your Castle

castle Yesterday, my thoughts were preoccupied with the things I wanted to do with our house. I rearranged the furniture just the other day. I’m still deciding on whether to buy a huge plant or a divider as a privacy screen near the entrance door. I can’t wait for our new TV entertainment unit to arrive. We just bought a new TV and the stand won’t be delivered until a few more weeks.

Since we bought our house one and a half years ago, we have added bits and pieces of furniture and new appliances. We added curtains, a new floor in one room and did some minor landscaping in some sections of our yard. Throughout these months, I felt I need to do some more revisions, redecorating and landscaping…until my eldest daughter’s affirmation brought me back to my senses.

While I driving to bring my daughters to their swimming class, my eldest daughter blurted out from the back seat of the car “Mom, I love our house…I really, really love our house”. My daughter is just four years old. She said it with such vigor and innocence that I felt pride and calmness that maybe I already did good in decorating our house.

But, on the other hand…I just realized that the biggest change that happened to our home is not so much the physical changes we made, but the great memories and deeper relationships we developed.

I do get a lot of compliments from the different people who have visited our house, especially those who noticed the changes we’ve made. However, the best one is from my daughter. What her young mind says, matters to me a lot…because I wanted her to have good memories of her childhood, the house where she grew up and most of all the love we share as a family in our house.

In the end, I can say that my husband and I did great. We did everything within our budget. We added value to our house without spending too much. But, most of all everyone is happy. There’s a place for us to get together, an area where we can all have our private moments and a designated area to play.

Thus, if you’re thinking twice of fixing your house or just need a nudge to start that weekend project, I’m encouraging you not to procrastinate. Your house is your castle. It doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, what matters is it is presentable, comfortable and it fulfills your family’s needs… and maybe some wants too.

Photo Source: Flickr by Jule Berlin

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