Flowers for yours truly?

Saturday I attended the all day BlogPodium conference at the Hyatt on king st, in Toronto. I didn't know what to expect, this being the first conference of this kind which I have attended.  Well...I sure learned a lot! 

The main keynote speaker was Sarah Richardson. I was afraid that I would be disappointed but what you see on TV is what you get. She is genuine and unpretentious, humorous.  She shared her journey with us on how she was an overnight success.....after 20 yrs!!!  She has a great sense of humour and spoke sincerely about the hard work she has had to do. She gained a loyal fan in me.

Another notable designer who shared her blogging success with us was Meredith Heron. She gave us detailed information to follow, in order to be successful with our blogs. It was just the kind of information we all needed and wanted. Thank you Meredith.

Once upon a time....

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a lady wanted to get her bathroom redone. She called the contractor, who told her to call the cabinet maker, who told her to call an interior designer.

Yes, that's right!  When you are planning on redecorating, or renovating or redesigning, call your interior designer first! Your designer can then help you plan your new look and she/he can help you choose your fixtures, finishes and colour choices. She can help you set a budget, and help you and your contractor stick to that budget. When everything is planned out, a renovation becomes a pleasure.
Your contractor is happy, your cabinet maker is happy, your interior designer is happy and last but definitely not least, YOU WILL BE HAPPY!

This bathroom proposal is for two teenage boys, brothers who both wanted some red in their bathroom as an accent. We were all so pleased that they wanted the same thing.

 Mom & Dad are happy because the finishes are timeless and attractive without being too trendy.  In a few short years, when the boys leave to go to university, Mom wants to repaint the bathroom a softer shade of grey, Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore. A simple update, planned well ahead.

This bathroom remodel also has the number one request by Mom......A SELF-CLOSING and FLUSHING toilet!

What's not to love!! Wish I had had this when my sons were growing up.

Please follow me on Facebook for daily design inspiration.
https://www.facebook.com/ChrisseAllanDesignAssociates

We were on TV!!

We recently staged a home for an estate sale, which had been in the family since it was originally built in 1903.  We were honoured when OmniTV Ontario asked if we would do a a TV interview featuring Homestaging. ANd of course we said yes. OmniTV is a multi-cultural television network and this interview was aired on the Cantonese news segment.

Luckily, I was interviewed in English. LOL   What would I change about this....I would have smiled more and looked into the camera, but I was directed not to.

Hope you enjoy the news clip which was aired on November 27th, 2012.  What this home needed was to be aired out, completely repainted, wall to wall broadloom removed, and all the old tired furniture that was left over was removed & donated.  Our biggest problem was to remove the strong odour of nicotine and cigarette smoke as the original owners had been heavy smokers.   I feel that we succeeded brilliantly.

After the Homestaging was completed and the house listed, it sold in less than 7 days and for nearly $100,000.00 over asking. This made for a happy family, a happy real estate agent and a happy me.

Here is a short translation:
"The introduction goes something along the lines of, "Organizing/redecorating your home not only makes it look better, but actually increases the chance of a sale. Due to this, many sales reps in Toronto are working together with home designers"

Afterwards it's almost exactly as you'd expect. They explain a bit about the importance of home staging, and the effect that has on people as soon as they walk through the door. Home designers will analyze the house to understand how to better organize it to increase the chance of a sale. Then they introduce you. Afterwards they show the house you were working with, and briefly outlined what you did such as the carpeting, and how the house was reorganized. 

The conclusion mentions that the house sold for over $900,000 after the home staging, as opposed to the original estimated value of $800,000s. Prettying the house doesn't necessarily mean full renovations but sometimes a quick makeover will help increase the house's selling points. A good product needs good packaging. "
You can also see photos on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/StagedRight4U

Stage 2 ...and a half...planning the new kitchen layout.

When we started this renovation, my clients were sure that we would not be able to change the current U shape layout of the kitchen. This is where the magic of using AutoCad comes in...along with a very creative mind.

By drawing everything to scale and moving cabinets around, all the while keeping the mechanicals in the same place, I was able to come up with a kitchen cabinet layout that included an island. 

The placement of the island allows the homeowner to see into the living room/dining room and also socialize with anyone sitting in the kitchen...and of course, Everyone knows that the best part of any great party is hanging out in the kitchen! And my clients are delighted because they love having people over!

So here are the colour renderings for the new kitchen layout. Hope you like them.

Smiles,

Chrisse

Stage 2 -Design renovation of 1950's home- Demolition

The first stage of the renovation for this 50's home is well underway. We had to install a new ceiling so added a deep and fabulous plaster cove molding all around the room. The studs for the ceiling were uneven, so we had to apply 5 coats of plaster to get the ceiling even. Whew!
The fireplace frame is built and the ribbon fireplace is installed. All that's left to do is install the ledgestone slate on the surround. This is a surprising edgy modern element the clients and I are really looking forward to seeing completed.

This fireplace will give off lots of heat in the dead of winter and on those cool summer nights, the glowing crystals on the bottom of the firebox will provide a lovely soft light with LED lights.

Full 3D colour renderings were created to help the clients "see" my vision for their home renovation. This program is by Chief Architect & I am really happy that I decided to use it. Learning how to use it has been relatively easy and fun, so much so that I find myself "playing" with the software at night rather than having a good night sleep.  My clients are ecstatic with the results and are impatiently waiting to see my vision completed. I love finding & realizing my client's vision into reality!

These are the renderings I created for the livingroom, ensuite bathroom, the family room.

Next is the kitchen. The 3D design concepts are nearly ready and I'll be posting them in the next few days.  Oh....and we're going shopping for furniture. The custom designed sofa and loveseat have been ordered!  I can't wait to share a picture of them with you when they will be ready.

Enjoy...and please feel to send me your comments.

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Chrisse

Staged condo SOLD in 2 Days for $26,000. more than asking!

Last week I was hired to stage a condo that was about 30yrs old and was being placed on the market for the first time. This condo belonged to a new business acquaintance's mother. It was crowded and a little tired.

I had the condo repainted with fresh up-to-date colours, removed most of the existing furniture, rented a few pieces that we were missing, added some soft drapes, repaired the bathroom plumbing, replaced the sink & taps with new ones, and suggested that my client replace the old stove with a new one. Why, you may ask?  The answer is simply that the fridge & dishwasher were nearly new and were stainless steel, and here was this old yellow stove. My client is a very smart lady. She owns a successful business and... she hired me didn't she! So... she replaced the stove with a new stainless steel one.

The condo was placed on the market on Wednesday this week and today it was SOLD for $26,000.00 over asking!  Two days on the market, $3,500.00 to get the condo shipshape ready and her pay-off is an extra $26,000.00. Not a bad investment.

Here is a link to my Facebook page to check out the pictures.  Be sure to show that you "like" what you see and please help me reach 200 fans.
Thanks!
Chrisse
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=172621&id=147422028684

Part deux -Pictures & sticky notes-

My clients are in the process of determining what new style of decor they want. This causes a problem for me as I am far more effective when I know what direction to go style wise. Its like a road map: no good having a road map if you don't have an address to go to.
So, armed with dozens of magazines and 2 colors of sticky notes, one for the husband, one for the wife, they have homework to do. I'm giving them a week. What I know will happen is that they will each have many design ideas in common. I'm looking forward to seeing the results...so stay tuned.
Once I know what really appeals to them, I'll be able to come up with something fun & fantastic, with lasting appeal for them. Can't wait!