Category Archives: Living Room

Why You Need a High-end NYC Home Stager To Do A Studio!

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NYC Home Stager#1  This is what it looked like:-

#2 The asking price is $524,000

#3 The maintenance alone is $1,255 a month and only 50% of it is tax deductible.

#4 The apartment “is a back apartment with no view”…and faces North.

#5 To anyone OUTSIDE of NYC, this is absurd!!  But this is New York City – the heart of Greenwich Village in a well-run,  doormaned co-op.  And pets are allowed.

What to do?

 

We took advantage of the main space to add a sectional and desk. With varying textures and a simple pallet we achieve a feast of visual interest… which compensates for lack of space. From a glass topped table with smooth steel legs, to a textures sofa with shaggily soft pillow, the “living room” is a stylish spot to read, entertain or watch tv.  There doesn’t need to be a tv hang on the wall for the buyers to easily recognize where one would go.  An open shelf, free standing, is a great way to delineate a space without sacrificing light.  By NOT filling the shelves with glass, but rather interesting silvered sculptures, the divider doesn’t unnerve  buyers with a “don’t bump that or you’ll be owning the crystal fragments”. The originality suggests a luxurious pied-a-terre or perhaps a first-time homeowner’s private lair.

There are possible buyers now. As opposed to a dirty L-shaped box that competes poorly against New Construction, no matter how fabulous the location.

Home staging does more than solve the design problems. It illustrates the lifestyle for a series of potential occupants. Notice that the total lack of view isn’t covered up.  There are no sheers, even, on the windows. What you see is what you get. And what you get is something quite practical that can be as serene or as cosy as any discerning New Yorker might want.

For NYC home staging solutions, please call 917-428-3965 and ask for Debbie Oulvey.

[Home Staging NYC] Brooklyn Dodger – Now Beauty

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NYC Home Staging

This one bedroom ground floor apartment in the heart of Brooklyn Heights looked worn out and forgotten. Until Amazing Space NYC took over and turned tired into tasteful and worn into wonderful. The living room was repainted in Natural Wicker (OC-1) with Chantilly Lace white trim, setting the back drop for warm furnishings that complement the dentil moldings and darker wood tones in the kitchen cabinetry. The green was removed from the bedroom walls and ceiling and replaced with a white ceiling and Linen White walls. But green was not forgotten; our design team used it as the accent color to highlight the trees and leaves that are framed by both the living room and bedroom windows. A few accents to make the place appeal to the first time home buyer and this one bedroom is ready for its first open house.

NYC Home Staging

Happy Selling!

Link to listing — http://www.elliman.com/new-york-city/30-monroe-place-1f-brooklyn-vcggmcl

NYC home staging

The Only 2 BR In The Hush-Hush One57 Is Staged For Sale

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New York City Home StagingI recently had the pleasure of staging the only 2 br condo in the notorious, super hush-hush condo, One57. The home had been purchased when the units were first offered for sale. Now it is being sold at an impressive $6,000+/sq.ft.  Dramatic views are only part of the story.  Floorplans are larger here:  3,200 sq. ft in other buildings might be a 5 BR, here they are a mere 3.  The goal is ample grand space from which to admire the skyline views.

From a staging perspective, it was important to honor and work within the public areas of the building.  These were designed by Thomas Juul-Hansen, with “discreet opulence” that references the “great French modernists, such as Jean Michel Frank.”  There was no choice, then, in staging with a modern elements and a neutral palette.  As usual, AmazingSpaceNYC didn’t sacrifice comfort for design. Real people can see themselves living here.  The softly textured furnishings counterpoint the floor to ceiling glass with cold, concrete, stone and steel buildings beyond. Accents of blue bring the sky closer while relating to the blue, water-rippled look of the building’s exterior.

Dark hardwood floors, punctuated by voluptuous columns continue the luxuriant ambience; it’s hard not to become overwhelmed with the abundance of light and sky.  Dramatic finishes add further luster.   Rich zebra wood cabinets in the kitchen with black granite counters, appliances by Miele, Sub-Zero and a Zephyr island range hood.

Home Staging NYC one57 condo The master bedroom shimmers in silvers, grays and crisp whites, grounded by a skin area rug.  An alcove becomes a reflective area, so long as your vertigo is in check.  Here, at least, there is a real view of the river, as opposed to the old real estate joke that “partial river view” meant, “yeah, sure, if you stick your head out of the window and lean, a lot!”   Generously sized walk-in closets are part of this floorplan, of course!  Each room has dimmers and lighting control, with Valli and Valli hardware.NYC home staging | home stager

More real river views from the second bedroom create particularly stunning evening sunsets.  It is the perfect spot for a den, or home office if another bedroom wasn’t absolutely required.

Home Staging NYC The bathrooms have the new striped marble that has quickly become popular  — Statuario — and an interesting glass countertop.  Shower and separate bath tub both has Dornbracht fixtures.  Feeling spare and Euro-chic, this space is ideal for any Master of the Universe’s grooming.

Every unit has a Miele washer and dryer, FERMAX audio sound system. And so it should, for $12 million!!!

To have your home staged by noted New York City home stager, Debbie Oulvey, please call 917-428-3985

“Sterile and Lifeless” to “Stylish and I’ll take it!” NYC Home Staging Works!!

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NYC Home Staging Works

Before

There’s no question a guy lives here, huh? and while he has invested in some very nice black leather, it feels like a crash pad. For all the other working men of New York City who just want a crash pad in a decent address, this would be the perfect home, if presented like this. However, this is not the way to optimize the opportunity when you sell an apartment. NYC Home Staging works because it offers more possibilities for potential buyers and allows them to imagine themselves living in the space, comfortably.

After

After

True, it is still black leather, but now it is a more contemporary style on a steel frame, with softness underfoot and a lovely fluffy pillow to curl up next to.   No longer gender specific, nor sterile and lifeless, this room has style and personality. A young family could fit here just as easily as a downsizing suburban couple returning to the City, and all life-stages in between.  the dining area can be dressed up or down depending upon the occasion.  There is still plenty of room on the wall for additional artwork and the open plan kitchen offers lot of possibilities.  See below:-
NYC Home Staging Works

To have your home staged by Amazing Space NYC, please call 917-428-3965 and ask for Debbie.

Staging Model Units Is a Unique NYC Home Staging Skill

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NYC Home StagingOften times, New York developers hire a high-end (and über-expensive) designer for the more expensive units in a new development.   The rooms are over-the-top, dripping with everything that personifies the designer’s signature style.  Unfortunately, these showcases do not usually lead to sales as the prospective buyers cannot identify with the style or the use of the space.  It is just too specific (and usually appeals to a very small percentage of the buying clientele) but the installations make for great photo op’s and press coverage!

Such was the case with 2 Units in this upper eastside development.  While everyone enjoyed the opulence of the designer units, the marketing team wanted room photographs that were more about the views, the space and the use of the main living areas Our company was hired to build 2 new living spaces using pieces from the high-end designer units.  We cherry picked everything – from rugs to sofas to books for the coffee tables – and built rooms that reflected the price point of the Units without being so overly decorated that buyers would only remember the furniture but not the room itself.

The development and marketing teams both commented on how completely different the furniture looked when it was paired with different accessories.  I wanted to emphasize the spectacular views but also offer a comfortable counterpoint to all the glass and steel. A buttery cream sectional sofa placed on an elegant, neutral rug anchor the space.  A round coffee table, gold-leaf occasional table, open accent chairs and complementary accessories soften the overall impression as does the fabulously rich, white fur throw.  So as to not detract from the blue river and sky, we relied on beige, cream, whites and grays for our palette with pops of color in the green succulents and the one red coffee table book in the center of the living area. The neutral palette allows the sky, river and city to take center stage.  Looking at this room, I am reminded of a quote the Nobel-winning mystic Rabindranath Tagore —

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

Quiet appropriate, wouldn’t you say?

NYC Home Staging Union Square Simplicity

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Home Staging NYCThis 2 bedroom/convertible 3 near Union Square offered buyers no reason to look past the foyer.  After being “welcomed” by vinyl wallpaper that was supposed to resemble wood paneling, buyers were bombarded by a wall of mirrors that reflected the mechanicals on the roof of the building across the street – awful.  Off the living room, the floor of the den” was covered in cheap, worn-out carpeting.  Outlet covers were missing.  Worn-out, dirty sheers dressed the living room windows.  A faux fireplace, with no purpose, sat right in the center of the main living-dining space.  The windows were filthy and there was nothing on the terrace that invited buyers outside to enjoy the tree-top view.  After the sellers executed our extensive renovation plan, we brought in furniture, art, rugs, accessories – and a really good cleaning crew – to transform the 1,600 square feet of space from blah to “AH!”

The Living Room

Home Staging in NYC Living Room After the Magic!As you can see, we have cleaned the space up so that it sizzles with style! From the hide rug, to the mix of leather furniture, this room now shows great light, views and expanse.  We kept the colors neutral, with just a quick pop of color in the art.  The pieces on the coffee table suggest a relaxed style that’s casual yet ready for company at any time.  Big fat cushions echo the luxurious notes of the leather inviting you to sink in and call the place home.

The Den

Den staged in New York City apartment in Union SquareIt is simple . . .  then simply fabulous!

A contemporary setting does not have to feel cold. Here we have standard lamps and a fun, textured mirror to warm up the space. Plus, a game on the ottoman.  You don’t need to SEE at TV to know exactly where you’d put one to be comfortable in that room.

 

The Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom home staging NYCThis master bedroom offers the perfect retreat from the kids and the noise of the city.  The worn-out carpeting was replaced with wood floors that were stained to match the rest of the apartment.  The color combination of the bed linens amplify the varied textures of the art, wood tones and light leathers. Overall, this master bedroom is now sexy and appealing to both the man and woman of the house!

 

 

For an estimate on staging your New York City home for sale, please call Debbie at 917-428-3965

Bleak and Basic Before Staging This NYC Home

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Before Home Staging NYC One Bedroom Appartment

A new paint color, a thorough cleaning and a simple, but effective, Staging Design by Amazing Space NYC and this one bedroom condo on the Upper East side sold in ONE day at full ask,  with multiple offers and a bidding war.

One bedroom condos are a dime a dozen in New York City. The post-war units tend to all look alike.  A single window, the parquet floors, the open plan… it’s a common look.  How to make this one stand out? How do we create a memorable event that will capture the buyer’s attention and elicit offers?

This before photo is a bit dark, but you can see the whole space is awkaward… and yellow.  ASNYC approached this space as we do every property: we identify the target buyer, renovate as much as the budget allows,  deep-clean the rooms and then illustrate how the next buyer can advantage of what’s there.

NYC Home Staged by ASNYC

 

A fresh coat of Elmira White HC-84 provided the perfect backdrop for a combination of contrasting furniture and large pieces of dramatic artwork.  Since red is a color that traditionally spurs people to action, touches of red were incorporated to add punch and purpose.  The staging design plan created the “wow” effect we consistently strive for, which then led to several buyers having the “I gotta have it” reaction.  We just love when that happens!

Multiple offers and a bidding war that resulted in an accepted offer heads above the ask price.  It’s fun to be able to report such an amazing success!

For your own potential success story, please call 917-428-3965 and ask for lead designer, Debbie.

Home Staging a NYC “French Country” Styled Home

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Home Staging NYC French Country LIving RoomHome Staging NYC “French Country” Style

When we first entered this empty co-op unit, we were immediately struck by the golden hue on the walls and the country french drapes and balloon valance in the kitchen.  Both the bathroom and kitchen were a bit dated but very live-able.  Our design team knew we had to make this as appealing to the masses as possible because this apartment could satisfy the needs of so many types of buyers: single working professional, pied-a-terre for a couple, a young couple starting a family.

The first thing we had to do was lighten those walls and clean the apartment from top to bottom.  Then our team made magic with the rooms.  We incorporated the the window treatments into the design plan and successfully converted this post-war cookie-cutter layout into a warm inviting home.

Within 4 days, the property has several offers – all above ask!  This kind of home staging NYC result is a success story we can live with!

 

Update: This property is going to contract at $30,000 over the asking price. For more information about this particular listing, please check out

http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/970208-coop-425-east-79th-street-yorkville-new-york

NYC home staging success

The Lethargic 2 BR That Needed Home Staging, Real Bad!

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Lethargic 2 BR ApartmentThis Upper East Side 2 bedroom offers gorgeous views of the park, generously sized rooms and a comfortable flow. Although freshly painted, the apartment felt lethargic and void of light, bright color. ASNYC welcomed the opportunity to install a custom staging design plan so that 15A became ready for photographs, marketing materials and showings.

Lethargic 2 BRWe removed many of the furnishings so that each room can benefit from furniture arrangements that introduced warm textiles, glass and metals, colorful art and accents, all of which softened the dark wood tones.  All of which invigorated the rooms.

Lethargic 2 BR Master BedroomASNYC supplied its own artwork, florals, and lifestyle accessories so as to add a layer that speaks to the lifestyle of the potential buying demographic.  Overall, the design plan exuded a level of elegance comparable to the price point that a 2 bedroom Unit on Fifth Avenue commands.  A lethargic 2 BR no more!

Den with Logo

Home Staging New York Penthouse That Packs A Punch!

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This 2 bedroom, 3 bath New York Penthouse, located in a 2007 condominium conversion, was the last sponsor-owned Unit for sale in the building.

Home Staging New York
The property was on and off the market for 2 years and went through its fair share of both tenants and real estate brokers.  The third broker knew it needed to be staged and asked ASNYC to take on the project.  Although it boasted a generous outdoor terrace, wrap around city views and a large entertaining space, the Unit was empty and buyers focused their attention on the “issues” as opposed to the attributes.

For example:

      •  The kitchen is small and lacks counter/prep space
      •  Every room has angled walls that appear to present furniture placement and/or height issues
      •  The Gallery entrance off the elevator was closed off from the rest of the apartment, making it feel more like a reception area as opposed to an important part of the home

home staging New YorkIn addition to a punch list of minor renovations, ASNYC redesigned the Gallery entrance.  We removed the front door to the actual apartment thus making the elevator the new ” front door” to the Penthouse.  The paneling on the wall was replaced with sheet rock, allowing the Gallery to flow directly into the main entertaining space. Recessed pin lights were added to the ceiling to provide extra illumination in the Gallery and accentuate wall art.

Then the furniture design plan was installed which allowed potential buyers to see how easily their living and entertaining needs could be achieved.  Pops of blue were included in the Staging design plan to complement the signature accent windows of the building.  A layer of orange was used to warm up the room.  Several lifestyle elements, that had a more masculine edge, were strategically placed throughout the apartment.

The result:  2 offers at full list price within 2 weeks of re-launching the property!

Homes with views often need more staging than those who don’t.  Yes, the view is a key feature, but the home owner still has to live in the space! This is where lifestyle marketing plays a key role: an open, on-trend arrangement of furniture placed not only in a sophisticated design, but so that everyone can comfortably and peaceably co-exist with the views!

For these kinds of results, and more interior design magic, please contact Debbie Oulvey at 917-428-3965 for a consultation on what home staging New York might look like for your home.