Designed to Appeal

Jennifer Rose of House of Rose Design which serves Mount Pleasant, the Lowcountry and Charleston, South Carolina as well as nationwide as her virtual design business has really taken off! I love Jen’s reaction to winning along with the story behind the winning family room photo:

“Thank you SO very much for this amazing opportunity. I am truly honored and so incredibly thankful for my training with Audra and HSR to give me the confidence to take on huge jobs like this one right off the bat.

This was a really fun project! After years of moving around my client and her family left California and almost ALL of their furniture (that had taken a beating over all the moves) behind to come to South Carolina and start anew. She hired me on to tackle 6 rooms and help to blend her unique decor collected on their travels with her modern farmhouse aesthetic. Because the TV hook up is on a separate wall from the fireplace, there are 2 competing focal points in this room (not to mention the amazing view). We chose to frame out the fireplace with these fabulous, deconstructed wingback chairs and center the leather sofa opposite the television. Because it is a long space, it really begged for 2 coffee table to accommodate all the seating. Two multipurpose stools rounded out the layout. This floorplan keeps the walkway in front of the TV clear and the layout open to the kitchen. For the shelves, I had a blast helping her find a cohesive thread among her collection of travel pieces. Grouping by color and keeping it simple helped to really showcase their life's beautiful journey in a clean yet still love-filled way.”

Thank you again for choosing me as one of the Best of the Best for April. I have truly enjoyed my education, experience and the amazing women who inspire me and provide guidance with all things staging. I spend hours reading posts and comments and learning from this group.

Occupied Staging Works

The before and after master bedroom photos by Michelle Middel of Michelle Middel Decor, staging the Bradford, Ontario, Canada, and work in many different towns and cities in both York and Simcoe Regions as well as the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), is stunning! The story behind the photos really shows that staging does sell even in a HOT market!

“This was a great home to stage. The young family was very much on board and open to my suggestions. The market up here, like many areas has been incredibly hot. After staging, this home ended up selling for the highest to date on the street, in 5 days for 104% of asking. The owners were so happy that I have been asked to help them with their new place. Thank you again for this award. Means a lot!”

Staged with Heart and Soul

I LOVE Mitch Bage’s enthusiasm upon finding out he won a BOB Award, this is why I truly enjoy my job! Maison de Campagne, home staging the Galveston / Houston Texas and surrounding communities. The staging they did on this home is perfection!

“What great news to hear! Thank you so much for the consideration. We truly appreciate Audra and the Stagers Connect group for the opportunity to share our work, to give and receive advice and tips, and keep in touch with the ever growing community.

Saffron Ln. was our client’s childhood home and had served her family for so many years. As an adult, the home was now dated and in need of a complete renovation for perspective families to cherish for years to come. We received an inquiry for staging the freshly updated home to show its fullest potential and help buyers create an emotional connection. We had an excellent neutral palette to work with and pulled the vision together by highlighting the amazing features the home possessed. Keeping the furnishings and accessories neutral, it allowed the home to photograph as a polished and sophisticated property that buyers were willing to fight for. Our client was over the moon with the staging and her countless offers for her home of so many memories.

Thank you again for this amazing award and opportunity to showcase our works with others.”

Staged for Flip

Another excited winner is Taryn Edmonds of Serenity Now Staging staging in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area. She did a great job keeping the bedroom neutral while adding a lot of texture and let’s talk about that tropical landscaping!

“Thank you so much to HSR for this honor! I am so humbled.

This staging was for a realtor who was doing her first-time investment/flip property. She was referred to me by a friend from a Facebook group when they asked for recommendation for a local stager. I was a little nervous because this was the largest home and primary bedroom I had ever staged. The home went under contract with a full price offer the day after it went on the market and the buyers even inquired about purchasing the furnishings in the home!

 Thank you so much for the ongoing training, feedback, and this amazing Facebook group!”

Brought to Life by Blue

These before and after living room pictures from Laura Martin of Laura Lynn Interiors, staging and designing the Austin, TX area really show how staging can transform a room. Laura is a back-to-back winner of the Best of the Best Award and she truly brought this living space back to life with her vision!

“Oh wow! Thank you so much. I did not expect to get this honor two months in a row. This really means a lot to me as it was my first vacant stage. The house was built in 1972. It did have some renovations, but had a very small kitchen, and choppy floor plan. The homeowner saw the value in staging it, even in this crazy market! The home had multiple offers the first night and accepted one in a couple days well above asking! The owners are DIYers, the wife was very nervous handing the home over to a stranger to stage as she considered doing it herself. My favorite moment was when she first saw it completed and said she was going to cry. I said I hoped that was good. She said it was because she was so happy! I could not have hoped for a better response! It reaffirmed that my investment, time, and trust in my training is paying off. Being recognized by my clients and HSR in return brings me JOY! I am honored and humbled.”

Teenage Dream Room Design

I’m so impressed with Deyunni Carter’s first re-design project; she created the perfect space for 2 teenage girls! Her company is Carter Home Studio, staging and designing in Tennessee serving Rutherford County and these surrounding counties: Davidson, Wilson, Williamson, Maury, and Bedford. Read the story behind the room below the photos.

“Teen Retreat"

“I was given the opportunity for my first redesign after helping a previous (real estate) client of mine purchase this home back in December to design this room. We were in the middle of working on their living project when it came to a halt due to EVERYTHING being on backorder from COVID. So, my client decided to do something special for their girls. They wanted a space where they could relax and entertain their cousins and friends. This was a huge space to work with which allowed my creativity to flow. They didn't really ask for much, but I wanted them to really enjoy their space. I wanted this space to be multifunctional for them to watch tv, read their books (which they love) and ultimately just have fun. I needed this space to sustain and grow with them. The goal for the design was hotel/sophistication but fun and girly! Everything turned out exactly as planned and they truly loved it!”

New Construction that "WOWS"

Ines Cortes of Envision Redesign, staging Boston, MA worked some magic with these multi-unit new construction properties in East Boston, MA. Take a look at the photos and read the story behind them…

“Thanks so much! So honored to have been chosen!

These photos are from a multi-unit new construction property in East Boston, MA. This city condo, like many new construction or recently remodeled homes in our area, has very modern finishes, cool tones, lots of white. By bringing in warm wood tones, brown leather paired with gold accents and pops of black, which run throughout the space in different furnishings and the artwork, it created a warm, inviting, and contemporary space - exactly what appeals to our buyer demographic! Repeating those same colors using different materials and textures gives it lots of interest, while ensuring a cohesive look, which is so important for open concept living areas.”

Rustic Modern Using What They Have Miracle Transformation

Amy Nelson of Home Transformations Staging & ReDesign , home staging the Grove City, PA area is a real standout for the May Best of the Best winners! I really appreciate her staging expertise in this timber frame house, great use of the owner’s furniture!

“Oh WOW! What a great email to get first thing this morning! I am thrilled beyond thrilled! Such an honor!

I went to the house for an occupied staging consultation, knowing that I would be staging it with my accessories but using their furniture as much as possible. The owner was a quilter, and had her quilts hanging everywhere. They had the house full of quilts, antiques, and primitive pieces. They were going to leave whatever I said to leave and pack the rest up for when it was on the market.

In this room, I wanted to highlight the timber frames and the fireplace. I decided to go with green and yellow as the two main colors in the room and house. I was using their couch, which was green, and I think yellow just looks great with green. The picture on the fireplace was too small and high, and I wanted something dramatic to draw the attention to the beautiful stonework. So, I used this awesome DIY wooden piece of art that my boyfriend made me for Christmas, copied after a Pottery Barn item. I also wanted to have something else on the mantle – it just looked better to be asymmetrical—so I used a fluted vase found at (can I say this???...) Dollar General, and forsythia branches since it was early spring, and they were yellow.

I did bring in 2 light-colored accent chairs to face the couch to replace their checkered chairs. I also turned the couch towards the fireplace, with the TV along the side of the couch. The rest of the furniture in the house was theirs, I only brought in accessories for the whole house. The owners left the state on the day of the staging and waited there until it sold. They didn’t have to wait long – they had multiple offers within 2 days of showings.”

Designed with Comfort, Texture and Love

Jen Autumn of The House of Autumn created such a beautiful, cozy, comfy living room here, I may just want to lay on the couch and read my book! Jen did an excellent job using neutrals and textures to make this room perfect! The story behind the winning photo is wonderful as well.

"Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for letting me know! I am so over the moon! and thank you Audra for noticing my work and inspiring me to pursue my passion! This is a breakthrough for me!

“A home magazine catalogue came to life!”

Great things start from home! I am a home-based Home Stager and Interior Re-designer, and this didn’t stop me from showing off my work to my potential clients, so I decided to make my home, especially the living room, as my own “Showroom.” Family and friends who come over to visit me experience a different kind of feeling, a “feeling at home" as soon as they walk in. I love our Modern - Boho Living Room. Using what is available and adding accessories made this space more significant. Some friends were surprised how an old barrel can be used as a side table or better yet a coffee table. How a wood tic-tac-toe game can make a good interactive coffee table centerpiece. This simple way of creativity inspires them of the endless possibilities on how they can transform their own homes. The most unforgettable compliment my friend gave me is when she said she feels like she’s browsing a home magazine catalogue and that catalogue came to life! This is when I realized that I did my job."

Symmetry, Serenity and Staged to Sell

Tracy Davis-Sharp of Sharp Staging completely transformed this kitchen and living room area. Take a look at the before and after photos, simply gorgeous!