Wreath Magic

Generic Condo Staged on a Budget

I was contacted by a realtor to spruce up her investment condo for sale. I only had 300$ to use for 3 bedrooms and 2 baths! Therefore I had to get creative, and use some silly tricks to fill up the space- like making my own pillows and filling them with grocery bags, using air mattresses on risers, bringing my own books from home, and creating side tables and a headboard for the 2nd bedroom. The table in the master bedroom was a keyboard stand but I stained it and left a border the original natural color for interest. I also created custom artwork by getting free posters at the local record store for the 3rd bedroom. There I also custom painted a retro table and lamp to go with the color scheme. Luckily she had 2 sofas to use for the living room, and I borrowed a small rooster lamp to echo the pattern on the pillows. In the kitchen I wanted to accentuate the french doors and bright patio, so I painted the back splash a buttery yellow, trimmed the bushes outside, and bought a big plant. All in all I was really pleased with how the project turned out, but it was definately a stretch. Just goes to show you can make something for nothing if you think outside the box.
(condo sold in 4 months!)

Staging a House for Sale

I was contacted by an investor to help stage a home that was about to be put on the market. The idea was to feature all the remodels they had done- although from the photos you may think it was a brand new house it was about 30 years old! She had already purchased all the materials, so just I came in and in a few hours the whole house was ready.

Overgrown, Neglected Patio Before & After

I was visiting a friend in Maryland, and he has the most beautiful huge backyard, filled with giant trees. We spent a lot of time out there with my dog, Shadow, letting him run and play. Unfortunately there wasn't much space for us to hang out. Not for lack of a great patio, but just because it had gotten wildly overgrown and covered with junk!! So we took some time over the weekend, moved all the junk away, took two trips to the dump, and I power washed the brick till I was sopping wet to get all the grass and weeds out. The brick looked brand new! Then we set up one of the tables and bought some tea lights and plants. We even set up a table out in the yard, so we could sit in the sun and admire the patio and all our hard work. We also planted a few things and mulched the area by the basement door, where my friend had his woodshop. It was the most awesome place to relax after all that hard work. Doesnt Shadow look proud? :)

Before and After- Unpacking an Apartment

I went to Nashville during the Christmas holiday to help a friend unpack his apartment, and in one week was able to get things together and figure out how to designate the best use of the space. The large living room was divided by a walkway from the hall to the kitchen, and the bay window added another odd shape. I was able to snuggle the couch under the window to create a conversation area and place the tv against the wall. The other side of the room against the closets was designated as an office/ music space. The base of the design was all completed in just a few days- without purchasing anything new!