Kaleidoscope Color Consulting

In this issue
*Home Staging – how about staging your home for YOU, NOW instead of sprucing it up when it is time to sell?
*Working with Expressive Living Inc., Art Consultant. – Nancy
Dear Readers,
November already??? Time sure does pass quickly.
Go easy on the left over Halloween candy.  You do want to leave enough wiggle room for all the traditional Thanksgiving yummies, don’t you?  Just to get the subject of color in here, remember that wearing dark colors are slenderizing.

I had met Pat, a very nice  Interior Designer who has been keeping busy doing House Staging.  After speaking to her, I thought it would be an interesting and timely subject to include in this newsletter whether you are moving or not.

One of the best parts of being an Interior Designer is meeting the people involved with the job; both clients and vendors.  I would like to introduce Expressive Living to you.  Check out the scoop below.

As always, your referrals are greatly appreciated and the greatest compliment that can be received.

Wishing you a brightly colored day,
Mary Nolte

HOUSE NOT FOR SALE
How about using some home staging techniques while living in your house.  The goal of Home Staging is to make it more appealing to the mass majority of people who are house shopping.  I suggest “Staging” your home to make it more appealing to the most important people – YOU, your family and guests.  What better time to get things in order, right before the holidays.  Enjoy and be proud of your home.

Here are some select tips taken from http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/staging/
“Definition: Home staging is the act of preparing a home (and the contents of the home) for sale, with a special emphasis on presentation and appearance.
It’s important to realize that preparing a home for sale and staging a home is not always the same thing. …Staging a home for sale normally involves things of an aesthetic nature, such as design, organization and overall appearance (as opposed to mechanical or functional improvements).

*Keep the entryway open and free of clutter.  A bright entryway gives the initial impression of a warm, inviting home.
*Arrange the room in a conversational way, if it’s not that way already. Try different furniture arrangements until you get the best fit.
Let the room breathe. If it’s crowded or hard to walk through due to having too much furniture, remove some items and place them in storage.
*Choose a nice and warm paint color for the living room. Use neutral tones in this space. That doesn’t mean you are limited to beige.
Neutral” does not have to be boring. You can liven up a neutral color scheme with colorful accent items, such as pillows and rugs. Color-coordinate these items for a professional and “put together” appearance.
*If you have a mantle, make sure it’s not overloaded with knick knacks. A couple of well-placed items (like a vase or flower arrangement) are all you need.
*Spend some extra time de-cluttering.
*If your cabinets are in decent shape, you can modernize them simply by updating the knobs and handles, or adding them if you don’t have any. The same goes for your kitchen and bath faucets, lights and other fixtures. You can make the entire space more modern just by updating these items.Stay away from brass fixtures – they bring the 1980’s to mind.
*Make bedrooms appear larger by limiting furniture to a bed, dresser and a couple of small items. Too much furniture makes a bedroom seem cramped.
*Invest in some new and luxurious bedding (comforter, sheets, accent pillows). You can take them with you when you move, and they will improve the look of the current bedrooms while it’s on the market.”
We are ready willing and able to assist in your “Home Staging” whether you are moving or NOT.  You will be amazed at the difference a few changes can make.

I had recently had the pleasure of working with Nancy Ganzekaufer of Expressive Living Inc. and her coworker along with my client, Lauren, to select artwork for her living room and dining room.  The search for the perfect pieces of art can be exhausting…then, thankfully I was introduced to  Nancy at Expressive Living!

Expressive Living Inc. works with design professionals, homeowners, and businesses on Long Island providing original oils, acrylics on paper, watercolors, fine art photography, giclees, prints, and custom commissionable paintings.
In addition, they assist in creating family picture walls and have a wall “re-staging” service that accommodates clients with existing works who need help with placement in a new home or a redesigned space.

Expressive Living Inc. always comes to you.  In addition to the 300 – 400 pieces of unframed art they carry, they have an abundant supply of art source books and catalogs and often work with local artists to satisfy all wall decorating needs and budget.

Nancy is committed to finding the artwork that perfectly suits your designs and your vision for the space.  They bring matting and framing to the location and make all the selections on site with you.  They then bring everything in for custom framing, and have an installer to get the work up on the walls.

Please view their website www.expressiveliving.com to get a better feel for the extent of their service.  The portfolio section is particularly interesting because it highlights recently completed jobs.  The photos you see here are from the job we worked on together.

Quick Links…
Kaleidoscope Color Consulting
More About Us – My color story
ASID – American Society of Interior designers
USGBC-LI – United States Green Build Council – Long Island
PDCA Painting and Decorating Contractors of America
SCWBEC – Suffolk County Women Business Coalition
Contact Information
phone: 631-368-5405
cell: 631-922-5405
mary@marynoltedesigns.com

mary@kaleidoscopecolorconsulting.com

Mary Nolte Designs | 11 Manning Drive | East Northport | NY | 11731