Entertaining made easy!

Whether your outdoor area is a huge backyard or a simple timber deck, it always helps to add a few little decorative pieces to make it feel like part of your home and, also, so it reflects your personal style. When it comes to creating a beautiful outside space, you need to think about what the area is used for and look at the types of plants you have growing about the garden.

ENTERTAINING MADE EASY

If you like using your yard as a place to entertain family and friends, you probably already have a lovely dining setting, but why not make it even better? Brighten up your table with some beautiful place mats, tableware and potted plants, then add a pretty outdoor umbrella to keep the hot sun off everyone.

A stylish stone or timber bench can provide additional seating for guests, or just be a place to relax on a sunny day – and it will look great with a row of stepping stones leading up to it. A sturdy hammock is the perfect place to kick back, especially with a book and a cool drink on a hot summer’s day. And if you still need extra seating, an outdoor rug is a wonderful idea – look for a weather-resistant one in a natural colour and fabric.

To make sure your area is well lit at night, invest in some outdoor lighting such as fabric lanterns or citronella candles. Iron lanterns are a great choice if you wish to create a rustic feel in your garden.

Source: Country home ideas,  for more information.. Click here

Sold- Testimonials

Sold within 4 days!

Sharon Ford and the “Ray White” team have exampled themselves on every level and also striving to get more in monetary value for my property and very successfully. Not to mention being sold within 4 days.Thank you everyone for that extra effort. 

S G - Sold in Boanyo Ave, Kiama

Brighten up your rental property

You'd like to brighten up that drab house or apartment that you are renting, but don't want to loose your bond? Check out this website buzzfeed  for some great ways to fix up and brighten your rental property.

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5 Top tips for styling a property to sell

We asked the experts for their top five tips for styling a property.

1. Declutter

​Pairing things back and simplifying the space makes a world of difference and is often under estimated, even de-personalising a space and removing family photos can help. 

2. Focus on key rooms

Focus on the main rooms to be photographed for the internet as these are the ones which will help the buyers choose which properties they will inspect. The kitchen is a very important room and must be clean and decluttered with perhaps just a coffee machine, a bowl of green apples or a small vignette of a cookbook, herb pots and mortar and pestle.

3. Consider your proportions

The rooms need to have well proportioned furniture to suit the size of the room and should contain a focal point, be it a great sofa, accent cushions or a colourful interesting art work. Also consider which angle the photos will be taken from and avoid showing the backs of sofas and chairs. 

4. Neutralise the space

 A lick of neutral paint always freshens up a space, allowing you to add pops of colour through art and decorative cushions which can be changed seasonally. Colour draws the buyers emotionally. For example soft blues and grey to create a feeling of relaxation and brighter oranges and yellows to energise the living areas.

5. Fresh flowers for the win

Especially for photography purposes. Greenery or flowers adds freshness to a space and adds impact to photography. “We often use greenery to enhance the decor in the home and help link the rooms with the garden or outdoor space,” says Gowen.

Source Domain, click her for more information

Property styling to sell

Before: Property styling, or home staging as it is known in the US, is becoming increasingly popular.

After: Sellers turn to professional stylists to improve the chances of selling a property.

                                                

With the growth in popularity of television shows like The Block and Selling Houses Australia, styling has become a lot more common, says Juliana Gowen, senior stylist at property styling specialists, Urban Chic in Sydney. “People realise the economic advantage of professionally presenting their property.” 

Home stagers can improve the selling chances of any home from luxury to budget. “Once it was only reserved for high-end market homes, however now we regularly style properties right across the board,” says Gowen. “Real estate agents are also very pro styling these days as it increases the level of interest in the property helping them them sell more easily while achieving a higher price for their client. It really is a win-win for all concerned.”

Gowen says that the art of property styling is showing potential buyers how the space works so that they understand easily how they could live comfortably in a particular home. They may even be swayed to choose a property lacking something on their wish list. “Buying a home is very much an emotional decision and if it feels right the buyer will often compromise on some of their requirements. Professional styling can achieve all of the above.”

Empty properties offer the best potential for styling she says but don’t be put off your selling objective. “Styling works particularly well where the property has been vacated and the stylist is able to co-ordinate a complete new look. We are often told by vendors, ‘Now my home looks this good I’m not sure I really want to sell it.'”

Source; Domain. Click here for more information

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