In this example I would like to show Realtors and Homeowners the difference finishes can make on a fireplace being the selling feature in a room or being completely missed by the buyer.
In the before photo the relief highlights on the fireplace are painted white. In the after photo, the reliefs have been painted Black Bean Soup by Benjamin Moore. This allows the marble around the fireplace to become the feature in the room. The fireplace is the focal point of the room and now a buyer can actually see it instead of missing it entirely.
I went on to declutter and place a warm, textured sofa and chair in the room to replace the cold, dark leather set there originally. In this room all I did was allow the marble fireplace to become the focal point of the room instead of the buyer being overwhelmed by excess furniture and the distracting artwork in the room.
Now the room is an inviting place to curl up by the fireside and watch your favourite movie with your family.
Investment minimal.
Impact priceless.
Sweet! :)
~~susan
The fireplace looks so much better one solid color! Also love how the area rug pulled the seating together and created a cozier look! Great job!
Hi Susan, It really is a sweet, cozy room now. Before it was a had the look of a bachelor pad and did not look very inviting to the young families that we were trying to appeal to.
Hi Margaret, You are so right. An area rug immediately brings the focus on a conversation/gathering area that pulls the buyer into the room. The fireplace was a huge improvement. Before Staging it wasn't even noticed in the room. Now even the homeowner realizes how much more he would have used his fireplace when you can actually see the the warm effect it has on a room by being the focal point.
I couldn't take my eyes off of the silver above the fireplace in the before photo. It was so overpowering and distracting. A little stressful, even! The space looks so much bigger w/out the big coffee table. Looks great!
Hi Cindy, I know what you mean about the silver above the fireplace. It was incredibly distracting to buyers and they really didn't notice the marble around the fireplace at all. Now the fireplace is the focal point as it should be.
I posted some photos of the dining room on another post here as well. It is the "purple palace" room, another conversation starter. And not a good one.
All is better now. The rooms have been calmed with neutral paint colours and appear larger with furniture to scale now placed in the rooms.
Changing the art work above the fireplace made a HUGE improvement! The style of the room is much more sophisticated now. Excellent!
VERY nice work, like the fireplace as focal point, what a nice transformation.
Michelle,
I am such a fan of your "all I did" blogs. They demonstrate that a few simple changes can make a huge impact.
The fireplace transformation is especially dramatic and extremely appealing. Great job!
Hi Kristina, I agree. The silver above the fireplace had to go. I remember upon entering the room, I was mesmerised by it. I had never seen anything quite like it. It had to go.
Hi Terrylynn, Thank you for stopping in to see my work today. I always appreciate your comments. The fireplace was the focal point in the room and by painting the mantel dark, it allowed the white marble to shine through.
Hi Jackson, Always a pleasure to have you stop in and see my work. Just removing the silver above the fireplace did not make a dramatic enough difference in the room. Just before the fireplace mantel was painted dark, I took a picture of the room. The white relief on the fireplace was even more pronounced with the silver artwork gone. See below.
The fireplace looks great. And the space feels much larger now Michelle. Too much furniture for selling. Great job!
Hi Michele, you're right, too much furniture makes it harder for buyers to see if their furniture will fit in. You need to see floor space for that to happen.
Michelle, Huge improvement. Painting the fireplace really did wonders. Love the new clean uncluttered look.
wow, that looks great. I love what you did with the fireplace. I'm always afraid with paint, but it always makes the biggest difference. great job.
HI Rhonda, The homeowner was on board right away with painting the fireplace. Once they saw the difference they knew the other colour had not been enhancing the fireplace.
Hi Chrissie, Never be afraid of paint. As my number one painter says... it's only paint. It's the easiest thing to change and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Those "puffy" couches as I call them are sooo comfortable, but sooo dated and cold!
Hi Cindy, all too true. The puffy couches are ubiquitous as the mass market furniture stores stock these year after year. Design does not come into the picture. I know my husbands only prerequisite for buying a sofa is how comfortable it is when he lies down on it. It could be the colour of Rainbow Brite and he wouldn't notice. As long as it is puffy and supports his head for watching sports!