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What Beds to Use in Home Staging

June 5, 2018 by Naomi

Hey, guys. I’m back again for another installment to answer some questions that have been emailed through to me.

I’ve had a few people email through their question and I’ll read it to you here.

We’re just starting up our home staging business and we really need to know about how you do your beds.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/iihs-blog-audio/iihs-what_beds_to_use_in_home_staging.mp3

 

That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? I am going to answer that to the best of my ability and hopefully everyone will be able to take a snippet from that.

I’m assuming that this question is pertaining to what sorts of beds we use in our installs. Let’s look at our options.

The first option is, obviously, a traditional slatted timber bed that needs to be pretty much built on site. It has the side rails that has the header and the footer and the slats that the mattress would sit upon. There’s one option.

The next option is an ensemble bed and, obviously, the last option is a bit of a more temporary bed. It may be an inflatable bed, it may be a camp stretcher with an inflatable mattress on top or it may be a camp stretcher with a foam mattress on top.

These are all different sorts of options. That’s not all of them, but they are some of the different options that you have when you’re staging a property and you want to put in some beds.

What do we do? If I’m going to be dead honest about what we do here at Silk Home, which is my brick and mortar home staging business, we actually use a lot of ensemble beds.

We used to use the slatted headers and footers with the side rails, but the time it took to construct the beds on site meant that our productivity was greatly diminished.

And that meant that we needed more than one person to be on site installing every single house, even after the initial drop off of furniture was complete by the muscle, basically. That was a bit of a negative for us. It really did take some time.

The other thing we noticed is that the mechanisms that you’re adhering everything to did, over time and after multiple assembling and disassembling, wear. We steered away from that.

That pointed us to our ensemble beds.

We have, as well, used all varieties of camp stretchers and foam mattresses/camp stretches and air mattresses, but one of the big problems we found with air mattresses was that sometimes they do go down.

You often find that the time you get a call is 7:30/8:30/9:00/10:00 on a Saturday when, often, you’re busy doing other things, saying,

“I’ve just taken everyone into an open home and the mattress is deflated. I need something else here right now because the open home has pretty much been ruined by the fact that there’s a deflated mattresses and a slump-looking bed sitting in what might have been an amazing master suite before.”

One of the problems I have with inflatable beds is they certainly have their locations, but one of the things that you need to make sure you think about is they aren’t 100% reliable.

I can probably hear many people going, “What about those places where you can’t get an ensemble base into?” Absolutely right. It’s a huge, huge challenge.

There are many places, especially in the older parts of town, where the stairwells are too skinny and the lifts are too small and the landings at the top of stairs are too small to be able to work an ensemble base around.

In those cases, we actually have to use a mattress and we prop the mattress up on tubs.

There you go. There are our sneak peeks and our behind the scenes of what we do at Silk Home for beds. I hope you’ve learned something from that; I hope that there’s something that you can take and integrate into your home staging business and into all the different situations that it may be applicable.

I’ll be back next week. Make sure if you have any questions that you jump onto our Facebook page and we can help you out.

If you have really specific questions about your business, make sure you pop over to our memberships. Our Shine Membership has a closed Facebook forum where you can pretty much ask anything you want.

The members of the community and myself will be jumping in there to help. Jump on over and check them out. They’re all on the website.

 

I’ll see you guys again soon. See you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: advice, bedroom, beds, buyers, decorating, decoration, design, home, home stager, Home Staging, home styling, interior design, interiors, layout, placement, product, property, property styling, real estate, selling, staging, style, styling, tips

Our Favourite Rugs!

February 9, 2018 by Naomi

favourite rugs

1. Kenza Rug – Freedom

Kenza Rug Freedom
www.freedom.com.au

2. Madras Rug – Freedom

www.freedom.com.au

3. Nomad Grey Rectangle Rug – wholesale supplier

4. Gold Black and White Rectangle Rug – wholesale supplier

5. Gold Navy Rectangle Rug – wholesale supplier

6. Atrium Pilu Natural Rug – wholesale supplier

7. Eco Herringbone Marble Rectangle Rug

8. Stockholm Rug – Ikea

www.ikea.com

9. Colca Wool Rug – West Elm

www.westelm.com.au

10. Atrium Wish Gold Round Rug – wholesale supplier

favourite rugs

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: business, colour, decorating, design, fav rugs, favorite rugs, favourite, favourite rugs, home, home stager, Home Staging, home styling, homewares, inspiration, interior design, interiors, product, property, property styling, real estate, rug, rugs, selling, staging, style, styling, trend

Candle Care with Piper and Grace’s Fiona Thurlow

June 25, 2016 by Naomi

Fiona Thurlow is the creator of Piper and Grace, a company creating soy wax candles, that started in 2013 from a love of creating amazing candles for family and friends.  Fiona is IIHS’s resident candle expert, and, as candles are such a key part of staging a home, creating a warm and intriguing atmosphere, we thought it was important to see what advice Fiona could provide on effectively caring for our candles and getting the best use out of the candles. 

I’m a candle nerd, there, I said it!

Yes, I love candles and I love the science behind what makes a candle burn well and what does not.  Not all candles are the same and I would confidently say that if you have experimented with different brands, you would most likely already know this.  Without the proper care before, during and after burning, your beautiful candles will not last the distance.  That is a fact.  The last thing we need is to have a candle in a beautiful glass that just will not burn the right way anymore and you have to throw it, no one wants that!

Here are my top tips for getting the most out of your candle.  Every. Single. Time.

Piper and Grace
Piper and Grace

 Trim the wick of your candle to 5mm before every burn. This prevents a ‘smoking’ wick. If your wick starts to mushroom (form a head on the stem), it means there is a build-up of carbon. Simply extinguish the flame, trim the wick and relight your candle.  If this does happen, you may find that you have a carbon film on the glass which is easily cleaned when the candle container has cooled down, just wipe with a damp cloth or paper towel.

 Always burn your candle within sight.  Place the candle on a level, heat-resistance surface. Do not burn near flammable materials, draughts, children or pets.  This is very important, especially if they may be burnt during an open for inspection at a property you may have staged.  Safety first.  Always.

Melt the wax to the edge every time.  The first burn is the most important.  Ensure the wax melts to the edge of the glass every time you burn your candle. This will ensure all future burns are clean and will avoid tunnelling in your wax.  Again, a very important point for an open for inspection!  At Piper and Grace our candles will burn to the edge of the glass in a period of around 1 hour (depending on weather conditions).  You may need to consider this if they are going to be lit for any open homes.  If they are not burnt for a long enough time, you will find that the next burn will only extend as far as the previous burn, therefore never reaching the edge of the glass and burning in a tunnel down the middle of the candle.

Burn your candle for 1-3 hours to maximise fragrance. The ideal time to burn a candle is 1-3 hours to optimise the fragrance throw. Avoid burning your candle for more than 4 hours at a time.

Avoid extreme heat or cold. Do not store candles in the freezer and never leave them in a hot car.

Extinguish your candle before the liquid gets too deep. When the wax liquefies to approximately 12-15mm, extinguish the flame and allow it to re-solidify. Then, trim the wicks prior to relighting. This will prevent your wicks from falling over, which makes it difficult to trim and then light again for your next burn.  More importantly though, if the wick does fall over, it can overheat the glass, which can lead to cracking or shattering.

Don’t light a candle with less than 5mm wax. Discontinue burning the candle when there is 5mm of wax at the bottom of the jar. Glass is vulnerable to heat and could crack or break when there isn’t enough wax to absorb the heat.

Extinguish your candle safely.  When you have finished burning your candle, ensure that they are extinguished safely by either dipping the wick into the wax before trimming, or just by blowing out.  Blowing out may cause a small amount of smoke from the wick, so make sure that you are not too close to the glass.  Never extinguish your candle by putting the lid back on the glass while it is still burning.

My top candle care tips relate to container candles, like our beautiful soy wax candles at Piper and Grace.

 

Make sure you check out Piper and Grace and the amazing candle range available! 

 

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Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: advice, blog, lighting, product, tips

Love all things Styling?

November 13, 2015 by Naomi

Love watching Shaynna at Selling Homes Australia, Love property, Love stalking interiors shops online and the great blogs like Interiors Addict?

Then maybe a career in Home Staging could be for you?

facebook-POST-640x640

If you want to know more about the Home Staging Industry or you are interested in getting started in the profession then come along and learn more about what Home Staging is and how to get into the industry.

Learn how to create spaces just like this!

Pulver St 1

Join me and the IIHS team in Melbourne on 26th of November!

Find out more here or jump straight to grab your tickets here!

I can’t wait to meet you there!

 

iihs-banner-ad-becomeapropertystylist-728x90

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: advice, business, colour, International Institute of Home Staging, love all things styling, product, property, real estate, staging, style, styling

Our team’s top rug picks for staging this season!

October 10, 2014 by Naomi

Coming into spring/summer means new products and design trends are on the rise! Here are our teams top rug picks for staging this coming season!

  1. The Gold Collection Rug! We are loving the beautiful blue hue in this rug, as well as the classic Casablanca pattern. This rug size is 2.25m X 1.55m but available much, much bigger.

rug 1
 

2. We are also loving the warm weave textures that the Balmoral Jute Rug in Natural has to offer! This rug is 1.8m X 2.7m.

rug 2
 

3. Who doesn’t love the simplicity of a classic shag rug? The Orlando Shag Rug is 2.25m X 1.55m.

rug 3
 

4. Lastly, the Stockholm rug brings classic black and white back in with a bang! We love the mix-matched strips! This rug is 2.5m X 3.5m.

rug 4
Leave a comment and let us know which rug is your favourite!

For any furniture sourcing, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: design, our team's top rug picks for staging this season!, product, rug, staging, trend

Top 5 candle scents when selling

October 3, 2014 by Naomi

When selling your home, a great first impression of a candle scent will create that atmosphere that a potential buyer is looking for.

Here are 5 great candles sets that will create an ambience throughout your home.

         1. Black Milk Candles

Black Milk Candles created a collection of natural hand poured soy wax candles. Black Milk products are scented with blends of pure essential and fine fragrance oils. They have a 60 hour burn time.

candle set 1

 

candle set 22. Glass House Candles

Glass House Candles have a wide variety of sizes and scents to choose from. They are handmade in Australia in beautiful glass using the highest quality non-toxic wax and natural lead-free cotton wicks. This beautiful brightly coloured Glasshouse candle which is displayed here is a delicious blend of Grapefruit, Cherry and Lemon. This Mother’s Day, Glasshouse Fragrances and the McGrath Foundation have collaborated to bring you a ‘pink candle for a cause’

 

3. Palm Beach Candles

Brother and sister, Mike Grey and Kirsten Walker have created palm Beaches Beautiful collection. Inspired from their childhood which they spent in the beachside surrounds of Palm Beach in Sydney. Palm Beach have a variety of beautiful scents which include, Vintage Gardenia, White Rose and Jasmine, Fig, Cassis, Mandarin, Coconut and Lime.

palm beach candles

          circa home candles 1  4. Circa Home Candles

Circa Home soy wax candles create an ambience with their lovely scents. Lead free cotton wicks are used on their products to ensure a cleaner burn. To be that little bit different and creative they have also produced a range with Florence Broadhurst designs, which are lovely!

 

 

circa home candles 2

 

ecoya candles 5. Ecoya candles

Ecoya Candles create beautiful scented candles through the essence of a crisp, tree-ripened pear which is captured and blended with a hint of the creamiest vanilla. This sophisticated and rich combination is then infused with star anise for a scent akin to freshly baked apple crumble.

 

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: candles, decorating, product, scent, styling, top 5 candle scents when selling, top five candle scents when selling, trend

10 Lamps that will Work in Nearly every Décor when Selling a Home

September 26, 2014 by Naomi

The variety of lamps available on the market is endless and forever changing with the seasonal trends. IIHS team has put together a 10 lamps for you that can work well in any setting and style of home.

Neutral tones create a fresh and inviting feel to a room, especially if the base is a clear glass.

Beige and latte coloured shades create warmth when paired with a timber base and black lamps work great in a modern area to bring impact.

Colours are a great way to add life to a room.

Blue tones work great in most styles of room, they bring colour and life to the over all feel of the house.

lamp 1

lamp 2

 

lamp 3

lamp 4

lamp 5

lamp 6

lamp 7

lamp 8

lamp 9

lamp 10

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: 10 lamps that will work in nearly every decor when selling a home, decorating, lamps, product, selling, staging, styling, ten lamps that will work in nearly every decor when selling a home, trend

10 Great Cushions to use in Staging

September 19, 2014 by Naomi

There are so many products on the market and it can seem overwhelming to a novice home stager as to what will work as inventory and what won’t. When using cushions for staging homes there are a variety of colours, styles, shapes and textures that work great together or separately in the home. It is essential that your stock is interchangeable and that it transcends different styles of homes.

Bright bold and colourful prints will bring character and style to the room setting. They are great when paired with a neutral tone as well.

Geometric and chevron shape patterns are used to create impact and character to the style of the room.

Bright and colourful cushions work well in modern settings, blue tones and neutral cushions are great for traditional home settings.

Cushions will always bring style, colour, and create an overall feel to a room.

Check out some of our top picks this season as home staging stock.

cushion 1

 

cushion 2

 

cushion 3

 

cushion 4

cushion 5

 

cushion 6cushion 7cushion 8cushion 9cushion 10

 

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: 10 great cushions to use in staging, cushions, decorating, product, selling, staging, styling, ten great cushions to use in staging

Retro Revival Lamps

November 2, 2013 by Naomi

These beautiful Lamps can be found at Retro Print Revival.

Retro Print Revival Lamps

The creator behind these unique lamps is Tamara Watts. Tamara Designs and creates these beautiful vintage and modern lamp bases and fabrics. Her Inspiration is drawn from mid century design.  These lamps are handmade by Tamara from materials that have been sourced locally.

 

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: decorating, homewares, interior design, lamps, lighting, product, retro, retro revival lamps, styling

The Family Love Tree Spring/Summer collection

September 16, 2013 by Naomi

These Beautiful Bed heads will add that “POP” of colour you are wanting for the spring and summer months.

The Family Love Tree

They range in many different colours and sizes and will make your home burst with colour.

Filed Under: IIHS Blog Tagged With: cane, collection, colour, decorating, furniture, interior design, product, spring, styling, summer, the family love tree, the family love tree spring and summer collection, the family love tree spring/summer collection

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