styling

Why Lamps are Essential in Your Styling

August 22, 2019 by Naomi

I’m a big believer that no matter how gorgeous your interiors are; without light, there is no life.

That’s why I am a huge fan of lamps in all shapes and sizes. They can light up your space and create a completely different atmosphere.

Here’s some different types of lamps you can use when you style your next property!

Table Lamps

I love using table lamps in my styling, especially in bedrooms and living spaces.

Not only can they look divine, they give you an alternative form of light to windows or ceiling lights, and allow you to create a more calm and relaxing mood.

Occasional Lamps

These types of lamps are slightly different to table lamps – they are usually bigger and much more opulent.

I use these to make a statement and usually opt for ceramic or metallic styles to really create the wow factor.

Desk Lamps

These are all about function to help you work and are usually smaller than a standard table lamp.

Use them to add warmth to your work space and layering to your desk.

Floor Lamps

These look great next to an accent chair or behind the couch in the living room.

They add another level of lighting for extra ambience in a space that can be for entertaining or just lounging around for a movie night!

That’s it! The best part about lamps is that they’re not permanent fixtures! You can move them around and change them out each season as your tastes change.

5 Spaces to Hang a Pendant Light

August 15, 2019 by Naomi

There are so many amazing pendant lights on the market that the days of only having downlights should be long gone!

I sat down with Jen Bishop from Interiors Addict to talk about what spaces you can hang pendant lights in to create interest and mood lighting in your home.

Here’s 5 spaces we came up with that you might not have thought of:

1. The Bathroom

Adding pendant lights over the bathroom vanity can create a gorgeous softness to the bathroom.

Opt for low voltage options and your bathroom will feel more like a retreat than a cold, sterile space.

2. The Living Room

Our living room is the place we wind down to watch TV with the family. For this reason, I would recommend adding a pendant light to the back corner of the room at about chest height.

It’s the perfect way to create mood lighting and add interest behind the couch without it being in the way of the TV!

3. The Dining Room

I love the look of a pendant light hanging over the dining table – it just feel so complete.

Just be certain that your dining table is going to stay in that position for a few years to come because it’s not easy to move the lighting around.

4. The Bedroom

Free up some space on your bedside tables and hang pendant lights above your bed instead of using lamps.

You could have two either side or hang one over the bedhead in the middle – it will look divine and save you so much space.

5. Outdoor Area

And one of our most forgotten spaces is the outdoors! Pendant lights can really bring this space together and give it the final touch so it feels like an additional living/dining space.

There’s even pendant options that have a fixed rod instead of a chain so you don’t need to worry about swinging!

Try hanging a pendant light in one of these spaces and see the instant transformation for yourself!

Check out my full interview with Jen Bishop on The Reno Show here!

How to Choose the Perfect Art

July 25, 2019 by Naomi

We know art can bring so much life to a space.

Whether it’s adding interest to a room, bringing in a pop of colour, or replacing a TV – art can be a beautiful addition to any home.

But like most things, there are so many options out there that it can be hard to decide what art work will look great in your space!

What size, colour, theme, frame, height, type should you choose?!!!!

Don’t let the options overwhelm you – let the style of your space and your own favourite things influence your decision so you choose the right art every time.

Here’s 6 things that will help you choose the perfect art work!

1. Consider scale

If your space has a huge wall, you need huge art – it’s as simple as that.

If your space is smaller, you only need a smaller piece. For bigger spaces, you can also use complimentary art and have two or three or more on the wall – get creative!

2. Trust your instincts

What do you love? What do you connect with?

Trust your gut and choose art that catches your eye. You won’t regret it if you love it.

3. Use the internet

These days, you don’t have to view art in a gallery (although I still enjoy doing this).

Check out phenomenal artists from your local area or go worldwide and search for beautiful art around the world – the options are endless with the internet and social media!

4. Go black and white

Let’s face it, monochrome goes with everything. If you’re choosing art, especially in home staging, try sticking to black and white prints.

They’re easy to mix and match and can look both super modern or classic – it’s a win win.

5. Be bold, be brave

If you’re looking to really make a splash with your art, why not consider mixing up traditional and slightly modern pieces together.

It can make your space feel extra unique when done well.

6. Remember, art is not just painting

Open your mind and look around…art is everywhere!

It can be photography, hand drawings, even things you’e created yourself. Paintings are beautiful but they are not your only option.

So that’s it – just start!

Art is so affordable now, it doesn’t need to be a large investment. Choose art you love with the above advice and make your space look and feel amazing!

How to Create Vignettes

July 19, 2019 by Naomi

Are you confused or scared of vignettes?

Or better yet, are you wondering: “what on earth IS a vignette?”

Never fear – I am here to de-myth the glorious vignette that is ever so simple and effective when styled well!

A vignette is just a story of styling elements on a side, dining or coffee table.

Here’s 7 tips to get you started:

Tip 1: Find the light

Always style your vignette around a light source.

Otherwise no one will see it!

Tip 2: Be guided by your style

Let the items chosen for your vignette be guided by style of your room and home.

For example, if you have a traditional style, use even numbers.

If it’s a more relaxed vibe – mix it up with odd numbers.

Tip 3: Get colourful

Use pops of colour that you love or work with seasonal trends, you can change it up as your taste changes.

Tip 4: Style in odd numbers

If you don’t have a traditional styled home, I always recommend creating vignettes in 3, 5 or 7’s for big spaces!

Tip 5: Tall and short

Vary the height of the items used in your vignette.

You can use a pedestal or stack of books to bring them up to height if needed.

Tip 6: Create depth

Vary the depth of your vignette to create interest – there should be no straight lines!

Tip 7: Texture, texture, texture!

Incorporate different textures into your vignette.

Mix it up with natural materials, metallics, gold, glass and matte.

There you have it! Everything you need to no longer be scared or confused by vignettes – enjoy!

Simple Styling Hacks for Flowers

June 4, 2019 by Naomi

With a change in season I find myself scrolling images for inspiration. Sometimes people think when winter comes around, you can’t have fresh flowers – totally not the case!

I love a beautiful arrangements of flowers. They can be used to either make a statement or to just add a touch of greenery to a room. Adding a touch of flowers can add a different element to the space, for example, making an area more cheerful, adding a hint of fragrance, adding a pop of colour or to even compliment or enhance the current style/design within the space.

The beauty of it all is there are no hard rules on how or where you choose to incorporate flowers. You can add them in your kitchen, living, dining or even your bathroom. The look you want to create can differ depending on whether you choose long and thin flowers or short and rounded shaped ones. You may find yourself varying the look and feel as the flowers need changing to truly create your own personal touch knowing you haven’t spent a lot of money.

The images included are some of my inspiring shots where the use of flowers complimented the entire design of the room.

Want to find even more gorgeous things to add to your spaces? Come shopping with me in Bali for my Buying Tour in August 2019! Click here to find out more!

Create a Divine Dining Space

May 28, 2019 by Naomi

Creating the perfect dining space is something we can all achieve and guess what?! It doesn’t need to be done with a big budget!

Many families or households don’t take the time to regularly use the dining table as a chance to get together and enjoy a good meal and great company.

Dining spaces can be designed to accommodate each household’s lifestyle and taste. From a small family breakfast table to a large formal dinner, there are no set rules as to what you can and cannot include in your dining space. As long as your end result is a space that feels inviting and comfortable.

Some examples of items you could include in different dining areas could be:

Something traditional or conservative…

a timeless timber table and chairs
timber buffet styled with simple candles and/or vases
Contemporary artwork or mirror

Something modern or eclectic…

a white timber table
colourful chairs
quirky console table styled with plenty of fun personal touches
modern artwork or unique wall feature

With the styling industry ever evolving and many of us wanting to keep up with these changes, we can be pleased to know that sourcing that ‘must have’ item is achievable. The current market caters for all budgets with less expensive items to very costly, it really depends on what you’re after and what you’re wanting to spend.

Either way knowing you can create a space that has been designed and styled specifically for you should mean plenty of enjoyable times will be spent around the dining table, in style!

Are you following me on Instagram? Check out my favourite designs @naomifindlayofficial

Do you own your own home staging company? Why not check out our business resources like Standard Operating Procedure templates? They’re the perfect way to improve your processes and procedures!

How to Choose the Right Shade of Grey

May 21, 2019 by Naomi

Recently I have been working with a client that has given me no end of interesting blog topics to bring to you, this one is about how to choose the right “shade of grey”. Each time this client excitedly shows me a new home furnishing or interior element that is grey they often follow up by saying, “but it’s not the right shade of grey, why can I see brown in it?”.

(Inspired by the amazing images from “Arianna Interiors“.)

That’s why I’m going to give you my five rules for choosing a shade of grey for my home or client – they are a simple and a great place to start.

1. Decide before you start whether you are wanting the coolness of a blue grey or the warm of a brown grey.

2. Be careful what light you are viewing the swatches under in the shop or showroom. Depending on whether the lighting is a warm yellow or a cool white light will greatly effect the way you see the colour.

3. Remember that the the human eye is not a machine and that the way you view colour is quite subjective. What is a perfect grey to you may be different for your partner.

4. Colour is also relative, when you are viewing what you think is your perfect shade of grey at the paint suppliers it is one of many colours on the paint swatch. The colours along side your choice will impact on how you view and perceive the colour you have chosen. Where possible use a neutral coloured view finder to isolate the one colour of interest to minimise the impact this can have.

5. Finally, consider the final resting place of the colour. All the elements of the room you intend to paint will effect the final product and result of your “shade of grey”. The lighting, the shadows and the colours and furniture around it. Make sure you test the paint on a large size card on the wall (A3 at least) and live with the colour test for a while before making the final decision.

With winter around the corner there is no excuse to put off updating the colour of your favourite space, maybe to a shade of gorgeous grey.

Do you want to come on the shopping trip of a lifetime? Join me for my Bali Buying Tour this August 2019! Click Here to find out more!

3 Things NOT To Do When Styling Your Home To Sell

May 2, 2019 by Naomi

Research into home buyer psychology tells us that we have just 30 seconds to make a first impression when selling our home.

So you need to nail the look and feel of your property if you want to sell faster and for more money!

If you want to get prepared before the property stylist comes to perfect your space, here are three things to avoid doing during the process:

Declutter

A lot of clients tell me that their homes feels comparatively empty when it goes to market. This is where the idea of cosy vs clutter comes in.

It’s often difficult to differentiate between the two when it’s your own home, however it’s essential not to get this one wrong. The best rule is to try to avoid the “cosy” look when selling your home. Having too many accessories, personal photographs and other items in an attempt to create “cosy” will actually make the property seem cluttered and lose its appeal to the broader market.

Stick to stylish, understated and sophisticated accessories. There’s a fine line though, you don’t want your property to feel cold – but the property stylist can help you bring in warmth with great styling choices.

Not being able to look past your own personal style

This is an area of great concern when you are styling a property for sale. You have to remember that your personal taste is not necessarily that of the market. When selling, you need to appeal to as many people as possible so remember – when you have your home styled for sale it is not about you (I know that hurts but it will help you when you sell, trust me).

This is why bringing a professional in can be the best thing you could do to increase your chances of selling for more.

Choosing furniture that is the wrong size for your space

The use of furniture that is too big or the wrong shape can drastically affect the way a potential buyer sees your home. It’s all about scale and making the space feel light and airy. If your bedrooms are small, your choice of furniture could either emphasize the tiny space or completely transform the feeling for a potential buyer.

Your home stager can work with you to choose appropriate furniture if yours is the wrong fit.

Are you a home stager? Want to boost your career? Come to the National Home Staging Symposium! Click below!

How to Create a Gorgeous Vignette

April 12, 2019 by Naomi

When you work in property styling, knowing how to create gorgeous vignettes is essential!

But what are vignettes? And how can you make them amazing?!

Vignettes are small arrangements of bits and pieces usually placed on coffee tables, book shelves, benches and anywhere that can hold specific items to bring texture and warmth to a space.

The ways in which vignettes are arranged is not random, even though it can look that way. In order to have a successful and aesthetically pleasing vignette, it is necessary for the items used to be specifically picked for a particular reason.

A vignette can be as simple as a small house plant next to a book on a coffee table. These items are commonly used in vignettes because plants are not only aesthetically pleasing but they can also create a positive and calming atmosphere in the area.

Coffee table books are often used in vignettes as they are intriguing and can make guests interested in the overall arrangement of the vignette.

Small artworks, candles and magazines are all used in vignettes to create interest and pleasing aesthetics in an area such as a coffee table.

The idea behind vignettes is that you are able to create your own small artwork that you can change whenever you please.

When styling vignettes it is of utmost importance to ensure that all items used are of different textures, shapes and sizes. While vignettes may seem easy to style, it can be difficult to create an arrangement that makes you and everyone who sees the vignette say “WOW!”.

Using different colours, textures, shapes and sizes that all work together is the most effective way to create an amazing vignette, but it is all about trial and error.

Where you put your vignette can also determine if your vignette works or not as well. A vignette may look awesome on a coffee table, but it may look a little too much on a book shelf. It’s all about figuring out what works best in the space.

If you’ve created a gorgeous vignette, tag @NaomiFindlayOfficial on Instagram and we’ll share it with our audience!

How to Style a Master Bedroom

March 29, 2019 by Naomi

Styling a master bedroom in a home for sale can be tricky. The majority of time spent here is for sleeping and for this reason, many people have a complacent attitude when it comes to styling the master bedroom.

But the key is the create a space that oozes comfort, tranquility and space. So how do you create a space that attracts buyers?

Read on for my top style tips…

Having a pleasing master bedroom is more than just the mattress. When it comes to putting your house on the market, it’s all about practicality and aesthetics so choose gorgeous pillows, play with different colours and textures, and use light to your advantage.

The bed is the major part of a master bedroom, and is usually the focal point of the room. Simple bedding such as a white cover is best. This can be dressed up with a throw and pillows of a variety of colours.

Not all master bedrooms have a lot of wardrobe space, and buyers will wonder if there is enough room for clothing so consider adding stylish clothes rails and a chest of draws to showcase alternative storage solutions. As long as the furniture is scaled to suit the size of the room, it shouldn’t look crowded and can in fact make the space feel complete.

Lighting is another key feature that is of utmost importance in the master bedroom. Natural light is always a plus, but it is understandable that this is not always available.

Downlights, side table lamps, tall feature lamps and candles are all great ways to make the room feel more comforting and, most importantly, makes sure the room is well light.

Accessories and art are also great ways to make the room shine and add interest without deterring buyers.

We have scattered some of our favourite master bedrooms below! As you can see, there is no strict formula when it comes to decorating the master bedroom but all designs contain the features mentioned above.

What is your favourite master bedroom?

Must-Have Home Staging Stock

June 15, 2018 by Naomi

When you reach a certain point in your home staging business, acquiring stock and inventory is an essential step up. At first purchasing this stock might seem like a bit of a leap, and depending on what stock you purchase it might be. However, if you are smart about what stock you purchase and how much of it you purchase it could make all the difference to your home staging business.

When it comes to stock there is typically two types of stock, soft furnishings and hard furnishings. Soft furnishings include items such as pillows, linen, lamps and small accessories. The way I like to think about soft furnishings is that, if I needed to, I could pack them in a box and put them in my car. On the other hand, there are hard furnishings. Hard furnishings are big items such as lounges, arm chairs, dining tables, coffee tables, and so on. These are the items that can’t be packed into a box and loaded into your car.

Depending on what level of your business you are in you could be thinking about acquiring one of these two types of stock. Logically, soft furnishings should be acquired first, and then later down the track hard furnishings can be acquired. However, as everyone is at different stages in their business, it is important to be able to look down the track and consider what sort of stock you should be acquiring.

SOFT FURNISHINGS

When it comes to soft furnishings, these items can be purchased relatively cheaply and in bulk.

Pillows: sure, pillows can be expensive, but purchasing pillows that work well in a wide range of environment is a great way to get the most out of your money, and add texture in a range of environments. Purchasing pillows in a few colours and designs is a great idea as they can be used on their own or grouped together.
Faux flowers and plants: Faux flowers and plants are great as, when the right ones are purchased, they can look amazing, can be used in a range of spaces and styles, and can last a long time.
Books: there doesn’t have to be a theme to this, and they can be purchased from a op shop, but books are a great way to add texture and a lived in feeling to any space. These are the most cost-effective soft furnishings and can be used in any environment, from a study, a bedroom to a lounge room or even an outdoor setting.
Knick-knack accessories: by this I mean small accessories that can be used in a variety of environments, anything from vessels, small bowls, candle holders, or any other small accessories.
Linen packs: this isn’t absolutely necessary, but having at least coverlets and toppers is necessary as it can transform a room from something dull to something amazing.

229f1da3e9e8b569b0beceee69dce779 — Image via immyandindi.com.au

HARD FURNISHINGS

As for hard furnishings, these items are more expensive, and it is beneficial to go for quality over quantity.

Mattresses: often times clients do not have enough beds for how a property can be staged to show off the best of the space, or they have moved and have taken their mattresses with them.
Dining chairs: not all dining chairs go with tables, or look good with them, so having some neutral dining chairs that work with a range of colours is a great idea so you can use the clients dining table and your businesses chairs.
Bedside tables: bedside tables have the potential to open up the bedroom and transform the space into something amazing. Having bedside tables that are unique, yet work well in a variety of environments is essential.
Lounges: when used everyday, lounges can easily begin to look old, worn and unpleasant. Having lounges in stock that are a neutral colour is a great idea as they can be used in a range of spaces in a range of different styled homes.
Coffee tables: Coffee tables are great ways to show off the space in a lounge room and add an element of homeliness into the space. Not everyone has a coffee table, and if they do it might be old and worn, having new, amazing coffee tables as part of your stock can transform and fill a space amazingly.

5512a478c1edcd04581dc6e05593f575 — Image via southernliving.com

Faux or Real Plants

June 10, 2018 by Naomi

Today, as I always say, I’m going to give you my perspective and a little bit of the experience that I’ve undertaken in my years in home staging about a specific topic.

You can thread from that what works for you, what agrees with you and what strikes a chord in your business and then make decisions about how you want to move forward from there.

Today, I want to talk to you about faux or real when it comes to flowers and plants.

In my home, to be honest with you, I only allow real, living plants and flowers and tree and nature.

But, in home staging, it is a little different. The community is a little divided on it, whether to use faux or whether to use fresh.

There are obvious difficulties when it comes to using fresh flowers, especially if it’s a vacant property. I’ll give you a bit of an insight as to what we do here and you can take from that what you need for your business.

In all vacant properties, unless they’re in the prestige price bracket, we often use faux plants and faux flowers.

Purely for the reason that rarely does someone have the budget and is able to afford us continually going back to the property every week or every two weeks to refresh the flowers, to water the plants and make sure that everything’s in working order.

The reason that that is important is there is never a time when walking into a property to a dead plant or to smelling, molding flower water is okay.

It actually is a bigger distraction than having a faux plant or faux flowers in the property.

Obviously, there are some markets where that just doesn’t work. There are some markets, even when it’s a vacant property, that we invest in having real and authentic plants and real and authentic flowers in there.

We come up with a pricing system and a process that allows for us to go in and interchange the plants and interchange the flowers during the time on market.

If you have a property that is occupied, you can actually negotiate with the owner if they’re there and if they’re happy to, around the concept of them topping up the flowers and them taking care of the plants.

But again, this takes some negotiation and it takes a little bit of work.

What I will say, though, is if you choose to use faux plants or flowers, you really need to make sure you maintain them well.

There’s nothing worse than dirty, dusty, musty smelling fake arrangements, fake plants or fake flowers. It’s essential that when you’re storing these items, if you choose to use them, in your warehouse, that they’re always bagged up so they don’t become a dust collection.

What you can do if you do find that happening is actually use feather dusters on them or, even in some cases, I have vacuumed our plants.

Another great tip is that you actually have a roster and a process where all of the fake plants and all of the fake flowers get cleaned. This can make a massive difference to how long they last and how good they look.

My biggest advice if you need to use fake plants or flowers is to invest in really good quality plants and flowers.

It will cost you quite a substantial amount, but there are some amazing products on the market internationally for this. There’s amazing freestyle arrangements that you can make and there’s also some amazing premades. You even have some really cool things like premade terrariums and all sorts of things.

My big tip is choose the price point of the property. The client and the type of installation, whether it be an occupied or a partial, before we make the decision about whether you’re going to use real or whether you’re going to use faux foliage.

There’s my take, guys. One thing is for sure, either way, you need to make sure that the faux flowers and foliage that you use is perfectly targeted for the property, for your brand and also for who you are selling to.

Choose wisely.