Staying or Going - Some Advice Stays the Same By Ann A Anderson

If you've read our blog much at all, you know we sometimes give advice that works whether you are moving or not. Most of the time this advice relates to decorating tips - and this time is no exception!

As I was looking at photographs I took of a house I recently staged, I noticed some of the things I had done that were appropriate for selling - or living. So I decided to share them with you.

For starters, an area rug is a wonderful addition to a room, even if the flooring is beautiful. It doesn't have to be large - just large enough to ground the main seating area (which usually means the sofa and loveseat or sofa and chair). It adds softness and warmth, even if it's a natural fiber like a sisal. Just make certain the rug is large enough to come to the edge of the furniture. It's not even necessary it go under the furniture as long as it connects the main seating area.

A pop of color is a great way to move the eye around a room. Neutral furniture is a very good idea, then accent with pops of color to keep the eye moving through the space. Pillows are a great way to do that, as well as artwork, items on the coffee table, items on bookshelves. It doesn't have to be much color, but just enough to keep the eye moving. Even if your furnishings have more color, that pop of color (the 10% of the 60-30-10 color rule) is important.

Lamps are important, even if a room gets lots of natural light. They add a warmth (there's that word again) to a room and can also work much as the color does by drawing your eye around the room. And if you're selling, it's important to have plenty of light so the potential buyers can see the rooms. Overhead light tends to be jarring and can show way too many flaws, so lamps are a better alternative.

Paring down belongings helps a room feel spacious. And that includes bookshelves. If you're living in the house, fewer items on the bookshelves makes those items stand out more, enabling you and your family to enjoy them more. And if you're selling, the potential buyers are able to see the bookshelves, which are a selling feature. (Just make sure if you're selling that the items on the shelf aren't of a personal nature.)

And finally, a green plant is a nice addition to almost any room. If you don't have a green thumb, there are beautiful faux silk plants available at very reasonable prices. Just keep them dusted, then enjoy that organic element they bring to a room.

Ann Anderson is the owner of Rooms Reborn ( http://www.roomsreborn.com ), a decorating, staging, and redesign business serving Connecticut. She is also the founder and Director of the School of Interior Redesign ( http://www.schoolofinteriorredesign.com ). A private occupational school teaching staging, decorating, redesign, feng shui, and working with relocating seniors. She is also the co-creator of the Ready2Sellin30Days system which is designed to help do-it-yourself home sellers prepare their homes for sale with less stress.