Interior Stylist 101 - How to Stage a Mantle

Whether you’re dressing your home to sell, or making a stylish statement, here are some tips and techniques on how to stage your mantle.

1.) Please use the principles of Scale and Proportion.

Take a look at your mantle space - Consider the overall size of the entire unit; wall space on either side, height of ledge to the average eye, the space above the ledge to ceiling, depth of the ledge and most importantly the height and size of your room.

These cues will give you an idea of the type and size of décor you’ll need to use (Remember in design, size does matter.)

Would you change anything?

2.) Gather a collection of décor and accessories for mantle placement. Shop your home 1st (an Interior Stylist must,) before running out for retail. Collect the products, keeping in mind how the items relate to each other, have a common thread or play into the season, a whim or holiday.

Lay them out on the floor to create a practice vignette - It will be less stressful for you do major tweaking once the things are up on the mantle.

3.) Tips on shopping:

a. Be careful of mirrors!  Although mirrors can make a space look larger, brighter and come in fireplace scale appropriate sizes - Mirrors should reflect something lovely, not your ceiling fan, upper staircase rails or angled ceilings (especially the view is dangerous when leaning – You do not want your guests feeling like they have vertigo...

 Please do use mirrors over fireplaces when they’re architecturally decorative, are reflecting some thing lovely, less reflective (with an aged patina,) or are the back drop to a spectacular accessory mantle-scape.

How's this working for you?

b. When shopping your home for your centerpiece picture, make sure it is in large scale detail, and can be viewed and appreciated from a far (example. A landscape is a great choice.)



Lovely Landscape Painting.

 c. Look for mantle accessories that are different heights, are in-tune to the overall scale of the mantle, a combination of shapes, and even better - are in odd numbers.


4.) Arrangement: If selling a home, simplicity is best - The accessories are not there to reflect your personal taste, but instead to market the luxury of the fireplace.  But do be creative, boring doesn't sell a home...

Besides being forgetfully boring, the accessories are not to scale.

b. A good rule for staging is the Center Focal formula. Center Formula is using a center piece (i.e. Painting,) flagged on either side (symmetry) or one side (asymmetry) by scale appropriate objects (i.e. topiaries, candle sticks, etc…)

Center Focal formula arrangement

Using what's to the left of the mantle to help you make accessory choices.

c. Whether selling or decorating, if you have an angled ceiling line, use that line as your cue of painting placement, as well as accessory height placement.

Using the ceiling angle as your guide.

d. When wanting to make a stylish statement, try to jump outside the box a bit. Why not use the Center Focal formula for the largest piece (i.e. Painting,) but for the mantle ledge accessorizing, use the Golden Section formula. * This is achieved (see below diagram) by offsetting the center point (B) and arranging the accessories using this offset center point.

*The golden section formula has been used extensively in architecture, painting, and sculpture (see above landscape painting.)

Golden Section Formula

5.) Lifts and Levels – When creating a mantle-scape, make sure that all the objects are not at the same height and visual weight. Try using books, low and long pieces, different shapes pieces and layering pieces.






A fireplaced layered with accessories showcases and creates visual interest.

By using these tips and techniques, building your mantle-scape step by step and layer after layer, you too can dress and style your mantle perfectly.

Never a One Hit Wonder - My Progressive Service Menu

As an Interior Stylist I define myself as a progressive designer (just like a progressive dinner, but for your home.) My a la carte service menu offers  appetizers right through dessert - From the staging evaluation right through helping out the harried hostess when she hosts her 1st party.

I'm there to help you celebrate your home no matter which chapter you may be on.

Fall marks a rotation for my services. The Real Estate market is slowing down here in the Midwest, so home staging services get put on the back burner, and on the front burner fall marks the commencement of my residential design and lifestyle consultation rush (definitely the main dish!)

From home remodel projects left undone due to summer fun, to a finalized family conversation exclaiming "It's Your Turn to Host This Year" -Fall starts my business rush for redecorating, redesigning , shopping and accessory rotation (aka Holiday/Seasonal Decorating.)

Don't be a One Hit Wonder!

Offering a broader array of services is a very important factor to your business productivity and revenue income. Yes, offering one or two services you got from your initial training may be fine when you 1st start off, but once you've established yourself, are you closing the door to color consultations, personal shopping assistance; and more lifestyle driven services such as seasonal decorating, party redesign, and hostess consultation help?  By tapping into and getting the needed education on these additional services, you can offer a full service menu to your existing clients, and have a marketing edge to new ones - All your burners will be on all the time!


Once you've expanded your expertise - As far as marketing these services:

• Newsletters are a wonderful tool - By keeping in touch with clientele and business associates, you not only remind them of what your services are, you can let them know of other services you may offer.
• Write an article for a local paper, newsletter, blog or publication. Many papers would be thrilled to have to have your ideas added to their line-up, especially the small local or FREE ones.
• Send out press releases - Newspapers are always looking for new ideas.
• Consider workshops and speaking engagements - A fabulous opportunity to showcase your expertise. From Real Estate Offices to Church groups, speaking can be a fantastic marketing tool.

The Interior Stylist Program offers workshops, education, and certification programs for both the Interior Redesign, Home Staging and Decorating professional.  We want you to discover and fully appreciate our most cherished possession - The home.  It is the Interior Stylist Program's mission to guide and enlighten you to fully embrace everything about a home - From curbside to back fence and create a retreat within. Visit us...

The "Glamour Don'ts" of Staging and Redesign

Just like our favorite magazine, we home stagers/redesigns have our own list of pet peeves when it comes to our craft. Here are a few....








•1.) Faux Greenery/Silks in Odd Areas. Always place trees or greenery in areas that they could actually GROW! Their sole purpose is to give the illusion they are real, therefore need photosynthesis to grow. Oh... and placing ivy as a window valance or China cabinet topper went out when Dynasty went off the air.

•2.) Floating Art. When hanging art over a sofa or a case good, associate the height to the item to retain good visual contact. The display will not look right if it seems to float too high  above the object - it needs to be grounded. 18" from the back of the sofa is a good rule of thumb. And slightly above the smallest arrangement for the case good.

•3.) The Rug Scale to Conversation Area Faux Pas. A rug can create and define a conversational grouping. Make sure that the scale of the rug is in-tune to the scale of the furniture/objects associated to it. A sofa should either be sitting on or no more than 8"away from a rug.  Just about the same size as the cocktail table is not a scale formula for rug size.

•4.) Accessorizing with Evens. When accessorizing or creating vignettes, the golden rule is "Always in Odd Numbers."

•5.) Forgetting the Focal Point. Every space has a fabulous purpose or emphasis. Focusing on the purpose and/or emphasis of the room will allow you to set the mood and arrange the furnishings and accessories properly.


•6.) Forgetting the Stature of the Home or Room. Wicker doesn't belong in formal living rooms, nor does a Big Lots ficus tree in a Tony Tudor. Make sure the things placed in a room or home go with the  stature of the space.


•7.) Flood Window Treatments. Traditionally drapery panels are set 1/2 in. off the floor. 1" is pushing it and 3" off the floor is creating a Capri.


•8.) Being Light Challenged. Every room should have at least three light sources for the function of space. Ceiling lights do not count. The perfect formula is to have them placed in a triangle pattern around the room; which will create movement and flow to the space.


•9.) Table Short. Anywhere someone sits in a functional space should have a table in reach of a seated person. The exception is a transitional space such as a foyer or hall.


•10.) A Mirrored Mess. Mirrors over fireplaces, sofas, or lonely on a wall oh my... Mirrors should always reflect something beautiful - Not a ceiling fan, walk rail or wall. You can be excused if it is a decorative mirror that shows as art rather than function.

•11.) Oddly Angled Furniture.  Don't think your being creative if you put it on an angle.  Angles instantly slice through visionary planes, can make people psychologically feel uncomfortable, can eat up floor space and can render the piece or room functionless.

The Secret Recipe of an Interior Stylist

Ingredients:
Understand your client’s needs, appreciate their lifestyle, value their taste – Core ingredients to having satisfied clients.

Directions:
Help choose a color palette that enhances the home’s bones, embraces what they already have, and creates the style & mood they’ll love to come home to.

Create a floor plan that honors the room’s function, carefully considering traffic patterns, activities and focal points.

Offer creative and cost effective solutions to re-invent, re-purpose or relocate difficult, tired or hidden gems.

Don’t conceal your favorite hidden shopping haunts; instead, invite them to take hand on a shopping expedition or explain a room-by-room shopping wish list to complete.

Be full service and express your textile talents with a full understanding of how to dress a space with fabrics and window wardrobes.

Complete the home with detailed accessorizing and styling expertise to help evoke conversation, celebrate the 5 senses, stir interest and celebrate the room’s personality.

StartupNation Small Business and Entrepreneur Community > Groups > Home Staging Entrepreneurs

StartupNation Small Business and Entrepreneur Community > Groups > Home Staging Entrepreneurs

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Design Trends 2010 - Anything New?

Well, well, well, Happy New Year.  As an interior stylist, it's my job to make sure I know the new news in design trends.  Although there are a few mini-surprises, not much new in the forecast for 2010.

Last February I did a post on the New Neutral GREY and it's no surprise, that in 2010 GREY is still going strong.  Mixed with that for this year, is a Sunny YELLOW (Grey - By Greenhouse Fabrics, ) as well as the new grass GREEN, which has replace the neon lime we've seen for years.

In the arena of Home Accent trends, the organic, back-to-nature style is firmly in place.  You'll see lots of animal motifs, such as birds, insects and rustic and almost county flavors' as well as garden and nautical motifs - Lattice, oversized florals, quilted textures, bold stripes and buffalo plaids are textile favorites.

Country Livin' is the place for me - Buckle your seatbelt and be prepare for Country. Blue will make its comeback.  Totally refined, with a shabby chic or 80's Ralph Lauren tone, get granny's quilts out again.  Be warned though, no bowed ducks or blue and pink stencils will be in sight, instead you'll see botanical birds, nature inspired bird's eggs & nests and bird cages.

Potterybarn-FarmhouseStyle

Damask, Damask Everywhere.  For those traditionalists, Damask is still going strong.  It 1st made its comeback in black and white, and has now been reinvented in refreshing ways.

Kira bedding by Eastern Accents

Retro is still raging and seems to be a real Mad Men craze for many.  Blond, Gray or Ash woods, Urn lamps, and anything that looks like Frank Sinatra Palm Springs hideaway is hip:  http://www.beaumondevillas.com/california/palm-springs/twin-palms/

Ethnic motifs, colors and styles are still going strong with lots of Asian influence. Home Decorators Collection - Asian.  Bold reds, blues, purples and corals still great, especially paired with safe neutrals.


Take note that metallic mosaic, leaf and rich tones still survived from last year as the hanging pendant proves.