Sell By Design Contest's Blog

Elements of Great Staging . . .

sellbydesigncontest — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:47:23 +0000

Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty’s Sell by Design Contest will earn one lucky winner a free home makeover worth up to $50,000.

Home staging will be performed by none other than Phillips Home Design of Concord. Today I sat down with the design firm’s operations manager, James Lipcon, who shared insights into creating an irresistible home design.

LM: What’s the difference in your approach to interior design versus staging?

JL: We look at design as more of a collaborate process. We believe that your space should bear your signature, not ours. Staging is different. With staging, our job is to align the space so it’s appealing to a wide set of buyers. For example, the homeowner might like to have all the leaves in their dining room table, but that can create a real mass in the center of the room. It’s all about proper space planning, and opening up the space so people can really envision it best.

LM: I often hear people say that staging involves neutralizing a space. How do you do this yet keep the home’s design inspiring?

JL: One example is the use of colors. We use beautiful mid-tone colors with depth and interesting elements to make the most of the space. Room colors should flow nicely so there’s a real continuation from room to room.

LM: What are the key elements of good home staging?

JL: Good design involves proper space layout, correct use of lighting, window coverings, a good mix of architecture and softer elements, and sometimes a touch of whimsy. You want the homebuyer to walk in and see good design, but not think of it as someone else’s home.

You don’t want the space to be too sterile. That means not just lovely furnishings but the right accessories to make the space feel inviting. It’s really a fine line. You don’t want to clutter the space but you want it to feel usable. Ultimately, it needs to feel “human”. If the design looks too mechanical and formulaic it will lose appeal.

Good staging makes a home feel welcoming. The average homebuyer can’t put their finger on it when they walk into a space why it feels good but they know it when they see it. The right design accomplishes this.

You have very little time to capture the attention of buyers, especially when they’re touring many homes at a time. For example, a home buyer takes a glimpse at the living room, and wants to visualize how they’ll get to that comfy chair by the hearth. If the space is too tight between the coffee table and the wall, and there’s no real flow, they get a bad vibe and they’re on to the next house. The space needs to feel accessible and flow right so that buyers instantly feel “I like this space”.

LM: What are the most common design mistakes you see?

JL: People often buy pieces that they like but don’t have an overarching vision for the space. They might know they like transitional pieces or shaker-style furniture that they see in a showroom but when they get these back into a single space under their own roof sometimes things don’t go together. Colors fight each other, or furniture isn’t properly proportioned. Often we encourage clients when we’re working on a project together to email us a photo from their cell phone and have the conversation then so they can decide at that time if it’s the right piece to fit into their home. We keep ourselves incredibly accessible to our clients, especially when we’re in the middle of a project.

Do you have a home in Boston’s MetroWest suburbs in need of a makeover? Time is running out, enter the Sell by Design contest.

Author: Leslie Mann of Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty.

Top Updates for Improving your home . . .

sellbydesigncontest — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:59:15 +0000

This spring, one lucky homeowner will receive a free home makeover worth up to $50,000 in Sell by Design Contest sponsored by Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty, Weston Nurseries, Inc. of Hopkinton, Phillips Design of Concord, and Gilmore Building Co., Inc. of Grafton, MA. The home remodeling work will be performed by the talented team at Gilmore Building Co. I had the pleasure of talking with owner Eric Gilmore, who shared his advice for attractive updates that have the greatest impact when you sell your home.

Find a way to differentiate your home.“Many homes built over the past 10-15 years do not have the details you’d find in classic old New England homes,” said Gilmore. “Developers stripped out fine trim decorative details and focused more on maximizing square footage. Homes with “good bones” can have their appearance enhanced by adding many distinctive features at a reasonable cost. For example, the exterior can be decorated by adding window shutters and classic shutter hardware and all of a sudden your house looks finished with enhanced curb appeal. These simple changes help sell your home faster for your asking price, making it easier on the family.”

Blend the interior and exterior of the home. “To synchronize the inside and outside of a home in the classic New England styles, bring together an architect trained in classical architecture, a builder with an appreciation for the classic details, a landscape designer, and an interior designer and have the Builder cause them all to work together with one another,” said Gilmore. “Blending all of these disciplines together creates warmth and appeal – a more harmonious home.”

Accentuate windows. Many homes have drab snap-in window grills that are missing shadow lines of traditional window grills. “Replacing them with energy efficient real divided window adds depth and warmth,” said Gilmore.

Choose period-appropriate finishes. Your remodeling team, under the direction of the builder, can help you find the most appropriate moldings or trim that will synchronize correctly with the style and scale of your home. “A good focal point is the front door. It can become a grand inviting entrance. Introduce people to your home with attractive trim and door distinguished surround,” Gilmore said. “In addition, installing interior trim, wide corner boards, or custom cabinetry adds character to large-volume spaces that otherwise would feel cold.”

Be careful about reconfiguring spaces. Gilmore Building Co specializes in combining traditional New England architectural styling with home layouts and features that work for today’s families. “We work with homeowners to determine what layout will work for their needs and then define spaces accordingly,” said Gilmore. “However, a few words of caution. If you’re remodeling your home before selling, it can be cost-prohibitive to reconfigure its spaces. Opening up walls and ceilings can be costly. Alternatively, updating flooring or adding new lighting can bring added sparkle in a more economical way.”

Looking for a home facelift before putting your home on the market. Enter our Sell by Design contest today!

Author: Leslie Mann of Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty.

Weston Nurseries posts banner for the Sell By Design Contest . . .

sellbydesigncontest — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:28:11 +0000

The Sell By Design Contest Banner is up at Weston Nurseries!

If you’re driving down Route 135 between Ashland and Hopkinton, you might notice there’s a colorful new banner hanging at the corner of Peach and East Main Street. For this month, they are promoting the Sell By Design Contest, a unique contest for home owners thinking of selling in the metrowest area. The winner will receive up to $50,000 in updates to their home!

Meet the Partners . . .

sellbydesigncontest — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:08:38 +0000

Meet Erika Paul and Muneeza Nasrullah of Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty, Peter Mezitt of Weston Nurseries, Eric Gilmore of Gilmore Building Co., and James Lipcon of Phillips Design – the partners in the Sell By Design Contest.

Top 10 Tips for Improving your Home’s Curb Appeal

sellbydesigncontest — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:02:19 +0000

Reposted from: Kyle & Leslie Mann’s Blog http://realestateinmetrowestboston.com/

February 10, 2010

Looking for great tips on improving the curb appeal of your home for sale?

For advice, I turned to Peter Mezitt, President of Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, MA—and proud partner in our Sell by Design Contest. Many thanks to Peter for sharing his top ten tips on improving your home’s curb appeal:

1. Take advantage of the architectural elements of the home. Be sure plants are positioned to augment, but not block attractive exterior features.

2. Small architectural elements such as a fence corner or privacy screen are an inexpensive way to add a sense of enjoyment and privacy to your lot.

3. Use a pretty walkway or stepping stones to lead the way to your door. Broad leaf evergreens such as boxwoods or carpet cypress are ideal for accentuating a walkway. These low-lying plants add interest to the path, without overtaking the area.

4. Arbors can be a lovely addition to your garden. They tend to pique peoples’ interest, making them want to see what’s beyond it.

5. Choose an array of plants to bring interest to your yard as the seasons change. This way there’s always something in bloom. For winter, deciduous trees and shrubs are a good choice, as many have interesting branches and bark. Bring in a mix of broadleaf and evergreen shrubs, which keep their foliage throughout the cold New England winter.

6. While there are still some people who want a perfect lawn, there’s a trend toward more shrubs and perennial gardens for lower maintenance and less water consumption. This is particularly beneficial for shaded areas where it’s tougher for lawns to thrive.

7. Place attractive plant containers on either side of the steps to welcome visitors. Switch plants as the season changes, annuals and perennials in spring and summer; mums and asters in the fall; cut evergreen branches and winterberry in the winter. Do the same with window boxes for added curb appeal.

8. Use island plantings by the driveway entrance to bring an added splash of color.

9. Choose plantings based on the soil type and the amount of sun/shade.

10. Curb appeal is about permanency, choosing the right trees and shrubs that will thrive at your home for the long-term. Choose plants careful to ensure they don’t become too large or crowded for the space. If you aren’t sure which plants will work best for your yard, talk with a garden designer to help you make the most of the space.

The Concept . . .

sellbydesigncontest — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:29:26 +0000

Metrowest Daily News and Milford Daily News.com feature the contest…

sellbydesigncontest — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:33:47 +0000

Repost from milfordailynews.com

Contest offers $50,000 renovation to homeowners looking to sell

By Staff reports

The MetroWest Daily News

Posted Jan 29, 2010 @ 03:47 PM

MetroWest and the Milford area residents who are trying to sell their homes have a shot at winning a $50,000 home facelift to help make them more marketable.

That’s the grand prize in the Sell By Design Contest, which is offered by Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty, Weston Nurseries in Hopkinton, Gilmore Building Co. in Grafton and Phillips Design in Concord.

The contest is open to single-family homeowners in Ashland, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Marlborough, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Upton and Westborough

Applicants must enter the contest by submitting a 100-word essay between Feb. 1 and March 31 on why their homes would most benefit from a home facelift.

Renovations will include comprehensive interior and exterior improvements. Once the work is complete, the home will be listed for sale by Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty.

Five runners-up will also win Flip video cameras and consultation packages from all of the participating companies.

“We are participating in this event because we think Hallmark Sotheby’s has really come up with a great concept that will demonstrate what prudent investing into your home will do for its value,” said Peter Mezitt, president of Weston Nurseries, in a press release. ” We have stated for years that investing in your landscape will increase the value of your home by more than you put into it.”

Visited www.SellByDesignContest.com for details. Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty is at 11 Grove St. in Hopkinton, 508-435-9200 and www.sellbydesigncontest.com.

Source: Milford Daily News and milforddailynews.com: Read the original post here: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x690802298/Contest-offers-50-000-renovation-to-homeowners-looking-to-sell

Sell By Design Contest – the first collaborative design contest of its kind in Massachusetts

sellbydesigncontest — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:20:45 +0000

Thinking of Selling your home?

Enter the Sell By Design Contest . . .

Selling your home? Does your home feel tired and outdated? Could your home use a facelift? Do you know what today’s buyers are looking for? Do your walls need a fresher look? Would a buyer think your home was worth more with an updated kitchen? Is your home being showcased to stand out from the competition? Let our team of experts do the work for you!

Enter to win and have our dream team of Designer, Builder, Landscaper and Realtor increase your market value by giving your home a “facelift” worth up to $50,000!

Contest begins February 1st and ends March 31st 2010. Enter soon…entries are limited!

If you live in one of the following towns in the Metrowest area of Massachusetts, and think your home is worth between $300,000 – $800,000, enter today!

Ashland
Dover
Framingham
Franklin
Grafton
Holliston
Hopkinton
Marlborough
Medfield
Medway
Milford
Natick
Northborough
Sherborn
Shrewsbury
Southborough
Upton
Westborough

You could win a prize package worth up to $50,000. If you’re one of our six finalists, you’ll win an HD Flip video camera and exclusive access to a design package created by the team.

This unique collaboration is a partnership between experts in their field, Weston Nurseries of Hopkinton, Hallmark Sotheby’s International Realty of Hopkinton, Gilmore Building Co. of Grafton, and Phillips Design of Concord. A truly unique opportunity for anyone thinking of selling in the Metrowest area.