High Point Furniture Market 2014

I had the pleasure of attending the Fall High Point Furniture Market this year as One Love Interiors! It was so exciting getting my badge in the mail and putting it into my lanyard upon arriving. Sunday morning I woke up bright and early, hit up the Whole Foods for a vegan breakfast biscuit and almond latte, and hit the road to the Hot Pocket! The night before I made a list of the showrooms that I had to see first.

I always prefer Fall market to Spring for some reason. Maybe it is because the Fall is usually sprinkled with seasonal décor and there is a chill in the air that carries excitement! For those of you who don’t know what the market is, it is the largest home furnishings trade show in the WORLD! Right in our very own High Point (or as I like to call it, Hot Pocket, hmmmm).

One of my first stops was Global Views of course. I learned about GV when I was a designer for a hotel developer and Marriott always specified their products. it is funky, eclectic and global. I truly love every single thing they pump out! They have a brand called Worlds Away that was spot on in home accessories! Here is a photo slideshow of my time at Market. Join me next year and we can peruse the pretties and drink some mimosas at the same time.

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Cedarwood Project

I was honored to help two of my best friends purchase their first home! We closed a few weeks ago and it was a very happy day! Real estate is a funny thing…you never know what can happen. The ultimate goal is to close and have both parties be happy which I think we succeeded in. It is a beautiful home located in the heart of North Raleigh and is a hop, skip and jump to North Hills. The two story home features hardwood flooring, updated kitchen, built-in’s, updated master bath and HUGE backyard. The new homeowners are interested in blowing out a wall between the formal living room and family room to open it up a bit. We had a contractor check it out and he said if it was built accurately, then he did not think it was load baring but we never know until we tear down the wall. I have started to work on some 3-D models of the space to give my friends an idea of what it would look like opened up (with added beam for support and without). I hope to purchase some rendering plug-ins soon to assist in giving it a realistic look. For now, for space planning purposes, this really helps.

 

70’s Ranch Dressing : Raleigh Ranch Master Bathroom E-Design Board

 Initial e-design board for our master bathroom remodel.

70’s Ranch Dressing : Master Bathroom Remodel in Raleigh

Here are updated Google Sketch Up Renderings for our master bathroom. These are just basics and don’t have all the rendering plugin bells and whistles but it gave a good idea of how it would layout. We are finished with the bathroom except for one glass shower shelf (that will fit into the shower wall recessed shelf). It could not have turned out better! Picture will follow!

Google Sketch Up Renderings of Master Bathroom

 

Word To Yo Mutha : Creative Real Estate Listing Wording

What the Fluff?

Day after day, I fluff our real estate listings at work. Some days I fly through trying to get to my next task and others I thesaurus the junk out of some words. When looking for a new home, you will often see a caption under the photo describing the room and any features it might have. Most agents quickly insert the obvious: “sparkling granite, gourmet kitchen, designer paint color, light and bright room, bring the party outdoors”…overdone and underwhelming. I admit that I do this sometimes as well since I have a million other things on my plate at work. But when I take the time to do it well, it is like music. Seriously, one may even have a fun time doing this. Imagine it is a creative writing class in college and you just had some coffee in the quad while still wearing your flannel pajama bottoms. Relax and let it flow. Need some inspiration? I have compiled some different, creative listing fluff to assist you in your day to day marketing. Take the time to enhance your writing when describing a home feature. You can make even the most ho-hum home sound like a million bucks!

Real Estate Listing Wording/Fluff

statement making

a cooled off paint palette sets the tone for the rest of the immaculate home

family style

a brighter take

keep the conversation flowing

any day can be a special occasion in your bonus room bar

impromptu backyard bash/dance parties

keep the rays at bay

weathered wood

a whisper of color

soothing backdrop

creates a luminous glow

the custom cedar divider provides privacy and frames views

curved path is invitation to the front door

clearly defined entry

stone pillars anchor the walkway

draws out architecture

stunning

showstopper

open air living

bring paradise inside with this fantastic sunroom

looks both relaxed and modern

inviting

dramatic light fixtures

the master bathroom palette evokes the color of a seaside sunset

becomes a getaway for friends and family

visual treat from many angles

The goal is to paint the picture for the potential buyer and help evoke their emotions. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.