March 23, 2007
The first part of Ann Maurice ( of House Doctor fame) new show, Interior Rivalry, started on Channel 5 last night. Ann is looking to wittle down the twelve contestants to one winner who will become Ann’s new House Doctor Apprentice.
The contestants came from a variety of backgrounds and they seem more ‘real’ than last year’s Interior Rivalry contestants, who definitely had a couple of ‘I’ll do anything to be on TV’-type contestants.
Also the first challenge was very realistic, they actually had to put their home staging skills to use staight away. I have to say, the three rooms they were given were much grimmer than any room that I’ve ever had to stage! And I’ve certainly never had to deal with cockroaches!
Plus Interior Rivalry tested their decorating skills; generally speaking, a home stager wouldn’t be the person doing the decorating.
As ‘beginner’ home stagers they also seemed more interested in the placement of objects and accessories than addressing the more fundamental issues like an ugly gas fire, and the corridor-like shape of the room.
As a home stager its crutial to get the fundamentals right first before even thinking about what colour the cushions should be!
k
home staging
There’s been something of a backlash against home staging recently.
Apparently, it seems that people are getting bored of the typical home staging tricks of beige paint and the smell of freshly brewed coffee.
Whilst the desire to improve a home can only be a good thing, you have to remember that people are buying a ‘home’. They certainly don’t expect every wall to be magnolia, or that there are only three items on each shelf!
So while its not the time to play with stencils or purple paint, you can certainly add a bit of colour when it comes to home staging. Probably best to stick to pastel colours though!
Presentation is still crutial. First clean and de-clutter, finish off any DIY jobs, then have a good look round to see if anything needs replacing. You might not even need the magnolia paint!
kathryn
home staging
In the estate agency business, the growing trend is towards ‘property consultants’.
Some property consultants offer home staging advice to sellers. While others offer relocation services trawling through dozens of houses searching for the perfect home.
There are also property consultants who provide a report on the housing market in the area, and may include information on local schools, local amenities and health care.
It may be that these servises become part of the estate agents everyday duties, or it may be that estate agents choose to have their own property consulant in the branch.
property presentation
Since Poland became part of the european Union, almost 490,000 have emigrated to Britain. About 2,000 of those are living in South Manchester.
There has always been a slight Polish influence in south Manchester. The Barbakan delicatessen in Chorlton has been around for about forty years, and the Polish RC Church of the Divine Mercy in Moss Side.
There’s a Saturday School set up for Polish youngsters to learn Polish history, geography, languages and music.
Not to mention a Polish scouts group and a Polish folk dancing group called the Polonez Club.
But recently there has been a new Polish delicatessen in Northenden, and another in Levenshulme, one of the banks employs Polish speaking staff, a recruitment agency which specialises in finding work for Poles, and a travel agency specially to arrange travel to and from Poland. There’s now a Polish cash-and-carry in Old Trafford.
Why? To quote one recently arrived Pole, “South Manchester is a great place to live. So many Poles are choosing to live in South Manchester because we feel welcome here and its such a nice place.”
k
manchester
