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Creating Functional Spaces
A Cozy Sitting Area:
A sitting area can be a patio or a designated spot on the lawn. This is where you can entertain, read a book, or simply chill in a shady spot. Make it comfortable with outdoor furniture, cushions, and perhaps a pergola or umbrella for shade.
The Veggie Garden:
The veggie garden is where we grow as much as we can, from potatoes and edible flowers to tomatoes in the greenhouse. This space is not only about providing food but also about enjoying the process of pottering, growing, and harvesting.
Colourful Borders:
Our borders are separated into different zones, some shouting hot colours while others offer cool blues. This zonal approach creates a vibrant and dynamic garden that changes with the seasons.
Play Area for Children:
If you have children, think about creating a play area where a little playhouse can be installed or goal posts set up. This dedicated space encourages outdoor play and exploration.
Giving Your Garden a Makeover
If you want to give your garden a little makeover, here are a few ideas:
Revitalise Your Shed:
Give your shed a new lease of life with a coat of paint in a vibrant colour that zings. This simple update can transform the look of your garden.
Colorful Pots:
Use the same vibrant color on pots that could be dotted around the garden to add interest. Remember, you can also position pots within your borders for added depth and texture.
Upcycle Garden Furniture:
If you have plastic garden furniture that’s looking tired, don’t throw it away. Instead, paint it! Cuprinol offers a lovely range of paints that work well on stone and plastic, allowing you to refresh your furniture and keep it out of the landfill.
Adding Special Touches
Vertical Planting:
In smaller gardens, creating planting up walls can save space and add greenery. The Gardeners’ World website offers great ideas on how to achieve this. Imagine transforming a space the size of a family car into a lush, vertical garden!
Incorporate a Pond:
Don’t forget to incorporate a pond in your garden. It doesn’t have to be big; even the smallest pond will attract life. Frogs, toads, newts, and dragonflies are just a few of the delightful
Making the best of our gardens is about creating a space that feels like an extension of our home, where each area serves a purpose and adds to the overall enjoyment of being outside. Making the best of our gardens is about creating a space that feels like an extension of our home, where each area serves a purpose and adds to the overall enjoyment of being outside. Whether you’re entertaining, growing your own food, or simply relaxing, your garden can be a sanctuary during the summer months.
Now that you’ve seen how we’ve made the most of our garden, it’s time to start thinking about your own outdoor space. Whether it’s creating cosy sitting areas, starting a veggie garden, or adding a splash of colour with a fresh coat of paint, there are endless ways to make your garden a summer sanctuary.
We’d love to see what you create! Share your garden transformations, tips, or favourite outdoor spots with us in the comments below or tag us in your photos. Let’s inspire each other to make the most of our gardens this summer! 🌸
For more inspiration got to my Social pages Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Give me a call on calling - 07725 246 434 or emailing could drop me an
I look forward starting a conversation about how I can help you prepare to get best price and it sold, so that you can buy your next dream home.
If you need any help or advice, just give me a call.
Anne x
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling and interior design support for residential and commercial work, including show homes, home staging for both empty and live in properties and Refurbishments advice and work with your super team.
We take all the strain of your home decorating/renovation problems and crunch them into manageable solutions for you. we find that clients are very often time poor, and not sure how to go about getting started. They are also whelmed by the enormity of the project, especially if live a long distance from the property or even abroad.
Because we have a specialised service that is tailored and focused on your unique project, believe me, we can tackle any issues you might be facing. For example; maybe your kitchen has suffered a flood that’s destroyed everything from the floor up. We can take the stress out of it all and get your home back to normal.
Even when your property presents a quirky feature that must be kept, we can deal with it. For example, this house had a small holiday let attached and planning regulations would not let the owners remove the connecting door. So, here’s what we did.
Before
We installed panelling effect wallpaper, which gave depth to the room. Then we added a large full-length mirror onto the door to hide it, creating a secret door. Rearranged the furniture and added new window dressing gave this space renewed purpose. Everyone was happy with the result.
After
There’s nothing worse than an unplanned renovation job that comes out of the blue and knocks you sideways, like a fire or flood in your home. It’s that initial shock of not knowing where to start. That’s when you give us a call to talk it all through.
Here’s an example of a house with an outdated feature.
Before
After
We can help you create a realistic budget for the project that will ensure you don’t run over halfway through. Next, we will sit down with you to design the damaged room and make it even better. Then we can project manage the project from then on; the clean-up crew, the measuring up and translating that onto the plans, the contractors who will carry out the work.
And finally, the installation.
The only thing you have to do is decide on colour.
If you need any help or advice, just give me a call.
calling - 07725 246 434 or emailing could drop me an
I look forward starting a conversation about how I can help you get plans in place and create your dream space
Anne x
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Sassy Property Styling offers Multi Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work for your property from making forever homes to making ready for market or a refresh your business.
It’s all very overwhelming!
All you really want is to move, right now, into a house that’s immaculate, beautiful and with a layout that works for your busy family and life style.
Wouldn’t it be nice to just wave a magic wand and have someone else come and do it all for you?
Well, you can, and here’s how.
so have you r heard of staging your property this is styling it to look at good as i can and show off the best bit in best light ?!
Did you know that employing a ‘stager’ is not expensive. In fact, by employing a ‘stager’ you can actually raise your asking price and the fee for the ‘stager’ comes out of the extra you sell your home for!
So now it’s doable, isn’t it?
Let’s say that houses like yours in the same area are selling for £200.000, but when you had your home valued you were told it was only £160.000. Disappointing, isn’t it? But what if I told you that by employing a ‘stager’ your home could sell for £200.000.
I work for lots of property developers, private home owners, hotels and holiday home owners who all know that my services have earned them money, and taken the stress out of selling their property.
The properties I ‘stage’ sell very quickly and always for the asking price, and sometimes, even above the asking price when two or more buyers are desperate to buy the property.
So let me help you get your home into ‘for sale’ shape and kick the competition out the ball park.
Here are some ‘before and after’ photos to show you how my magic wand has transformed properties.
Give me a call on calling - 07725 246 434 or emailing could drop me an
I look forward starting a conversation about how I can help you prepare to get best price and it sold, so that you can buy your next dream home.
If you need any help or advice, just give me a call.
Anne x
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work, including show homes & home staging.
At Sassy Property Styling we understand the pivotal role that staging and photography play in the selling process. It's not just about presenting your home; it's about showcasing its full potential, enticing buyers with a vision of the life they could lead within its walls.
In this blog, we'll delve into the art and science of staging,
offering practical insights and expert tips on how to transform your space into
a buyer's dream. We'll also explore the importance of high-quality photography,
uncovering the secrets to capturing your home in its best light—literally and
figuratively.
So whether you're a seasoned seller looking to maximize your
return or a first-time homeowner eager to make a memorable impression, join us
as we unlock the secrets to selling success, one beautifully staged room at a
time. Welcome to your journey toward a more profitable and visually captivating
real estate experience.
firstly - Always get good images Good photographs of the outside and the interior of your home is the first glimpse prospective buyers might get. So it stands to reason we make these photos the best we can to encourage viewing booking.
Curb appeal
Prospective buyers first impression of your home as they draw up, is from the street, and it’s the most important aspect. If they are put off by the outside then inside is not going to win them over. Their mind will already be made up before they step across the threshold.
Let’s take a look at it from their prospective.
90% of buyers today want a ready-to-move into house that can deliver a certain lifestyle. They are looking for a new home that doesn’t require too much work and that they can see themselves living in. The same percentage of buyers can’t see passed your décor and clutter. This is where staging is key.
Small terrace house.
Even a small terrace house can look amazing with a little TLC. Here are a few tips for you to think about.
Install new windows, or wash the plastic window surround at the same time as you are washing the windows.
Stone sills can be painted with exterior paint; Dulux have a great range to choose from. Use the same colour on the doorstep.
Wash or paint the front door and shine up the door furniture, or if they are looking tatty, then replace the handle, lock, door knocker, bell and letterbox. All these things are not expensive from a good DIY shop.
You can even paint the lock-front with a metal paint to freshen it up.
Make sure the wooden door frame is also rubbed down and painted.
Wash all windows and brush the street directly outside your front door.
Repoint the brickwork at the front of the house. If it is painted then invest in a lick of paint to freshen it up.
All these simple things will make your little house pop against its neighbours.
House with front garden and driveway
Power wash the drive, or rake the gravel, which might need topping up.
Weed the drive, for this you can use a weed-burner or a hoe.
Cut the grass and edge it.
Trim hedges, and bushes in borders.
Weed the borders and fork the soil between the plantings and the lawn.
If you have any pots make sure they are scrubbed clean of the winter mould, and plant them up with a nice arrangement.
This will make the front of your house not only lovely, but will make it appear low maintenance.
Look at previous paragraph to deal with your front door, windows and brickwork.
If you have a patio, make sure its power washed, and the furniture is clean. This area is an outside sitting room so make sure it looks cosy and inviting.
A well presented exterior demonstrates the interior will also be lovely.
So, if your question is why isn’t my house selling?
It could be that you have fallen into the common trap of not seeing your property through the eyes of potential buyers.
We all live full lives in our homes which means that it can become cluttered with our day-to-day stuff. This clutter is vital to our routine, jobs, children, pets and so can go unnoticed.
But that clutter; lots of coats hanging in the hallway with an assortment of shoes, collections of nick-knacks on shelves, magazines or books piled on tables, children’s toys, messy cat food left in the bowl on the floor, mismatched furnishings or too much furniture, are all the first things that a potential buyer will see and be put off by.
It’s not easy to see our homes and the things that make up our life as clutter because we love it.
I hope I’ve given you some ideas on how you can spruce up your property for the market.
If you need any help or advice, just give me a call.
Anne x
Good luck and hope your work pays off and you sell quickly if not and if struggling please get in touch for a chat
emailing
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work, including show homes & home staging.
Introducing the 3 C’s - Clutter, Clean, Colour.
This is when buyers start looking for a new home, and yours has to catch their attention use a critical eye be honest as house your selling no longer your home,
Start by looking on the internet at houses in your immediate area. As you look through ask yourself – how are these properties presented?
What do you like about each room? And finally,
What is the price for a property similar in size and location to yours?
We all have to live in our homes, which means daily life creates clutter, mess, scuffing and wear that we don’t notice. Until, that is, we look at our home through the eyes of a potential buyer.
I apologise if you feel I’m teaching my grandmother how to suck eggs with what I’m about to say, but you’d be astonished how many sellers completely forget about these fundamentals.
Here goes.
Clutter
The first step is serious decluttering of each room, and I mean REALLY declutter. Take out everything that makes the room look small. For example, that large sofa that takes up so much space it literally halves the rooms floor space. I know it’s comfy and fits the entire family and the dog, but seriously!
Remove all family photos, the kids first pottery and woodworking projects, and most of the ornaments. Only have a few chosen pictures on the walls that tie in with the décor.
Once you have seriously downsized the contents, take a critical look at the condition of the walls, carpet/flooring, curtains and furnishings.
Kids rooms – are the bane of all our lives, but for this exercise your children have to become part of ‘Team List It’. It’s a good excuse to get rid of all those old toys they haven’t played with for years. Charity shops are always keen to have these items. Maybe create a competition where the best presented bedroom gets a prize.
Avoid embarrassing avalanches by not stuffing wardrobes and cupboards full to bursting point. Believe me, potential buyers always open cupboards. Action - Get it put away invest in storage solution.
Odor d’ dog
There’s nothing worse than the smell of a wet dog, it may be nectar to you, but it will definitely put potential buyers off if they are confronted with it as soon as they walk in the door.
I know it’s a fulltime job keeping a dog clean, so maybe ask a friend or family member to have them while you show your home to potential buyers.
As much as I love cats, they can also put a spanner in the works, as I know all too well!
They love to curl up on the well-presented bed, sofa or chair, only to get up just before visitors arrive to leave a nice fury calling card!
Remember "1st impression count get them right!"
There’s nothing worse than the smell of a wet dog, it may be nectar to you, but it will definitely put potential buyers off if they are confronted with it as soon as they walk in the door. I know it’s a fulltime job keeping a dog clean, so maybe ask a friend or family member to have them while you show your home to potential buyers.
As much as I love cats, they can also put a spanner in the works, as I know all too well! They love to curl up on the well-presented bed, sofa or chair, only to get up just before visitors arrive to leave a nice fury calling card!
Clean
Once the life-clutter has been removed, everywhere will be easier to clean. The carpet may only need a carpet cleaner to bring it back to life. The walls may need a coat of paint and the curtains cleaned. Remove any loose covers from the sofa and chairs and put on a wool wash cycle to freshen up. The arms and backs can be cleaned with a number of products on the market.
Clean your windows, if they are too high to manage book a window cleaning company to do the job for you.
Make sure everything sparkles and shines throughout the house, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Which reminds me, decluttering your kitchen can be the biggest challenge. Put all those gadgets that normally litter the work surfaces away.
Deep clean everything. Box up excess crockery, pans and glasses to get them out of the way, because a buyer will see a full cupboard and immediately feel there’s not enough storage.
Colour
Now, let’s look at the colours in your home. Remember dark colours make a room look smaller and that colour is very personal. For example - you may love bright orange but it can turn most people off. Read my previous blog The Science of Colour that explains the effect of colour on our mood and wellbeing.
Just to demonstrate. Here is a predominately pink bedroom, the owners loved it, and it does look pretty. However, when we changed the pink for a grey the room suddenly became more relatable to wider group of potential buyers. After our staging expertise this house sold in just one week for the asking price. Sorry I just had to boast it bit there.
Strange as it may sound, a high percentage of buyers simply can’t see past décor. Most buyers desire a house they move right into and don’t have to do any work. Not everyone is good at or even wants to wield a paint brush or hang wallpaper. Of course, if more people were able to do this we would be out of a job!
Good luck and hope your work pays off and you sell quickly id not and if struggling please get in touch for a chat
Anne x
Get in touch with Anne by emailing
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work, including show homes & home staging.
Colour is a personal expression; it is something that warms your heart and makes you feel safe while also bringing joy. So don’t be afraid to be bold. It’s your space after all.
Colour inherently effects our mood so choosing the perfect shade for the biggest part of your interior, the walls and floors is important. Take your time choosing.
Why not even create a mood board with all the colours and textures you love. Remember you will have to live with it for a while.
Use a colour wheel to help you marry the correct colours. If for example you are staying neutral with creams, then explore how you can use all the different shades. Then introduce a soft green that is close on the spectrum. You can also incorporate blues and soft pinks and golds. This will add depth to your room and stop it looking sterile
This year’s colours are inspired by nature
Living room - If you have high ceilings, the room will carry a dark colour on the walls. Then introduce accents of lighter colours on furniture, cushions, curtains and rugs/carpet. For example, a bay brown on the walls with contrasting forest greens, and navy, with a soft cream or pink will bring the room to life.
Tip – Dark colours pull the room in creating a cosy atmosphere, while light colours make it brighter and airy.
Kitchen – Blue is a colour that never looses its popularity, think about beautiful blue skies on a summer’s day. Denim and teal are this year’s colours that will look good on the units creating a lovely pop of colour. A warmer yellow/cream for the walls with accents of Browns will contrast nicely with blues. This will all look very smart with a wooden floor against this colour pallet.
Earthy greens are still around this year and they always look amazing and stylish. Midtone green with an accent of brown and a splash of orange will really give you that classic look.
Dinning room - These rooms tend to be forgotten, or consigned to beige and brown.
Think about creating a real pop of inspiration. It is the place where you want to inspire conversation over dinner, so choosing colours that zing is a great idea. This year’s accent on pinks and purples will create a lively atmosphere. You can play around with contrasting colours for the dinning chair cushions, lamps, curtains and rug or carpet. Hazy lilac is also one of this year’s trending colours.
Thanks Barbie
There has never been such an upsurge of pink and peachy tones in the decorating world as there is now, everything is going pink this year. Used incorrectly this colour has the capacity of turning your room into a sugary pink garish assault on the eyes.
Try marrying a Peach Fuzz with soft denim and greens and suddenly this pink has the potential to look very sophisticated. by iliv fabrics
Warming neutrals -
However, if you feel more comfortable with neutral tones, then these can be freshened up by adding in yellows, golds, caramel, and light greens. Lighting can make neutral tones look warmer, so consider how you use your lighting.
Selling your home
Now we will be doing a three sixty decorating style for those of you wanting to sell your home this year.
so our Tips are that's It is important not to use bold colours on the walls, floors or ceilings when you are wanting to sell you home!
Remember, the colour pallet you love may give other people a headache.
Therefore, make sure you keep things fresh and neutral. However, you can still incorporate all the 2024 colour pallet into your home by using them on cushions, rugs, chairs and curtains. In fact, this is a great way of creating the wow factor.
Good luck and hope to see you latest ideas
if struggling please get in touch for a chat
Anne x
Get in touch with Anne by emailing
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial work, including show homes & home staging.
Wanting to Sell your house and be moving home in 2024.
Sassy tips that will help sell your house faster to Market your home successfully.
1. Kerb appeal is the first impression your viewer will get of your property. Make sure the driveway and paths are clean and clear of leaves, a good blast with a jet-wash will do the job, or if it’s a large area, employ a professional company. Ensure the paintwork on the front door is clean and not flacking or tired, polish any metal. Nice outside furniture that is clean and well maintained will demonstrate how the space can be used and is a sun trap. Pay attention to the entrance so that it is clean and inviting. Add bird feeders into the garden to make it look homely but keep them tidy. Put away plastic garden furniture that is not so attractive in wintertime.
2. Try to have some rules about dirt getting brought in with boots and shoes – good idea is to take them off at the door then move them away out of sight.
3.Clean This applies to all your home make sure its clean and dirt free – re paint off peeling or yellowing!
4. Make your front door and entrance very welcoming as it takes second to put someone off your home so make it the best in the street inside and out! Adding nice lamps and console tables and mirrors and nice light all help too.
5. If you have a dog, be aware that viewers who do not like dogs will not appreciate the smell of wet dog. During a viewing keep dogs out of the house – they could be put into the car or with a neighbour.
6. Your carpets can start to look quite messy and may have acquired marks, so have them cleaned if necessary to make sure they are looking for their best before a viewing.
7. Great idea to welcome viewers into your house is to always have it warm and cosy. If you have a real fire keep it laid and ready for lighting, or if it’s a cold day, light it. Have your side lamps glowing nicely throughout the house even during the day during a viewing. Keep your curtains open until at least 8pm, to give any drive-by viewers the chance to see how nice and welcoming your home looks from the outside.
As first impression count!
8. De-clutter. Remove extra items left over from the summer like clothes, picnic/camping items etc. and store them away or even take them out of the house and into storage until the house is sold. We know that an over-crowded house struggles to sell.
9. Make each room has a purpose and depersonalise it by removing family portraits. This will give your house larger appeal to those who view your property online and will entice them to book a viewing.
10. Add cosy touches whatever the season i.e. winter use woollen and faux fur cushions and throws in warm colours such as reds/creams/slate grey, golds and copper tones and also Light fabric and tones in summer. Increase the cosiness with nice candles strategically placed and lit around the room, even during daytime candles will lend a warm atmosphere.
Aim to "Stand out from the crowd"
Finally, one more great idea that will make you stand out from the crowd, is to serve your viewers with a hot drink and a comforting treat, like a piece of homemade shortbread or scone to make them feel right at home.
Follow these tips and you could be moving out before Easter and on your way to a new home.
Do check out our other blogs or if need more help
please call for a free chat Anne Sowerby
Wishing you all the best for 2024
Anne x
Sassy Property Styling Ltd
Multi Award Winning Interior design and home staging specialist
Tips for making things go further or simple a new look for less or simply tied with your decks!
Here is a few new Tip to help
If you can’t bear to part with the memories that your current decorations hold, then simply give your old decorations a new lease of life!
Plus. after all, the classic film Grinch taught us that Christmas doesn’t come from a store! And that Christmas is about your effort, and that up cycling and spending less. Making lots of lovely new decorations will create new memories is that is what Christmas is all about.
If you’re looking for some extra inspiration to get you into the festive spirit, this blog post will help you do just that. From little touches to make your home feel that extra special, to eco-friendly ways to feel merry. Read on to be inspired!
This year’s I’ve been to a charity shop and asked if they had any Christmas trees for sale.
They did, so I bought two from Age UK West Cumbria at £10 each.
Take a look at my Christmas trees I have two themes for different rooms in the home and décor is coloured accordingly
lounge
Open plan Kitchen/ dining / family room
Other Alternatives Christmas Tree
A Christmas tree is what comes to mind when people think of Christmas decorations, but did you know that it doesn't have to be a real tree?
There are so many alternatives on the market which can be reused year after year, and offer a more sustainable alternative to chopping down trees.
It’s all about the lights
One of the easiest ways to embrace Christmas is to bring out the lights. Fairy lights can be added to door frames, mirrors, and mantelpieces for that extra bit of twinkle.
If having your Christmas lights on feels like you're punishing the planet, there is an alternative that’s eco-friendly.
Eco-friendly Christmas lights are LED lights which use up to 90% less energy. Or, you could use solar powered lights. Just as pretty, but without bumping up your electric bill!
Repurpose old decorations
Be honest, do you have a pile of Christmas decorations from years gone by piling up in your attic or basement?
Excess baubles can be placed in bowls and vases as a way to make a pretty Christmas centrepiece on the table. Stick ribbon on the bubbles and/or tie ribbons or bows on your lamps shades and trees, in fact anywhere, to carry on the whole look across your room.
Any bows, ribbons, or other trinkets used to decorate gifts can be used as décor around the home, or reused for another years gift wrapping. If you have ribbon lying around, why not add them to pillows as an easy eco-friendly Christmas decoration.
I also did this on my kitchen tops and on my trees. I bought garlands and split them up. You can buy a 1.8 metre evergreen garland that can be sparkly with gold or silver or even mock faux greenery is really fun. Then place the sections around a room so that it ties in with the room arrangement. Place any left-over bubbles in glass bowls or gold /silver tray or even around mirrors, this will give a new and coordinated look.
Think about having reversible cushions on sofas and chairs that when turned around create a totally different look and feel. Saves lots of time and money. Here the chairs in my dining area.
Before with fabric from Emma Shipley and plan midnight velvet on the reverse.
After reverse plain fabric with Christmas cushions and a throw Sliver star in navy
Bedroom styled for the season
You don’t have to buy Christmas bedding that only gets used once a year.
Here’s my tip that will not cost the earth, and you can use it the rest of the year. So, win, win. I went to Matalan and chose a bottle green diamond pattern quilt cover and pillow case (you can choose any plain colour that goes with your décor) and then I dressed it up by adding a sequined Julian Mc Donald long cushion in gold. I then added a bed runner in gold satin and cushions, only one had a gnome Christmas theme, to match the green quilt cover.
All these were purchased at Matalan very cheaply.
Here's the result
About Sassy Property Styling
Wishing you all a very festive season and love to know what you been up too making your homes festive?
For more inspiration got to my Social pages
Follow Sassy Property Styling on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Get in touch with Anne by emailing
Sassy Property Styling offers Award Winning Property Styling services for residential and commercial projects, including show homes and home staging.