Having a degree in the medical field, Stephanie stayed in that industry for a long time even though it was never her true passion. A move to St. Augustine gave her the push she needed to start her own business in Home Staging. I had the pleasure of meeting her and discussing her love for what she does and also got some tips on the things homeowners can do to make their home more appealing to buyers.
How did you get into Home Staging?
I’ve been in the medical field for thirteen years, I did Physical Therapy in an Acute Care Hospital and I dabbled a little bit in Home Healthcare, but my passion has always been in interior design. I would help friends and family members stage their house, help them do a re-design, or just give them design advice.
When we made the move up to St. Augustine I knew I didn’t want to continue working in the medical field, so I thought it was the perfect time to make the leap and focus on what I love to do. That’s when I decided to start my home staging business, Dress Your Nest.
What do you love most about interior design and home staging?
I love coming into a home, especially a blank slate and make it personal. Even with an occupied home, using what the homeowners have and tweaking it a little bit to make a room shine or have the space make sense.
When staging a home to sell, what do you feel gives sellers the biggest bang for their buck?
I always say that paint is money in a can. It’s not that expensive and can take a room and transform it. With staging, the key rooms are the family room, kitchen, and dining room. De-cluttering is important, keeping the entryway free of debris and garden beds weeded. People notice these things and will form an opinion immediately. There are simple things any homeowner can do that make a world of difference.
What other services do you provide?
We not only offer home staging, but we do consultations with Real Estate Professionals, where we go from the curb to the closets and spend up to two hours or more if needed to some advice. We also consult with homeowners and offer a half or a full day where we go room to room and give them a top ten to do list in each room.
We do an accessory service as well, where we just add art, unique pieces, or carpets to help add to the space.
We can do something as simple as helping to pick out a paint color. Some paints have a red undertone, so, for example, a paint called “only neutral”, can look pink on the walls.
We consult on landscaping as well. Curb appeal is huge! Adding mulch, pulling weeds, and adding some flowers can give a homeowner a great return on investment. These simple things can be the difference between selling or not.
What are some hot new trends you are seeing?
We are sticking with neutral colors, like a grey/beige, but adding pops of color in an accent piece, art, or pillows is a great new trend and the best part is these items are easy to change.
Do you take continuing education for home staging?
Yes, it’s not mandatory, but I take a course every year to hone my skills. We are part of RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) and IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals).
Where are you from and what brought you to St. Augustine?
I grew up in Homestead, Fl and we have a home in the Keys as well. We have three children and the school in Homestead wasn’t going to work for the middle and high school years, so we were trying to decide between Tampa and St. Augustine because we have family in both areas. We visited both and checked out the area and felt that Tampa was too busy, so we decided to come to St. Augustine. We fell in love with our neighborhood and it just felt like home.
What’s your favorite type of home to stage?
I love doing the beach vibe home. Coming from south Florida and the Keys I love that theme, but not the in your face beach theme with mermaids and lighthouses everywhere. It’s more about the color palettes of a beach home that are my favorite. I also love the farmhouse style home as well.
Is there ever a time you walk into a house and feel like you can’t work with the homeowner's furniture?
I can always work with pieces. One of my clients had heavy dark masculine furniture, so I went in and softened it with rugs and accessories to make it more appealing to a broader range of buyers.
How did you build up your inventory for staging?
Right now we have enough to stage 5 homes, but we are building the inventory as the need arises. I particularly love repurposed furniture, at Urban Design, Echo and Dixie Cottage. I want the pieces I put into a home to feel personal so I take my time searching for refurbished furniture and unique pieces.
What do you do when you’re not working?
We love to get out on the water and go to the beach.
Your logo is really cool, who designed it?
I love owls so I knew I wanted one in my logo and had a local graphic designer help me with it. At every home, I leave a little something with an owl on it somewhere in the house for the homeowner or Realtor. It’s my signature and I don’t tell my clients I did it. My hope is for them to find it themselves. None of my clients noticed yet, but hopefully, it will catch on.
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