After renting out their home for several years, the owners of a three-bed, one-bath house in Kamo, Whangarei, New Zealand, decided to put it on the market. But it was in need of a facelift first.
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So they tapped Jessica Scott, creative director and founder of Whangarei Homestagers, to stage the home, which “was in dire need of TLC,” Scott says. The ceiling was leaking, the wallpaper was peeling, and the carpet had stains. Plus, there wasn’t enough storage space, and angled walls throughout made furniture and decor placement difficult.
Luckily, the exterior of the Dutch barn-style home was so charming that everyone agreed it served as a great jumping-off point for reworking the interior. Scott decided to combine that warm European aesthetic with modern conveniences to appeal to today’s buyers.
The primary bedroom was an especially tricky space. Scott says it felt small and dark thanks to walls and carpeting in “dull and drab” hues, an angled wall where the bed should be, and a chimney flue that was a safety hazard. Her goal was to make the room feel spacious, create a practical floor plan layout, and bring a “cozy ambiance and calm feel,” she says.
The first thing to go was the chimney, and then Scott had the angled wall boxed out so that it ran perpendicular to the floor. After painting the walls an off-white shade, bright white wainscoting was installed to brighten the room and channel the Dutch barn vibe. Warm wood floors replaced the drab carpet and bring warmth to the space. She also borrowed a wardrobe from another room and widened it to provide ample storage.
Thanks to the structural changes, a queen bed and wood nightstands fit nicely against the reworked wall. “We had to make sure the bed positioning had good feng shui,” Scott notes. Edison bulb sconces on each side of the bed provide illumination without taking up precious surface space.
Accessories throughout the room echo the warm, neutral color scheme, including pillows with tan trim, a freestanding wood-framed mirror, a basket with handles, and coordinating curtains. After Scott added a couple plants for an organic touch, the room was ready for the market.
And her changes clearly impressed buyers as the home sold for more than $88,000 over asking price.
