Boutique Homes Styling Portfolio
VSF
VSF: Creating the Right Impression
Having inherited a large and prestigious property in the center of Padova, the daughter wanted to move on and sell as quickly as possible. However, as with so many properties in the region, it was put up for sale ‘as is’, crowded with dated decor and creating an overwhelming negative - and misleading - impression for potential buyers, that the property required a huge amount of renovation work.
After two years on the market, including a significant price reduction, the owner called Boutique Homes for help. We removed as much of the old decor as possible, including huge, overbearing built-in cupboards in the master bedroom, and then started refreshing the property. The most significant work was repainting the bright red staircase, to modernize the look.
With new photos and a fresh look, the property has benefitted from more visits and inquiries in the past 2 weeks than in all of the previous 12 months!
Before: Cluttered, disorganized and unwelcoming
After: an inviting and intimate space, warm and luxurious feeling.
Before: Master Bedroom overwhelmed by old-fashioned and heavy closets
After: A calm and relaxing space
Before: peeling stickers, old decor and a broken light fitting prevent seeing the benefits of this bedroom
After: Clean, decluttered, paint and decor touch ups and a new light fitting help update the room.
After: transformed into a third spacious bedroom.
Before: this room had become a dumping ground for antiques
Before: the kitchen felt dingy and crowded
After: decluttering, editing, a new pelmet and lights create a more liveable feel.
Before: Terrace lacked appeal as an outdoor space
After: as it was mid winter, we focused on cleaning and removing dead plants.
Alessandro and Lisa
Selling in a difficult period
St Nom La Breteche, France
It began with a desperate phone call - they had found the home they wanted to buy, but their current property was STILL sitting on the market after 6 months, very few visits, and no offers. Worst of all, it was almost Christmas time, a terrible time of year to try to sell a house.
I recommended some essential repair works (such as fixing a leaking toilet, swapping out a broken vanity unit in the bathroom), decluttering and deep cleaning the house, partial furnishing, and full styling. We were able to work with most of the existing furniture, so focused on soft furnishings and styling to make the property more appealing. New photos were taken and offered to the agents.
The staging costs were 0.7% of the sale price, and the house sold 7 weeks after Christmas, through a private sale, so they saved the agent commission as well!
Alessandro and Lisa loved the styling so much that they bought all the styling accessories to keep for their new home.
Before: Kitchen lacked warmth
After: Touches of colour, mainly cheery reds, used to add personality and create a more homely feel to the Kitchen.
Before: Lounge was quite bare and 'functional'
After: A softer and cosier atmosphere created by introducing comfortable seating, soft furnishings (rugs, curtains) and adding touches of warm colour.
Before: Child's Bedroom lacked softness.
After: A neutral but cosier and inviting look created with soft accessories.
Before: Master bedroom lacked personality, was very bare and basic.
After: By introducing colour and texture, we created a space that helps buyers to feel welcome and imagine their lazy weekend mornings in bed.
Before: Formal dining area felt uninviting and drab.
After: A more inviting atmosphere through changing out the wall art, adding curtains, and completing the look with a rug.
Clementerie
A Radical Transformation
The owners had already tried to sell and received an offer that, at 7% below the asking price, was disappointing. They knew they could do better.
This property was already well presented inside, and mainly needed decluttering and finishing touches to curate the style. However, the front landscaping was a mess. Old fashioned, difficult to navigate, and quite off-putting to buyers. We recommended a radical makeover to transform the entrance into an open, welcoming terrace for entertaining on long summer evenings, a safe outdoor space for children to play.
The exterior work and interior styling cost €8000 but the owners received an additional €80.000 on the final sale price compared to the previous offer received. That is a 10x return on investment! And it sold for the asking price 17 days after listing. Now that is a great result!
After: Front Entrance
After: Front Entrance with spacious terrace
Before: front entrance was old fashioned and uncared for
After: Guest Bedroom given a welcoming feel
After: A spare room transformed from a 'dumping ground' to a spacious and light relaxation area
After: Twins bedroom with toys and clutter cleverly hidden
After: a Veranda off the kitchen re-purposed as sunny place for a morning coffee
After: Kitchen - some bright touches of red used to warm up the coolness of the overall colour palette
After: Boy's bedroom - we worked with the dynamic colour palette and added a geometric rug to unify the look.
After: Living Room - decluttered, cushions added to pick out the colours in the curtains, and a large rug to cosy up the space.
Val Joli
“We loved the styling so much, we wished we hadn’t already moved!”
Michele and his family had already moved to a new home and needed to sell quickly but for a good price. The house had been left unfurnished and was starting to look neglected. We recommended improving ‘curb appeal’ through landscaping and tidying the exterior; a partial re-painting inside, sanding and oiling of the floors to bring out their beauty, and a full furnishing and styling.
The total cost inclusive of works was 1% of the market value of the property. The result? Sold 3 weeks after listing, within 3% of the asking price.
After: Living and Dining areas - furniture helps define the space and scale as well as conveying a lifestyle.
Before: the vast and empty living area difficult to imagine as a family room
After: Living area conveys a serene and inviting sense of calm
Before: Entrance - paintwork and stairs were badly scuffed
After: Entrance repainted, stairs sanded and revarnished, space enlivened with natural plants
Before: master bedroom lacked appeal
After: Master Bedroom given an inviting and intimate feel.
Before: spare room
After: Spare Room
After: empty room presented as Teen Bedroom
After: empty room presented as a girl's bedroom
After: Front Door
After: Large scale plants and planters to define the deck area
After: open plan kitchen, dining, living area given flow and definition through furnishings.
“Lara’s home staging helped our home to stand out and sell quickly”
Mitchells
The Mitchells had outgrown their home and wanted to move to a larger house in the same village. Their current home was in a modern residential area where all the houses looked the same, and they felt the need to make their’s stand out from similar properties on the market. We started with the front entrance, ensuring it created a lovely first impression. Inside, the focus was on decluttering and working with the Mitchell’s existing furniture and style, since they were living in the house while it was on the market. Professional photos ensured their property stood out for online searches. Their home sold in less than a month, for the price they were hoping for. The staging, including photos, cost less than 1% of the sale price.
Svetlana & Enrico
Svetlana
After three years living overseas, Svetlana and Enrico decided it was time to sell their house back home. The house had been rented out and needed some internal maintenance, a lot of exterior work on the gardens, and a full furnishing and styling before it could be presented on the market. Our team worked with a landscape stylist to transform the garden, we fully repainted the interior, and worked our magic on the staging. The first offer was received 2 days after it listed! The agent was rushed off her feet with inquiries, and the house was sold in less than a month for a substantial amount more than Svetlana was expecting! The staging, including landscape work and painting, was 1.9% of the sale price.
Les feugeres
Les Feugeres
The owners now live overseas and retain this haven of tranquility close to Paris for renting out on a short-term basis. Boutique Homes were asked to style the property and manage it on a day-to-day basis.
This 18th Century home has been fully renovated and modernized, benefitting from 4 bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, and offers the best indoor/outdoor living with extensive terraces and a BBQ area off the dining and lounge area. Located in the beautiful village of Orgeval, it is only 25 minutes by train to central Paris.
