The PRES students had transformed most of Gill’s home during their staging training course. However, we didn’t get to the master bedroom and the ensuite so Lisa Mackie of Footsteps Home Staging, went back and did the rest of the home with Gill! This is what Gill had to say about Lisa:

“Lisa looked at our master bedroom and en-suite bathroom and asked questions about various pieces of furniture and items in the rooms. She wanted to know how attached we were to them, if there was a particular item that had a special to us and checked with us that it was OK to move stuff around. We also talked about colour and what kind of atmosphere we’d like to create. Lisa made some notes as we chatted and from our conversation it was clear that we needed to go shopping!

Thank you Lisa and we wish you every success in your business!

Gill, Coquitlam

Bedroom #1 - BEFORE

Bedroom #1 - AFTER

Bedroom #2 - BEFORE

Bedroom #2 - AFTER

Bedroom #3 - BEFORE

Bedroom #3 - AFTER

We all know as home staging professionals that the learning doesn’t stop after you take the course!

We have monthly meetings and field trips to stay current with trends, etc. Outside speakers and PRES members often share their expertise in some aspect of their business so that others can gain valuable knowledge too. Ezines and webinars add to the on-going learning and knowledge base.

On Saturday, October 16th, we enjoyed our annual PRES conference in Vancouver BC. Talk about a day just unfolding to perfection!!! The PRES Stagers & Redesigners got together for a day full of inspiration, knowledge and fun. The theme was focusing on building the PRES community and being aware of how our MIND, BODY & SPIRIT work together to make us who we are in our personal lives and in our home staging & redesign businesses.

We learned a lot and we definitely laughed a lot. Gratitude to all of the PRES members who attended, to the fantastic speakers and to our Hoop Dance Queen Michelle Bellerose for getting us out of our comfort zOne!!!

Carolyn McOuatt (Guest Speaker 'Living Above the Line')

Attendees enjoying a workshop

Louise 'steps up' to enjoy applause for her decision to live 'above the line'

Susan Friesen (Guest Speaker 'Why eNewsletters are Essential to your Business'

Cheryl facilitates Q&A session with the panel of PRES members experts

Group exercise with guest speaker, Kathy Forbes 'What Making Soap Teaches Us'

Special Guest, Michelle Bellerose 'Hoopdance'

Working out and having fun with the hoops!

Toasting a very inspiring and fun day!!

Last year the PRES community had a fantastic time learning, laughing and loving all the goodies and prizes.

This year the PRES members are getting ready to enjoy a full day of education and then some fun! The conference will be held on October 16th at the Executive Hotel in Coquitlam BC.

We have a fantastic line up of speakers: Marlie Oden of Bridge Communications – Defining Your Personal Brand, Carolyn Cooper-McQuatt of Inspired Business, Susan Friesen of eVision Media – How to Create a Low-cost & Effective Marketing Funnel Through Newsletters, Kathy Forbes of A New Paige Event - I’m This and You’re That…So What? Learning your personality type and how to work with the other types and Michelle Bellerose of She Hoops providing Fitness that Rocks.

Dana J. Smithers the Founder & Creative Director of PRES Staging Resource Centre will open the conference and welcome the PRES members.

Every month the PRES members have a monthly mentoring meeting. For members outside of the Lower Mainland area, PRES members connect via teleconference calls or webinars. Our meetings consist of networking, a monthly topic which could be an expert in a particular field coming in to teach us more, or may be a field trip to a strategic alliance for the PRES home stagers.

We had a lot of fun and chose topics for our next meetings coming up. One of our new members went so far as to think we are kind of a ‘sisterhood’ since we are all women! PRES entrepreneurs benefit from connecting and belonging to the PRES community.

PRES Monthly Mentoring Meeting - September

PRES Members

A savvy homeowner looking to stage their vacant condo in Richmond BC did extensive research to find Enjy Fouad of Envious Design. They interviewed a panel of a few other reputable stagers, but hired Envious Design. What made them stand out was their services package tailored for each individual project. It includes project coordination, contractor referral, color consultation, and of course Enjy’s favourite – home staging. The client was SOLD on Envious Design’s tailored services package.

Envious Design decided to use Fluff Rentals to source from their warehouse of contemporary furnishings. The staff at Fluff are great and it’s always great fun to shop for the client’s property. The best part of all is staging the property with all the handpicked furniture, accessories, and decor pieces from Fluff. The realtor that this was the best staged property he had seen, and that it showcased the client’s property to its best potential and made it the best looking unit within the building.
After the completion of the colour consultation, project coordination on time and staging his property, both my client and his realtor were so pleased with the dramatic shabby to Envious results! The client was very happy that he was able to hire a home staging company that help him with all his project needs from A to Z.

Living Room (Before)

Living Room (After)

Dining Room (Before)

Dining Room (After)

Bedroom (Before)

Bedroom (After)

I had recently rented some original art from our local Vancouver Art Gallery for a $4.5million dollar penthouse I was staging. Many PRES members have their own art, or source from rental furnishing companies but on occasion we all need something a bit more upscale! The art rentals is the non-profit organizational arm of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Local artists provide pieces on consignment and they are rented out for a portion of their asking price. The average rental is about $70 per month with over 1200 original pieces of art done by Canadian artists!

After having such a terrific experience with Donna Partridge, Manager and her fantastic assistant Holly, I asked if we could hold our monthly meeting at the Vancouver Art Gallery Art Rentals area. She thought it was a great idea and so the PRES members met and one even signed up as a volunteer she loved the art so much!

If you have never sourced from your local art gallery see if that is an option that is available to you. There are many art galleries that will rent art that is on consignment from local artists. Check it out in your area it is a WIN-WIN for all concerned!

Dana J. Smithers – Founder & Creative Director – PRES Staging Resource Centre

If you are still unsure about taking that ‘leap of faith’ and living your dream of becoming a Home Stager, then please join me LIVE for the PRES Staging Webinar on Thursday February 18, 2010 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. I will go through the PRES home staging AND redesign course and answer any questions you may have!

You will also receive a SPECIAL OFFER just by joining the webinar!

All you need is your computer and your phone. Make sure all your programs are closed except your internet and you will get a better connection.

FOLLOW THESE STEPS:

1. On Thursday night go to your computer and CLICK or Cut and Paste this link in your internet browser:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/join/575894843

2. Phone in to get on the webinar call and listen to the prompts:

Dial +1 416 900 1165

Access Code: 575-894-843

Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting (if you are calling in my phone you just press #the two digit pin number#)

Meeting ID: 575-894-843

On the webinar you will have an opportunity to ask questions and find out answers to any questions you may have. I look forward to talking with you!

You will only receive a SPECIAL OFFER by joining the webinar!

FRASER VALLEY REAL ESTATE TRADE SHOW

Mila Herenda of MIZO DESIGN SOLUTIONS coordinated a booth at the Fraser Valley Real Estate Trade Show held in early February with Nancy Glover of MIND YOUR MATTER. Other PRES members participating were Yvonne Swain of HINT OF ELEGANCE and Sally Weatherley of EXIT STAGE RIGHT.

They all had a great time collaborating for this event, and enjoyed meeting real estate professionals. It was interesting to learn that some realtors already had strong affiliations with staging companies, while others were just starting out and were just learning about staging. Some didn’t believe in staging, while others embraced our industry.

We were fortunate to have the support of READY, SET, SHOW of North Vancouver, who were very kind in supplying furniture rental at a generous discount. Yes, the rug you see is from 18 Karat and part of READY, SET, SHOW’s inventory.

GreenApple Staging & Images at the Calgary Real EstateBoard Tradeshow

The Calgary Real Estate Board Conference and Tradeshow event was held on January 20th.  GreenApple Staging & Images was proud and excited to be an exhibitor, among approximately 100 others, all contributing to the theme, “A Brave New World”.

The GreenApple team had a great time mingling with both the attendees and other exhibitors. We had tons of traffic at our booth and got a chance to meet so many hardworking and forward thinking Realtors.

There is definitely an increased interest this year in Home Staging, professional Real estate Photography, and pre-market Consultations as part of an individual Agent’s marketing package. All part of the new economy. I believe these strategies are not just trends — they are definitely here to stay as our society continues to emphasize visual media.

It wasn’t all business! We had some fun, too, with our visitors . . .

Oh, and would you believe that every single lunch kit at the event contained nothing other than a green apple?!

Our booth was staged with our brand colors — black, white and apple green, of course — and we were happily surprised that GreenApple was declared one of the top 3 Staging Exhibitors! All were tied with an Honorable Mention for booth design and service. I was told by the judges that they just couldn’t choose between us.
Not bad for our first showing — we’ll take it!

We also held a draw and have given away a Pre-Market Consultation package and an MLS Photography Package. When I called the winners today, they were thrilled and are eager to apply these services to their next listing.

It’ll be all work and no play for awhile, as the “Spring” real estate season seems well underway already in Calgary. But that is exactly what we bargained for!

Thanks to everyone who visited us at the event, and all of those others who supported us in other ways.  We appreciate it!

Deena Cottingham & her team of GreenApple Staging

For all of 2009, the PRES Resource Centre decided we wanted to help more charities and found a way to do this. Instead of asking for a payment to PRES, for our training home clients, we asked them to make a donation on our behalf. And they did and we are grateful!!!

Some of the charitable donations were made to Canuck Place, Covenant House, Childrens’ Wish Foundation, Food Bank, BC Children’s Hospital and Big Brothers.

We look forward to spreading the wealth and abundance that we all have to those less fortunate at this time in their life.

With Complete Gratitude from the PRES Staging Resource Centre THANK YOU!