Home Staging Pennsylvania- Hart & Associates Servicing the Main Line, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.

I hope these are HUGE kitchens, or is this a sample of what MAY be placed. How about a telephone memo pad with carry out numbers.

Just a sampling! We usually do 4-5 "set ups" 4 counter items and then an item on the island. I like the memo pad idea- maybe use a decorative memo board for the desk in the kitchen. KH

Kate,

I like to use greenery and how about jars of tri-colored pasta or large bottle of flavored oil or vinegar.  Think gourmet, think Tuscany...

I also like to set a table with colorful placemats and dishes with colored peas and fruit.  You could do the same at an 'island' counter with stools.

My favourite thing is a clear glass cookie jar I fill up with chocolate chip cookies.  It gives agents and potential buyers a "thank you" treat and it looks nice gleaming on the counter.

    

GO LARGE

       

I do do more outside of the apple thing, but this seems to be all I have close up shots of...

I have some olive trays that are very versatile.  I have filled them with faux olives, faux strawberries, candles and faux limes.

Hey Kate

I think the key is vacant!! Obviously you cannot stage with anything that will spoil. Basically my list sounds just like yours, and honestly it looks great!

I have used:

Tiny lamps in the corner with decorative candles. Green fettucine out of the box and I criss cross it on counter with 2 lemons in the middle. A wrought iron tray with a cappuccino maker and 2 coffee mugs with napkins, A large colorful recipe book with a colorful herb filled/vinegar filled bottle with 2 green apples,  fake small loaf of bread on a small plate with a colorful pitcher and candle, and I always use lots of greenery

Just remember we may get tired of using the same things but to every new client our ideas are also new. 

Talk with you soon, Phyllis Pafumi

Kate I love all of your kitchen ideas and Phyllis is right, it will be new to clients.  I also like to put small lamps on the kitchen counter, wicker baskets, small kitchen themed canvas pictures leaned up against the back-splash, votive candles, decorative glass bottles- usually meant for olive oil- filled with dishsoap next to the sink (I also use this at home) and a really easy one is pickled vegetables in decorative bottles. 

   

 Kimberly- where did you find fake olives- I want! 

 

I really like using coffee beans, whether they are in a large wood bowl, or in the tray of an old scale, or ground up and sprinkled into the silk plant pots. Can you smell it?

Sheron - the coffee beans idea is excellent. I just don't know if I could keep them from being ground and brewed at my house!

Gina- I will have to look up where the olives came from.  I'm thinking HOBBY LOBBY, but I'm not sure.  I'll get back to you!

Gina - I did get them at HOBBY LOBBY.  You can also order them here.

Kate,

Thanks for the post. I did not know that fake fruit and ceramic roosters were still in!

Kate,

This is a great article!

Congratulations, it was included in the most recent Unsung and Overlooked collection.

This should get it a little more exposure :)

 

Fake bread is great. I staged a builder's model and used their props.  They had the rolling pin with baking cookbook, and wood board.  They had large mugs with fruit inside.  We use Cereal boxes in little bowls - and just bringing in some food items is a nice touch.  We use the coffee, and tea as props in the kitchen and in master bedrooms.  I usually stick to things that are not totally breakable - and put in coffee mugs, a picture that says "Latte, or Cafe."  We use wine, martini sets, and other books that go along as a backdrop.  Lemons in all sizes, pears, green apples - not all sugared fruit.  We use the french Pigs too - with the sign board, and have lots of roosters that are ceramic, wood, or iron. All good ideas here.  We put small lamps on the counters, use a lot of wrought iron, circular backdrops like charges or other decorative plates and platters on stands.  The veggies in jars - usually have those in various sizes for kitchens too.  We have staged Pantries with food items - versus having it empty. . . Jennie

Thanks everyone for all your great ideas. Even though I am sick of fake fruit it is refreshing to know that it is all new to the sellers- and buyers too. KH

Kimberly:  Home Depot has an occasional table - accacia wood and iron, collapsible on sale for $82.67 til 2/22 that came up when I was investigating faux olives.  Check it out.

                         

 

An abundance of artificial lemons or limes in a big shiney colander sitting next to the sink gives a happy illusion of freshness! For a wonderful scent, before an open house rub the sink with a half of a lemon. This is nice for spring and summer. I am more likely to theme a kitchen to the colors and style of the home or perhaps the season rather than a set theme such as roosters, coke bottles, or the jolly chef... although I have used them on occasion, I find color and style themes to be neutral and more appealing to a wider population of potential buyers. Those themes are also less likely to go out of style.

Hi Kate,

Well I guess I win, right? ...I have all those things on my kitchen counters at home.

Just kidding, not really, yikes!  However I have learned a lot from you folks, thanks to all of you for your great comments and ideas.

It's obvious in my area of so-cal that marketing has stepped up a notch, especially by staging. 

There are some fantastic bottles of imported water out there that look really sharp. Voss is one of my favorites.  I have also used 3 large bottles of perrier for a colorful, refreshing effect.

Oh no ceramic roosters, (they sound scary) l0l  something I have found that looks interesting is small stones from the dollar store.  I take these and fill them into different shaped glass vases.  (Just something different than fake fruit).

maureen graziano

IMO fake fruit will NEVER go out of style, LOL!  I remember going to Sears when I was little- looking into all the fridges to see the fake turkeys and food was the highlight of the trip so I guess it holds a special place for me.

The rooster thing is sort of weird, I don't know why I like it but I do, I laugh when I think how often my shopping list says: chicken- meaning some sort of fake rooster or chicken for a kitchen counter.  I love 'em.

Patricia- I came back to this post just in time, I am going to Home Depot tomorrow for those trays, thanks.  

Kimberly, thanks for the olive update, I can't wait to order those too! 

Help! I can't find faux bread anywhere close and cheap, ie without ordering it and paying shipping. Where have you bought fake bread cheap lately, anybody?

I used real bread and just let it get hard.  Seemed to work out okay, put it in two houses in a row... never had ants (thank goodness)  And I don't remember it getting moldy either!  might try it....

Fake Bread - you can make a dough out of Flour, Water, and about a cup of salt - shape it into bread and bake it till it's hard as a rock - the salt will help preserve it. (I have an exact recipe somewhere if anyone wants it)

A platter or tray with all 1 colour foods - like Green Lettuce, Cellery, Green Cauliflower, a lime

large canister or vase filled with cranberries or all 1 colour candies

Cover a bulletin board with coordinating fabrics and use some to make tea towels or placemats

Mini Herb Pots - smell great too

Vase with a few stylish kitchen tools

 

Alyse, I'd love the recipe for the bread!  Thanks in advance.

As for other cannister ideas (all in clear glass): Popcorn seeds, dried beans, marshmellows.  Coco (hot choc. mix without the water) in two cups, with two spoons.  You can even use those on a bed stand (smells great too).

If the realtor is having an open house to showcase the home and you're planning on attending:  I always buy fresh flowers and instead of just placing them in a clear container, I've been known to fill the bottom with green beans or cranberrys (works especially well with red carnations or red roses), lemon or lime slices.

 

 

 

 

 

Wow! I love all these ideas- especially the bread. The funny part is that today I went to Steinmart and found, guess what?? A huge ceramic Rooster that I am using in a Farmhouse next week! I tried not to buy it but it was so perfect that I had to get it. If I ever stop staging my kitchen will look like a barnyard. KH

I found fake bread at Wal Mart.  They have all kinds--large loaves, rolls, even croissants.  They look great and they are very inexpensive.

Hey, I finally took a photo of the fake olives!  Also a couple more ideas...

  

   

Okay, the last one is a laundry room, but it is still an idea...

I just did this in the kitchen - EBAY!

Hi Melissa.  I use a lot of those decorator bottles with the pickled vegetables, or flavored vinegar with sprigs of herbs inside.  They add color without taking up a lot of room and come in all sizes and shapes.  My favorite place to purchase them is Ross.

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

My accessory of choice would have to be coffee beans. I use them all the time in the kitchen and dining areas. I also use greenery in small containers, fake plants.

Lately I have found that I am turning to more white accessories, I just really like how the white has a clean crisp look. The large picture is a condo we just recently did, I wanted to post it to show that I may be going a little over board on the white and glass accessories. I felt bad as I was running out of accessories and with the spring market 'heating' up I didn't have time to do a little extra shopping for this job.

 

 

I love all these ideas.  I have never even seen fake fruit and I would never have thought to use it.  I'll have to keep my eyes open.  

Hi Kate,

 I am new to this group.  I'm so happy I found this site.  Your information caught my eye so I thought I would respond. I viewed your before and after's and they are great.  I am a Home stager based in Southern California.  I agree with what you are saying about using repeat items in kitchens.   I'm a strong believer in "less is more" so i've started too tone down using less items in certain areas of homes. The kitchen being one of them.  I do use faux fruit but now i'm trying to seek out other uncommon fruits you usually dont see!  I recently came across beautiful Star fruit in a local retail store and Mission figs in a La Jolla boutique.  Yes, I paid at least ten times more  for the figs, but I considered it a great find.   Lynne Adams, The Right Stage Inc. Stevenson Ranch, Ca.

I just discovered this site-wow!  I love all the ideas!

Great ideas here.  Welcome Lynne and Kris :)  Just remember everyone not to use any sort of utensil that could hurt someone else such as knives, butter knives, forks, etc.  Just thinking safety for the Realtor during an Open or even as Stager setting up.  I use several set-ups from a Consign It store that specializes in selling model home discards.  These sets are glued down and you really can't beat the prices. You can make your own too.  I use lots of theme related items, Tuscan, retro, wine, art deco.  I have also bought several cookies, breads, chocolate dipped strawberries..yum, from Ebay.  Go to fake foods.  They also have wine and cheese set-ups that look pretty neat.  Good luck and have fun!

Lori

Artful Journey Designs and Staging

There are a number of places on the internet that sell fake food for use in merchandising. I have used cutting boards with fake cheeses & fruit, fake papayas filled with fake berries, fake cakes, all to great effect. Just google "fake food" and a bunch of sites will pop up. It isn't cheap, but it will last forever if you take care of it.

 Michelle Minch, Moving Mountains Design, Pasadena, CA

Thanks for the warm Welcome Lori.  About using utensils in my staged homes...I always try to keep in mind the safety aspect in every home I do. Even down to potential buyers triping over table lamp cords, etc.  I always think about kids that may be walking through with their parents.  Thanks for the reminder. 

Lynne Adams/The Right Stage, Inc. 661-478-5042

Great Post Kate! I got some great suggestions from it as a result and if I ever need to borrow a ceramic rooster I know where to go! I only have one and it is made of wrought iron..

 

Great Post!! I love all your idea's too.