Rescu. recently had the opportunity to speak to Carla Francis of Spatial Image about her styling philosophy, tips for success when putting your property on the market and more.
image via pinterest
Carla Francis and Renee Francis established a successful styling business, Spatial Image in 2010. It’s a combination of Renee’s hands on Real Estate experience and Carla’s extensive Interior Design knowledge that sets them apart from other property stylists in the industry. The duo’s business specialises in preparing homes for the market, offering full styling and furniture rental packages for vacant properties or simply adding the finishing touches to an existing home to enhance the look and feel of the property.
The goal of their property styling team is to ensure that a property is given the best opportunity to realise its full potential and maximise its value through their personalised furniture selection process and attention to detail.
Rescu. recently had the opportunity to speak to Carla Francis about her styling philosophy as well as her tips for success when putting your property on the market;
RESCU: Why should vendors seriously consider getting their home partially or fully styled ahead of putting on the market?
Carla Francis: Great presentation is imperative in getting the best sales result possible. The right styling for the right target market adds huge value to a property.
RESCU: What is the best advice you give your clients about primping your home for other people’s taste?
Carla Francis: Keep it simple, contemporary and recent. Remember you are trying to appeal to a wide variety of buyers with different perceptions and style. Also know your target market and consider this when setting up the function of each room.
RESCU: Are there certain rules that should never be broken when styling a home or unit for sale?
Carla Francis: Less is more- Remove clutter and personal belongings to create a more spacious atmosphere that buyers can visualise themselves living in.
Neutral colour schemes and tones – keep furniture simple and fresh and make a statement with bold artwork, feature armchairs or rugs.
Indoor / Outdoor Living – Don’t forget about your outdoor space, it can be a major selling point for your property. Try to create a good transition from indoor to outdoor by using similar furniture and finishes. Also try adding potted plants with vibrant foliage to brighten up the space.
Add the ‘final touches’ – In most cases the final detail is what creates that ‘wow’ factor for buyers, whether it is colourful scatter cushions or fresh flowers by adding these details you are sure to enhance the look of the property
RESCU: How can a property stylist help tweak your existing style and furnishing to affect a better sale?
Carla Francis: We can really fill in the missing pieces to create an interesting and vibrant space. It doesn’t take much to create interest with the use of colour and decorative pieces.
RESCU: How do you achieve atmosphere when you are styling an empty space that no one lives in?
Carla Francis: Soft furnishings, lamps and decorative items are the key to creating warmth and atmosphere in any space. We also try to mix up the furniture items by using contrasting pieces to create interest and style. We also style with a lot of everyday items such as books, flowers and candles.
RESCU: Can you share your top tips for helping make a space appear bigger?
Carla Francis: Proportion! Getting the right size furniture in your space is so important when setting up a property for sale. A lounge that is too bulky will immediately make a space feel smaller. We use slim, contemporary furniture that complements a space instead of overcrowding it. We also use a lot of glass furniture pieces to help with scale and visual presence.
RESCU: If money were no object, what pieces would you love to add to every property you style?
Carla Francis: Anything from furniture designer Patricia Urquiola, particularly her Moroso range would be divine to work with.
Rescu. Expert Advice: We asked Rescu. House & Home expert and The Block judge Darren Palmer for his thoughts on styling a property. Here’s what he had to say,”Styling a property for sale is like icing a cake to eat. There is an obvious difference in appeal and finish – even if the foundations remain the same.
A well-styled property will fill in all the gaps and show buyers the lifestyle they can expect in the home so they’ll immediately feel more emotionally drawn to it – and let’s face it, emotions are what drive property prices beyond reasonable amounts.
The higher the number of emotionally invested buyers you get, the more likely you are to have a bidding war on your hands, and a bidding war is just what every vendor is looking for.”
Image: Before and after shots of Bourke Road property