Featured Decorating Article

So you've moved into your new home- now what?

You've finally finished the paper-mill marathon that is closing on your new home.  Soon You'll be moving in- now what?  Keep the old sofa or buy a new one?  Stick with taupe or paint the whole place blue?  And woe to the bachelor who must face the labyrinth of drapes, sheers, blinds, scarves, rods, and rings.

Tackling window treatments doesn't  have to be like plotting the Normandy Invasion, if your lucky enough to work with someone like Paula Henry of Simply Put Interiors in Reisterstown.

"Everything that I do is to honor the homeowner, to honor their budget and to work with what they have," Henry said. "The questions are-How do you use your space?  What's important to you?  Do you have pets?  You don't have to build Rome in a day."

Generally speaking, the rooms to decorate first are the kitchen, the family room and the master bedroom. "Some people may have a home office and prefer to start there," said Henry.

"We talk to our clients, find out what's important to them and start from there," she said.

Laurie Katerle, of Hunt Valley, has taken the do-it-yourself approach, thought she admits that an innate love of decorating has helped her along the way. " I decorated my first boy friends place; that was 16 years ago," she said.

Katerle recommends starting with the big pieces, like your couch, dining table and bed, and then you work from there.  If you're not sure where to begin, think of those homes you like.  Or go to furniture showrooms and see how things are arranged.  Look in catalogs, " she said.

Coldwell Banker Realtor Mary Widomski, likes to assist both buyers and sellers with decorating and renovations. "For my sellers, I stage the properties- rearrange furniture, provide accent pieces and suggest minor purchases to create the inviting home," she said.  "For the buyers, I often help with furniture placement, select colors, assisting in renovation planning and contractor selections.

Like Widomski, Henry also offers professional home staging. "There is a lot of competition out there, so properly staging a home for market gives it an appeal to a greater audience of buyers," Henry said.
"I make a report card on each room of the house, and suggestions on what the homeowner can do to bring it up to snuff- de-cluttering,  rearranging furniture painting replacing the carpet."