Out of the box! Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Shares Design Tips For Making The Most Of “A White Box”

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affordable decorating, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Home Stager, Home Staging, Home Staging Course, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, Open Floor Plan, Real Estate, real estate stager, The Epoch Times, White Box

When it comes to home staging and interior design, it isn’t always the odd shaped floor plans that create the most challenges.  Often potential buyers can see a challenge with how to make efficient use of space when presented with what is essentially “a square box”.  In a city like New York where space is at a premium, a potential buyer will want to make every inch of their square footage count; this is where creative space planning comes into play.

Recently I staged a spacious one-bedroom residence located at 345 East 73^rd Street, in which a potential buyer walks into a spacious open room that is a living/dining room combination with large bedroom.  The “head scratcher” is not “what could I fit in here?”, but rather “how should I place the furniture?”  The main living space is so large; either a sofa and two chairs or sectional sofa can fit with ease.  No need to guess where a TV could go, and the space easily fits a dining table that could seat 4-6 people comfortably.  As a Certified Staging Professional, how to layout this type of configuration was easy for me to see, as I took time to “walk the space” and create a floor plan with appropriate furniture that is to size and scale.  The issue with this residence could have been confusion on the part of potential buyers because the living and dining areas weren’t clearly defined in the open floor plan.  The home seller had the vision and foresight to realize that his best chance of potential buyers seeing the home’s full potential was to have the property staged.  Now when potential buyers enter the space, they can clearly see not only where their furniture could be placed but can get a true sense of how spacious the residence is.

When it comes to maximizing space and effectively furnishing an open floor plan, here are some of my to Design Recipes tips:

1. Create a blank floor plan
2. Sketch out a general furniture plan
3. Measure large pieces of furniture first and place them onto your floor plan
4. Evaluate the remaining space, adding smaller furnishings
5. Allow 2-3 feet of circulation throughout
6. Edit if necessary

Looking for more tips?? I share more design tips with The Epoch Times

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Decorating With Black & White: NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Shares 7 Tips On Designing With The Popular Colors With Cotton Candy Magazine!

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affordable decorating, black and white design ideas, Cathy Hobbs, celebrity interior designer, cotton candy magazine, decorating with black, decorating with white, design magazine, Design Recipes, design star, Green Design, green designer, Home Stager Training, New York City's Top Stager

When it comes to creating the perfect color palette, there is nothing quite as pure, timeless and versatile as decorating using black and white.  Black and white simply serves as the perfect “blank slate” for creating virtually any color scheme you desire.  First and foremost don’t be afraid to a simple all white color palette, as it can be crisp and fresh, the simplicity of let’s say a pure white dining room color scheme in which the  plates and tabletop items provide the hint of color (as opposed to using the traditional pure white).  Also open yourself to the possibility of creating a pure black and white palette; the stark aspect of the pure white with the rich black can really be stunning.  What I tend to do most however, is use black and white as the foundation of my color palette and then bring in a single accent color such as yellow or red.  Warm colors work really well as accent colors against the cool tones of the black and white and really add an appealing sense of luxury and coziness.  Also, don’t be afraid to bring in an accent color, by using an accent wall, some of my most successful designs ever; have involved the use of pure white furniture or a white and black color scheme, highlighted by a bright, bold accent wall!

So where do you start? And most importantly how do you go about selecting those black and white pieces that define your design style?

7 ways to incorporate black and white into your décor..

Step 1 –Choose a general design style

First! Begin with identifying whether your personal style falls into one of these four categories.

• Country chic
• Contemporary
• Modern
• Global

I find that nearly everyone’s design style falls into one of these four categories and then there are sub-sections from there.

Step 2—Narrow it down!

After identifying your basic design category, now it is time to narrow it down a little bit more and define your style more specifically.

Step 3 –Select a signature piece

From here I always suggest picking one signature piece that you feel defines you most.  It can be an area rug with a big, bold graphic pattern or a fabulous piece of artwork or a gorgeous chandelier.  Whatever piece you choose it will serve as the anchor for the room and help to fill in the rest of the blanks of your décor.  For example if you choose a large overstuffed sofa with white “Shabby Chic” slip covers, it will serve as the foundation for your space decorated using other pieces that are “Country chic”.  Conversely, if you choose a sleek, leather sofa with polished chromed feet, this will serve as inspiration for what has all the makings of a modern décor scheme.

Step 4- Select large pieces first!

Purchase large pieces first then accessorize.  Once you have selected your signature piece that you feel best represents your personal taste and style, allow it to serve as your inspiration.  From there choose your largest pieces first then your accessories.  Remember your furniture enhances the space and the accessories enhance the furniture.

Step 5- Use different shades and tones

White on white can be a really interesting design choice so can different shades of black. Don’t’ be afraid to use different tones and shades of white or black, mixing and matching them throughout your space.

Step 6- Add a pop of color

One of the beautiful aspects of working with black and white is the fact that it is really a blank canvas.  Virtually any color “pops” when placed against black or white.  So when using black or white or a combination of the two, why not consider a pop of color to liven it up.  Full chroma, bold colors work best.

Step 7- Mix with charcoal, chocolate or taupe

The beauty of working with black and white is that it creates a general enough color palette that you can use it with other so called neutrals and still create a warm, vivid and inviting design scheme.

Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Shares Her Top Tips For Decorating With The Color WHITE!

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affordable decorating, Affordable Design, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, color, decorating with paint, Design Recipes, design star, Green Design, LEED AP. Celebrity Interior Designer, mythic paint, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, paint, paint colors, real estate stager, white

White is one of the most versatile and heavily used shades in home decor.  But believe it or not it is also one of the most misunderstood.  Yes, not all whites are created equal.  There are a whole myriad of shades and tones.  Some whites, have more gray, some more yellow etc.  As an ASID Interior Designer and Certified Staging Professional, I can tell you that yes! you can mix different shades!

Link to article:

www.paintdealer.com/…/1%20Color%20of%20Month%20White.pdf

Looking To Modernize 70’s 80’s 90’s Decor? Tips From NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs of HGTV Design Star

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70's decor, 80's decor, 90's decor, affordable decorating, Affordable Decorating Ideas, Affordable Design, angela rapoport, ASID, Cathy Hobbs, design star, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, Interior Design, LEED AP. Celebrity Interior Designer, modern decor, New York City's Top Stager, Real Estate, Stager Training, the corcoran group

Remember when black and mauve was the hot color combination and when mirrors were all the rage? Well, in case you are too young to remember, those were some of the staples of 80s home décor.

The 80s were indeed the decade of opulence, marble, gold, and mirrors; however these days, the trend is toward minimalism and more subtle design. Even so, it may not be unusual for a potential buyer to travel back in time when faced with an apartment that has not been renovated since its 80s glory. As an interior designer who often works on renovations, and a home stager used to working with furniture and accessories limited to a home sellers own possessions, my biggest tip is to embrace the past!

I was recently asked by the extraordinarily talented real estate agent Angela Rapoport of The Corcoran Group to stage her Penthouse listing located at 255 East 49th Street on Manhattan’s East Side. As someone old enough to remember, I immediately identified the fact that I had walked back into the 1980s, cue the DeLorean car and Patrick Nagel painting, anyone?

While it would have been easy to suggest covering up as much of the 80s-themed design as possible, I chose to embrace it, as this property is truly spectacular and to me and it never makes sense to cover up great design, no matter when it was done.

The reality is the same challenges I faced as an interior designer and home stager are similar to those that any home owner or home seller will face when looking to modernize an interior space designed decades earlier.

Here are some of my top tips for modernizing the past while embracing the present:

1. First, embrace the current décor and use it as inspiration. In the case of the Penthouse at 255 East 49th Street, all of the floors were either black or white marble, or a combination of the two. My solution was to build a color palette around the two colors, infusing bursts of bright color while using black and white as the foundation for my color scheme.

2. Soften a space, while adding color and texture. Whether floors are made of marble or hardwood, it is often an appealing solution to add softness through the use of area rugs and soft goods such as toss pillows.

3. Add elements such as greenery. Nothing quite softens a space like the use of plants and greenery. When I am often faced with interiors that have a lot of architectural or natural elements, I try to keep my décor as simple as possible. One example of this in the case of the Penthouse at 255 East 49th Street was to select a centerpiece that was a simple orchid, as opposed to something too elaborate.

4. Select a mix of modern and contemporary furnishings. The wonderful aspect about design is that you don’t have to follow any formulas! For instance in the case of the 80s penthouse, I mixed modern, timeless pieces with those that were more antique, in order to embrace the existing architectural details. It is important to not ignore the current design and décor but instead to embrace it as another design element.

5. Finally, focus on function and lifestyle, when it comes to lifestyle, we are always evolving, a room that may have been popular in another decade, may now be considered to be a waste of space. These days, with space at such a premium, it is even more important than ever that all areas of a residence are shown as useful and with a purpose.

Expert Home Staging Tips With NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Home Stager Cathy Hobbs As Featured on NBC’s LXTV Open House

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affordable decorating, Affordable Design, Best Home Stager, Brown Harris Stevens, Cathy Hobbs, celebrity interior designer, Certified Staging Professional, design star, hgtv, home selling tips, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, home staging tips, LEED AP. Celebrity Interior Designer, lxtv, nbc, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, open house, Scott Harris, top nyc stager

When it comes time to sell your home you are going to want to make sure that you sell it for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time. This is when home staging and lifestyle selling can come into play. The reality is that most potential buyers have no idea how to envision a space that is either empty or cluttered with too many things. The key is to show function and highlight the positives of a space while down playing the negatives. The key to lifestyle selling is to show potential buyers how a space should function. Recently, I was asked to share some of my top home staging tips and techniques on the NBC program LXTV Open House.

Cathy’s Top Home Staging Tips:

1. Choose furniture that doesn’t overcrowd a space but instead shows how spacious and roomy it is.
2. Layer your decor, add items such as throws and toss pillows.
3. Use repetition. Large pieces of art can be expensive. One of my favorite design tricks is to repeat the same piece of art in a series of two or three.
4. Choose an area rug either first or last. Choosing it first allows for it to serve as design and color inspiration, using it last, helps tie everything together.
5. Think function first, when it comes time to sell your home, it is critical that potential buyers know how a space could be used.

For more of Cathy’s top home selling tips be sure to go to http://www.cathyhobbs.com or call 800.961.5202

Here is the listing information for the property that was profiled in the NBC segment.

45 East 30th Street, Penthouse B
$5,995,000
4 Bedroom/6 Bathroom, 4,460 Square Feet
Co-Exclusive
Scott Harris, Brown Harris Stevens
Julie Rupprecht, Halstead Property
212-317-3674

Here is the link: http://bhsusa.com/manhattan/midtown-east/45-east-30th-street/1552460

Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs During The Taping of Her Home Staging Segment on LXTV Open House on NBC

Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Sharing Home Staging Tips on LXTV Open House on NBC

Interested in a career in home staging? Go to http://www.stagingtraining.com or call 888-STAGING to learn more about Cathy’s classes taught through the industry leader Certified Home Staging Professionals.

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE EXPERT STAGING TIPS — BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE CLIP BELOW OF CELEBRITY INTERIOR DESIGNER CATHY HOBBS AS FEATURED ON NBC’S LXTV OPEN HOUSE

Ready for Spring Decorating Ideas? NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Shares Tips With GalTime!

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affordable decorating, Affordable Design, Cathy Hobbs, design ideas, design star, hgtv, Home Stager, interior designer, LEED AP. Celebrity Interior Designer, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, Real Estate New York City, spring

Have winter blues gotten the best of your home? Spring up your décor this winter with a few simple expert tips to bring the light back in.

Play with color

HGTV Design Star Finalist Cathy Hobbs says the first step in springing up your home is infusing your rooms with brightly colored wall paint or accessories. Hobbs explains that colors can be bold or muted with gray to match other winter décor. According to Hobbs, “Some of the trends 
that I am seeing right now are deep oranges, turquoise and shades of 
amethyst… all of these colors look fantastic with traditional winter colors such as charcoal gray, black and chocolate…” Savings Expert Andrea Woroch adds that wall decals are an easy and inexpensive way to add a punch of color to any room. She says that for as little as four dollars at Home Depot, you can purchase light color spray paints that you can use to quickly transform dark or old furniture. For the best results, Woroch suggests looking for white, ivory, or metallic silver spray paint in brands that can adhere to multiple different surfaces, including metal and plastics.

Replace Fabrics

Rachel Winokur, interior designer featured on HGTV’s Design Wars, suggests replacing velvet, fur and wool fabrics with coverlets, duvet covers and toss pillow covers of lighter palettes and weights, such as linens. Woroch recommends adding floral sheets or flower-printed pillows to the bedrooms for an easy way to lighten up.

Incorporate Plants

Winokur explains that one of the simplest ways to add spring to your home is by bringing indoor plants, such as fragrant Jasmine and colorful Kalachoe, into the home. Airy plants are an inexpensive, low-maintenance way to lighten up. Woroch likes framing dried flowers as an easy way to add spring to your walls. Winokur also suggests sprinkling winter fruits like oranges and pomegranates across the table as an aesthetic and delicious way to add a pop of color.

Lighten up the Environment

According to Woroch, “The more natural sunlight you let into your home, the more spring-y it will feel.” Woroch recommends adding light, sheer window treatments, which she explains can be bought at a reasonable price at Target with a coupon.  Designer Mary Jane Rossi of Vignettes Room Redesign suggests rolling up heavy area rugs and replacing them with the more springy material, rattan. Additionally, Rossi recommends swapping woolen throws for lace pieces and copper flowerpots and ornaments for glass or ceramic ones.

Read more: http://galtime.com/article/home/43532/24224/bring-spring-your-home-winter#ixzz1lvsYDCv3

NYC Interior Designer Cathy Hobbs Weighs In On “Hot Topic” “Is the DIY Craze Dead?” For The Huffington Post

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Affordable Decorating Ideas, Affordable Design, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, design star, hgtv, Home Staging Course, Interior Design, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, Tanika Ray, The Huffington Post

When it comes to design, having a point of view is everything, and this time of year it seems like everybody has one. New year trends are picking up steam and what was deemed “so 2011” is moving further into the past. Honeysuckle pink, rainbow bookcases, those ubiquitous “Keep Calm And Carry On” signs, I get. But DIY? Dead? I’ve been a fan of Sheila Bridges traditional design and her one-of-a-kind “Harlem Toile” collection for some time. She’s been a go-to source on everything from how well President Obama decorated his White House digs, to giving Gayle King’s kitchen a sunny new look. So it was no surprise when Elle Decor called on Bridges to help put some bad 2011 trends to rest. What was surprising, however, was the trend Bridges says we need to let go: The DIY craze has run its course, says decorator Sheila Bridges, who has seen her share of “earthy, handmade concoctions.” Just because it can be reclaimed doesn’t mean it should be. Gasp! In a time when penny pinching is de rigueur and treasure hunting is all the rage, I’m sorry, Ms. Bridges, but I have to disagree. I mean, since when has DIY been resigned to a “craze” anyway? Don’t handmade creations and a unique point of view date back to the very beginnings of interior design? Whether you choose to furnish a room from a single source or mix new items with ones you already own, it’s all about adding your paint, your fabric, your way of making it, well, yours, right? Yes, this is coming from someone who spent five years learning how to make everything from tonic water to trivets from scratch. At Martha Stewart Living, where I worked as an editor, practically everything was homegrown. But my experience there also made me hyper-aware of the incredibly vast world of DIY that was thriving beyond our walls. There’s Etsy, of course, who boasted some $467.8 million in merchandise sales last year, up from $314 million the year before. Then there’s celebrity blogger Erica Domesek, whose DIY creations have quickly made her blog, P.S. I Made This, a household name. But if that isn’t convincing enough, I’ve asked four DIY mavens to weigh in. Rashon Carraway (AKA Mr. Goodwill Hunting) is a virtual genius in the DIY space. His clever creations (including this $300 living room makeover he did for a good friend of mine) has landed him a regular spot on the “Nate Berkus Show.” Kristen Turner, the muse behind DIY blog Glitter N’ Glue was chosen as one of the top fashion bloggers on Today show’s DIY Style Week. Cathy Hobbs, interior designer and home stager extraordinaire, worked her way through six rounds of HGTV’s reality competition “Design Star” last fall. While co-host of the show, Tanika Ray, took notes and expanded her design chops to another HGTV spot, “HGTV’d.” Here, they share their thoughts on Sheila Bridges’ claim and their best DIY moment to prove it.

FIND LINK TO FULL ARTICLE HERE:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jessica-anderson/diy-dead-sheila-bridges_b_1254698.html#s663763&title=Tanika_Ray_Host

 

 

Cathy Hobbs Featured In Huffington Post

NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Home Stager Cathy Hobbs Shares DEN DESIGN TIPS “Mastering the Den Without Turning It Into a ‘Man Cave'”

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Affordable Design, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Home Stager, Home Staging, interior designer, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, real estate stager

While it’s true that dens are traditionally “man caves” there are of course ways to also make them “family friendly” so that they can be enjoyed by every member of the house.  One of the first ways to do this is to make the space gender neutral by using a mix of bold and soft colors.  Some examples of gender neutral color palettes include mixing deep chocolate browns or black with softer colors such as lime green or powder blue or even lavender.  The reality is that one of the reasons why dens tend to have a heavy “man cave” feel is because they tend to be filled with dark overstuffed furniture that comes across and feels very masculine.  When designing a den to appeal to women as well as the whole family the best compromise is a mix of soft and heavy materials.  I always suggest incorporating texture into a den by using elements such as nubby pillows or soft thick area rugs such as shag.  Also when decorating a den, don’t just make it all about the electronics, design it to feel more like a “retreat”, and one of the best ways to do this is to incorporate “soft” colors as well as bold colors especially on the walls.  I also like to incorporate accent walls into den spaces.  As an ASID interior designer I use “accent colors” for a specific purpose, to incorporate a bold color into a space without “over doing it” by painting every wall. Accent colors not only add interest but can also help to define a space architecturally.  Some of my favorite colors for accent walls are Green flight 047-3, Southwest Magic 101-6 and Green Scene 070-6, all by Eco-friendly paint company Mythic Paint.  A den can be a space to read, a quiet office, an alternative playroom for the kids, in addition to a place to watch movies and the big game!

Gender Neutral Den Full of Elegance and Color!

An interesting furniture arrangement makes for a creative and eye catching gender neutral den space!

HOME STAGING: Celebrity Interior Designer & Home Stager Cathy Hobbs Shares Affordable Home Staging Tips “Shop Your House”

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ARLINGTON, Best Home Stager, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, D.C., DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Epoch Times, Home Stager, Home Stager Training, Home Staging, Home Staging Course, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, real estate stager, VA, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON

In this economy it is more important than ever for home sellers to be able to sell their homes without spending a “bundle”.  “Shopping your home” can be a feasible alternative for those looking to stage on a budget.

A living room after staging and styling by Cathy Hobbs. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Hobbs)

As home staging always means highlighting the positives and downplaying the negatives, the overall visual presentation is key. Because many homes that are staged are owner occupied, a stager will either ask the home seller to remove a number of pieces in order to rent, or in some cases purchase, replacement furnishings.

Or, what happens more often in this economy is to use furniture a home seller already owns. I call the process “shopping the house” when I set out on a treasure hunt to see what items a homeowner may have hidden in a closet, attic, or in simply another room.

A living room before staging. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Hobbs)

It may be hard for home sellers to “re-imagine” their home using items they already own, which is where a Certified Staging Professional comes in.

Recently, while teaching the three-day Certified Staging Professionals course in Arlington, Va., my students and I executed a dramatic before-and-after transformation without spending a single penny! Before the staging, an attached home in Arlington (a suburb of Washington, D.C.) was lingering on the market. Upon entry, I quickly noticed a home that was full of “stuff” but void of life. There were rooms with no clear function, some used as storage areas and poorly laid out.

In “shopping the house” we first went in search for large attractive furniture items we could use to create a solid floor plan and flow, and then from there fill in the gaps with accessories and artwork.

A bedroom after staging and styling by Cathy Hobbs. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Hobbs)

We also wanted to make sure each room sent the message of being functional and spacious. As all of the walls in the main living areas were white, we wanted to create a neutral color palette in order to appeal to the largest amount of potential buyers while also adding a sense of vibrancy and color to the space, which we did using artwork and accessories.

“Shopping the house” is a technique I was asked to use when the producers of the nationally syndicated program The Nate Berkus Show asked me to stage a home for a Connecticut home seller. “Shopping

The same bedroom with some of the same furniture, before staging. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Hobbs)

the house” not only saves money but can truly be an opportunity to refresh and renew.

My approach to interior design and home staging is based on my overall design vision and philosophy behind my brand design recipes, determining how a potential user needs to live and function in the space, while also creating an environment that is aesthetically pleasing and appeals to the largest audience.

To execute this staging, here’s my design recipe:
• Pack away all unused items
• Determine a floor plan
• “Shop the house” for your largest items first
• Select pieces that coordinate, but do not necessarily “match”
• Fill in rooms with art and accessories
• Incorporate color through accessories and accents
• Step back, evaluate, edit if necessary

Cathy Hobbs, ASID, LEED AP, CSP

Five-time Emmy award-winning television personality Cathy Hobbs is the founder of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes™, a New York City-based firm specializing in interior design, home staging, and home-staging training. A nationally known design expert, Cathy was a finalist on Season 6 of HGTV’s hit reality series Design Star. Cathy is currently traveling around the country as an instructor for Certified Staging Professionals, teaching their prestigious three-day certification course. www.cathyhobbs.com.

NYC Celebrity Interior Designer Certified Staging Professionals National Trainer Cathy Hobbs Shares Ideas For Apartment Living With EHow.Com

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affordable decorating, Affordable Decorating Ideas, Affordable design ideas, apartment living, apartment renting, Cathy Hobbs, Certified Staging Professional, CSP, design ideas renters, ehow.com, Home Staging, Interior Design, LEED AP. Celebrity Interior Designer, New York City, New York City's Top Stager, real estate stager

Hi there!

Ehow.com recently approached me looking for my tips on how apartment renters can decorate their homes without making permanent changes. The reality is, especially in urban cities like New York where I live that a large majority of people are apartment dwellers and many of them renters. There are a number of “portable” design changes that you can implement so that you can enjoy your home and then take it with you when the time comes!