Springing into Summer

One of my favorite artists/photographers is Irene Sucholcki and I captured this beautiful photo from her website. You owe it to yourself to preview her talents.

Ahhhh, finally able to enjoy the patio without spring pollen, and the weather is perfect for it right now!

A close up of a tulip my son sent me for Mother's Day, I took this to capture the raindrops on the flower.

As the tulips opened up, each took on a different look, this is the inside of the purple tulip which has a beautiful pattern of blues, browns and yellow in the center.

Ready to hit the outdoors, I visited Kings Mountain NC, the dogwoods were in full bloom.

Another bouquet I recently received, featured a spring arrangement of carnations, roses and zinnia's (below)



Spring has been wonderful, now I guess it is time to hit the Blue Ridge Mountains again and then the beach, living in NC gives you the best of so many worlds. The mountains are two hours away, the beach is three hours away. The numerous Lakes which surround Charlotte are also on my "to do" list for spring/summer outings.

Ready for Spring

Modern Lounging Deck


A cluster of low teak sofas and cement-topped tables forms a central outdoor lounge.

Built of Mangaris (a dark, eco-friendly hardwood also known as red balau), the deck of this 1954 house in the Hollywood Hills spans the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom.

Worthless to Wonderful


The porch is the hub of life at this house. The mix of antiques and junk-store finds creates a comfortable atmosphere.

Dream Garden


The perfect garden for entertaining can also work for quiet relaxation -- even in a small space. The designers organized the yard into zones that correspond to the home's interior: large patios for group activities, intimate spaces for relaxing.

Perfect Porch


Porches can be enjoyed year-round in some places, especially when screening is used to keep mosquitoes at bay.

The homeowner opted to screen in the section of the porch that's adjacent to the kitchen and chose all-weather wicker furniture for this area -- two comfy sofas, a stately chair, and an ottoman that doubles as a coffee table. The cushions are covered with durable yellow-and-white striped fabric.

Just Hanging Out


A covered porch off the master bedroom provides a comfortable vantage point for watching boats come and go in the harbor. The interior decorator treated the private space as an open-air sitting room, complete with area rug, table lamps, and cozy seating.

Dramatic Flair


A curving seat wall defines an 8-foot-wide elevated patio in front of this distinctive stone fireplace. (The stone is made of sedimentary clay from Arizona.)

Granite boulders edge the entrance and serve as a stationary coffee table. The fireplace is part of a stuccoed retaining wall set into a hill at the rear of the property.

When planning an outdoor room, choose materials carefully. And opt for all-weather furnishings and fabrics.

Why Stage?" A Little Style Works, Just Not Yours"

There are many reasons to stage your home. For example in this photo you immediately feel the ambiance, calmness and freshness as you do when walking into a model home. It is refreshing, clean and well coordinated. We get comfortable in our homes, leaving items out that need to be put away and out of sight and only until a stranger walks into the room do we realize that Oopps, I should have ?? A prospective buyer wants to visualize their items in the room with a clean slate to look at and or how their home will or can look.

Reasons to Stage:

1. A seller listens to a Stager differently than to a Broker.
2. A Stager can help secure listings for a Broker.
3. A Stager is versed in staging techniques to enhance a property. She looks at the architecture of the property and advises how to best showcase this property.
4. A Stager can guide a seller as to how to pack , what to pack , and oversee these processes if necessary, thereby taking the strain off of the seller and ultimately the Broker.
5. According to statistics, Staged Homes sell about 50% faster than un-staged homes.
6. According to statistics, the average difference in selling price over list price is nearly 4 times higher than un-staged homes.
7. Staging costs less than a first markdown.
8. Investing in staging your residence increases the return on one of your most important investments.
9. Whatever the approach, staging homes for market appears to make a difference to buyers.
10. Stagers offer a variety of services – from assessments, rearranging the existing furnishings to creating an entirely new “look.”