PT: My approach to each project is very much the same as what I learned in New York in that it is very pragmatic. Whether I’m “Staging to Sell” or “Staging to Live” I follow the same guidelines. While “Staging to Sell” and “Staging to Live” have very different objectives, I’m always looking with an eye of the potential buyer or homeowner and what you will see when you first enter any given room. People shop for a lifestyle when looking for a home; and a homeowner is looking to make their home more enjoyable – whether that is in form or function. So, I always follow a step-by-step approach – exactly as I was taught in New York and provide solutions that are both sensible and realistic. How would you describe your style, Patricia? PT: I would say my style is definitely more towards a classic yet modern minimalism, but I like my spaces to have a sense of character that reflects the style of the home as well as the homeowner. Each of these facets will take priority depending if I am Staging for the real estate market or Staging for a new homeowner. One of the things I’ve learned from stagedhomes.com, one of the leaders in Staging education, is to try to limit surface items in a room to either one or a grouping of three. This is something I still do in my day-to-day designs. It helps keep my spaces from feeling cluttered and more minimal. In what ways has your background in banking and investments been an advantage as a business owner and a Stager? PT: I was an Investment Advisor Assistant for seven of the 10 years I worked in the banking industry before starting my Home Staging and interior design business. And I would have to say that it has enabled me to look at each project from this standpoint: as an investment. Even my dialogue with my clients is not so much how much they want to spend, but rather how much they want to invest. It helps them to appreciate that the money they are putting into Staging their property or how much they are putting into a renovation is in fact an investment that will provide them with a return. Either in their sale price, time on the market, or in pleasure for the years to come. It helps them to feel a little more at ease when making decisions.
30
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog