Window Wednesday: Staging for Selling

Daryl from Vermont Cottage is putting her house on the market and needs to dress her newly installed white windows in the family room.  The concerns?  Budget, privacy needs, and an appealing look to buyers.

Here's a look at what Daryl had going on before the new windows were installed.  It's hard to see in the picture, but an orangey wood blind was perhaps inside-mounted, with drapes to the floor.  She says the blind color dictated her choice of paint color, which is in Ben Moore's pallet  for Pottery Barn called Warm Cognac (can you say gorgeous?).

With the new windows being white, Daryl's thinking of faux wood blinds in white, with white floor length panels that she'll make herself (bravo on the sewing!).  Daryl wants the best look possible for buyers, but she doesn't want to over-invest.  They also need privacy in the meantime.

Daryl can do the white on white she's thinking , but my thought is to keep the warm and cozy feeling the room already conveys.  My suggestion?  These bamboo blinds from Walmart.  Yes, I said Walmart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Bamboo-Window-Roman-Shade-Havana-Pecan/10858209

They are pretty decent for the price ($35+), add lots of texture, and are incredibly "in" right now.  I'm suggesting this color as I think it will bring the warmth of the floor right up the wall, and blend with the paint color, giving the illusion of a bigger space.  If Daryl wants to do panels as well, I would re-hang the ones in this picture as the color is softer than white (white blinds, white windows and casings with white drapes feels too "clean" and crisp for me with the existing elements).

When staging a house, a finished look is appealing and the windows should always be dressed.  When they're not, buyers look at coverings as an additional expense (uh-oh).  Putting something "now" on the windows, like a bamboo shade, also gives a potential buyer the notion that this house has been well-kept.  Whether or not Daryl adds panels, I would mount the bamboo shades above the top casing (not on it), and have the shades be the width of the window to the outside of the side casings.

The only caveat with these shades is that they don't provide complete, black-out privacy.  If that's essential in Daryl's home, I might suggest just making the panels and pulling them closed at night.

Thanks, Daryl, for sharing your windows, for leaving regular comments, and for being a Follower of my blog!  I hope this suggestion helps, and I wish you Good Luck!  (Oh, and thanks for linking to my Chocolate Cake post, here!)

 If you would like me to solve a window issue, suggest a treatment,  critique what you have, or anything window related, please send me an email and picture to SofasandSage@gmail.com.  The only requirement is that you 1.  Become a Follower in the right hand column, or let me know that you already are, and 2.  Leave a comment on a Window Wednesday post.

Talk to you soon,
Carol