You’ll soon come to learn that I am kind of a wreath fanatic. I am not exactly sure when this happened, but I love them. This tutorial provides you detailed instructions for how to make your very own holiday wreath. Embellish as you see fit for your own home.

Ribbon

Select whatever you like. I prefer wire edged because it’s bendy and will stay put.

Fastener

Floral wire is the legit way to do this, but I didn’t have any and I am impatient so I used twist ties I had in the kitchen.

Wreath

This one happens to be real, but it doesn’t have to be.

Step 1

Darn, I forgot to tell you that you need scissors…go grab a pair - I will wait. Now, cut a piece of ribbon a few inches long. Bend it in half and secure a twist tie tightly around it once or twice.

Step 2

Select a location that you like on the wreath and secure the remaining end of the twist tie around the branch. Try to place it far enough in that you do not see the fastener.

Step 3

Pouf out {very technical terminology} the ribbon with your fingers. {Repeat steps 1-3 for as many pieces as you would like on your wreath}

Step 4

Bottom of Bow: Cut a piece of ribbon twice as long as you would like the tails of the bow to be. Example: For 3 “ tails cut the ribbon at 6”. {Truth, I did not do this, I just cut a longer piece} Next, fold the ribbon end to end with the open end facing up.

Step 5

Create Cute Edge: Fold the ribbon in half long ways

Step 6

Cut from an inch or two down the folded edge on a diagonal up to the corner of the open edges

Step 7

Open it up…voila! Nicely done.

Step 8

Secure tails of bow the same way you did with everything else you have attached previously

Step 9

Make hills and valleys with your ribbon making sure to hold onto the bottom of each valley as you create how you want your bow to look. I decided I just wanted a simple, traditional bow. Since you have already secured the bottom of the bow to the wreath you do not need to allow any extra ribbon to hang down. Simply cut at the bottom of the last valley and secure with twist tie. {you may need a larger one for this because it gets thick. Also, be sure to twist it tightly}

Step 10

Fasten the top of the ribbon a little bit over the tails so that it looks like one piece.

Step 11

Admire your work. Great job. Go hang it up! If there is not already a loop in the back for hanging you can use an over door hook specifically designed for holding wreaths or add a small piece of ribbon or rope around the top.

The way the homeowner's arranged their son's room makes perfect sense. They maximized the floor space so that he can play on the carpet. However, even though this layout sort of works...it definitely does not for Staging. Allow me to elaborate.

Close your eyes for a second. When you open them I want you to look at the photo to the left. Tell me the first thing you notice in the room? I am willing to bet that most of you will say the area rug! It's geometric and bright and fun....but unfortunately not what I want buyers to notice first thing. My desire is for them to notice the quality/function of room itself first and foremost.

My second issue is the bed location. The entry wall makes total sense and I understand the reasoning. There is no other long wall without a window - and a bed can not be placed in front of a window...or can it? I argue that in certain situations  "Yes, indeed it can" - and so I did.

The other reason to support moving the bed is that the strong bead-board sides fight with my desired open, airy entrance to the room. Not to mention the fact that sleeping with your feet aligned with the door is the one feng shui principle that really freaks me out -so I adhere to it!

"Traditional Chinese feng shui school masters say that a bed aligned with the door resembles a coffin that is always taken away feet-first."

  Rodika Tchi - Feng Shui Consultant 

Yikes!

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Below: Lots of changes that, when put together, add up to an inviting space for both daily and guest use.  We didn't have to compromise style or color in order to make this bedroom A+

Get used to reading this phrase because you are going to read it often here- Styling to STAGE is different than Styling to LIVE. Case and point the little girl's room below. The space is functioning exactly correctly for the adorable five year old who lives here.  However, this space does not function well for an upscale, single family home going on the market for over $900k with the potential for multiple offers.

My task, as is often the case when not working with a vacant property, is to keep in mind that a family is "living through" the sale. {I.e. "living in the home during the selling process." } Some Home Stagers may not consider this aspect, but it is actually quite important to me. Sure, the goal is to sell right away, but what if it doesn't?  In my opinion, the homeowner still needs to be able to do just that...LIVE! {albeit without some amenities and comforts- I do make significant adjustments when necessary}

It was necessary in this little girl's room to make significant changes, but it was not necessary to create a space where she could not still enjoy her room for a few more weeks. Incidentally, she gave me two thumbs up for the space so I feel great.

Below: Major change, but way stronger for selling the home. The neutral wall color matches the decor of the house much better and the more sophisticated styling allows buyers to feel calm and notice the room itself.