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ok this is what my kitchen/dining table looks like...i have this runner that matches my valances..the table does fold up to be a good sized square. Any thoughts on that?
This is what my dishes look like, do not go with the runner or valances at all.
Now here is a different placemat, napkin with my dishes..any thoughts?
Now if I had some nice patio dishes I could use these on the patio glass table..we decided to move it back under the patio...
for giggles, here is what my kitchen looks like..I can't figure out why someone has not beat down my door for this house LOL
my first thought was close up the table to make it square. it looks like it's taking up a lot of space (could also just be the pictures - did you just take them?)
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful kitchen!!!!!! did you just take these pictures as well or are they posted on your listing? i ask because of the coke can in the picture. can you declutter your cookbooks? looks messy. lastly, remove almost everything from your countertops. i do this when i have a showing or open house (i put it away neatly in my cabinets so when someone opens them they're not jam packed with countertop cluttering stuff).
what does the napkin look like opened? is it the same size as the placemat? if it is then i would suggest using the napkin as your placemat, plate on top and a pretty glass. that's it. if the napkin doesn't work as a placemat then use the placemat, plate and a pretty glass (no napkin).
In all honesty though I would not dress up your table because it's gorgeous. get a lower flower vase and put fresh flowers in it (colorful ones) and that's it for the table.
have you thought about place settings at your breakfast bar? i noticed you have chairs at it. why not do a setting in front of each chair. again simple (placemat, plate, pretty juice glass)
I know it's difficult not to beat yourself up over making your home look perfect and appealing to every single person. try not to stress too much. someone will come along and love it as much as you do. i'd take your kitchen any day. gosh it's even nicer than my new home.
Thanks Ladies...Surfing..I think I will take your suggestion and set the breakfast bar. No, none of these pictures are in the listing...the coffee maker is gone, should I remove the knives I guess....I haven't had time from cleaning to get to the market so I think I will make some raspberry muffins from a mix I have...would that be ok, maybe with a large glass pitcher of ice water?
I guess I should just remove the cookbooks? Or just make sure they are straight? I know I can't appeal to everyone, but I am trying to make it as neutral as I can while still having somewhat of a life.
We are not staying in this house, it's too much for us and costs too much too...when we bought this in Oct 2005 (of course at the top of the market) my parents sold their home in Palm Springs and moved in here...we have a separate guest casita, but the folks were in the house and the casita was for guests...anyway, it obviously did not work out and the folks moved back to Palm Springs in January. We thought we could manage financially, but I lost half my housepayment when they left. Still better than having them here, but we are retired and it's not working...I needed this place when the boys were growing up instead of the 1500 sq feet we had, and I thought that was big!
You know after I get it staged today I will take more pics and post them. Hugs to you all and keep your fingers crossed and prayer helps too...Barbara
I tend to find that floral patterns should be avoided. Many people don't like them, so I would not use that runner on the table, and I would consider changing the valence. Your kitchen granite is gorgeous and the colors of the valence don't work with it at all.
I thought the kitchen table was fine. If you want to dress it up, maybe set it for coffee, or ice tea.
Your dining room table shots are too close to see how it looks in relation to the room. You may need to remove a leaf if the table is too large for the room.
There are a lot of stagers that will charge you a consultation rate to come in and tell you what you need to do with what you have. It can be very helpful, especially for a home like yours where it appears to be in really good "saleable" shape, but it might need that final touch.
I tend to find that floral patterns should be avoided. Many people don't like them, so I would not use that runner on the table, and I would consider changing the valence. Your kitchen granite is gorgeous and the colors of the valence don't work with it at all.
I thought the kitchen table was fine. If you want to dress it up, maybe set it for coffee, or ice tea.
Your dining room table shots are too close to see how it looks in relation to the room. You may need to remove a leaf if the table is too large for the room.
There are a lot of stagers that will charge you a consultation rate to come in and tell you what you need to do with what you have. It can be very helpful, especially for a home like yours where it appears to be in really good "saleable" shape, but it might need that final touch.
Thanks so much for your input..the dining table really is in good proportion to the space, its a large space but i might try making it smaller and see how it looks...can't take the valance down today but will tomorrow...you're right it doesn't go. Would you suggest leaving the rods up and getting something more neutral?
I will fix the cookbooks, and hey those are Cutco knives, I run a classy joint!
Get something more neutral. Your granite has some great colors in it. Look at is closely and try and pick out a color that will match one of the tones in it. I would buy a valence, some place mats, potholder and towels that will pull from the granite.
I just had a client who had light colored granite with plum flecks in it, so she bought some plum colored accents and it works really well.
Look at the flecks and see what colors you have. Use it as your color palate.
Thanks Ladies...Surfing..I think I will take your suggestion and set the breakfast bar. No, none of these pictures are in the listing...the coffee maker is gone, should I remove the knives I guess....I haven't had time from cleaning to get to the market so I think I will make some raspberry muffins from a mix I have...would that be ok, maybe with a large glass pitcher of ice water?
I guess I should just remove the cookbooks? Or just make sure they are straight? I know I can't appeal to everyone, but I am trying to make it as neutral as I can while still having somewhat of a life.
We are not staying in this house, it's too much for us and costs too much too...when we bought this in Oct 2005 (of course at the top of the market) my parents sold their home in Palm Springs and moved in here...we have a separate guest casita, but the folks were in the house and the casita was for guests...anyway, it obviously did not work out and the folks moved back to Palm Springs in January. We thought we could manage financially, but I lost half my housepayment when they left. Still better than having them here, but we are retired and it's not working...I needed this place when the boys were growing up instead of the 1500 sq feet we had, and I thought that was big!
You know after I get it staged today I will take more pics and post them. Hugs to you all and keep your fingers crossed and prayer helps too...Barbara
I've got my fingers crossed for you and a little prayer coming all the way from MA! raspberry muffins and ice water sounds just fine. homemade muffins of any kind remind me of my grandma. she made THE BEST banana muffins (okay now i'm getting sad enough of that talk).
we can all only do SO MUCH so don't get too carried away (ya right like i'm one to talk - i had to stop myself from buying more "staging stuff" today enough if enough). You'll never make everyone love your home. case in point, i love your valances, they're exactly something I would pick out for my own home (right down to your roosters too i love roosters). silverfall thinks they should go. everyone is different. you might take them down and then have someone say "oh god how tacky no window treatments". keep your home clean and smelling fresh that's all we can do.
Agree w/ the others, I think simpler is better on the table. I like your flowers, I'd just go for a lower vase. The only other thing I do is to flank two large hurricane vases w/ cream or white pillars in them on either side of my flowers but for your table I'd just go w/ flowers.
straighten cookbooks but I'd leave them.
I like the idea of setting the bar too and I may take down the valance.
I think I'm getting overly paranoid too... our house is a great family house, very much a "little kid" house with fun playroom, pink girls room and pottery barn kids type bathroom. I just assumed (and it may happen still) that a young family may buy it. However, 2 of our 2nd showings, one really good one today (fingers crossed) have been older, empty nesters (I'm assuming). Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't neutralize those rooms to appeal to masses. It will be so hard b/c I spent alot money on decorating and they are so sweet for kids. Maybe I'll do what you did and post pics for advice?
Leave your table just as it is in the last photo. Simple but elegant.You have a very beautiful home-good luck.
I agree with the gist of this idea. Don't use the runner - that kind of fabric just looks rumpled and wrinkly, and detracts from the beauty of the table and kitchen.
Don't use the dishes either. Sometimes people can pull off the "set table" look, but normally it only works in a formal dining room or on a patio. Being right next to your kitchen, it looks odd because everybody assumes you need the table on a daily basis for breakfast and dinner, and the permanently "set" look is just odd.
The vase and flowers are too big for the table.
A fat round (bowl) or oval vase with shorter stemmed flowers would be better; or if you don't want to go broke replacing fresh flowers, try a flowering potted plant, candle, or other centerpiece of appropriate size. I would just suggest that whatever you use, keep it simple but elegant.
Also, can you remove the "extra" chair near the windows. It looks odd to see 2 chairs on one side of the table, and none on the other side (if I understand the photo correctly). If you can't place all 4 chairs around the table, I would suggest leaving only 2 chairs, at the "long" ends of the table.
You might try making the table smaller and just see if that looks better or not.
Ok, it's 2:45, if these people are coming to look, it will be in a while. I just took my raspberry muffins out of the oven and geez it smells good in here. I am going to arrange them on an antique platter that was my great grandmothers on the breakfast bar, along with a glass pitcher of ice and water, and my princess house glasses.
I changed the chairs around the table, thank you, it does look better. I took a nice vase of art. flowers, they look real and very rich in colors, golds and reds, and put that on the table. it has a distressed gold vase. much smaller.
I am going to shop tomorrow and see if I can find a neutral valance, I think the windows need something, there are so many..the granite is black with some taupe and brown in it.
DJ and Surfing...good luck with your homes...this is the most stressful time I have been through in a long time, right up with my son's divorce a few years ago...yech..i will take new pictures later on and then you can let me know if I should do anything else..thank you so much everyone! Barb
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gosh it's even nicer than my new home.
