Interior Design Blog
From topics on seasonally fresh decor to how to sell your home faster, Karen Van Nort shares her experience and tips with readers here.
Repurposed furniture
It is such a joy to bring new life and purpose to an old piece. This hutch was refinished and then repurposed to utilize as stylish storage in a bathroom. Tired of your dining room set? Don't spring for a new one, refinish the one you have! See this 1980's dining set...
Why it’s best to work with an interior designer
Where you live and spend most of your time is your home - and it’s where your heart is. So, it stands to reason it’s where your style stands out. Though choosing colors and designs for your home may be natural to you, to some people it’s not and one can benefit by...
The Holiday Dilemma
Christmas is coming...and the dilemma is out there….How much do we get together with family? Maybe, like many of you, you aren’t sure. For us, it looks like we won’t be having a family gathering. At first I thought, why would I bother decorating when no one is...
Fall Color // Design Inspiration
Changing Colors Happy Fall! The colors are changing up here in the Midwest and we are all looking forward to the warm shades of orange, rust, gold and greens. These are not my decorating colors I prefer but I love how they go together and make our homes feel cozy and...
Embrace the season
Here we are...parents are wrestling with at virtual home learning with their kids, work at their jobs, and just try and keep some balance. Looking at home projects probably isn’t on the top of anyone’s list. However, I find that having some creative...
Furniture Makeovers!
You can give new life to old pieces through painting, repurposing it's function, refinishing and recovering. This dining table is 25 years old and has been completely repurposed by using a shiny white enamel paint and new fabric from Robert Allen. One of my favorite...
Natural, Fresh holiday decor
From baby’s breath to fresh greens and battery operated LED candles, Interior Designer Karen Van Nort gives readers DIY inspiration for naturally beautiful Holiday decor!
Easy Home Improvements to Help Sell Your Home Fast!
This article originally published on https://www.redfin.com/ on October 4, 2019 - By Jeff Anttila You’ve been trying to sell your home and you did everything you thought was expected of you. You connected with a real estate agent, had professional photos...
Embracing the season with Fall Decor
Fall is definitely in the air and what better time to welcome in the season than with an assortment of pumpkins, mums and maybe a fall wreath of all the wonderful fall colors. Front door, home decor: Fall wreath Whenever I pass a home that has pumpkins of all...
Cohesive Color
Color preferences vary just like people's personalities. That said, we’ve all seen homes with an explosion of color or rooms that vary so much it makes the transition feel choppy. Below are some tips from the field, offering you a guide to creating nicer transitions...
Staged to Sell in TC
Staged homes sell faster than un-staged home! Check out the photos from a recent home I staged in Traverse City, MI.
Tips for choosing paint color
Interior Designer in Leelanau County, Karen Van Nort shares tips from the pros to get you inspired and select your next projects paint colors with confidence!
Why stage your home to sell?
How long will it take to find a buyer? Is it really worth the expense and trouble of staging a home to boost its desirability with buyers? "YES!" is the answer to that last question, according to an overwhelming number of buyer's agents polled for a recent National...
Got Cabin Fever?
Up here in Michigan where I live, winters are long and cold. So besides cross country skiing, snow shoeing and other outdoor activities, people ask me “what do you do?” Organized my junk drawer I tend to get a spell of cabin fever that makes me start organizing my...
Armoire painted with grey chalk paint
Before + after photos of an antique armoire, refinished by Karen Van Nort; Chalk paint and was was used to make this piece an elegant shade of grey.
How-to’s: Get your home ready to sell
Are you thinking about listing your home for sale this Spring? If so, there are some important steps to take to get it ready. As a home stager, I’ve seen lots of homes and one thing that everyone has a lot of our family photos on walls and other...
Dining Room Table & Chairs: Refinished
Instead of replacing, why not repurpose?!? This 1980’s Dining Room table & chairs has a fresh coat of paint and new cushions giving it a whole new look! Blue, White & Wood #repurpose #furniture #stagedtolive #designtips #home
MacKenzie Childs-like chair makeover
Makeover! This chair is one of two 100 year old chairs. The homeowner loves the popular MacKenzie Childs style. Details like the small black and white-check cording completed "the look." #refinish #repurpose #mackenziechilds #rehab #recover #stagedtolive #chair...
Staged™ to Sell/Live
Karen Van Nort | Interior Designer
Cell: (231) 835-0370
kvstagedtosell@gmail.com
