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The Art of Selling

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Recently U&I had the pleasure of joining a local team of Artists and Realtors to get a home ready for the market.

U&I entered in with Judy Boone Realty, Judy Boone and Rob Principe, and the Homeowner to get the home ready for market. U&I discussed curb appeal with the Owners and with assistance from Man vs. Tree, Matt we were able to create a beautiful backdrop for the home. U&I worked with the homeowners to get things packed and stored before we came in and Staged the property. We worked for several days setting up the home and I must say the homeowners were gem clients. Motivated and ready….a stagers dream.

Judy Boone introduced in several local artists, Cathy Dixson, Linda House, Dollner Johnson, and Paul Wineman, Virtual Tour.

I must say it was a pleasure to work with other professionals with the same goal in mind….Sell that house.

Looking forward to our next adventure as a team of the ART OF SELLING.

I love landscaping jobs

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Photos: Before shed area, before plant material added.  After shed, stone, and mulch.  Beds around pool after plant installation and stone.

It is such a joy in life to have a career where I receive God’s blessings in jobs with all aspects I love.  Interior Decorating is my first love, landscape and gardening are my two next best things.

This past week I had the opportunity to enhance a beautiful backyard for a client.  The setting was so peaceful with a backdrop of wooded area beyond their fence line and a swimming pool stretched in the middle like a cat perched on a pillow in a sunny window sill.  It seemed to fit perfectly in it’s surroundings. The lawn was spectacular and felt like a cushy carpet beneath our feet.  The beds were our focus with weeding, pruning and had many plants out of place.  They needed that designer WOW factor. It was a beautiful start to a U&I finish.

The client had a pond area next to where the building was going to be constructed and was filled with wildlife.  Frogs singing all day in harmony with the song birds. We had an unexpected intruder one day while working. A snake had slithered in for a daily meal on one of the little frogs. It was a terrible sight watching Mother Nature take its natural course.  I know that is how wild life works and I am thankful for the little frog giving his life because when doing so he alarmed with a cry that made me aware of the snakes presence in my working area. It kept us aware that we were in a woody working environment and needed to be careful while in the gardens.

We leveled the ground, weeded for an entire day, installed 15 tons of stone, 8 yards of mulch, installed several carefully selected palms and plants to grow into their space perfectly and never have to be pruned.

One of my major specialties when landscaping; I pick and choose material for the client that fits the area when full grown in doing so gives the client less maintenance time in the gardens and more fun time in the pool.

It was a full week of hard manual labor, tough and exhausting on this 54 year old gal but still a pleasant work week in this lovely yard. I feel blessed not needing to go to the gym and never once regretting getting up for work.  The clients are very pleased with the outcome.

Another happy client for the U&I Team.

Deborah

The Wedding

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Planning for months has finally flourished into the Magical Enchanting Day of the Wedding.  All the worry gone from a mothers heart of being asked by her daughter to decorate the most important day of her life….I was honored and humbled at the same time.  The planning and deciding had begun and I had to make sure it was perfection, down to the last sprinkle of silver on the table, it was finally complete.

I want to thank Rebecca, Brenda, Sharon, Christina, Christopher, Jeffrey, Erin, Amber, Carlina, Mandy, Dream makers linen and Reidun Paulson from the Grandview for your help. I could not have pulled off the two hour decorating marathon without you.

If you are in the Chattanooga area U&I Home Decorating and Staging http://www.UandIHomeDecoratingandStaging.com highly recommend the Grandview on Lookout Mountain, Georgia http://meetatgrandview.com/photos.htm for your special event….Reidun’s customer service is impeccable and the vista view backdrop is enchanting.

We started at 2:00 and pushed forward as fast magical and enchanting moment creators and completed the decorating in record breaking time…Delegating my daughters wants and my vision to my wonderful volunteered group of Family helpers we were dressed and ready for photographs by 4:30.  Unbelievable feat!

Our photographer was Marsha Smith of The Lightbox Photography another high recommendation goes out to her for capturing this lifetime of precious moments on film for us.  You can view the entire wedding, starting with Engagement, to Pre-Ceremony, The Ceremony, and The Reception on her website http://thelightbox-marshasmith.smugmug.com/MyPortfolio/RoyBrandiWedding/22567268_kRRQtm#!i=1806223854&k=jdvG2nq

A special thank you to my Brother in law Jeffrey for capturing some amazing shots with his camera for us…I will forever be grateful for your kindness and photographic eye.

We had a bit of a stir from Mother Nature with some dark clouds and a minor sprinkling but Reidun’s crew pulled out large tarps and covered the tabletops and saved the day.  Her calm was my salvation at that uncontrollable moment.  The decision was to made stay outside or inside…The Groom said outside.  We had faith….it was the right the decision. I have been told it is good luck to have rain on your wedding day…..It was just enough!

The clouds lightened up, the drizzle stopped and off went the tarps exposing the unscathed décor and our beautiful white mophead hydrangeas.  Time was counting down and we were ready for the line up….My father officiated the wedding making the evening even more special for us.  The ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was a hit.

The Bride and Groom couldn’t stop smiling.  We were a success….

Thanks be to God for their happy union.

Deborah

Process of Decorating a room

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I have been posting about an example room on my business Facebook page and wanted to share with my blog followers.  If you would like to follow via Facebook here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/UandIHomeDecoratingandStaging

To recap and catch you up…we were working with a Better Homes and Garden quiz to pick your style

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/quiz/?ordersrc=google1decoratingquiz_app&s_kwcid=TC%7C5599%7Cdecorating%20style%20quiz%7C%7CS%7Cb%7C7295502418

You can take the quiz and find a beautiful power point photo and description of your style pulled from answers that you give doing the quiz…try it it’s fun.

My personal style came back Polished Casual with Natural Allure: Description You love to mix and match your favorites from several styles, so Polished Casual is the best way to describe your look. Crisp, fresh, and always comfortable, this approach anchors itself in neutral, subtle hues and furniture that isn’t fussy but isn’t slouchy either. Pair your clean-lined sofa with a dark leather wing chair or a weathered metal table—anything goes, but simplicity is key.

That is so me!

I am using my style to do the example room to explain the process of decorating a room.  One of my Facebook followers ask about the process of decorating a room. I thought it would be fun to walk her through it with posts of U&I decorating a room.

So far we have chosen our style Polished Casual with Natural Allure, room color (neutrals because I love to change often), and neutral Living room furniture…again because I fall in love way to easy and I want everything…part of the beast I must tame often in my line of work…hahahaha.  Below are my choices via internet for our example room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The room color choice SW6109 Hopsack and all trim SW7757 High reflectence white, Furniture Landon Collection Cream Twill dark wood legs, Sofa $1800, Chair $1300, Ottoman $600, Slipper Chair Leyland from Ballard Designs $419 and last but certainly not bland our color inspiration for the example room a Low Pile 8×10 modern striped rug from Net channel Inc. (addarug.com) $1000

I’ll keep you updated as we proceed in the process of Decorating a room with U&I Home Decorating and Staging.

Deborah Lutz

Landscape Design on the Lafayette River

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U & I has completed an exterior design for a returning client.  I can’t think of anything this designer loves more than a returning client and referrals.  We had a long hard job ahead of us but with lots of planning, researching, sub contractors, and ingenuity the job is almost complete with a few minor details to be worked out.  Of course, with all designs things flux and change once the job begins and quick decisions and solutions can be brought together to please the client.  I am happy to say the clients are thrilled with their new view of the Lafayette.

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East Ocean View Community Garden Project

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U & I Home Decorating and Staging owner Deborah Lutz had the honor of helping out and adopting a vegetable and flower box in the Community gardens built by Bon Secours, Operation Blessing, Home Depot, and community neighbors. We all take care of and tend to the garden as a community. It has been a wonderful experience to be a part of giving back. Read about the amazing garden and it’s progress in the two links below. One is a quarterly magazine by Bon Secour and the other is our Sunday compass here in Norfolk, VA.

http://www.eseniorhealth.com/eov/eov_magazine.html
I can not get the link to the news article for you to easily read.  You must be a subscriber to the Virginia Pilot to view article in today’s Norfolk compass July 31, 2011.

Sea Cloud Beach House ready for rent

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U & I had the pleasure of decorating an entire 3 story beach house in the Outer Banks area, Southern Shores North Carolina.  We were blessed with two of the sweetest clients I have ever come across. 

The home is located just minutes from Duck, Corolla, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head.  Manteo and Hatteras are a short drive.   Her name is The Sea Cloud…..You can walk to the beach front via a path in the back beside the beautiful pool and hot tub or a quick drive around the block for a beautiful stay in the OBX. 

This house has it all…..7 bedrooms, 8 full baths 2 1/2 baths, elevator, media room, game room, billiard room, full kitchen, kitchenette, and wet bar.  U & I created a Nautical casual elegance with a Cape Cod lighthouse and Ship theme…Nautical Deep Navy blues, Rich Reds, and Classic Taupe flow through each room with details in accessories and accent walls.  The Client has listed the home with Twiddy Realty in Duck North Carolina.  You can have a sneak preview of the property via their link.  Enjoy the slide show or click on each photo to enlarge for detail.  All amenities in this gem…..you won’t want for a thing….Beautiful sunrise over the ocean view on the upper decks and sunsets on the front decks….games galore for the whole family to enjoy….electronics will have you thinking you’re in a real movie theater in the media room.  TV’s in every room for quite movie watching or catching up on the news time alone.  Beachy landscape and rock have been added to the landscaping which are not shown in the house photo as of yet.  The pool photo will be up dated as well with the new hot tub and beach loungers in red and blue.  More photo’s coming next week.

I would like to give a special thank you too Daniels Homeport Toni Shallop for her fantastic customer service.  I recommend her assistance to anyone that goes into this store.  As well as thanking my two very good friends Natasha Clarke and Kristen Doughtery for lending a hand.  My wonderful carpenter/handyman husband Chris…..your support is everything to me.  The fabulous sub teams of OBX….I could not have accomplished this beautiful makeover with you.

Let us know what you think of our make over in the OBX……….

Deborah and her Team at U & I worked very hard on this intense Top to Bottom seasonal rental project but the reward came when the clients walked through the home at the reveal with eyes wide and full of appreciation.  Another satisfied client at U & I.

http://www.twiddy.com/homes/ss/southern-shores/sea-cloud.aspx

U & I Home Decorating and Staging has branched out to Maritime design

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I have been commissioned to do a faux bois finish on the Yacht Elegante.  It was based out of Naples, Florida and will be changing her home port status.  My job is to cover up the sanded off Naples with a matching faux bois to the rest of the wood grain then the new home port can be gold leafed over the faux bois add some fresh varnish and…..Whoop Whoop….gotta get my boat shoes on….here is a link to her site….she is a beauty

…take a look at the inside on her website…D

http://www.motoryachtelegante.com/photos.html