Sign Me Up.

Looks like I'm getting closer to getting a sign for the outside. Initially I was going for a script as my font-- something slightly formal, yet still a bit playful. As it turns out, all the fonts I liked in that category were too skinny to be made into a sign. Little did I know the width of the letter mattered, but lo and behold it does, my friends. Therefore, after much searching, Tony (my husband) and I decided on this*:

It will be an unlit sign (although there are two outdoor lights that hang above it), and will be made of metal. I prefer the industrial look over the plastic look, and I feel like it jives with the vibe I'm going for. Not to play favorites, but I also really like the letter "n" in this font. It looks like a flag flying over the word "nation"-- how perfect! So there you have it. And hopefully I will have it soon...
*I replaced the previous image w/ this photo b/c it was brought to my attention that the previous one wouldn't load...let me know if there are any problems seeing this one.

Sign Me Up.

Looks like I'm getting closer to getting a sign for the outside. Initially I was going for a script as my font- something slightly formal, yet still a bit playful. As it turns out, all the fonts I liked in that category were too skinny to be made into a sign. Little did I know the width of the letter matter, but lo and behold it does, my friends. Therefore, after much searching, Tony (my husband) and I decided on this:

It will be an unlit sign (although there are two outdoor lights that hang above it), and will be made of metal. I like the industrial look over the plastic look. So there you have it. And hopefully I'll have it soon...

Kids Incorporated

First of all, anybody remember this TV show? It was definitely one of my favorites. More importantly, I never connected that Fergie was little Stacy Ferguson in this show. No wonder I like The Black Eyed Peas. 

Second of all, WE'RE IN BUSINESS!!! We signed the lease today for 2633 Murray Avenue. We get the keys the first week of July and have a few minor renovations to complete. Lucky for me I have superman as a husband. No really. He is. Stay tuned for info on our GRAND opening. In the meantime, here are some pictures of the "before" space, as well as some pictures of "option #1" when we were deciding which space to go with. I was told today that it's going to be an art gallery. I think we'll compliment each other well, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else will go into this strip. I know my husband would like a Chipotle. So if any of you are looking to start a Chipotle franchise out there, we'd be much obliged to accept you at Morrowfield. 

And now some pictures of the other storefront we were looking at... I can't wait to see how he renovates it! 

See what I mean about the water damage? 

We liked this peek through window,
so we'll be adding one to our office.

Help Me Make The Decision.

Help! I believe I have narrowed my search down to two storefronts. Yay! For those Pittsburghers out there following this journey, it's the Morrowfield Building at the bottom of Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill. While not on the main drag like I originally wanted, it's still centrally located and has many apartments/houses surrounding it. So here's the deal. I'm going to show a picture of the floor plans, listing my pros and cons, and then I'd like to hear what you think.
Option 1:

• Approx. 1083 sf. 
• Double Door Entrance
• Nice Bathroom on 1st Floor
• Needs New Flooring
• Basement Potentially Unusable
• Cheaper Option

Option 2:

• 
• Approx. 1118 sf + 420 sf in basement
• Newly Renovated Floor and Fresh Paint
• Bathroom Downstairs in (slightly scary) Basement 
• Single Doorway with 2 steps up

Help Me Make The Decision.

Help! I believe I have narrowed my search down to two storefronts. Yay! For those Pittsburghers out there following this journey, it's the Morrowfield Building at the bottom of Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill. While not on the main drag like I originally wanted, it's still centrally located and has many apartments/houses surrounding it. So here's the deal. I'm going to show a picture of the floor plans, listing my pros and cons, and then I'd like to hear what you think.
Option 1:

In Memory of... the Big, Blue House.

After a comment left on my facebook (thanks, Shannon!) and a talk with my husband, I thought it'd be fun to take a trip down memory lane to my very first "stage" job-- our old house.

I first discovered this house by noticing a lock box on its door one day while driving by. I hurriedly made it home to check the listing on the internet (something I do religiously as a hobby). Lo and behold, it was a foreclosure, and only $86,000 in a neighborhood where the average home was about $200,000. Score!  I called the agent, saw the house the next day, and put a bid on it that night (without my husband even seeing it). We were in a bidding war with two other perspective buyers, but we won! Thus began the gruesome year and a half revival of a neglected home. I've never spent so many {painstaking} hours pulling up staples in my life!  Here are some before and after pictures.

243 Maple Avenue
The day we bought her. 

Kitchen Before
Hello Sunshine!

Kitchen After
Repainted the Cabinets,
 Replaced Laminate Counter tops with Wooden Butcher block from Ikea
Built a Table with leftover Counter tops.

Master Bath Before

Master Bath After
Converted a small bedroom into a much-needed
bigger bathroom.
Fireplace unit runs off gel fuel
and instantly makes any space warm and inviting.

Complete with Slate Tiles,
His and Hers Vanities,
And a Slate Walk-in Shower (not pictured).

Living Room Before 

Living Room After
Indigo Paint and Refinished Floors.

Master Bedroom Before

Master After
Ripped up carpet, laid new floor, new paint,
and added ventles fire logs.

The Den Before

The Den After
Ripped up carpet, refinished existing floor, and new paint.

Guest Bedroom Before

Guest Bedroom After
These walls may or may not have been painted three times
 before deciding upon a color scheme I was happy with:)

There were three more rooms, two other bathrooms and a third floor laundry room that were also remodeled (we even found a second staircase behind a wall). All in all, we had a decent first experience remodeling a house from head to toe, our marriage survived all the drama, and I learned a thing or two while we were at it. We sold the house two years after we bought it.

Three main things that I believe contributed to the sale of our house:

1. Location, Location, Location

2. Modern Upgrades= Move-in Ready

3. Proper Staging to enhance each room's unique features

Oh What Fun.

 I had the pleasure of staging this house in Edgewood these past couple weeks. We used to own a house in this same neighborhood, and let me tell you, I miss it. This Victorian house is adorable, and frankly I'm surprised it hasn't sold yet. However, if it's one thing I've learned from watching all that HGTV it's that a staged home sells much quicker. Rooms tend to look smaller than they really are, and people tend to have a difficult time imagining a room without furniture. So that's where I came in. Here are some pictures of the final result.

The Foyer With Gorgeous Chandeliers Throughout

Love the Stained Glass Window

Dining Room

Gotta Love the Built-ins

Living Room: View as you walk in from foyer. 

I love this giant palm leaf-esque style basket
and the little nesting boxes
under this glass table.

Television Cabinet

Great Crown Molding to cap off
some tall ceilings.

Had I any bedroom furniture,
I'd have made this a bedroom to show buyers how big
 this room actually is.
For now it acts as a den,
just imagine the map as a flat screen :)

I included these next few pictures of this room
 to show how the adjoining room would make such a sweet nursery. 

Pardon my editing skills.
No, there's not really a crib in there, but wouldn't this be fun! 

The "real" room without an added in crib.
Could also make a wonderful walk-in closet.
Just throw some built-ins from ikea and voila. 

Had to leave my "calling card". 

Never have I worked with a more prompt and delightful Realtor.
 And trust me, I've worked with my share.