Five Steps to Staging an Intimate Bedroom

What is staging?

It is a quick popular notion that is rampant in the real estate profession since the 90's that makes the selling of homes easier. It uses the best design elements of decorating to enhance the look of a particular room, so that it gives the occupant or prospective buyer a sense of what the room can be at it's best.

It can be as simple as re arranging the furniture or as complicated as adding color to the walls and removing a lot of objects to open up the room to see it clearly. It always involves removing clutter and organizing the space to it's best advantage.

How and who developed Staging?

Staging was developed in the 1970s by Barb Schwarz, a real estate agent herself. Ms. Schwarz recognized the challenge presenting agents and began to educate them on how to stage a home, known as " Set the Stage".

Bedroom staging in particular.

Master bedrooms in particular need to be at their best in any home that is for sale or that we make our cozy lodging. The focus is the bed, the most updated version with all the latest décor information that can be found in the decorating and design world is utilized.

The right size bed for the room is vital to the overall impression of the room's size, taste and décor. Once the bed is chosen the right bed linens and color along with accessories are next like pillows and throws. The bedside furniture is usually next then all the other elements that add to the overall design and look, like wall hangings and so forth.

Post script.

Coining the phrase "Staging", Barb Schwarz holds the government registered trademark. She also offers certification programs for agents and real estate professionals from all over the world. Giving them the key elements to get their client's properties sold.

The cost of staging varies for each job that is required, it all depends on what is needed and the hours it will take. It is thought any investment is worth the cost because staged houses tend to sell faster and gain far more in the end sale.

Many of us think that we have an idea of what love is and what constitutes intimacy, but i have discovered that many of us do not know.

We have allowed popular media and fiction to dictate what love is and what is intimate. But could we in a pinch really tell a teenage girl or boy what these two concepts actually look like. Or what it should be like when they find it. If they ever find it, love or intimacy?

Does love foster intimacy or is intimacy a product of love? That's a pertinent question. Especially when we are dealing with human beings and the subject of love. Which most of us are hoping leads to more physical aspects of a relationship.

But the question is posed can you have love or intimacy without having physical contact. Or is physical touching, sex a major part of loving someone.

Sex can be found anywhere, at anytime, in any form that most of us can conceive so is it as sacred as it could be or has it just become a commodity that is bought and sold every moment of everyday of our lives.

Sex sells, is a well known mantra. So what is the big deal, "if it feels right/good then go ahead and do it," but is that always the best edict to live by? We are discovering every day that sex is a participation activity but most of us forget one of the key ingredients to making it more valuable - love and intimacy!

Sex without love and intimacy is just an act, built up by chemistry that doesn't separate us from the animal species! Yet everyday human being make decisions that have nothing to do with our chemical instinctive responses which separates us from all other species in the earth and universe.

So what is intimacy? How do we build it? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Is it something that can be taught and learnt? Or does it just come like osmosis?

Intimacy is what we fear most of all because it leaves us vulnerable to those we expose ourselves to but is that not the height of the human experience and the physical act of sexual intercourse.

Intimacy is a choice. It starts with the decision to be open, honest and exposed.

Five simple steps to creating or staging an intimate bedroom begins with the male and the female.

1. Focus on the BED

Queen is large enough for two but not too large that there is no contact during sleep or just laying around.

Sensitivity, it is all about touching - intentional or unintentional, sharing a bed creates intimacy for lovers.

a. Pillows - lots of pillows

b. Linens - best sheet count you can afford, a trick for a low thread count is to wash it with white vinegar and baking soda, along with a fabric softener , then dry with a ball or clean tennis shoe.

c. Covering - a thick down comforter or what you can afford, silk or textured

d. A fabric head board or soft material headboard i.e. leather

e. Curtains and netting create intimacy

2. Focus on Color

Dark rich earth tones, rich browns, maroons, purples, red - in limited amounts, pillows and bed coverings, talks of passion and desire

Number one recommendation of Interior decorators is Blues of the sky and the oceans, calming and intimate

Greens, forest, emerald, moss of the forests, evergreens, rain forests, calming and intimate, fertility and marriage

Grays of stormy skies, granite, silver, platinum be careful about the amount you use

Taupe is a go to as a neutral

3. Focus on Lighting

Putting dimmers on the light sources helps to create the right mood

a. Get rid of over head lighting unless it can be dimmed.

b. Bed side lamps are awesome but go with the lowest possible wattage so that it is not glaring

c. Beige, off white, butter, gold, tan, sand, light browns, earth tones or patterned shades work well

d. Light bulbs - red or black

e. Lava lamps

f. Candles - flame less or ones in glass containers

4. Focus on Gadgets -over outside stimulation

This is hard in our world but too many electronic devices have been proven to break down communication and interfere with intimacy building. So you have to have them in the bedroom decide at what time they should be turned off.

a. Television - turn if off at a certain time every night or put it outside in another room

b. Telephones - turn off the ringer or put it in another room

c. Computer - get it out put it somewhere unobtrusive

d. Stereo - a source of music is actually a great mood enhancer but the choice will make an impact

e. Alarm clock - if possible put this in an area not close to the bed, so you have to get up to turn it off, that helps if you are not a morning person and hate the alarm clock

5. Focus on Furniture (this is different than the bed)

Seating - large enough to hold lovers together - a comfortable armchair, love seat or settee

A bench or chest at the end of the bed, stacked with books

Low book shelves

Additional items

Old books, poems, romances, Song of Solomon

Flowers or plants, besides adding beauty and dimension a plant adds oxygen, (a necessary for panting and breathing). At least one real potted plant, the others can be artificial.

Large standing mirrors or wall mirrors

Paintings and art - make them landscapes, or abstracts, something out of focus that helps with imaginings

Scented candles - lavender and vanilla