by Mary DeWalt, MIRM, CMP

 

Today’s home buyers are more design savvy than ever.  They watch HGTV; they pore over Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware and any other home fashions catalogue and shelter magazine they can get their hands on.  Retailers such as Target, Ikea and Pier One have created stylish furniture and home accessory lines that are affordable and attainable for first- and second move-up buyers.  No matter their income, they know good design when they see it, and their expectations are high.  Disappointing models result in disappointed consumers which will result in disappointing sales!

 

Photo by Robert McGee.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

 

What does it take to make sure that your models are going to resonate with your buyers and embrace their individuality?  It takes a fearless commitment to thinking outside the box and the ability not to do “the same old thing.” 

 

The model is complete, the furniture arranged, the towels secured, the tags removed and the pictures hung.  Your merchandising team departs and your model begins to age like a rotten banana.  That’s the sad reality and the reason that model homes should reflect future design trends rather than what’s been popular in the past.  How long will your models work for you - two, three or four years?  They will not only stand out from the crowd but will have a much longer shelf life if they reflect emerging trends in lifestyle and design.

 

It isn’t always easy to get builders to accept the idea of showcasing unfamiliar designs and color schemes in their models.   I often hear “that’s not our style” or “our market doesn’t like that.”  How do they know if it’s never been done?  You’ll be rewarded if you step outside your comfort zone and allow your merchandiser to lead you in the right direction—the future!

 

Photo by Doug Handel.

 

Tuscany Called; It Wants Your Model Back

 

Tuscany is beautiful, romantic region in Italy.  Is NOT an emerging trend in home décor, as it has been very popular for the last ten years or so—it’s time to let it go.  There has been a revolution in the home furnishings industry between the over-draped, over-furnished, over-accessorized, over-planted Tuscan style and the more simple Contemporary Minimalism style – the latter won. 

 

This doesn’t mean that your models need to look like über-cool urban condos.  Contemporary is defined as “of the present time; modern.” You can have modern-traditional, modern-country or any other style that reflects the regional and lifestyle preferences of your target market.  In Texas, “Hill Country Modern” has replaced “Tuscan.”  It’s a fresh approach to classic standards that will be a breath of fresh air to your buyers. 

 

Photo by Robert McGee.

 

Some of the characteristics of a contemporary home include:

 

1. 1Furnishings that aren’t “overstuffed” but have clean, simple lines
   

2. 2Fewer, larger accessories that make a statement
   

3. 3Fewer plants that clutter end tables and the top of cabinets and fewer large trees that suck the light out of corners and make rooms feel smaller.  “Grassy” plants and see-through palm trees, used in moderation, will do to bring nature indoors.
   

4. 4The elimination of Renaissance paintings matted in burgundy, framed iron scrolls for artwork and wall sconces with ivy stuck inside.  The use of interesting artwork placed to create punctuation in a room and matted in light colors. We only use white to contrast with rich wall colors.
   

5. 5Demonstration of the latest trends in flooring, wall tile, cabinetry and other interior finishes
   

All of the characteristics of a contemporary home exemplify what model home merchandising is all about – showcasing the home, not the furnishings.  The clean, uncluttered interiors allow your buyers to see the home and how it will live.  It embraces the architectural features and benefits of the home rather than the decorating.

 

That’s not to say that your salespeople shouldn’t take advantage of being able to connect with their buyers through the decorating ideas in the model home.  Debora Trimpe, the sales coach at Highland Homes in Texas, had some great insight for me the last we visited. 

 

In her coaching role, her salespeople tell her that buyers often come in and say they don’t need any help and are there only “to see the decorating.”  Translation:  “I don’t want you pressuring me and following me around.”  What if the sales consultants are trained to point out the latest and greatest design trends that have been incorporated by the merchandiser to these non-buyers?  Then the response to “I’m just here to see the decorating” would be “Great!  Let me show you some of the cool new ideas that our designer came up with!”  This creates an opportunity for them to demonstrate the home and bond with the customer.

 

Don’t Forget the Small Stuff

 

Furnishing a model and “merchandising” a model are two very different things.  In retail commerce, visual display merchandising means “maximizing merchandise sales using product design, selection, packaging, pricing, and display that stimulate consumers to spend more.” 

 

Grand Haven Homes -- Austin, Tex. Photo by Robert McGee.

 

A large part of the merchandising budget should be allocated for artwork, accessories and all of the memory points that engage your customers and keep them in your model longer.  The reason we merchandise pantries, closets, linen closets, laundry rooms, etc. is to make sure your buyers remember that you have them.  Putting a “smile” in those areas are unexpected and fun.  Coordinate the pantry with the theme of the kitchen – if it’s staged with someone preparing pasta and they open the door to the pantry to find it filled with nothing but warehouse-store sized spaghetti jars they’re going to laugh and remember it! 

 

Grand Haven Homes -- Austin, Tex. Photo by Robert McGee. 

 

In a recent model for Grand Haven Homes in Austin, we framed black and white professional baby photos (very adorable) and placed them prominently over the master bed.  This is a guaranteed “awww” producer and a great solution for first-time move-up buyers not having a large budget for artwork.  I always discourage my clients when they plan to use a bedroom (or any other space) inside the model as a sales office. Your buyers won’t remember that it’s a bedroom and will negate that space as a part of the home.  It goes like this:”How many bedrooms were there?  Let see, there was the Hannah Montana girl’s room and the Guitar Hero boy’s room…was there a guest room?”

 

Between meeting high customer expectations and trying to stay within a limited budget, the most important thing to remember is that the difference between “merchandising” and “decorating” is money in your pocket and a smile on your buyer’s face!

 

 

Mary DeWalt, MIRM, CMP is president of Mary Dewalt Design Group, a national, award-winning model home merchandising firm based in Austin, Tex. R ecognized nationally as a leader in the field of model home merchandising, DeWalt is a frequent speaker at the International Builders Show as well as state and local conferences. DeWalt currently serves on the Board of Directors of the 50+ Housing Council and the National Sales and Marketing Council, in addition to having served as the 2003 Chairperson of the National Sales and Marketing Council and the 2006 President of the Institute of Residential Marketing.  In 2007 Mary received the Trina Ripley Excellence in Education Award from NAHB’s Institute of Residential Marketing and the Bill Molster Award from the National Sales and Marketing Council in 2009. For more information go to www.marydewaltdesigngroup.com.