Tag: home

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If These Walls Could Talk

I’m taking a break from business blog posts today and writing about something that’s personal.  I don’t write near enough personal blog posts.  But today, I am, and it’s through tears that I write.

I talked with a teary eyed Mim today.  They’re having to make some more unexpected updates to their home.  I guess that’s what happens when you’ve lived in a home for 40 years.  But the last few years have been so hard on them.  Having to fix up their upstairs, to last month their bathroom (oh and by the way my grandpa fell twice during that renovation setting them back even more) to today, having to add pillars and beams to support their sagging second story floor.  It’s been emotionally exhausting for my grandma.  She’s having to care for the home and my grandpa at the same time and today, she called me discouraged about her house, which always seems to need work more and more.  She said, “Mel, does my house look bad?  I just do what I can with what I have.  I don’t have a home like everyone else does.”  And I said, “No, Mim, they don’t have a house like you do.”

Oh, if those walls could talk.

They would tell about a couple that devoted their lives to serving others.

They would speak about countless prayer meetings, where our family wept and cried out together for the prodigals to come home.

You would hear the echos of children’s laughter as we ran up and down the stairs.

They’d sing Christmas carols and recite Luke chapter 2 by heart.

They’d resonate with the cries of heartbreak and would sing of healing, restoration and reconciliation.

They’d tell the stories of visiting missionaries, pastors and evangelists.

They’d echo my grandpa’s whistle and his constant “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” as he spends most of the day in prayer.

They’d tell you about all the shared bowls of ice cream, back scratches and bunny stories.

They’d speak of 67 years and counting of a faithful and loving marriage.

They’d tell about four generations and growing of Christ-followers.

I think the stories would be endless.  But they’d all center around one thing: Jesus.

It’s because of Jesus that the walls speak the way they do.  It’s because of Jesus there are four generations of Christ-followers, it’s because of Jesus the prodigals come home, it’s because of Jesus that every ounce of healing occurred.  It’s because of Jesus that a legacy lives on.

Thank you Mim and Papa for loving Jesus the way that you do.

if these walls could talk

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How to Stage and Photograph Your Own Home

Learning how to stage your home goes hand in hand with photographing your own home.

When I first walked into this house I swooned over the view of the infinity pool over looking the lake and was very tempted to settle down on the couch with a latte and enjoy it, but that wouldn’t have been very professional!   It was one of those houses that when you walk in, you take a deep breath and sigh because you feel so relaxed!  It’s possible that I lost track of time because the details kept pulling me in!

Not only was this couple incredibly kind and hospitable but they did a perfect job at staging their home for photographs.  So perfect in fact, I want to share some tips with you to stage and photograph your home!  Whether your photographing for a blog or to sell these are a must read!

  1.  Clear off counters and surfaces and take down family photos!  Nobody likes clutter, including potential buyers.  Removing your family photos lets other families more easily envision their family in the space.  It’ll feel more like their home and less like a strangers.
  2. Open up all the doors, windows, shades and blinds.  You want as much natural light coming in as possible.
  3. Photograph at a time of day where the lighting is the brightest in the area you want to photograph.
  4. Photograph from a slightly lower angel to make the room appear larger.
  5. Use a tripod!  I almost had a tripod malfunction but the owners graciously came to my rescue!  You have to use such a low shutter speed that you need to eliminate as much camera shake as possible.  It’s something that you just can’t compromise on! It’s especially important when using a point and shoot!  Which if you are, skip right to number 8!
  6. If using a DSLR, use Manual. Now is the time to learn!  In darker spaces, auto=higher ISO which is what makes pictures so grainy!
  7. Use the right camera and lens.  I used a Canon 17-40 on a Canon 5d Markiii for this house.  You need a camera that can handle a higher ISO and a wide angle lens that gives you the angles you want without warping the lines.  My 60D would not have done as nearly as good of a job just because it can’t handle an ISO over 1000 very well.
  8. Don’t forget the details!  After you take a picture of the whole room, focus on the details, like the stunning windows and fireplace you see below!

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