This week we will start with 13 Brilliant Tricks Professionals Use When They Don’t Really Have Time to Stage A Home followed by updates on our local ski resorts as well as flying under the radar for skiing in Utah. In an ideal world, everybody would have the help of a home stager to make their space really shine. However, hiring someone can get pretty expensive. The next best option? DIY. But that can be time-consuming, which is a problem when you’re already spending most of your free time dealing with the intricacies of real estate.
We’ve asked three expert home stagers to share these sneaky time-saving tips. Not only will their insights and techniques make potential buyers think you did, in fact, have a home stager set up your space, but you’ll also be pleasantly surprised at just how long it didn’t take you.
1. Provide a warm welcome - You only get one chance to make a first impression, so add a cute wreath, welcome mat, or potted plant to your front entrance, says Kari George, co-owner (with Katie Hilbert) of The Home Sanctuary, a home organizing, styling, and staging company in Louisville, Kentucky. “Everyone loves good curb appeal, and adding these personal touches helps people envision themselves coming home after a long day at work.”
2. Move some things around - Take five minutes and move furniture to allow for an easy flow throughout the room, says Joni Rentz, president of FØRM, a New York City-based interior staging and design company. “A room will feel larger if you can easily maneuver around it,” she says.
3. Pare things down - While you’re moving furniture, see if you can also move anything unnecessary to another room. Rentz says each room should only have a few well-chosen pieces furniture and accessories that accentuate the features of each room. Less is more. “It will make it easier to take it all in if the eye knows where to go,” she explains.
After furniture, take another five minutes to scope out if there are any personal touches, like photographs or memorabilia, that can be removed as well. Having a clean slate makes it easier for potential buyers to picture themselves in the space, Rentz says.
4. Pay attention to your countertops - Kitchens are one of the spaces that can really make or break a sale, Hilbert says. “Let the buyers see clean, open counters instead of every small appliance you own.” Also be sure to remove magnets and papers from the refrigerator.
5. Let there be light - Have great natural light? Highlight it, says George. During the day, open all the blinds and curtains to let in natural light, which buyers love. By night, turn on all lamps and lights for a bright, cheerful look.
6. Tweak your window treatments - Don’t have great natural lighting? It might be your window treatments. Make rooms as bright as possible by removing heavy drapery and cornices, advises Rentz. “Replace them with neutral-colored, lightweight linen or sheer curtains,” she says. If you have a little more time (and haven’t already done so), be sure to hang your window treatments from the very top edge of the ceiling to add height to the room.
7. Tidy up your fixtures - Even if you’re relying on natural light, don’t neglect your overhead lamps. They might be surprisingly unsightly. “Make sure all light fixtures and fans are dusted and free of any dead bugs, especially if you have any fluorescent lights,” George says. “These are little things that are often overlooked on a daily basis but can be a big turn-off to potential buyers.”
8. Don’t overlook lightbulbs - While you’re at it, take a minute to check all your lightbulbs to make sure a) they’re working, and b) of the same type and wattage. These two steps will ensure a space is in the best light, says Hilbert. Uneven lighting can make a small space look even smaller.
9. Set the mood - Another quick lighting move? Adding plug-in dimmers to fixtures, Rentz says. Staging is all about creating a mood, and controlling the brightness or softness in each room can greatly help that aim.
10. Add texture - When staging most rooms, think light, bright, and full of opportunity. (One key exception? The powder room.) This a neutral palette often works better than a colorful, busy one. But colorless doesn’t have to mean boring. You can add visual interest to an otherwise bland-looking room in an instant by adding in different textures. In a living room with a wool sofa, add a fur throw or fuzzy pillow, says Rentz. In a bathroom, she recommends keeping the neat and clean look going by hanging fluffy white towels neatly on hooks, towel rods, or rolled up in a basket. In the bedroom, swap out patterned sheets and bed covers for simple white sheets and then diversify texture with neutral-colored blankets or an overstuffed duvet.
11. Add a mirror (or two) - Instantly make any room seem bigger and brighter by adding one large mirror or multiple mirrors to the walls, Rentz says.
12. Curate your plant family - We all love a good houseplant, but try to avoid that overgrown jungle look. “Moderation is key,” Rentz says. “A few strategically placed, neat, and well-maintained plantings can add warmth and personality to a room.”
13. Straighten up your storage spaces “Remember that buyers are very curious,” Hilbert says. “They will open all closets, cabinets, and drawers.” Of course, you don’t have to stage the inside of your cabinets just as strongly as you do the outsides. You do want to show how spacious your storage spaces are, after all. But try not to make them look cramped. Hilbert recommends at least tidying and thinning them out.
Ski Magazine has crunched the numbers and Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort have made the top 10 of the top 30 resorts in the West according to our 2020 Reader Resort Survey. Whether you're dreaming of face shots and blower pow or noon groomers followed by an après hot toddy, it's all here. Let our Top 30 western North America ski resort rankings carve the way to your best winter yet.
The SKI Magazine Reader Resort Survey is "a much watched and anticipated event," according to long-time ski industry professional Chris Diamond. SKI is proud to share the results of the Survey with you for 2020.
No. 5: Deer Valley, Utah - This skier's-only resort joined the Ikon Pass last season, and readers were happy to report that the top-notch service remains intact. “Deer Valley has always boasted incredible grooming, attracting visitors from all around the world to partake in this rare skier’s-only experience. Limiting its ticket sales makes it an even more enjoyable experience for all involved, especially during the peak holiday times.” See why readers ranked Deer Valley No. 5 for 2020
No. 10: Park City Mountain Resort, Utah - Nothing like finishing a ski day with a great cocktail and a greater view. “This mountain is huge! Lots of runs of differing difficulty. My family enjoys skiing here. The town of Park City has plenty to do when you're not skiing.” See why readers ranked Park City Mountain Resort No. 10 for 2020
Park City Magazine shares - A Guide to Skiing Utah’s Under-The-Radar Resorts with seven, off-the-beaten-path mountains where you can enjoy “the greatest snow on Earth.” Routine can be a powerful monster. You wake up, do your five favorite runs at Park City and are back in front of your computer before noon. You wake up. You drop the kids off at Deer Valley ski school and take a quick lap with your “lift pool” buddies and then have the littles back at home for nap time. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. We call this a rut. And while comfortable is good and gets the job done, maybe this season it’s time to mix it up. Here are seven road trip–worthy Utah resorts that, chances are, you’ve heard about but never visited. They each offer unique and, often, throwback experiences that will feel new to you, despite the retro vibes.
Powder Mountain’s massive size and limited crowds mean you’ll find untracked powder days after a storm. Acreage, divided by lift tickets sold, equals the least-crowded resort in North America and, last season, the resort capped its season ticket sales. Powder Mountain loyalists are proud that their home hill doesn’t make its own snow, meaning as pampered as you’ve become with larger resorts’ commitment to good coverage, you just might have forgotten what real snow feels like. That ethic carries over to the resort’s lodges, which are straight out of your childhood. Case in point: Most days you’ll find John Burrows behind the mic at the Powder Keg. The transplanted local came from the East Coast five years ago, and tired of the icy slopes, found the powder he craved in the Utah mountains. But the real treasure at Pow Mow is off-piste terrain served by snowcat. The cat ride up to Lightning Ridge is a must and often offers access to vast acres of untouched powder.
Logistics: Powder Mountain doesn’t offer on-mountain lodging, but the Eden Valley below is one of the most bucolic and scenic places in Utah. Be sure to visit the Shooting Star, the oldest bar in Utah.
Don’t miss: We’ll say it again. Snowcat service. If you find yourself on the fence, trust us and pay for at least one cat ride. It won’t be the last.
6965 E Powder Mountain Rd, Eden 801.745.3772
Snowbasin - Long runs; a balanced mix of beginner, intermediate, and advanced terrain; plus, thin crowds define Snowbasin. However, the word is out, since Snowbasin was named one of the 20 Access Resorts of the Year by the editors of Ski magazine. The site of several 2002 Olympic Winter Games events, Snowbasin was revamped in 1998 to include two gondolas and a high-speed quad. In contrast to its Eden Valley neighbor, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin cannot remotely be described as “rustic.” The lodges around the resort were built by the showy oil and gas millionaire Earle Holding, who, while he may have been lacking in, let’s just say restrained taste, did not skimp on quality. Giant fireplaces, comfy wingback chairs, with nary a rickety bench in sight are among the hallmarks. Amid those lodges is some otherworldly terrain, especially above and below John Paul Lodge, which overlooks the men’s and women’s downhill runs.
Logistics: You’ll want to at least try the “beer can” lift that services the top of the Olympic downhill runs. The views from the top peaks of Snowbasin are jaw dropping and give you excellent vantages of the Eden and Odgen valleys. Don’t worry, you can ride down if that first drop looks too rough.
Don’t miss: Umm. The bathrooms. How many times have you schlepped down slippery stairs to a yucky resort bathroom? Not so at Snowbasin. And, while maybe it’s not dinner table conversation, we all quietly love that the stalls all come with private floor-to-ceiling hardwood doors. Mr. Holding apparently liked his thinking time.
3925 SnowBasin Rd, Huntsville, 801.620.1000
Nordic Valley packs a wide variety of terrain into a small, uncrowded space. About half of the terrain is intermediate, plus a terrain park filled with features helps keep things interesting. Nordic Valley is a family affair. Just last season, the resort gave more than 200 first-timer lessons over Christmas break. In its iconic base lodge, fondly called “The Old Barn” by the loyal, multifamily generations who ski there, is a place to gather and warm up between runs and lessons. You’ll often find families enjoying the liberal brown-bagging policy while gathered over board and card games on these breaks. Here, quality time together is as important as the snow outside.
Logistics: If your littles need a new place to learn, consider a trip to Nordic Valley. Lessons are affordable, and its unintimidating size and open cruisers mean the smaller set has a safe and fun place to play and learn.
Don’t miss: There’s more snow fun to be had after dark at Nordic Valley, with ample (and inexpensive) night skiing; so skip the après and stay out late on the hill.
3567 Nordic Valley Way, Eden 801.745.3511
Eagle Point is basically one giant surprise located in the largely untracked Tushar Mountain Range. It’s only open Thursdays through Sundays, so if a storm hits early in the week, there is fresh powder on Thursday morning and there will still be fresh pockets on Sunday. While Eagle Point has plenty of beginner terrain, some of its best runs are so steep that the small resort doesn’t have the ability even to attempt to groom them. The village is petite, mostly comprised of slopeside rental properties that vary in size and can sleep as few as just you and as many as the whole crew. This range (and low prices) make it the kind of place to round up a few families or a bunch of your friends and make a weekend of it. There is exactly one bar and restaurant at Eagle Point, the aptly named Bar and Grill; and you and your crew can pretty well take it over for what feels like your own private party.
Logistics: Cook in. Most extended-stay lodging options at Eagle Point offer full kitchens. Pick up supplies in Cedar City or Parowan and gather round the table with family and friends.
Don’t miss: The Hot Tub Garden. Oh, it’s a thing. The restaurant and bar’s patio is a great spot to watch the sunset and has three open-for-the-taking hot tubs to soak your bones while you wind down from the day. So pack your bathing suit.
150 S West Village Circle, Beaver 855.324.5378
Brian Head - Nowhere else in Utah can you regard its two most famous topographies juxtaposed with each other. From the top lift below Brian Head Peak, you can gaze off into Utah’s famous red rock country as you contemplate the snowy hills below. This mix of desert, snow, and sky makes Brian Head a very special place. Also, Brian Head is actually a town. Think Park City 30 (or maybe 50?) years ago. The resort and the village are entwined, and people who travel to Brian Head—often Las Vegans and Los Angelinos—tend to stay a few days or over a long weekend. This situation creates a friendly atmosphere of vacationing folks who feel the freedom to stay up a little later, perhaps in the glow of the Lift Bar’s ginormous fireplaces. The mountain is divided into two sections: the Navajo Peak area, completely devoted to beginner terrain, and the main mountain, which offers a wide range of terrain for skiers and boarders of all levels. Brian Head is also Utah’s highest resort, at 9,800 feet above sea level, and a repository for southerly storms that often don’t make it to the Wasatch.
Logistics: Brian Head is located up the gnarly Parowan Canyon, above its namesake town. Do yourself a favor and book a long weekend in one of the plentiful vacation rentals and lodges in the small ski town itself.
Don’t miss: The town teams up with nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument to offer a series of evening “Dark Sky” events. Rangers from the monument lead fascinating tours of the night sky, while local astronomers share their telescopes and celestial knowledge with visitors. And there’s hot chocolate and a warm lodge to get out of the cold.
329 UT-143, Brian Head 435.677.2035
Cherry Peak is the newest resort in the United States, unless you include the stitching together of Park City Mountain and Canyons resorts. Located in Richmond Canyon, 15 miles north of Logan, Cherry Peak opened for business in the 2014 season. Its owner, John Chadwick, grew up backcountry skiing on the family property where he built his resort, which now includes three triple chairlifts, a 500-foot magic carpet, night skiing, ice-skating, and a tubing hill. The spot is popular with locals from Cache Valley, and you’ll find packs of Boy Scouts on its night-skiing hill. Of note: Chadwick designed the technique he used for linking together logs to create the resort’s base lodge.
Logistics: Cherry Peak is in Richmond, a town north of Logan, a larger ville that is home of Utah State University. Logan is a fun college town with restaurants and bars, which makes it an ideal place to stay over and explore both Cherry Peak and Beaver Mountain.
Don’t miss: The famous Aggie Ice Cream
3200 E 11000 N, Richmond 435.200.5050
Beaver Mountain - Generations of Utah State University students learned to ski at “The Beav,” as the locals call it. Beaver delivers old-school charm and an abundance of intermediate terrain with some beginner and advanced areas tossed in for variety. One of the last family-owned resorts in the United States, the Beav is still run by the Seeholzers. Harold and Luella Seeholzer opened Beaver in 1949 and turned the resort over to their children, Marge and Ted. Marge still runs the ticket window (really). Now, the third generation is taking over. You’ll find Travis Seeholzer, the resort’s general manager, out on the hill often without a helmet, conspicuously eschewing modern ski fashion. In the main lodge, you’ll find generations of families who come up from Logan for the day. Often Grandma and Grandpa will be camped out in an easy chair dozing while their pride and joy play in the snow outside.
Logistics: Just 12 miles from Bear Lake (one of Utah’s bluest and prettiest sights, especially in winter), the resort is a stone’s throw from a new crop of year-round, lakeside resorts offering lodging to skiers when the snow flies. We don’t recommend jumping in the lake, however.
Don’t miss: Getting back to the terrain served by Marge’s Triple; try Sour Grapes, a Seeholzer family favorite.
40000 E Hwy 89, Garden City 435.946.3610
We will see you on the slopes.
