When you navigate to the homepage of KAT Troulinos’s website, the first thing you see is the headline: Visual Magic with TA DA by KAT. If it is the task of the magician to inspire the imagination of their audience, then magic is indeed KAT’s business. On the goal of her home staging, KAT says, “You want a transfer of emotion. You want people to see themselves living in the space not wondering who lives here.” Through her work, KAT stirs up the feelings of potential buyers by showing them what life could be like in a potential space. This gets homes sold faster. According to NAR national Association of realtors 5-19% faster!
TA DA by KAT is going on 13 years of doing business, but KAT didn’t start out as the Master Stager, Investor Staging Consultant, Certified Color Expert, and Luxury Home Staging Specialist that she is today. Many years ago, she worked in model homes. While showing a home with a beautiful, but empty, sunroom, she noticed everyone asked of the space “What is this for?” By adding a wicker loveseat, rug, side table, desk, and some surface décor, she was able to show buyers how the room could be used. After her added touches, the property sold in two weeks. Later, she got her real estate license in Texas, intending to do staging as merely a value-add, but the staging soon took on a life of its own.
So, what happens when TA DA by KAT comes to work their staging magic? That depends on the situation. Home sales usually fall into two different categories: occupied or unoccupied. For those trying to sell a home they currently reside in, KAT says it can be a lot like living in a fishbowl. “If you do everything I recommend, you’re going to be living in a fishbowl for much less time,” she says.
When KAT does staging, she tailors the décor to the sociographic preferences and expectations of the targeted bucket of buyers in that price point “It’s all about the details.” When a realtor takes a potential buyer up to the front door, they spend a few seconds fiddling with their keys and papers. What’s the buyer doing for that time? Observing the curb appeal. KAT doesn’t want them to see dead plants, a dirt dauber nest, or a worn-out welcome mat. Those things can cause a subliminal thought from the potential buyer of “I wonder what else they have neglected in the upkeep of the home?"
Inside, there should be zero evidence of someone living in the home. During the consultation, KAT will tell you what to remove, what to add, what to pack, what to repair, and sometimes even what to paint. Afterwards, she provides a one-page punch list that recaps what was discussed.
The second phase is when the TA DA by KAT team gets hands on. Depending on what the home needs, they bring in “power pieces” that look great in photos. This could be furniture, art, greenery, and/ or small décor. They don’t usually provide soft goods but will make recommendations if needed. Sometimes the suggestions will include moving existing furniture around to improve flow or rehanging artwork at a more optimal height.
Home staging isn’t where KAT's magic stops. During 2020, she saw a substantial increase in her design work. What’s the difference between staging and design? While staging is about what the buyer wants, design is all for the occupant. KAT believes homes are a place for expression and regeneration, and should be an extension of who the family is. KAT asks what the desired feeling is, and then uses her knowledge of color, scale, flow, and even sound to generate that within the space.
TA DA by KAT also does work in the commercial world. A recent design project she truly loved was two spa rooms in a medical office. For this space, KAT assisted with a rebrand by changing the office colors and decorations. She also crafted a custom biophilic art piece in the likeness of the office’s emblem. In addition to offices, she has done design work for several restaurants and a nonprofit.
For more from KAT, you can catch her on an episode of “My Lottery Dream Home” on HGTV or every other week on Facebook Live for KAT’s Home Chat. She talks to designers, lenders, realtors, inspectors, phycologists, and other home-based business owners. You can also find more information on her website tadabykat.com or her social media at handle “tadabykat” on Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
When asked about her favorite project, KAT answers with an almost giddy excitement, “The next one that I do is my favorite.” Perhaps the real magic is KAT’s passion for what she does, and that moment she gets to show a client their transformed home and say, “TA DA!
Check out her current 111 5-star reviews on Houzz along with many projects and videos. www.houzz.com/pro/tadastaging
Would you like to be a guest on an upcoming KAT’s home chat episode? Call KAT @ 281 798 3750
When asked about her favorite project, KAT answers with an almost giddy excitement, “The next one that I do is my favorite.”
