Meet Aline Boulgourjian: Stager and Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aline Boulgourjian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aline, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
With a degree in Marketing and having worked in Advertising I always felt that staging was the combination of my formal training and experience with my passion for interior design, placing me in a unique position to offer a skill set ideal for this service.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Our experiences are not defined by the objects in our environment, but by our relationship to them. We don’t think of staging as objects and furniture, we think of it as a relationship to the space. Each curated item represents a compelling story that will play in the viewer’s mind. We like to direct and help that story along for the viewer to see the property as their dream home. For example, a chair by a window can tell a very different story if it has a teddy bear and a blanket versus a book and a wine glass. It’s important to know what will appeal to the buying demographic and how to stage the property accordingly.

We always remain open to learning and improving. Being in a creative field, we must continuously find inspiration in our surroundings to tap into the right vision. When challenges arise, you can overcome them by finding some time and quiet space. Our best ideas come to us during down time.

I’ve learned that staging is the first step of separation the homeowner experiences in what could be an emotional process. I feel that we must be respectful of the years the owners have spent in the property and also make sure they understand that this is no longer their “home” but a commodity on the market that should fetch top dollar for them.

The last three years have seen a plethora of different property types for us to stage. The sheer variety was both challenging and inspiring. I firmly believe we all do our best work when challenged. We have staged a historic firehouse, award winning multi million dollar beach homes, a luxury warehouse loft in downtown L.A, Mid-Century modern architectural showcases, Pasadena Craftsman historic homes, and many other challenging assignments. In taking on these diverse projects, we stayed true to our brand of storytelling while preserving the esthetic and architectural integrity of the properties.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Last time we had out of town friends visiting, we hired a limousine and driver and went taco truck hopping! With the top 10 list of LA’s taco trucks in the nav, we drove around and sampled LA’s finest. It was a fun and memorable night.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I couldn’t do what I do without the trust and support of my real estate professional network. I know how hard they work to get their listings and serve their clients. I’m endlessly thankful for the trust they place in me, and don’t take their trust lightly. I will always strive to make my listing agents look their very best. Most importantly, I am grateful for my team. They carry my vision and my heavy furniture; they are the backbone of this business.

Website: www.styletofunction.com

Instagram: styletofunction

Facebook: Style to Function

Image Credits
Pierre Galant Photography Blue Octopus Media