Window Cleaning Santas & Window Display & Staging

Is it time to call the window cleaner? Why Selfridges is king of the window display. The window displays at Selfridges have become as much of a ‘must-see’ attraction of London as the London Eye, Big Ben or even Trafalgar Square. Since the flagship store on Oxford Street first opened its doors on the 15th March 1909, Selfridges has surpassed itself again and again with it’s impressive window displays, making it an exhibition space in it’s own right and proving to the world it’s power and influence as the UK’s second biggest store, bowing down only to Harrods. Selfridges stock over a million lines and their windows are regarded as powerful trend signallers; they are viewed by over 120,000 people each day. Since 2002 the windows have been photographed by Andrew Meredith and published in fashion glossies worldwide.

Another Selfridges creation

From scrapped cars to a million pounds worth of diamonds, the sky is really the limit when it comes to the creative potential of the space. The Christmas displays take the biscuit, the initial plans for which are proposed in January of each year and are finalised by June. Even when the building was undergoing restoration in 2002, the scaffolding was wrapped up in giant photographs of celebrities such as Elton John, David Beckham and Sam Taylor-Wood. This was the largest photographic artwork which had ever been produced, measuring 60 feet tall by 900 feet long and weighing two tons. We can all learn a lot from Selfridges; they have no shame in pushing their product to the outer limits of imagination and are experts at combining art with a consumer concept.

The ghost (catalog) of Christmas past: Another memory evoked by the catalog was a neighbor who used to decorate her windows with Windex. Years ago, Windex window cleaner was pink, with the consistency of Pepto Bismol. It came in a can. At Christmas time you could get a kit with it that contained dyes and stencils with winter and holiday themes. You’d mix the dye with the Windex. Then you’d hold the stencil on the window and dab it with different colors, creating a stained glass effect

Have you ever heard of the "home staging" profession? These people assist sellers with presenting their home in a fashion that will increase the likelihood of a full price offer on a properly priced home. This profession is more common in the US, but there are persons here who are able to assist. Successful BREA agents have been doing this for years. Interior decorators do a wonderful job in furnishings, layouts, etc. While the value added by such professionals is often worth the investment, many sellers can put the basics into action themselves, and enjoy the same benefits. There are several "quick fixes" that stagers commonly recommend, and here are some highlights for your consideration as you prepare to market your home. First, the dirty work. You've got to clean your windows, but don't forget about washing all the screens to let in as much sparkling sunlight as possible.

The twin Santa's in east Asia

Window cleaners Juny Kono, left, and Tomoharu Fujimaki, window cleaners dressed as Santa Claus and reindeer cleaning windows at a mall in Tokyo. Click to enlarge.

Window Washer Santa

Retailers Hope To Attract Seasonal Christmas Shoppers: A window cleaner washes the windows of a designer clothes shop on New Bond Street on November 22, 2008 London, England. High street shops are aiming to attract Christmas trade in what is widely expected to be a difficult season for retailers, with the high-end brands likely to be hit hardest.

Window washers clean the exterior of The National Museum of American Jewish History as the sun peeks through clouds in Philadelphia. The museum is scheduled to open to the public on Sunday.