A Maple Grove dining room gets a makeover    • Updated: March
24, 2011 - 3:59 PM  Before: Tablecloth and rug were hiding best
features  What works: The room has good proportions, neutral
walls and shiny hardwood floors.  What doesn't: A tablecloth and
a rug were covering up some of the space's positive aspects.
Analysis: "I don't think sellers realize how distracting those
little things can be for a potential buyer," said Lori Matzke of
Centerstagehome.com. "You need to think like a buyer -- what's
going to actually sell the house? The area rug or those hardwood
floors?"   1. A tablecloth that drew too much attention to the
table and a dried tabletop arrangement that blocked views into
the attached hallway were boxed up and stored.  2. Heavy drapes
(not shown) were removed to let more natural light into the
room.  3. The area rug was removed to show off the hardwood
floors. Staging tip: Although the wood floors had faded around
the rug, Matzke was able to soften the contrast by mopping the
floor with 2 gallo