6 Real-Estate Staging Secrets to Make the Sale

With the barrage of imagery from Pinterest and Instagram filling our smart phone, desk top monitor, and tablet screens, it’s no wonder we have become so visually driven.

Setting up the perfect “selfie” is not limited to pictures of our friends and family, but the need to see the perfect image has spilled over into our everyday expectations such as in the buying or selling a home.

Real-Estate staging has become not only a trusted design-industry secret but also a mass movement. Having a home professionally staged is important because it pulls the stop out of the home’s potential in ways most people cannot envision. Real-Estate staging not only creates beautiful interiors but sets the stage for complete lifestyles.

Here are some go-to techniques used by top real-estate staging professionals to convey the true functionality of each room when getting a home ready to sell.

Ernesto Garcia Interior Design

Show the potential. Many people find it difficult to perceive the potential of a room and struggle with visualizing how to lay out furniture or use certain rooms when they’re empty, cluttered, or lack flow. You can create a feeling of expanse and luxury with furniture selections, accessories, and accents in all rooms of the house. Nothing makes a home feel more awkward or small than poorly placed furnishings.

Ernesto Garcia Interior Design

The kitchen is mostly about accessorizing and lighting, keeping things interesting and complementary to the space; such as a fresh basket of fruit or floral on the kitchen counter.

Liz Hepper Interior Design (Photographer: Mark Boisclair Photography, Inc.)

Scale, texture, and tone. Conveying too much of your personality in the home is harmful to the buyer’s experience. A home stager will assess each room and supplement with what is exactly the right fit. Furnishing selections and colors should tell a subtle yet distinct story for each room. Allowing the viewer to embellish the story in their minds. Base furnishing choices on what is available, budget, and a strong design instinct.

Liz Hepper Interior Design

Focus on the bedroom. Bedrooms are typically one of the hardest and most neglected spaces in creating that perfect look. Paying close attention to walking spaces around furniture pieces is as important as in the rest of the house. And, if flow is disturbed, it can fall apart instantly. The goal is to make it look anything but bare and uninviting. Throw out all stops on blankets, comforters, and accent pillows in cozy, complementary colors, and textures. Strive to have a luxurious, fully layered bed in each room that beckons you to jump in.

Ernesto Garcia Interior Design

Splurge a little. Having a focal point in each room is as important as nice bedding. Select art and florals that complement the scale of ceilings and walls. Fragrance right to the room adds another dimension to the experience. Cinnamon in the kitchen, a soft scent in the bathroom, and fabric softener in the laundry room are just a few. Consider music suitable for the home and its future owner.

Don’t blow the budget. Splurging doesn’t mean blowing your budget. Start with big impact, low cost items like decluttering, painting, and updating window treatments. Pull furniture away from walls and embrace empty walls. It not only opens up room flow but can make a space look larger and allows prospective buyers to visualize their art and belongings in your space. Finally, add life to each room with a floral or green plant the right size and shape.

Keep your eye on the prize. Every dollar spent gets you one step closer to yielding a return. In an age of image heavy content, the value of real-estate staging has become more a necessity than it is luxury, as you compete for space in the conversation.

Have you had a positive experience with staging your home for sale? Please share your comments in the space below.