Sounds like a few of you are planning to put your houses on the market soon, given the responses to a before-and-after of a real estate staging that I posted earlier this week.
So I thought I'd offer up another example. This time it's a family room in a house that I staged.
You can see in the before shot of one side of this family room, there were too many knickknacks displayed for a house that is for sale and there really was no focus.
In the after, the knickknacks are largely gone and the sofa takes center stage. The pillows add some visual warmth and the furniture arrangement really illustrates how this room is great for family time.
On the other side of the room, a bar was the focal point, basically breaking two rules for house staging: Put away your collections and don't feature alcohol.
Alcohol-related items, along with family photos and religious items, fall into the category of the personal and are better off packed away while your house is on the market.
Besides, this end of the room looks better with the table and chairs. It's a perfect place to sit to play a game of chess... or to write up an offer.
P.S.: Remember to enter my contest for a fun art project by leaving a comment on Saturday's post!
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17 comments:
You definitely helped them clean that up a bit. Yeah photos on the wall are going to be one of our big "TO DO's" when we move. Since we hope to put our house on the market in the next year, I'm attacking each room and purging closets, storage and drawers and such. Once I'm done with that I'll do the touch up spackling and painting.
So a question I have for you is this...I know decluttering, purging and getting rid of stuff is the first step. What I find completely interesting is the second step, adding the fluff and buff items back...the lamps, plants, pictures, pillows, etc. Are these items generally BOUGHT or 'rented' for the sake of staging? Inquiring minds want to know!
Hi Nik:
Good question. While you can rent just about anything you need... that option is usually an expensive one.
You may need to go that way if you are staging an empty home and don't want to own the furniture etc. when you're done...or if you just want someone else to take care of all that for you.
That option certainly has its place.
But, in most cases I deal with, the homeowner is living in the house and already has furniture etc. But they need items to complete the staging and I recommend they buy them.
You can buy pillows, plants,lamps (just about every house I go into needs more lamps), bedding etc. relatively inexpensively and it's worth the investment because it will help you sell your house faster and for more money.
Plus...you'll have all that stuff for your new house...
Thanks,
Mary
good job!
My issue is what to do with the stuff. The knick knacks. Where do I pack them off to?
Hi My Three Girls:
I know, where to put the stuff you pack away can be a problem.
You really don't want to clog up your garage, basement, shed etc. with boxes or furniture because people need to see those spaces too when deciding whether to buy your house.
Here's my recommendation: Use the opportunity of packing to get rid of/give away/sell/donate things you don't think you'll want anymore.
Hopefully that will reduce the number of boxes or pieces of furniture to pack or store. (Remember, when you're staging your house for sale, you'll probably be removing some furniture, too.)
Best solution after that is to get everything off site...in rented storage, a friend or relative's house, in a POD (but you need to move that off site, too, once showings start).
If that won't work for you, do your best to store items in a way that still lets people see your house.
For example, store boxes high along the wall of the garage or basement, so people can still see the condition and size of those spaces.
Definitely don't leave boxes in the main living areas.
Hope that helps!
Mary
Hi Mary! :) Thank you so much for stopping by the blog! I would love for you to feature the art idea :) Im so flattered!
Stop by anytime! :)
Great job! I have to help my parents stage their 3600 sq. ft. home to sell soon. They want to downsize but they have SO MUCH STUFF. (My mom is a pack rat). I may be coming to you with questions in the near future!!
I love your staging! Those rooms looks totally different! You do an excellent job. I don't need staging to sell my house but I could use your advise on making my living room look better. I'll bake you something sweet! lol
Be a sweetie,
Shelia;)
Wow! what an improvement in these rooms. Always inspiring to see good before and after shots. Thanks for sharing. Tracey
You always have such great ideas, thanks a bunch!
Hi1 nice to meet you! thanks so very much for your comment! great job! awesome!
visit me anytime...
I love how drastically the rooms are changed in these pictures just by intelligent placement. Even if I'm not selling a house, it's still nice to open a room up and feel like a useful space. I so love this kind of thing!
great staging photos, in fact I've missed a few of your posts here so I need to back up and absorb
we staged a few of our houses in the past, hard work, very hard work but oh so worth it
Love your blog. Its amazing what some redesign can do. I love seeing your before and after pictures. Great work! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your lovely comment.
Sooooooooo much better. It is amazing how removing some knickknacks visually makes the space look so much bigger!
It always amazes me how important lighting can be. The lamp really brings in that light that is needed in the corner.
Thanks for stopping by and your sweet comment. I'm enjoying your blog, I love the before and after staging pictures. You have an excellent eye for making those spaces shine. All the rooms were huge improvements after you staged them. I'm going to check out more of your posts. :)
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