Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Guest Post: Tips for Successful Staging

Every once in awhile we like to have guest posts sharing all things interior design.  Today, we welcome Tali from Zillow to share a few tips on home staging!  We look forward to our new partnership with Zillow!

5 Tips for Successful Home Staging
By Tali Wee


Homeowners preparing to list their houses on the market want to yield the highest returns on their investments. Therefore, they need to display their homes in the best light possible to attract the most buyers. Vast appeal equates to numerous offers and potentially competitive bidding wars that benefit sellers.

One way sellers can entice buyers is to stage their homes. Whether sellers choose to hire professional designers to fully stage their spaces or opt for a one-time consultation, they should begin with these five staging guidelines.

1. Simplicity
Start by eliminating clutter and cleaning. Nothing is more off-putting to a house hunter than cramped, cluttered, disorganized spaces. Buyers want to visualize their lifestyles within the walls of their future homes, and chaos is distracting. Rent a storage unit to clear out excessive furniture and accessories. Keep only the basics so shoppers can imagine their own furnishings within the spaces. When homes are clean and tidy, the architecture of the home truly stands out.


2. Neutrality
Along with simplicity, sellers should neutralize the space for broad appeal. Avoid highly-personalized pieces such as family photos or style-specific furnishings. Aim for warm, neutral hues including white, beige, honey, gray or pale taupe. Noncommittal tones allow buyers to imagine their belongings within properties, where bold hues might offend or disrupt the process.

Stay consistent when repainting; homes appear more spacious when the paint color is the same throughout, especially in adjoining rooms. Even though funky paint colors and eccentric accessories are not ideal for staging, sellers can still include statement furniture and colorful, fresh flowers to living rooms.

3. Functionality
Each room and nook should have a designated purpose. When buyers walk up a stairwell to a well-lit landing with a reading chair, they see a use for the area. Meanwhile, a home office paired with a treadmill, craft table and dog bed becomes confusing and unappealing to shoppers. Avoid bare spaces as well as hodgepodge rooms. Additionally, snug space should have small-scaled furniture and vice versa.


4. Style
Keep staging style on trend to entice the majority of buyers searching for homes. Incorporate eco-friendly materials and other contemporary features such as textured throw pillows and brass accessories. Opt for odd-numbered styling instead of perfect symmetry. Float furniture away from the walls to create the illusion of spaciousness and group seating to simulate a social setting.

5. Luminescence
Sellers should amplify lighting in each room since most spaces are under-lit. Opt for overhead, pendant and task lighting, floor and table lamps, wall sconces and ample natural light. Be sure to balance all of these methods, paying special attention to lighting the walls which visually enhance the size of rooms.

A clean, practical and tasteful home is ideal for house hunters, and simple for sellers.


Photo Source: Zillow Digs

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