Often, when we talk to our clients about staging their home for sale, they’ll want to know exactly what is home staging and how it is different than decorating.  After all, isn’t the goal in both cases to make the home look better? Aren’t the basic design principles the same, things like scale, proportion and flow?

Well, yes…and no. The answer really comes down to the objective of making the home look better and how the design principles are applied to achieve that objective.

Interior decorating is all about furnishing and accessorizing a space to fit your lifestyle and express your personal taste.

Staging, on the other hand, is a marketing tool. It is about “packaging” a property to appeal to the tastes of as many potential buyers as possible.

Staging highlights the positive features of the home while downplaying its less desirable aspects. A staged home will have much less in the way of furniture and accessories because the goal is to showcase the home itself, not the stuff in it. There should be enough furnishings to create an environment that buyers can aspire to and feel at home in. Done well, staging can help a house connect with a buyer on an emotional level so that she thinks “This is it! This is the ONE!”

Here are some examples that illustrate the difference between decorating and staging:

• In decorating, framed family photos are a favorite way to personalize your space. In staging they are a no-no. Buyers want to visualize themselves living in the home, not visiting your home. Besides, photos of people are very distracting. Even for us Realtors, it’s hard to resist looking at all the photos of cute kids, their pets and their family vacations. I often have to pry my clients away from the photo wall to focus on the home’s light-filled kitchen, walk-in closets or renovated bathrooms. Believe me, if you are selling your house, this is not what you want to happen.

• Vivid paint colors on the walls are another legitimate way to express your unique style. But buyers will be distracted by bold colors and may not be able to see past them to appreciate the architectural features of your house. When staging, we go with neutrals that everyone can appreciate.

• Overstuffed furniture is cozy and comfortable, especially in the family room. But it has to go when you are selling your house. Big furniture eats up space, something you want buyers to see lots of. So when staging you’ll need to pare down the size and amount of furniture in each room unless the rooms are very large and the furniture is to scale.

• For most people the TV is an integral part of the home, often the bigger the better. But the TV can distract the eye from a more appealing focal point, like the fireplace. When staging, we recommend hiding the TV in an armoire or behind cabinet doors, if possible.

If you are planning to sell your home, do not underestimate the importance of staging.  It will have a huge impact on both how fast your home sells and how much it sells for.  Unless the house is vacant, you probably won’t have to rent furniture. A professional home stager can work magic with the things you already have. Your agent can probably recommend a good stager. Some agents have been trained in staging.  I am a certified home stager and have helped lots of clients maximize the selling price of their home.

Related posts:

• Staging works. Here’s proof.
• Beyond Cleaning & De-cluttering: 7 Staging Tips
• How to Stage a Bathroom
• Painting Your House to Sell: Tips for Picking Paint Colors
• Top 10 Paint Colors to Sell Your North Shore Home

1. Use cooler paint colors on the walls (blues, grays, cool beiges). Cool colors recede, making the room look more expansive. Warmer colors advance and create a cozy but more closed in feeling.

2. Go for a monochromatic color scheme. The less contrast there is in the room, the more spacious it will look. Lots of contrast chops up the space visually and makes a room look smaller. Use the same color on big furniture pieces as on the walls for a sleek and open look. You can keep things from getting too monotonous  by using different textures or by adding punches of color with throw pillows and accessories.

3. Choose curtains or window treatments that maximize natural light (sheers or light-colored panels). Skip the heavy drapes in dark fabrics.

4. Use recessed lighting instead of hanging fixtures to give the impression of a higher ceiling and a cleaner, more stream-lined look.

5. Use the highest recommended wattage in light fixtures - 100 watts, if possible. Putting them on dimmers allows you to control the brightness.

6. Use fewer, larger (but not oversized) pieces of furniture instead of several smaller pieces. This will give the room a less cluttered look.

7. Select upholstered furniture with exposed legs (vs. skirted) to create the illusion of more space.

8. Use glass table tops for coffee tables or dining tables for a more open feel.

9. Install the same flooring throughout the space to maximize flow. Mixing flooring types or using area rugs gives a more chopped up feel to the space.

10. Consider removing doors between rooms of living areas to open up the space.

11. If you have a good view, hang a large mirror or group of mirrors opposite (or diagonal to) the window with the view. The mirror will “read” as another window, expanding the space and bringing in more light.

12. Keep table and counter surfaces relatively clear. Don’t let accessories and knick-knacks dominate, as the space will appear busy and cluttered.

Related articles:

• Home Staging Works. Here’s Proof
• Beyond Cleaning and De-Cluttering: 7 Staging Tips You Haven’t Heard
• Top 10 Paint Colors to Sell Your North Shore Home
• Painting Your House to Sell: Tips for Picking Colors
• How to Stage a Bathroom
• Does Your House Have Halitosis?

Before Staging

A small or dated bathroom can be a big turn off to North Shore home buyers. Short of a major remodel, whose cost may not be fully recouped, here are quick and easy updates you can do to turn that liability into an asset.

A few changes can make it feel new

Update the light fixtures. You can get new lighting at a home center for $80 or less.

If you have an outdated vanity, you can give it new life with a coat of paint and new hardware.

Frame-less mirrors are out. If you have one, you can add a frame with MirrorMates.  They come in various styles and colors, are custom cut to the size of your mirror and are easily and quickly applied to plain, bare mirror.

Carpet in the bathroom is not only out of fashion, it can gross people out if they start thinking about what’s lurking there. So if you have carpet, remove it. If the floor underneath does not look good, install a neutral tile that coordinates with the wall tile. Use tiles that are at least 12″ since larger tiles make a room look more spacious than smaller tiles. If you have an old linoleum floor, you can inexpensively update it using large peel and stick travertine look tiles.

An area rug in the bathroom can draw attention away from old flooring. Make it light and neutral. And NEVER use those area rugs that fit around the base of the toilet. Ditch the decorative toilet seat cover too.

After Staging

Give it that spa-like feeling

A new coat of paint in a soothing spa-like color. Good color choices for bathrooms include:Benjamin Moore Wedgewood Gray (HC-146),  Saybrook Sage (HC-114) or Powell Buff (HC-35).  But if you have colored wall tile, you’ll have to choose a paint color that coordinates with the tile.

Purchase plush new towels, and DON”T use them!  You can never go wrong with white towels, but you can also use two coordinating colors if you want to be more daring. Make one a neutral color and add hand towels on top in an accent color.

If your bathroom has a shower curtain, chances are it’s starting to grow mold along the bottom. But even if it’s not, get a new shower curtain (fabric, not plastic).  Choose a light, neutral color. Again, white is a no-risk choice.

Add interest with accessories

If you have a counter add apothecary jars in different sizes and shapes filled with shells, cotton balls, bath salts etc. Michael’s Crafts has inexpensive ones, as does Home Goods.

A basket filled with rolled up towels or washcloths makes a bathroom look inviting and contributes to that spa feel.

Healthy plants and candles also add interest.

Keep it Q-Tip clean and clutter-free

No one wants to see your personal hygiene products. Tuck all that stuff away in the drawers. If you have a pedestal sink, invest in a simple bath cabinet at Target or Wal-mart to hide your clutter.

Re-caulk the tub for a clean look.

Remove toilet bowl cleaners, plungers and waste baskets.

Keep the counters and sinks wiped clean.

Here are some of the highlights:

After being on the market unstaged for 277 days on average, vacant homes then sold within 63 days after being staged.

After being on the market unstaged for 233 days on average, occupied homes sold within 53 days after being staged.

284 homes that were staged before being listed sold in 40.5 days.

You can read the  full RESA report here.

If you’d like to learn more about staging your home to sell, please give me a call at 847–687-5957 or email me.
I am a certified home stager and staging is part of my service for all of the sellers that I represent.

Related Articles:

• Beyond Cleaning and Decluttering
• Painting Your House to Sell

1. Spend your money where you can see it.

When you go to sell your house, you normally have a long list of things to do to get it sale-ready. Some of these are fixes, some are updates and some are replacements. If anything is broken or damaged or not working properly, you need to get it fixed. Otherwise it will show up on the inspection report and could end up costing you the sale or dragging out the negotiation. But beyond the fixes that are absolutely necessary, you need to be strategic about what you do and where you will get the most bang for the buck. Spend your money on the things that the buyer will see. Don’t replace the hot water heater (unless it’s broken) or put on a new roof (unless it leaks) or buy high-end bathroom fixtures – because the buyer won’t know the difference between the $150 faucet and the $800 one.

Instead, spend it on removing the wallpaper, repainting, or on new knobs to replace the dated hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Spend it on curb appeal: mulching and edging the beds, planting flowers, painting the front door. Spend it on the things that will help your house win the beauty contest. Spend it on the things that will make buyers feel good.

2. Don’t offer credits.

Short of remodeling the kitchen or putting on an addition, don’t expect your buyer to do anything you don’t want to do. In a nutshell, your buyer doesn’t want to trade their dirty carpet for your dirty carpet. And (unless they are dyed in the wool do-it-yourselfers), they will have a hard time imagining that a house with peeling paint and stains on the carpet could be the kind of house they want to pay good money for. They’ll reject your home and move on to the next one. There are plenty to choose from right now. Besides, you will probably end up spending more on credits than you would if you went ahead and got the work done yourself…and the buyer will still make their offer based on the current condition of the house. So you pay twice.

3. Find one purpose for each room and stage it accordingly.

No combo family room/office/play room. No combo guest room/office/junk room. Whatever you may have used the room for, figure out what your target buyer will likely use it for and turn it into that room. Young families? Turn that third bedroom/office back into a child’s room. Did you replace your dining room table with a pool table so you could get more use out of that room? Time to turn it back into a formal dining room. The new people may not end up using it as a dining room any more than you did. But they THINK they will.

4. Make sure each room has a focal point

Then arrange the room so that this is the first thing someone notices when they walk in the room. In the living room the focal point is often the fireplace, sometimes the view or sometimes a major piece of art. In the dining room it should be the dining room table. In the bedroom it should be the bed. In every case, make sure the focal point is staged to draw attention and wow the viewer. Doing this will also help distract the eye away from less appealing features in the room.

5. LightenUp

Light and bright houses are universally appealing. They make people feel happy and happy people want to buy. To maximize the light in every room, do the following:

• Paint rooms with low natural light a warm, light color like Benjamin Moore Windham Cream (HC-6)
• Trim bushes and trees that are covering windows.
• Open curtains, blinds and shades. If you have heavy and dated draperies, remove them.
• Change the light bulbs in every lamp to a higher wattage. And make sure every room has enough lamps.

6. Blend and weave (some of) the same colors throughout the house.

I’m not saying to paint every room the same color. That would be boring and forgettable, which is the death knell for a sale. What I’m saying is carry at least one or two some of the same colors into every room, whether in the paint color or the furniture and accessories.

7. Be neutral without being blah

Home stagers always say to go with neutral colors.  And you should, for the walls and large pieces of furniture. But don’t go overboard on the neutrals. You don’t want your home to be blah and boring. Be sure to add back some color to each room in the form of accents and accessories.  Artwork, pillows, flowers and other accessories can add a punch of color that will make the difference between blah and brilliant. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to add color is with a bowl of brightly colored fruit like lemons or oranges.

A final tip: put one of the lemons down the garbage disposal right before your open house and it will give your kitchen a fresh and natural scent.

Related Posts:

Home Staging Works. Here’s Proof

Warm Neutrals for Main Living Areas

Benjamin Moore Powell Buff (Hc-35)
A warm & rich neutral that works well with greens, browns and reds.

Benjamin Moore Lenox Tan (HC-44)
A mid-tone neutral in the Pottery Barn collection.

Benjamin Moore Windham Cream (HC-6)
A very subtle yellow that feels warm and works well with other colors. This is also a great color to brighten up hallways with little natural light.

Benjamin Moore Hepplewhite Ivory (HC-36)
A creamy butterscotch that is warm and welcoming.

Cool Neutrals for Bedrooms and Baths

Benjamin Moore Stratton Blue (HC-142)
A muted blue-green that’s neither too bold nor too bland. It’s great for a master retreat, a beach house or a west-facing room that needs cooling down.

Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray (HC-111)
A soothing gray-green.

Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (2137-60)
A pale, soothing color that’s a little more sophisticated than blue. It works with almost any color scheme.

Benjamin Moore Rosemary Sprig (2144-30)
A sage green with a hint of yellow.

Trim Colors

Benjamin Moore White Dove  (OC-17)
A warm white that’s not too gray, not too yellow.

Benjamin Moore Cloud White (OC-130)
Works well with warm neutral wall colors.

These have worked well for me. Anyone want to add to my list? I’m always looking to try colors that have worked for others.

Related Posts:

• Painting Your House to Sell
• Pottery Barn Colors That Will Help You Sell Your Home

Here are five things you can do right now to get ahead of the curve and ensure your home is ready to hit the MLS next spring:

1. Cut the clutter:

If you’re like most people, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Moving provides a great incentive to finally get rid of the junk you’ve been hoarding. Starting now will give you ample time to take that trip down memory lane as you go through old papers, letters, photographs and other mementos. If you set aside a couple hours to do this each weekend, by February you will have weeded out a lot and moving will be much less stressful.

2.  Improve curb appeal:

Your yard will still be frozen on Super Bowl Sunday, so it makes sense to get some of those outdoor chores done now, while it’s still relatively mild out. Clean up the yard, edge the beds, fertilize the lawn and plant clusters of bulbs for a show of color in the spring. Make sure your front entry is as inviting as possible. Give the door and door frame a new coat of paint, polish the door knocker and make sure the house numbers, mailbox and porch lights are in a consistent style. In addition to making the house more attractive to future home buyers, you’ll also impress your holiday guests.

3.  Paint the interior:

Nothing will give you more bang for the home improvement buck than a fresh coat of paint. Keep your potential buyer in mind and go for a neutral palette. Using the same color family in adjoining rooms will improve the flow of the house and tie everything together. And remember, neutral does not necessarily mean white or beige. In fact, white can be quite stark and cold, while beige can be boring and blah. Go for warmer tones in the main living areas to make the rooms more inviting.

4. Donate to a good cause:

This is the time to edit your wardrobe. Take everything out of the closet and force yourself to let go of those 80’s outfits and anything else you haven’t worn in a year. Be ruthless about what you get rid of. You will thank yourself when it comes time to move. This is also a great time to collect all the winter coats, boots and gloves your family has outgrown and donate them to the needy. Several organizations do winter coat drives for the homeless this time of year and would be thrilled to have your cast-offs.

5. Make a list of needed repairs:

Go through your house, inside and out, and look at it objectively, as a buyer would. Write down everything that needs fixing. These are things you simply must take care of before listing your house. Otherwise, buyers will see small problems and wonder what bigger problems await them. Call a handyman and get those repairs done of by the end of January.

There will be lots more to do when your listing date gets closer, but taking care of these things now should make the whole process less stressful.